Prevalence of septicaemia and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of bacterial isolates at the University Teaching Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon

Bloodstream infections are important causes of mortality and morbidity. Rapid empiric antibiotic therapy is often needed. Knowledge of epidemiological data of common pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern is needed for rapid therapy. This study was aimed at determining the common causes of septicaemia and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern from the University Teaching Hospital, Yaoundé. Blood samples were collected and cultured aerobically. Isolates were identified using bacteriological and biochemical methods and antibiotic sensitivity was done using the Kirby- Bauer disc diffusion method. Results showed that of the 396 patients examined 112 (28.3%) had septicaemia. Children below the age of 15 years constituted the greatest percentage of infected subjects (63.4%) followed by patients aged between 16-30 years (10.7%) (P < 0.05). The highest incidence of septicaemia were from medicine (8.95‰), followed by paediatrics (7.04‰), surgery (6.46 ‰), out-patients (5.79‰), neonatology (5.12‰), obstetrics and gynaecology (5.05‰) and emergency (2.05‰) wards. The overall incidence of septicaemia was 5.79 per 1000 admissions. Gram-positive bacteria were encountered more often than gram negative bacteria (56.2% versus 43.8%,

Childhood Leprosy In Essimbiland of Cameroon: Results of Chart Review and School Survey

Background: The WHO targeted to eliminate leprosy from the world as a public health problem by reducing the prevalence to less than 1 case per 10000 population based on the use of multi-drug therapy (MDT). Despite the success of MDT, endemic pools still exist in some countries that have attained the national elimination threshold.Objective: Assess the burden of childhood leprosy and control efforts in Essimbiland of Cameroon. Methods: The records of children patients were reviewed in two main primary health care institutions and 4 primary schools in Essimbiland having 459 pupils were surveyed forleprosy. A purposive sampling of all available registers and pupils was used. Results: A total of 1129 case files were reviewed covering the periods before MDT (1961-1967) implementation in 1982 and post MDT (1982-1999); no records were available from 1968-1991.From chart review, 42 (23.3%) new leprosy cases from 1961-1967 and 35 (12.2%) from 1982-1998 were from the Mbingo leprosarium. 31(39.7%) of 78 childhood leprosy cases from chart review [1961-1967 and 1982-1999] were from Essimbiland. Of the 35 incident childhood leprosy cases from 1982-1998, 24(68.6%) were from Essimbiland compared to other divisions. Poor record - keeping on leprosy was common in the study area. Among 459 pupils surveyed in 4 primary schools, 6(1.3%) new leprosy cases were identified giving a prevalence of 131 per 10,000 pupils. The common skin lesion was on the back but one pupil had both hands clawed. 16(3.5%) pupils were placed on observation. All the new leprosy cases from the schoolsurvey were indigenes of Essimbiland. Conclusion: Childhood leprosy is a public health problem in the Essimbiland requiring school surveys and a house-tohouse search for new cases.Keywords: Childhood leprosy, chart review, school survey, Essimbiland, Cameroo

Socio-Behavioral Risk Factors Associated with Cryptosporidiosis in HIV/AIDS Patients Visiting the HIV Referral Clinic at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana

bjective: To identify the socio-behavioral risk factors associated with cryptosporidiosis among HIV/AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea symptoms visiting the HIV referral clinic at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 HIV/AIDS patients with recurrent diarrhea. Questionnaires were administered to collect social and behavioral risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium and other opportunistic protozoan parasitic infections in HIV patients. Stool samples were collected for the diagnosis of enteric protozoan pathogens using modified Ziehl-Neelsen and acid-fast staining methods. CD4+ cells counts of study subjects were obtained from patients clinical records. The data obtained were analyzed using Pearson chi-square and multivariate-adjusted statistics tool on SPSS 16 for Windows. Results: Twenty-seven (54%) of the subjects were infected with enteric protozoan pathogens. The prevalences of Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora and Microsporidium infections were 46%, 32% and 16%, respectively. Cryptosporidium infection was significantly associated with drinking water (×2=13.528, p500 cells/mm3. Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factor for Cryptosporidium infection among HIV/AIDS patients was the source of drinking water (pipe borne water 76.2% prevalence: sachet water 25%; OR=0.10, 95%CI: 0.03-0.39, p<0.001). Conclusion: We report the risk factor for exposure of Cryptosporidium infection among HIV/AIDS patients for the first time in Ghana. The contamination of drinking water by protozoan parasites should be a public health concern. These results provide the stepping block to understand the transmission dynamics of Cryptosporidium and other opportunistic pathogens in HIV/AIDS infected patients in Ghana