How Does The Fasting of Ramadan Affect Breast Milk Constituents?

Background: Breast-feeding of infants is associated with their better biological, psychological and intellectual development. However, many factors affect the volume and composition of human milk such as stage of lactation and maternal diet. Many breast-feeding Muslim mothers fast the lunar month of Ramadan. The effects of fasting on milk constituents have not been previously studied in Sudan. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the variations between milk constituents during fasting and non-fasting periods among a group of Sudanese women.Materials and Methods: Twenty four healthy breast-feeding mothers volunteered to participate in this cross-sectional study. Each mother provided 100 ml of breast milk during fasting and again 2 weeks after end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Milk was properly stored and analyzed for the various constituents, using the appropriate laboratory methods. The main constituents analyzed were: ash, protein, lactose, iron and electrolytes.Results: The age range of lactating women was between 18 and 38 years, mean (+SD) 28.8 (± 5.15 years). Most mothers 17 (70.8%) were house-wives. Analysis of breast milk during fasting and non-fasting periods showed that: lactose, protein, sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphate were significantly decreased in the fasting breast milk compared with the non-fasting milk (p=0.01), while total soluble solid, moisture, ash and iron constituents had not significantly changed during fasting.Conclusion: Fasting of Ramdan significantly affects proteins, carbohydrates and electrolytes in breast milk.Keywords: breast-feeding, milk constituents, Ramadan, fasting

An outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis among a displaced population in North Sudan: Review of cases

Background: Human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an endemic disease in many parts of Sudan. Objective: To document an outbreak of CL among internally displaced people (IDP) in north Sudan. Methods: A household survey was conducted in the rural region of New Manasir, at El Damer Locality in north Sudan during the year 2013. All villagers were screened for recent and old skin lesions in addition to other urgent medical problems. Written consent was obtained from each participant before data collection. A pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of participants. The diagnosis of CL was based on clinical findings and/or identification of the amastigotes on skin smears. Results: Out of the 1,236 individuals enrolled in this survey, 688 were diagnosed as cases of CL, giving an infection rate of 55.7%. Children constituted 244 (35.5%) of infected cases. Majority of skin lesions were found in the Extremities 524 (76.2%). The average duration of skin lesions was 3.6 months (±1.6). Conclusion: This outbreak among IDPs affected a large proportion of inhabitants of the newly established villages in north Sudan. Preventive measures might have help control such outbreaks