Berg adder (Bitis atropos): An unusual case of acute poisoning

A 5-year-old boy presented to hospital with mild local cytotoxic and severe neurotoxic symptoms. The neurotoxic symptoms included ptosis, fixed dilated pupils and flaccid paralysis with respiratory failure. Mild hyponatraemia was also a clinical feature. After various unsuccessful treatment options were followed, the Tygerberg Poison Information Centre was contacted and a diagnosis of berg adder bite was made. Berg adder bites are uncommon and therefore not usually considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with an unexplained clinical picture. A timeous poison information helpline consultation is recommended in this situation

Solar UV radiation-induced non-melanoma skin cancer as an occupational reportable disease : international experience to inform South Africa

BACKGROUND : Occupational solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is a skin cancer risk factor. Outdoor workers have long exposure hours and are in need of photoprotection against solar UVR, a Group 1-defined carcinogen. In South Africa, skin cancers account for one third of all histologically-diagnosed cancers. Physiological presentation of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) is most common on the head in all population groups. It is expected that occupational exposure plays a role in NMSC aetiology in South Africa, although such data are presently lacking. Recognising solar UVR-inflicted skin cancer as an occupational disease occurs in some countries. We consider the experience of other countries in including NMSC as an occupational disease to draw on lessons learnt, and consider a similar approach for South Africa. METHODS : We sourced articles in English on NMSC as an occupational disease. We also sent an open-ended e-mail information request to nine international academic experts from different developed countries. Data on background, legislation, reporting, notification and occupational sectors of concern were analysed. RESULTS : Several countries, e.g. Denmark, include NMSC as an occupational disease. Despite this, under-reporting is still significant. Agriculture, construction and public service sectors report most commonly, compared to other sectors. National awareness campaigns, careful legal management and improved health care services for patients are key. CONCLUSIONS : Outdoor workers run an increased risk of developing NMSC. For South Africa to register NMSC as a reportable occupational disease, significant efforts relating to local epidemiology, exposure assessment, legal and insurance management, and policy-making, need to be considered.CYW and JLdP receive funding from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa.http://www.occhealth.co.zaam2018Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorolog

Solar UV radiation-induced non-melanoma skin cancer as an occupational reportable disease : international experience to inform South Africa

BACKGROUND : Occupational solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is a skin cancer risk factor. Outdoor workers have long exposure hours and are in need of photoprotection against solar UVR, a Group 1-defined carcinogen. In South Africa, skin cancers account for one third of all histologically-diagnosed cancers. Physiological presentation of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) is most common on the head in all population groups. It is expected that occupational exposure plays a role in NMSC aetiology in South Africa, although such data are presently lacking. Recognising solar UVR-inflicted skin cancer as an occupational disease occurs in some countries. We consider the experience of other countries in including NMSC as an occupational disease to draw on lessons learnt, and consider a similar approach for South Africa. METHODS : We sourced articles in English on NMSC as an occupational disease. We also sent an open-ended e-mail information request to nine international academic experts from different developed countries. Data on background, legislation, reporting, notification and occupational sectors of concern were analysed. RESULTS : Several countries, e.g. Denmark, include NMSC as an occupational disease. Despite this, under-reporting is still significant. Agriculture, construction and public service sectors report most commonly, compared to other sectors. National awareness campaigns, careful legal management and improved health care services for patients are key. CONCLUSIONS : Outdoor workers run an increased risk of developing NMSC. For South Africa to register NMSC as a reportable occupational disease, significant efforts relating to local epidemiology, exposure assessment, legal and insurance management, and policy-making, need to be considered.CYW and JLdP receive funding from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa.http://www.occhealth.co.zaam2018Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorolog

Solar UV radiation-induced non-melanoma skin cancer as an occupational reportable disease : international experience to inform South Africa

BACKGROUND : Occupational solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is a skin cancer risk factor. Outdoor workers have long exposure hours and are in need of photoprotection against solar UVR, a Group 1-defined carcinogen. In South Africa, skin cancers account for one third of all histologically-diagnosed cancers. Physiological presentation of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) is most common on the head in all population groups. It is expected that occupational exposure plays a role in NMSC aetiology in South Africa, although such data are presently lacking. Recognising solar UVR-inflicted skin cancer as an occupational disease occurs in some countries. We consider the experience of other countries in including NMSC as an occupational disease to draw on lessons learnt, and consider a similar approach for South Africa. METHODS : We sourced articles in English on NMSC as an occupational disease. We also sent an open-ended e-mail information request to nine international academic experts from different developed countries. Data on background, legislation, reporting, notification and occupational sectors of concern were analysed. RESULTS : Several countries, e.g. Denmark, include NMSC as an occupational disease. Despite this, under-reporting is still significant. Agriculture, construction and public service sectors report most commonly, compared to other sectors. National awareness campaigns, careful legal management and improved health care services for patients are key. CONCLUSIONS : Outdoor workers run an increased risk of developing NMSC. For South Africa to register NMSC as a reportable occupational disease, significant efforts relating to local epidemiology, exposure assessment, legal and insurance management, and policy-making, need to be considered.CYW and JLdP receive funding from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa.http://www.occhealth.co.zaam2018Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorolog

Solar UV radiation-induced non-melanoma skin cancer as an occupational reportable disease: international experience to inform South Africa

Background: Occupational solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is a skin cancer risk factor. Outdoor workers have long exposure hours and are in need of photoprotection against solar UVR, a Group 1-defined carcinogen. In South Africa, skin cancers account for one third of all histologically-diagnosed cancers. Physiological presentation of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) is most common on the head in all population groups. It is expected that occupational exposure plays a role in NMSC aetiology in South Africa, although such data are presently lacking. Recognising solar UVR-inflicted skin cancer as an occupational disease occurs in some countries. We consider the experience of other countries in including NMSC as an occupational disease to draw on lessons learnt, and consider a similar approach for South Africa. Methods: We sourced articles in English on NMSC as an occupational disease. We also sent an open-ended e-mail information request to nine international academic experts from different developed countries. Data on background, legislation, reporting, notification and occupational sectors of concern were analysed. Results: Several countries, e.g. Denmark, include NMSC as an occupational disease. Despite this, under-reporting is still significant. Agriculture, construction and public service sectors report most commonly, compared to other sectors. National awareness campaigns, careful legal management and improved health care services for patients are key. Conclusions: Outdoor workers run an increased risk of developing NMSC. For South Africa to register NMSC as a reportable occupational disease, significant efforts relating to local epidemiology, exposure assessment, legal and insurance management, and policy-making, need to be considere

Breastfeeding policies and practices in health care facilities in the Western Cape province, South Africa

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global effort to improve the role of maternity services and to enable mothers to breastfeed their infants, thus ensuring the best start in life for their infants. The foundation for the BFHI is the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (BF). It has been shown, however, that the selective implementation of only some of the steps may be ineffective and discouraging to successful BF practices. An initial study was therefore conducted to assess the extent of the implementation of the Ten Steps in both public and private maternity facilities. Poor performance for some steps led to a follow-up study to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of health care workers (HCWs) and mothers alike and to evaluate the exclusive BF (EBF) practices of mothers attending private BF clinics. Both studies followed descriptive, cross-sectional designs and were set in the Cape Metropole in the Western Cape. Twenty-six maternity facilities participated in the initial study, for which observation lists were completed and verifed by interviewer- administered questionnaires to both HCWs and mothers. Eighteen private BF clinics participated in the follow-up study, which included observations and interviewer-administered questionnaires to 25 HCWs and 64 mothers. During the initial study, lower mean scores were noted for Steps 1, 2, 6 and 10. The overall implementation of the Ten Steps was average. The fndings highlighted the importance of the establishment and implementation of BF policies, of appropriate and continuous BF training and better referral systems to ensure initiation and establishment of early BF, EBF practices and support on an ongoing basis to ensure the best start in life for infants.Articl

Examining the generalizability of research findings from archival data.

This initiative examined systematically the extent to which a large set of archival research findings generalizes across contexts. We repeated the key analyses for 29 original strategic management effects in the same context (direct reproduction) as well as in 52 novel time periods and geographies; 45% of the reproductions returned results matching the original reports together with 55% of tests in different spans of years and 40% of tests in novel geographies. Some original findings were associated with multiple new tests. Reproducibility was the best predictor of generalizability-for the findings that proved directly reproducible, 84% emerged in other available time periods and 57% emerged in other geographies. Overall, only limited empirical evidence emerged for context sensitivity. In a forecasting survey, independent scientists were able to anticipate which effects would find support in tests in new samples