Serogroup W-135 Meningococcal Disease during the Hajj, 2000

An outbreak of serogroup W-135 meningococcal disease occurred during the 2000 Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Disease was reported worldwide in Hajj pilgrims and their close contacts; however, most cases were identified in Saudi Arabia. Trends in Saudi meningococcal disease were evaluated and the epidemiology of Saudi cases from this outbreak described. Saudi national meningococcal disease incidence data for 1990 to 2000 were reviewed; cases from January 24 to June 5, 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. The 2000 Hajj outbreak consisted of distinct serogroup A and serogroup W-135 outbreaks. Of 253 identified cases in Saudi Arabia, 161 (64%) had serogroup identification; serogroups W-135 and A caused 93 (37%) and 60 (24%) cases with attack rates of 9 and 6 cases per 100,000 population, respectively. The 2000 Hajj outbreak was the first large serogroup W-135 meningococcal disease outbreak identified worldwide. Enhanced surveillance for serogroup W-135, especially in Africa, is essential to control this emerging epidemic disease

The South African society of psychiatrists (SASOP) and SASOP State Employed Special Interest Group (SESIG) position statements on psychiatric care in the public sector

Executive summary. National mental health policy: SASOP extends its support for the process of formalising a national mental health policy as well as for the principles and content of the current draft policy. Psychiatry and mental health: psychiatrists should play a central role, along with the other mental health disciplines, in the strategic and operational planning of mental health services at local, provincial and national level. Infrastructure and human resources: it is essential that the state takes up its responsibility to provide adequate structures, systems and funds for the specified services and facilities on national, provincial and facility level, as a matter of urgency. Standard treatment guidelines (STGs) and essential drug lists (EDLs): close collaboration and co-ordination should occur between the processes of establishing SASOP and national treatment guidelines, as well as the related decisions on EDLs for different levels. HIV/AIDS in children: national HIV programmes have to promote awareness of the neurocognitive problems and psychiatric morbidity associated with HIV in children. HIV/AIDS in adults: the need for routine screening of all HIV-positive individuals for mental health and cognitive impairments should also be emphasised as many adult patients have a mental illness, either before or as a consequence of HIV infection, constituting a ‘special needs’ group. Substance abuse and addiction: the adequate diagnosis and management of related substance abuse and addiction problems should fall within the domain of the health sector and, in particular, that of mental health and psychiatry. Community psychiatry and referral levels: the rendering of ambulatory specialist psychiatric services on a community-centred basis should be regarded as a key strategy to make these services more accessible to users closer to where they live. Recovery and re-integration: a recovery framework such that personal recovery outcomes, among others, become the universal goals by which we measure service provision, should be adopted as soon as possible. Culture, mental health and psychiatry: culture, religion and spirituality should be considered in the current approach to the local practice and training of specialist psychiatry, within the professional and ethical scope of the discipline. Forensic psychiatry: an important and significant field within the scope of state-employed psychiatrists, with 3 recognised groups of patients (persons referred for forensic psychiatric observation, state patients, and mentally ill prisoners), each with specific needs, problems and possible solutions. Security in psychiatric hospitals and units: it is necessary to protect public sector mental healthcare practitioners from assault and injury as a result of performing their clinical duties by, among others, ensuring that adequate security procedures are implemented, appropriate for the level of care required, and that appointed security staff members are appropriately trained and equipped.Dr Reddy’s Laboratorieshttp://www.sajp.org.za/index.php/sajpam2013ay201

A case series of medically ill HIV positive children referred to a paediatric consultation liaison service for a psychiatric evaluation

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Neuropsychiatric manifestations of HIV in children and adolescents receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)

Geneeskunde en GesondheidswetenskappePsigiatriePlease help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected]

A case series of HIV-positive children and adolescents referred to a child and adolescent mental health service for neuropsychiatric evaluation

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A retrospective chart review of the clinical and psychosocial profile of psychotic adolescents with co-morbid substance use disorders presenting to acute adolescent psychiatric services at Tygerberg Hospital

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Management of mental health disorders and central nervous system sequelae in HIV-positive children and adolescents

HIV-positive children and adolescents are at increased risk of both central nervous system (CNS) sequelae and mental disorders owing to a number of factors, including the impact of HIV infection on the brain, social determinants of health (e.g. poverty and orphanhood) and psychosocial stressors related to living with HIV. Every effort should be made to identify perinatally HIV-infected children and initiate them on antiretroviral therapy early in life. HIV clinicians should ideally screen for mental health and neurocognitive problems, as part of the routine monitoring of children attending antiretroviral clinics. This guideline is intended as a reference tool for HIV clinicians to support the early identification, screening and management of mental health disorders and/or CNS impairment in children and adolescents. This guideline covers mental disorders (section 1) and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (section 2) among children and adolescents

Management of mental health disorders and central nervous system sequelae in HIV-positive children and adolescents

CITATION: Nassen, R. et al. 2014. Management of mental health disorders and central nervous system sequelae in HIV-positive children and adolescents. Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine, 15(3):81-96, doi:10.7196/SAJHIVMED.1091.The original publication is available at http://www.sajhivmed.org.zaHIV-positive children and adolescents are at increased risk of both central nervous system (CNS) sequelae and mental disorders owing to a number of factors, including the impact of HIV infection on the brain, social determinants of health (e.g. poverty and orphanhood) and psychosocial stressors related to living with HIV. Every effort should be made to identify perinatally HIV-infected children and initiate them on antiretroviral therapy early in life. HIV clinicians should ideally screen for mental health and neurocognitive problems, as part of the routine monitoring of children attending antiretroviral clinics. This guideline is intended as a reference tool for HIV clinicians to support the early identification, screening and management of mental health disorders and/or CNS impairment in children and adolescents. This guideline covers mental disorders (section 1) and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (section 2) among children and adolescents.http://www.sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/7Publisher's versio