Pregnancy and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever

AbstractCrimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a potentially fatal viral infection with reported case fatality rates of 5–30%. Humans become infected through tick bites, by contact with a patient with CCHF during the acute phase of infection, or by contact with blood or tissues from viraemic livestock. In this first report in the literature, we present the characteristics of three pregnant women with CCHF infection and the outcome of their babies. Transmission of the CCHF infection could be either intrauterine or perinatal. In endemic regions, CCHF infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of HELLP syndrome (haemolytic anaemia, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count), and obstetricians should be familiar with the characteristics of CCHF infection. In the aetiology of necrotising enterocolitis, CCHF should be considered

Neonatology Nurses’ Problems and Quality of Life

Aim: Working in a shift system can disturb quality of life due to chronic fatigue, sleepiness and somatic symptoms. This study aimed to determine the working conditions and problems encountered by nurses working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the effect on their quality of life.Method: Nurses who were a member of the Neonatology Nursing Association of Turkey were included in the study. The study sample consisted of 256 nurses. Data were collected with the descriptive data form and SF-36 quality of life scale. The data were evaluated by frequency, percentage, and Spearman's test.Results: Mean duration of work in the NICU was 4.8±3.97 years. Nurses mostly worked day and night shifts (60.9%); the mean duration of work was 14.4±3.01 hours per shift. A nurse cared for 5.3±1.27 neonates on average. 9.8% of the nurses were satisfied with the working environment. Common causes of dissatisfaction were low wages, high newborn ratio per nurse and the excessive working hours. 97.3% of nurses stated that working in the unit has an effect on their health. For SF-36 subgroups, the physical function score was high (62.5 ± 23.7), while the scores of the other subgroups were under 50 points. The lowest score was role-physical (28.5±33.2). The nurses' quality of life scores were low in general.Conclusion: This research was made in order to determine the working conditions of neonatology nurses and the effects of these on their health and life qualit

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Assessment of Tropical Infectious Diseases—A Review of Applications and Perspectives

The development of good quality and affordable ultrasound machines has led to the establishment and implementation of numerous point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) protocols in various medical disciplines. POCUS for major infectious diseases endemic in tropical regions has received less attention, despite its likely even more pronounced benefit for populations with limited access to imaging infrastructure. Focused assessment with sonography for HIV-associated TB (FASH) and echinococcosis (FASE) are the only two POCUS protocols for tropical infectious diseases, which have been formally investigated and which have been implemented in routine patient care today. This review collates the available evidence for FASH and FASE, and discusses sonographic experiences reported for urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, viral hemorrhagic fevers, amebic liver abscess, and visceral leishmaniasis. Potential POCUS protocols are suggested and technical as well as training aspects in the context of resource-limited settings are reviewed. Using the focused approach for tropical infectious diseases will make ultrasound diagnosis available to patients who would otherwise have very limited or no access to medical imaging