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Visceral leishmaniasis in Ethiopia. II. Annualleishmanin transformation in a population. Is positiveleishmanin reaction a life long phenomenon? Ahmed Ali, PHD, Richard William Ashford, PHD2 and Tesfaye Bulto MD Institute of Pathobiology and Department of Community Health, Addis Ababa University , and 2Division of Biomedical Science, School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool and ALERT, Addis Ababa. Following a cross-sectionalleishmanin skin test, a follow up was undertaken to assess the annual incidence of skin test transformation and to evaluate the status of a positive reaction. The point prevalence of leishmanin positivity in a selected group was found to be 46.8%, whereas the annual incidence ofleishmanin transformation was 14.8%. 62.5% of males and 32.1% of the females contacts of visceral leishmaniasis cases were found to have a significantly higher rate of positive reaction compared with those in house holds with no report of the disease. The implications of the findings are discussed. Clinico-epidemiological survey on Onchocerciasis in two villages, south-western EthiopiaAsefa Aga, BSC, MPH1, Frew Lemma, MD, MPH1,J.A.G. Whitworth, M.D.2, Aynalem Abraha, M.D.J 1School of Medical Laboratory Technology , 1Department of Community Health, Jimma Institute of Health Sciences. 2Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. 1Shebe Health Center, Jimma. .
Antimalarial drug utilization by women in Central EthiopiaHailu Yeneneh, MD., MSc. National Research Institute of Health A survey was undertaken to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices, with respect to malaria, on 300 women from six randomly selected rural communities in Central Ethiopia from December 1991 to February 1992. Eighty five percent were able to recognize one or more of the common symptoms of malaria. Transmission was generally misunderstood and only 23% believed it could be prevented. More women preferred to obtain antimalarial pills from government clinics than from privet drug shops, mission clinics, unofficial infectors, open markets or from leftover sources. Children under five were identified as the most malaria-vulnerable group and given priority for treatment. Severity of illness was the principal determinant in seeking treatment. Decisions were generally made jointly by both parents. As distance from a health unit increased, knowledge about transmissibility of malaria decreased (OR = .48, 95% CI .27, .86). Logistic regression analysis showed literacy and village location to be the most important variables associated with knowledge of prevention. A review or first pregnancy in Jimma townAbbebe G. Mariam, BSc. MPH, Sissay Wondmagen, BSc,MSc, Sileshy Demisse, Aynalem Abrha Department of Community Health, Jimma Institute of Health Sciences Of 267 primiparous delivered in Jimma hospital between 1987 to 1989, 238 were selected by simple random method and delivery records were analyzed retrospectively using EPI ENFO statistical package. The purposes were to identify and document pregnancy and delivery related problems, and to provide a baseline data for further sturdy monitoring of maternal and Child Health services. The results showed that prolonged labour 26.9%, abortion 14.3%, fistula 5.4% and CPD in 5.9%, the most affected age groups were those under 19 years of age. The proportion of eventful situations (any delivery related problems as PPH, C/S, vacuum extractions etc) was highest (30.4%) in the age groups of < 19 and 20- 29. There was no significant difference in the incidence of normal and eventful deliveries by age group (p> 0.01). Among the women who have given live birth, 14.2% had a very low birth weight ( < 2000 gm), and 31.4% a low birth weight (200-2499gm). The proportion of LBW ( < 2500gm) accounted for 15.1, 15.7 and 10.8 percent in the age groups; < 19,20-29 and 25-29 respectively. During the study period there were 12 maternal deaths, which lives a maternal mortality rate of 58.8 per 1000 live birth. According to our finding, pregnancy and delivery problems are observed more in the are groups < 19 and 20-24. Thus recommendation on a systematic &. continuous support for the promotion of safe maternality and motherhood, that enables the potential mothers to attain physical, mental and social maturity to better cope with pregnancy and birth was forwarded. Sexually transmitted diseases with emphasis on syphilis among pregnant women In Ketchene Awraja, Addis Ababa. Daba Mosissa, MD, Dennis Carlson, MD Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University The research design was a community based cross-sectional study; it was conducted among second and third trimester pregnant women by random sampling in Ketchene area (previously called Ketchene Awraja) which is part of the city of Addis Ababa. The objective was to determine the prevalence rate of syphilis and to assess knowledge of pregnant women regarding sexually transmitted diseases with emphasis on syphilis. A total of 410 pregnant women in the second and third trimester group from 16 kebeles of the district were included in the study. They underwent a physical examination, laboratory examinations were done and pretested questionnaires were administered in the order mentioned. The study showed that 11% of second and third trimester women were positive by RPR -blood examination test for treponema palladium syphilis and 7.1% were positive by TPHA confirmatory-test for treponema palladium syphilis. Knowledge regarding the existence of STDs was generally high: the percentages who mentioned various STDs when asked to list those they knew were HIV / AIDS (90.2% ), syphilis (89.3%), Gonorrhoea (86.8%), chancroid (40%) and LGV (20%) respectively. Knowledge regarding the causes of STDs is inadequate, particularly with regard to causes of gonorrhoea, but knowledge regarding treatment and prevention is fair. The frequency of asymptomatic syphilis was high; more than half of the 29 TPHA confirmed syphilis cases had no symptoms; likewise, the signs/symptoms had a low positive predictive value, that is very few of those with positive signs/symptoms of syphilis were actually positive by the TPHA-test. This may be because they had other STDs (LGV, Chancroid, Herpes genitalis) which have also similar clinical manifestations. In this study there was no association between women's knowledge regarding STDs and their syphilis status as measured by the TPHA test. It is recommended to do vaginal examination and swabs for gram stain and wet-mount routinely during antenatal and family planning sessions. Screening for syphilis using at least RPR test should be a routine procedure in pregnant women. |