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OBJECTIVE: To document the characteristics of self-poisoning suicide attempters who were brought to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) Emergency Room and to outline the type of drug used in the attempt. METHOD: This was a retrospective study conducted over the period 2005-2009. Data were gathered from patients' case records, log books and the hospital records using a questionnaire developed for this study. The questionnaire examined demographics, parameters of the drug ingested, patient's disposition, and reasons for attempt, final outcome and the type of discharge of patients who reported to the UHWI Emergency Room due to a suicide attempt by self-poisoning. RESULTS: Over the five-year period, 127 cases of suicide attempt by self-poisoning were reported. Significantly more females than males presented to the hospital due to self-poisoning (3:1, chi2 = 33.37; p < 0.001). Of this amount, 96 cases (75.6%) were females and 31 (24.4%) were males. The age group most recorded was 16-30 years (70.8%). The most common reason for the suicide attempt was an interpersonal conflict (52%). The drug category most often used in self-poisoning was analgesics (52%) with acetaminophens being the most common (26.2%). CONCLUSION: These findings are consistent with global suicide trends and indicate an urgent need to develop and implement national preventative and treatment measures for groups known to be at risk of suicidal attempts.

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BACKGROUND: Depression in adolescents is often overlooked and misdiagnosed; however it is an important mental health problem which is associated with major functional impairments across daily domains of living, and considerable morbidity. The aim of this research is to examine the prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms among Jamaican adolescents, and the associated sociodemographic factors. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 3003 students between 10 and 15 years old in Jamaica. Survey methodology was used in the collection of the data. RESULTS: Of the sample of students, 47% were males. One hundred and thirty-four (4.5%) reported having depressive symptoms. The factors significantly associated with depressive symptoms were negative community attributes (B = 1.1; p = 0.001), protective factors within the home (B = 0.72; p = 0.000), gender (B = 1.92; p = 0.000), and learning problems (B = 3.1; p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Results indicate rates of depressive symptomatology reported among adolescents in Jamaica are consistent with rates reported in the literature.

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Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can cause life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients, such as those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is a rare but important cause of ulceration in the female genital tract. We report on three cases of CMV disease in the female genital tract. One patient presented with vulvar ulceration and fevers, and two patients presented with bleeding cervical lesions. All diagnoses were confirmed by histology. All patients were treated with intravenous ganciclovir with good result. CMV disease of the female genital tract may result in significant morbidity, with fever, pain, bleeding, and superinfection, and it may be associated with the development of pelvic inflammatory disease and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. There are several options for diagnosis and for safe treatment.

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OBJECTIVE: To examine complications in HIV-positive women and controls undergoing gynecologic surgery and to evaluate the prognostic value of immune function for postoperative morbidity. STUDY DESIGN: A review of patients undergoing surgery by the gynecology faculty at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions from February 1994 through November 1998 was performed. Fifty-three HIV-positive women were matched with 58 controls. Information on demographics, medical conditions, indication for surgery, surgery, blood loss, length of stay, perioperative hemoglobins, postoperative white blood cell counts and complications was collected. Data on HIV clinical stage, immune function and use of HIV medications were collected for HIV-positive patients. Odds ratio and chi 2 or two-sided t tests were used. Complication rates were also compared by CD4 counts and by HIV RNA levels. RESULTS: The only difference in demographics was by type of insurance (P < .001). Overall, 9 of 53 HIV-positive women had a complication as compared with 5 of 58 controls. There was no difference in the overall rate of complications or in specific complications, even when stratified by minor or major procedures. There were no differences between CD4 and HIV RNA groups for individual complications. CONCLUSION: The study found no differences in complications between HIV-positive and control patients and no association with immune status or viral load.

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Two newly-born Anglo Nubian kids with clinical evidence of a severe neurological condition were examined. Pathological examination revealed cytoplasmic vacuolation in neural tissue and in localized areas in the kidney, pancreas and lymphoid tissue. Biochemical investigations demonstrated a deficiency of beta-mannosidase in tissues and blood serum.

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Generalised glycogenosis was diagnosed in Brahman cattle on 4 Queensland properties on the basis of clinical observations and pathological and biochemical findings. The disease presented as a problem of ill-thrift and poor growth rate in calves which eventually showed nervous signs. Histologically there was vacuolation in the cells of the central nervous system, heart and muscular tissues. Biochemical assay of liver and blood mononuclear cells demonstrated a deficiency of alpha-glucosidase. Parents of affected calves had approximately half the alpha-glucosidase activity of that found in normal cattle.

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