RESUMO
Between February and October 1987, a febrile illness killed 14 persons and seriously affected at least 14 others in Shumpillan, a remote Peruvian mountain village of 353 people. The illness was characterized by fever, headache, chills, and pallor. The fatality rate of untreated cases was 88%. The patients, 71% of whom were male, were 1-75 years of age. Fatal illnesses progressed from lethargy to coma to death in 3-60 days. Patients treated empirically with chloramphenicol survived. Bartonella bacilliformis was isolated from the whole blood of 3 patients. A serologic study revealed a high prevalence of antibodies to B. bacilliformis in the villagers. It is concluded that the villagers suffered from an epidemic of Oroya fever.
Assuntos
Infecções por Bartonella/epidemiologia , Surtos de Doenças , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Anticorpos Antibacterianos/análise , Bartonella/imunologia , Bartonella/isolamento & purificação , Infecções por Bartonella/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções por Bartonella/mortalidade , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Cloranfenicol/uso terapêutico , Feminino , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G/análise , Lactente , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Peru/epidemiologia , Fatores de Risco , Estações do Ano , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
A review of the published literature on nutritional anemias in the English-speaking Caribbean was carried out. Published articles on the subject are few in number and are concentrated in the larger islands such as Jamaica and Trinidad. Nutritional anemias are most prevalent among women of childbearing age. Iron and folate deficiencies and, to a much lesser extent, protein deficiency resulting from insufficient dietary intakes of these nutrients are the major nutritional factors contributing to this anemia.
Assuntos
Anemia/epidemiologia , Deficiências Nutricionais/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Anemia/etiologia , Anemia Hipocrômica/epidemiologia , Anemia Sideroblástica/epidemiologia , Anemia Sideroblástica/etiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Deficiências Nutricionais/etiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Doenças Parasitárias/complicações , Gravidez , Fatores Sexuais , Índias OcidentaisRESUMO
A survey was carried out in Guyana to determine the prevalence and the etiology of the nutritional anemias among both sexes, in various age groups, and in pregnant and lactating women. The sample consisted of 590 subjects drawn from 103 households selected by multistage cluster sampling. Anthropometric and hematological measurements and stool investigations for intestinal parasites were carried out in each subject. Socioeconomic and other demographic data were obtained for each household. High prevalences of anemia, although of a relatively mild degree, were found among all age groups especially among pregnant and lactating women. The major factors related to Hb levels were found to be inadequate consumption of food rich in the erythropoietic nutrients, iron deficiency, age, sex, pregnancy, household income, and percentage of household income spent on food. A number of socioeconomic and other demographic variables were associated with anemia. More anemia was found in urban than in rural areas.
Assuntos
Anemia/epidemiologia , Deficiências Nutricionais/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Anemia/etiologia , Anemia Hipocrômica/epidemiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Deficiências Nutricionais/complicações , Feminino , Deficiência de Ácido Fólico/epidemiologia , Guiana , Infecções por Uncinaria/epidemiologia , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Gravidez , Análise de Regressão , Fatores Sexuais , Deficiência de Vitamina B 12/epidemiologiaRESUMO
A study was carried out to evaluate the use of changes in hair root morphology in the assessment of protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) among a group of black West Indian children. The following five hair root characteristics were measured: percentage of anagen (the growing phase), percentage of telogen (the resting phase), percentage of atrophy, diameter of anagen bulbs, and shaft diameter. Significant differences in shaft diameter, percentage of anagen, and percentage of telogen were found only between well-nourished and severely malnourished children. Significant correlation coefficients were obtained between both bulb diameter and percentage of atrophy and muscle circumference. No significant differences in any of the hair root characteristics were obtained between children with nutritional marasmus and those with kwashiorkor. The method was found to be time-consuming; it can be used for differentiating well-nourished children only from those with severe PCM; and it is unsuitable for determining the prevalence of the three degrees of PCM. For these reasons, the method is not recommended for use in the field assessment of protein-calorie malnutrition.