Development of a community-based maternal, newborn and child emergency training package in South Sudan.

Objective: To develop an evidence-based maternal, newborn and child emergency training package for community-based frontline health workers (FHWs) in post-conflict South Sudan.

Methods: In partnership with the new Republic of South Sudan, a multimodal needs assessment was conducted through purposive sampling, involving key informant interviews, focus group discussions, provider knowledge assessments and facility surveys. Data were analyzed using traditional qualitative techniques and compared with existing training programmes and curricula.

Evaluation of a novel training package among frontline maternal, newborn, and child health workers in South Sudan.

Objective: To develop, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based Maternal, Newborn, and Child Survival (MNCS) package for frontline health workers (FHWs) in South Sudan.

Methods: A multimodal needs assessment was conducted to develop a best-evidence package comprised of targeted training, pictorial checklists, and reusable equipment and commodities. Implementation utilized a training-of-trainers model.

Sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever involving 3-5-week-old calves in Saudi Arabia.

Between late December 1999 and late April 2000, three locally bred Friesian calves (ageing 25, 28 and 35 days) in a dairy farm, at Al-Ahsa locality of the eastern region of Saudi Arabia showed dullness and inappetence. Their rectal temperatures ranged between 41 and 41.5 degrees C.

Study of Akabane infection in Saudi Arabia by the use of sentinel ruminants.

Two sentinel herds of calves (Eastern and Central regions of Saudi Arabia) and one of sheep and goats (South Western region) were established to study Akabane virus infection. The herd at the Al-Ahsa oasis (Eastern region) showed evidence of Akabane viral activity, as reflected by the presence of maternal (colostral) antibody, which had waned to insignificant concentrations by the time the calves had reached the age of 5 months. There was no evidence of subsequent seroconversion.

Experimental study of vaccines against Salmonella typhimurium infection.

Serological and protective activities of vaccines from S. typhimurium and S. minnesota were studied.