Obstetric uterine ruptures in a rural area in Zaïre.

Uterine ruptures with their deplorable sequelae constitute a major obstetrical problem in the rural areas of Africa. The maternal and perinatal mortality remain high as a result, mainly due to the lack of early and adequate care for these patients. Grande-multiparity is one of the major predisposing factors.

Penile cancer in rural Zaïre.

Penile cancer is a malignant tumour which we rarely encounter in rural Zaïre because circumcision is practised in several tribes at early age. We describe in 5 patients, penile cancer all from the same ethnic group (Hema, Nilotic ethnic group) living both in Zaïre and Uganda. In this tribe circumcision is not a routine surgical act.

HIV seroprevalence among healthy blood donors in northeastern Zaire.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-antibody screening of blood donors in northeastern Zaire was reviewed to determine overall seroprevalence in the population and to identify particular subgroups of the population who are at relatively high risk. Six hundred and seventy-five healthy blood donors were tested from March 1989 to May 1990 using either the HIV-CHEK or Karpas cell tests. A total of 25 donors (3.