Oesophageal varices, schistosomiasis, and mortality among patients admitted with haematemesis in Mwanza, Tanzania: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common cause of hospital admissions worldwide. Aetiologies vary by sociodemographics and geography. Retrospective studies of endoscopies in much of Africa have documented oesophageal varices as a leading cause of UGIB.

Malaria among adult inpatients in two Tanzanian referral hospitals: a prospective study.

Most malaria research in sub-Saharan Africa has focused on children and pregnant women, but malaria among hospitalized adults in this region is poorly characterized. In this prospective study, we assessed the prevalence and clinical characteristics of malaria among the inpatient adults in two hospitals in Tanzania. We enrolled adults admitted with suspected malaria and performed routine thick blood smear (BS) and malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDT).

Endoscopic and clinicopathological patterns of esophageal cancer in Tanzania: experiences from two tertiary health institutions.

Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the most serious gastrointestinal cancer worldwide, owing to its rapid development and fatal prognoses in most cases. There is a paucity of published data regarding esophageal cancer in Tanzania and the study area in particular. This study was conducted to describe the endoscopic and clinicopathological patterns of esophageal cancer in this part of the world.

Clinicopathological patterns and challenges of management of colorectal cancer in a resource-limited setting: a Tanzanian experience.

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and its incidence is reported to be increasing in resource-limited countries, probably due to the acquisition of a western lifestyle. However, information regarding colorectal cancer in Tanzania and the study area in particular is limited. This study was conducted in our local setting to describe the clinicopathological pattern of colorectal cancer and highlight the challenging problem in the management of this disease.

Strongyloides stercoralis infection presenting as an unusual cause of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding in an immunosuppressed patient: a case report.

Strongyloidiasis caused by Strongyloides stercoralis is a rare but well documented cause of massive upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding especially in endemic areas. However, oesophagogastroduodenoscopic findings and extractions of S. stercoralis, in the adult worm form, from the duodenum is even rarer.

Gastric cancer at a university teaching hospital in northwestern Tanzania: a retrospective review of 232 cases.

Background: Despite marked decreases in its incidence, particularly in developed countries, gastric cancer is still the second most common tumor worldwide. There is a paucity of information regarding gastric cancer in northwestern Tanzania. This study was undertaken to describe our experience, in our local setting, on the management of gastric cancer, outlining the clinicopathological and treatment outcome of these patients and suggesting ways to improve the treatment outcome.

A fibreoptic endoscopic study of upper gastrointestinal bleeding at Bugando Medical Centre in northwestern Tanzania: a retrospective review of 240 cases.

Background: Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is recognized as a common and potentially life-threatening abdominal emergency that needs a prompt assessment and aggressive emergency treatment. A retrospective study was undertaken at Bugando Medical Centre in northwestern Tanzania between March 2010 and September 2011 to describe our own experiences with fibreoptic upper GI endoscopy in the management of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding in our setting and compare our results with those from other centers in the world.

Findings: A total of 240 patients representing 18.

Typhoid intestinal perforations at a University teaching hospital in Northwestern Tanzania: A surgical experience of 104 cases in a resource-limited setting.

Background: Typhoid intestinal perforation is still prevalent in many developing countries. Despite the advances in the management, the outcome in these patients in resource limited countries is still very poor. This study was to review our experiences on the surgical management of typhoid intestinal perforation and to determine the prognostic factors for mortality in our local setting.

Clinical profile and outcome of surgical treatment of perforated peptic ulcers in Northwestern Tanzania: A tertiary hospital experience.

Background: Perforated peptic ulcer is a serious complication of peptic ulcers with potential risk of grave complications. There is paucity of published reports on perforated peptic ulcer disease in our local environment. This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical presentation, management and outcome of patients with peptic ulcer perforation in our setting and to identify predictors of outcome of these patients.

Differential cathelicidin expression in duodenal and gastric biopsies from Tanzanian and German patients.

Background: Epithelial surfaces such as the gastrointestinal mucosa depend on expression of antimicrobial peptides like cathelicidin for immune defence against pathogens. The mechanisms behind mucosal cathelicidin regulation are incompletely understood.

Methods: Cathelicidin expression was analysed in duodenal, antral and corpus/fundic mucosal biopsies from African and German patients.