Emergency care visits at a South African hospital: Implications for healthcare services and policy.

Background: A robust knowledge on the pattern of use of emergency care resources not only serves as an indicator of universal access to care but also provides a basis for quality improvement within the health system. This study was undertaken to describe the pattern of emergency room visits at Brits District Hospital (BDH) in North West province, South Africa. The objectives of this study were to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of emergency department (ED) users and other patterns of ED use.

Umbilical vein catheterisation for the family physician working in primary health care.

This is part of a series of articles on vascular access in emergencies. The other two articles were on intra osseous lines and central venous lines. These are critical lifesaving emergency skills for the primary care professional.

Central venous pressure line insertion for the primary health care physician.

Central venous access is an important procedure to understand and perform not only in the emergency unit but also for prolonged reliable venous access. All clinicians must be familiar and confident with this procedure. This paper will focus on applied anatomy in respect of common anatomical sites for venous access, the indications, the contraindications, the technique and complications that may arise following the procedure.

Intraosseous line insertion for the primary health care physician.

Early rapid access to the vascular system is essential in emergencies and is lifesaving. In this article, we will provide information on the common sites used, the equipment that is required, the indications and contraindications for intraosseous line insertion, how to correctly and safely do the procedure, medication that can be administered, post insertion line management and possible complications. This is a lifesaving procedure and primary healthcare physicians should acquire this skill.

Reasons given by women for discontinuing the use of progestogen implants at Koster Hospital, North West province.

Background: In 2014, the South African National Department of Health introduced a new addition to the long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) options available in the country. This was a single rod subdermal progestogen implant (Implanon®NXT) which provided 3 years of effective contraception cover. However, the new contraceptive device uptake and general acceptance amongst women quickly diminished, with a slew of requests for its removal.

Effects of antibiotic treatment on microbiota, viral transmission and viral pathogenesis of MoMuLV ts1 infected BALB/c mice.

The effects of normal and altered intestinal microbiota on murine retroviral transmission via the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) are diverse. The role of orally administered antibiotic treatment (ABX) on viral transmission, GIT microbial dysbiosis and subsequent pathogenesis of Moloney Murine Leukemia virus-temperature sensitive 1 (ts1) on BALB/c mice were studied. BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: ABXts1-Treatment/Infection;ABX-Treatment/No infection;ts1-No treatment/Infection;Ctrl (control)-No treatment/No infection.

Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding lifestyle modification in type 2 diabetic patients.

Background: The number of persons suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus continues to rise worldwide and causes significant morbidity and mortality, especially in the developing world. Behaviour change and adoption of healthy lifestyle habits help to prevent or slow down the complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the knowledge and practice of healthy lifestyles in many diabetic patients have been inadequate.

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell populations in MoMuLV-ts-1 induced lymphoma in a murine model.

During self-renewal of the hematopoietic stem cells there is a potential for these new cells to develop into abnormal malignant cells due to environmental, chemical or microbial challenges. This may lead to blood malignancies, including leukemia and lymphoma. Our laboratory was the first to develop a mouse model to study the development of lymphoma among pups of retrovirus infected mothers.

Retrovirus-induced lymphomagenesis: a correlation between disease pathogenesis and flow cytometric analysis.

Perinatal infection with a temperature-sensitive mutant (ts-1) of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV) results in massive splenomegaly and thymomegaly in mice and development of lymphoma in >55 % of infected pups. Previous flow cytometry studies showed a decrease in CD4(+) cells in perinatally infected pups, but cell population changes in infected animals with lymphoma compared with infected animals without lymphoma has not yet been reported. In the current study, BALB/c mice were infected with ts-1 through breast milk transmission and observed until development of clinical signs and symptoms of lymphoma and/or symptomatic ts-1 infection.

Retroviral gene insertion in breast milk mediated lymphomagenesis.

We have demonstrated breast milk transmitted MoMuLV-ts1 retrovirus infection and subsequent lymphoma development in offspring of uninfected mothers suckled by infected surrogate mothers. Additionally, we have shown that the lymphoma development occurs as a result of viral gene integration into host genome. A total of 146 pups from Balb/C mice were divided into 5 groups; one control and 4 experimental.

Transmission of Moloney murine leukemia virus (ts-1) by breast milk.

A murine model has been developed to study maternal transmission of the temperature-sensitive Moloney murine leukemia virus (ts-1). The goal of this study was to confirm early and late mother-to-offspring transmission of the virus and demonstrate transmission via breast milk. A series of six experiments was performed using six groups of BALB/c mice.

Vertical transmission of a murine retrovirus, ts1.

Mechanism of maternal retroviral transmission remains an unsolved problem. The current investigation is a part of our ongoing research on vertical transmission of MoMuLV-TB ts1 in BALB/c mice. A total of 270 adult mice and 165 fetuses were used.

A small animal model for mother-to-fetus transmission of ts1, a murine retrovirus.

Infection with a murine retrovirus, MoMuLV-TB, ts1 in BALB/c mice has been established as a small animal model for retroviral neurodegenerative disease as shown with infections such as HIV. However, mother-to-pup transmission has never been demonstrated in this model. The current investigation examines vertical transmission of ts1 in this mouse model.