Assessment of Myocardial Function and Injury by Echocardiography and Cardiac Biomarkers in African Children With Severe Plasmodium falciparum Malaria.

Objectives: Perturbed hemodynamic function complicates severe malaria. The Fluid Expansion as Supportive Therapy trial demonstrated that fluid resuscitation, involving children with severe malaria, was associated with increased mortality, primarily due to cardiovascular collapse, suggesting that myocardial dysfunction may have a role. The aim of this study was to characterize cardiac function in children with severe malaria.

Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever in Southwest Colorado: A Case Report.

Background: Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a zoonosis caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia. The zoonosis is endemic in higher-elevation coniferous forests of the western United States.

Case Report: We discuss the case of a 44-year-old male residing in the San Juan Mountains of Western Colorado who presented with fever, myalgia, vomiting, and "violent chills" to an emergency department.

Cycling Injuries in Southwest Colorado: A Comparison of Road vs Trail Riding Injury Patterns.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of injuries sustained in cyclists and compare the injury patterns in road vs trail biking accidents.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of injured road and trail cyclists presenting to a rural mountain resort-based medical center during a 3-year study period.

Results: Of 304 patients, 70% were male, with 67% sustaining trail injuries and 33% sustaining road cycling injuries.

Spleen volume and clinical disease manifestations of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in African children.

Background: Plasmodium falciparum malaria is common in African children. Severe disease manifestations include severe malarial anemia (SMA) and cerebral malaria (CM). In vitro studies suggest that splenic sequestration is associated with SMA and protective against CM.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of imported malaria in the United Arab Emirates.

Background: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was certified by the World Health Organization to be free of endemic malaria transmission in 2007. There continued to be, however, a substantial number of imported malaria cases.

Methods: A retrospective laboratory and chart review was performed to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of imported malaria in Dubai, UAE.

Fever in the returning traveler.

Fever in ill travelers returning home from developing nations is common. Most travelers present with undifferentiated febrile syndromes. Regional proportionate morbidity rates and patients' travel histories are essential in narrowing the differential diagnosis.

CT overuse for mild traumatic brain injury.

Background: Multiple, validated, evidence-based guidelines exist to inform the appropriate use of computed tomography (CT) to differentiate mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) from clinically important brain injury and to prevent the overuse of CT. Yet, CT use is growing rapidly, potentially exposing patients to unnecessary ionizing radiation risk and costs. A study was conducted to quantify the overuse of CT in MTBI on the basis of current guideline recommendations.

S100b immunoassay: an assessment of diagnostic utility in minor head trauma.

Background: Over 1.4 million patients present annually to United States (US) emergency departments with minor head trauma. Many undergo unnecessary head computed tomography (HCT).

Recommendations for control of East african sleeping sickness in Uganda.

East African sleeping sickness, caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, is prominent in Uganda and poses a serious public health challenge in the region. This publication attempts to provide key components for designing a strategy for a nationwide initiative to provide insecticide-treatment of the animal reservoir to control T. b.

Assessing the utility of ultrasound in Liberia.

Sub-Saharan Africa has sparse imaging capacity, and data on ultrasound (US) use is limited. We collected prospective data on consecutive patients undergoing US to assess disease spectrum and US utility in Liberia. A total of 102 patients were prospectively enrolled.