Some Selected Abstracts:

Berkley JA, Maitland K, Mwangi I, Ngetsa C, Mwarumba S, Lowe BS, Newton CR, Marsh K, Scott JA, English M.Use of clinical syndromes to target antibiotic prescribing in seriously ill children in malaria endemic area: observational study. BMJ. 2005 Apr 30;330(7498):995. Epub 2005 Mar 29.

Centre for Geographic Medicine Research (coast), PO Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya. jberkley@kilifi.mimcom.net

OBJECTIVES: To determine how well antibiotic treatment is targeted by simple clinical syndromes and to what extent drug resistance threatens affordable antibiotics. DESIGN: Observational study involving a priori definition of a hierarchy of syndromic indications for antibiotic therapy derived from World Health Organization integrated management of childhood illness and inpatient guidelines and application of these rules to a prospectively collected dataset. SETTING: Kilifi District Hospital, Kenya. PARTICIPANTS: 11,847 acute paediatric admissions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence of invasive bacterial infection (bacteraemia or meningitis) or Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia; antimicrobial sensitivities of isolated bacteria. RESULTS: 6254 (53%) admissions met criteria for syndromes requiring antibiotics (sick young infants; meningitis/encephalopathy; severe malnutrition; very severe, severe, or mild pneumonia; skin or soft tissue infection): 672 (11%) had an invasive bacterial infection (80% of all invasive bacterial infections identified), and 753 (12%) died (93% of all inpatient deaths). Among P falciparum infected children with a syndromic indication for parenteral antibiotics, an invasive bacterial infection was detected in 4.0-8.8%. For the syndrome of meningitis/encephalopathy, 96/123 (76%) isolates were fully sensitive in vitro to penicillin or chloramphenicol. CONCLUSIONS: Simple clinical syndromes effectively target children admitted with invasive bacterial infection and those at risk of death. Malaria parasitaemia does not justify withholding empirical parenteral antibiotics. Lumbar puncture is critical to the rational use of antibiotics.

Diagnosis, Diagnostics, Immunodiagnosis & Immunodiagnostics:

12771. Adongo PB, Kirkwood B, Kendall C. How local community knowledge about malaria affects insecticide-treated net use in northern Ghana. Trop Med Int Health. 2005 Apr;10(4):366-78.

12772. Ali MS, Yousif AG, Mustafa MS, Ibrahim MH. Evaluation of malaria parasite screening procedures among Sudanese blood donors. Clin Lab Sci. 2005 Spring;18(2):69-73.

12773. Baird JK. Effectiveness of antimalarial drugs. N Engl J Med. 2005 Apr 14;352(15):1565-77. Review.

12774. Berkley JA, Maitland K, Mwangi I, Ngetsa C, Mwarumba S, Lowe BS, Newton CR, Marsh K, Scott JA, English M. Use of clinical syndromes to target antibiotic prescribing in seriously ill children in malaria endemic area: observational study. BMJ. 2005 Apr 30;330(7498):995.

12775. Carter JA, Mung'ala-Odera V, Neville BG, Murira G, Mturi N, Musumba C, Newton CR. Persistent neurocognitive impairments associated with severe falciparum malaria in Kenyan children. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2005 Apr;76(4):476-81.

12776. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Congenital malaria--Nassau County, New York, 2004. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2005 Apr 22;54(15):383-4.

12777. Durrani N, Leslie T, Rahim S, Graham K, Ahmad F, Rowland M. Efficacy of combination therapy with artesunate plus amodiaquine compared to monotherapy with chloroquine, amodiaquine or sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum in Afghanistan. Trop Med Int Health. 2005 Jun;10(6):521-9.

12778. Gokhale S. Saving private ryan: The Indian scenario (rapid diagnosis of malaria at regimental aid post). Med J Armed Forces India 2004;60(2):137-41.

12779. Gollogly S. Do as I say, not as I do. Lancet. 2005 Apr 23-29;365(9469):1499.

12780. Greenwood BM, Bojang K, Whitty CJ, Targett GA. Malaria. Lancet. 2005 Apr 23-29;365(9469):1487-98. Review.

12781. Kulkarni AG, Suryakar AN, Sardeshmukh AS, Rathi DB. Studies on biochemical changes with special reference to oxiant and antioxidants in malaria patients. Indian J Clin Biochem 2003;18(2):136-49.

12782. Mabuza A, Govere J, La Grange K, Mngomezulu N, Allen E, Zitha A, Mbokazi F, Durrheim D, Barnes K. Therapeutic efficacy of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for Plasmodium falciparum malaria. S Afr Med J. 2005 May;95(5):346-9.

12783. Marx A, Pewsner D, Egger M, Nuesch R, Bucher HC, Genton B, Hatz C, Juni P. Meta-analysis: accuracy of rapid tests for malaria in travelers returning from endemic areas. Ann Intern Med. 2005 May 17;142(10):836-46.

12784. Mehta SR, Swamy AJ, Muthukrishnan J, Malviya AK. Malaria and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Med J Armed Forces India 2004;60(2):184-5.

12785. Mockenhaupt FP, Ehrhardt S, Dzisi SY, Teun Bousema J, Wassilew N, Schreiber J, Anemana SD, Cramer JP, Otchwemah RN, Sauerwein RW, Eggelte TA, Bienzle U. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial on sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine alone or combined with artesunate or amodiaquine in uncomplicated malaria. Trop Med Int Health. 2005 Jun;10(6):512-20.

12786. Mohapatra PK, Prakash A, Taison K, Negmu K, Gohain AC, Namchoom NS, Wange D, Bhattacharyya DR, Goswami BK, Borgohain BK, Mahanta J. Evaluation of chloroquine (CQ) and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) therapy in uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Indo-Myanmar border areas. Trop Med Int Health. 2005 May;10(5):478-83.

12787. Mwangi TW, Mohammed M, Dayo H, Snow RW, Marsh K. Clinical algorithms for malaria diagnosis lack utility among people of different age groups. Trop Med Int Health. 2005 Jun;10(6):530-6.

12788. Nandwani S. Evaluation of the direct acridine orange staining method for diagnosis of malaria. Indian J Med Microbiol 2004;22(1):68.

12789. Ofovwe GE, Ibadin MO, Okunola PO, Ofoegbu B. Pattern of emergency neurologic morbidities in children. J Natl Med Assoc. 2005 Apr;97(4):488-92.

12790. Ogutu BR, Nzila AM, Ochong E, Mithwani S, Wamola B, Olola CH, Lowe B, Kokwaro GO, Marsh K, Newton CR. The role of sequential administration of sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine following quinine in the treatment of severe falciparum malaria in children. Trop Med Int Health. 2005 May;10(5):484-8.

12791. Padial MM, Subirats M, Puente S, Lago M, Crespo S, Palacios G, Baquero M. Sensitivity of laser light depolarization analysis for detection of malaria in blood samples. J Med Microbiol. 2005 May;54(Pt 5):449-52.

12792. Rizvi MA, Sharma AS, Puri SK, Dutta GP. Tissue schizontocidal efficacy of a novel anti-malarial compound against plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis. Proc Natn Acad Sci India- Sect B 2004;74(Pt II):114-122.

12793. Skeet J. Malaria: its causes, treatment and methods of prevention. Nurs Times. 2005 May 17-23;101(20):43-5. Review.

12794. Summer AP, Stauffer WM, Fischer PR. Pediatric malaria in the developing world. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis. 2005 Apr;16(2):105-15. Review.

Pathogenesis:

12795. Aleem MA. Epilepsy in malaria. Epilepsia. 2005 Apr;46(4):601;

12796. Enserink M. Microbiology. Mosquito-killing fungi may join the battle against malaria. Science. 2005 Jun 10;308(5728):1531-3.

12797. Hales S, Woodward A. Global climate change and malaria. Lancet Infect Dis. 2005 May;5(5):258-9;

12798. Michalakis Y, Renaud F. Malaria: fungal allies enlisted. Nature. 2005 Jun 16;435(7044):891-3.

12799. Newton PN, Chaulet JF, Brockman A, Chierakul W, Dondorp A, Ruangveerayuth R, Looareesuwan S, Mounier C, White NJ. Pharmacokinetics of oral doxycycline during combination treatment of severe falciparum malaria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2005 Apr;49(4):1622-5.

12800. Orjih AU. Comparison of Plasmodium falciparum growth in sickle cells in low oxygen environment and candle-jar. Acta Trop. 2005 Apr;94(1):25-34.

12801. Pati SS, Panigrahi J, Mishra SK, Mohanty S, Mohapatra DN, Das BS. Severe complications and death in cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria with sickle-cell trait. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 2005 Apr;99(3):317-20.

12802. Stoute JA. Complement-regulatory proteins in severe malaria: too little or too much of a good thing? Trends Parasitol. 2005 May;21(5):218-23. Review.

12803. Tiffert T, Lew VL, Ginsburg H, Krugliak M, Croisille L, Mohandas N. The hydration state of human red blood cells and their susceptibility to invasion by Plasmodium falciparum. Blood. 2005 Jun 15;105(12):4853-60.

12804. Van den Enden E. Prophylaxis against rabies. N Engl J Med. 2005 Apr 14;352(15):1608-10;

Vaccines:

12805. Hisaeda H, Yasutomo K, Himeno K. Malaria: immune evasion by parasites. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2005 Apr;37(4):700-6. Review.

12806. James E. Apoptosis: key to the attenuated malaria vaccine? J Infect Dis. 2005 May 15;191(10):1573-5.

Therapy:

12807. Bates I. Presumptive malaria treatment in immunisation programmes. Lancet. 2005 Apr 23-29;365(9469):1443-4.

12808. Birbeck GL, Taylor TE. Severe malaria: still counting the costs. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2005 Apr;76(4):467-8.

12809. Brierley R. Roll Back Malaria issue first global report. Lancet Infect Dis. 2005 Jun;5(6):332-3.

12810. Churchill WD. The medical practice of the sexed body: women, men and disease in Britain, circa 1600-1740. Soc Hist Med. 2005 Apr;18(1):3-22.

12811. Das P. New combination drug to treat malaria. Lancet Infect Dis. 2005 May;5(5):267.

12812. Dunne MW, Singh N, Shukla M, Valecha N, Bhattacharyya PC, Dev V, Patel K, Mohapatra MK, Lakhani J, Benner R, Lele C, Patki K. A multicenter study of azithromycin, alone and in combination with chloroquine, for the treatment of acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in India. J Infect Dis. 2005 May 15;191(10):1582-8.

12813. Marquino W, Ylquimiche L, Hermenegildo Y, Palacios AM, Falconi E, Cabezas C, Arrospide N, Gutierrez S, Ruebush TK 2nd. Efficacy and tolerability of artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine alone for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Peru. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2005 May;72(5):568-72.

12814. Oguonu T, Okafor HU, Obu HA. Caregivers's knowledge, attitude and practice on childhood malaria and treatment in urban and rural communities in Enugu, south-east Nigeria. Public Health. 2005 May;119(5):409-14.

12815. Pagnoni F, Kengeya-Kayondo J, Ridley R, Were W, Nafo-Traore F, Namboze J, Sirima S. Artemisinin-based combination treatment in home-based management of malaria. Trop Med Int Health. 2005 Jun;10(6):621-2.

12816. Ring R. Taking a (mosquito) bite out of malaria. J Clin Invest. 2005 Apr;115(4):791. Royall J. Faces of change. Am J Public Health. 2005 Apr;95(4):559-61.

12817. Schwartz E. Malaria--a disease that refuses to die but continues to kill. Isr Med Assoc J. 2005 Jun;7(6):404-5.