The 1945 St Helena poliomyelitis epidemic after 40 years.
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Twenty-six of the 28 patients known to have been paralysed by poliomyelitis on St Helena over 40 years ago were traced. All had led fulfilled lives. Nine had since died but no deaths were attributable to the disease. The satisfactory outcome of these people's lives was due to a combination of factors. Initially early diagnosis and immediate appropriate treatment minimized contracture formation. Early intensive rehabilitation and return of the patient in an upright and ambulant position to a caring community established the pattern of their future lives. The later lack of surveillance resulted in six of the patients reverting to crawling and only two still using their calipers. In remote and poor areas appliances where possible should be made and maintained locally. (+info)
Anthropometric assessment of the nutritional status of preschool-age children in Cape Verde.
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The nutritional status of preschool-age children (0-6 years old) in Cape Verde was assessed using anthropometric measurements in a survey that involved 17 017 children from all regions of the country. About 26% of the estimated population in the target age group was included. Data were collected through primary health care centres during the latter part of 1983. The nutritional indicators weight-for-height, weight-for-age, and height-for-age were compared with reference data from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Values of the indicators below -2 standard deviations of the median were considered to represent moderate undernutrition, while values below -3 standard deviations were taken to indicate severe malnutrition.The prevalence of low weight-for-height (wasting) was 2.5%, while that of severe wasting was 0.6%. The corresponding prevalences of low height-for-age and weight-for-age were 13.1% and 17.2%, respectively, with severe categories representing 2.3% and 6.1%, respectively, of the cases in the total sample. There is therefore a relatively strong tendency towards growth retardation or chronic, moderate nutritional deprivation in preschool-age children in Cape Verde, although there exist interregional variations. (+info)
Delayed psychiatric sequelae among Falklands war veterans.
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The only published account to date of psychiatric complications among Falklands war veterans suggests that acute reactions are rare. Reported here are three cases of severe delayed reactions in Falklands veterans from South Wales. All three cases demonstrate a common pattern similar to that shown by Vietnam war veterans. Possible aetiological factors and prevention are discussed. It seems likely that relatives of combatants will also be affected and general practitioners are in a unique position to recognize and treat these problems. (+info)
An epidemic of influenza on Tristan da Cunha.
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Respiratory disease on Tristan da Cunha has been observed since the islanders returned in 1962. An epidemic of unprecedented severity occurred in the winter of 1971 and involved 273 (96%) of 284 islanders, 92 of whom had two attacks.The epidemic was apparently introduced by the Tristania.The illness of both first and second attacks ranged from mild to severe but there were some differences. There were two deaths, both in elderly persons with chronic chest disease and heart failure. Serological evidence suggests that this was due to influenza A2 of the Hong Kong serotype H(3)N(2). (+info)
Common colds on Tristan da Cunha.
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Eight epidemics of respiratory disease have been observed among islanders of Tristan da Cunha. They seem to be initiated by the arrival of ships and transmission seemed to occur as a result of close human contact but could not always be traced. Islanders suffered from less colds than those in less isolated communities. (+info)
A mathematical model of common-cold epidemics on Tristan da Cunha.
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Records of seven common-cold outbreaks on the island of Tristan da Cunha are compared with the corresponding time courses given by the mathematical model of Kermack & McKendrick (1927) and with an alternative model that directly involves a constant average duration of individual infection. Using computer simulation techniques the latter model is shown to be preferred and is then closely matched to the field data to obtain values for the model parameters. Consideration is then given to the intensity of epidemics predicted by the model and to the distribution of the actual epidemics relative to the theoretical epidemic threshold. (+info)
The low prevalence of hypertension in Falkland Islands men.
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A morbidity survey in the Falkland Islands, conducted in 1979, showed that Falkland Islands men had a lower prevalence of hypertension than their counterparts in the United Kingdon. Such a difference was not found in women.As a migrant population, Falkland Islanders are unusual in that they moved from a developed society to a more traditional setting. In men, but not in women, the change in environment led to a greater proportion of the population engaging in a high level of habitual physical activity and to a low prevalence of obesity.These findings (based on ICD codes rather than BP measurements) are consistent with the hypothesis that such a change in lifestyle may have resulted in the lower population prevalence of hypertension observed in the morbidity survey, and the implications could be important for public health. (+info)
The Falklands war: Army field surgical experience.
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In the recent Falklands campaign four Army Field Surgical Teams were deployed in the two phases of the war. They functioned as Advanced Surgical Centres and operated on 233 casualties. There were 3 deaths. The patterns of wounding and the methods of casualty management are discussed and compared with other recent campaigns. (+info)