Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0024530 (malaria)
 44,886 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A febrile convulsion is a generalized seizure occurring during a febrile illness whose cause is extracranial. Most scholars agree that strong evidence exists of familial predisposition to febrile seizures. The events are more common among men, with the pattern of such convulsions in Europe and North America apparently different from that in Africa. The authors report their findings from an examination of the pattern of febrile seizures at the Children's Emergency Room of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital in Benin City, Nigeria. 1046 children were admitted over the course of the study conducted January-September, 1988. Seven of the 202 patients with febrile convulsions died, five from aspiration pneumonia and two from tetanus following traditional treatment. 5% of patients with febrile convulsions were younger than 5 months or older than 5 years. The male:female ratio was 1.3:1. 140 children had a family history of febrile convulsion; in 55% the relative was a close family member. The authors point out that the number of families with a positive history of febrile convulsions may have been underreported because the average Nigerian family is loathe to admit that any member suffers from a socially stigmatized illness. These findings confirm the view that a strong familial predisposition exists for febrile seizures. Major causes of the rise in temperature in those studied included malaria, which accounted for 32.7%, followed by bronchopneumonia among 16.8%, measles at 15.4%, otitis media at 13.4%, and tonsillitis at 10.5%. Observed morbidity and mortality could be attributed to the sociocultural background of this community which practices modes of therapy which are often detrimental to patient health.
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PMID:Childhood febrile seizures (Benin City experience). 782 94

Fever is often an indication of a serious illness in children. In areas endemic to malaria, hospital workers should check a febrile child for malaria parasites. Children with a fever associated with meningitis or malaria need immediate attention. To diagnose meningitis: microscopic examination of cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture is the only reliable method. If a febrile child also has a stiff neck, health workers should immediately administer antibiotic treatment without waiting for the results of the lumbar puncture. If available and in epidemic situations, oily chloramphenicol may be administered, since it is effective in a single dose. Treatment with other antibiotics should last for 10 days in children and 14-21 days for young infants. To diagnose malaria in endemic areas: laboratory technicians should examine thick and thin blood films of sick children with fever. Health workers must consider as medical emergencies children who have a slide positive for malaria parasites plus severe anemia, hypoglycemia, deep rapid breathing, any indication of kidney malfunction or failure, or altered consciousness. They should begin antimalarial treatment with quinine, the drug of choice for severe and complicated malaria. In cases of convulsions lasting longer than 5 minutes, health workers should administer anticonvulsants and take actions to prevent aspiration pneumonia. If the fever persists for 14 days or if the child does not emerge from unconsciousness and someone in the family has active tuberculosis, health workers should consider tuberculous meningitis. If a child with malaria has low hemoglobin levels (5 g/dl) and many malaria parasites in the blood and is in heart failure, a blood transfusion (15-20 ml/kg whole blood over 4 hours) and infusion of 1 mg/kg fursemide (to prevent cardiac failure) are needed. If the preceding case has pulmonary edema, a single dose of fursemide at the same dosage is needed to prevent overloading of the circulation. Health workers should closely monitor that intravenous fluids not exacerbate brain swelling.
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PMID:Managing meningitis and severe malaria. 1229 72

On December 26, 2004, a tsunami from the Indian Ocean struck the coastal city of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia. This case report describes a 24-year-old woman who presented to the Dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital in Banda Aceh on January 8, 2005, with a tsunami-related illness. The patient was initially treated for tetanus and aspiration pneumonia with a guarded prognosis. Her recovery was complicated by malaria and recurrent pneumonia. Treatment was hampered by a shortage of medication and equipment, damage to the hospital, and a filthy environment. Morphine, diazepam, and ketamine infusions were used to good effect. This case highlights some of the logistical problems of treating multiple tetanus patients in an austere environment.
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PMID:Tetanus, pneumonia, and malaria in a tsunami victim in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. 1725 79