Background: Acute intoxications result from intentionally or accidentally taking a relatively significant amount of a chemical substance which triggers disturbances in the level of psychophysiological functions, the c...Background: Acute intoxications result from intentionally or accidentally taking a relatively significant amount of a chemical substance which triggers disturbances in the level of psychophysiological functions, the complications of which may lead to mental disorders, physical causalities, and death. Any acute intoxication mostly requires emergency care. Objective: To highlight the prevalence, history, clinical features, emergency treatment, and prediction of acute intoxication cases referred to the emergency services at the Provincial General Reference Hospital in Bukavu, DR-Congo. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2021 to October 2022 based on an analysis of patients’ medical files. Triage was performed among all-type of patient files recorded in the computerized hospital database Ebale-Sante to sort cases of intoxication. Results: During the observational period, 3966 emergency admissions were counted, of which 321 (8.09%) patients were identified as having acute intoxication. Among these, 100 files that containing sufficient information fit the quality criteria for this study’s analysis. The victims were infants, adolescents and adults aged 1 - 45 years, and 52% were female and 48% were male. Most cases were accidental and, occurred at home, and the victims were driven to the hospital within 2 - 24 hours. The substances consumed included household products, drugs, and herbs. Resuscitation care, antidotes and supportive symptomatic medications ensured that 85% were healed and 10% experienced sequelae;however, 5% died. Conclusion: Acute intoxication occurs in infants mostly accidentally though the ingestion of household products and medicines. Furthermore, suicide cases may occur in traumatized adolescents and discordant couples. People should be informed about how to store hazardous products (e.g.: drugs, household products and pesticides), which should not be available to children, to avoid unintentional poisoning. Special training in clinical toxicology is required to reduce treatment failure.展开更多
The objective of this work was to identify the risk factors for cholera and to propose an appropriate control strategy. It is therefore, a case control analytical study conducted in Uvira for the period from January t...The objective of this work was to identify the risk factors for cholera and to propose an appropriate control strategy. It is therefore, a case control analytical study conducted in Uvira for the period from January to December 2020. The strength of the association between exposure and disease is estimated by the odds ratio. It has been observed that no age has been spared from cholera, with an overrepresentation of men. The disease has a strong predilection for regions with problems with hygiene, water and sanitation. Our study identified risk factors, such as contact with cholera;a lack of waste disposal system;a lack of running water and soap to wash hands before meals and after passing stools;a lack of hygienic latrines;a lack of water treatment for drinking;the consumption of food left uncovered by vendors at the roadside;the consumption of the raw fruits, tubers and foods;the conservation of drinking water in a container with a non-narrow collar;illiteracy;and the consumption of well water. However, all of these factors are vulnerable through a multisectoral approach through control strategies, such as governmental political commitment, behavior change, communication, epidemiological surveillance, community participation and funding of drinking water programs to improve accessibility and environmental sanitation.展开更多
文摘Background: Acute intoxications result from intentionally or accidentally taking a relatively significant amount of a chemical substance which triggers disturbances in the level of psychophysiological functions, the complications of which may lead to mental disorders, physical causalities, and death. Any acute intoxication mostly requires emergency care. Objective: To highlight the prevalence, history, clinical features, emergency treatment, and prediction of acute intoxication cases referred to the emergency services at the Provincial General Reference Hospital in Bukavu, DR-Congo. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2021 to October 2022 based on an analysis of patients’ medical files. Triage was performed among all-type of patient files recorded in the computerized hospital database Ebale-Sante to sort cases of intoxication. Results: During the observational period, 3966 emergency admissions were counted, of which 321 (8.09%) patients were identified as having acute intoxication. Among these, 100 files that containing sufficient information fit the quality criteria for this study’s analysis. The victims were infants, adolescents and adults aged 1 - 45 years, and 52% were female and 48% were male. Most cases were accidental and, occurred at home, and the victims were driven to the hospital within 2 - 24 hours. The substances consumed included household products, drugs, and herbs. Resuscitation care, antidotes and supportive symptomatic medications ensured that 85% were healed and 10% experienced sequelae;however, 5% died. Conclusion: Acute intoxication occurs in infants mostly accidentally though the ingestion of household products and medicines. Furthermore, suicide cases may occur in traumatized adolescents and discordant couples. People should be informed about how to store hazardous products (e.g.: drugs, household products and pesticides), which should not be available to children, to avoid unintentional poisoning. Special training in clinical toxicology is required to reduce treatment failure.
文摘The objective of this work was to identify the risk factors for cholera and to propose an appropriate control strategy. It is therefore, a case control analytical study conducted in Uvira for the period from January to December 2020. The strength of the association between exposure and disease is estimated by the odds ratio. It has been observed that no age has been spared from cholera, with an overrepresentation of men. The disease has a strong predilection for regions with problems with hygiene, water and sanitation. Our study identified risk factors, such as contact with cholera;a lack of waste disposal system;a lack of running water and soap to wash hands before meals and after passing stools;a lack of hygienic latrines;a lack of water treatment for drinking;the consumption of food left uncovered by vendors at the roadside;the consumption of the raw fruits, tubers and foods;the conservation of drinking water in a container with a non-narrow collar;illiteracy;and the consumption of well water. However, all of these factors are vulnerable through a multisectoral approach through control strategies, such as governmental political commitment, behavior change, communication, epidemiological surveillance, community participation and funding of drinking water programs to improve accessibility and environmental sanitation.
