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African Health Sciences, Vol. 7, No. 2, June, 2007, pp. 61-61 EDITORIAL Michael G Kawooya Associate Editor Code Number: hs07013 Welcome to yet another exciting series of articles from the AHS. Good news to those who trot the globe, for more light has been shed on the plight of travellers’ diarrhoea.Among the culprits of this bothersome malady, is a germ called Cyclospora cayetanensis. Complicated as her name may sound, she nevertheless succumbs to antibiotics, which is rather unusual for protozoa (1) . For women, there is good news from Anakum and Reid (2) .The search for the foe responsible for the odorous vaginal discharge due to vaginosis, has revealed a host of pathogens, among which are the notorious streptococcal species and Mycoplasma hominis, whose annihilation should take into consideration the multi-aetiological nature of this ailment. Almost all school children, especially those in boarding schools have at one time or another fallen victim to the school nurse.Today, things are different.The nurse seems to have quit centre stage, to be replaced by the “herbal man”. Now, this is not a traditional medicine man, employed officially by the school, but a self-styled student-doctor of sorts, who perhaps having realised a void, pitifully and advantageously took up this lucrative trade, in addition to his routine academic pursuits. Akello and Reis et al have found that most school children in Uganda, still suffer from infectious diseases especially malaria and the children themselves know this too well (3) .They therefore seek the wise counsel of the “herbal man”, especially when the school nurse or house matron are away, which is not an extraordinary event or else, they medicate themselves from an assortment of medicines their parents have entrusted them with, or they have purchased from drug shops. Severe malaria remains a major killer in most parts of Africa, but what propels a mild attack of malaria to such fatal heights? Anundu and Okafor et all, have identified several factors: child’s age, level of parastemia, plus careless response and attitudes of parents and guardians all which may ignite severe complications of malaria such as malaria-anemia (4) The HIV- malaria twosome has caused untold morbidity and mortality in Africa.The outcry has reached Byakika –Kibwika et al, who after a thorough search for a remedy recommend adherence to cotrimoxazole prophylaxis and treatment with CQ+ SP at any slight suspicion of alaria (5) . It is not clear, though, how this can be reconciled with rapidly emerging resistance to these drugs. As the HIV constituent of this issue unfolds, we learn from Lum et al, of the endeavours of a faith-based NGO, in an attempt to swell the HIV-I screening and anti-retroviral treatment programs in resource poor Nigerian settings (6) HIV hardly spares any organ in the body.The adrenal glands also fall prey to this miscrosopic marauder, resulting into functional adrenal insufficiency. Patients with stage IV disease, on rifampicin or with eosinophilia are more at risk (7) . From Nairobi Dr Were reports that very low birth weight babies who are fed on pre-term formula seemed to have better outcomes than those on on exclusive breast milk (8) .This will no doubt open a very interesting debate about the management of very low birth weight babies in the region given the very high costs of formula feed. There is trepidation for patient-safety during endoscopy procedures. Osinaike et all warn us of the risks of severe hypoxia during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures, and go on to define the high-risk patient criterion (9) . So sit back once again, and enjoy, this array of niceties, prepared thoughtfully for you by AHS. References
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