Penetrating neck trauma is a horrifying injury. Patients may present with sudden death, or life threatening injuries such as catastrophic haemorrhage, major vessel injury, injuries to the respiratory or digestive tract, neurological deficits, or bony injuries of the cervical spine. Other less life threatening symptoms may be associated with such injuries. We present here a case report of a 2-year-old child who sustained a transpharyngeal penetrating neck injury that occurred while playing with a wooden stick. He presented one month later with an abscess in the posterior triangle of the neck.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease and its actual prevalence among Pakistani blood donors is currently unknown. A cross sectional study was conducted at different district healthcare hospitals of Punjab, Pakistan with an aim to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors associated with syphilis in blood donors using immunochromatographic test (ICT) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total (n=1200) blood samples were collected from donors aged 18–65 years. All the information regarding personal data, demographic data and risk factors was collected via structured questionnaire. On the basis of ICT and ELISA, the overall prevalence of syphilis was 3.91% among blood donors. The demographic factors positively linked with syphilis were age (P= 0.000; Odds ratio, OR= 7.18; 95% confidence interval CI= 2.816–18.295) and education status (P= 0.000; Odds ratio, OR= 12.33; 95% confidence interval CI= 3.469–43.849) of donors. Similarly among the risk factors analyzed, marital status (P= 0.012; Odds ratio OR= 2.251; 95% confidence interval CI= 1.206- 4.202) and blood transfusion history (P= 0.030; Odds ratio OR= 1.981; 95% confidence interval CI= 1.083-3.623) were also strongly associated with syphilis. We emphasized the importance of promoting preventive measures for syphilis. The syphilis diagnosis should not be based on a single test. The present study indicates that higher prevalence is alarming for blood donors in Pakistan. Stringent donor screening is highly recommended to ensure maximum safe blood transfusion.