A 5-week-old male child was admitted to Tabubil Hospital with a rapidly progressive, fulminating right-sided empyema which necessitated thoracotomy and drainage. The causative organism was a haemolytic Streptococcus.
Acute Disease ; Combined Modality - Therapy ; Empyema - diagnosis ; Infant ; Male ; Streptococcal Infections - diagnosis*

A 48-year-old caucasian male was admitted to hospital with right-sided chest pain, pyrexia and cough. He had no history of dysentery. He was treated with erythromycin and cotrimoxazole for right lower lobe pneumonia but failed to respond. Tender hepatomegaly developed and ultrasound scan demonstrated multiple abscesses in the liver. Entamoeba histolytica was identified in his faeces. He was treated with intravenous metronidazole, chloramphenicol and gentamicin and then oral tinidazole, after which improvement was rapid. He was later transferred to Australia. Subsequent abdominal CAT scan and aspiration of abscesses confirmed the diagnosis of multiple amoebic liver abscesses with secondary bacterial infection. Final treatment was with oral ciprofloxacin and metronidazole for four weeks. Ultrasonography is a noninvasive technique which is invaluable in the diagnosis of abdominal and especially liver pathology. This technique should be available in larger centres in tropical countries. Anyone living in or visiting the tropics should be aware of possible exotic diseases presenting in unusual ways.
Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use ; Antitrichomonal Agents - therapeutic use ; Liver Function Tests

The Phase 1 semiannual single-dose 6 mg/kg diethylcarbamazine (DEC) treatment program demonstrated a significant reduction for Wuchereria bancrofti in the Ok Tedi area of Western Province, Papua New Guinea. The rate of detectable microfilaraemia was effectively reduced from 39% to 11% and mean microfilarial (mf) densities from 79mf/20 microliters to 19mf/20 microliters. The Phase 2 annual single-dose treatment of 6mg/kg DEC not only maintained the gains made during Phase 1 but reduced the microfilaraemia rate to less than 5% by 1990, with mf densities remaining stable at less than 20mf/20 microliters, amongst all participating villagers screened within the 5 original villages. The annual treatment program was expanded into 7 remote villages not subject to any form of active vector control. The microfilaraemia rate in these villages declined from 41% before treatment to 17% after only two annual administrations of 6mg/kg DEC, and mf blood densities were reduced from 71mf/20 microliters to 20mf/20 microliters. As was observed in the 5 original villages participating in the program, a significant reduction in splenomegaly associated with the DEC treatment was reported for the 7 villages in the expanded program during Phase 2; enlarged spleen rates were reduced from 50% (1986) to 32% (1990) and from 76% (1988) to 48% (1990), respectively. Malaria rates on the other hand increased slightly or remained stable. Malaria infections associated with W. bancrofti (mixed parasite infections) stimulated a greater splenic response than either parasite detected on its own.
Adolescent ; Child, Preschool ; Diethylcarbamazine - administration & ; dosage ; Drug Administration Schedule