Tropical ulcers in a remote area in Zimbabwe.
There is a dearth of literature on tropical ulcers in the rural areas in the tropics and subtropics. Results of a study of 1680 tropical ulcer patients attending an out patient department of a clinic in a rural district in Zimbabwe over a 14 months period are presented. The ulcers were more common during the wet humid months with 63 percent of the ulcers falling in the 5-14 year age group. There was a male predominance over the female with a ratio of 1.4:1. Culture and sensitivity results of isolates from 8 patients are discussed and the need for further studies on the possible causative organism(s) stressed. Implications of such outbreaks on the already over-burdened health care system are stressed; and the need for the intensification of health education in the prevention of this disease highlighted.
J K
JK
Tumwine
P S
PS
Dungare
S A
SA
Tswana
W R
WR
Maoneke
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D012621:Seasons; D015030:Zimbabwe