A new blackfly species, Mayacnephia tadai sp. nov. was described based on the female, pupal and larval specimens collected from a seasonal small stream in upland of Guatemala. This species is readily distinguished from the other known species by the number of pupal gill filaments (six).

View full abstract

Malaria has always been considered a major public health problem in the Philippines. From 1926-1946, malaria was identified as the leading cause of mortality and morbidity having at least two million cases with from 10, 000 to 20, 000 deaths annually (Russel, 1936). The implementation of a nationwide malaria control/eradication program starting 1953, brought down the level of malaria so that it is no longer among the 10 leading causes of mortality. At present, it is still the 10th leading cause of morbidity. In 1991, the malaria endemic population is about 12.0 out of the total 64.5 million. It is endemic in 72 out of 75 provinces in varying endemicity ranging from an Annual Parasite Incidence (API) of 0.62 to 43.8/1, 000 population. Malaria is hypoendemic along the coastal and plain areas and hyperendemic in the foothills and forest fringes. There is generally no transmission in cities, urban areas and big centers of population because of unfavorable breeding condition of the vector. Practically, no transmission is found in areas 3, 000 ft above sea level.
The main mosquito vector, Anopheles flavirostris, breeds in slow flowing clear, partly shaded streams. The secondary vectors are An. litoralis, a brackish water breeder; An. balabacencis, which are mostly confined to forested areas; An. mangyanus, which has the same habitat as the An. flavirostris, but thrives better in forested or heavily vegetated areas and An. maculatus which prefer clear flowing mountain streams exposed to sunlight.
The most common parasite species is Plasmodium falciparum (66%) followed by P. vivax (33%) per 1991 records. P. malariae is rare and P. ovale was reported only once in 1969. The results of 18 years monitoring of drug resistant P. falciparum to chloroquine varies from 28 to 89% classified as RI with some RII level. In the years 1982, 1985 and 1987, 100% P. falciparum resistance (RI) to amodiaquine have been recorded.
The Malaria Control Program objective is to reduce the incidence of malaria to 1/1, 000 population by year 2, 000 and prevent its reintroduction to malaria freed areas. The key strategy is to implement effective vector control measures in areas with API>5/1, 000 population complemented by the rational use of appropriate anti-malaria drugs. In areas with API<5/1, 000, intensified case finding and immediate treatment thru PHC supplemented by an active health information system directed towards personal protection and prevention from malaria. Following these strategies, the national API was reduced from 14.5/1, 000 in 1987 to 7.3/1, 000 population ending 1991.

View full abstract

The cerebral lesions of fungus diseases are of three types; meningitis type, encephalitis type and mixed type of the both. As to inflammatory changes, the translation from suppurative inflammation to granuloma was observed.
Secondary mycosis arises in immunocompromized host by prominent proliferation of fungi following bacterial bashing induced by antibiotics. It is usual that there is no tissue response.

View full abstract

The cytopathologic changes of Japanese B encephalitis (JBE) are basically similar to those of other forms of arbovirus encephalitis. Because the entire central nervous system including the spinal cord is involved to varying degrees, the nomenclature of JBE should actually be Japanese B panencephalomyel itis.

View full abstract

In Nigeria, modern medicine exists side by side with traditional medicine. Despite the advantage of age enjoyed by traditional medicine, only allopathic medicine is officially recognised. A good number of the literature on the healing systems in Africa is repleted with derogatory comments about the person and work of the traditional healer (Oyebola, 1978; Ndeti, 1976; Saunders, 1953; Jahoda, 1962; Mbiti, 1976; Uyanga, 1979).
In spite of all these, WHO (1978) has continued to maintain that 80 per cent of the inhabitants of Third world countries seek health-help from the traditional healers and has consequently directed their integration into nations' health care delivery services.
All these heighten our curiosity about the real identity of this set of healers about whom so much have been said, but who have some-how managed to escape the scrutiny of analysts. The provision of information to fill this vacuum constituted the thrust of this work.
On the whole, the results in section A (Clients) showed that residents in Benin City employ the services of the tradomedical practitioners irrespective of social classes. In section B (Healers) we discovered that a good number of the myths concerning the traditional healers were unfounded. Furthermore, that for the most part, healers were not too different in social attributes from the average man in the population and are highly responsible people.

View full abstract

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University in 1992, the international symposium entitled “Present situation and future prospects of institutions of tropical medicine in advanced countries” was held. The symposium was organized by the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University and the Japanese Society of Tropical Medicine, and supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan.
The current and future topics of “tropical medicine” including present situation, problems, future prospects and educational programs with special emphasis on challenges for the future were discussed at the meeting.

View full abstract