Between June and September 1990, 47 children died at Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria from ingestion of paracetamol syrup adulterated with diethylene glycol. Most of the children presented with anuria, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and convulsions. Signs on admission were tachycardia, acidotic breathing, pallor, oedema and hepatomegaly. Laboratory findings included hyperkalaemia, acidosis, elevated creatinine level and hypoglycaemia. Management consisted of correction of dehydration and acidosis plus administration of antibiotics when indicated. None of the children had dialysis. All died within 2 weeks of admission. Proper government supervision of pharmaceutical companies and their agencies is urgently needed in order to prevent any future occurrence of such tragic deaths.

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This is a five-year retrospective study of 32 histologically diagnosed cases of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) who had undergone HIV antibody testing at the Jos University Teaching Hospital: 13 cases (40%) were HIV-negative. Multiple lesions were more common in HIV-positive cases and affected unusual sites such as the face, oropharynx, conjuctiva, vulva and rectum in addition to the limbs and trunk, which were more frequently involved in HIV-negative cases. This pattern of KS seen in Nigerian patients shows similarities with other African countries which have been affected by the HIV epidemic.

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