AimsThe effect of a distance-learning package linked to educational credits on the rate and quality of spontaneous adverse drug reaction (ADR) repor ting by general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists in Wales was investigated. MethodsIn April 2000, 477 GPs and 261 pharmacists enrolled in the 12 month programme. ResultsThe number and quality of yellow card reports improved compared with those of a control region in England (Northern Region). ConclusionsWe conclude that an educational initiative in drug safety linked to incentives may be associated with a significant but perhaps short-lived improvement in the rate and quality of ADR reporting.

Aims In order to aid the monitoring of the new Meningococcal serogroup C Conjugate (Men C) vaccine, the Yellow Card Scheme was extended to allow nurses for the first time to report any suspected adverse reactions associated with these vaccines. We have analysed the Yellow Cards received by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) Wales from nurses reporting a suspected reaction in association with these vaccines during the first 16 months of the programme. , 95% CI 20.1, 27.6) from hospital doctors and 10 (0.91%, 95% CI 0.43, 1.73) from others, which include hospital pharmacists, community pharmacists and health visitors. The proportion of Yellow Cards sent by nurses was significantly higher than those sent by GPs and hospital doctors. Ninetyfive percent CIs for differences in proportions (CI diff prop) were (0.175, 0.254) and (0.204, 0.282), respectively. The majority (90.9%, 95% CI 88.7, 93.5) of the Yellow Cards from nurses reported suspected reactions children in over the age of 5 (95% CI diff prop 0.861, 0.917). The spectrum of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) involved the skin and subcutaneous tissue, central nervous system, general reactions, and the gastrointestinal tract. Of the suspected reactions reported by nurses, GPs and hospital doctors, 13.4% (95% CI 10.5, 15.8), 12.9% (95% CI 9.6, 16.8) and 9.1% (95% CI 6.5, 11.8), respectively, were of serious reactions. Nurses reported 52.5% (95% CI 45.4, 60.6) of all the suspected serious reactions, which was statistically more significant than hospital doctors [ c 2 = 5.864, degree of freedom (DF) = 1, P < 0.05] but not GPs ( c 2 = 0.066, DF = 1, P > 0.05). Conclusions Nurses were the health professionals who provided the largest proportion of reports of suspected ADRs and almost half of all reports during the Men C vaccination campaign. Their reports contained an equal proportion of serious suspected ADRs and the reports were documented as completely as those from GPs and hospital doctors.

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Objectives Peanut is invaded before harvest mainly by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasitics, which are potential aflatoxin producers. However, no research efforts have been directed to develop suitable management options against aflatoxigenic fungi in Northern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the effect of soil solarization on A. flavus inocculum in the soil and to evaluate the effect of soil solarization and planting time on peanut seed invasion by Aspergillus spp. and yield of peanut varieties. Methods Soil samples were taken from 5 and 10 cm soil depths in three rounds and analyzed for aflatoxigenic population. Soil solarization reduced fungal inoculum and increased groundnut yields. Individual and total cfu g À1 of soil was determined before, after solarization and at harvest. Four Aspergillus species namely, A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. niger and A. terreus were plated on Rose Bengal Agar media (selective medium for Aspergillus spp.) and morphologically identified. To determine the natural seed infection by Aspergillus spp. and other fungi, undamaged pods from the middle two rows were carefully handshelled and 100-seed of each plot were surface sterilized by soaking in 5% aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for 3 minutes and immediately rinsed with sterile distilled water, and plated on Czapek-Dox agar medium and incubated at room temperature. After 7 days the growing colonies of fungi were visually recorded. Finally, fungi identification was carried out based on macro-morphological (reverse and surface coloration of colonies, presence of pigment, and colony texture) and micro-morphological characteristics (conidia size, conidial head, shape of vesicle). Standard text (Klich, 2002) was used in the identification process. Results Their densities were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced at after solarization. In the solarized plots, A. flavus and A. parasiticus were found reduced by 53.8 and 45% cfu g À1 at Ramma and 36.4 and 44% cfu g À1 at 5 and 10 cm soil depths at Mayweyni, respectively, after soil solarization in the solarized plots than the nonsolarized plots. At harvest, Fusarium spp., A. flavus and A. terreus were detected. Pod yields were found increased by 265.6 and 182.22 kg ha À1 on solarized plots at Mayweyni and Ramma, respectively. Increase in yield related parameters (14.8% increase in number of seed per plant and 7.4% increase in number of pods per plant) were found from early planting dates as compared to later planting time at Mayweyni. Conclusions Generally, yields varied across locations; mean pod yield in Mayweyni was 360.9 kg ha À1 higher than the yield in Ramma. Three Aspergillus species namely, A. flavus, A. niger, and A. parasiticus were isolated from seed samples plated on Czapek-Dox Agar medium. Early planting of the varieties showed the lowest level of seed infection by A. flavus (22.8%). Four Aspergillus species namely, A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. niger and A. terreus were isolated before soil solarization and after solarization. Both the tota...