The prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics in children in Yemen is alarmingly high. A majority of the patients had respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms and the common prescribed antibiotics were amoxicillin, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Most of the antibiotics were obtained from pharmacies and drug stores without the requirement of a prescription. Therefore, intervention from health authorities is needed to urgently stop this practice.

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren in Sana’a City (Yemen) and to examine the association with lifestyle and some socioeconomic factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in public and private schools in Sana’a City during 2002–2003. We selected 1,253 students by the multistage random sampling technique. Weights and heights were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI = weight/height²). Data about age, sex, education level of the parents, food consumption and lifestyle was also collected. Results: The mean age of the children was 12.6 ± 2 years. Overweight was 6.2% and obesity was 1.8%. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher among private schoolchildren (p<000), females (p = 0.002), children with a sedentary lifestyle (p = 0.001) and children with a family history of obesity (p = 0.013). Also there is a positive association of overweight/obesity with the education level of the parents (p = 0.013 for the father and p = 0.19 for the mother) and consumption of unhealthy foods. Conclusion: Prevalence of overweight and obesity is low and positively associated with the education level of the father, private schooling, sedentary lifestyle, and with students who took unhealthy meals.

No abstract

An overlap in the distribution of the 2 diseases (leishmaniasis and malaria) was reported in endemic areas, and it can cause significant delay in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. Here, an 8-year-old Yemeni boy who was initially diagnosed as malaria and schistosomiasis, and later on as leishmaniasis is reported. He presented with prolonged fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and diarrhea. His blood film was positive for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, and his stool was positive for Schistosoma mansoni. Although a full therapeutic course of antimalarial and schistosoma was administered, his fever, weight loss, and increased hepatosplenomegaly continued. Bone marrow aspiration was carried out revealing Leishman-Donovan bodies (amastigote form). He was successfully treated with a full course of sodium stibogluconate. This case stresses the importance of alertness among the treating physicians to this disease occurring in a patient from an endemic area, presenting with prolonged fever, and hepatosplenomegaly.

No abstract