The effects of COVID-19 on the global economy have been and will be, catastrophic. However, the full global impact, in both economic and health terms, remains unknown. The consequences in Low- and Middle-Income countries, such as Nepal, where national economies rely on a small number of services and industries, are deeply worrying.
Background Melioidosis is a life-threatening infectious disease that is caused by gram negative bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei . This bacteria occurs as an environmental saprophyte typically in endemic regions of south-east Asia and northern Australia. Therefore, patients with melioidosis are at high risk of being misdiagnosed and/or under-diagnosed in South Asia. Case presentation Here, we report two cases of melioidosis from Nepal. Both of them were diabetic male who presented themselves with fever, multiple abscesses and developed sepsis. They were treated with multiple antimicrobial agents including antitubercular drugs before being correctly diagnosed as melioidosis. Consistent with this, both patients were farmer by occupation and also reported travelling to Malaysia in the past. The diagnosis was made consequent to the isolation of B. pseudomallei from pus samples. Accordingly, they were managed with intravenous meropenem followed by oral doxycycline and cotrimoxazole. Conclusion The case reports raise serious concern over the existing unawareness of melioidosis in Nepal. Both of the cases were left undiagnosed for a long time. Therefore, clinicians need to keep a high index of suspicion while encountering similar cases. Especially diabetic-farmers who present with fever and sepsis and do not respond to antibiotics easily may turn out to be yet another case of melioidosis. Ascertaining the travel history and occupational history is of utmost significance. In addition, the microbiologist should be trained to correctly identify B. pseudomallei as it is often confused for other Burkholderia species . The organism responds only to specific antibiotics; therefore, correct and timely diagnosis becomes crucial for better outcomes.
Background: Hypertension is more common in diabetics than in non-diabetic patients. An aggressive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in patients with diabetes is required in order to substantially reduce the incidence of both macro-vascular and microvascular complications. The role of diuretics in the treatment of hypertension as fi rst line or second line drugs is a provoking debate, hence we studied the usage of diuretics and their effects on BP and glycemic control among diabetic-hypertensive patients. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out for a period of six months in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Patients' details such as age, gender, height, weight, comorbid diseases, blood pressure, eGFR along with duration of diabetes and hypertension and drugs prescribed for hypertension were noted. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 336 diabetic-hypertensives with a mean age of 64.55±9.51 years were included. Fortyfi ve patients were on diuretics,two (4.4%) of whom were on diuretic monotherapy, 16 (35.6%) on two drug combinations (Diuretic + ACEI or ARB), 21 (46.7%) on three drug combinations (diuretics + ARB & BBs or diuretic + ACEI & BB or diuretic + ARB &CCB) and six (13.3%) were on four drug combinations (diuretics + ARB, CCB & BB). Among the patients on diuretic combination therapy BP was well controlled in 23 (51%) patients and the glycemic control was comparable to those not on diuretics. Conclusion: In the present study the usage of diuretics was consistent with the guidelines. About 13% of diabetic-hypertensive patients were on diuretic treatment. The control of BP in patients on diuretics was not satisfactory, but there was no worsening of glycemic control compared to other antihypertensive therapy. This shows that low dose thiazides in combination with other antihypertensives can be safe in diabetic-hypertensive patients however their effi cacy needs further scrutiny.
Thelaziasis is an ocular arthropod-borne, zoonotic disease of the eye infecting the conjunctival sac, lacrimal duct, and lacrimal gland caused by a nematode of the genus Thelazia. We report the first case of human ocular thelaziasis in Nepal in a 6-month-old child from a Rukum district, Nepal. The infant presented with conjunctivitis, and his visual acuity and dilated fundal examination were normal. A total of 6 worms were removed for identification. Collected nematodes were identified based on morphological keys as Thelazia callipaeda. The patient’s symptoms improved after removal of the nematodes.
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