Foreign body aspiration in children: experience from Ethiopia

Seventy-nine children with foreign body aspiration (FBA) were treated at the Ethio-Swedish Children's Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, over a seven year period, from September 1987 to August 1994. There were 55 boys and 24 girls with a mean age of 3.4 years. Only 15 (19%) children presented within 24 hours of aspiration. A definite or suggestive history of FBA was obtained in 68 (86%) children. Abnormal radiologic findings were present in 60 (76%) cases. Correct diagnosis was delayed or missed in 16 (20%) cases. Bronchoscopic extraction of foreign bodies was made in 62 out of 69 bronchoscoped cases. Three children coughed up the foreign bodies spontaneously. Nine (11%) children died, six before, two during and one after bronchoscopy. Late presentation, delay in diagnosis and intervention as well as missed diagnosis were major causes of prolonged morbidity and high mortality. Considering FBA early in the differential diagnosis of unexplained pulmonary problems, early bronchoscopy for such cases and prompt bronchoscopic extraction of aspirated foreign bodies are stressed to reduce and eventually avoid the high morbidity and mortality associated with FBA in children.     

The geographic distribution of fluoride in surface and groundwater in Ethiopia with an emphasis on the Rift Valley

This paper analyzes the most extensive database on fluoride distribution in Ethiopia. Of the total 1438 water samples tested, 24.2% had fluoride concentrations above the 1.5 mg/l recommended optimum concentration recommended by WHO. Regionally, by far the highest fluoride levels were recorded in the Rift Valley, where 41.2% of all samples exceeded the 1.5 mg/l level. Only 1.0% of the samples from the central and northwestern highlands and 10.0% in the southeastern highlands exceeded 1.5 mg/l. Larger proportions of deep wells (50.0%) and hot springs (90.0%) than shallow wells (27.2%) and cold springs (12.6%) exceeded the 1.5 mg/l level. The highest fluoride concentrations were recorded for Rift Valley lakes Shala (264.0 mg/l) and Abijata (202.4 mg/l) and the lowest in Lake Tana, and rivers, wells and springs in the highlands. The fluoride concentrations of the Awash River, which originates in the highlands and flows through the Rift Valley, increase downstream, giving concern over the current diversion of high-fluoride water from Lake Beseka. Of the various flourosis prevention methods tried in Ethiopia, the treatment of surface water has been shown to be the most feasible and effective for towns and large commercial farms in the Rift Valley, although defluoridation methods should be considered for smaller rural communities.     

Effect of ripening conditions on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Food Science and Biotechnology - This study was conducted to assess the physicochemical changes and overall nutritional implications of greenhouse-grown “TY Megaton” and...     

Drinking water quality in the Ethiopian section of the East African Rift Valley I--data and health aspects

Drinking water samples were collected throughout the Ethiopian part of the Rift Valley, separated into water drawn from deep wells (deeper than 60 m), shallow wells (<60 m deep), hot springs (T>36 degrees C), springs (T<32 degrees C) and rivers. A total of 138 samples were analysed for 70 parameters (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Br, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, F, Fe, Ga, Gd, Ge, Hf, Hg, Ho, I, In, K, La, Li, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Nd, Ni, NO(2), NO(3), Pb, Pr, Rb, Sb, Se, Si, Sm, Sn, SO(4), Sr, Ta, Tb, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, Tm, U, V, W, Y, Yb, Zn, Zr, temperature, pH, conductivity and alkalinity) with ion chromatography (anions), spectrometry (ICP-OES and ICP-MS, cations) and parameter-specific (e.g. titration) techniques. In terms of European water directives and WHO guidelines, 86% of all wells yield water that fails to pass the quality standards set for drinking water. The most problematic element is fluoride (F), for which 33% of all samples returned values above 1.5 mg/l and up to 11.6 mg/l. The incidence of dental and skeletal fluorosis is well documented in the Rift Valley. Another problematic element may be uranium (U)-47% of all wells yield water with concentrations above the newly suggested WHO maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) of 2 microg/l. Fortunately, only 7% of the collected samples are above the 10 microg/l EU-MAC for As in drinking water.     

Selection and characterisation of the predominant Lactobacillus species as a starter culture in the preparation of kocho,fermented food from enset

Food Science and Biotechnology - Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) (false banana) plant is a multipurpose traditional crop widely cultivated in the south and southwestern Ethiopia. A...