Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Men's utilisation of sexual and reproductive health services in low- and middle-income countries: A narrative review.","authors":"Mpumelelo Nyalela,&nbsp;Thembelihle Dlungwane","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v38i1.473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v38i1.473","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Men have poor access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Nevertheless, in LMIC and high-income countries (HICs), low SRH utilisation happens on account of several factors, such as individual, health system-related, and sociocultural factors. Identifying and addressing men's SRH service underutilisation remains essential to improving their sexual health and averting higher mortality and early morbidity associated with poor health seeking behaviour (HSB) among men.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This narrative review identifies factors influencing whether men do or do not utilise SRH services in LMICs.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>We report on articles published in LMICs: Africa, Asia and South America.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In this narrative review, we searched for quantitative and qualitative articles published between 2004 and 2021 from international databases, including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, Scopus, PubMed, Medline, and reference lists of retrieved published articles.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2219 articles were retrieved, from which 36 met the inclusion criteria. Factors contributing to poor uptake of SRH services by men included: a lack of access and availability of SRH services, poor health-seeking behaviour among men, and SRH facilities not being perceived as 'male-friendly spaces'. Furthermore, our review reveals that decreased use of SRH services is attributed to factors such as a lack of focus on men's SRH.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The current underutilised state of SRH services calls for urgent implementation of evidence-based interventions. Identifying men's SRH service inhibitors and enablers will assist programme managers and policymakers in designing SRH services tailored to their sexual health needs.</p><p><strong>Contribution: </strong>Despite numerous global interventions to motivate men, the findings provide insight into the underutilisation of SRH services. The study also reveals the inadequate comprehensive investigation of men's SRH service utilisation, especially older men, to comprehend men's problems fully. Further research needs to be conducted on SRH issues, including vasectomy, mental health, and chronic conditions related to sexual and reproductive health. The analysis can assist SRH policymakers and program managers in strengthening the policies to motivate men to engage better with SRH services.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"38 1","pages":"473"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10331170/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9812381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intensive care unit nurses' knowledge, attitudes and practices of COVID-19 infection prevention and control.","authors":"Onga Bangani,&nbsp;René English,&nbsp;Angela Dramowski","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v38i1.478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v38i1.478","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Intensive care units (ICUs) had to rapidly adapt infection prevention and control (IPC) practices during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine ICU nurses' COVID-19 IPC-related knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceptions.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A mixed-methods study was conducted at the Groote Schuur Hospital ICU, Cape Town, South Africa (20 April 2021 and 30 May 2021). Participants completed anonymous, self-administered, knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) questionnaires. Individual interviews were conducted regarding nurses' lived experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 IPC in critical care.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 116 ICU nurses participated (93.5% response rate) including 57 professional nurses (49%), 34 enrolled nurses (29%) and 25 enrolled nursing assistants (22%); young females (31-49 years) predominating (<i>n</i> = 99; 85.3%). Nurses' overall COVID-19 IPC knowledge scores were moderately good (78%); professional nurses had greater knowledge of COVID-19 transmission (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Intensive care unit nurses' attitude scores towards COVID-19 IPC were low (55%), influenced by limited IPC training, insufficient time to implement IPC and shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE). Respondents' scores for self-reported COVID-19 IPC practices were moderate (65%); highest compliance rates were for hand hygiene after touching patient surroundings (68%). Only 47% ICU nurses underwent N95 respirator fit-testing despite working in a COVID-19 ICU.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Regular COVID-19 IPC training is needed to equip ICU nurses with the knowledge and skills to prevent healthcare-associated COVID-19 transmission. Enhanced IPC training and consistent PPE availability may support more favourable attitudes and better IPC practices. Comprehensive IPC and occupational health support should be offered to ensure ICU nurses' wellbeing during pandemics.</p><p><strong>Contribution: </strong>Enhanced IPC training and consistent PPE availability may support better attitudes and IPC practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"38 1","pages":"478"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10318607/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9817934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prescribing patterns of echinocandins in adult patients in a private hospital in Gauteng, South Africa.","authors":"Anja Grey,&nbsp;Rianda Joubert,&nbsp;Stephan Steyn,&nbsp;Marlene Julyan","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v38i1.470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v38i1.470","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Worldwide, the leading cause of invasive candidiasis and the fourth leading cause of hospital-acquired infections are the Candida species (spp.) group. One of the most important tools in fighting such drug-resistant fungi is the appropriate use of antifungal agents.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The study aimed to determine echinocandins' general prescribing patterns and how they are associated with the treatment period.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A quantitative, observational, and descriptive was used, and included patients receiving antifungal treatment in a private hospital in Gauteng, South Africa between 01 January 2015 to 31 December 2015.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 146 patient files included, 102 patients (69.9%) received caspofungin and 44 patients (30.1%) were treated with anidulafungin. For the former, 99 (97.1%) patients received a loading dose (LD) of 70 mg, while 200 mg anidulafungin was only prescribed to 30 patients (68.2%). In line with maintenance dose guidelines, the majority (98.1%) of caspofungin-treated patients received 50 mg IV daily, whereas 4 (3.9%) patients were treated at higher doses (70 mg daily). Anidulafungin was administered at various maintenance doses, including 400 mg (2.3% of patients), 200 mg (52.3%), 100 mg (43.2%) and 50 mg (2.3%) IV daily.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results can be utilised to produce a hospital-specific algorithm in terms of Candida-infected patients.</p><p><strong>Contribution: </strong>These findings contribute to our understanding of prescribing patterns of antifungal agents and the impact thereof on treating <i>Candida</i> spp. Infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"38 1","pages":"470"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10091186/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9316209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ebola outbreak in Guinea, 2021: Clinical care of patients with Ebola virus disease.","authors":"Boyo C Pare,&nbsp;Alseny M Camara,&nbsp;Aminata Camara,&nbsp;Moussa Kourouma,&nbsp;Koivogui Enogo,&nbsp;Mohammed S Camara,&nbsp;Laurent Akilimali,&nbsp;Sayadi Sani,&nbsp;Eric Barte de Sainte Fare,&nbsp;Papys Lame,&nbsp;Nicolas Mouly,&nbsp;Marta Lado Castro-Rial,&nbsp;Billy Sivahera,&nbsp;Mahamoud S Cherif,&nbsp;Abdoul H Beavogui,&nbsp;Dally Muamba,&nbsp;Joachim B Tamba,&nbsp;Barry Moumié,&nbsp;Richard Kojan,&nbsp;Hans-Joerg Lang","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v38i1.454","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v38i1.454","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Experience from the Zaire Ebolavirus epidemic in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (2018-2020) demonstrates that early initiation of essential critical care and administration of Zaire Ebolavirus specific monoclonal antibodies may be associated with improved outcomes among patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD).</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This series describes 13 EVD patients and 276 patients with suspected EVD treated during a Zaire Ebolavirus outbreak in Guinea in 2021.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Patients with confirmed or suspected EVD were treated in two Ebola treatment centres (ETC) in the region of N'zérékoré. Data were reviewed from all patients with suspected or confirmed EVD hospitalised in these two ETCs during the outbreak (14 February 2021 - 19 June 2021). Ebola-specific monoclonal antibodies, were available 2 weeks after onset of the outbreak.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine of the 13 EVD patients (age range: 22-70 years) survived. The four EVD patients who died, including one pregnant woman, presented with multi-organ dysfunction and died within 48 h of admission. All eight patients who received Ebola-specific monoclonal antibodies survived. Four of the 13 EVD patients were health workers. Improvement of ETC design facilitated implementation of WHO-recommended 'optimized supportive care for EVD'. In this context, pragmatic clinical training was integrated in routine ETC activities. Initial clinical manifestations of 13 confirmed EVD patients were similar to those of 276 patients with suspected, but subsequently non confirmed EVD. These patients suffered from other acute infections (e.g. malaria in 183 of 276 patients; 66%). Five of the 276 patients with suspected EVD died. One of these five patients had Lassa virus disease and a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) co-infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Multidisciplinary outbreak response teams can rapidly optimise ETC design. Trained clinical teams can provide WHO-recommended optimised supportive care, including safe administration of Ebola-specific monoclonal antibodies. Pragmatic training in essential critical care can be integrated in routine ETC activities.</p><p><strong>Contribution: </strong>This article describes clinical realities associated with implementation of WHO-recommended standards of 'optimized supportive care' and administration of Ebola virus specific treatments. In this context, the importance of essential design principles of ETCs is underlined, which allow continuous visual contact and verbal interaction of health workers and families with their patients. Elements that may contribute to further quality of care improvements for patients with confirmed or suspected EVD are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"38 1","pages":"454"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9900378/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9389697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and clinical manifestations of Bancroftian filariasis in northern Taraba State, Nigeria","authors":"S. O. Elkanah, Deborah S. Elkanah, D. Akafyi, S. Kela, G. Anyanwu, A. Samaila","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.250","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.250","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43254841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity","authors":"Senrina Kalichuran, S. V. van Blydenstein, M. Venter, S. Omar","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.359","url":null,"abstract":"Background Age, body mass index (BMI) and pre-existing comorbidities are known risk factors of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this study we explore the relationship between vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity. Methods We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional descriptive study. We enrolled 100 COVID-19 positive patients admitted to a tertiary level hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. Fifty had symptomatic disease (COVID-19 pneumonia) and 50 who were asymptomatic (incidental diagnosis). Following written informed consent, patients were interviewed regarding age, gender and sunlight exposure during the past week, disease severity, BMI, calcium, albumin, magnesium and alkaline phosphatase levels. Finally, blood was collected for vitamin D measurement. Results We found an 82% prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency among COVID-19 patients. Vitamin D levels were lower in the symptomatic group (18.1 ng/mL ± 8.1 ng/mL) than the asymptomatic group (25.9 ng/mL ± 7.1 ng/mL) with a p-value of 0.000. The relative risk of symptomatic COVID-19 was 2.5-fold higher among vitamin D deficient patients than vitamin D non-deficient patients (confidence interval [CI]: 1.14–3.26). Additional predictors of symptomatic disease were older age, hypocalcaemia and hypoalbuminaemia. Using multiple regression, the only independent predictors of COVID-19 severity were age and vitamin D levels. The patients exposed to less sunlight had a 2.39-fold increased risk for symptomatic disease compared to those with more sunlight exposure (CI: 1.32–4.33). Conclusion We found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and an increased risk for symptomatic disease in vitamin D deficient patients.","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46499652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"COVID-19 death: A novel method of improving its identification when a patient has multiple diagnoses","authors":"N. Ngene, J. Moodley","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.349","url":null,"abstract":"Assigning a primary cause of death to a deceased patient who had multiple principal diagnoses including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is challenging because of the difficulty in selecting the most appropriate cause. To proffer a solution, the authors reviewed the literature on assigning a primary cause of death. In 2015, the Nnabuike-Jagidesa (NJ) model II was devised to improve the International Classification of Diseases and related health problems, 10th revision (ICD-10) guideline on how to assign a primary cause of death. The NJ model II stipulates that when there are multiple diagnoses with no plausible explanation that one of the illnesses could have resulted in the other clinical conditions, the single most appropriate primary cause of death is the condition with the highest case fatality ratio in that setting. In the index report, the authors opine that if the case fatality ratios are similar, the following objective criteria (listed in the order of priority) should be used to assign a primary cause of death: condition with the highest infection fatality ratio, condition that was the main indication for the last acute surgical or invasive procedure performed (during the course of the same ill-health) before the death and the disease that theoretically affects the highest number of body organs. Additionally, a clinical descriptor should be used when none of the objective criteria are satisfied. This novel approach, termed the modified NJ model II, is expected to improve the objectivity and reproducibility of the assigned primary cause of death in a deceased who had multiple diagnoses, which may include COVID-19.","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47718905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbiologic characterisation of bacterial infections in children with atopic dermatitis","authors":"Nkosinathi O. Zwane, J. T. Masuka, A. Chateau, A. Mosam","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.368","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.368","url":null,"abstract":"Background Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), the commonest chronic inflammatory skin disease are often colonised and infected by Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we aimed to determine the type and antibacterial sensitivities of the bacteria infecting eczematous lesions in children with AD and to recommend first-line antibiotic therapy. Methods A prospective study was conducted from June 2020 to June 2021 in children with AD presenting with a cutaneous infection at the King Edward hospital VIII outpatient dermatology clinic. Swabs were collected for microbial culture, confirming infections and assessing antibiotic sensitivity for infected sites. Results Ninety six children were recruited during the study period with a mean age of 4.3 ± 3.4 years. The commonest cause of bacterial infection was Staphylococcus aureus seen in 74 (77.1%) cases, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Group A β-haemolytic streptococcus (GAS) co-infection in 22 (22.9%) cases. The majority of these infections were observed on the lower limbs in 50 (52.08%) cases and in moderate 37 (38.5%) cases and severe eczema cases of 38 (39.6%) in AD. There was no gender predilection. Staphylococcus aureus was sensitive to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in 57 (77.0%) cases, cloxacillin in 53 (71.6%) cases and clindamycin in 24 (32.4%) cases, whereas GAS was mostly sensitive to ampicillin in 10 (45.5%) cases. No swabs retained a resistant strain. Conclusion Staphylococcus aureus is the commonest bacterial cause of cutaneous infection in children with AD in our setting. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cloxacillin remain the most sensitive therapeutic options for this infection, however, a larger study is required to explore resistance strains, if any, in our setting.","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42025423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Theoretical origin of genetically homologous Plasmodium vivax malarial recurrences","authors":"M. Markus","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.369","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.369","url":null,"abstract":"Malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax is being diagnosed with increasing frequency in Africa. Some southern countries where it has been detected are Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Knowing the parasite origin of P. vivax infection recurrences (which can be reinfections, recrudescences or relapses) is important epidemiologically for malaria elimination in Africa. Although hypnozoites will no doubt be a source, we should try to determine how frequently the origin of non-reinfection recurrences of P. vivax malaria involving closely related parasites may be non-circulating merozoites rather than hypnozoites.","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49024034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A retrospective review of calls to the Poisons Information Helpline of the Western Cape during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa","authors":"C. D. du Plessis, Farah Mohamed, C. Stephen, H. Reuter, Gonwayne Voigt, D. V. van Hoving, C. Marks","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.391","url":null,"abstract":"Background Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, poison centres worldwide have reported an increase in exposures to chemicals used for infection prevention. Increased availability and use could lead to an increase in exposures. Potential effects on a South African Poison Information Helpline were unknown, therefore a study was performed to describe changes in call volume and profile of poison exposures. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on an observational database of telephone enquiries. All human-related poisoning exposure call data collected from 01 March to 31 August during 2018, 2019 and 2020 were extracted and analysed. Summary statistics were used to describe all variables. Results The total number of calls were 5137, 5508, and 5181 in 2018, 2019, 2020, respectively. The monthly call number during 2020 was mostly less than in 2019. More calls were received from the public calls (39.4% vs 33.1%) and for accidental exposures (65.6% vs 62.3%) increased during 2020 compared to 2019. Exposures to pharmaceuticals decreased by 14.8% from 2019 to 2020, while exposures to eucalyptus oil more than doubled from 21 in 2019 to 43 during 2020. Exposures to antiseptics and disinfectants increased by 60.4%, mainly due to hand sanitisers exposure which showed a 26-fold increase from 2019 (n = 6) to 2020 (n = 156). Conclusion A change in the profile of poison exposures was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdown regulations and greater availability of antiseptics and disinfectants probably led to the increase in exposures. Although symptoms were mostly mild, the public should be educated on safe storage and proper use of all chemicals.","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48676036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}