This study implemented an innovative model of individual Strengths-Based Career Counseling (SBCC), as carried out by vocational counseling psychologists, and measured its impact on unemployed job seekers. As part of a quasi-randomized pre–post intervention study, career counseling clients completed self-esteem, career exploration, strengths use, and life satisfaction scales prior to the initial counseling session (T1) and immediately following the final session (T2). A follow-up was carried out at 3 months postcounseling (T3). At baseline, the SBCC sample (N = 31) and the conventional career counseling sample (N = 30) were statistically similar on the measured variables. As hypothesized, at postcounseling, only the SBCC sample demonstrated enhanced self-esteem. Both the client samples reported enhanced daily use of strengths and unchanged career exploration and life satisfaction. However, precounseling strengths use predicted enhanced postcounseling self-esteem only among the SBCC clients. At the 3-month follow-up, the strengths-based sample assigned a higher rating to the counseling contribution and reported a higher rate of employment (80.6%) than did the comparison group (60%). Implications for career counseling with unemployed clients were discussed.

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One-hundred-and-fifty-seven children admitted with brucellosis at Abha, Saudi Arabia, were studied prospectively. Ninety-two per cent gave a history of animal contact, usually with sheep or goats, or ingesting raw milk, milk products, or raw liver. Three-quarters of the patients had an acute or subacute presentation with diverse symptomatology: fever (100 per cent), malaise (91 per cent), anorexia (68 per cent), cough (20 per cent), abdominal symptoms (20 per cent), arthralgia (25 per cent). Hepatomegaly (31 per cent), splenomegaly (55 per cent), and lymphadenopathy (18 per cent) were common findings. Organ complications were rare except for arthritis (36 per cent) which usually presented as a peripheral oligoarthritis involving the hips and knees. All patients had significant agglutination titres; B. melitensis was grown from the blood in 7 of 16 (44 per cent) patients. Haematological variations were common, but non-specific: anaemia (64 per cent), thrombocytopenia (28 per cent), leucopenia (38 per cent), leucocytosis (12 per cent), and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (81 per cent). Varying combinations of rifampicin, co-trimoxazole, tetracycline, and streptomycin resulted in a prompt pyrexial response (mean: 3.8 days), and a slower response in the arthropathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Relapses were related to poor compliance, use of a single drug or a shorter duration of chemotherapy. Brucellosis is a common childhood problem in southwestern Saudi Arabia as in other parts of the country and the Middle East. It should be considered in every child from an endemic area presenting with a febrile illness and a history of animal contact.

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia induced by modified animal fat (ghee) in 10 children is described. The initial presentation was of an acute or chronic pneumonia which proved refractory to anti-microbial chemotherapy. The radiological presentation varied from mild perihilar consolidation to diffuse and extensive bilateral involvement, particularly of the posterior lung segments. A history of administration of ghee provided the initial clue to the diagnosis, which was confirmed by demonstration of fat by bronchoalveolar lavage or by open lung biopsy. Eight of the 10 patients improved with either steroid therapy alone or steroids with resection of the most involved lung segments. One patient, who had extensive superinfection with Mycobacterium fortuitum, died. Lipoid pneumonia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of 'non-resolving' pneumonias in communities where the cultural practice of infant feeding with ghee is prevalent. Public awareness through health education about the potential hazards of this practice to infants and children can contribute to reduce the incidence of the problem.