BackgroundInvestigation of maternal near-miss is a useful complement to the investigation of maternal mortality with the aim of meeting the United Nations' fifth Millennium Development Goal. The present study was conducted to investigate the frequency of near-miss events, to calculate the mortality index for each event and to compare the socio-demographic and obstetrical data (age, parity, gestational age, education and antenatal care) of the near-miss cases with maternal deaths.MethodsNear-miss cases and events (hemorrhage, infection, hypertensive disorders, anemia and dystocia), maternal deaths and their causes were retrospectively reviewed and the mortality index for each event was calculated in Kassala Hospital, eastern Sudan over a 2-year period, from January 2008 to December 2010. Disease-specific criteria were applied for these events.ResultsThere were 9578 deliveries, 205 near-miss cases, 228 near-miss events and 40 maternal deaths. Maternal near-miss and maternal mortality ratio were 22.1/1000 live births and 432/100 000 live births, respectively. Hemorrhage accounted for the most common event (40.8%), followed by infection (21.5%), hypertensive disorders (18.0%), anemia (11.8%) and dystocia (7.9%). The mortality index were 22.2%, 10.0%, 10.0%, 8.8% and 2.4% for infection, dystocia, anemia, hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders, respectively.ConclusionThere is a high frequency of maternal morbidity and mortality at the level of this facility. Therefore maternal health policy needs to be concerned not only with averting the loss of life, but also with preventing or ameliorating maternal-near miss events (hemorrhage, infections, hypertension and anemia) at all care levels including primary level.

Introduction: Both malaria and anaemia have adverse effects on maternal and perinatal outcomes. Thus there is an urgent need to investigate the co-epidemiology of malaria and anaemia and their combined impact on maternal and perinatal outcomes in the different regions of Sudan Methodology: Various cross-sectional and case control studies conducted during the years 2003-2010 to investigate the epidemiology of malaria and anaemia and their impact on maternal and perinatal outcomes in different regions of Sudan were compared. Results: While 13.7% of antenatal attendants in New Halfa had peripheral microscopically detected Plasmodium falciparum malaria, placental malaria (using histological examinations) was prevalent in 32.0-40% and 19.5% of parturient women in New Halfa and Gadarif Hospitals, respectively. Malaria was a risk factor for anaemia in New Halfa and for stillbirths in Omdurman Maternity Hospital. Anaemia was present in 52.5%, 62.6% and 80.2% of pregnant women in Medani, New Halfa, and Gadarif Hospitals, respectively. In Gadarif, 57.3% of pregnant women had a folate deficiency, while 1% had a vitamin B12, deficiency. In Medani, zinc and copper deficiencies were detected in 45.0% and 4% of pregnant women, respectively. Anaemia was a risk factor for low birth weight in Al-Fashir, for fetal anaemia in New Halfa, and for stillbirth in Kassala Hospital. Conclusion: More care should be taken to ensure proper nutrition and malaria prevention such as bed nets and intermittent preventive treatments to avoid these diseases and their effects on maternal and perinatal outcomes.

BackgroundDengue fever, caused by dengue virus (DENV), has become one of the most important mosquito-borne viral diseases with a steady rise in global incidence, including the Sudan. Sporadic cases and frequent acute febrile illness outbreaks, compatible with Dengue fever, have been reported in El-Gadarif State, Sudan. However, diagnosis was based almost exclusively on clinical signs without confirmatory laboratory investigations. Despite the magnitude of the problem in El-Gadarif State, no information is currently available with regard to the epidemiology of the disease in this State. El-Gadarif State is one of the largest commercial centers in the Sudan. The objective of the present investigation is to estimate the prevalence of DENV antibodies, and determine the potential risk factors associated with seropositivity among residents of El-Gadarif State.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted in a total of 701residents randomly selected from all 10 localities in El-Gadarif State. The sera from the 701 residents were tested for the presence of DENV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using a commercially available Anti-dengue IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsAmong the 701 residents, 334 residents (47.6%) were seropositive for DENV. Mosquito control (OR = 2.73, CI = 1.37–5.87, p-value = 0.001); low income (OR = 2.31, CI: 1.71–6.36, p value = 0.032); sleeping out-doors (OR = 3.73, CI = 2.63–6.23, p-value = 0.013), and localities were determined as potential risk factors for contracting DENV infection.ConclusionsThe prevalence rate of DENV antibodies among residents of El-Gadarif State is significantly high (47.6%). Further epidemiologic studies including, distribution of mosquito vectors and implementation of improved surveillance are urgently warranted for better prediction and prevention of a possible DENV outbreak in El-Gadarif State, Sudan.

A cross-sectional study was carried out between October 2007 and January 2008 to investigate the prevalence and types of anaemia among pregnant women of eastern Sudan. Socio-demographic and obstetrical data were collected using a questionnaire. Haemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin, serum folate and vitamin B(12) were assessed using standard laboratory methods. Two hundred and seventy-nine pregnant Sudanese women were recruited. Anaemia (Hb <11 gdl) and iron deficiency (ferritin <15 microg/l) were prevalent in 80.3 and 14.3% of the study sample, respectively. Of the total sample, 11.1% had iron-deficiency anaemia. Serum folate (<6.6 ng/ml) and vitamin B(12) (<150 pg/ml) deficiency was reported in 57.7 and 1%, respectively, and none of the women had both folate and vitamin B(12) deficiencies. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that ferritin, serum folate and vitamin B(12) levels were not significantly associated with anaemia. Thus, there was a high prevalence of anaemia and folate deficiency. Measures to control these should be considered.

Between June 2006 and October 2008, the safety of artemisinins during early human pregnancy was assessed in central-eastern Sudan. Pregnant women in the first or second trimester who were attending antenatal-care clinics at the Wad Medani, Gadarif and New Halfa hospitals were interviewed. Each was asked if they had had malaria in the first trimester of the index pregnancy and, if so, what treatment they had received. The women who had received artemisinins were then followed-up until delivery and their babies were followed-up until they were 1-year-olds. Overall, 62 of the pregnant women reported receiving artemisinins - artemether injections (48), artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (11) or artemether plus lumefantrine (three) - during the first trimester. Medical records were available for 51 (82%) of these 62 women, and, in each case, these records showed the reported treatment and that malaria had been confirmed. Only nine (15%) of the 62 women given artemisinins had not known that they were pregnant when treated. Two of the treated women (both given artemether injections in the first trimester) had miscarriages, one at 20 weeks of gestation and the other at 22 weeks, each while receiving quinine infusions for a second attack of malaria. The other 60 women who had received artemisinins delivered apparently healthy babies at full term. No congenital malformations were detected, there was no preterm labour, no maternal deaths were recorded during the follow-up, and none of the babies died during their first year of life. It therefore appears that artemisinins may be safe to use during early pregnancy, although further study is clearly needed.