SYNOPSIS Specimens from 495 patients attending Johannesburg hospitals and family planning clinics were examined for Trichomonas vaginalis by microscopy of Giemsa (GS), Papanicolaou (Pap), and acridine-orange (AO) stained smears, and by culture in Feinberg-Whittington medium. Culture, Pap and GS stained smears from vaginal swabs yielded fewer positives than AO stained smears. Although Pap-stained cytological smears gave the highest number of posit,ves, in 300% of these cases the presence of T.vaginalis could not be confirmed by examination of vaginal swabs.Of the positive AO-stained smears, 93 % were also positive by at least one other technique.

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A prospective 3-year study for enteric pathogens associated with diarrhoea in children was undertaken at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital, South Africa. Rotavirus was the most commonly isolated pathogen (24%), showing a marked seasonal distribution, with an autumn peak in activity. Enterotoxigenic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli were frequently identified, and Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter were also isolated. Cryptosporidium and Giardia lamblia were the most frequently seen parasites. Rotavirus, E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter occurred predominantly in children less than 1 year old, whilst Shigella and the parasites were prevalent at all ages.

Three children with hydatid disease of the central nervous system (CNS) were seen. In two patients the lateral ventricles were involved, whilst one case involved the cerebellar hemisphere. In addition, one child presented with a deposit in the maxillary antrum, and deposits were also found in the liver. Operative removal of the deposits was performed, followed by post-operative treatment with praziquantel and albendazole. Investigation of other sites outside the CNS was undertaken for occult lesions. All hydatid cysts were clearly demonstrated on CT, but two cases posed the pre-operative problem of differential diagnosis from arachnoid cysts.

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