BackgroundViral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) are acute diseases associated with bleeding, organ failure, and shock. VHF may hardly be distinguished clinically from other diseases in the African hospital, including viral hepatitis. This study was conducted to determine if VHF and viral hepatitis contribute to hospital morbidity in the Central and Northern parts of Ghana.Methodology/Principal FindingsFrom 2009 to 2011, blood samples of 258 patients with VHF symptoms were collected at 18 hospitals in Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Northern, Upper West, and Upper East regions. Patients were tested by PCR for Lassa, Rift Valley, Crimean-Congo, Ebola/Marburg, and yellow fever viruses; hepatitis A (HAV), B (HBV), C (HCV), and E (HEV) viruses; and by ELISA for serological hepatitis markers. None of the patients tested positive for VHF. However, 21 (8.1%) showed anti-HBc IgM plus HBV DNA and/or HBsAg; 37 (14%) showed HBsAg and HBV DNA without anti-HBc IgM; 26 (10%) showed anti-HAV IgM and/or HAV RNA; and 20 (7.8%) were HCV RNA-positive. None was positive for HEV RNA or anti-HEV IgM plus IgG. Viral genotypes were determined as HAV-IB, HBV-A and E, and HCV-1, 2, and 4.Conclusions/SignificanceVHFs do not cause significant hospital morbidity in the study area. However, the incidence of acute hepatitis A and B, and hepatitis B and C with active virus replication is high. These infections may mimic VHF and need to be considered if VHF is suspected. The data may help decision makers to allocate resources and focus surveillance systems on the diseases of relevance in Ghana.

IntroductionSpondyloptosis is the most severe of translation spine injuries. It results in complete disruption of the structural elements of the vertebral column and the adjacent paravertebral soft tissues, culminating in severe biomechanical instability. Although several cases of lumbosacral spondyloptosis have been documented, not many cases of traumatic lumbar spondyloptosis have been published in the literature.Case presentationWe present a case of a 34-year-old man of Nilo-Hamitic ethnicity who presented to our unit with paraplegia following injury from the collapse of a concrete wall. Radiographic images showed spondyloptosis at the fourth lumbar vertebral level. He underwent surgery where decompression, reduction, posterior instrumentation and bone grafting through a posterior approach were done. He started regaining motor power 48 hours postoperatively. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation and is steadily improving, 2 months postoperatively.ConclusionsIn limited-resource settings there is a tendency of “skilful neglect” of complex injuries. Where resources allow, surgical reconstruction of spondyloptosis should be attempted irrespective of the severity of the initial neurological deficit because there are chances of neurological improvement.

Background: Low back pain is the leading global cause of years lost to disability. The study aimed to assess the health-related quality of life in patients with low back pain attending an outpatient clinic at a national referral hospital in Uganda Methods: This was a hospital based cross-sectional study that involved 250 adult patients with low back pain. Data were collected using the modified short form-36 Health Survey questionnaire. Data were summarised using descriptive statistics. Analysis of Variance, the F-test and linear regression analysis were used for inferential statistics. Result: Majority of participants were female (66.4%) with a mean age of 60 years (SD 12.9, range 20- 87) and 44.6% were manual labourers. 70% of participants had had low back pain for more than one year and 74% had neuropathic symptoms. The total quality of life of participants was poor with a mean score of 31.9 (SD 15.6). The factors that significantly influenced quality of Llife included performing manual work (p=0.01), being unemployed (p=0.027) and weakness in the lower limbs (p=0.01). Conclusion: Patients with low back pain had a poor quality of life that was significantly influenced by being unemployed, doing manual work and clinical features of nerve compression. Keywords: Low back pain; Quality of life; Health-related.

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