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Craniorachischisis is the most severe type of neural tube defect in which almost the entire brain and spinal cord remain open. We report a case in a female fetus born at gestational week 38, with both anencephaly and open spina bifida. It was the second pregnancy of a 26-year-old woman. The first pregnancy had to be interrupted by a medical termination at 18th gestational week because of an anencephaly. We aim to report the first case documented in Madagascar.

Background: Little is known about early-onset neonatal bacterial infections (EONBI) in Madagascar. Our aim was to determine their epidemiology to improve their management. Methods: Inborn neonates at risk for EONBI and admitted in the neonatal unit of 2 tertiary hospitals in Antananarivo, Madagascar, were included in a prospective study from April 2012 to March 2013. Using a clinical algorithm, blood culture, gastric fluid culture and C-reactive protein dosage were performed in newborns at high risk of infection, that is, peri partum fever, prematurity <35 weeks’ gestation or birth weight <2000 g, or presenting with clinical signs of infection. EONBI was defined as a bacteremia occurring within the first week of life. Results: Among 307 neonates, 75 (24.4%) had an EONBI caused by 1 (n = 59) or 2 (n = 16) bacteria (91 isolates). Gram-negative bacteria were predominant (n = 62, 82.7%), including Enterobacter cloacae (n = 26), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 14), Escherichia coli (n = 7) and Proteus mirabilis (n = 2). Group B Streptococcus, Acinetobacter baumanii and Enterococcus sp. represented 3.6%, 8.2% and 12.1% of the isolates, respectively. All E. cloacae and 12/14 (85.7%) K. pneumoniae were extended-spectrum β-lactamase producers. At all, 41/91 (45.1%) bacteria were multidrug-resistant (MDR) and 34/75 (45.3%) newborns had an EONBI caused by an MDR bacteria. Neonatal asphyxia was the only factor associated with multidrug resistance (odds ratio: 4.52; CI: 1.20–16.94; P = 0.025). The EONBI-related mortality (n = 20/75, 26.7%) rose up to 38.2% (n = 13/34) in case of MDR bacteria. Conclusions: The epidemiology of EONBIs in Madagascar is comparable to that found in many low-income countries. Prevention, including improvement of hygiene during resuscitation for neonatal asphyxia, is likely to be more effective in reducing EONBI-related morbidity and mortality than using new antibiotics to counter resistance.

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a human-pregnancy-specific disease defined as the occurrence of hypertension and significant proteinuria in a previously healthy woman on or after the 20th week of gestation. It is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of pre-eclampsia and to evaluate its maternal and fetal outcomes in a rural area.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study carried out at the Bejofo Mahitsy hospital. It is a District Hospital Referral Center, which is located on the outskirts of the capital, 32 km from Antananarivo, Madagascar. This work was carried out during 24 months, from January 2014 to December 2016. We have included all hospitalized pregnant patients with SBP ≥140 or DBP ≥90mmHg, significant proteinuria> 300mg/24H with or without edema.Results: During this period, we recorded 97 cases of pre-eclampsia, frequency of 1.68%. The mean age of the parturient was 28 years old and 46.39% of the patients were primiparous. At the admission to the hospital, 37 (38,14%) did not show any particular signs. Concerning the severe high blood pressure, 47 pregnant patients (48,46%) had SBP greater than 160 mm Hg and 26 womens (26,80%) had DBP greater than 110 mm Hg. Caesarean section was the method of delivery widely adopted in 74.22 %. Maternal morbidity was represented by eclampsia in 21.65%, Retroplacentary Hematoma in 3% and HELLP syndrome in 4.12%. Fetal morbidity was important with 35% of premature newborns, 25.77% was small for gestational age and 12.37% was with neonatal asphyxia. Intra uterine fetal mortality was found in 11.34% and the perinatal mortality rate was 8.73%.Conclusions: There is a high frequency of pre-eclampsia in our setting and the consequences of pre-eclampsia for neonatal mortality and morbidity outcome are alarmingly high pre-eclampsia. Prevention necessarily involves quality prenatal follow-up such as screening, early and appropriate care of hypertension during pregnancy.

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