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Biomedical subjects

P S Friedman

Publications and source records attributed to P S Friedman.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Observations on syphilis in Addis Ababa. 1. General considerations.

The socioeconomic picture of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is briefly described and the provision of general medical care is outlined. Control of venereal disease is centred on one clinic. Here two doctors attend to nearly 1000 outpatients daily. It is perhaps not surprising that self-diagnosis and self-medication are common and follow-up attendance is erratic.

Community Health Centers

Observations on syphilis in Addis Ababa. 2. Prevalence and natural history.

Sera from various groups were tested for syphilis by cardiolipin, fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorbed (FTA-ABS), and treponemal haemagglutination (TPHA) tests. The proportion of positive results, 12.7%, obtained from an unselected urban population suggested that the prevalence of the disease had declined since 1953. The probable explanation is the widespread use of penicillin. Late manifestations of syphilis are much rarer in Ethiopia than would be predicted from the high incidence at the infectious stage and, if present, they affect the cardiovascular system. These findings confirm old observations. Llymphocytes from Ethiopians with early syphilis did not proliferate when cultured with Treponema pallidum in vitro, in contrast with cells from patients with cardiovascular syphilis. These findings differed from observations made previously on patients in England with early syphilis.

Adolescent