Infectious Disease Specialists Blogs 
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This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory.
What is the past participle of bullshit?
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I read the word "bullshitted" today and it got me thinking about whether or not it's a transitive verb, and what the correct past participle would be. UK English has the past tense and past participle of shit as shat, but in Americanese it's shit in the past tense/participle as well. Bullshit as past tense and past participle just doesn't sound good, so Americanese is out. Bullshat ... doesn't sound good either. But, as far as I can recall, there are no, or few, English words ending with "t" that have their past tense ending in "ed", so I think this needs to be made a formal exception to the rule, a...
Source: A rural virologist - December 29, 2010 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
The King over the waterEmail this article to a colleague.
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This doesn't translate well into my blog:
Stephen Korsman is a fan ofFrancis, King of England, Scotland, France and IrelandCreate your Fan Badge (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - November 20, 2009 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Extreme rudeness made acceptableEmail this article to a colleague.
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If you and your boss were talking, and I marched into the room and, in the middle of a sentence, I told you both to keep quiet because I wanted to talk, would that sort of interruption be rude?Most people would say it was.What if I didn't march into the room, but held a megaphone outside the room you were in, and summoned you that way?What if I had issued you with a device that shouted that you must keep quiet, stop what you're doing, and come and talk to me? Would that be any different?And what if you have a device that does the same, except it just plays a nice song? Is that any different?It's called a cell p...
Source: A rural virologist - August 23, 2009 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Extreme rudeness made acceptableEmail this article to a colleague.
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If you and your boss were talking, and I marched into the room and, in the middle of a sentence, I told you both to keep quiet because I wanted to talk, would that be rude?Most people would say it was.What if I didn't march into the room, but held a megaphone outside the room you were in, and summoned you that way?What if I had issued you with a device that shouted that you must keep quiet, stop what you're doing, and come and talk to me? Would that be any different?And what if you have a device that does the same, except it just plays a nice song? Is that any different?It's called a cell phone.If you're busy t...
Source: A rural virologist - August 23, 2009 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Quality assurance vs quality controlEmail this article to a colleague.
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What is the difference between "quality assurance" and "quality control"?Good question.The answer is, in English, nothing. The two are synonymous phrases. They have, however, been appropriated by bureaucrats to mean two different things in bureaucrat jargon that has infected countless poor individuals around the world for decades.The terms also lack an important element - a real adjective. Good quality? Bad quality? There are plenty of organisations who do their best to maintain bad quality in their services.See http://tinyurl.com/Quality-crapspeak for more on the bureaucrat usage. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - April 13, 2009 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Milwaukee Rabies ProtocolEmail this article to a colleague.
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The latest ProMed reports a case of a Brazilian boy who survived rabies. Like all previous survivors except one, he received vaccine as prophylaxis, but prophylaxis was incompletely administered (no immunoglobulin.) Apparently unlike the previous survivors, the virus was isolated from the patient. He was treated with the Milwaukee protocol first tried on the non-vaccinated girl in Wisconsin who survived. To what extent this is a result of the protocol is unclear - rabies after failed prophylaxis appears to have a higher survival rate, especially for bat rabies. The ProMed report [22 Nov 2008] -...
Source: A rural virologist - November 23, 2008 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Bullshit BingoEmail this article to a colleague.
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These are a few of the crapspeak words/phrases that irritate me the most:Learners - they are really pupilsStrategic - my arse (for Americans who don't speak English, "ass" refers to a donkey)Value-added - like a taxQuality - is a "quality item" of good or bad quality???Service delivery - an excuse for bad serviceNiche market - a market in a cornerDrill down - for oil???Comprehensive - full of itProject manager - he manages projectsFixed-dose - I have never prescribed a variable-dose tablet!Grass roots - where we find garbage, snails, and other crapCulture - the culture of crapspeak is a niche market that adds value to stra...
Source: A rural virologist - November 19, 2008 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Kitten with chicken jelly?Email this article to a colleague.
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Friskies is one of the things my babies love. They don't know what's in it. Nor do I. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - October 6, 2008 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Tuna mayo sandwich expiry dateEmail this article to a colleague.
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(Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - October 6, 2008 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
HIV prevalence drop - fact or fiction?Email this article to a colleague.
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A few problems with the recently released 2007 National HIV and Syphilis Prevalence Survey [PDF] aka Antenatal Survey.It appears that the new stats have been produced using a new methodology to work out its conclusions.Two people who know what they're talking about when it comes to these stats wrote a letter to the SAMJ, which can be found here [PDF].
The new weighting gives rise to some absurd results. For example, the prevalence in the Western Cape, which previously had the most rapidly growing epidemic, albeit from a low base, apparently fell from 15.1% in 2006 to 12.6% in 2007. This while, apparently, prevalence fell i...
Source: A rural virologist - September 9, 2008 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Chinese weapons shipment to Zimbabwe - documentationEmail this article to a colleague.
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As most people know, Zimbabwe is run by an illegal government.The Guardian in the UK has published a video showing how civil servants voted - under the watchful eye of a supervisor!It also reveals that those who didn't vote would be hunted down and killed in the event Mugabe had lost. Although with a rigged election, how could he lose?Some time ago we heard about Chinese weapons being sent to Zimbabwe to help Mugabe assist his subjects to vote. Well, here are scanned documents of various shipping lists etc:Zimbabwe Chinese weapons shipment documentation [2008]As the WikiLeaks site explains:
The ZIP file contain...
Source: A rural virologist - July 6, 2008 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
How to kill betterEmail this article to a colleague.
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Over at PLoS Medicine, there is an article entitled "Ethical Implications of Modifying Lethal Injection Protocols"
Courts in the United States have historically judged execution methods against "evolving standards of decency," and have prohibited punishments that involve "the unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain," or more recently the "substantial risk of serious harm".Harm? Isn't death "serious harm"?
"The intravenous delivery of an anesthetic, a paralytic, and potassium chloride in lethal injection protocols is intended to cause a painless death, which likely accounts for its use in 930 of the 1,100 executions...
Source: A rural virologist - June 16, 2008 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Hellkom graphicEmail this article to a colleague.
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Looking at the post on my blog prior to the one on crappies, I really like Hellkom's image I got from their site. I think I'll post it again.
It looks very professional. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - September 16, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Crappies, anyone?Email this article to a colleague.
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A few months back, smut was killing the sugarcane in Australia. Now bacteria are killing the crappies near Ashby, MN, USA.Most crappies were small, "but 10- to 15-inch crappie were also observed."It's not all bad news:"Assuming good numbers of adult crappie remain, they'll be very successful in producing lots of young crappie in 2008 to fill the void ..." - ProMED-mail, 15 Sept 2007 (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - September 16, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Telkom - Free at last!Email this article to a colleague.
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As of this morning, I am free of Telkom. Good riddance. Maybe in a new town. Here the people are not able to communicate and not able to get my line working.Just so I don't lose them, the work orders from Telkom:7CEZ260707121CEZ020807ARS129288677CEZ280807Finally, the disconnection: 637427/53I don't need it ... I've got internet via Vodacom's 3G, and my cell for talking, and I'm very happy with both. Even in Umtata, I've found the quality of service to be excellent, on a par with Vodacom elsewhere in the country.It doesn't look like 5.5 weeks is an abnormal amount of time to wait for service from Tel...
Source: A rural virologist - September 3, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Latest Telkom jokeEmail this article to a colleague.
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I just wrote the following letter of complaint to Telkom on their submission page.
My telephone has been out of order for more than 5 weeks, and Telkom in Umtata is wasting my time. I now have 3 work orders, two of which have been "completed" without any success. The latest fault number is 677CEZ280807. That was given 5 weeks after the original report from me.Somebody arrived at my house on Wednesday 29 August, and I was not informed that they were coming. Nobody was home - which is why I specifically asked, when reporting the fault, that I be contacted when they want to come out - each time. ...
Source: A rural virologist - September 1, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Telkom - denial of serviceEmail this article to a colleague.
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Telkom staff in Umtata expect you to remain at home waiting for them, if they choose to pitch up to check your line.If you specify that you're not at home and need to be called when their technician comes out, surely they should call when their technician comes out?No.If you specify that you need to be called, and they come out without calling you first, and they find nobody at home ... this is called denial of access, and the job can be closed as completed.It is now more than 5 weeks since I reported my dead line for the first time. I've had to repor...
Source: A rural virologist - September 1, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Can Telkom officials read?Email this article to a colleague.
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This afternoon, it will be 28 days ago that I reported my phone being out of order.This morning I tried to phone the local Telkom office. 047 535 1133, if anyone else wants to try and see if they can find a literate person on the other end. Usually the number is never answered - this time it was. Or you can always try OFaultB@telkom.co.zaI asked about the status of my phone line, and was told by the woman who answered that I had to report the number to Telkom's fault line. I told her I had. She said I should report it again. I told her I'd reported it several times - with weekly enquirie...
Source: A rural virologist - August 22, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Warning - headless snakes can biteEmail this article to a colleague.
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Headless Snake Bites Hapless Man
In fact, "decapitated snake heads are dangerous for between 20 and 60 minutes after removal from the body of the snake," Jeffrey Suchard of the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix told SciAm's own Steve Mirsky earlier that year. So remember: wait an hour before handling a dead snake.So says Scientific American, which also refers to the NEJM article:Dead rattlesnakes can bite? Mayo Clin Health Lett 1999;17:4.PubMedSuchard JR, LoVecchio F. Envenomations by rattlesnakes thought to be dead. N Engl J Med 1999;340:1930.PubMedExcerpt at NEJMSo be careful. Don't be bitis. ...
Source: A rural virologist - August 11, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Puff the Magic AdderEmail this article to a colleague.
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Skillie might have a new friend, if I can persuade Wolfgang to adopt.Yesterday, a baby puff adder was found in Jeevs' garden. Very cute, and about 25cm long (an estimate - he didn't stretch himself out for us.) Species name: Bitis arietans - you have to be careful because they bitis! Apparently quite common in Mthatha.He was very cold, and hiding under a box, safely stowed away in the back of a bakkie. We put him in a smaller box, and took him inside. He took a liking to one of the pieces of the box he could hide in - maybe just because we were inspecting him and he didn't like that.Luckily he...
Source: A rural virologist - August 9, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
The Post Office joins TelkomEmail this article to a colleague.
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Now it appears that the Post Office has joined Telkom in making a mess of things in Umtata.They've locked my postbox, and on their website the postbox number is listed as unpaid. I've logged a complaint on their website, but will try to visit them tomorrow to show them the receipt.Perhaps they don't keep records themselves. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - August 7, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Anna Vissi concert, Johannesburg, 14 OctoberEmail this article to a colleague.
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I've just been informed that there will be another Anna Vissi concert in South Africa, this time on 14 October, in Johannesburg.Thanks George!See the Άννα Βίσση blog. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - August 2, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Telkom in UmtataEmail this article to a colleague.
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On 25 July I reported that my telephone was out of order - there was no dial tone.On Sunday 29 July, which I thought was quite fast, someone from Telkom came to check the phone and the line. He checked the line where it entered the house, and it was dead there. No signal. He then disappeared, and later came back after some investigation and told me that the problem was with an underground cable that had broken. They'd be seeing to it.Later in the afternoon, person #2 phones, and wants directions to my place to fix the line. I told him someone had already been, but he knew nothing about that, s...
Source: A rural virologist - July 30, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
The Latin Mass in Africa - contactsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Over at LumenGentleman's site, the Summorum Pontificum Contact Database has been set up.So far, only 3 from South Africa - one from Onderstepoort, the country's veterinary centre, and two from the Eastern Cape - me and someone from Grahamstown. Quite far, and I'd hope for something closer, but I've never visited Grahamstown, and I might if they have the Latin Mass in its extraordinary form.I went to Mass here in Umtata tonight. This time they said the creed. Communion was via the "take and dip" method, with no extraordinary minister of the Eucharist assisting - the chalice was on the altar, the priest dow...
Source: A rural virologist - July 28, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Driving skills in UmtataEmail this article to a colleague.
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Driving in Umtata is quite amusing, and quite dangerous at times. Probably a collection of the worst drivers in South Africa, probably excellent drivers compared to the rest of Africa.I think a very high percentage of drivers here either have no licence, or they bought it. If you're a government official, or work for one, the rules of the road don't apply to you, as the newspapers recently pointed out. But they don't apply to anyone else either.The yellow lane is a passing lane for taxis in many parts of the country; here, that holds true, but the oncoming lane is also a passing lane for taxis here. ...
Source: A rural virologist - July 28, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
HIV treatment in a warzoneEmail this article to a colleague.
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Taken from HIV treatment in a conflict setting: outcomes and experiences from Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, by Heather Culbert et al in PLoS Medicine, 2007 May;4(5):e129PubMed linkArticle on PubMed CentralArticle on PLoS MedicinePatient 1Followed in the clinic since 2002, on ART since December 2003. Lives in Rwanda.
When the fighting started, I thought that it was the end of our lives. I had only treatment for three days and five days of security. I had interrupted my treatment for two days when another patient arrived with the treatments sent by MSF. I was afraid it was the end of my life because more than jus...
Source: A rural virologist - June 12, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Australian smutEmail this article to a colleague.
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Smut? Australia? Yes, they have smut in their sugarcane. Particularly in the Bundaberg/Isis, Mackay, and Ingham districts in Queensland.And no, it has nothing to do with sheep.Pictures of this smut can be seen here and here.The full report is on ProMED-mail. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - June 4, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Technovirology in actionEmail this article to a colleague.
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As you know, I am a medical virologist. Which means I deal with the biological type of virus, and their consequences. But sometimes computer viruses can be interesting too, and I amuse myself at times with technovirology - computer viruses.Jeevs' son, Reshlan, had a project for medical school on a flashdisk, and every time it was plugged into a PC with antivirus software, that file got deleted. The file was a Word document. The virus had inserted executable code in the beginning of the file, and renamed it with the extension SCR. SCR files are usually screensavers.The logical person to ask for...
Source: A rural virologist - May 11, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
DSTV installation and repairsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Three (3) weeks ago (10 April) I contacted S & K Unicom in Umtata to ask them to check my dish installation, which was not picking up DSTV. They took my details, and said they might be able to help me the following week. I have not yet heard back from them.On the page listing them, it says "Services : n/a".Last week I contacted Video Effex and they were extremely helpful, polite, and professional. I was expecting another week's wait, but they solved my problem the same day.On the page listing them, it says "Services : installations".If you want a DSTV installation or repairs done in Umtata, get hold o...
Source: A rural virologist - April 30, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
The Dead MoviesEmail this article to a colleague.
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I am a fan of George Romero's Dead movies:Night of the Living Dead [1968]Dawn of the Dead [1978]Day of the Dead [1985]Land of the Dead [2005]Diary of the Dead, for release in 2007, is a 5th, but not a sequel to Land of the Dead, as it takes place at the during the initial outbreak of the zombies that occurred in Night of the Living Dead.Remakes of these movies by other directors:Night of the Living Dead [1990]Dawn of the Dead [2004]Night of the Living Dead 3D [2006]Day of the Dead [2007]And then of course there's Shaun of the Dead [2004], a spoof of the above, not by George Romero. See also Night of the Living Bread ...
Source: A rural virologist - April 24, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Anna Vissi blogEmail this article to a colleague.
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I haven't a clue what this means:
Και ενώ η περιοδεία της Άννας στην Αμερική συνεχίζετε ανακοινώθηκε ότι
η Άννα Βισση στις 12 Μάιου 2007 θα δώσει μια συναυλία στο Sun City /
South Africa.Probably something to do with Άννα Βισση coming to Sun City in May.They linked to me ... so here's the Anna Vissi blogspot. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - April 20, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Influenza vaccinesEmail this article to a colleague.
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My deltoid muscle hurts tonight. I had my flu vaccine today ... and that's a fairly common minor side effect, but a sign that something's going on there.The flu vaccine recommendations for the last few years are as follows:2004/5 Northern hemisphere winter:an A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-like virus an A/Fujian/411/2002(H3N2)-like virusa B/Shanghai/361/2002-like virus2005 Southern hemisphere winter:an A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-like virusan A/Wellington/1/2004(H3N2)-like virusa B/Shanghai/361/2002-like virus2005/6 Northern hemisphere winter:an A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-like virus an A/California/7/2004(H3N2)-like vi...
Source: A rural virologist - April 20, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Anna Vissi concertEmail this article to a colleague.
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As I pointed out before, South African virologists like Anna Vissi music.She'll be here in South Africa soon, and will have a concert at Sun City.Tickets can be booked on the Kalahari.net website. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - April 13, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
The usefulness of boxes and other junkEmail this article to a colleague.
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I have a reputation, and am living up to it. I think this is quite a good way to use a box, but it needs a table cloth - when I get round to getting one.
This is some sort of crate packing support device that I have turned into a shelf for my DVDs and CDs, and maybe a few books when I get more of those unpacked.
Very fashionable. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - April 10, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Gmail PaperEmail this article to a colleague.
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Here in Umtata we don't always have good access to our e-mail.Google has the answer - Gmail paper. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - April 10, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Congratulations Estrelita!Email this article to a colleague.
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I trained as a medical virologist at Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Medical Campus, and, prior to the current head of department, Prof Estrelita Janse van Rensburg was the head there, so I spent the first few years of my training under her. Now she's head of the virology department at Pretoria University, where I did my undergraduate medical training.On 28 March, she was awarded an Exceptional Achievers Award.The Pretoria News (which we don't get in Umtata - my mom e-mailed me the article) said:
University of Pretoria spokesperson Stella du Plessis said: "The university is extremely proud of those people who are ...
Source: A rural virologist - April 5, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
TB is NOT a virus!!!!!Email this article to a colleague.
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis and related bacteria are bacteria, NOT viruses.The following are also not viruses:
malaria
typhoid
tick bite fever
syphilis
gonorrhoea
cats and dogs"More hospitals to treat TB virus" published on 14 March 2007 in The Mercury (a newspaper) should have a better headline.Some snippets:
She acknowledged that the department had been grappling with the challenge posed by MDR TB and XDR TB.I am sure they are ... it's quite a problem. The local stats sound quite scary.
MDR TB and XDR TB result from the failure of patients to take their treatment as directed when diagnosed with tuberculosis.Hmmm .....
Source: A rural virologist - April 4, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Electricity in UmtataEmail this article to a colleague.
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We've all seen the photos of power cuts in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Now I am providing some from Umtata.
Here the power doesn't go out because too much is being used. It goes out because it rains. And sometimes just for fun. It's very frustrating, because I take a lot of work home with me, and I'd like to be able to use my computer to do that work. I've thought about a generator with a UPS to stabilise the current, but maybe I should go to bed early sometimes. Power failures are usually at night, the most impractical time.
Here's the photo of Umtata at night with no electricity.
If y...
Source: A rural virologist - March 25, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Rabies Preexposure Vaccination in TravelersEmail this article to a colleague.
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More on rabies vaccination ar the Journal of Travel Medicine, March/April 2007.Gautret P, Parola P, Shaw M, Torresi J. Rabies preexposure vaccination in travelers. J Travel Med 2007; 14: 136. PubMed abstractProbably worth reading ... I can't get at it, though. I'll try other ways. All my usual ones are exhausted. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - March 25, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Rabies vaccine updateEmail this article to a colleague.
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In the February Weekly Epidemiological Record, put out by the World Health Organisation, there is an update on rabies vaccination.I've previously commented on rabies and post-exposure prophylaxis on one of my other blogs. I've had my pre-exposure prophylaxis. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - March 24, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Virological musicEmail this article to a colleague.
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Virologists have good taste in music. Άννα Βίσση, or Anna Vissi, is one of the most popular modern music artists amongst virologists in South Africa, and probably worldwide. Those virologists who haven't heard her music should listen ASAP. They'll be hooked.Anna is a Cypriot Greek with an incredible voice. She was born in 1957, so she turns 50 this year ... but she looks like she's in her 20's or 30's, at least in concert and on her CD covers and in her music videos. Her husband, Nikos Karvelas, is 6 years older than she is, and he looks his age.She took part in the Eurovision contest...
Source: A rural virologist - March 24, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Some random photosEmail this article to a colleague.
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I still need to get used to the new camera - it has nearly as many settings as my PC. But here are some photos.
This is Walter Sisulu University, previously University of the Transkei (Unitra), by day and by night:
The hills seen from the townhouse I stay in:
Umtata Dam after the rain, seen from where I stay:
The driveway and garages in the place where my townhouse is:
From my balcony looking onto the nearby nature reserve in a misty day:
The Anglican Cathedral, which looks very much like a Catholic one from the outside. I must still find the Catholic Cathedral here.
Welcome to Umtata! (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - February 20, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Chersina angulataEmail this article to a colleague.
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That is Skillie's other name. She's now eating well, and her health has improved a lot.
You can read all about Skillie and her relatives here:
Angulate tortoiseAngulate tortoise care
Okay ... this blog isn't only about Skillie and elevators lifts ... so I'll put a post on with some photos of the Eastern Cape and Umtata. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - February 18, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
My bossEmail this article to a colleague.
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This is a photo of Jeevamoney Govender (Jeevs), the currently acting business manager of the Umtata NHLS laboratory - NMTL, or Nelson Mandela Tertiary Laboratory. There's always a cup of coffee waiting in her office for you ... except during power failures.
This is Jeevs with her secretary, Mardi Nolands.
They're in Jeevs' office. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - February 16, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Lifts vs stairsEmail this article to a colleague.
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The laboratory is connected to the academic hospital, and is partly on the 2nd floor (level with the ground) and partly on the 3rd floor (one up from the 2nd floor.) The lift has buttons for floors 2, 3, and 4. The first thing I thought odd was that there were no stairs near the lifts. If you want to go up or down, the lifts are the only option. If you really need to take the stairs, you can go to the other side of the building, which isn't far, and on that side there are no lifts.
I feel quite silly going up one floor in a lift instead of taking the stairs, and even worse going down one floor, but ...
Source: A rural virologist - February 15, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Welcome to MthathaEmail this article to a colleague.
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I arrived in Umtata on the evening of 27 January, and my belongings arrived the following day.
This is a photo of Umtata at night, taken from the Garden Court hotel along the N2 highway as it passes through Umtata, where it is known as Nelson Mandela Drive. A larger picture will load if you click on it.
Some scenic photos of the area later ... but after doing some of my unpacking, I started work on 1 February. At first I felt a bit lost, and although the lab is in somewhat of a rectangle with passages going right around, it was a bit confusing in the beginning. I still have to think about which way the l...
Source: A rural virologist - February 13, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Skillie's stepdaughterEmail this article to a colleague.
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There are wedding plans for Skillie, for when she's better.This is her future stepdaughter.
Her future stepdaughter likes apples, and prefers to eat them out of her adoptive mother's hand.
She thinks she can climb stairs. Not very well, it seems.
Skillie's babies will fortunately have four legs. (Source: A rural virologist)
Source: A rural virologist - January 21, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
A sick tortoiseEmail this article to a colleague.
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My current head of department, Wolfgang, and his fiancée were recently in the Eastern Cape, and came across a tortoise that had been hit by a car. They rescued her, and she has been to hospital. Unfortunately she had to have her foot amputated, and gets daily antibiotic injections, which she doesn't like at all.It's unlikely that she will be able to be released back into the wild, so she's getting a new home, all legal with the right permits.Her name is Skillie.This is her being told she's going to get her medicine. When she realises this, she goes into her shell fast. The vet taught Wolfgang how t...
Source: A rural virologist - January 17, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
A Rural Virologist - new blogEmail this article to a colleague.
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I have started a new blog, which I hope to post to at least once or twice a week, called A Rural Virologist. The link is http://www.theotokos.co.za/umtata/My first post:
Welcome to my new blog, about medical virology, rural medicine, and the Eastern Cape in South Africa.In 2005, I qualified as a medical virologist, FCPathSA(Virol), and in 2006 I finished my MMed in virology at Stellenbosch University.As from February 2007, I will be working in Umtata, as the only medical virologist in the Eastern Cape province, with plans to build up the virology service there, and to consult on laboratory, diagnostic, and clinical v...
Source: Medical / Science issues - January 14, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
Welcome to the rural virologistEmail this article to a colleague.
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Welcome to my new blog, about medical virology, rural medicine, and the Eastern Cape in South Africa.In 2005, I qualified as a medical virologist, FCPathSA(Virol), and in 2006 I finished my MMed in virology at Stellenbosch University.As from February 2007, I will be working in Umtata, as the only medical virologist in the Eastern Cape province, with plans to build up the virology service there, and to consult on laboratory, diagnostic, and clinical virology in the Eastern Cape.On this blog, I plan to document my journey in rural medicine, and let people know more about the life of a virologist, and about the Eastern Cape.P...
Source: A rural virologist - January 13, 2007 Category: Infectious Disease Specialists Tags: General Source Type: blogs
