The present study confirms the dissemination of metallo- β-lactamase (MBL) genes among multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Early recognition of MBL producers is important and necessitates rigorous infection control measures and restricted use of carbapenems for treatment of clinical infections. The dissemination of this gene to clinically relevant species may endanger patients and it may have adverse implications on treatment.

This article presents and compares the frequency of common operator errors seen on panoramic radiographs taken by informally trained operators in dental private practices with those taken by certified radiographers in the dental hospital in Trinidad and Tobago.

This case study evaluated whether the medical training programme in a Caribbean hospital fulfilled the requirements of a competency-based training hospital. New and feasible methods to improve the curriculum were identified.

The level of fertility impairment among Jamaican women exceeds levels reflected in studies in the United States of America from the late 1990s. These women have difficulty conceiving, have experienced fetal loss, or have waited at least two years without conceiving.

This survey of surgeons and residents in the Caribbean demonstrates the current level of training in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and the challenges faced in incorporating MIS into surgical training.

This study evaluated the increasing trend in antibiotic resistance pattern of uropathogens in Kashmir Valley, India. Escherichia coli was the most prevalent isolate. First generation cephalosporins were ineffective while aminoglycosides and third generation cephalosporins were effective antibiotics. Vancomycin was highly effective against E faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus.

Helicobacter pylori infection is a common chronic infection in children. We report, for the first time, prevalence data for this infection in Bahamian children. H pylori infection was determined using the 13Curea breath test.

A high proportion of soft tissue sarcomas in Jamaica are unclassified and the anatomical distribution of common classified sarcomas shows some differences with the literature. Limited access to immunohistochemistry/ molecular diagnostics and increasing core biopsy diagnosis may contribute to these phenomena.

Comparison of the Bantu and Benin haplotypes in Ugandan and Jamaican patients with homozygous sickle cell disease reveal some clinical and haemato-logical differences. Better documentation is needed to derive optimal models of care for Ugandan patients.

The effect of anthropometry on longitudinal blood pressure changes was evaluated and compared to similar estimates generated from cross-sectional data from the same population. Findings suggest that anthropometry is an important covariate of blood pressure changes during adolescence and that age-related mean blood pressure changes from longitudinal data were similar to those generated by cross-sectional data.