Many aromatic hydrocarbons assigned to the so-called high production volume chemicals (HPVCs) are frequently encountered constituents of wastewaters that end up in the sea. Although the pollutant-degrading capabilities of freshwater bacteria are well known, the catabolism of pollutants by marine bacteria has received limited attention. A marine bacterium with the ability to aerobically utilize phenol – an HPVC and common aromatic pollutant – as its sole source of carbon and energy, was isolated from water samples from Durban Harbour, South Africa. The isolate, designated strain KM2, was assigned to the genus Marinobacter based on a variety of phenotypic properties and by analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence. The isolate displays an absolute growth requirement for NaCl which cannot be offset by replacement of NaCl with other salts. In addition to 4-methylphenol and 3,4-dimethylphenol, it utilizes a range of aliphatic hydrocarbons such as butan-1-ol and hexadecane under aerobic conditions. The transient formation of an intermediate exhibiting the UV–Vis spectral characteristics for 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde in cultures growing on phenol suggests that the isolate catabolizes this compound via the meta cleavage pathway. These results indicate that members of the genus Marinobacter might participate in the elimination of aromatic pollutants in South African marine environments.

Objective: Iron deficiency may play a role in the pathophysiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by causing dopamine dysfunction, but there is conflicting evidence in the litera...

Background: Although the association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and mucocutaneous diseases has been well studied within South African specialist centres, there is limited data from district-level hospitals. Available data may, therefore, fail to reflect the prevalence and full spectrum of dermatoses seen in people living with HIV (PLWH).Objectives: To determine the prevalence and spectrum of dermatoses seen in PLWH.Method: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study of 970 PLWH (men and women, ≥ 18 years old) accessing care at Karl Bremer Hospital, a district-level hospital located in the Western Cape province, South Africa, between 01 September 2016 and 28 February 2017.Results: The prevalence of mucocutaneous disease in this sample was 12.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11–0.15). Non-infectious dermatoses comprised 71.0% of the disorders. Pruritic papular eruption (20.0%) and seborrheic dermatitis (6.0%) were the most common non-infectious dermatoses. Tinea corporis (8.0%) and oral candidiasis (6.0%) were the most prevalent infectious dermatoses. There was no significant association between skin disease category (infectious or non-infectious dermatoses) and patient demographics (gender and ethnicity) or HIV-disease characteristics (CD4+ cell count, viral load and duration of antiretroviral therapy [ART]).Conclusion: This study provides valuable scientific data on the prevalence and spectrum of mucocutaneous disease in PLWH attending a South African district-level hospital. Prospective studies conducted in other district-level centres across the country are required to determine the lifetime prevalence and spectrum of dermatoses in PLWH in the ART era.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a chronic and disabling condition that is characterised by distressing preoccupations with perceived defects in one’s own appearance, which might be slight or not observable to others. It is considered to be an obsessive–compulsive spectrum disorder and is associated with depression, feelings of shame and poor quality of life. It is primarily a disorder of childhood or adolescent onset, and sub-clinical BDD symptoms begin, on average, several years before an individual’s symptoms meet full criteria for the disorder. Here we report the case of an adolescent admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit for treatment of psychotic symptoms that were poorly responsive to standard treatments. This challenging case of BDD in an adolescent highlights the various comorbidities of the disorder, as well as the difficulties associated with BDD diagnosis.