Some of our expatriate workers have accomplished some scientific research in the course of their missions in Laos. Dr. Günther Slesak has namely published serveral interessant articles. Several studies have also been conducted during the Attapeu.medical project.

Publications

• Articles by G. Slesak and others in the new online The Lancet Global Health (Vol 1, July 2013) : Causes of non-malarial fever in Laos: a prospective study.
  Summary...Hide details
  Because of reductions in the incidence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Laos, identifi cation of the causes of fever in people without malaria, and discussion of the best empirical treatment options, are urgently needed. We aimed to identify the causes of non-malarial acute fever in patients in rural Laos.
  • Mayxay NMFI LGH 2013
  • Mullan LGH 2013
  • Bisoffi FeverNotMalaria LGH 2013

• High HIV vulnerability of ethnic minorities after a trans-Asian highway construction in remote northern LaosSummary...Hide details
  Summary: From 2004 to 2008 a new Asian highway was constructed through remote multiethnic areas of north Laos linking a low with higher HIV prevalence areas in bordering Thailand and China. We assessed the HIV vulnerability in four minority villages alongside the new road in Luang Namtha Province using structured interviews and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for HIV. Of 470 villagers aged 15 – 49 years old, 47.0% did not know any ways of HIV transmission yet 82.1% reported sexual contacts. Median age at first sex was 17.5 years. Sex of never-married 15 – 24 years old was associated with higher age (P = 0.002) and ethnicity (P = 0.013; Hmong odds ratio [OR] 7.27); 61.9% (86/139) used no condom at last non-cohabitant sex, especially women (OR 17.7, P < 0.001) and older villagers (P = 0.001). No HIV-infection was detected among villagers who received VCT in 2006 (924 of 933) and 2008 (538 of 1249). Nonetheless our findings reveal an alarming vulnerability for HIV among ethnic minorities alongside the new highway, and further culturally adapted prevention efforts are warranted.
• Bowel obstruction from wild bananas: a neglected health problem in Laos
  • Article in English, published at PMC
  • Same article in English, dwonloadable PDF
  • The same article in Germand, with photos
• Chromoblastomycosis after a leech bite complicated by myiasis: a case report
• Paying articles
  • Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique can diagnose paragonimiasis
  • A hospital-initiated multisectoral road safety campaign with speed-adapted coconut drop test in Northern Laos
  • Obstructive biliary ascariasis with cholangitis and hepatic abscesses in Laos: a case report with gall bladder ultrasound video

Studies conducted in Attapeu

• Health status of villagers  in rural Attapeu Province, Lao  PDR, with a focus on risk factors for intestinal helminth infections – A doctoral thesis study conducted by Susanne Linck
• Participation to a study conducted by the Swiss TPH (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute) about resistance tu Artemether (an antimalarial for the treatment of multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria.(Unpublished),
• The bleach method improves the detection ofpulmonary tuberculosis in Laos (downloadable PDF)
• A sudy on the treatments of  opistorchis viverini
• Participation to a study on unspecified fevers in the hospital (in cooperation with Luang Namtha project)

Studies conducted in Sekong

• Tuberculosis detection method to children in Laos (in french)