Early onset myasthenia gravis in a Malawian woman: Challenges in managing myasthenia gravis in a low-resource setting

T Phiri; P Noah; E Borgstein; T Baker; B Mhemedi; P Finch

doi:10.1177/0049475520986046

Early onset myasthenia gravis in a Malawian woman: Challenges in managing myasthenia gravis in a low-resource setting

Trop Doct. 2021 Jul;51(3):387-390. doi: 10.1177/0049475520986046. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Authors

T Phiri¹, P Noah², E Borgstein³, T Baker⁴, B Mhemedi⁵, P Finch⁶

Affiliations

¹ Specialist Physician in Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 299619Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
² Head & Neck and General Surgeon, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi.
³ Paediatric Surgeon, Mercy James Centre, 299619Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
⁴ Specialist Physician in Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 299619Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi; Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi; Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁵ Anatomical Pathologist, Main Laboratory, 299619Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
⁶ Senior Lecturer, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi.

PMID: 33461407
DOI: 10.1177/0049475520986046

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis is a rare autoimmune disease, which presents with ocular or generalised symptoms. Few publications describe its prevalence in African populations. We describe a young woman who was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in a Malawian public hospital and outline the challenges encountered in managing this condition in a low-resource setting.

Keywords: Africa; diagnosis; immune; respiratory tract; treatment.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Female
Humans
Myasthenia Gravis* / diagnosis
Myasthenia Gravis* / therapy
Prevalence
Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Young Adult