A study of two-weekly incidence of ARI in under-five children of rural area of Alwar (Rajasthan).

A retrospective study of two-weekly incidence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in the under-five children of rural area of Alwar District (Rajasthan) based on the previous fourteen days' recall by the mothers was undertaken during December 1989 to assess the magnitude of the problem and its' risk factors. The two-weekly ARI incidence was reported to be 33 episodes per 100 under-fives. Mothers in higher socio-economic strata reported higher incidence of ARI for their children due to more accurate recall. Majority of ARI cases (76 per cent) were found to be of mild degree. 26 per cent of deaths in under-fives during the previous year were reported to be ARI-related. 50 per cent of ARI cases were left untreated. Among the treated group, private practitioners were found to be the main source of health care.

Outbreak of cholera in Berasia block of Bhopal District in Madhya Pradesh.

Bhopal district, Madhya Pradesh has been considered to be free of cholera. In an outbreak of gastro-enteritis in Berasia block of Bhopal district, Cholera vibrio Inaba and Ogawa were isolated from 17.64 per cent of stool samples collected. Extreme insanitary conditions, large aggregation of uncontrolled population and probably consumption of infected ice candies were responsible for the outbreak of cholera.