Respiratory viruses in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infections, Mazandaran Province, Iran.

We conducted this study to determine the contribution of respiratory viruses in 202 hospitalized children (1 mo-5 yr) with clinical evidence of acute lower respiratory tract illness (ALRI). Nasopharyngeal specimens were assayed for viruses detection by indirect immunoflourescent method. Viral agents were identified from 109 (54%) cases (9 cases had dual infection). The most commonly detected virus was parainfluenza virus 3 in 32 (15.8%) cases followed by respiratory syncytial virus 26 (12.9%) parainfluenza 1 and parainfluenza 2 each 13 (6.4%) influenza A 16 (7.4%), influenza B; 7(3.5%), and adenovirus 12 (5.9%). There were no demographic, clinical, radiologic or laboratory parameters except for recurrent wheeze (OR: 4.47; (95% CI: 1.98-10.73) and fever (OR: 3.27; (95% CI: 1.73-6.20), which could differentiate between patients with or without viral etiology.

Pertussis seroimmunity among mother-infant pairs and infant immune response to pertussis vaccination.

This study was designed to evaluate seroprevalence rates of antibodies to pertussis in mothers and their infants, and the immunogenicity of pertussis vaccine in the presence or absence of pertussis antibodies in infants. Blood samples were collected from 110 mother-infants pairs before the first dose of pertussis vaccination and from 69 infants 4-8 weeks after administration of the third dose of DTwP vaccine. Pertussis antibodies were >25 U/mL in 88(78.9%) mothers and 50(45.3%) infants with a mean titer of 67(SD 48.1) and 33.5 (34.7) U/mL, respectively. After administration of three doses of DTwP vaccine, 53(76.8%) infants were seroconverted (MCA titer 87.4 (51.3)U/mL. Immunologic response to vaccination was similar between the two groups of infants; 30/37 (81.1%) of seronegative infants and 23/32 (71.9%) of seropositive infants at pre-vaccination, showed seroconversion after the vaccination (P = 0.36). The results of this study demonstrated that most of the studied mothers were serologically immune to pertussis, and this immunity was transferred to their infants. Pre-vaccination antibody did not affect infants immune response to vaccination.

[ prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and risk factors among diabetic patients attending to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari]

Diabetes is a common disease with opthialmic complications which leads to partial vision loss and blindness. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness in the world and the most common new blindness among 20-74 years-old patients in Westem countries. Diagnosis of ophthalmic complications in diabetic patients is an important priority of the health system and the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of retinopathy and risk factors in diabetic patients attending to Imam Khomeini hospital in Sari. Five hundred and forty diabetic patients attending to diabetics center of Imam Khomeini hospital enrolled for this study. Medical history was taken and the patients undergone physical exam with blood pressure control, height and weight and BMI, Laboratory tests [HbA1C] including serum urea and keratinin and proteinuria and serum lipid. Standard ophthalmic exams including: visual acuity, intra ocular pressure, slit lamp exam, dilated pupils were examed by ophthalmologist and ETDRS grading was done. Data were analyzed using t-test, x2, Mann Withney test and regression analysis. P value of < 0.05 was considered for significancy. Five hundred and forty diabetic patients including 150 men and 390 women were studied. One hundred and eighty five patients 5 with type one diabetes and 180 with type two diabetes had diabetic retinopathy. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 34.3%. There were significant differences in range of risk factors such as BMI, duration of diabetes, diabetic control, blood sugar control, level of HbA1C, serum urea and keratinin, proteinuria, blood pressure, level of serum lipid [P<0.05]