Burden of pediatric influenza A virus infection post swine-flu H1N1 pandemic in Egypt

OBJECTIVE@#To screen children with influenza like illness or with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infections for influenza A virus infection - post swine flu pandemic era - using rapid influenza diagnostic tests.@*METHODS@#During two years (2010 & 2011), 1 200 children with influenza like illness or acute respiratory tract infections (according to World Health Organization criteria) were recruited. Their ages ranged from 2-60 months. Nasopharyngeal aspirates specimens were collected from all children for rapid influenza A diagnostic test.@*RESULTS@#Influenza A virus rapid test was positive in 47.5% of the children; the majority (89.6%) were presented with lower respiratory tract infections. Respiratory rate and temperature were significantly higher among positive rapid influenza test patients.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Influenza A virus infection is still a major cause of respiratory tract infections in Egyptian children. It should be considered in all cases with cough and febrile episodes and influenza like symptoms even post swine flu pandemic.

Evidence based medicine and critical appraisal: Physicians' mess

Nowadays, there are huge literature resources for learning and practicing evidence based medicine. It is growing as an inevitable skill for all clinicians. Would you take part?!!

Assessment of exhaled breath condensate ph in asthmatic children

Assessment of the Exhaled breath condensate [EBC] constituents has proven to be useful and non invasive method for monitoring airway changes. On the other hand, active airway inflammation was postulated to change the pH of the airway lining fluid. This work was conducted to study EBC pH in children with bronchial asthma compared to other airway inflammatory markers in those children. Methods: Thirty asthmatic children were recruited for this study while attending the Chest Clinic of Paediatric Hospital -Ain Shams University-Cairo, Egypt. Their ages ranged between 5-16y with mean value of [8.93 +/- 4.14 years]. Age and sex matched 10 normal children were selected as controls. All the children were subjected to history taking, thorough clinical examination, spirometric pulmonary function testing [for FEV1, FVC, FEF25-75%], collection of EBC was done to assess its pH and induction of sputum to determine differential cell counts. Our results showed that the mean values of EBC pH were significantly lower in asthmatic group when compared to controls with cut off value = 7.35 [specificity=70%, sensitivity= 89%]. The mean values of EBC pH showed significant positive correlations with pulmonary function measured parameters - FEV1, FVC, and FEF25-75%- [p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.05 respectively] and significant negative correlations with sputum cell counts; total leucocytic counts, oesinophilic counts and neutrophilic counts [p<0.05]. Exhaled Breath condensate [EBC] pH is a simple, inexpensive and non invasive promising tool to evaluate pediatric asthma