Assessment for Nutritional Status Among Pre - School Children in South Delhi, India

Background: Weight is an important metric to measure protein energy status, and women from underdeveloped or developed nations who are heavier at pre - pregnancy deliver heavier babies. Methods: This study was conducted in JJ Colony, Madanpur Khadar Extension of South Delhi and included 50 children each in two groups (between 24 - 35 months and 36 - 47 months of age), with equal number of both genders. Anthropometric measurements of weight and height were measured. Results: Underweight in age 24 - 47 months: 51 (51%), 36 (36% ), 11 (11%) and 2 (2%) children were found to be in the ranges of normal weight, Grade - I, Grade - II, and severely underweight, respectively by Indian Academy of Paediatrics or IAP classification. By Gomez classification, the same were estimated to be 28 (28 %), 45 (45%), 25 (25%), and 2 (2%). Stunting and wasting in age 24 - 47 months: 52 (52%), 11 (11%), 16 (16%), and 21 (21%) children were found to be normal, in Grade - I, Grade - II and in Grade - III stunting respectively in height for age, while 82 (82%), 13 (13 %), 4 (4%), and 1 (1%) children were found to be normal, in Grade - I, Grade - II and Grade - III wasting in weight for height respectively; using the Waterlow classification. Conclusion: The most extensively used markers of nutritional quality in a population are anthropometric measures. In a total of 100 children, three types of assessments based on weight and height were done - weight for age to rule out underweight, height for age to rule out stunting and weight for height to rule out wasting.

Status of Immunization Coverage among Preschool Children in an Area of South Delhi, New Delhi, India

Background: High levels of immunization coverage in children can ensure the control of vaccine - preventable diseases, and there are various factors that can affect preschool immunization. Studies that focus on vaccination coverage in various populations are crucial for identifying the vaccination status of a given community and for strategizing the national programs. This study assessed the vaccination coverage in preschool children living in a resettlement colo ny in an area of New Delhi. Methods: This community - based cross - sectional study was conducted in JJ Colony, Madanpur Khadar Extension of South Delhi, New Delhi between October 2008 to January 2009, in 100 preschool children between 24 – 47 months of age, w ith equal number in both genders. No significant association of the vaccination status with factors like gender of the children, educational, or socio - economic condition, was found in this study. Results: Out of a total of 100 children studied, forty - four children (44%) were fully vaccinated, forty - nine children (49%) were partially immunised, and seven children (7%) were not vaccinated. Vaccines for diphtheria - tetanus - pertussis (DPT - I) and oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV - I) had the maximum coverage (92%) whil e DPT Booster and OPV Booster had the lowest (44%). Conclusion: Future possibilities and potential for evaluating vaccination coverage should be explored in vulnerable areas like resettlement colonies, in migrant populations and in urban poor sections of s ociety to get estimates on the gap in vaccination coverage in such areas.

Association of hypercoagulation with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has emerged as a major threat to all healthcare systems across the globe, and it was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). The novel coronavirus affects the respiratory system, producing symptoms such as fever, cough, dyspnea, and pneumonia. The association between COVID-19 and coagulation has been previously reported. Due to several inflammatory changes that occur in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections such as alterations in the levels of clotting factors, platelet activation leads to thrombus formation in coronary and cerebral vessels, leading to myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accidents, respectively.Unfortunately, the progression of hypercoagulability in COVID-19 is rapid in patients with and without comorbidities. Hence, the proper monitoring of thrombotic complications in patients with COVID-19 is essential to avoid further complications. The implementation of guidelines for antithrombotic treatments based on the presentation of the disease is recommended. This review discusses the symptoms and mechanisms of upregulated coagulation in patients with COVID-19.

Association of hypercoagulation with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has emerged as a major threat to all healthcare systems across the globe, and it was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). The novel coronavirus affects the respiratory system, producing symptoms such as fever, cough, dyspnea, and pneumonia. The association between COVID-19 and coagulation has been previously reported. Due to several inflammatory changes that occur in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections such as alterations in the levels of clotting factors, platelet activation leads to thrombus formation in coronary and cerebral vessels, leading to myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accidents, respectively.Unfortunately, the progression of hypercoagulability in COVID-19 is rapid in patients with and without comorbidities. Hence, the proper monitoring of thrombotic complications in patients with COVID-19 is essential to avoid further complications. The implementation of guidelines for antithrombotic treatments based on the presentation of the disease is recommended. This review discusses the symptoms and mechanisms of upregulated coagulation in patients with COVID-19.

Prevalence of tuberculosis in Faridabad district, Haryana State, India.

Background & objectives: Epidemiological information on tuberculosis (TB) has always been vital for planning control strategies. It has now gained further importance for monitoring the impact of interventions to control the disease. The present study was done to estimate the prevalence of bacillary tuberculosis in the district of Faridabad in Haryana State of India among persons aged older than 15 years. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, residents of Faridabad district were assessed for the prevalence of tuberculosis. Twelve rural and 24 urban clusters with estimated populations of 41,106 and 64,827 individuals were selected for the study. Two sputum samples were collected from individuals found eligible for inclusion. The samples were also cultured by modified Petroff’s method and were examined for growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis once a week for eight weeks. A person found positive by smear and/or culture was identified as sputum-positive pulmonary TB positive. Results: A total of 105,202 subjects were enumerated in various clusters of the Faridabad district. There were 50,057 (47.58%) females and 55,145 (52.42%) males. Of these 98,599 (93.7%) were examined by the study group (47,976 females; 50,623 males). The overall prevalence of sputum smear or culture positive pulmonary tuberculosis in our study was found to be 101.4 per 100,000 population. Interpretation & conclusions: The present results showed that the prevalence of sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis was higher in Faridabad district than the notification rates recorded by the World Health Organization for the contemporary period, a disparity that could be explained by a difference in case detection strategy employed for the study.

Influence of ethanolic extract of Jasminum grandflorum linn flower on wound healing activity in rats.

The influence of flower extract of Jasminum grandiflorum was studied for its wound healing activity at a dose of 250 mg/kg body weight, using excision and dead space wound models in rats. The animals were divided into three groups in excision wound model, the controls (n=10) were treated with 0.25% CM cellulose, reference standard (n=10) were treated with sulfathiazole ointment and the experimental (n=10) were treated with extract of J. grandiflorum flower till complete epithelialization. The animals in dead space wound models were divided into two groups, controls were given plain drinking water and the experimental animals were administered with extract orally for 10 days. The extract treated wounds were found to epithelize faster as compared to controls. Extract-treated rats exhibited 65% reduction in the wound area when compared to controls (54%). The wet and dry granulation tissue weight, and hydroxyproline content in a dead space wound model increased significantly (P < 0.001) when compared to controls. Histological studies of the tissue obtained on day 10 from the extract-treated group showed increased well organized bands of collagen, more fibroblasts and few inflammatory cells when compared to controls which showed inflammatory cells, scanty collagen fibres and fibroblasts. The. demonstration of increased rate of wound contraction together with the biochemical and histological findings suggest the use of J. grandiflorum flower extract in the management of wound healing.

Patient's perception towards the eye health care system in a tertiary eye care centre in Nepal.

This study was performed to determine patient's perceptions towards eye health care systems in a tertiary eye care center in Nepal. Subjects were randomly selected from the outpatient department of Tilganga Eye Centre (TEC), a tertiary eye care center in Kathmandu, Nepal. The study was performed in April 2003 with 54 patients responding to several questions concerning their satisfaction of the eye care process. Over 40 (74.1%) of the respondents expressed overall satisfaction with the service provided by the hospital staff, and 4 (7.4%) were not satisfied. In addition, a total of 40 (74.1%) respondents were dissatisfied with the extended waiting time for eye examinations and other ocular services, while 7 (13.0%) were satisfied. The study shows that the majority of patients who are treated at Tilganga Eye Centre have positive feelings about Tilganga and its service system. Some processes, however, could be altered or improved to augment the overall quality of patient care.

Microbiology of dacryocystitis among adults population in southern Australia.

Retrospective study on microbiology of dacryocystitis cases in adults was carried out at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH). Sixty-four consecutive cases seen between March 2000 and June 2003 were included. Seventy-nine organisms were isolated from the sixty-six samples (1.2/specimen). Aerobic or facultative bacteria were recovered in 76 (96.2), fungi from two specimens (2.5%). And anaerobic bacteria from only one specimen (1.3%). Staphylococcus aureus (27), was most common followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6), Proteus mirabilis (4), Hemophilus parainfluenza (4) and H. influenza (4). Fifty-four samples showed single organism while 12 samples showed multiple organisms. Overall, Gram-positive organisms were predominating (54.4%) over Gram negative (41.8%) organisms. The current bacteriology of lacrimal duct obstruction in the population served by the RVEEH should be taken into account while selecting first line antimicrobial treatment for dacryocystitis and in prophylaxis in lacrimal drainage surgery.

Attitudes towards HIV-antibody testing and people with AIDS among university students in India, South Africa and United States.

CONTEXT: Stigmatizing attitudes toward persons with AIDS (PWAs) may reduce people's willingness to have themselves tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)--thereby increasing the risk of transmission. AIMS: To examine attitudes towards (HIV) testing and determinants of attitudes towards PWAs. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 600 first-year university students from South India, South African and America filled in a self-administered questionnaire. Main outcome measures included an Attitudes towards HIV-Antibody Testing Scale and Readiness to engage in personal forms of contact with People With AIDS. RESULTS indicate that the majority of American and South African students and only 10 percent of the Indian students had been sexually active in the past 12 months. Almost one fifth of the American and South African participants but only 10% of the Indian students admitted to having had an HIV test. American students had a much more positive attitudes toward HIV testing than South African and Indian students. Regression analysis for the Indian student sample identified blaming, irritation and negative attitudes toward homosexuals as independent predictors of readiness to engage in personal contact with PWAs, while the regression analyses for both South African and American students identified pity and irritation as independent predictors of contact readiness with PWAs. Positive HIV testing attitudes were positively associated with contact readiness with PWAs. CONCLUSION: The findings are important for the role of HIV testing and counselling in campus AIDS programmes. The findings reveal important factors related to HIV testing and suggest strategies for developing effective HIV/AIDS counselling programmes in universities.

Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis epidemic--2003 in Nepal.

This rapid communication present the findings of nationwide outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) epidemic occurred in Nepal during summer 2003. Only ten percent of samples showed bacterial and no fungus were grown. On the contrary, viruses were detected in 60.0% cases studied. Of the viruses detected, Adenovirus (ADV), Coxsackie virus (CA24v) and both accounted for 83.3% (30/36), 11.1% (4/36) and 5.5% (2/36), respectively. Interestingly, ADV was detected also from one of the ten a Rupees bill.