Epidemiology of poisoning in hospitalized children: a 10 years cross-sectional study in a teaching pediatric hospital, Baghdad, 1993-2002

Poisoning is an important cause of childhood and adolescence hospital emergency presentations and admissions and a major health problem in this population sector. The present study was designed to describe the epidemiology and pattern of poisoning in addition to its case fatality rate. A total of 1450 pediatric cases with poisoning admitted to the Central Teaching Hospital of Pediatrics, Baghdad, during the 10 years study period extending from the 1st of January 1993 to 31st of December 2002 were analyzed. The peak age for poisoning cases in the present study was 1-4 years, constituting about three quarters of total pediatric admissions with poisoning. Males were more frequent than females in the present work, and this gender bias was more evident in younger ages and less evident in teenagers. Non-medicinal substances were responsible for the major part [three-quarters] of poisoning cases, especially petroleum products and pesticides. The overall case-fatality rate was 2.6%. The risk of death was higher in the more vulnerable age groups [infants and neonates]. It was also higher in males and in cases with poisoning by other noxious substances eaten as food, followed by metals [mainly lead], systemic antibiotics and pesticides. However out of a total of 37 deaths attributed to poisoning that occurred during the present study period of 10 years, non-medicinal substances [especially petroleum products, pesticides and metals] were responsible for three-quarters of these deaths. Children under 5 sears of age are the most-vulnerable group for poisoning incidents. In addition Petroleum products, insecticides and lead metal were responsible for the highest proportion of poisoning admission and fatality necessitating special steps directed towards the prevention of these problems

Prevalence of asymptomatic urinary tract infection among preschool female children in Babel governorate, Iraq

Urinary tract infections represent a major health problem in many parts of the world. The purpose of this report is to find out the prevalence of bacterial urinary tract infection in a sample of asymptomatic preschool female children and to identify the infecting organisms among them. Mid-stream specimens of urine were collected from 600 female children selected from various districts of Babel governorate. Bacterial cultures were performed on blood agar and MacConkey agar plates. Diagnosis of bacteriuria was made by bacterial count. A bacterial colony count of >/= 10[5]/ml of urine was considered as evidence of significant bacteriuria. The prevalence rate of significant bacteriuria among the 600 female children was 13.3%. Age variations of the prevalence of significant bacteriuria were of statistical significance. Prevalence of bacterium was significantly associated with the place of residence, educational level of mother, availability of a municipal piped water supply, birth weight, and prematurity of the child. The most frequently encountered bacterium was Escherichia coli which accounted for 75% of isolates. Asymptomatic urinary tract infection needs to be considered in young female children with underlying voiding anomalies. They should be referred appropriately for further evaluation and treatment

Brucellosis in Baghdad [a study of 64 cases]

Cases of brucellosis admitted so lbn. El-Khateeb Hosp. in Baghdad during 1989 were studied, they were 64 cases. The diagnosis depended on the clinical status, the presence of antibrucella antibodies among all of the patients. Besides, the specific microorganism was isolated from the blood of 23 cases and from the cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] of one case. This paper deals with the epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of the disease