Shigellosis among children attending the paediatric wards of hospitals in suburban areas

A total of 55 cases of children with dysentery admitted to the Defence Services Obstetric, Gynaecology and Children Hospital and North Okkalapa General Hospital were included in this study. It was found that 49.1 per cent of the children were suffering from shigella bacillary dysentery. The Shigella spp. isolated were: Shigella flexneri (44.4 per cent), Shigella dysenteriae (29.6 per cent), Shigella boydii (22.2 per cent) and Shigella sonnei (3.7 per cent). the distribution of Shigella spp. among the different age groups were 42.9 per cent in the age group of less than 6 months, 40 per cent in 6 to 12 months, 55 per cent in 13 to 24 months and 66.7 per cent in 25 to 60 months. Antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that these shigellae were resistant to ampicillin (84 per cent), chloramphenicol (76 per cent), streptomycin (84 per cent), tetracycline (64 per cent) and septrin (72 per cent); were fully sensitive to amikacin, gentamycin, netilmicin, norfloxacin and were less sensitive to cephalothin (76 per cent) and furazolidone (72 per cent).

Is oral rice-based electrolyte solution superior to glucose electrolyte solution in acute chidhood diarrhoea?

In a controlled trial of oral rehydration therapy, the efficacy and safety of rice-based electrolyte solution was compared with standard WHO oral rehydration solution. Ninety eight male children aged 4 months to 10 years presenting with watery diarrhoea of less than 72 hours prior to hospitalization were studied. 48 were treated with standard WHO oral rehydration solution (ORS) and 50 patients with an improved formulation which contained 100 gm of rice (instead of glucose) with 25 mg of amylase in addition to electrolytes. The clinical characteristics of the two groups on, admission were comparable. Although there was a consistent trend towards reduction in stool volume and better gain in body weight in children with cholera treated with rece-based ORS, significant difference was noted only in 6-12 hour stool output and in the first 6 hour weight gain. Stool volume was significantly reduced during the 24 to 48 hour perild in all diarrhoeal patients receiving rice-based ORS. Thus, amylyte digested rice-based ORS is as effective as the Standard WHO ORS and have some therapeutic advantage in the treatment of acute childhood diarrhoea.

Comparative study of nutritional problems in the islands of the Mergui archipelago

Assessment of the nutritional status of the people in three islands along the Tenasserim Coast namely, Malik, Pale and Zadeikgyi Islands was done in June 1970. Anthropometry, clinical examination, biochemical tests were carried out and food consumption weaning practices were studied. The growth pattern of children and young adults was found to be below the, 10th percentile of the reference standard and compared favourably with that of Thailand. Low body weight for length (about 70 per cent below the reference standard) was found mostly in children aged 1-2 years. Children aged 1-5 years showed various degrees of protein-calorie malnutrition. Infants under 6 months were not affected. The incidence and type of nutritional deficiency signs differ from one island to another. Signs of riboflavin deficiency were more prevalent among Malik villagers. The inhabitants of Pearl Island were found to have the lowest incidence of nutritional deficiencies. Weaning studies showed that 71.6 per cent of babies were breast fed. The mean age of weaning was 1 year 4 months. No significant differences were found between the serum proteins and haemoglobin levels in the inhabitants of the three islands.