RESUMEN
Background: Scrub typhus and leptospirosis are bacterial zoonotic disease causing high morbidity and mortality. The seasonal outbreak of pyrexia is common in Arunachal Pradesh (AP); many times the disease remains undiagnosed. Objective: An outbreak of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) occurred in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh in 2013, with 108 deaths, which was investigated to elucidate the cause of illness. Methodology: Blood samples from the affected region with acute pyrexia were collected, and screened for the malaria parasite, scrub typhus IgM and leptospira IgM. Results: Scrub typhus IgM was reactive in 97% (30/31), and 25% (8/31) cases were co-infected with leptospira. Incidentally, scrub typhus reactive (67%) and leptospira co-infection (62.7%) were higher in females. Record of previous 3 years (2011–2013) from Longding, Community Health Centre showed an increase in indoor pyrexia cases by 2-fold or more during October and November. Conclusion: The present study is the first report of co-infection of scrub typhus with leptospirosis from Northeast India. Medical officers in this region should take scrub typhus and leptospirosis in their differential diagnosis of patients with PUO for early diagnosis and effective treatment.
RESUMEN
Background & objectives: Elevated blood pressure (BP) in the young predicts serious cardiovascular events in the adults. High prevalence of adult hypertension reported from Assam, North east (NE) India may be linked with elevated blood pressure in the childhood. The present study was an attempt to describe the distribution of BP and correlates of hypertension in children aged 5-14 yr. Methods: A total of 10,003 school children from 99 schools of Dibrugarh district, Assam, NE India, were surveyed by stratified random cluster method. Blood pressure, demographic and anthropometric information were recorded. Blood pressure was categorized in to normal, prehypertension, stage I and stage II hypertension. Results: Girls had significantly higher (104.2 ± 12.0 vs. 103.2 ± 11.6 mm Hg, p<0.001) mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) than boys. Both SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) revealed significant correlation with age, height, weight and BMI in overall and in gender specific analysis. Hypertension was found in 7.6 per cent school children (Boys: 7.3%, Girls: 7.8%). In multivariable analysis older age (OR 3.3, 95% CI: 2.82-3.91), children from tea garden community (OR 1.3, 95% CI: 1.08-1.55) and other community (OR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.18-1.73) and overweight (OR 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1) were independently associated with hypertension. Interpretation & conclusions: Mean blood pressure in the young school children of 5-14 yr was high. A programme comprising screening, early detection and health promotion through school health programmes may help prevent future complications of hypertension.
RESUMEN
We describe the prevalence of human metapneumovirus infection in children visiting outpatient department with symptoms of respiratory illness in rural areas of Dibrugarh District of Assam. Human metapneumovirus was observed in 7.2% (20/276) of children aged ≤5 years with detection of genotypes A2b and B2.