Plasma retinol and alpha-tocopherol level and growth indices of 7 months old healthy Thai infants in Bangkok.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to measure plasma retinol and alpha-tocopherol status and the growth indices of 66 healthy Thai infants aged about 7 months old. The mean (SD) plasma retinol and alpha-tocopherol level were 1.59(0.31) and 25.40(7.01) micromol/l respectively. For their weight, height, and body mass index, the mean (SD) values were 7.96(0.93) kg, 69.95(2.42) cm, and 16.25(1.43) respectively. There was a remarkable proportion of improper feeding. However there were no correlations between plasma retinol level, plasma alpha-tocopherol level, growth indices and duration of breast milk, formula milk, weaning food feeding except alpha-tocopherol level which positively correlated with duration of breastfeeding.

A comparative trial of albendazole alone versus combination of albendazole and praziquantel for treatment of Trichuris trichiura infection.

A randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of albendazole alone and albendazole combined with praziquantel in the treatment of Trichuris trichiura infection. The drug regimens consisted of single dose of albendazole 400 mg (A1, n=34), 3 days of albendazole 400 mg daily (A3, n=34), 5 days of albendazole 400 mg daily (A5, n=35), single dose of albendazole 400 mg plus praziquantel 40 mg/kg (AIP1, n=34), and 3 days of albendazole 400 mg plus praziquantel 40 mg/kg daily (A3P3, n=36). It was found that treatment with 3 or more consecutive days of albendazole with or without praziquantel resulted in a significant reduction in density of Trichuris eggs in stools while a single dose of such drug did not. Praziquantel was not shown to have synergistic or antagonistic effects with albendazole. A regimen of 400 mg of albendazole daily for 3 days was found to be the most suitable therapy for Trichuris infection.

Effects of rice powder salt solution and milk-rice mixture on acute watery diarrhea in young children.

A randomized pilot study was carried out to compare the safety and effectiveness of rice powder salt solution (RPSS) in combination with milk-rice mixture (RPSS-MR group, n = 17) with other two regimens, glucose-based oral rehydration solution (ORS) combined with MR (ORS-MR group, n = 17) and ORS combined with formula milk (ORS-milk group, n = 14) in the treatment of acute watery diarrhea with mild to moderate dehydration in 48 boys younger than 2 years. Results showed that in the first 24 hours patients in the RPSS-MR group had significantly smaller amounts of stool weight (32.7 g/kg) than those in the ORS-MR group (67.5 g/kg) and ORS-milk group (59.2 g/kg) (p< 0.05 for both measurements). Patients in the RPSS-MR group also had significantly shorter duration of diarrhea (29.6 hours) than the other two groups (43.8 hours and 49.6 hours, respectively) (p < 0.05 for both measurements). The stool weight and duration of diarrhea between the ORS-MR group and the ORS-milk group were not significantly different. The positive effect of milk rice mixture was not demonstrated in the study due to the significantly more severe diarrhea in the ORS-MR group. The effectiveness of the RPSS-MR is therefore likely due to mainly RPSS.

Dengue infection with unusual manifestations: a case report.

Since 1978, there has been an increasing number of reported cases of dengue infection with unusual manifestations and most of them had dengue shock syndrome. We report here one patient who had dengue hemorrhagic fever grade II with liver failure and hepatic encephalopathy and very high elevation of liver enzymes. She made a complete recovery after conservative therapy. She is the fourth case of reported dengue hemorrhagic fever grade II who had unusual manifestation.

Pleural effusion in childhood falciparum malaria.

Pulmonary complication is a rare manifestation of childhood malaria and isolated pleural effusion without pulmonary edema has never been reported in children. We report here an 11-year-old boy who suffered from cerebral malaria and massive right pleural effusion. The patient was treated with intravenous artesunate, albumin, and other supportive treatments. He recovered completely after eight days. The clinical and laboratory courses suggested that the plasma leakage played a role in the pathogenesis of pleural effusion.

Albendazole treatment for Giardia intestinalis infections in school children.

A randomized controlled trial, 113 school children with Giardia intestinalis infection were treated with albendazole or tinidazole. Albendazole 400 mg once a day x 3 days and tinidazole 50 mg/kg single dose were given orally to 62 and 51 children, respectively. Parasitological cure was documented when there were > or = 2 times negative stool examination for G. intestinalis at 1-2 weeks after therapy. Thirty-one of 62 (50%) children treated with albendazole and 49 of 51 (96.1%) children treated with tinidazole had parasitological cure (p < 0.001). No major side effects were observed except one case in tinidazole group had severe headache for 30 hours. Albendazole appears to be safe and produced a moderate cure rate for G. intestinalis infection when a 3 day anthelmintic regimen is given.

Risk factors for neonatal Klebsiella septicemia in Srinagarind Hospital.

Three years' data were analysed to assess the risk factors for neonatal Klebsiella septicemia in Srinagarind Hospital. The incidence of Klebsiella septicemia was 4.1 per 1,000 livebirths or 5.2 per 100 discharged infants. Eighty-two per cent of infected cases were low birth weight infants and 67.7% were born prematurely. From multivariate analysis, the risk factors were endotracheal intubation (OR 31.57, 95% CI 289-343.82) and central venous catheterization (OR 16.99, 95% CI1.15-250.37). The overall mortality rate was 67.7%. Periodic review and continuous reinforcement of infection control policies in the neonatal unit are of paramount importance to decrease the incidence of nosocomial infection and successful control of outbreaks as well.