Experience of malaria at tertiary care hospitals Sukkur

To determine Plasmodium species, clinical features, and hematological changes in Malaria. Prospective Descriptive Study. This study was carried out at the Paediatric Departments of Shaheed Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto Medical University at Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical college Hospital sukkur and chandka Medical Collage Larkan, from July 2007 to July 2011. This is prospective descriptive study, including 250 patients with fever and malaria confirmed on microscopy and immunochromatography, at both departments were included. After consent a separate pro- forma was filled for each patient to record demography and data about clinical presentation and laboratory investigations. Out of 250 malaria cases, the classical clinical presentation was found in 198 [79.2%] of patients while 52 [20.8%] had other symptoms. Males were in majority 164 [65.6%] and age range 1 year to 12 years. Splenomegaly was found in 135 [54%] and hepatomegaly in 86 [34.4%] of patients. Microscopy results of malaria patients revealed P. Falciparum in 97 [38.8%], P. Vivax 91 [36.4%] and 62 [24.8%] mixed infection of P. Falciparum and P. Vivax. Anemia was found in most of patients 84% [Hb <10g/dl]. Thrombocytopenia [platelets < 150,000/cmm] was found in 50 [20%] of patients. The classical presentation of Malaria was seen in majority of cases but one should be careful about atypical or very serious complicated clinical presentation of malaria, and early diagnosis of P. falciparum or mixed infection is very essential to save the life of young children

Profile of enteric fever in children at tertiary care Hospital Sukkur Pakistan

Enteric fever [Typhoid fever] is widely recognized as a major public health problem in developing countries. To study the clinical profile and complication of enteric fever in children. Prospective descriptive study. This study was conducted at the Paediatric Department at Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital Sukkur from January 2010 to December 2011. This was a prospective study, included all patients of enteric fever, of both sex and age ranged from 1 year to 13 years. All cases of enteric fever were confirmed by serological test Typhidot IgM or IgM and IgG positive. A total of 360 patients of enteric fever were studied during 2 years. Mean age of presentation was 7.47 years and 166 [46.12%] patients were < 5 years whereas 194 [53.88%] were > 5years of age. Male: Female ratio was 2:1. Clinical profile of patients shows, that fever was present in all cases, vomiting 180 [50%], anorexia 180 [50%], headache 126 [35%], abdominal pain 108 [30%], diarrhea 108 [30%], weakness 102 [28.33%], cough 90 [25%], constipation 36 [10%] cases, and coated tongue was found in 275 [75%], tender abdomen 140 [38.88%], hepatomegaly 90 [25.0%], splenomegaly 76 [21.11%], toxic appearance 72 [20.0%], dehydration 70 [19.44%], pallor 54 [15%] and relative bradycardia 12 [3.33%] of cases. Complications were found in 88 [24.44%] of cases, raised ALT in 66 [18.3%] jaundice 6 [1.66%], intestinal hemorrhage in 4 [1.11%], peritonitis and osteomyelitis 3 [0.83%] respectively. Common clinical features of enteric fever include fever, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain, headache, coated tongue, anemia, hepatomegaly and elevated liver enzymes. Diarrhea is more common in children < 5 years. Complication due to late diagnosis and drug resistance will persist in our part of country

Transfusion transmitted infections [TTIS] among blood donors of Sukkur

To estimate an approximate disease burden of HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis in healthy blood donors. Blood transfusion department not only screen transmitted infections but also give clue about the prevalence of these infections in healthy population. The objective of this study was to estimate an approximate disease burden of HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis in healthy blood donors, so as to determine how well we are doing in fight against these killers. As most of these healthy blood donors are first time donors aged 18-60 years, the results can also be utilized to estimate the prevalence in healthy population of this age group. Retrospective Study. This study was conducted in blood Bank of Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital Sukkur from January 2008 to December 2010. All healthy blood donors reporting to the blood bank in the specified study period were screened for HIV, Hepatitis B, C and Syphilis. A total of 7085 were screened, out of these 364 donors [5.14%] were seropositive for hepatitis C, 268 [3.78%] were seropositive for hepatitis B, 36 [0.5%] were seropositive for Syphilis and only 4 [0.05%] had shown seropositivity for HIV. Transfusion transmitted infections are a major threat associated with unscreened blood donations. In Pakistan the prevalence of hepatitis B and C is very high in occult form. Selection of healthy blood donors and public awareness programs targeting local community will be an important measure to stop its transmission through blood transfusion

Risk factors for severe acute malnutrition in children under the age of five year in Sukkur

Severe acute malnutrition [SAM] affects approximately 13 million children under the age of 5 year and is associated with 1-2 million preventable child deaths per year. To determine the risk factors for severe acute malnutrition in children under the age of five year. Settings and duration: Nutrition stabilization center of Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital Sukkur from February 2011 to January 2012. This was a prospective descriptive study. All children diagnosed as severe acute malnutrition, defined as weight for height measurement of < 70% of the median or > 3 SD below the mean World Health organization reference values or the presence of bilateral pitting edema of nutritional origin admitted in Nutrition Stabilization Center were included in this study. Two hundred seventy [270] children were admitted during study period. The age ranged from 06 to 59 months. Maternal illiteracy was present in 216[80%] and paternal illiteracy in 180[66.7%] cases. Parent's income was less than 5000/month in 198[73.3%], family size with more than 4 or more children was seen in 180[66.7%] cases. Exclusive breast feeding was present in only 70[25.9%], mixed feeding was seen in 170[62.9%] and only bottle feeding was seen in 30[11.1%] cases. Late weaning was started in 150[55.6%]. Recurrent diarrhoea was seen in 120[44.4%]. The common risk factors associated with severe acute malnutrition were parental illiteracy, large family size, poverty, non exclusive breast feeding and recurrent diarrhoea. Policy message: To decrease childhood malnutrition mothers should be encouraged for exclusive breast feeding. Parent's education can play an important role in improving child health