[Diagnosis of rotavirus and adenovirus type 40/41 in children with acute diarrhea by immunochromatography in Mofid Children Hospital]

Acute diarrhea is one of the leading causes of worldwide mortality and morbidity; four millions annual deaths. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of rotavirus and adenovirus among children with acute diarrhea and to evaluate their clinical and laboratory findings. 199 children aged 1 to 168 months with acute diarrhea were studied in "Mofid" Children Hospital for a one year period. Clinical and laboratory findings including stool culture and WBC and RBC counts in their stool samples were analyzed. From 199 children with diarrhea, 14 cases [7%] were positive for viruses; 11 [5.5%] rotaviruses and 3[1.5%] adenoviruses. In Rotavirus and adenovirus, male to female ratio were 1.2/1 and 2/1, and the mean age were 40.8 and 20.4 months, respectively. Clinical findings comprised frequency, dehydration, fever, vomiting and watery diarrhea. Stool culture was negative and no RBC and WBC were detected. High prevalence of rotavirus and adenovirus in former studies and low prevalence of rotavirus in this study seems to be caused by the diagnostic method we used. Since a fast laboratory process is necessary for immunochromatography, other methods as EIA and PCR are recommended

[Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in children with chronic immune [idiopathic] thrombocytopenic purpura and evaluation of Helicobacter pylori eradication on platelet count]

Recently, the high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection has been reported in adult patients with chronic immune [idiopathic] thrombocytopenic purpura. Furthermore, after Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in such patients, their platelet counts have been observed to increase, suggesting that Helicobacter pylori may be a causative agent of adults' chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. However, there have been only a few reports of this subject in children with chronic thrombocytopenic purpura. The purpose of this study is to determine prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Iranian children with chronic thrombocytopenic purpura and role of Helicobacter pylori eradication in rising platelet count of these patients. This descriptive-clinical trial study was performed in 31 children under 14 years old with chronic thrombocytopenic purpura who attended hematology ward of Mofid paediatric hospital. After determining platelet count, and filling the results patients referred to gastrointestinal ward of the hospital to perform urea breath test for evaluation of Helicobacter pylori infection, then Helicobacter pylori-infected patients who were diagnosed by this test, received eradication therapy using triple therapy regimen [containing Omeperasole, Amoxicillin and Clarithromycin] for 2 weeks and their platelet counts were recorded during the follow up period. Mean age of the patients was 8.9 +/- 3.2 years old ranging from 3.5 to 14 years old. They were 17 [54.9%] girls and 14 [45.1%] boys. Mean platelet count of the patients was 51.4 +/- 34.3x10[9] / L ranging form 125x10[9]/ L to 8x10[9] / L. Mean duration of disease in the patients was 27.7 +/- 20.2 months ranging from 7 to 96 months. Helicobacter pylori infection was found in only 4 children [12.9%] and Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy was not effective in rising platelet count to achieve complete or partial remission. Comparing Helicobacter pylori-positive and negative patients, there were no significant differences regarding their age, platelet count and duration of disease. This study shows that prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in children with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura is less than that is in adults. Furthermore, we have found that platelet count in Helicobacter pylori-positive children have not been risen after eradication therapy. We suggest that more studies in different gender groups and different zones in the world with more number of samples should be performed, especially in children in order to determine both the exact role of Helicobacter pylori's pathogenesis in developing the chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and the effectiveness of eradication therapy in rising platelet count in these patients

Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in the Islamic Republic of Iran

A national survey of the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in the Islamic Republic of Iran was made on a r and om sample of families covered by local health centres affiliated to the medical universities. Out of 53,995 people aged 2+ years, from 12,495 families [0.1% of all families in 1999], 45,128 stool samples were analysed by formalin-ether precipitation. Intestinal parasitic infections were found in 19.3% of the study population [19.7% male, 19.1% female]. Giardia lamblia [10.9%], Ascaris lumbricoides [1.5%], Entamoeba histolytica [1.0%] and Enterobius vermicularis [0.5%] were the most common infections. The infection rate was highest in the 2-14 years age group [25.5%] and in rural residents [23.7%]