RESUMO
There are many advantages in breastfeeding of infants. The impact of fasting of breastfeeding mothers during Ramadan, on their exclusively breastfed infants' growth, is still unclear. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of maternal Ramadan fasting on growth parameters of exclusively breastfed infants. This cohort study was conducted on 55 healthy, exclusively breastfed infants, aged 1 to 6 months, during Ramadan and three months after it. 20 infants, whose mothers fasted throughout Ramadan [case group] and 35 infants, whose mothers did not fast [control group], were enrolled in the study. All infants underwent periodic physical examinations, twice in Ramadan and 3 times in the first, second and the third months after Ramadan. The data analyses were done using a repeated measure analysis of variance. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. Analyses were performed using SPSS statistical package and repeated measures ANOVA. The average age was 3.43 +/- 1.38 months in the case group and 2.31 +/- 1.45 months in the control group that presence no significant difference between. From the total number of infants, 23 cases [41.8%] were males and the rest were females. All growth parameters increased during the study period [P<0.05], with the same rate of increase for both groups [P=0.125]. Ramadan fasting by breastfeeding mothers did not adversely affect the growth parameters of exclusively breastfed infants in short-term
RESUMO
Brucellosis is a common zoonosis disease which affects both humans and animals. Common symptoms of brucellosis are: fever, sweating, weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite and arthritis. The patient was a 3.5 month infant with irritability, loss of appetite and immobility of left hip joint since 10 days ago. There was no medical problem during fetal and neonatal period of his life. The infant nutrition was provided by breast feeding. About one month ago his mother has been treated as a brucellosis patient but because of disappearance of her symptoms [pain, knee edema] she stopped her treatment ahead of schedule. In physical exam of the infant his growth and developing indices were normal but there was hypersensitivity in his left hip joint. The important laboratory results were as follows: leukocytosis, Wright=1/640, Coomb's Wright=1/1280 and 2ME=1/160. His disease diagnosed as brucellosis transmitted by lactation and he was treated with co-trimoxazole and rifampin. Breast feeding was discontinued and he was fed with formula thereafter. After a few days all symptoms disappeared and he discharged in a good condition. Applying serologic tests for infant whose mother is suspected of brucellosis seems logical