Prevalence of nutritional rickets among children presenting to Sam hospital in Sana'a city, Yemen

To study the prevalence, treatment and prevention of nutritional rickets among children presenting to Sam hospital in Sana'a city. Record-based descriptive study was done in Sam hospital in Sana'a city during one year from 1 May 2007 to 31 April 2008. Out of 10800 patients seen for different causes through that period, 114 [1.05%] had one or more symptoms and/or signs of rickets such as wide fontanel, delayed teething, rosary rickets, bow legs,.etc. Those patients subjected to radiological investigations [wrist X-ray], and few of them to laboratory investigations [alkaline phosphatase, calcium and phosphorus]. Data about age and sex were also collected. Age group of the patients was 0-3 years. Total patients were 10800, [6060 males, 4740 females]. Patients who had one or more symptoms and/or signs of rickets were 114 [1.05%] [78 males, 36 females], of those 80 [70.2%] confirmed diagnoses as rickets by radiological, and laboratory investigations. Thirty two patients out of 88 were in age group between 6-12 months, in addition to 32 patients in age group between 1-1.5 years. The majority of the patients were males, the prevalence of nutritional rickets was very high, common in age 6-18 months. It is a common problem among children in Sana'a city, hence immediate treatment, by sufficient dose of vitamin D and calcium while prevention is throughout encouragement of mothers, children and infants to exposed to sunlight and to take diet rich in vitamin D and calcium

Overweight and obesity among schoolchilden in Sana'a City, Yemen

To estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren in Sana'a City [Yemen] and to examine the association with lifestyle and some socioeconomic factors. A cross-sectional study was done in public and private schools in Sana'a City during 2002-2003. We selected 1,253 students by the multistage random sampling technique. Weights and heights were measured to calculate body mass index [BMI = weight/height[2]]. Data about age, sex, education level of the parents, food consumption and lifestyle was also collected. The mean age of the children was 12.6 +/- 2 years. Overweight was 6.2% and obesity was 1.8%. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher among private schoolchildren [p<000], females [p=0.002], children with a sedentary lifestyle [p=0.001] and children with a family history of obesity [p=0.013]. Also there is a positive association of overweight/obesity with the education level of the parents [p=0.013 for the father and p=0.19 for the mother] and consumption of unhealthy foods. Prevalence of overweight and obesity is low and positively associated with the education level of the father, private schooling, sedentary lifestyle, and with students who took unhealthy meals

Visceral leishmaniasis associated with malaria a case report

Visceral leishmaniasis must be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of febrile splenomegalies. We describe a case of visceral leishmaniasis in a 2 year-old Yemeni male. Diagnosis of leishmaniasis was significantly delayed because the patient had previously received anti-malarial drugs because of the positive result of a blood film for malaria. The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of amastigote forms in macrophages of the bone marrow aspirate. The patient was successfully treated with stibogluconate [Pentostam]

Frequency of intestinal parasites in children presenting with diarrhea and/or abdominal pain to Sam hospital, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen

To detect the frequency of intestinal parasites in children presenting with diarrhea and/or abdominal pain to Sam Hospital, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen. A record-based study was performed during a one year period from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003. The total number of patients seen for differnt causes through that period was 24100. The charts of those children with diarrhea and/or abdominal pain or discomfort who were referred to the laboratory unit for stool examination were analyzed. A normal saline sedimentation technique was adopted for stool examination. Normal ethyl acetate sedimentation or direct smear methods were also used when necessary. Data about age and sex were collected. The ages of the patients ranged from 2 months to 15 years. Stool examination was carried out in 2824 patients; 1703 [60.3%] of them were males and 1121 [39.7%] were females. Six hundred sixty [23.4%] specimens were parasite positive. Of these, 286 [10.1%] were Entamoeba histolytica, 266 [9.4%] Giardia lamblia, 52 [[1.8%] Hymenolepis nana, 27 [1%] Schistsoma mansoni, 20 [0.7%] Ascaris, 5 [0.2%] Enterobius, and 4 [0.1%] Trichuris trichiura. The majority of the patients were males. The most frequently found found intestinal parasites in children were Entamoeba histolytica followed by Giardia, H. nana, Schistosoma mansoni, and Ascaris

Prevalence of schistosomiasis in children presenting to Sam Hospital, Sana'a City Republic of Yemen

To estimate the prevalence of schistosomiasis in children presenting to Sam Hospital Sana'a City, Republic of Yemen. This record-based study was done in Sam Hospital, Sana'a City during four and half years, from January 1, 1999 to June 30, 2003. Patients seen for different causes through that period numbered 103000. Some of the patients had intestinal symptoms, colicky abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea, or urinary symptoms, frequency, dysuria, and hematuria and were subjected to laboratory, investigation, [stool, urine analysis and complete blood cell count]. Data about age, sex and place were also collected. Stool and urine examinations were carried out in 23100 patients, 14414 were males and 8686 were females; only 82 [3.55%] of them were diagnosed as positive for schistosomiasis by identifying the eggs in stool or urine. The mean age of the patients was 12.2 years. Males numbered 70 [85.4%] while females numbered 12 [14.6%]. All patients had a history of water contact in rural areas around Sana'a City. Schistosoma mansoni infections constituted 85.4% [70 patients] and Schistosoma heamatobium affected 14.6% [12patients]. More than two thirds of the infected patients were above 9 years. All infected children had eosinophils >/= 5% [5-79%] of the total while blood cells. Infections are endemic in rural areas around Sana'a City. The prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni was higher than Schistosoma haematobium, and also the prevalence of infection increased with age. Schistosomiasis affected males more than females