prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in north of Iran: the international study of asthma and allergies in childhood [ISAAC]

Asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema as a common chronic disorder in childhood, has many epidemiologic variations in different geographic areas. Uniform and standard epidemiologic researches are able to clear and modify scientific questions in this field. We carried out this study to determine the prevalence and intensity of pediatric allergic disease in our region. This analytical-cross sectional study was performed on 2 groups of children; the first group aged 6-7 years [n=3240] and the second group aged 12-14 years [n=3254] during 2002-03. According to ISAAC programming, sample size consisted of 3000 children in each group. From all students 99.3% of primary students and 88.8% of guidance students entered into study. Data was gathered by ISAAC first phase questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS 10 and Chi square test. The 12-month prevalence rates of symptoms were as follow: wheezing 16.8% and 21.7%, allergic rhinitis symptoms 14.5% and 19.9% and atopic dermatitis symptoms 4.5% and 8.2%, for younger and older age group, respectively. The prevalence of wheezing and current wheeze did not show differences according to sex [P > 0.05] but it was significantly higher in students of guidance school [P < 0.05]. The prevalence of previous history of asthma, speech disorders, wheezing after physical exercises and dry cough at night, rhinoconjuntivitis, recurrent rhinitis, eczema with pruritus, recurrent lesions and history of eczema was significantly higher in boys and in students of guidance school [P < 0.05]. The prevalence of flexor lesion did not show a significant difference according to age [P > 0.05] but in boys it was higher than in the girls [P < 0.05]. According to our findings asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema have a moderate prevalence in this region of our country

Prevalence of Shigella species and their antimicrobial resistance patterns at Amirkola children hospital, North of Iran

In the few cases of acute childhood diarrhea that require antimicrobial therapy, the correct choice of the drug depends on detailed previous knowledge of local strains and pattern of antimicrobial resistance. Shigellosis is one of the most important examples in this group of intestinal infections. In order to establish such parameters in our city this study was carried out to determine the prevalence and pattern of antimicrobial resistance of Shigella species among patients with acute diarrhea admitted to the Amirkola children's hospital, North of Iran. The study included all patients with acute diarrhea, 6 months to 12 years of age, who were admitted to the Amirkola children's hospital during March 2001 to March 2004. Incidence, phenotypic characteristics and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella strains, isolated from hospitalized children with acute diarrhea, were studied We received 260 positive cultures for Shigella out of 1850 stool samples during 3 years [14.05%]. Shigella specimens presented a high resistance rate to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole [73.84%] and ampicillin [73.84%], and low resistance rate to Ciprofluxacine [2.69%] and cefotaxim [2.69%]. S. flexneri [70%] was most frequently isolated, followed by S. Sonnei [30%]. No cases of S. boydii and S. dysenteriae were found. Our results provide data on antimicrobial resistance to choose a proper antibiotic for Shigellosis in our community. According to our findings cefotaxime for pediatric patients and quinolone derivatives for adult patients are the proper drug choices. Systematic monitoring is needed to identify changes in prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern