Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage rates among infants in Owerri, Nigeria

A microbiological survey was carried out on children attending the Paediatric Clinic of the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri; Edo State; Nigeria. The study was carried out to determine the carriage rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae; the common cause of acute cold and death among children. Of a total of 71 specimens; S pneumoniae was isolated from 49; a prevalence of 69. Sex distribution showed that females had a higher carriage rate than males (55vs 45; p=0.05). Children between 12 months and 4 years of age had higher prevalence rates of S pneumoniae than children under 12 months and over 4 years

Cause-specific child mortality in a mountainous community in Pakistan by verbal autopsy

In Pakistan's rural areas population-based cause of death data from systematic verbal autopsies are rare. Using verbal autopsy algorithms with multiple coding and decision rules, we assigned causes of death among 79% of children under age five years dying between July, 1988 and December, 1991 in Oshikhandass, a remote mountainous community in Pakistan's Northern Areas. Main causes of death were pneumonia [44%], diarrhoea [35%], and neonatal sepsis [6%]. Combined [main plus associated] analysis revealed 48% died with diarrhoea, 46% with malnutrition, 44% with pneumonia, 15% with neonatal sepsis, and 15% with low birth weight. Median age of death with pneumonia was 2 months, with diarrhoea 8 months. Half died by month 4. The inquiry was well received by villagers. Population-based verbal autopsy surveillance is a cost-effective strategy to guide health managers. Plans are underway to institute it for the surrounding population of 400,000. Creative ways to access, treat and reduce risk among young infants are needed

Pneumonia in Sagamu

A study of 154 cases of pneumonia in infancy and childhood at the Ogun State University Teaching Hospital is presented. The condition accounted for 3.9 percent of all paediatric admissions. A majority (81.2 percent) of the patients were aged three years and under; while the male to female ratio was 1.1:1. A seasonal variation in the prevalence of pneumonia was found with two peaks in February and November. Brochopneumonia was the commoner type of pneumonia; occurring in 83.1 percent of the cases. Patients with lobar pneumonia were significantly older and had a higher mean temperature on admission and a longer period of hospitalization than patients with bronchopneumonia. The commonest associated conditions that were identified included upper respiratory tract infection in 39 percent; measles in 24.7 percent and protein-energy malnutrition in 7.1 percent of the cases

Est-ce bien le tetanos qui fait mourir le nouveau-ne?

Il s'agit d'un theme qui est assez peu aborde par les anthropologues; celui d'un mal qui tue le nouveau-ne; que les medecins nomment tetanos et qui est designe de diverses manieres dans les cultures africaines. Il s'agit cependant d'un exemple de probleme de sante; a propos duquel les certitudes du medecin sont tres fortes (il sait comment faire pour eviter le tetanos); les constats de l'epidemiologue sont clairs ; mais ou par contre les representations et les pratiques sociales existantes sont mal connues; suscitant parfois de simples reactions d'ignorance ou de rejet

Survival in very low birthweight infants at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital; Nigeria

Between January 1984 and December 1987; 1509 singleton neonates were admitted into special care baby unit at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Among them there were extreme low birthweight; very low birthweight and low birthweight and normal birthweight infants. Survival rates in the four categories were 10.3 per cent; 46.5 per cent; 89.2 per cent and 94.7 percent. Furthermore the survivors were significantly more mature for their gestation and lower incidence of birth asphyxia. Therefore each low birthweight has special care

Morbiletalidad infecciosa y lactancia materna en los primeros 6 meses de vida / Infectious morbility and breast feeding in the first 6 month of life

En el presente estudio nos propusimos comprobar los efectos favorables de la alimentación al seno, en lo que respecta a la menor incidencia de infecciones en contraposición con los otros tipos de alimentación, tomando una muestra representativa de niños hospitalizados por infección en dos instituciones hospitalarias del Estado Carabobo