Clinical Evaluation of Breast in Childhood.

Childhood breast masses are mostly benign conditions starting from the newborn period continuing on to adolescence yet can cause high anxiety in the child and the family as well. As a complaint or physical finding, usually palpable mass, pain or discharge from the nipple is apparent in patients. All the clinicians interested in pediatric field should have full knowledge of immature and developing breasts so to proper diagnose and avoid overtreatment with unnecessary diagnostic or surgical procedures. Though malignancy or life-threatening disease has a very low probability during childhood, all child patients should be evaluated and followed up carefully. Especially training and then encouraging young people to periodically start self-assessment of the breasts after their 19th birthday while warning the ones who have had therapeutic chest radiation previously to begin self-assessment 8 years after the procedure or at 25 years of age whichever comes last, will be an appropriate intervention.

Evaluation of measles immunity in Turkey: is it still a threat?

Background/aim: Measles is one of the important vaccine-preventable diseases with many complications in childhood. This study presents cross-sectional seroepidemiological data, beginning from neonatal cord blood in infants to children under 6 years of age, about waning of measles antibody and tries to suggest the proper time for measles immunization. Materials and methods: A total of 564 blood samples consisting of neonatal cord blood and samples taken from infants and children at ages of 6, 9, 24­48, and 49­72 months were analyzed for measles seropositivity in a period of 6 months. Results: Measles seropositivity rate was 72.5% in 109 cord blood samples, 2.6% in 117 infants of 6 months of age, and 3.6% in 111 infants of 9 months of age. Seropositivity was determined in 118 children at 24­48 months and in 109 children at 49­72 months and was 80.5% and 66%, respectively (P = 0.001). These children were vaccinated in the 12th month. Conclusion: Though measles immunization coverage is 97% in Turkey, population immunity is somewhat lower than expected. Increases of measles cases in Europe and the refugee problem in the country could easily lead to outbreaks. Implementing the first dose of the immunization at 9 months may be an option.