Malnutrition and poor oral health status are major risks among primary school children at Lasbela, Balochistan, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: This survey was focusing on health and oral hygiene status of primary school children at Lasbela district considering the comparatively less developed and socio demographically deprived part of the Country. METHODS: A cross sectional survey was conducted to determine the health status of primary school children in seven tehseels of district Lasbela, Balochistan after applying proportionate sampling technique from March 2015 to July 2015. Field teams visited assigned schools to screen children and collect health related data on predesigned and pre coded proforma. RESULTS: Out of 200 schools, 196 schools found opened, while 2% of schools (04) remained closed. A total of 6363 students were clinically screened. About 45% of the school children had normal body mass index (BMI) and rest were falling in different categories of malnutrition. More than 19% had ear, nose and throat (ENT) problems and around 19% presented with clinical anemia. Less than 50% of children had scar of BCG vaccination and 4% informed about use of gutka/supari chewing (smokeless tobacco use). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we estimated high prevalence of malnutrition, poor oral health including smokeless tobacco use, and low BCG coverage among primary school children at Lasbela. Current scenario suggests immediate and contextually focused interventions to confine existing public health risks and avoid future burden of disease.

[Ethnic aspects of the prevalence of chronic ear, nose, and throat pathology in indigenous and alien urban adult populations of Khakassia].

This paper presents characteristics of prevalence and structure of chronic otorhinolaringologic pathologies among native and alien urban residents of the Republic of Khakassia. A total of 2,607 subjects were selected and examined at random. Results of the cross-section study suggest high prevalence of ENT organ diseases among the examined population regardless of ethnic background. Comparative analysis of prevalence indices in the Europeoids and the Khakass revealed a number of specific differences in the epidemiology of ear, nose, and throat diseases between the two groups.

ENT presentations in children with HIV infection.

Illnesses of the ear, nose and throat (ENT) are common in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We reviewed the case files of 107 HIV seropositive children in the paediatric HIV unit at St Mary's Hospital. The prevalence, age of onset and type of ENT disease were reviewed. We also determined sex distribution, maternal country of origin and mode of transmission of HIV. Fifty per cent of the HIV children had ENT illnesses. Fifty-five per cent of the children presented with their first ENT symptom before age 3 years with 98% of the children having ENT manifestations by age 9 years. The commonest ENT diseases were cervical lymphadenopathy (70%), otitis media (46%), oral candidiasis (35%) and adenotonsillar disease (31%). HIV transmission was vertical in 90%. Maternal country of origin was Africa in 70% and the UK in 13%. Compared with previous studies, the proportion of HIV children with ENT problems appears to have decreased. Although our figures report a similar ENT symptom profile, the age at onset of these symptoms has increased.