The characteristics of, and risk factors for, child injuries in Andhra Pradesh, India: the Young Lives project.

BACKGROUND: Injuries are an emerging public health issue among children worldwide, and one of the leading causes of disability-adjusted life years lost for children aged 0-14 years. Few studies, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, have analysed characteristics and risk factors for these injuries. METHODS: This study examined the occurrence and risk factors of serious non-fatal injuries in children aged 7-9 years (n=1820) from Andhra Pradesh, India. Logistic regression models were used to explore potential risk factors for these injuries. RESULTS: Based on a 3-year recall period, 336 (18.5%) children reported serious non-fatal injuries. Incidence was higher among males (209/971; 21.5%) compared to females (127/849; 15.0%). Of the most serious non-fatal injuries reported, falls (n=186, 55.4%) were the major cause of injuries, followed by road traffic injuries (50, 14.9%), and assaults/blows/hits (26, 7.7%). Twenty children (6.0%) did not fully recover from their injuries, and 14 (4.2%) had long-term health problems as a result of their injuries. The logistic regression analyses indicated that being male (AOR 1.59; 95% CI: 1.25-2.05), in poor health (AOR 2.50; 95% CI: 1.88-3.31), and having a caregiver with low education (AOR 1.53; 95% CI: 1.15-2.05) were associated with an increased risk of non-fatal injury. CONCLUSIONS: Urgent attention is needed to reduce child injuries and address risk factors according to local context.

Alleviative Effects of a Kampo (a Japanese Herbal) Medicine "Maoto (Ma-Huang-Tang)" on the Early Phase of Influenza Virus Infection and Its Possible Mode of Action.

A Kampo medicine, maoto, has been prescribed in an early phase of influenza-like illness and used for a treatment of influenza clinically in Japan these days. However, the efficacy of maoto against the virus infection remains to be elucidated. This study was conducted to evaluate the alleviative effects of maoto against early phase of influenza virus infection and its preliminary mode of actions through immune systems. When maoto (0.9 and 1.6 g/kg/day) was orally administered to A/J mice on upper respiratory tract infection of influenza virus A/PR/8/34 from 4 hours to 52 hours postinfection (p.i.) significant antipyretic effect was shown in comparison with water-treated control. Administration of maoto (0.8 and 1.3 g/kg/day) significantly decreased the virus titers in both nasal (NLF) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) at 52 hours p.i., and significantly increased the anti-influenza virus IgM, IgA, and IgG1 antibody titers in NLF, BALF, and serum, respectively. Maoto also increased significantly the influenza virus-bound IgG1 and IgM antibody titers in serum and the virus-bound IgM antibody titer in even the BALF of uninfected A/J mice. These results indicate that maoto exerts antipyretic activity in influenza virus-infected mice and virus reducing effect at an early phase of the infection through probably augmentation of the virus-bound natural antibodies.