Psychological Distress During COVID-19 Pandemic in School-age Children of Health Care Professionals.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the psychosocial well-being of societies across nations. METHODS: This prospective interventional study assessed the psychological distress in children, aged 6-19 years, whose parents were health care professionals. Parents were interviewed with a set of questionnaires based on signs of psychological distress given in the UNICEF and Childline's manual "Psychosocial Support for Children during COVID-19". Reassessment with same questionnaire was done after 15 days of intervention in the form of counseling and use of toolkits provided in the manual. RESULTS: The mean (SD) score was highest in children whose both parents were healthcare professionals. A significant reduction in psychological distress was seen after parents were provided with knowledge about UNICEF and Childline's manual (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Counseling activities and toolkits provided in the manual were effective in reduction of psychological distress in children during COVID-19 pandemic.

A Cross-Sectional Study of First Hundred Cases of Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral Mucormycosis Admitted at a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background: With the second wave of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Rhino Orbito Cerebral Mucormycosis (ROCM) has emerged as an epidemic in India. Early suspicion and management can reduce disfigurement and mortality. Objectives: To identify the demographic and clinical profile of ROCM, its association with COVID-19 and other predisposing factors. Methods: Hospital Based Cross Sectional Observational study on first hundred consecutive patients with signs and symptoms and radiological findings suggestive of ROCM. Data collected from patient records and analyzed. Results: Out of hundred, 72 patients were Males, 74 from rural areas, all were above eighteen years age, 35 presented with orbital and 27 with facial manifestations of ROCM. Main predisposing factors were history of COVID-19 (71%), previous hospitalization (48%), in Intensive Care Unit (5%) systemic corticosteroid therapy (48%), Diabetes, uncontrolled (45%) and new (21%). Conclusions: ROCM presented with orbital and facial manifestations. Main predisposing factors were Diabetes, COVID-19 and systemic steroids.

Epidemiology and Genotype Distribution of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Under-Five Children of South Rajasthan, India.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea and its genotypes distribution among under five children from Udaipur, Rajasthan. METHODS: Hospital-based prospective study among children aged 0-59 mo of age hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis and assess the clinical and epidemiological profile. Stool samples collected during 2017-2019 from 734 children, were tested by enzyme immune assay (EIA) to identify rotavirus and the samples that were positive were subjected to genotyping using published methods. RESULTS: Rotavirus was detected in 12.94% (95/734) of the stool samples. Maximum positivity (38.9%) was seen in children aged 12-23 mo followed by 34.7% in 6-11 mo of age. Detection rates were higher (46.31%, 44/95) during winter months of December-February; 65% children with rotavirus diarrhea had severe dehydration followed by moderate dehydration in 32% of cases. G3P[8] (40, 43.01%) was the commonest genotype followed by G9P[4] (10, 10.75%). CONCLUSION: Among under-five children hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis in a tertiary care setting in Udaipur, Rajasthan, 12.9% of children were rotavirus positive with predominant (43.01%) circulation of G3P[8] strains.

Assessment of iron, folate and vitamin B12 status in severe acute malnutrition.

OBJECTIVES: To assess iron, folate and vitamin B12 status in hospitalized children aged between 6 mo to 5 y with severe acute malnutrition and its correlation with their clinico-epidemiological profile. METHODS: The study was conducted on 50 children with severe acute malnutrition. Anthropometric measurements were taken to determine their nutritional status. The demographic profile and relevant information of individual patient were collected by using structured proforma and an informed consent was taken for enrolling the children into the study. Serum ferritin, folate and vitamin B12 was estimated using electrochemiluminiscence (ECL) method. RESULTS: Seventy eight percent patients had weight/height (WT/HT) Z score < -3 standard deviation (3SD), 72 % with mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) <11.5 cm and 22 % of them had edematous malnutrition. Anemia was prevalent in 47(94 %) and there was significant correlation between WT/HT < -3SD and vitamin B 12 deficiency (p = 0.015). Significantly higher number of these patients had vitamin B12 deficiency as compared to folate and iron deficiency (p = 0.0006 each). CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin B12 deficiency was more common than iron and folate deficiencies in these patients with severe acute malnutrition.