Clinicoepidemiological Profile and Genetic Characterization of Circulating Rotavirus Strain among Children < 5 Years Hospitalized for Acute Gastroenteritis in Western Rajasthan, India.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical and epidemiological profile and circulating strains of rotavirus among children less than 5 y of age hospitalized for diarrhea in a tertiary care center of western Rajasthan. METHOD: Children < 5 y of age admitted for acute gastroenteritis were recruited in this hospital-based surveillance study. Detailed clinical history and sociodemographic information was collected for all enrolled children. Severity of the gastroenteritis was assessed using the 20-point Vesikari Clinical Severity Scoring System. Rotavirus positivity was tested in the stool samples collected from children by commercially available techniques and further molecular characterization done as per defined protocol. RESULTS: Out of 1055 enrolled children, overall positivity rate of typable rotavirus was 18.95% (169/892). Among children who were less than 24 mo of age, positivity due to rotavirus diarrhea was maximum (24.4%). Distinct seasonality was observed as maximum cases of rotavirus diarrhea were detected in the months of December to February. Commonest G type was G3 (54%) followed by G1 (19%) while predominant P type was P[8] (77%) followed by P[4] (11%). G3P[8] (51.83%) was the commonest genotype observed in the study region. CONCLUSION: The current study found positivity of rotavirus to be 18.95% among children aged 0-59 mo admitted due to acute gastroenteritis is a tertiary care setting in northern part of India. Emergence of newer predominant strains emphasizes the need of continued surveillance to determine the changing trends.

Quality of Life (QoL) and the Factors Affecting it in Transfusion-dependent Thalassemic Children.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the Quality of life (QoL) and the factors affecting it in transfusion-dependent thalassemic children. METHODS: Current study was conducted at Department of Pediatrics, Dr. SNMC, Jodhpur. Ninety-three transfusion-dependent thalassemic children aged between 8 and 18 y were enrolled. Quality of life was assessed using Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) measurement model in thalassemic children. RESULTS: Mean age of children was 11.8 ± 3.2 y. Lowest mean score was observed in School functioning (57.4) while in Physical functioning, Emotional functioning and Social functioning it was 73.9, 82.2 and 83.49 respectively. Mean PedsQL score was higher in 8-12 y age group as compared to 13-18 y (p = 0.024). PedsQL score was higher in children who required transfusion once in a month (p = 0.028) and children on combined chelation therapy as compared to children who were on injectable chelator (p = 0.039). Health Related QoL was not affected with gender, education status, family history of thalassemia, ferritin level, splenectomy or consanguinity. CONCLUSIONS: Factors related with low QoL in current study were higher age, increased transfusion frequency and injectable mode of chelation. In order to improve the QoL in thalassemic children appropriate programmes and interventions should be started targeting above domains.