Knowledge on Care of Autistic Child among the Mother’s Attending Protibondhi Foundation, Dhaka.

Objective: Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear. This descriptive type of cross sectional study was conducted to explore the knowledge on care of autistic children among the mother’s attending Protibondhi Foundation, Dhaka. Methods: A total of 385 samples were selected purposively, but due to time and budget constrict it was 150 finally. Data were collected by using an anonymous, pre-tested, semi structured and self-administered questionnaire. Results: The study revealed that more than 50% of the respondent’s were in the age group 16-30 years, majority of the respondent’s were Muslim. Almost 84% of the respondents were SSC-Graduate and majority of them (nearly 50%) were housewife .The monthly family income was ranged between Taka 25,001-50,000 and its percentage was 53.3%. The knowledge about type of autism is very low, the data showed that only two types of autism they knew and the respondent’s knowledge about the risk factor was also very low; only 24% of the respondents had knowledge about complications during pregnancy and delivery related risk factors. About 28% needed physiotherapy, 30% needed occupational therapy, 34% needed speech therapy & 44.7% needed psychotherapy. Here significant association was found between age, education and knowledge about autism (p<0.05). Conclusion: Overall knowledge on care of autistic child was not satisfactory among respondents.

Dual use of tobacco among Bangladeshi men.

INTRODUCTION: Dual use of tobacco (using smoking and smokeless forms) in Bangladesh is uncommon in women but common in men. Dual users are at additional risk of cancers and heart diseases compared with a single form of tobacco use. Knowledge about their socioeconomic background is necessary for planning appropriate interventions. We report here socioeconomic background of the dual users of tobacco from a nationally representative survey. METHODS: The study adopted a probability proportionate to size sampling technic of divisional population stratified into urban and rural areas to recruit men aged 25 years or older from their households. A total of 4312 men were recruited. Variables included questions on 20 household assets, tobacco use and other behavioral risk factors, and measurement of body weight and height. RESULTS: The average age of dual users was 46.7 years old compared to 43.4 and 52.3 years for smokers and smokeless tobacco users. Prevalence of “smoking only,” “smokeless only” and “dual use” of tobacco was 40.6%, 15.2%, and 14.2%, respectively. Among all tobacco users, dual users constituted 20%. These dual users had lower educational achievement, rural residence, lower intake of fruit, and higher intake of alcohol. They were more undernourished as indicated by a thin body mass index compared to nonusers and smokers. Dual users were of socioeconomically deprived as measured by wealth quartiles constructed out of household assets. CONCLUSION: Dual use of tobacco is common in Bangladesh, and it is intimately linked with socioeconomic deprivation. Poverty reduction strategy and campaigns should address tobacco control not only tobacco in general, but its dual use in particular.

Antimicrobial Sensitivity Pattern of Helicobacter pylori Isolates among Subgroup of Bangladeshi Patients.

This cross sectional study was carried out at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) from July 2008 to September 2009. Aim of the study was to find out the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Helicobacter pylori isolates from dyspeptic patients. Total 224 dyspeptic patients from Out Patient Department (OPD) of BSMMU were initially enrolled after informed written consent. After upper GI endoscopy 157 patients were finally included who had erosions, ulcers or atrophic changes in the stomach or duodenum. Two biopsy samples were taken from each of them. Samples were incubated at 370C in a double gas incubator with 5%O2, 10%CO2 and 85%N2. Total 82 (52.23%) samples were found positive for H. pylori. Isolated organisms were then tested for sensitivity to Amoxicillin, Clarithromycin, Tetracycline, Levofloxacin and Metronidazole by Agar dilution method. Among 82 patients 51(62.2%) were male and 31(37.8) were female with a male:female ratio 1.6:1. Patients were categorized into two groups one having gastric or duodenal ulcer (30.5%) and other having no ulcer (69.5%). Among these isolates 92.7% were sensitive to Amoxicillin, 89% to Clarithromycin, 81.7% to Tetracycline, 80.5% to Levofloxacin and only 26.8% to Metronidazole. Beside these, 81.7% isolates were sensitive to both Amoxicillin and Clarithromycin, 74.4% to Amoxicillin and Tetracycline, 73.2% to Amoxicillin and Levofloxacin, 72% to Clarithromycin and Tetracycline, 59% to Clarithromycin and Levofloxacin and 51% to Tetracycline and Levofloxacin.

Efficacy of Different Laboratory Tests to Diagnose Helicobacter pylori Infection.

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram negative bacteria which causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, primary B-cell gastric lymphoma, and adenocarcinoma of the stomach. There are a set of laboratory tests to diagnose H. pylori infection with a variable accuracy, they are divided into non-invasive tests and invasive tests. Non-invasive tests include serology, urea breath test (UBT) and stool antigen test (SAT). Invasive tests include rapid urease test (RUT), histology and culture. This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Gastroenterology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and H. pylori laboratory of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) from July 2008 to September 2009 to evaluate the efficacy of RUT, SAT and Culture as a diagnostic tool for H. pylori. Dyspeptic patients were collected from outpatient department of BSMMU. Out of 224 dyspeptic patients 149 patients had ulcers or erosions in the stomach or duodenum. Stool sample could be collected from 139 patients. RUT has sensitivity of 100%, specificity 80.28%, positive predictive value 85% and negative predictive value 100%. Regarding culture, sensitivity is 100%, specificity 94.37%, positive predictive value 95% and negative predictive value 100%. Stool antigen test has sensitivity 95.94%, specificity 92.31%,positive predictive value 93% and negative predictive value 95%.