First report of molecular confirmation and phylogenetic analysis of ocular seteriasis in buffalo in India using 12S rRNA.

An adult Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) presented with corneal opacity, irritation, and excessive lacrimation from the left eye in the Referral Veterinary Polyclinic-Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex (RVC-TVCC), Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar. Clinical examination revealed a whitish thread-like worm in the left eye's anterior chamber. The worm was surgically removed from the eye with supportive nerve blocks. Light microscopy was used for parasite morphological identification, which provided insight into the worm as female Setaria sp. Genomic DNA was isolated, and polymerase chain reaction amplification of 12S rRNA was conducted for molecular confirmation of the parasite. The amplicon was sequenced and analysed by bioinformatics software. Sequence data showed an amplicon size of 243 bp. Phylogenetic analysis with reference data from the NCBI Genbank database revealed the worm was S. digitata, with a similarity of 99.17%. The common predilection site of S. digitata is in the peritoneal cavity of natural hosts like cattle and buffalo and is mostly non-pathogenic. The aberrant migration of the parasite larva to the brain and eye commonly occurs in goats, sheep, and horses, causing clinical conditions like cerebrospinal nematodiasis (lumbar paralysis) and ocular setariasis, respectively. Nevertheless, until now, there have been no reports of ocular setariasis in buffalo. This report is the first unusual occurrence of ocular setariasis in buffalo and its molecular confirmation and phylogenetic analysis using 12S rRNA.

Effect of dietary synbiotic supplementation on growth, immune and physiological status of Labeo rohita juveniles exposed to low pH stress.

In this study, we investigated the effect of dietary Bacillus circulans PB7 (BCPB7) and fructoligosaccharide (FOS), used singly or in combination for evaluation of growth, immune and physiological status of Labeo rohita (rohu) juveniles reared under low pH and normal pH for 60 days. Experimental fishes were distributed in two sets such as one set continuously exposed to low pH (5.5) and other reared under normal pH (7.0), and fed with four iso-nitrogenous diets viz. basal (control), Bacillus circulans PB7 (BCPB7, 106 cfug-1), 1% fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and their combination. The effect of such pre, pro and synbiotics dietary treatments on growth performance (weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio), immune response (hematological indices, serum biochemistry, lysozyme, NBT activity), antioxidative status in the form of antioxidant enzyme (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase), acetylcholine esterase (AChE), Na+ K+ ATPase and stress bio-markers (cortisol, glucose and HSP-70) were examined. The group treated with low pH and fed with control diet (without supplementation) was found to be inhibited (p  <  0.05) in growth and immuno-physiological function. However, supplementation of BCPB7 and FOS was non-significant (p < 0.05) on growth performance and physiological process but their concurrent feeding remarkably improved (p < 0.05) growth and immune-physiological function when exposed to low pH. Overall results indicate that dietary combination of BCPB7 and FOS can be considered an effective synbiotic formula against low pH stress in culture practices of L. rohita juveniles.

Ontogeny of the digestive tract in stinging catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) larvae.

Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) is an important candidate species for diversification of freshwater aquaculture in India. However, high mortality rate during larval rearing is the most serious bottleneck in commercial production of this species. A proper understanding of the ontogenic development of digestive system provides the basis to understand the nutritional physiology of larvae and develop appropriate feeding strategies. In the present study, the ontogenical development of the digestive tract in H. fossilis larvae was studied from hatching until 30 day post-hatching (dph) at 29 °C. At hatching (2.8 ± 0.2 mm standard length, SL), the digestive tract was undifferentiated and attached dorsally to the yolk sac. At 1 dph (2.9 ± 0.2 mm SL), the mouth opened and oral valves were visible. At 2 dph (3.0 ± 0.3 mm SL), goblet cells were observed in the buccoparyngaeal cavity. At this age, exogenous feeding started and the intestine was differentiated into the anterior and posterior regions, and the rudimentary liver and pancreas were also seen. Small supranuclear vacuoles were observed in the enterocytes of the posterior intestine at 2 dph. Zymogen granules were observed in acinar cells of pancreas by 3 dph, and islets of Langerhans were visible at 4 dph (3.5 ± 0.1 mm SL). At the same age, most of the yolk sac reserves were consumed, whereas they were completely exhausted by 5 dph (3.9 ± 0.5 mm SL). Between 4 and 6 dph, the liver elongated in size and started to accumulate lipids in the hepatocytes. Gastric glands were detected at 4 dph, and the pyloric sphincter was completely differentiated at 9 dph (6.1 ± 0.4 mm SL) as an epithelial fold that separated stomach from the anterior intestine. By 13 dph (8.6 ± 0.2 mm SL), profuse gastric glands were visible inside longitudinal mucosal folds of the stomach. The formation of gastric glands and their development were noticed as the last events in the development of the digestive tract in H. fossilis. This indicated the end of the larval period and the commencement of the juvenile stage. Considering these observations, it is suggested that H. fossilis larvae have a morphologically complete digestive tract by 13 dph. The findings of the study on the development of the digestive system in H. fossilis may help in synchronising the larval stage of development and feeding strategies and would be helpful in improving larval rearing techniques for catfish species.

Pulmonary Hypoplasia Wrongly Diagnosed and Treated as Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Pulmonary hypoplasia (PH), a rare congenital anomaly is observed with incomplete development of the lung, and may be associated with anomalies in other body systems. The clinical presentation varies with the extent of hypoplasia and the patient may be asymptomatic or may present with severe respiratory distress in the neonatal, infancy or childhood period. A six year old girl suffering from right sided hypoplasia was hospitalized with common presenting chest symptoms. She had taken antituberculosis treatment for past three years and was thought to be an MDR suspect. The child was thoroughly investigated was diagnosed to be a case of PH and is under followup.

Inhalation Score - a Novel Technique for Assessing Severity of Inhalational Burns in Correlation to Bronchoscopic Findings.

Airway edema following burns is a typical occurrence. It poses a threat, independent of percent Total Burn Surface Area (TBSA), to the life of the patient. Fiber optic bronchoscopy is the gold standard in its diagnosis and is preferred if the facilities are present. Its availability remains a problem in the majority of burn centers in developing countries like India. Ascoring system based on clinical findings, if formulated in a manner that reflects bronchoscopy results, may help not only with diagnosis but also with airway management in inhalation burns. One hundred patients suffering from facial burns were included in the study. They were observed clinically and bronchoscopically and airway was managed on the basis of clinical, biochemical and bronchoscopic findings. Fifty patients who showed significant bronchoscopic findings on day 1 were followed up. Clinicobronchoscopic correlation revealed a positive correlation of various clinical variables as well as bronchoscopic grading with subsequent need for endotracheal intubation. Edema of tongue/floor of the mouth and palatal edema showed a positive correlation with subsequent need for tracheostomy. This clinicobronchoscopic correlation was then used retrospectively to formulate the Safdarjung Hospital 'INHALATION' score. This score can be used for predicting impending airway compromise when bronchoscopy facilities are not readily available.

La survenue d'un œdème des voies aériennes est un classique après une brûlure, entraînant un risque indépendant de la surface atteinte. L'endoscopie bronchique est l'examen diagnostique de référence et doit être réalisée si le matériel est disponible, ce qui est problématique dans les pays en développement dont l'Inde. Un score reflétant les données endoscopiques peut aider non seulement au diagnostic mais aussi au traitement des lésions d'inhalation. Cette étude a porté sur 100 patients ayant une brûlure faciale, ayant bénéficié d'un examen clinique et endoscopique et traités selon ces données et celles de la biochimie. La moitié des patients avaient des anomalies endoscopiques au premier examen. Les données cliniques (dont un œdème de la langue, du plancher buccal ou du palais) et endoscopiques prédisaient bien la nécessité d'une trachéotomie. Ces corrélations nous ont permis de développer le score INHALATION de l'hôpital Safdarjung, qui peut permettre de prédire une complication ventilatoire quand l'endoscopie n'est pas disponible.

Performance and Stability of Pearl Millet Varieties for Grain Yield and Micronutrients in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of India.

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is grown under both arid and semi-arid conditions in India, where other cereals are hard to grow. Pearl millet cultivars, hybrids, and OPVs (open pollinated varieties) are tested and released by the All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet (AICRP-PM) across three zones (A1, A, and B) that are classified based on rainfall pattern. Except in locations with extreme weather conditions, hybrids dominate pearl millet growing areas, which can be attributed to hybrid vigor and the active role of the private sector. The importance of OPVs cannot be ruled out, owing to wider adaptation, lower input cost, and timely seed availability to subsidiary farmers cultivating this crop. This study was conducted to scrutinize the presently used test locations for evaluation of pearl millet OPVs across India, identify the best OPVs across locations, and determine the variation in grain Fe and Zn contents across locations in these regions. Six varieties were evaluated across 20 locations in A1 and A (pooled as A) and B zones along with three common checks and additional three zonal adapted checks in the respective zones during the 2019 rainy season. Recorded data on yield and quality traits were analyzed using genotype main effects and genotype × environment interaction biplot method. The genotype × environment (G × E) interaction was found to be highly significant for all the grain yield and agronomic traits and for both micronutrients (iron and zinc). However, genotypic effect (G) was four (productive tillers) to 49 (grain Fe content) times that of G × E interaction effect for various traits across zones that show the flexibility of OPVs. Ananthapuramu is the ideal test site for selecting pearl millet cultivars effectively for adaptation across India, while Ananthapuramu, Perumallapalle, and Gurugram can also be used as initial testing locations. OPVs MP 599 and MP 600 are identified as ideal genotypes, because they showed higher grain and fodder yields and stability compared with other cultivars. Iron and zinc concentration showed highly significant positive correlation (across environment = 0.83; p < 0.01), indicating possibility of simultaneous effective selection for both traits. Three common checks were found to be significantly low yielders than the test entries or zonal checks in individual zones and across India, indicating the potential of genetic improvement through OPVs.

A method to produce radiation hybrids for the D-genome chromosomes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Radiation hybrid (RH) mapping is based on radiation-induced chromosome breakage rather than meiotic recombination, as a means to induce marker segregation for mapping. To date, the implementation of this mapping approach in hexaploid (Triticum aestivum L.; 2n = 6x = 42; AABBDD) and tetraploid (T. turgidum L.; 2n = 4x = 28; AABB) wheat has concentrated on the production of mapping panels for individual chromosomes. In order to extend the usefulness of this approach, we have devised a method to produce panels for the simultaneous mapping of all chromosomes of the D subgenome of hexaploid wheat. In this approach, seeds of hexaploid wheat (AABBDD) are irradiated and the surviving plants are crossed to tetraploid wheat (AABB) to produce a mapping panel based on quasi-pentaploids (AABBD). Chromosome lesions in the A and B genomes are largely masked in the quasi-pentaploids due to the presence of A- and B-genome chromosomes from the tetraploid parent. On the other hand, the chromosomes from the D-genome are present in one copy (hemizygous) and allow radiation hybrid mapping of all D-genome chromosomes simultaneously. Our analyses showed that transmission of D-genome chromosomes was apparently normal and that radiation-induced chromosome breakage along D-genome chromosomes was homogeneous. Chromosome breakage levels between D-genome chromosomes were comparable except for chromosome 6D which suffered greater chromosome breakage. These results demonstrate the feasibility of constructing D-genome radiation hybrids (DGRHs) in wheat.

An evaluation of the referral transport system of Patna, Bihar.

OBJECTIVES: The key objective of the study was to evaluate the coverage and functioning of the referral transport system under NRHM in block PHCs of district Patna in Bihar. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted during October-November, 2008 in 16 block PHCs in Patna. In-depth interviews were conducted at 811 households where there was an occasion to transfer a patient to a hospital in the previous two months time. Medical officer in-charge and civil surgeon of the district were also interviewed. Besides, focus group discussions were conducted with the community members and leaders regarding the functioning of referral transport. RESULTS: Availability of the referral transport services was irregular mainly due to deputation of the vehicles for flood relief activities or other purposes. 93 (11.5%) of respondents used the PHC transport facilities, of which 52.7% got it instantaneously. 'Dial an ambulance 102' services were mainly used by urban clients. The system was following an arbitrary cost structure. 84.2% of the clients belonging to below poverty line had to pay for the service and are afraid of availing the services. CONCLUSION: Inadequate number of ambulances in PHCs, unequipped ambulances, lack of life saving equipments, 24 hours duty by single driver, arbitrary cost frame work and urban preference for services were some of the factors leading to unpopularity of the scheme.

An assessment of functioning of mobile medical units in Jharkhand.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: A scheme of Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) has been initiated under NRHM in Jharkhand state from the year 2008 in an effort to take healthcare to doorstep of the public in rural areas, especially in underserved areas. The objective of the study was to assess the functioning of Medical Mobile Units in Jharkhand through rapid assessment mode. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in three selected districts of Jharkhand state during September-December 2008. Data was collected through in-depth interview using semistructured schedules with State Programme Managers, Chief Medical Officers, District programme managers, staff of MMU and beneficiaries. RESULTS: The scheme provided curative and diagnostic facilities like X-ray, ultra sound, and blood test to the poor and under-served areas. More than 90% of clients reported availability of medicines in MMUs. However, more than 90% of them had no prior information about the day and time of visits by the MMUs. Some of the operational difficulties being faced by the scheme were reported to be vibrations of generator disturbing the lab investigations, poor condition of the road, unwillingness of doctors to go in far-off areas and heavy workload. CONCLUSION: The scheme of MMUs has been successful in providing health services to the poor and under-served areas.

Assessment of utilization of RCH services and client satisfaction at different level of health facilities in Varanasi District.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the various factors influencing utilization and non-utilization of RCH services and extent of client satisfaction. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted during October to December 2008 at two selected blocks of Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh. Principal study subjects were 509 women having children less than 12 months old, selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected through in-depth interview and Focus Group Discussions conducted among the beneficiaries of the services. RESULTS: The study revealed that utilisation of the RCH services in the government facilities was higher among the backward classes than the general category; higher the level of education the lower was the utilisation of government services. Over all, 16% of the respondents were not satisfied with government facilities. 25% of the SC category was not satisfied with the services in spite of being the main users. Among RCH services utilization was highest (89%) for antenatal care services (ANC). 41.6% respondents did not receive any Post Natal Care (PNC) after their most recent birth. About 30% deliveries were at home out of which only 10% received PNC whereas out of 70% institutional deliveries about 80% received PNC. Overall 16.3 % of the respondents were not satisfied with the services provided by government health facilities. Around 16% and 14% were not satisfied with the behavior of medical officer and the health workers respectively and non-satisfaction was highest among SC category. CONCLUSION: All health facilities need to be made functional according to Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) of NRHM.

A comparative study of the health record cards in primary schools of Delhi.

A comparative study was undertaken to understand the various measures required to strengthen and improve the health record cards (HRC) of various schools that subsequently help in improving the medical examination of children. By using a multi stage stratified random sampling method, 24 schools from Delhi, eight each from three broad categories of (i) corporation schools, (ii) other government schools, (iii) private schools were included in the study. The study finding revealed that in most of the government schools the health record cards were properly developed and structured as per the recommendations of various committee, though they are always in short supply.

Epidemiology of pediatric burns and future prevention strategies-a study of 475 patients from a high-volume burn center in North India.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric burns have a long-term social impact. This is more apparent in a developing country such as India, where their incidence and morbidity are high. The aim of this study was to provide recent prospective epidemiological data on pediatric burns in India and to suggest future preventive strategies. METHODS: Children up to 18 years old admitted to the Department of Burns, Plastic & Maxillofacial Surgery, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, between January and December 2014 were included in the study. Data regarding age, sex, etiology, total body surface area (TBSA), circumstances of injury, and clinical assessment were collected. The Mann-Whitney test or Kruskal-Wallis test or ANOVA was used to compare involved TBSA among various cohort groups accordingly. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of TBSA. RESULTS: There were a total of 475 patients involved in the study, including seven suicidal burns, all of whom were females with a mean age greater than the cohort average. Age, type of burns, mode of injury, presence or absence of inhalation injury, gender, and time of year (quarter) for admission were found to independently affect the TBSA involved. Electrical burns also formed an important number of presenting burn patients, mainly involving teenagers. Several societal issues have come forth, e.g., child marriage, child labor, and likely psychological problems among female children as suggested by a high incidence of suicidal burns. CONCLUSIONS: This study also highlights several issues such as overcrowding, lack of awareness, dangerous cooking practices, and improper use of kerosene oil. There is an emergent need to recognize the problems, formulate strategies, spread awareness, and ban or replace hazardous substances responsible for most burn accidents.

A thiocyanopalladation/carbocyclization transformation identified through enzymatic screening: stereocontrolled tandem C-SCN and C-C bond formation.

Herein we describe a formal thiocyanopalladation/carbocyclization transformation and its parametrization and optimization using a new elevated temperature plate-based version of our visual colorimetric enzymatic screening method for reaction discovery. The carbocyclization step leads to C-SCN bond formation in tandem with C-C bond construction and is highly stereoselective, showing nearly absolute 1,2-anti-stereoinduction (5 examples) for substrates bearing allylic substitution, and nearly absolute 1,3-syn-stereoinduction (16 examples) for substrates bearing propargylic substitution. Based upon these high levels of stereoinduction, the dependence of the 1,2-stereoinduction upon cyclization substrate geometry, and the generally high preference for the transoid vinyl thiocyanate alkene geometry, a mechanistic model is proposed, involving (i) Pd(ii)-enyne coordination, (ii) thiocyanopalladation, (iii) migratory insertion and (iv) ß-elimination. Examples of transition metal-mediated C-SCN bond formation that proceed smoothly on unactivated substrates and allow for preservation of the SCN moiety are lacking. Yet, the thiocyanate functionality is of great value for biophysical chemistry (vibrational Stark effect) and medicinal chemistry (S,N-heterocycle construction). The title transformation accommodates C-, O-, N- and S-bridged substrates (6 examples), thereby providing the corresponding carbocyclic or heterocyclic scaffolds. The reaction is also shown to be compatible with a significant range of substituents, varying in steric and electronic demand, including a wide range of substituted aromatics, fused bicyclic and heterocyclic systems, and even biaryl systems. Combination of this new transformation with asymmetric allylation and Grubbs ring-closing metathesis provides for a streamlined enantio- and diastereoselective entry into the oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl core of the natural products massarilactone and annuionone A, as also evidenced by low temperature X-ray crystal structure determination. Utilizing this bicyclic scaffold, we demonstrate the versatility of the thiocyanate moiety for structural diversification post-cyclization. Thus, the bridging vinyl thiocyanate moiety is smoothly elaborated into a range of derivative functionalities utilizing transformations that cleave the S-CN bond, add the elements of RS-CN across a π-system and exploit the SCN moiety as a cycloaddition partner (7 diverse examples). Among the new functionalities thereby generated are thiotetrazole and sulfonyl tetrazole heterocycles that serve as carboxylate and phosphate surrogates, respectively, highlighting the potential of this approach for future applications in medicinal chemistry or chemical biology.

Synthesis and antimycobacterial activities of glycosylated amino alcohols and amines.

Reduction of glycosyl beta-amino esters (6-14 and 25-30) with lithium aluminum hydride resulted in glycosyl amino alcohols (15-23 and 31-36) in good yields. However, reductive amination of glycosyl aldehydes (1-3) with different amines in presence of sodium borohydride resulted in good to moderate yields of glycosyl amines (37-41). All the compounds were evaluated for antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra and H37Rv. Compounds 18, 21, 35 and 36 exhibited antitubercular activities with MIC ranging from 6.25 to 3.12 microg ml(-1).

DBU-assisted cyclorelease elimination: combinatorial synthesis and gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase and glutathione-S-transeferase modulatory effect of C-nucleoside analogs.

A combinatorial library of 60C- nucleoside analogs was synthesized by sequential coupling of building blocks followed by cyclative cleavage with DBU in an efficient manner. Only DMSO soluble compounds were tested for their modulatory effect against filarial gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (gamma-GCase) and glutathione-S-transeferases (GSTs). Several compounds were found to be weak inhibitors of filarial gamma-GCase, whereas, most of them stimulated filarial GSTs.

7-O-[4-methyl piperazine-1-(2-acetyl)]-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one: a novel antifilarial lead compound.

In preliminary studies we found that benzopyrones (coumarins), which are known to exert many biological activities including anti-inflammatory effect, possess promising macrofilaricidal action as well. In order to explore the possibility of combining such a macrofilaricidal activity with the microfilaricidal potential of the known piperazine pharmacophore, we synthesized a series of compounds and evaluated their antifilarial effect. In the present study, one of these compounds, 7-O-[4-methyl piperazine-1-(2-acetyl)]-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one (2), which has shown promising macrofilaricidal action against rodent filariid Litomosoides carinii in cotton rats, was evaluated against infection with Brugia malayi in Mastomys coucha and jird (Meriones unguiculatus). In the B. malayi-M. coucha system, the compound at a dose of 300 mg/kg, oral (p.o.) x5 days showed 53.6% adulticidal and 46.0% microfilaricidal activity along with 46.3% sterilization effect on the female worms. In addition, the compound interfered with the establishment of infective larvae (L(3))-induced infection to an extent of 50% at the same dose level. At 1 microM concentration it inhibited protease activity of B. malayi to 82%. The compound thus provides a novel lead for further synthesis and development of antifilarial agents with macrofilaricidal, microfilaricidal, female-sterilizing and possible larvicidal efficacy.

Synthesis of glycosylated beta-amino acids as new class of antitubercular agents.

A series of glycosylated beta-amino acids was prepared and evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. avium, M. fortuitum and M. smegmatis. The compounds were designed to mimic the enzyme D-alanine racemase and glycosyl transferase involved in the biosynthesis of essential cell wall peptidoglycan and arabinogalactan. Though most of the compounds exhibited little activity, however, one showed significant activity against all the strains in cell culture and activity was confirmed by BACTEC method.

Kite-flying: a unique but dangerous mode of electrical injury in children.

A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the cause of a sudden rise in number of pediatric admissions with electrical injuries at our centre during the year 1998. In evaluating the cause, six out of twelve admissions were found to be related to kite-flying which is a popular sport during the months of June, July, August and September. In two out of six cases current travelled directly through the string of the kite. In two others, flame burns occured following ignition of clothing. Another patient had contact with wire through a metal rod. In the last case, arcing pulled the hand of the patient leading to direct contact with wire. The average burns size was approximately 31% body surface area (BSA), with all patients having burns over the palmar aspect of at least one hand. No patient required amputation for the injuries. In this article, attention has been focussed on the various modes of electrical injuries associated with kite-flying and some measures have been advised to avoid such accidents.

An unusual foreign body in hand. A case report.

Small sharp foreign bodies are common in dominant hand. A case of an unusual, large, blunt, metallic foreign body in the non-dominant hand, with treatment and result, is reported.

Cost of infant feeding in exclusive and partially breastfed infants.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the costs incurred on infant feeding between the mothers who exclusively breastfed their infants and those who introduced supplements up to 6 months of age. DESIGN: Longitudinal follow up. SETTING: Urban slums of south Delhi. METHODS: One hundred normal mother infant pairs fulfilling the prelaid criteria were recruited at the time of birth and followed up for determining the feeding practices. The cost of feeding was estimated at prevalent market prices in terms of food supplement and medical treatment of infant and additional nutritional intake of mothers. The differences in costs in exclusively and partially breastfed groups were analyzed at 3, 4, 5 and 6 months of age. RESULTS: There was a sharp decline of exclusive breastfeeding from birth to six months. The mean cost of infant feeding was Rs. 204/- per month in partially breastfed as compared to Rs. 106/- in exclusively breastfed at 6 months of age. The increased cost was largely attributable to supplementary food and the cost of feeding bottles. (83% of mothers used bottles). CONCLUSIONS: The mean cost of infant feeding is substantially higher in partially breastfed children.