[Infectious diseases among Brazilian preschool children attending daycare centers]

Prevalence of Infectious Diseases in Children at Preschool Education Institutions and Stakeholder Opinions

Preschool education institutions, where children have close contact and social interactions, can serve as potential environments for the transmission of infectious diseases. This issue poses a significant health concern, impacting both individual and public well-being. Thus, the present research set out to determine the prevalence of infectious diseases in preschool children and the views of parents and teachers on the prevention of infectious diseases. The study employed a mixed-method approach and involved 397 parents and 46 preschool teachers. The study was survey-based via in-person interviews. The results revealed that after they started school (almost in 5 months), children with a mean age of 4.7 ± 0.5 years experienced illness approximately 3.5 ± 2.0 times, of whom 91.5% used antibiotics. The prevalence of infectious diseases was found to be associated with the child's being born at term, maternal education level, and the public/private status of preschool institutions. The presence of a sick child in the classroom elicits negative emotions from both teachers and parents. They recommend that studies on education, safety, hygiene, school health, health screenings, regulation of the learning environment, legal regulations, and school exclusion policies be carried out to prevent infectious diseases. When children with infectious diseases come to school, nearly half of the teachers admit them to the classroom due to various reasons and pressures. Parents request teachers to monitor medication, control sweating, and use a nebulizer for their sick children. Some of the teachers meet these requests, but they claim that the educational process is negatively affected. At preschool education institutions, the risk factors of infectious diseases have a complex structure and can be influenced by variables related to teachers, children, parents and the institution itself. Infectious diseases not only pose a threat to health but also impact teachers' and parents' emotions, teacher-child relationships, and the overall atmosphere within schools and classrooms.

Infectious etiology and indicators of malabsorption or intestinal injury in childhood diarrhea

INTRODUCTION

The multifactorial etiology of gastroenteritis emphasizes the need for different laboratory methods to identify or exclude infectious agents and evaluate the severity of diarrheal disease.

OBJECTIVE

To diagnose the infectious etiology in diarrheic children and to evaluate some fecal markers associated with intestinal integrity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study group comprised 45 children with diarrheal disease, tested for enteropathogens and malabsorption markers, and 76 children whose feces were used for fat evaluation by the traditional and acid steatocrit tests.

RESULTS

We observed acute diarrhea in 80% of the children and persistent diarrhea in 20%. Of the diarrheic individuals analyzed, 40% were positive for enteropathogens, with rotavirus (13.3%) and Giardia duodenalis (11.1%) the most frequently diagnosed. Among the infected patients, occult blood was more evident in those carrying pathogenic bacteria (40%) and enteroviruses (40%), while steatorrhea was observed in infections by the protozoa G. duodenalis (35.7%). Children with diarrhea excreted significantly more lipids in feces than non-diarrheic children, as determined by the traditional (p<0.0003) and acid steatocrit (p<0.0001) methods. Moreover, the acid steatocrit method detected 16.7% more fecal fat than the traditional method.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood diarrhea can lead to increasingly severe nutrient deficiencies. Steatorrhea is the hallmark of malabsorption, and a stool test, such as the acid steatocrit, can be routinely used as a laboratory tool for the semi-quantitative evaluation of fat malabsorption in diarrheic children.

Anaemia and iron deficiency associate with polymorphism TMPRSS6 rs855791 in Brazilian children attending day care centres

Fe-deficiency anaemia is a major public health concern in children under 5 years of age. TMPRSS6 gene, encoding matriptase-2 protein, is implicated in Fe homoeostasis and has been associated with anaemia and Fe status in various populations. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the associations between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) TMPRSS6 rs855791 and biomarkers of anaemia and Fe deficiency in Brazilian children attending day care centres. A total of 163 children aged 6-42 months were evaluated. Socio-economic, demographic, biochemical, haematological, immunological and genotype data were collected. Multiple logistic and linear regressions with hierarchical selection were used to assess the effects of independent variables on categorised outcomes and blood marker concentrations. Minor allele (T) frequency of rs855791 was 0·399. Each copy of the T allele was associated with a 4·49-fold increased risk of developing anaemia (P = 0·005) and a 4·23-fold increased risk of Fe deficiency assessed by serum soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) (P < 0·001). The dose of the T allele was associated with an increase of 0·18 mg/l in sTfR concentrations and reductions of 1·41 fl and 0·52 pg in mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), respectively. In conclusion, the T allele of SNP TMPRSS6 rs855791 was significantly associated with anaemia and Fe deficiency assessed by sTfR in Brazilian children attending day care centres. The effect was dose dependent, with each copy of the T allele being associated with lower MCV and MCH and higher concentrations of sTfR.

Day care as a strategy for drowning prevention in children under 6 years of age in low- and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND

Drowning is responsible for an estimated 320,000 deaths a year, and over 90% of drowning mortality occurs in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), with peak drowning rates among children aged 1 to 4 years. In this age group, mortality due to drowning is particularly common in rural settings and about 75% of drowning accidents happen in natural bodies of water close to the home. Providing adequate child supervision can protect children from drowning, and organized formal day care programs could offer a way to achieve this.

OBJECTIVES

Primary objective • To assess the effects of day care programs for children under 6 years of age on drowning-related mortality or morbidity, or on total drowning accidents (fatal and non-fatal), in LMICs, compared to no day care programs or other drowning prevention interventions Secondary objectives • To assess the effects of day care programs in LMICs for children under 6 years of age on unsafe water exposure • To assess safety within these programs (e.g. transmission of infection within day care, physical or sexual abuse of children within day care) • To assess the incidence of unintentional injury within these programs • To describe the cost-effectiveness of such programs, in relation to averted drowning-related mortality or morbidity SEARCH METHODS: On November 23, 2019, and for an update on August 18, 2020, we searched MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, CENTRAL, ERIC, and CINAHL, as well as two trial registries. On December 16, 2019, and for an update on February 9, 2021, we searched 12 other resources, including websites of organizations that develop programs targeted to children.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomized, quasi-randomized, and non-randomized controlled studies (with explicitly listed specific study design features) that implemented formal day care programs as a single program or combined with additional out-of-day care components (such as educational activities aimed at preventing injury or drowning or early childhood development activities) for children of preschool age (below 6 years of age) in LMICs for comparison with no such programs or with other drowning prevention interventions. Studies had to report at least one outcome related to drowning or injury prevention for the children enrolled.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently performed study selection and data extraction, as well as risk of bias and GRADE assessment.

MAIN RESULTS

Two non-randomized observational studies, conducted in rural Bangladesh, involving a total of 252,631 participants, met the inclusion criteria for this review. One of these studies compared a formal day care program combined with parent education, playpens provided to parents, and community-based activities as additional out-of-day care components versus no such program. Overall we assessed this study to be at moderate risk of bias (moderate risk of bias due to confounding, low risk of bias for other domains). This study showed that implementation of a formal day care program combined with parent education, provision of playpens to parents, and community-based activities, in a rural area with a high drowning incidence, likely reduces the risk of death from drowning over the study period of 4 years and 8 months compared to no day care program (hazard ratio 0.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.06 to 0.58; 1 study, 136,577 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Drowning morbidity (non-fatal drowning resulting in complications), total drowning (fatal and non-fatal), unsafe water exposure, and program safety (e.g. transmission of infection within day care, physical or sexual abuse of children within day care) were not reported, nor was the incidence of other unintentional injuries. Cost-effectiveness was reported as 812 USD (95% CI 589 to 1777) per disability-adjusted life-year averted as a consequence of drowning (moderate-certainty evidence). The second study compared day care programs with or without playpens provided to parents as an additional component versus only playpens provided to parents as an alternative drowning prevention intervention. Overall we assessed the study to be at critical risk of bias because we judged bias due to confounding to be at critical risk. As the certainty of evidence was very low, we are uncertain about the effects on drowning mortality rate of implementing a day care program compared to providing playpens (rate ratio 0.25, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.41; 1 study; 76,575 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Likewise, we are uncertain about the effects of a day care program with playpens provided as an additional component versus playpens provided alone (rate ratio 0.06, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.12; 1 study, 45,460 participants; very low-certainty evidence). The other outcomes of interest - drowning morbidity, total drowning, unsafe water exposure, program safety, incidence of other unintentional injuries, and cost-effectiveness - were not reported.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This review provides evidence suggesting that a day care program with additional out-of-day care components such as community-based education, parent education, and playpens provided to parents likely reduces the drowning mortality risk in regions with a high burden of drowning compared to no intervention.

Specific IgG and IgA Antibody Reactivities in Sera of Children by Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay and Comparison With Giardia duodenalis Diagnosis in Feces

Background

Giardia duodenalis is conventionally diagnosed in fecal samples using parasitological methods. However, sensitivity is poor when only a single sample is analyzed, due to intermittent excretion of cysts in feces. Alternatively, the serum antibodies to G. duodenalis can be used for parasite diagnosis and epidemiological studies to determine previous exposure. We compared the rate of G. duodenalis infection between serum anti-Giardia IgG and IgA antibodies and fecal examination in Brazilian children.

Methods

Fecal and serum samples were tested from 287 children at a clinical laboratory and from 187 children at daycare centers. Fecal samples were processed using conventional parasitological methods and coproantigen detection for Giardia diagnosis. Serum samples were tested using an in-house ELISA for detection of anti-Giardia IgG and IgA.

Results

G. duodenalis was found in 8.2% (N=39) of the 474 children analyzed. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA were 80.0% and 90.0% for IgG and 80.0% and 83.3% for IgA, respectively. The total positivity rate of anti-Giardia IgG and IgA in the sera was 13.9% (N=66) and 23.6% (N=112). The agreement between the positivity of specific antibodies and the detection of G. duodenalis in feces was moderate for ELISA-IgG, kappa index (95% CI)=0.543 (0.422–0.664), and mild for ELISA-IgA, kappa index (95% CI)=0.283 (0.162–0.404). Among the children infected with other enteroparasites, 11.6% (N=10) and 24.4% (N=21) showed reactivity to anti-Giardia IgG and to IgA, respectively. This cross-reactivity was more frequent in samples from children infected with Endolimax nana and Entamoeba coli.

Conclusions

The higher frequency of specific antibody reactivity compared with G. duodenalis diagnosis in feces could reflect continuous exposure of children to G. duodenalis infection, resulting in long-lasting immunological memory and/or cross-reactivity with other intestinal amoebas.

Fatores de risco para ocorrência de diarreia em crianças residentes na Ilha de Guaratiba (RJ)

RESUMO Este artigo visou analisar a ocorrência de diarreia aguda em crianças menores de 5 anos assistidas pela Estratégia Saúde da Família de Ilha de Guaratiba, e as condições habitacionais e de saneamento da localidade. Foi realizado um estudo epidemiológico transversal. A análise das variáveis foi feita por meio de regressão logística simples e múltipla. As variáveis que apresentaram associação com a diarreia foram: (a) criança de idade <2,5 anos; frequentar creche/escola e renda familiar <um salário mínimo; (b) presença de filtro de água e tratamento domiciliar da água; (c) presença de inundações, esgoto a céu aberto, transbordamento de fossa e lixo a céu aberto. No modelo de regressão logística, foram considerados dois cenários epidemiológicos, com e sem inundações. No primeiro cenário, as variáveis que mantiveram associação estatisticamente significante com o desfecho foram: tratamento domiciliar da água, esgoto a céu aberto e presença de inundações. No segundo cenário, encontrou-se evidência de associação também da variável frequência a creche/escola. Portanto, este artigo ressalta a importância de políticas públicas, programas e ações com vistas à ampliação do saneamento básico, ao planejamento de ações de saúde pública e à garantia do acesso à educação infantil.

Análise do perfil socioeconômico e da prevalência de enteroparasitoses em crianças com idade escolar em um município de Minas Gerais

As enteroparasitoses são causas relevantes de agravo à saúde, sendo frequentes principalmente em crianças com idade escolar. Saneamento básico, higiene e nível socioeconômico são fatores determinantes para a transmissão de parasitoses intestinais. O objetivo foi avaliar a prevalência das parasitoses intestinais em crianças em idade escolar, caracterizar o perfil socioeconômico e de moradia da população e analisar o perfil das parasitoses no município de Rio Preto/MG. O estudo descritivo e transversal analisou amostras de fezes de 79 crianças de 4 a 7 anos em uma escola municipal. A coleta das amostras fecais foi realizada pelo sistema parasitológico Paratest® Formalina 5 para pesquisa de ovos e larvas de helmintos e cistos de protozoários. O material foi avaliado conforme suas características morfológicas através da análise microscópica do sedimento, por quatro observadores. A média de idade foi de 5,6 anos (± 1,1), sendo 51,9% crianças do gênero feminino. A prevalência de parasitoses foi de 11,4% e os protozoários prevalentes foram Giardia lamblia, Endolimax nana e Entamoeba coli. Verificou-se que 69,6% das casas possuíam abastecimento de água tratada; 65,8% possuíam rede de esgoto; 85,0% consumiam água filtrada, mineral ou clorada em casa; e 92,5% declararam lavar as mãos antes das refeições e após usar o banheiro. A prevalência de parasitoses nas crianças participantes do estudo foi considerada baixa e os protozoários encontrados foram Giardia lamblia, Endolimax nana e Entamoeba coli. Apesar da baixa prevalência encontrada, estudos parasitológicos são considerados de extrema importância para o conhecimento das condições de saúde da população, visando a implementação de ações de educação, orientação em saúde e prevenção.

USE OF DRUGS IN CHILDREN AGED ZERO TO FIVE YEARS OLD IN TUBARÃO, SANTA CATARINA, BRAZIL

Objective:

To analyze the context of drug use in children aged zero to five years old.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study based on interviews conducted at home with caregivers (parents, uncles or grandparents) of the children enrolled in ten Family Health Strategy units across different geographical points of the city of Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Results:

A total of 350 caregivers were interviewed, whose children’s mean age was 2.6 years. Of these, 56.9% had used at least one drug in the 15 days prior to the interview, 31.1% had been exposed to self-medication and 35.7% had used at least one medication obtained by current prescription. The use of medication was associated with the age range up to 24 months, periodic consultation with pediatricians and diagnosis of chronic and acute diseases. Among medicated children, 19.1% inappropriately had been exposed to at least one medication (considering dose, dose interval or period of treatment). Regarding medication storage, 55.2% of interviewees stored them in unsafe places that could be accessed by children and 32.0% in inappropriate places, with exposure to light, heat or humidity. Moreover, 45.2% of the interviewees stored drugs out of their packages, 38.9% without secondary packaging, and 1.6% of drugs had expired date.

Conclusions:

Drug use is high among children in this age range, and actions aimed at the safe and rational use of these substances in this population should be encouraged.

[Hospitalization for infectious diseases, parasitism and nutritional evolution of children attended in public child day care centers]

The scope of this article is to analyze the influence of hospitalizations by infectious diseases (diarrhea and pneumonia) and parasitism in nutritional evolution, over the period of a year, among children enrolled in municipal public day care centers. Mothers of children in a cohort were asked about previous hospitalization due to diarrhea and pneumonia, as well as in relation to the elimination of worms, during the period of one year of attendance at day care centers. Anthropometrics were measured at each visit. An adjusted model to examine the relationship between infections experienced and growth outcomes (weight and height) was applied. In a subset analysis of 269 children followed up at every visit over the course of 12 months, hospitalization due to pneumonia and parasite infection were associated with decelerated growth in weight and height. Parasitic infection and pneumonia were associated with growth impairment in terms of weight and height.

Perfil antropométrico de crianças segundo a estrutura das creches

Resumo O artigo tem por objetivos avaliar a estrutura de creches públicas e o perfil antropométrico de crianças do município de Campina Grande, Paraíba. Estudo transversal que envolveu 793 crianças assistidas em creches. Contemplaram-se informações para caracterizar as creches (estrutura relacionada à capacidade de atendimento à demanda e à de processamento da alimentação escolar, regime de acolhida, zona de localização) e o estado antropométrico das crianças (Estatura/Idade, Peso/Estatura). Menores escores-Z de Estatura/Idade e Peso/Estatura apresentaram-se nas crianças que frequentavam creches com maior número de crianças por funcionário, em regimes de acolhida de tempo parcial e localizadas na zona rural. As crianças que conviviam em salas de aula e em salas de descanso com maior número de crianças apresentaram, também, menores escores-Z de Estatura/Idade. Constatam-se problemas na estrutura das creches relacionados à capacidade de recursos humanos para prestar atenção às crianças e aos modos de convivência (aglomeração), os quais podem marcar diferenças no estado nutricional. Por sua vez, a frequência à creche em tempo integral e a urbanização predispõem positivamente o crescimento das crianças.

[Characterization of anthropometric assessment studies of Brazilian children attending daycare centers]

OBJECTIVE

To obatin an overview of available information on the anthropometric assessment of Brazilian children attending daycare centers.

DATA SOURCE

A literature search was carried out in the PubMed, LILACS and SciELO databases of studies published from 1990 to 2013 in Portuguese and English languages. The following search strategy was used: (nutritional status OR anthropometrics OR malnutrition OR overweight) AND daycare centers, as well as the equivalent terms in Portuguese. In the case of MEDLINE search, the descriptor Brazil was also used.

DATA SYNTHESIS

It was verified that the 33 studies included in the review were comparable from a methodological point of view. The studies, in general, were characterized by their restrictive nature, geographical concentration and dispersion of results in relation to time. Considering the studies published from 2010 onwards, low prevalence of acute malnutrition and significant rates of stunting and overweight were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the limitations, considering the most recent studies that used the WHO growth curves (2006), it is suggested that the anthropometric profile of Brazilian children attending daycare centers is characterized by a nutritional transition process, with significant prevalence of overweight and short stature. We emphasize the need to develop a multicenter survey that will more accurately define the current anthropometric nutritional status of Brazilian children attending daycare centers.

Child Health in the Peruvian Amazon: Prevalence and Factors Associated with Referred Morbidity and Health Care Access in the City of Iñapari

Introduction. Children under 5 years of age are more susceptible to developing morbidities such as diarrhea, respiratory infections, anemia, and malnutrition. The objective of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of reported morbidities in this age group in the city of Iñapari (Peru) and the access to health services in this municipality. Methods. Data collection using interviews that assessed socioeconomic and demographic conditions, child morbidity, and access to health services was performed in 2011. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0. Results. Regarding morbidities that occurred during lifetime, 39.8% reported previous anemia and intestinal parasite infection. About 53.7% of the children reported any type of morbidities in the last 15 days before interview, being most frequent respiratory symptoms (38.9%), diarrhea (23,4%), and fever (23,1%). Only 63.1% of those reporting recent morbidities sought health care. These morbidities were associated with precarious sanitation and lack of infrastructure, the presence of other comorbidities, and poor access to health services. Conclusion. The main referred morbidities in Amazonian Peruvian children were diarrhea, respiratory symptoms, anemia, and vomiting. Incentives and improvements in the health and sanitation conditions would be important measures to improve the quality of life of the Amazonian child population.

Avaliação do consumo alimentar de crianças brasileiras assistidas em creches: uma revisão sistemática

Objetivos: levantar evidências sobre o perfil do consumo alimentar de crianças brasileiras assistidas em creches. Métodos: foi realizada uma busca por estudos observacionais nas bases de dados PubMed, LILACS e SciELO. Foram selecionados artigos publicados entre 1990 e 2013, utilizando os termos “food consumption” AND “child day care centers”. Resultados: foram identificados 58 artigos, dos quais 21 artigos foram considerados relevantes para o presente trabalho: 18 estudos transversais e três longitudinais. A sistematização dos estudos destaca: i) a concentração geográfica no Sudeste do país; ii) a apropriação da pesagem direta de alimentos e dos valores de referência das Dietary Reference Intakes na avaliação do consumo de alimentos; iii) um panorama preliminar, com ênfase no Sudeste, do consumo deficitário de legumes, frutas e vegetais, e da inadequação da ingestão dietética de ferro; iv) a restrição dos resultados à ingestão média devido à insuficiência do uso de métodos apropriados ao estabelecimento de padrões alimentares. Conclusões: apesar da escassez e dispersão espaço-temporal dos estudos, as semelhanças metodológicas possibilitam sugerir um panorama em que predomina a ingestão dietética deficitária do grupo de frutas, legumes e verduras, e de alimentos ricos em ferro; bem como a ingestão excessiva de alimentos protéicos e de alto teor de sódio.