Articles: child.
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Serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis is the most common cause of epidemic meningococcal disease in developed countries. Until recently no vaccine has been available for prevention of infection with this organism. In an attempt to control epidemic serogroup B meningococcal disease in greater Sao Paulo, Brazil, during 1989 and 1990, a Cuban-produced outer-membrane-protein-based serogroup B meningococcal vaccine was given to about 2.4 million children aged from 3 months to 6 years. ⋯ Between June, 1990, and June, 1991, 112 patients and 409 matched controls with confirmed vaccine status were enrolled. Estimated vaccine efficacy varied by age: 48 months or older = 74% (95% Cl 16 to 92%), 24 to 47 months = 47% (-72 to 84%), and less than 24 months = -37% (< -100 to 73%). Our results suggest that the Cuban-produced vaccine may be effective for prevention of serogroup B meningococcal disease in older children and adults.
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In 1985 at a World Health Organization (WHO) workshop on AIDS in Bangui, Central African Republic, a clinical case definition of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was developed for developing countries, such as sub-Saharan Africa, where sophisticated diagnostic equipment is not widely available. A particular cachectic syndrome, the "slim disease", which is highly suggestive of AIDS in Africa, constitutes the substratum for the clinical definition for AIDS. The WHO/Bangui definition in adults has a sensitivity of 60%, a specificity of 90%, and a high predictive value especially in endemic areas. ⋯ Its low sensitivity (about 35%) is in relation to its incapacity to diagnose many of the frequently observed secondary infection for paediatric AIDS according to the CDC criteria. The WHO/Bangui clinical definition for AIDS seems to be convenient for epidemiological surveillance of the HIV epidemic in Africa. Nevertheless, the low sensitivity and the low specificity result in the failure to detect some cases of full blown AIDS.
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The first studies on psychological treatment of pediatric headache appeared about 10 years ago; most of them were published in Anglo-American journals. This review focuses on relaxation training and biofeedback (EMG and hand temperature feedback) as the psychological interventions most often used in pediatric migraine and tension headaches. ⋯ Biofeedback studies are methodologically less well controlled and although positive effects have been observed, e.g., in single case studies, the relative usefulness of biofeedback has yet to be determined. Deficits in research on the psychological treatment of headache in children and adolescents are described, new research issues are discussed and recommendations for more systematic research are given.
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To investigate the relationship of locus of control, parental age, and state anxiety to parental coping and activities performed during hospitalization of a child in a pediatric critical care center. ⋯ Appropriate strategies to bolster coping and reduce stress of parents need to be constantly reassessed because coping mechanisms vary according to parental age, locus of control, anxiety level, and parental involvement in child-care activities. More research is needed in the changes of parental coping mechanisms with time and child-care activity, to assess the benefits of interventions planned to encourage a problem-focused approach.