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Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of renal function and liver enzyme abnormalities among HIV‐infected children, changes in prevalence with time on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), and the factors associated with these abnormalities. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted among HIV‐infected children < 18 years old (n = 705) who were on first‐line cART. Liver enzymes, renal function, haematology, immunology and virological response were assessed at enrolment and followed bi‐annually for 18 months. Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis were assessed using noninvasive markers including the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis score (FIB‐4). Results The median age was 12 [interquartile range (IQR) 8–14] years; 53.3% of patients were male. At enrolment, the median cART duration was 3.3 (IQR 1.1–6.1) years; 177 (25.1%) and 83 (11.8%) patients had elevated AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), respectively. A tenth of the children had an APRI score > 0.5, suggesting liver fibrosis. Being on a zidovudine (ZDV)‐ or nevirapine (NVP)‐based regimen and having a viral load > 1000 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL were significantly associated with elevated ALT. Twenty‐four (3.4%) and 84 (12.1%) patients had elevated creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), respectively. As cART duration increased by 6 months, median BUN increased by 1.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4–2.7] mg/dL (P = 0.01); the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreased by 35.6 (95% CI 17.7–53.4) mL/min/1.73 m2 (P < 0.0001); and AST and ALT decreased by 1.4 (95% CI 0.4–2.5) IU/L (P = 0.01) and 1.4 (95% CI 0.2–2.6) IU/L (P = 0.01), respectively. Conclusions A high prevalence of liver enzyme and renal function abnormalities was observed at enrolment. Decreasing liver enzyme levels during follow‐up are possibly reassuring, while the progressive reduction in GFR and the increase in BUN are worrisome and require further study.

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Healthy nutritional status is one of the pinpoint to be observed in assessing health status of an individual. It is also used as a direct and indirect indicator body's strength to defend unhealthy happenings. Health statuses of under-five children are among the under-nutrition vulnerable population segments. Thus, this study was conducted to assess factors associated with nutritional status of under-five children in Yirgalem town, southern Ethiopia. A kebele (Lower administrative Unit) was selected using lottery method from kebeles in the town. A community based cross-sectional study design was employed on a total of 398 child and mother/caregiver pairs selected through simple random sampling. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaire, analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-squared (χ2) test was used to identify associated independent variables. Z-scores for nutritional statuses were generated using WHO Anthro software. The result revealed that the prevalence of wasting, stunting, underweight and overweight were 2.01%, 35.17 %, 5.27% and 23.36% respectively. Immunization status (X 2 =0.004, p= 0.05) and fathers' educational status (X 2 =0.018, p=0.05) were found statistically significant associated with underweight and stunting respectively. Wasting, stunting and underweight are public health nutritional deficits of children under the age of five in Yirgalem town, Ethiopia. Dimension and degree of already identified associated variables better be addressed using sound study protocol with strong epidemiological and statistical considerations to address limitations of this study before forecast of interventions to reduce under-nutrition in the study area.

Though early childhood nutritional status is an important aspect of children's health, different factors affect it. Intestinal parasitosis is common among children of developing countries. Even if studies well discuss the public health significance of intestinal parasites and nutritional deficits as a separate issue, evidences discussing their relationship are limited from Ethiopia. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between intestinal parasites and anthropometric status of pre-school children in Hawassa Zuria district, South Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional study design was applied. Five hundred ninety seven (597) child-mother pairs were selected using simple random sampling. Basic data was collected by interviewing mothers with a semi-structured questionnaire. Z-scores of children's anthropometric statuses were generated using the WHO-Anthro software. Pearson's chi-square analysis was done to test the association between intestinal parasites and nutritional status. Prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were 245 (41%), 134 (22.4%) and 79 (13.2%), respectively. Half (51.3%) of children were infected at least with one type of intestinal parasite. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent (42.2%) parasite. A. lumbricoides was associated with weight for age (X 2 = 16.44 and p-value <0.001), weight for height (X 2 = 11.86 and p-value = 0.001) and height for age (X 2 = 27.77 and p-value < 0.001). Hookworm (X 2 = 4.08 and p-value = 0.04) and Trichuris trichiura (X 2 = 5.32 and p-value = 0.02) were associated with weight for height status. Giardia lamblia was associated with height for age (X 2 = 8.81 and p-value = 0.003) and weight for age (X 2 = 6.41 and p-value = 0.01). Entamoeba histolytica was associated with height for age (X 2 = 4.59 and p-value = 0.03). Both undernutrition and intestinal parasites are prevalent in the study area. A. lumbricoides, Hookworm, G. lamblia, E. histolytica and T. trichiura are associated with pre-school children's nutritional status. Better attention shall be given to preventive and curative measures of both undernutrition and intestinal parasites.