Background: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) contribute significantly in terms of hospital admission and mortality. Along with attempts to improve treatment modalities, it is imperative to identify risk factors that will aid in prevention of these infections.Methods: This was a case-control study done in tertiary care hospital, Cuttack, enrolling inpatients between 2 months to 5 years with symptoms suggestive of LRTI as cases. Those with tuberculosis, aspiration pneumonia, asthma and nosocomial infections were excluded. After obtaining consent, questionnaire was administered to parents, regarding their socio-demographic and other relevant details. Data analysis was done using statistical software Epi Info™, version 6 and association of each variable with LRTI assessed with chi-square test.Results: A total of 314 children were enrolled in the study, with 158 being cases. The case-fatality rate was 23% and 53.8% suffered from complications, the most common being respiratory failure. A significant association was seen between LRTI and social variables namely maternal literacy(p-value<0.005), socioeconomic status (p-value<0.001) and number of children (p-value<0.001), housing pattern (p-value<0.001), fuel used at home (p-value=0.003), ventilation adequacy (p-value=0.004), presence of separate kitchen at home (p-value=0.0009) and presence of overcrowding (p-value<0.001) and individual factors improper breastfeeding(p-value<0.005) and weaning(p-value=0.03), malnutrition (p-value<0.001), vitamin A deficiency(p-value=0.03) and history of respiratory infection in mother (p-value=0.025) or siblings(p-value=0.048).Conclusions: The burden of lower respiratory tract infections can be substantially reduced by prevention using the identification of risk factors such as housing patterns, education of parents and improved nutrition of the children, and measures to combat the same, at each level.

Background: Neonatal sepsis remains a leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity, diagnosis of which remains difficult due to variable presentations. With the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance, it is important to identify perinatal risk factors which are associated with higher incidence of definite sepsis, to initiate empirical antibiotics, while awaiting blood culture reports.Methods: This was hospital based cross-sectional study done in SVPPGIP, Cuttack, Odisha during January 2019 to April 2019, enrolling all neonates  ≥37 weeks gestation and aged less than 72 hours, with suspected early onset sepsis. Neonates with TORCH infections, congenital anomalies, syndromic baby or with surgical conditions were excluded. After obtaining informed consent, blood culture was sent for all and their perinatal risk factors noted. Blood culture positive newborns were considered to have definite sepsis. Data was analysed with Chi-square test and percentages, using SPSS 18.Results: Among the 200 cases, incidence of definite sepsis was 26%. The most common risk factor was low birth weight and birth asphyxia. Majority (67%) had single or lesser risk factor and number of risk factors was significantly associated with definite sepsis. A significant association was seen between blood culture positivity with low birth weight (p=0.003), foul smelling liquor (p= 0.025), birth asphyxia (p 0.018) and premature rupture of membranes (p= 0.016). The combination of maternal fever and unclean vaginal examination was also significantly associated with the same.Conclusions: Protocols for initiating empiric antibiotics need to be formulated, taking into account the significant risk factors, in resource limited settings, to avoid resource and time wastage.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is emerging as global threat to health, the injudicious use being linked to multiple reasons namely parental misconceptions, easy drug availability and previous experiences.  Children, due to frequent illnesses, are victims of this misuse and more than fifty percent of these drugs are self-medicated by caregivers. This study attempts to assess the trends associated with self-medication with antimicrobials in children and the factors associated with it.Methods: This is a hospital based cross-sectional study, among pediatric outpatients aged 1 month to 14 years, in SCBMCH and SVPPGIP, Cuttack, during March 2019 to September 2019. A structured dichotomous questionnaire was administered to caregivers, including details of socio-demography and antimicrobials self-medicated. A pilot study was done for period of 1 month, and questionnaire accordingly modified. Data was analysed with Chi- square test and percentages, using SPSS 18.Results: Among the 300 patients studied, prevalence of self-medication with antimicrobials was 21%. Most patients self-medicated on pharmacists’ advice (44.4%), commonest reason being similar illness previously (41.3%). Fever (31.7%) and cold cough (28.6%) were usual conditions, with Azithromycin being most frequently administered. 54% of cases self-medicating antimicrobials, had errors of dose or duration, with 27% reporting side-effects. Child’s age (p=0.042), father’s age (p=0.044), mother’s age (p=0.002), chronic illness in child (p=0.002) and type of family (p=0.011) were significantly associated with antimicrobial self-medication in children.Conclusions: The high prevalence of self-medication with antimicrobials mandates need to educate parents and enforce laws regarding illegal dispensing of these drugs, to reduce the threat from resistance.

Introduction: Sepsis is the commonest cause of neonatal mortality; it is responsible for about 30-50% of the total neonatal deaths in developing countries. It is estimated that up to 20% of neonates develop sepsis and approximately 1% die of sepsis related causes. Despite receiving extensive care in hospitals in the form of ventilator and inotropic support in intensive care set up, 2-3% of term and 20-30% of preterm infants still die of early onset sepsis (EOS). Clinical suspicion therefore frequently leads to empirical antibiotic therapy in uninfected infants. Treating an uninfected infant for 5 to 7 days means disrupting maternal bonding and breast feeding for an extended period of time, pain and distress from starting IVs, exposing the infant to drugs with potential toxicities, fostering the development of antibiotic resistant flora, and increasing the probability that the infant will experience a more serious morbidity later in the course of hospitalization. Material and Method: The study cohort consisted of the all term babies hospitalised with early onset sepsis to the S.C.B M.C.H and S.V.P.P.G.I.P, Cuttack from October 2016 to September 2018. Result: Out of total 186 neonates with suspected early onset sepsis, majority were male (64%) and 93% presented within 24 hours of life. The most common perinatal risk factor noted was low birth weight (43%) followed by perinatal asphyxia (24.2%). 96.2% of the neonates were symptomatic at the time of admission; the most common symptom being respiratory distress (73.6%). The blood culture was positive in 25.8% babies. The incidence of culture positive sepsis in symptomatic babies was 27%. None of the asymptomatic babies were culture positive. Only 49% of screen positive babies were blood culture positive. Antibiotics were stopped in 133 babies and unnecessary use of antibiotics was reduced by 82.6%. No sepsis related adverse outcome was noted in 7 days following stoppage of antibiotics. Conclusion: It is safe to stop antibiotics in term EOS babies if the 48 hour blood culture is negative and baby is asymptomatic.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, contribute to significant neonatal mortality and morbidity, with complications ranging from prematurity, low birth weight and respiratory morbidities.This study is a observational study done in tertiary care hospital in Cuttack, Odisha during the period December 2018 to November 2020. Mothers, aged 18 to 36 years, beyond 20 weeks of pregnancy with hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy admitted, with booked pregnancy and regular antenatal check-up were included in the study. Those with underlying chronic diseases like chronic diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, chronic hypertension, heart disease, twin or multiple pregnancy and polyhydramnios were excluded. The neonates born followed and outcomes noted. Data analysed using SPSS 26 and results expressed in percentage and comparison across the groups done using Chi Square test / Fisher's Exact Test as appropriate.: Among 150 mothers, majority were suffering from severe preeclampsia (36%) followed by gestational hypertension (27.3%), with most (66.7%) being a term pregnancy. 20.9% were stillbirths and 34% needed NICU admission for various complications. The most common neonatal complication noted was intrauterine growth retardation. A significant association noted between the severity of hypertension and maturity (p&#60;0.001), birth weight (p=0.001), delivery outcome (p=0.001) and neonatal complications (p=0.009). The delivery outcome, gestational age and birth weight, along with neonatal complications had a significant association with increasing severity of the hypertension. Thus, there is urgent necessity for strict protocols to screen, early detection and efficient management of these disorders in pregnant women, in order to ensure a safe outcome for both mother and newborn.