Uncovering Causes of Childhood Death Using the Minimally Invasive Autopsy at the Community Level in an Urban Vulnerable Setting of Argentina: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Precise determination of the causal chain that leads to community deaths in children in low- and middle-income countries is critical to estimating all causes of mortality accurately and to planning preemptive strategies for targeted allocation of resources to reduce this scourge.

Methods: An active surveillance population-based study that combined minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) and verbal autopsies (VA) among children under 5 was conducted in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from September 2018 to December 2020 to define the burden of all causes of community deaths.

Results: Among 90 cases enrolled (86% of parental acceptance), 81 had complete MITS, 15.

Community Mortality Due to Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Argentina: Population-based Surveillance Study.

Background: Many deaths in infants from low-middle income countries (LMICs) occur at home or upon arrival to health facilities. Although acute lower respiratory tract illness plays an important role in community mortality, the accuracy of mortality rates due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains unknown.

Methods: An active surveillance study among children aged under 5 years old (U5) was performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between January and December 2019, to define the burden and role of RSV in childhood community mortality.

Mortality Associated With Acute Respiratory Infections Among Children at Home.

Background: Numerous deaths in children aged <5 years in the developing world occur at home. Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are thought to play an important role in these deaths. Risk factors and pathogens linked to fatal episodes remain unclear.