Seasonal Trends with the Comparison of Venous and Capillary Blood for Diagnosis of Malaria among Children in Karachi, Pakistan.

Background: More than 250 million people are infected by malaria parasites annually while around one million children less than 5 years of age die every year due to malaria. We aimed to assess the seasonal trends and usefulness of capillary and venous blood for rapid diagnosis of malaria.

Methods: This cross-sectional study of 18 months duration was conducted at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Karachi.

Vitamin D status in under five children in diverse communities of Karachi.

Background & Objective: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) prevalence is very high in pediatric population in developing countries including Pakistan. VDD contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality among children under five years. Therefore, it is vital to study vitamin D levels in population for future interventions and disease control.