50 years of immunization in India: progress and future.

Immunization is one of the most cost effective public health interventions and largely responsible for reduction of under5 mortality rate. However, vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) are still responsible for over 5 lakh deaths annually in India. This underlines the need of further improvement.

Status of immunization and need for intensification of routine immunization in India.

Vaccines have made a major contribution to public health but vaccines-preventable diseases (VPDs) are still responsible for significant deaths of under-five children. Despite Global efforts, the coverage in two WHO regions namely Africa and South-East Asia (SEA) still remain short of set targets for 2010. As a result, the SEA Regional Director has declared 2012 as the Year for Intensifying Routine Immunization (RI) in the Region.

Prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in children in western Uttar Pradesh.

This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of tubercular infection and compute the Annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) in Bijnor district of western Uttar Pradesh through a hospital-based tuberculin survey conducted at a pediatric hospital. A total of 1085 children below 18 years (0-4 years 866, 5-17 years 219), attending the out-patient department during October 2007 through September 2008 were included. Tuberculin skin test using standard PPD RT23 with Tween 80 was performed on every 4th child attending the out-patient department and induration was measured after 48 to 72 hours.

Clinical & pathological features of acute toxicity due to Cassia occidentalis in vertebrates.

Cassia occidentalis is an annual shrub found in many countries including India. Although bovines and ovines do not eat it, parts of the plant are used in some traditional herbal medicines. Several animal studies have documented that fresh or dried beans are toxic.

Cassia occidentalis poisoning as the probable cause of hepatomyoencephalopathy in children in western Uttar Pradesh.

Background & Objective: Recurrent annual outbreaks of acute encephalopathy illness affecting young children have been reported for several years in many districts of western Uttar Pradesh (UP). Our earlier investigations over three consecutive years (2002-2005) proved that these outbreaks were due to a fatal multi-system disease (hepatomyoencephalopathy syndrome) probably caused by some phytotoxin and not due to viral encephalitis as believed so far. We conducted a case-control study to investigate the risk, if any, from various environmental factors and also to identify the putative toxic plant responsible for development of this syndrome.

Cassia occidentalis poisoning causes fatal coma in children in western Uttar Pradesh.

We investigated cases of the annual seasonal outbreaks of acute hepato-myo-encephalopathy in young children in western Uttar Pradesh for causal association with Cassia occidentalis poisoning, by a prospective survey in 2006. During September-October homes of 10 consecutive cases were visited and history of eating Cassia beans was obtained in all. Nine children died within 4-5 days.

Recurrent annual outbreaks of a hepato-myo-encephalopathy syndrome in children in western Uttar Pradesh, India.

Background & Objective: Outbreaks of an acute encephalopathy syndrome affecting children, with high case-fatality, have been reported in western Uttar Pradesh, India for the last many years. We investigated these cases in Bijnor district and present our findings.

Methods: Fifty five children aged 2-10 yr hospitalized from 2003 to 2005 in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, with features of acute encephalopathy were selected by defined clinical criteria.