Daily immunization services: A moral duty,not an empty slogan

Background

Immunization services in Armed Forces hospitals are provided once or twice a week leading to children missing important vaccines. Vaccines offered are restricted to vaccines provided under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). This system is inadequate to meet the challenge of providing 100% immunization to children in a station. Two large service hospitals were selected for provision of daily immunizations under the ‘CHOICE’ banner (Comprehensive child Healthcare, OPD services and Immunization Clinic Everyday), which was conducted under the supervision of the Pediatrician. The immunization delivery before and after institution of the daily immunization program was compared.

Method

This retrospective study compares the vaccine delivery rate of two systems, namely a restricted approach providing UIP vaccines on a weekly basis and a comprehensive approach providing both UIP as well as optional vaccines on a daily basis.

Results

There was a significant increase in attendance at the immunization clinic, which was progressive over the years with the comprehensive approach. The delivery rates of all vaccines increased, in particular the combination vaccines. The workload per immunization session showed a concomitant decrease.

Conclusion

Daily immunization is a better method of vaccine delivery to children, leading to a marked increase in attendance at the immunization clinic and utilization of hospital services.     

Matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP8) gene polymorphisms in chronic periodontitis

ObjectivePrevious studies have suggested that some functional polymorphisms in the matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) genes are associated with the risk of periodontal disease. However, to date no study has investigated MMP8 gene variants in relation to chronic periodontitis (CP). The aim of this study was to analyse polymorphisms in the MMP8 gene and their associations with microbial composition and clinical manifestation of CP.DesignA total of 619 unrelated Czech subjects were included in the present study. Two polymorphisms [?799C/T (rs11225395) and +17C/G (rs2155052)] in the MMP8 gene were studied in 341 patients with CP and 278 unrelated non-periodontitis controls. Both polymorphisms were detected using the polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) methods. Subgingival bacterial colonisation (occurrence of bacteria in subgingival pockets and gingival sulci) was investigated by a commercial semiquantitative kit in selected subjects (N = 169).ResultsOur results showed no differences in the allele and genotype frequencies of the MMP8 ?799C/T and +17C/G polymorphisms between patients with CP and controls (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, the haplotype T(?799)/C(+17) was significantly more frequent in patients with CP than in controls [43.7% vs. 37.6%, p < 0.05, OR = 1.273 (95% CI: 1.013–1.601)]. Despite significant differences determined in the occurrence of periodontal bacteria between patients with CP and non-periodontitis controls (from p < 0.000001 to p < 0.05), no significant relationships between periodontal pathogens, MMP8 polymorphisms and CP were found (p > 0.05).ConclusionsAlthough none of the investigated SNPs in the MMP8 gene was individually associated with periodontitis, specific haplotype showed association with clinical manifestation of chronic periodontitis in a Czech population.     

Zur Genese der multiloculären Ovarialkystome

Ohne Zusammenfassung