Prevalence and associated factors of pneumonia among under-fives with acute respiratory symptoms: a cross sectional study at a Teaching Hospital in Bushenyi District,Western Uganda

ObjectivesThis study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of pneumonia among children under-five years presenting with acute respiratory symptoms.MethodologyThis was a cross sectional study at the Pediatric Department of Kampala International University – Teaching Hospital, from the month of April to August 2019. The study included 336 children aged 2 to 59 months presenting with acute respiratory symptoms to the pediatric clinic. Pneumonia diagnosis was made according to the World Health Organization definition, modified by a chest radiograph. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on socio-demographic, environmental and nutrition factors and multivariate logistic regression analysis using STATA version 13.0 was done to assess for the factors independently associated with pneumonia.ResultsOf the 336 children with acute respiratory symptoms, eighty-six, 86 (25.6%) had pneumonia. Factors significantly associated with pneumonia included: age below 6 months (OR=3.2, 95%CI=1.17–8.51, p=0.023), rural residence (OR=5.7, 95%CI=2.97–11.05, p <0.001), not up-to-date for age immunization status (OR=2.9, 95%CI=1.05–7.98, p=0.039), severe acute malnutrition (OR=10.8, 95%CI=2.01–58.41, p=0.006), lack of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months (OR=2.9, 95%CI=1.53–5.53, p=0.001) and exposure to cigarette smoke (OR=3.0, 95%CI=1.35–6.80, p=0.007).ConclusionThe prevalence of pneumonia in children under-five years was high. Most of the factors associated with pneumonia are modifiable; addressing these factors could reduce this prevalence.     

Prevalence of aggressive periodontitis in school attendees in Uganda

AIM: The prevalence and severity of early onset periodontitis (EOP) among students attending secondary schools in two regions of Uganda was studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 690 students (393 males and 297 females) aged 12-25 years (mean 17 years), representing a range of tribal groups, were recruited from six schools in the peri-urban Central and rural Western regions of Uganda. The study subjects were clinically examined in field conditions by a single calibrated examiner to measure gingival recession and probing depth at six sites per tooth, with subsequent calculation of clinical periodontal attachment level for each site. Subjects exhibiting >or= 4 mm of clinical periodontal attachment loss at approximal surfaces of one or more teeth were classified with EOP. A structured written questionnaire obtained demographic characteristics of the study subjects. RESULTS: 199 (28.8%) study subjects showed clinical features of EOP, of which 16 (2.3%) subjects exhibited generalized EOP, 29 (4.2%) localized EOP, and 154 (22.3%) incidental EOP. The percentage of EOP-affected males was significantly higher than females (33.8% vs. 22.2%, P < 0.001). EOP prevalence tended to increase with increasing age, but no association was found between EOP prevalence and socioeconomic status or residency in urban vs. rural areas of Uganda. Molars and mandibular incisors generally demonstrated the highest occurrence of >or= 4 mm attachment loss. Clinical periodontal attachment loss of >or= 5 mm was mainly seen at first molars and incisors, suggesting that these two tooth types are first affected with attachment loss. Approximal tooth surfaces showed greater probing depth and attachment loss than buccal and lingual surfaces. Gingival recession was most prevalent at mandibular anterior teeth, whereas gingival margin coronal to CEJ was most frequently observed at second molars and maxillary incisors. CONCLUSION: A relatively high prevalence of EOP (28.8%) was found in young Ugandan school attendees, with 6.5% of these showing severe disease. EOP in Uganda was significantly more prevalent in males than females, and most frequently characterized by approximal involvement of molars and mandibular incisors. Etiologic and predisposing factors associated with the high occurrence of EOP in Uganda, as well as therapeutic and preventive measures of the disease in this population, remain to be delineated.