Factors associated with bacteraemia in febrile, non-neonatal children <5 years old at the paediatric outpatient clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Aims: To determine the prevalence and types of skin diseases seen among children attending the Children’s Outpatient Clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). Study Design: A descriptive Cross sectional study design was used. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Children’s Outpatient Clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital from June to August 2020 (3 months). Method: It involved 370 children aged less than 18 years. A semi structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain all relevant data. This was followed by dermatological examination of the children to make diagnosis of skin diseases. Laboratory confirmation was carried out where necessary. Results: The study participants consisted of 370 children aged 1 month to 17 years with a mean age of 8.4±5.9 years. The male to female ratio was 0.9:1 and the overall prevalence of skin diseases among the children studied was 23.7%. The three most common aetiologic categories of skin diseases seen were: Infective (13.5%), Inflammatory (5.7%) and infestations (3.5%). The five most common skin diseases identified included: Impetigo (4.1%), Scabies (3.5%), Atopic dermatitis (3.0%), Tinea capitis (2.7%) and Pityriasis versicolor (2.4%). Conclusion: Skin diseases are common among children attending the children’s outpatient clinic in our hospital with Infective skin diseases predominating. Greater efforts need to be put into the treatment, prevention and control of these skin diseases in order to limit morbidity and mortality.

Download Full-text

Prevalence of bacteraemia in febrile, under-five children in the children’s outpatient clinic of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics ◽

10.4314/njp.v42i2.4 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 93-97

Author(s):

UC Onubogu

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Blood Culture ◽

Teaching Hospital ◽

Outpatient Clinic ◽

Under Five ◽

Under Five Children ◽

Port Harcourt ◽

Viable Bacteria ◽

The Right ◽

The University

Background: Bacteraemia is the presence of viable bacteria in the circulating blood. The most common manifestation of bacteraemia is fever. Untreated bacteraemia can progress in 10% of children to focal infection and sepsis which can be fatal. Knowledge of the organisms implicated in causing bacteraemia would help in the right choice of antibiotics while awaiting blood culture results.Objective: This study determined the prevalence and aetiology of bacteraemia among febrile non neonatal, under–five children seen in the Children’s Clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.Method: Febrile Children, aged 29 days to < 60 months, who presented in the outpatient clinic and whose parents gave consent were recruited from September 2010 to January 2011. Information on their weight, bio-data, and blood culture results were collected and analysed.Result: A total of 362 children (M:F 1.1:1) were studied. Bacteraemia was found in 32 (8.8%) children. The prevalence rate of bacteraemia was highest in children aged 1-12months (12.1%) and higher in males 13(10.2%) compared to females 19(7.4%). Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest (56.3%) organism isolated.Conclusion: The prevalence of bacteraemia in febrile postneonatal under-five children in the Children’s Outpatient Clinic of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital was 8.8% with Staphylococcus aureus being the commonest organism implicated. It is recommended that antibiotics active against Staphylococcus aureus should be among the drugs that need to be commenced in this group of children while blood culture result is being awaited.Key words: Fever, blood culture, bacteremia, under-five children,

Download Full-text

PREVALENCE OF HYPOXAEMIA IN PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS ATTENDING CHILDREN OUT PATIENT CLINIC

Innovative Journal of Medical and Health Science ◽

10.15520/ijmhs.v9i12.2750 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 709-716

Author(s):

Alex-Hart BA, Yaguo Ide LE*

Keyword(s):

Pulse Oximetry ◽

Teaching Hospital ◽

Outpatient Clinic ◽

Acute Respiratory Infection ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Port Harcourt ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Outpatient Settings ◽

The University

Background; In more developed countries, it is a common practice to usepulse oximetry for the diagnosis of hypoxaemia, regrettably, it is not so inresource limited environments like ours especially in outpatient settings whilecarrying out emergency triage assessment. Aim; The aim of this study was todetermine the prevalence of undictated hypoxaemia among children presentingto the children outpatient clinic of the department of paediatrics at theUniversity of Port Harcourt teaching hospital. Methods; This descriptivecross-sectional study of the prevalence of hypoxemia was conducted at thechildren outpatient clinic of the department of paediatrics at the University ofPort Harcourt teaching hospital. The room air oxygen saturations of paediatricoutpatients were measured at rest from May, 2019 to September, 2019 usingdigital pulse oximetry. Hypoxaemia was defined as SpO2 less than 90% inroom air at rest. Results; A total of 351 children were recruited for the study ofwhich 201 (57.3%) were males and 150 (42.7%) were females giving a Male:Female ratio of 1.34:1, 233(66.38%) were under-fives. Prevalence ofhypoxaemia was 40(11.4%). Acute respiratory infection (ARI) was thecommonest condition presenting to the children outpatient clinic in 119(33.9%)and it was also the condition with the highest prevalence of hypoxia 11(27.5%) of all the cases with hypoxia followed by malaria 4(10%) anddiarrhoea 4(10%) Oximetry finding enabled patient to be seen faster( accelerating triaging) and sent to the children emergency room for oxygentherapy amidst other treatments. In conclusions, there is a high prevalence ofhypoxemia among children presenting at the outpatient clinic of the departmentof paediatrics at the University of Port Harcourt teaching hospital. Thereshould be routine screening for hypoxaemia during emergency triage andassessment by the outpatient clinic nurses. Pulse oximeter should be madeavailable to the outpatient clinic nurses by the hospital to enable them routinelyscreen for hypoxaemia and prioritize the patients with hypoxaemia amongpatients to be quickly seen by paediatricians and oxygen therapy commencedto reduce morbidity and mortality from hypoxaemia.Key words: Hypoxia Paediatrics Prevalence Children Pulse Oximetry Oxygen

Download Full-text

Waiting time and patient satisfaction: Survey of patients seeking care at the general outpatient clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

Port Harcourt Medical Journal ◽

10.4103/phmj.phmj_41_17 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 148

Author(s):

DaprimSamuel Ogaji ◽

MargaretM Mezie-Okoye

Keyword(s):

Patient Satisfaction ◽

Teaching Hospital ◽

Waiting Time ◽

Outpatient Clinic ◽

Satisfaction Survey ◽

Patient Satisfaction Survey ◽

Port Harcourt ◽

The University

Download Full-text

Perception and Management of Fever in Children, by Mothers in Port Harcourt Nigeria

International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health ◽

10.9734/ijtdh/2019/v36i430150 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Yaguo Ide, Lucy Eberechukwu ◽

Shorinwa Olusayo Aderonke

Keyword(s):

Teaching Hospital ◽

Outpatient Clinic ◽

Formal Education ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cold Bath ◽

Port Harcourt ◽

One Year ◽

The University ◽

Fever Management

To determine mother’s perception and management of fever in their children. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study, carried out at the children outpatient clinic of the department of Paediatrics, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, over a one-year period, January to December, 2012. Every mother who presented with her child to the children outpatient clinic was recruited and interviewed using a structured questionnaire after obtaining written informed consent, as they presented their children to the children outpatient clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital until we recruited 324mothers, whose children aged between 0-16 years into the study. A little over half of these mothers had completed secondary education. The thermometer was used by 209(64.50%) mothers and the preferred route was by mouth 135(41.67%). 175(54.01%) mothers reported temperature <35ºC as fever. 49.07% of the mothers were worried about the consequences of the fever. 43(13.3%) would give paracetamol. 24(7.4%) would tepid sponge. 15(4.6%) would give a cold bath. 6(1.9%) expose the child to air with reduced clothing. 4(1.2%), wrap the child with warm and thick cloth. 2(0.6%) gave antibiotics. 11 (3.4%) gave antimalaria. 6(1.9%) gave teething drugs. 1 (0.3%) gave nothing. Most mothers got their information on knowledge of fever management from doctors and nurses-164(50.62%). Paracetamol was the most commonly used drug by mothers for the treatment of fever at home-217 (67%). 87(26.852%) would take the child to hospital if fever persisted. This study found a significant association between using physical methods such as giving cold bath to reduce fever, and tepid sponging to reduce fever with no formal education P < 0.0001 and P< 0.0165 respectively. Data was analyzed using Epi-info version 7. Mothers awareness of fever in Port Harcourt is low and Paracetamol is commonly given to children with fever.

Download Full-text