INTRODUCTION: Social and economic circumstances have a significant influence on children's health. The health status differs from country to country and it depends on gross national product. The aim of the study was to investigate characteristics of morbidity of school children from disadvantaged families. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 232 school children from disadvantaged families who were hospitalized at the Institute of Child and Adolescents Health Care in Novi Sad during a five year period. Disadvantaged families are those with the following risk factors: low income, parents who are not able to comply with parenthood, unsuitable parents, single parent. Discharge diagnoses were analyzed. Diagnoses of children from disadvantaged families were compared with diagnoses of other hospitalized children. RESULTS: School children from disadvantaged families were significantly more often hospitalized because of infectious diseases, parasitic infections, mental disorders, neurologic disorders, symptoms, signs and undefined conditions, poisonings and injuries than children from families without social risks. School children from disadvantaged families significantly more often suffered from mental retardation, emotional and behavior disorders, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and poisonings, than other hospitalized children. CONCLUSION: School children from disadvantaged families have a specific morbidity which differs from the morbidity of children from families without social risks.

Adolescent↗

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[Antibodies to hepatitis A virus in the population of SAP Vojvodina].

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Adolescent↗

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[Clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapy in children].

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Aging↗

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[Significance of normal oropharyngeal flora in the development of streptococcal pharyngitis and outcome of penicillin therapy].

Pharyngitis is one of the most frequent diseases in children. The most important of the bacterial infections is due to Streptococcus pyogenes. For many years, penicillin is considered to be the drug of choice for streptococcal pharyngitis, although failure rates of up to 20% have been reported. One of possible explanations for penicillin treatment failure is presence of other species of bacteria in the normal oropharyngeal flora that can interfere with colonization and growth of Streptococcus pyogenes and influence the development of pharyngitis. A wide variety of microorganisms, including alpha-haemolytic streptococci and anaerobic bacteria, are present within the oropharynx (table 1). The strain of alpha-haemolytic streptococci is in interference with Streptococcus pyogenes. By producing bacteriocins, they inhibit colonization and growth of Streptococcus pyogenes and assist in its eradication. Anaerobic bacteria may play a direct or indirect role in development of pharyngitis. They may be directly responsible for specific forms of pharyngitis or contribute indirectly with possibility of synergy between them and Streptococcus pyogenes. Beta-lactamase-producing aerobic and anaerobic organisms may contribute to penicillin treatment failure. By producing beta-lactamase within the tonsillar tissue, they destroy penicillin and protect streptococci from the antibacterial effect of penicillin. Pharyngeal bacterial flora may vary according to the state of the patient (Figure 1). During an acute infection and in the cases of treatment failure and recurrent pharyngitis the number of alpha-haemolytic streptococci declines, while there is an increase in the number of anaerobic and beta-lactamase-producing organisms. After successful treatment the number and type of bacteria is similar to those found within normal tissue. Knowing the distribution and changes in pharyngeal bacterial flora is important for choosing the optimal drug for treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis. Although penicillin reduces the number of interfering beta-haemolytic streptococci, because of its advantages, if remains the drug of choice for the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis. In cases of treatment failure and recurrent infections cephalosporins and macrolides may be a useful alternative to penicillin because they possess relatively poor activity against alpha-haemolytic streptococci, resistance to beta-lactamase and because of better penetration into tonsilar tissue.

Humans↗