Open AccessOral rehydration salts, zinc supplement and rota virus vaccine in the management of childhood acute diarrhea
Author(s) -
Abdulwahab Telmesani
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of family and community medicine/maǧalaẗ ṭib al-usraẗ wa al-muǧtamaʼ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.292
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 2229-340X
pISSN - 1319-1683
DOI - 10.4103/1319-1683.71988
Subject(s) - medicine , diarrhea , acute diarrhea , rotavirus , incidence (geometry) , acute gastroenteritis , pediatrics , rotavirus vaccine , intensive care medicine , physics , optics
Acute diarrhea remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Since the introduction of oral rehydration salts (ORS) mortality has dropped to less than 50% worldwide. Low osmolarity ORS improved the outcome and reduced the hospitalization further. Zinc difficiency has been found to be associated with severe episodes of acute diarrhea. Zinc supplement in developing countries did reduce the incidence and prevalence of diarrhea. In addition, Zinc supplement significantly reduced the severity of diarrhea and duration of the episode. In the Americas and Europe, Rota virus vaccine was 90% effective in preventing severe episodes of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis. This review concludes that low osmolarilty ORS, zinc supplementation and rotavirus vaccine are major factors in reducing the morbidity, mortality and hospitalization resulting from to acute gastroenteritis in childhood.