Epidemiological studies on lower respiratory tract infection in children in the District Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Abstract Background Lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of death in children globally and are transmitted by inhaling airborne droplets. The study demonstrated the prevalence of lower respiratory tract infections in children admitted to the Women and Children Hospital Bannu from February through November 2019. The cross-sectional study was conducted by obtaining indoor data from the official record maintained in the children’s wards. Results Males accounted for 649 (61.6%) and females 405 (38.4%) cases out of 1054 cases of the disease. Age group of ≤ 6 months showed 36.2% prevalence, followed by > 6 m ≤ 1 y (25.6%), > 1 y ≤ 2 y (17.1%), > 2 y ≤ 5 y (14.3%), > 5 ≤ 10 y (6.0%), and > 10 y ≤ 15 y (0.8%). Pediatric patients of age ≤ 2 y and ≤ 5 y contributed 78.9% and 93.3% to overall disease, respectively. The disease was at its peak in February (17.9%) while lowest in May (5.5%). The age group (≤ 6 m) was the dominant group in all months except August when replaced by the age group (> 6 m ≤ 1 y). The disease revealed higher prevalence during February-April and October-November. Conclusions Different age groups showed variation in the prevalence of the disease with an age group of ≤ 5 y contributing the largest share and seasonal peaks in the disease occurred. The present findings help in adopting strategies for effective control of the disease in different age groups of the children for their peak season.

Keywords

• Lower respiratory tract infections
• Children
• Bannu
• Age group
• Prevalence