Clinical and etiological profile of the pediatric population with upper respiratory tract infection in ubaldo laya evacuation center, iligan city, philippines

Abstract

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs) especially in children are very common following natural disasters. Incidence of URTI among 146 children with ages 5 to 12 years old was determined through a field survey in an evacuation center in Iligan City. Predisposing factors such as age, sex, educational attainment of mothers and lack of measles immunization were correlated with URTI symptoms using Fisher’s Exact Test. Aerobic plate count for bacterial colonies was also compared with the rise of new cases of URTIs in the evacuation center. Results showed that educational attainment among mothers and ages of children (5 to 8 years) were significant factors in URTI symptoms. Linear regression analysis for aerobic plate count in five selected sites suggests positive correlation of bacterial population with occurring new cases of URTIs in the area. Crowding in room sites was also found as important factor contributing to the faster rate of URTI transmission among children confined in these areas. Result suggests the importance of raising awareness on the predisposing factors of URTI.