Ghulam Qasim Khichi.
Tetanus Neonatorum in Bahawalpur.
Pak Paed J Jan ;21(1):31-6.

This study included 176 patients of neonatal tetanus. 152 males and 24 females, admitted to the neonatology section of B.V.Hospital over a period of two and half years. All the patients were delivered at home, mostly in rural areas. by untrained persons. The parents usually belonged to lower socio-economic group. The mean age of presentation at the hospital was 7 days and the incubation period 6 days. Refusal to take feed (100%) convulsions (96.6%) and inability to open the mouth (82.4%) were the main symptoms. Mothers of these neonates were not immunized against tetanus in 98.75% and only partially in the remaining 1.25%. For cutting of umbilical cord blades were used in 54% cases, scissors in 26.25% and wood in 11% cases. The umbilical stump was painted with butter fat (32.5%), oil (21.25%), antimony in 20% cases and nothing in 22.5%. The incidence of umbilical hernia. aspiration pneumonia and jaundice was 20%. 17.5% and 15% respectively. Of the 176 cases 48.8% recovered and 43.7% died while 7.5% cases let against advice.

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