Antti Pönkä

Infections and other illnesses of children in day-care centers in Helsinki I: Incidences and effects of home and day-care center variables

SummaryIllnesses among children attending municipal day-care centers (DCCs) were followed in a prospective study in Helsinki during 1985–1986. The study comprised 1,905 follow-up years among children in 29 DCCs. The mean number of illness periods was 4.9 per follow-up year, 7.9 for those under the age of three years and 3.8 for older children. The corresponding average numbers of days of illness were 23, 39 and 17. The most common diagnoses were upper respiratory tract infections (46.0%), diarrhea (17.2%), otitis media (12.9%), eye infections (4.0%), acute tonsillitis (3.2%), and bronchitis (3.0%). The six most common diagnoses, all infections, caused 86% of periods and 79% of days of illness. The ten most common infectious diseases caused 90.9% of absence periods, surgical operations 1.8%, and injuries 0.8%. In children under three years of age, a small area and volume of a DCC, lack of fully mechanized ventilation, and lack of separate facilities were associated with a higher incidence of one or all of the six most common infections. A large number of children at a DCC and small homes were associated with a high incidence of one or all of the most common infections among both younger and older children. The effects of passive smoking, number of siblings, number of household members, and incomes of families were not statistically significant.ZusammenfassungIn einer prospektiven Studie wurden in Helsinki in den Jahren 1985–1986 Krankheiten bei Kindern, die in städtischen Kindertagesstätten betreut werden, registriert. Die Studie umfaßte 1905 Betreuungsjahre in 29 Kindertagesstätten. Pro Betreuungsjahr traten im Mittel 4,9 Krankheitsphasen auf. Bei den Kindern unter drei Jahren waren es 7,9, bei den älteren Kindern 3,8. Die Zahl der entsprechenden Krankheitstage betrug 23, 39 und 17. Am häufigsten wurden Infektionen der oberen Atemwege diagnostiziert (46,0%); es folgten Diarrhoe (17,2%), Otitis media (12,9%), Augeninfektionen (4,0%), akute Tonsillitis (3,2%) und Bronchitis (3,0%). Die sechs häufigsten Diagnosen, die bei den Kindern gestellt wurden, betrafen ausschließlich Infektionen, machten 86% der Krankheitsphasen und 79% der Krankheitstage aus. Die zehn häufigsten Infektionskrankheiten verursachten 90,9% der Tage, in denen die Kinder fehlten, Operationen machten 1,8% und Verletzungen 0,8% aus. Bei Kindern unter drei Jahren waren enge Räume und kleine Kindertagesstätten, Fehlen einer voll mechanisierten Belüftung und Fehlen eigener Hygienebereiche mit einer erhöhten Inzidenz einer oder aller sechs der häufigsten Infektionen assoziiert. Bei Tagesstätten mit vielen Kindern und häuslicher Enge waren bei jüngeren wie bei älteren Kindern einzelne oder alle der häufigsten Infektionen mit hoher Inzidenz aufgetreten. Für passives Rauchen, Geschwisterzahl oder Familieneinkommen ergaben sich keine statistisch signifikanten Auswirkungen auf die Infektionshäufigkeit.

Arthritis Associated With Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection

Eleven arthritic patients with serological evidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae aetiology are presented. They were found among 1259 patients with serologically confirmed M. pneumoniae infection; 6 patients had monoarthritis, which has not been described in association with M. pneumoniae infection before and 5 had polyarthritis.

Lead in the ambient air and blood specimens of children in Helsinki.

Ambient air lead concentrations have been measured in Helsinki since 1978. The mean concentrations at various stations reached maximum values in 1980, being then 209-1150 ng/m3. From 1980 to 1991 the concentrations decreased to one-eighth (335-41 ng/m3) at the three stations where measurements were made continuously. Concomitantly the estimated annual lead emissions in Helsinki decreased from 78 to 9 tons, mainly owing to the reduced emissions of lead in exhaust gases from road traffic. The mean concentration of lead in the blood of children in day-care centres was 46 micrograms/l in 1983 and 30 micrograms/l 5 years later. Similar concentrations were found in blood samples from a day-care centre beside a street with heavy traffic and in those from an area with less traffic.

Lead in the ambient air and blood of children in Helsinki

Lead concentrations have been measured in the ambient air of Helsinki since 1978. The mean air concentrations at various stations reached maximum values in 1980 of 333-1150 ng/m3. From 1980 to 1996 the concentrations decreased to one-hundredth, from 745 to 7 ng/m3, at the two centrally situated stations where measurements were made continuously. Concomitantly, the estimated annual emissions of lead in Helsinki decreased from 78 tons to < 1 ton, mainly owing to the cessation of lead emissions in exhaust gases from road traffic. The reduction in lead levels in the ambient air has been reflected by the lead levels in the blood of children in a centrally situated day-care centre. The mean concentration of lead in the blood of children in the day-care centre was 46 micrograms/l in 1983, 30 micrograms/l in 1988 and 26 micrograms/l in 1996.

Infections and other illnesses of children in day-care centers in Helsinki II: The economic losses

SummaryThe economic consequences of illnesses among children in day-care centers (DCCs) were estimated in Helsinki during a one-year period, 1985–1986. The municipal DCCs took care of altogether 14,882 children at the end of 1985. In terms of money value in 1990, the total loss due to illnesses among all DCC children was

Insensitivity of the routine dimethylglyoxime test for detecting release of nickel from earrings

22,485,000 (1 US dollar=3.80 FIM). Nearly half (46%) of this loss was caused by illnesses among children under three years of age, although these represent only 20% of the children in day care. The losses were

Clinical and serological studies in patients with Campylobacter fetus ssp. jejuni infection: II. Serological findings

3,535 per child place in use among children under three years of age and

Arthritis associated with Campylobacter jejuni enteritis.

1,012 among older children. Economic losses due to the guardians absence from work totalled

Antibodies against an acid extract from a single Campylobacter strain in hospitalized campylobacter patients

1,623, deficient utilization of DCCs

Infection due to campylobacter jejuni: A report of 524 outpatients

1,254, visits to a physician