Anemia and Pneumonia

Pneumonia

Assess prevalence of anemia among pneumonic children aged two months up to two years.

Pneumonia is an infection via one or both lungs . bacteria and viruses are the most common causes. pneumonia can be medical emergency especially among high risk group like children less than five years Iron deficiency anemia is one of the major health problem in young children. It may be associated with increased risk of pneumonia (1). A study conducted by Bhaskaram reported high frequency of anemia 83 % in children with pneumonia (2). Iron functions in the immune system are essential, among which are included: the maintenance of the activity of phagocyte oxidase, an iron excess can be used by bacteria to improve its growth (3). Anemia was found to be independently associated with fatal outcome in pneumonic children (4). The risk of development of pneumonia in children with anemia increases approximately by four times in comparison with children who have no anemic syndrome (5). Breast-feeding protects against lower respiratory tract infection because of breast milk's unique antiinfective properties (6). Infants who were not being breast fed were 17 times more likely than those being breast fed without formula milk to be admitted to hospital for pneumonia (7). one of the factors that affects severe malnutrition is wrong parenting as parents can play an important role in their children's growth through proper, adequate feeding (8). There's no available studies that examine the association between anemia and pneumonia in our locality.

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