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Objectives: The present study examined the clinical profile of COVID-19, related morbidity and mortality in children at a tertiary care hospital in Uttarakhand. Understanding the clinical profile of the disease in this specific population is vital for better preparedness and targeted interventions to safeguard the health of children during future outbreaks. This is the first study from this region in this Methods: The present study was a hospital based observational study carried out on patients aged 1 month-18 years who tested covid-19 positive and were admitted to Department of Pediatrics at a tertiary care center in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand during study period July 2020 to May 2023 after getting ethical clearance from Institutional Review Committee and informed consent from patient or patient relatives. Statistical testing has been conducted using R Studio Software version 4. Results: A total of 51 patients with Covid-19 infection, tested positive by either rapid antigen test (RAT) or reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) were admitted to our hospital during the study period. History of covid contact was positive in 11% patients. Comorbidities were seen in 10% patients. Respiratory system (41%) was most commonly involved followed by central nervous system (febrile seizures). Fever (70%) followed by cough (33%) were the most common symptoms. Raised ESR levels was the most common laboratory finding. Conclusions: The infection in children is usually mild, with low mortality rate (2%). Respiratory system was most commonly involved and fever and cough were the most common symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scrub typhus is a mite-born disease scrub. It commonly manifests as an acute febrile illness with multi-system involvement. It is regarded as a life-threatening disease in children, with serious complications usually occurring in the 2nd week of illness. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to explore the clinical and laboratory profile of children with scrub typhus. Materials and Methods: All children admitted with scrub typhus over 1-year duration were enrolled in the study. The clinical, laboratory profile, and outcome were observed and analyzed. Results: A total of 47 children were diagnosed with scrub typhus, 17 (36.1%) children had clinical and laboratory evidence of meningitis. The most frequent presenting features were fever (100%), headache (82.4%), vomiting (82.4%), seizures (41.2%), and altered sensorium (70.6%). The mean duration of fever was 6.57 days, eight children (7%) had persistent fever for >14 days duration. Other complications reported were hepatitis 2 (4.3%), hepatosplenomegaly in 18 (38.3%) acute respiratory distress syndrome 2 (4.3%), and shock 31 (66%). The mean cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein, glucose, and cell count was 65.75±9.27 mg/dL, 45.00±7.23 mg/dL, and 65.94±52.72 cells/mm³ of CSF, respectively, with lymphocyte count of more than 96% in all cases. Most patients had lymphocytic pleocytosis and the mean lymphocyte percentage was 96.2%±4.5%. Out of all 47 patients, 45 (84.61%) patients recovered with appropriate antibiotics in both groups, while two (15.38%) patients expired in the group without meningitis. Conclusion: A high degree of suspicion and knowledge of the geographical distribution of Rickettsial diseases is crucial for its early diagnosis and favorable outcome. Scrub typhus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of aseptic meningitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]