Body Fluids ; physiology ; Dehydration ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Fluid Therapy ; methods ; standards ; Humans ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

Diarrhoea is one of the commonest reasons children require health care in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Acute watery diarrhoea is the commonest form, and is due to viruses. Oral rehydration solution, zinc and continued breastfeeding are highly effective treatments that can be delivered in homes and health facilities. Antibiotics are not useful in acute watery diarrhoea--they make it worse. Deaths from acute watery diarrhoea should be rare if basic curative services are available. Persistent diarrhoea (lasting longer than 14 days) is commonly associated with other co-morbidities, including malnutrition, anaemia, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection, parasite (such as Giardia) or worm infections and environmental enteropathy. Educating parents on handwashing, food preparation, water purification, improvements in sanitation and the home environment, breastfeeding, nutrition and immunization are essential in preventing diarrhoea. Cholera appeared in PNG in 2009, causing over 500 deaths in all age groups. Cholera emerged because of limited access to safe, clean drinking water and poor sanitation. Addressing these will have beneficial effects not only on cholera but also on all causes of diarrhoea and many other common childhood infections.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Child ; Dehydration/prevention & control ; Diarrhea/microbiology/*prevention & control ; Fluid Therapy/methods ; Humans

Congenital chloride diarrhea (CLD) is a rare inherited autosomal recessive disorder. Mutations of the solute carrier family 26 member 3 gene cause profuse, chloride ion rich diarrhea, which results in hypochloremia, hyponatremia and metabolic alkalosis with dehydration. If a fetal ultrasound shows bowel dilatation suggestive of bowel obstruction, or if a neonate shows persistent diarrhea and metabolic alkalosis, CLD should be considered in the differential diagnosis. The severity of CLD varies, but early detection and early therapy can prevent complications including growth failure. We report a case of dizygotic twins affected by CLD who had been born to non-consanguineous parents. Both of them showed growth failure, but one of the twins experienced worse clinical course. He showed developmental delay, along with dehydration and severe electrolyte imbalance. He was diagnosed with CLD first at 6-month age, and then the other one was also diagnosed with CLD.
Alkalosis ; Dehydration ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Infant, Newborn ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; Parents ; Polyhydramnios ; Secondary Prevention ; Twins, Dizygotic