Pediatric Infectious Diseases Encountered During Wartime—Part 1: Experiences and Lessons Learned From Armed Conflict in the Modern Era

Abstract

Purpose of Review Armed conflicts occur globally, with some regions experiencing heightened instability for many years. A better understanding of the infectious disease impact on children in armed conflict will allow aid organizations to anticipate and mitigate the most serious problems. Recent Findings Armed conflicts are estimated to have caused approximately 30 million civilian deaths during the past 27 years, with two-thirds occurring in women and children. Children are extremely vulnerable to the mass population displacements, experiencing a combined loss of safety, nutrition, shelter, hygiene, and health care. Under these circumstances, the emergence and prevalence of multiple infectious diseases can result in heightened morbidity and mortality long after active conflict ceases. Summary Factors leading to increased infectious diseases in populations in crisis due to armed conflict and lessons learned from recent outbreaks are discussed in detail. Acute respiratory infections, diphtheria, measles, varicella, and cholera are a few of the more common infectious diseases that take advantage of populations displaced or disrupted by conflict. Key issues include the ability of countries or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to keep up with basic childhood immunizations, and how rapidly disease outbreaks are recognized and addressed with disease-specific interventions.

Cholera Outbreaks in Conflict-Hit Regions of Northern Nigeria: An Overview

“…Armed conflict acts as a direct or indirect catalyst in the transmission and exacerbation of infectious diseases [19]. Armed conflict was connected to a 3.6-fold increase in cholera outbreaks in Nigeria, and over the past two decades, the cholera disease outbreak attributable to conflict in Nigeria is 19.7% [20].…”

Vulnerable in silence: Paediatric health in the Ukrainian crisis

“…Ottolini et al [ 39 ] emphasises that the factors most contributing to the high prevalence of infectious disease in war-affected paediatric populations is due to a lack of access to safe shelter, adequate nutrition, hygiene, and healthcare. A multipronged approach targeting each of these factors may address tackling infectious diseases.…”

“…The most straightforward action might be to offer safe shelter and nutrition in demilitarized/neutral zones. Acute respiratory infections, varicella, and diphtheria are among the most common infections [ 39 ]. As several of these are vaccine-preventable, there is a reliance on NGOs, international organisations, and countries to support vaccine provision not only for Ukrainian children, but also to close the vaccine coverage gaps in neighbouring countries to limit transborder transmission secondary to the mass population movement.…”

2/m mit Fieber, Schnupfen, Husten, Hautausschlag

“… In Entwicklungsländern wird bis zu 1 % der Erkrankten aufgrund einer Masernkeratitis blind. Ursache sind Vitamin-A-Mangel und Mangelernährung [ 3 ]. …”