Tehran University Medical Journal

  SARS-CoV-2 emerging from Wuhan, China is a member of the Coronaviridae family, which has so far infected and killed many people. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affected various aspects of life in Iran and Worldwide, and governments have imposed quarantines and travel bans on an unprecedented scale. The virus causes COVID-19, which can spread through close contact with the infected person, contaminated equipment, and suspended air droplets. The most common symptoms of the disease include fever, cough, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal symptoms, and diarrhea. In severe cases, the lung infection can occur, which causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome that leads to ICU admission and even death.
  Besides, this infection can cause gastrointestinal, neurological, and renal impairments. Not merely, this new coronavirus has infected many more people worldwide in comparison to MERS and SARS, but also it has killed more people. Patients with underlying diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, respiratory problems, kidney disease, heart disease and Immunodeficiency are at higher risk of infection and potential death. Also, the risk of death and complication increases in older adults, while most of the infected children are asymptomatic. Some infected people may have mild or no symptoms but can still transmit the disease and spread it to others.
To diagnose COVID-19, serology tests, and level of ESR, CRP and other acute-phase reactants are helpful, whereas molecular tests, such as RT-PCR tests, that detect the virus’s genetic material are still the golden standard. Also, CT scan detects lung involvement; Ground-glass opacification, especially in lower lobes and subpleural region, is the most common CT characteristic, although it is not specific for COVID-19. Because the disease is difficult to diagnose, hard to prevent and challenging to treat, it has become a major concern for many countries. This review aims to gather existing information in the fields of virology, molecular pathogenesis, disease symptoms, epidemiology, clinical presentations, diagnosis, treatment, and the spread of the disease. This study also provides evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies for health policymakers, doctors, nurses, and practitioners in the field of public health, including researchers and students.

Background: Rectal prolapse, characterized by the extrusion of the rectal mucosa through the anal sphincter, is a relatively rare condition in children. This condition can be attributed to several anatomical and functional factors. This study aimed to investigate defecation habits in children with rectal prolapse.
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from 2017 to 2021 in Akbar and Sheikh children's hospitals. The study population included 50 children under the age of 14 who were diagnosed with rectal prolapse and visited the hospitals. Data were collected using pre-prepared checklists and analyzed using SPSS version 24. Inclusion criteria were children under 14 years diagnosed with rectal prolapse, while exclusion criteria included incomplete data or other severe unrelated health conditions.

Results: The results showed that 67.4% of the sample were boys, and the most affected age group was children under 2 years (38.8%). A total of 57.1% of the children had daily bowel movements, and 68.2% reported consistently hard stools. Additionally, 48% of the children experienced pain or burning during defecation. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that children with rectal prolapse often face challenges related to stool consistency and defecation pain, despite having frequent bowel movements. These results emphasize the need for targeted interventions to improve stool consistency and manage pain to effectively prevent and treat rectal prolapse.