FACTBOX-UNICEF lists top causes of child deaths

(Reuters) - The United Nations Children's Fund released figures on Wednesday showing that the global death rate for children under age 5 in 2006 was 23 percent lower than in 1990, but said two-thirds of such deaths remain preventable.

Following is a list of some of the leading killers of young children, according to UNICEF.

NEONATAL CAUSES

Of 9.7 million children under 5 who died in 2006 worldwide, 3.6 million perished in the first four weeks after birth due to complications from premature birth, severe infections, birth asphyxia, birth defects, tetanus, diarrhoea-related diseases and other causes.

PNEUMONIA

About 1.8 million children died of pneumonia, an inflammation of the lung generally caused by an infection that is marked by a cough and difficult breathing. It kills more children than any other single disease. A number of different organisms can cause it including bacteria, viruses and fungi.

DIARRHEA

About 1.6 million children died from diarrhoeal illnesses. Severe diarrhoea can cause fluid loss. It is life-threatening in children who are malnourished or have impaired immunity. Diarrhoea often is caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites.

MALARIA

Malaria killed about 780,000 children under 5 in 2006. Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite, occurs throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, with most of those dying from it being young children in sub-Saharan Africa.

OTHERS

Measles killed 390,000 children under 5 in 2006. AIDS killed 290,000. UNICEF also said inadequate nutrition can be considered an underlying cause in about half of the worldwide deaths under age 5.