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Public Health Chronicle
Latest public health news and updates of the world
Public Health News Snippets 27 - 31st May, 2024
Is Air pollution too a cause of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus?
The winter months are the most polluted times of the year in India, with some Indian towns being among the most polluted worldwide.
The primary sources of air pollution in urban areas are motor cars, industrial plants, and construction activities.
In rural regions, the primary source is the combustion of biomass.
Due to the prevailing wind patterns, pollution can easily migrate from rural to urban areas and vice versa.
The negative consequences of unclean air primarily affect the respiratory system, but recent research indicates that the impacts extend far beyond the lungs.
Numerous US and European studies have shown a clear connection between type 2 diabetes and air pollution.
Furthermore, a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 studies from these nations revealed that risk was highly related to females and increased by 8–10% for every 10 μg/m increase in exposure.
Research conducted in developing nations like China and India, where the air quality is far worse than in developed nations, has linked diabetes to an increased risk of complications and fatalities from baseline.
After learning that there is a connection between diabetes and air pollution, efforts should be made to reduce air pollution at the source.
Government and non-governmental organizations, education campaigns, and legislative initiatives can accomplish this.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. Shubham
Journal of the Association of Physicians of India (JAPI)
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
Air Pollution, Diabetes Mellitus
Timelines for organ transplant authorization committees
Approximately 85% of the yearly 16,000+ organ transplants performed in India come from living, unrelated, or related donors.
The Union Health Ministry's guidelines: A maximum of eight weeks have been granted to hospital and state permission committees to make decisions regarding live-linked organ transplants.
Transplant Timelines:
Applications must be processed in ten days, and any inaccuracies in documentation must be corrected in seven days
After receiving all documentation, interviews must be scheduled within seven business days to communicate the committee's conclusion.
Within 24 hours of the last meeting, the committee's final judgment must be posted on the hospital's website, and the tehsildar's documentation must be sent within 14 days after the application's submission.
The aim is to prevent endless waiting for donors and recipients.
Thanks to these deadlines, the organ transplant decision-making process will go quite quickly.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. Shubham
NOTTO : National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation.
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
Organ Transplantation
By 2050, global life expectancy to increase by nearly 5 years
Study indicates that due to the shift in the burden of Non-communicable diseases(NCDs) and from years of life lost (YLL) to years lived with disability (YLDs), more people are expected to live longer with but with poor health.
Global life expectancy is expected to increase from 73.6 years in 2022 to 78.1 years by 2050. And, Global Healthy Life Expectancy will increase from 64.8 to 67.4 in 2050.
In addition to these studies, the GBD 2021 risk factor study found that the total number of years lost due to poor health and early death(DALY) attributable to metabolic risk factors had increased by 50% since 2000.
Globally, effects are strongest for ‘Improved Behavioral and Metabolic Risks’ with a 13.3% reduction in disease burden in 2050. And also, ‘safer environment’ and ‘Improved Childhood Nutrition and vaccination’ scenario too showed reductions in disease burden.
The study concludes that there is an emergent opportunity to influence global health by reducing and eliminating the various metabolic and dietary risk factors.
Content Editor: Dr. Soundhar
Science Daily
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
International health, Research findings
HeartSmiles initiatives to tackling adolescent food insecurity in baltimore
A recent article highlights the pressing issue of food insecurity among adolescents in the United States, with a particular focus on Baltimore.
Nearly 13% of US children and 26% of Baltimore's youth face food insecurity, severely impacting their health and development.
Adolescents' higher calorie needs and limited access to food make them especially vulnerable, often pushing them towards risky behaviors to obtain food.
Existing food assistance programs fall short of addressing their unique needs, and stigma further discourages them from seeking help.
HeartSmiles, a nonprofit affiliated with the Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health, is making strides with initiatives like an online food pantry and the Granny Project cooking show, which will provide essential food support to Baltimore's youth.
The article calls for policymakers to better consider adolescents in food assistance programs and highlights the need for research into solutions such as Instacart cards for SNAP benefits.
It emphasizes the importance of multi-sectoral partnerships to combine food access with services like job training and community gardening.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. Chinmay
Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
Adolescent health, Food insecurity, International Health News
WHO prequalifies new Dengue vaccine TAK-003
On May 10, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) granted prequalification to TAK-003, a new dengue vaccine developed by Takeda.
TAK-003, the second dengue vaccine to receive this status, is a live-attenuated vaccine containing weakened forms of all four dengue virus serotypes.
The WHO prequalification list also includes CYD-TDV, a dengue vaccine developed by Sanofi Pasteur.
WHO advises administering TAK-003 to children aged 6-16 years in regions with a high prevalence and transmission rate of dengue.
The vaccine will be given in a two-dose regimen, with a three-month gap between doses.
Dr. Rogerio Gaspar, WHO Director for Regulation and Prequalification, emphasized that TAK-003’s prequalification marks a significant advancement in broadening global access to dengue vaccines, making it eligible for purchase by UN agencies such as UNICEF and PAHO. He hoped that more vaccine developers would seek assessment to ensure vaccines reach all communities in need.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. Gurumurthy
WHO News Section
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
Vaccine, Infectious Disease
How does use of different antibiotic treatments impact sepsis outcome?
A retrospective cohort study at the University of Michigan examined hospital admissions from July 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018, including a piperacillin-tazobactam shortage from June 12, 2015, to September 18, 2016.
The study focused on adult sepsis patients treated with a combination of vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam, or cefepime.
Primary and secondary outcomes included the following:
90-day mortality
Organ failure-free days
Ventilator-free days
Vasopressor-free days
The study involved 7,569 patients, with 4,523 receiving vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam and 3,046 receiving vancomycin and cefepime.
Analysis showed no significant differences in patient demographics or initial health status between the groups.
However, piperacillin-tazobactam was linked to a 5.0% absolute increase in 90-day mortality and fewer days free of organ failure, ventilator use, and vasopressor use.
The findings suggest that for patients with suspected sepsis and no apparent need for anti-anaerobic coverage, piperacillin-tazobactam is associated with higher mortality and longer organ dysfunction compared to cefepime.
This raises concerns about the broad use of empirical anti-anaerobic antibiotics in sepsis treatment.
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Gurumurthy
JAMA Internal Medicine
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
Antibiotic resistant, Sepsis, Research findings
Study reveals trends and challenges in tracking long COVID in England
With approval from NHS England, the study analyzed clinical data linked to COVID-19 test results, hospitalizations, and vaccinations.
The analysis focused on trends in 16 clinical codes related to long COVID from November 2020 to January 2023.
The research team calculated rates per 100,000 person-years and compared them using statistical models for different demographics and vaccination statuses.
The study identified 55,465 recorded cases of long COVID, including 20,025 diagnosis codes and 35,440 assessment codes.
The incidence of new long COVID records has increased throughout 2021 but declined in 2022.
The long COVID rate was 177.5 cases per 100,000 person-years in women and 100.5 in men.
The researchers concluded that recorded cases of long COVID were low between 2020 and 2023, with a notable decline in 2022.
The study highlighted significant limitations in using EHR data to accurately identify and time the long COVID cases, suggesting that current diagnostic and referral codes may not adequately capture the true prevalence of the condition.
This study underscores the need for improved methods to track and understand long COVID through health records, as current systems may not fully capture the scope of the issue.
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Manjeet
The Lancet
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
COVID-19, Long-COVID, Complications
Funding for the development of maternal vaccine against sepsis in newborns
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) has granted $3.96 million to the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
This has been granted to develop a maternal vaccine against sepsis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae in newborns.
The team is led by Dr. Sharon Tennant, who will collaborate with Auro Vaccines of India.
The vaccine aims to protect infants by transferring antibodies from vaccinated mothers.
Neonatal sepsis, a significant cause of infant mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries, kills 2.5 million infants annually.
The vaccine could prevent 80-90% of these infections if successful.
This funding is part of CARB-X's global initiative to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Manjeet
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
Vaccines, Immunisation, Communicable diseases, Mortality
Homeownership and its association with prevalence of chronic health conditions: Study findings
Researchers analyzed data from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, including 401,958 participants.
They assessed the association between homeownership and self-reported diagnoses of diabetes, asthma, cancer, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and kidney disease.
Logistic regression was used to adjust for variables such as age, sex, race and ethnicity, education, employment, and income, computing odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
The results of the analysis are as follows:
Influencing Factors: Age, marital status, education, and income significantly influenced homeownership.
Odds of Homeownership: Increased with age, peaking at 17.45 (95% CI, 16.21–18.79) for adults aged 65 or older. Non-Hispanic White adults had the highest odds (OR = 3.34; 95% CI, 3.18–3.52).
Chronic Health Conditions: Homeowners had a lower prevalence of chronic health conditions, especially among those aged 45 to 64 years.
After accounting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, renters were more likely to have chronic health conditions compared to homeowners.
The study reveals that- homeownership predicts the lower prevalence of several chronic health conditions.
Public health initiatives should prioritize housing-related interventions to improve overall population health.
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Manjeet
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
Research finding, Chronic disease, Socioeconomic status
WHO highlights climate change's impact on malaria and neglected tropical diseases
This scoping review, which includes 42,693 articles, has been published in collaboration with Reaching the Last Mile (RLM), and is published in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The key Findings by the WHO task force on Climate change, NTDs & malaria are-
Climate Impact on Disease Spread: Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns are expanding the geographic range of disease vectors like mosquitoes, increasing the risk of malaria and NTDs in new regions.
Vulnerable Communities: Shifts in disease prevalence and intensity are most acutely felt in communities already disproportionately affected by these diseases.
Urgent Need for Comprehensive Models: Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director of WHO’s Global NTD Programme, emphasized the necessity for standardized models to predict climate change effects on these diseases.
However, a few research gaps were found, which include-
Focus on Low-Disease Burden Countries: Most research has been conducted in countries with high access to quality healthcare, neglecting regions with significant disease burdens.
Lack of Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies: Only 34% of the studies reviewed addressed mitigation strategies, and a mere 5% focused on adaptation methods.
This critical and timely review highlights alarming trends and serves as a call to urgent action.
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Manjeet
WHO News Section
Source :
Published on :
May 30, 2024
Neglected tropical diseases, Research, Environment, Climate change
"All for Health, Health for All" anchors the seventy-seventh World Health Assembly
The WHA, which started on May 27 and is expected to run until June 1, has brought together ministers of health and high-level country representatives to address pressing global health challenges.
Key Themes and Anticipated Moments:
Pandemic Preparedness Accord: A pivotal moment is expected with discussions on the pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response accord, along with amendments to the International Health Regulations, aiming to strengthen global preparedness and response mechanisms.
Approval of WHO's 2025–2028 Strategy, known as GPW 14, is anticipated. This strategy aims to tackle health challenges stemming from megatrends like climate change, aging, migration, and advancements in science and technology, focusing on realigning health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Crucial decisions on various health priorities, including climate and health, health emergencies, access to transformative tools, communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health, women's health, and WHO reform.
Also, On May 31, 2024, the Health Assembly President will present eight laureates with six 2024 public health awards for their remarkable contributions to public health.
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Manjeet
WHO News Section
Source :
Published on :
May 29, 2024
International health organizations, World Health Assembly, Pandemic preparedeness
India’s lymphatic filariasis challenge: Bridging disability inclusion and welfare gaps
India accounts for 40% of the world’s second-largest cause of physical disability i.e lymphedema and hydrocele due to lymphatic filariasis.
In 2018, GOI officially enabled its inclusion to physical disabilities enabling them to be beneficiaries of various national and state-level schemes designed for the betterment of persons with disability.
some of the schemes of GOI are Saksham Scholarship, Post matric scholarship etc.,
More than five years down the lane the state governments are unable to provide proper data on beneficiaries of the same which underscored that mere recognition and inclusion had not been translated to actual welfare.
The Indian Council of Medical Research proposed a few strategies to overcome the barriers:
1.Inter-sectoral convergence involving disability rights department ,public health and social welfare etc.
2.Awareness and community engagement
3.Use of digital tools for record keeping ,development and usage of mobile apps etc.
4.Public Private Partnership to screen Lymphatic Filariasis patients and disability assessment
5.Advocacy needed for resource mobilization ,engagement of local and national stakeholders etc
6. Regular reviews and updates to review and overcome bottlenecks
7.Helplines and Information center establishment to improve LF patients’ access to support.
Content Editor: Dr. Sivanthiga
The Lancet Regional health
Source :
Published on :
May 29, 2024
Physical disability, Rehabilitation, Filariasis
Genetic clues: Research links specific viruses as risk factors for major psychiatric conditions
Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) were conducted to analyze HERV(Human Endogenous Retroviruses) expression, and RNA sequencing and genetic data from 792 post-mortem brain samples were utilized.
The major focus was on precise genomic locations of HERV expression.
The main findings of the study include:
1. 1238 HERVs were identified in Europeans, and 26 were associated with psychotic disorders.Of these, two signatures were specific to the risk of schizophrenia, one for major depressive illness and 2 for shared risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorders.
2. No significant HERV expression signatures were found for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or Autism Spectrum Disorder among Europeans.Overall, the study suggested the potential for further exploration of neurological HERV expression in understanding complex neuropsychiatric traits.
Click here to read more.
Content editor: Dr. Sakshi Aggarwal
Nature Communications
Source :
Published on :
May 29, 2024
Mental disorders, Retrovirus, Research Findings
Rise in mumps cases: Do we need to add MMR vaccine in the NIS?
Doctors have concluded that there is a resurgence of mumps in Tamil Nadu city as more youngsters visit clinics with symptoms such as fever, headaches, swollen jaws, and puffy cheeks.
Though seen as "self-limiting," it is forcing an increasing number of kids with severe consequences into hospitals.
Mumps cases have risen to at least 25 a month, according to a statement by a doctor from a government hospital.
Physicians have reported that they also observe long-term hearing loss, pancreatitis, and, in rare cases, pneumonia, as well as male testicular inflammation or orchitis (which raises the risk of infertility).
While the MR (measles and rubella) vaccine is currently administered, it is crucial that we take a proactive approach.
Doctors are pleading with the Union government to add the mumps immunization to the schedule and create the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.
This comprehensive vaccine is our best defense against these preventable diseases.
Content Editor: Dr. Sakshi Aggarwal
Social Trends
Source :
Published on :
May 29, 2024
Re-emerging infections, Mumps, Outbreak, Communicable diseases
FSSAI clears the air around Indian spices
Spice factories across India were inspected, and domestic products were tested following export recalls of MDH and Everest spices.
Authorities collected samples from both MDH and Everest manufacturing facilities to ensure the safety and quality of spices consumed in India.
These samples, 25 from MDH and nine from Everest underwent comprehensive testing across various parameters, such as potential contaminants like insect and rodent infestations, heavy metals, and harmful toxins like aflatoxins.
Additionally, moisture content, pesticide residues, and the presence of microbes were all scrutinized to guarantee the spices met safety standards.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) declared that samples of spices taken from MDH and Everest facilities across the nation contained no evidence of the carcinogen ethylene oxide (EtO).
According to the food regulator, no similar levels were discovered in 300 samples of other Indian spices taken from manufacturing facilities.
Content Editor: Dr. Sakshi Aggarwal
Social Trends
Source :
Published on :
May 29, 2024
Food safety, Food Standards, Carcinogens, Public Health
FSSAI to ensure the prohibition of calcium carbide in fruit ripening.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has alerted traders, fruit handlers, and Food Business Operators (FBOs) to strictly comply with the prohibition on calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits, focusing on its excessive use during the mango season.
FSSAI also advises the Food Safety Departments of States and UTs to take strict actions against person(s) indulging in such practices as per the provisions of FSSAI.
Due to the dangers, calcium carbide used for ripening fruits has been banned under the Regulation of the FSSAI.
The authority permits the use of ethylene gas as a safer alternative to Calcium carbide for fruit ripening.
The ethylene gas treatment of unripe fruits accelerates the natural ripening process until the fruit naturally starts producing ethylene in required quantities.
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Aiswarya
Press Information Bureau
Source :
Published on :
May 27, 2024
Artificial Fruit ripening, Natural ripening, harmful calcium carbide.
Mortality rates among hospitalized COVID-19 patients: Analysis of the pre-vaccine data
A study published on May 15, 2024, in Emerging Infectious Diseases, is based on 2,479,423 COVID cases from 21 jurisdictions reported to the CDC from May 1, 2020, to December 1, 2020.
They also analyzed 4,708,444 cases from 22 jurisdictions for a death dataset during the same time frame.
The case hospitalization dataset covers 25.5% of the US population, and the case-fatality dataset covers 43.7% of the US population.
Overall case-hospitalization rate among patients was 5.7% and the rate by sex for males was 6.2% and 5.2% for females.
It was lowest for children aged 5-14 years and highest for 75 years and older.
In the death dataset, overall case fatality was 1.7%.
Higher rates were seen in infants, lowest in children of 5-14 years of age and it increased steadily with age.
The fatality rate was 0.6% in non-hospitalized patients, 17.6% among hospitalized and 44.2% in patients admitted to ICU.
The study reiterates the findings of previous studies that have shown a 50% mortality among patients admitted to the ICU during the pandemic.
Content Editor: Dr. Soundhar
Centre for Infectious Disease Research Research and Policy
Source :
Published on :
May 27, 2024
COVID-19, International health, Mortality rates
Indoor air pollution - A study on NO2 emissions from gas stove
The study found that Americans living with gas stoves are exposed to NO2 at higher levels than the World Health Organization and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deem safe.
Compared to the national average, NO2 exposure from gas stoves is 60% higher in American Indian and Alaska Native households.
It found that 50,000 current cases of childhood asthma were traced to NO2 exposure from gas stoves.
And when other pollutants from gas stoves, such as carbon monoxide are factored in, the impact may go up to 200,000 cases.
Researchers also noted that NO2 exposure is also linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, preterm birth, and diabetes.
People living in small homes (less than 800 sq. Feet) face quadruple the long-term NO2 exposure than people living in large homes(more than 3,000 sq. Feet)
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Soundhar
Harvard School of public health
Source :
Published on :
May 27, 2024
International health, Health research, pollution
Do heart failure patients benefit from COVID-19 vaccination: Findings from a South Korean study
A comprehensive study conducted on heart failure patients in South Korea has revealed that COVID-19 vaccination has had a significant impact in reducing the risk of mortality, hospitalization, and various cardiovascular complications.
The study, involving 651,127 patients from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, found that vaccinated patients had an advantage as follows:
82% lower risk of death
47% lower risk of heart failure hospitalization
13% reduced risk of COVID-19 infection over six months
Furthermore, the research also indicated a diminished risk of stroke, heart attack, and blood clots.
This is the first major study on vaccine effectiveness in heart failure patients and suggests strong benefits for vaccination.
Nevertheless, the researchers caution that the findings may not be universally applicable to all heart failure patients, and individuals with unstable conditions are advised to consult with their healthcare provider to thoroughly evaluate the associated risks and benefits.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. Chinmay
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
Source :
Published on :
May 27, 2024
COVID-19, Vaccination, international health news
Impact of adulterants on cooking oils
A few of the most common adulterants of cooking oils include:
3-MCPD (3-monochloropropanediol esters) is formed >140^oC in the presence of chloride ions and is known to have a possible effect on kidney & male fertility.
GE (Glycidyl Esters) is formed rapidly >220^oC at a long retention time and is genotoxic and carcinogenic and a main for pre-cursor Diacylglycerides (DAG).
Trans Fatty Acid is formed rapidly > 240^oC at long retention in deodorizer during processing and selective Hydrogenation.
This is the main precursor of unsaturated Fatty Acid and a leading cause of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).
These also lead to a rise in trans fat and saturated fat levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reduced trans fatty acid levels in oils and fats to 3% and 2% by 2022, respectively.
Hydrolyzed vegetable proteins (HVP) contain dietary contaminants, including GEs and 3-MCPDs.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) states that these contaminants are mainly found in bread, margarine, preserved meats, and vegetable oil.
The EFSA sets the tolerable daily intake for 3-MCPDs at 0.002 ppm/kg body weight.
However, the FSSAI lists laws for "standards and additives" and "contaminants, toxins, and residues" in a categorical manner, yet it omits to mention GE & 3-MPCD levels.
It has developed procedures for determining the adulterants at par in a lab setting.
Newer guidelines and regulations are necessary for food control systems, continuous improvement, and assessment, which lead to accountability and complementary benefits.
These are based on current trends and recommendations from the Food & Agriculture Association (FAO/WHO) and meetings held at the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Besides this, PepsiCo India said recently that it will be testing an oil blend to replace palm and palm olein oil in Lay's chips.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. Shubham
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
Source :
Published on :
May 27, 2024
Food Adulteration, Public Health Laws and Regulations
Baby blues a reality for 85% mothers but societal stigma still remains
Baby blues encompassing depression, anxiety, and long periods of crying is experienced by nearly 85% of women either during or after pregnancy.
But despite prevalence in a majority this aspect of maternal health is wrought with taboos and stigma worldwide.
These misconceptions result in misplaced guilt and fear to seek help among women.
These obstacles to maternal mental health must be identified early and tackled promptly to safeguard healthy development and wellbeing of mother and child.
The US FDA recently approved Zuranolone, a fast acting antidepressant making it the second approved pharmacotherapy for postpartum depression.
Further research is direly needed to evaluate efficacy of existing and exploration of new treatment options.
Raising awareness, conducting screening to identify perinatal depression and designing effective preventive interventions is the need of the hour.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. KH Reddy
Editorial, The Lancet Regional Health
Source :
Published on :
May 25, 2024
Mental health, Research findings, perinatal health, MCH, maternal mortality
Recent trial finds Metformin beneficial as a cancer-preventive agent
A case-control research was undertaken to explore benefits of metformin use for MPN, using population registries of Denmark.
People diagnosed with MPN between 2010-2018, were taken as cases and controls were selected from the Danish general population matched for age and sex.
Metformin use data was secured from the country’s National registry of prescriptions.
History of Metformin use in Cases before their diagnosis of MPN was determined and compared with the age-sex matched control group to estimate adjusted odds ratio to check association between metformin use and MPN.
The study concluded that odds of MPN was significantly lower in those with a history of metformin use. [OR: 0.84 (0.73-0.96)]
Furthermore, the strength of association displayed a significant dose-response relationship with rising treatment durations and these results were consistent in both sexes and all age groups.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. KH Reddy
Blood Advances journal, American Society of Hematology Publications
Source :
Published on :
May 25, 2024
Research findings, Oncology, non-communicable diseases, clinical trial
Study says Measles vaccine less effective in kids born via C- section
According to the study, measles vaccination had 2.6 (1.06- 6.37) times higher odds of being ineffective in kids born by C-section compared to those born naturally.
The study was conducted by modeling the antibody levels of 1505 individuals.
The reason for this as explained by the researchers from the University of Cambridge UK and Fudan University, China could be due to development of gut microbiome as a result of which the child's immune system doesn't produce antibodies to fight against the measles infection. Studies say that natural birth transfers a greater variety of microbes from mother to baby.
Furthermore the researchers have however found that the second dose of measles vaccine induced a robust immunity in such kids.
Kids these days are more prone to this as a fact that many women are preferring to undergo C-section for childbirth instead of natural birth, it takes longer to catch up in developing their gut microbiome and with it the ability of the immune system to be primed by vaccines against disease including measles.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. Aiswarya
Nature Microbiology
Source :
Published on :
May 25, 2024
Measles, Vaccination, Immune response, Research Findings
Hepatitis E outbreak in Chad, reports say 2092 suspected cases, including seven deaths
Two health districts in Ouaddai province, Adre and Hadjer-Hadid, reported a total of 2092 suspected cases, including seven deaths, between January 2 and April 28.
Ninety-five percent of these came from seven camps and transit locations for refugees.
There were 27 pregnant women among the suspected cases, and the age categories most afflicted were 18–59 (representing 23.9%) and 6–17 (53.2%).
Hepatitis-E cases have been documented from camps in the Ouaddai district of eastern Chad that house Sudanese refugees and returnees from Chad.
In the impacted districts, response efforts are underway with assistance from UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, MSF Spain, MSF Switzerland, and WHO.
The activities include epidemiological surveillance, laboratory confirmation of cases, Infection prevention and control, Water, sanitation and hygiene(WASH), risk communication and community engagement (RCCE).
MSF Switzerland and WHO have educated community health professionals to assist with response efforts.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. Soundhar
WHO International news section
Source :
Published on :
May 25, 2024
Disease Outbreak, International Health
Childhood lung function trajectories may be beneficial for predicting adult cardiovascular diseases
The study was done to test the hypothesis that subnormal lung function trajectories from childhood to adulthood are associated with indicators of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
The researchers utilized data-driven methods for determining lung function trajectories from childhood to early adulthood.
They also utilized ECG and carotid artery scan data as predictors of cardiovascular risk and function.
The participant data used for the study were from 3 independent UK birth cohorts [ 4874 from ALSPAC, 809 from IOW, & 801 from MAAS]
The results demonstrated a significant association between diminished lung function trajectories and the propensity of cardiovascular morbidities.
The study highlights the importance of measuring lung function from an early age to improve health outcomes in adulthood.
Click here to read more
Content Editor: Dr. KH Reddy
Thorax, BMJ Journals
Source :
Published on :
May 25, 2024
Research Findings, Preventive Medicine, Non Communicable Diseases, Public Health
Importance of self-management among people living with HIV
A study by Dadi et al. aimed to understand the perspectives of service providers and experts on the importance of self-management for People Living With HIV (PLWH).
It was a qualitative study involving systematic expert interviews with experts and service providers.
The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and translated into English.
A thematic analysis was subsequently done using the Atlas TI version 9 software.
The themes were divided into 2 broad dimensions: contextual and process.
The problems identified under the contextual dimension were further sub-divided into:
Disease-specific
Facility related
Social environment related.
The problems identified under the process/individual dimension included:
Ignorance
Low self-esteem
Lack of social support
The study shows that there is a need to integrate self-management practices into standard management practices, especially for chronic diseases such as AIDS that have a long natural history and a lot of stigma and unawareness associated with them.
Click here to read more.
Content Editor: Dr. Tanya Tanu
BioMed Central
Source :
Published on :
May 22, 2024
Self-Management, Chronic Diseases, Non-Communicable Diseases, HIV
International Nurses Day celebration by the Military Nursing Service
International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 11 each year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.
It was celebrated by the Military Nursing Service at Ayurvigyan Auditorium, Army Hospital (R & R), Delhi on May 11, 2024.
The chief guest was Maj Gen Kanwarjit Singh, Offg. Commandant Army Hospital (R&R).
The International Council of Nurses has declared the theme for this year as ‘Our Nurses, Our Future, The Economic Power of Care’
The celebrations included a debate on ‘Artificial Intelligence in Nursing: Boon or Bane’ and a panel discussion was also conducted on this year’s theme.
The panel discussion was centered on, but not restricted to the following:
The challenges faced by nursing professionals
The approaches to empowering nurses
Digitalization in healthcare
Nurse burnouts
The work done by the nursing fraternity with passion was commemorated and appreciation certificates were also handed over to nursing officers for their work.
Content Editor: Dr. Prachi
Press Information Bureau
Source :
Published on :
May 22, 2024
Nursing, Internation days, International Health
Current status of the treatment cascade of hypertension in India
The “treatment cascade” of hypertension is an important tool to understand and assess the performance of health systems in delivering health care to patients with hypertension.
The various stages of the hypertension treatment cascade include
The proportion of people screened for hypertension
The proportion of people aware of their diagnosis
The proportion of people on appropriate treatment
The proportion of people with their blood pressure under control
Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 survey of 1,267,786 people, which included males 15-54 years and females in the reproductive age group females was analyzed to identify the proportion of people at each stage of the treatment cascade.
The national prevalence of hypertension was found to be 18.3%, among which men had a higher prevalence at 21.6% as compared to women at 14.8%.
Though 70.5% of hypertensives had been screened at least once, only 34.3% were aware of their hypertensive status.
The proportion of hypertensives under treatment was abnormally low at 13.7%, out of which only 7.8% had their BP under control.
Multinomial logistic regression found males, illiterates, poor, never married, residents of rural areas, smokers/tobacco users, and alcoholic users were less likely to be at any level in the treatment cascade.
Hence there is a need to make hypertension diagnosis and treatment more accessible, especially to the vulnerable groups.
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Content Editor: Dr. Prachi
The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia
Source :
Published on :
May 22, 2024
Noncommunicable disease, Hypertension, NFHS
Undernourishment and the risk of TB among exposed household contacts
A multicentric cohort study was conducted, based on the body mass index (BMI) of household contacts (HHCs) of people with TB diagnosed within 2 months of the study date.
The study had 857 HHCs, 239 (27.9%) of whom were underweight according to their BMI.
Out of the 18 new TB cases that developed during follow-up, 10 cases were underweight, and all 4 participants who developed early TB disease were severely malnourished.
The study found a hazard ratio of 3.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.25 to 8.02) for TB disease in undernourished household contacts.
The study concluded that undernourished individuals are at heightened risk of progression, not infection.
In addition to TB preventive therapy, the study highlights the significance of TB programs in preventing tuberculosis (TB) among household contacts by providing sufficient rations for the entire household.
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Content Editor: Dr. Prachi
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
Source :
Published on :
May 22, 2024
Tuberculosis, Nutrition, TB Prevention
Rise of FLiRT variants of COVID-19 in the United States
KP.2 belongs to the variant type known as “FLiRT,” which has been derived from the JN.1 variant.
FLiRT is the term used for a family of different variants that have picked up the same set of mutations.
FLiRT’s or FLiPs refer to the position of spike protein, which in this case is 456, 346, and 572.
Two of these mutations, 456 and 346, act by eliminating binding sites for antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2.
However, in addition to evading antibodies, it has lost some ability to bind to receptors and enter the cells.
The difference is just one or two amino acids, so there are still a lot of other places where antibodies can bind.
Fortunately, the JN.1 infection does provide strong protection against all FLiRT variants.
After years of vaccination and infection, most people can fight off an infection without much concern.
The period of infectiousness remains the same as in JN.1 and previous Omicron variants.
It is contagious 1-2 days before developing and a few days after symptoms subside.
It is recommended to test oneself if one is feeling sick, which will help in early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Since this variation has the potential to have a severe impact on the susceptible population, extreme caution should be exercised.
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Content Editor: Dr. Soundhar
John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health
Source :
Published on :
May 22, 2024
International health, COVID-19, Infectious disease.
Prevalence of STDs: Insights from a retrospective analysis
A study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of STIs among attendees at the Suraksha Clinic in the Apex Regional STD Center in New Delhi.
Suraksha Clinic is a chain of STI clinics established by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) to provide enhanced sexual health services and prevent HIV/AIDS in India.
Retrospective data from January 2018 to December 2022 was statistically analyzed using Excel and SPSS.
Out of 12,978 people, 58.92% were males and 40.94% were females.
The outcomes showed a significant burden of STIs as follows:
26.24% for candidiasis
11.78% for chlamydiasis
11.64% for herpes genitalis
9.97% for bacterial vaginosis
7.80% for chancroid
3.36% positive for gonorrhea
3.06% for syphilis
1.74% testing positive for HIV
1.05% for trichomoniasis
4.01% for other non-STIs
Researchers concluded that syndromic diagnoses, including vaginal/cervical discharge (21.22 %) and genital warts (8.00 %), highlight prevalent conditions, necessitating routine screening, early detection, and targeted interventions.
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Content Editor: Dr. Anamika
Brazilian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Source :
Published on :
May 21, 2024
Sexually Transmitted Infections, Communicable diseases, HIV