Matched Unrelated Donor (MUD) transplant- A Beacon of Hope Matched Unrelated Donor (MUD) transplant- A Beacon of Hope Content Editor: Dr. Kishore January 26, 2024 Press Information Bureau Medical Intervention, Transplant A 7-year-old male child who suffered from Primary Combined Immunodeficiency (PID) caused by a mutation in the ARPC1b gene was treated using an extraordinary novel technique. A gene that is a key component of the cytoskeleton is necessary for the formation of immune synapses, endocytosis, and phagocytosis of Ag-presenting cells. This type of immunodeficiency is usually diagnosed by genomic sequencing and treated with a hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) from an HLA-matched healthy sibling . One of the greatest achievements of the Dept. of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation at Army Hospital R&R was the first successful orchestration of a bone marrow transplant from a Matched Unrelated Donor (MUD). Bone marrow harvested from a voluntary, unrelated donor from DATRI was infused into the patient’s bloodstream after destroying his defective cells with high-dose chemotherapy. Click here to read more

Highly pathogenic avian flu finds its course to Antarctica Highly pathogenic avian flu finds its course to Antarctica Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav Mondal October 30, 2023 Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Influenza, International health The British Antarctic Survey released the results of the tests on October 23, 2023. This survey maintains two research stations in South Georgia, including one on Bird Island. It is unclear how the virus will affect the South Georgia fauna. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued a report in August 2023 warning about the potential of H5N1 avian flu spreading to Antarctica's wildlife populations. WOAH and the FAO predicted that it would travel south to Antarctica with the migration of birds from South America, where it was detected in October 2022 . The groups cautioned that the impact on animals in the region might be enormous due to: Their vulnerability to the virus Their habit of living in dense colonies

Case of re-emerging illness, Murine Typhus, reported in Kerala Case of re-emerging illness, Murine Typhus, reported in Kerala Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala October 17, 2024 Directorate of Health Services, Kerala; Centre for Disease Control Infectious Disease, Re-emerging illness, Murine Typhus On 11th October 2024, the Kerala State Surveillance Unit, Directorate of Health Services, reported one case of Murine Typhus in Thiruvananthapuram district. A 75-year-old resident of Kerala, who had returned from Vietnam and Cambodia, fell ill on 8th September. After several tests and consideration of the travel history, the patient was diagnosed with Murine Typhus. The bacteria, Rickettsia typh i, causes illness in rats, cats, or opossums. The vector, the Oriental rat flea , can infect humans or animals through a bite that creates a wound. When flea dirt (flea feces containing the bacteria) is rubbed into the wound, it leads to infection. Symptoms include fever, chills, rash, and headache . While it can cause severe illness, the case fatality rate is less than 1%. Treatment with doxycycline aids recovery from the illness. Kerala has been reporting cases of scrub typhus, but this was the first case of Murine Typhus. Although the risk of spreading the illness is low , as it is not transmitted from human to human , preventive measures are recommended. They include keeping rodents away from homes and workplaces by maintaining safe, clean, and hygienic practices, and protecting oneself from flea bites. Click here to read more