17 February 2021
This article is part of a series of explainers on vaccine development and distribution. Learn more about vaccines – from how they work and how they’re made to ensuring safety and equitable access – in WHO’s Vaccines Explained series.
There has been a global outbreak of mpox since 2022; this outbreak has been caused by the strain of mpox virus called Clade 2 and has affected around 116 countries worldwide. The current surge in cases is being driven by the rapid spread of a different strain – Clade 1b – which is predominantly ...affecting countries across the African region, particularly DRC, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda [1]. The guidance in this document applies to both Clades of mpox. WHO publishes a dashboard of updated cases globally here. Different Clades and Sub-Clades of mpox behave slightly differently to each other; WHO is monitoring for any significant differences between the Clades, including transmission routes. This guidance will be updated as more information becomes available on this issue.
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Rabies remains an under-reported neglected zoonosis with a case-fatality rate of almost 100% in humans and animals. Dog-mediated human rabies causes tens of thousands of human deaths annually despite being 100% preventable. More than 95% of human cases are caused by the bite of a rabies-infected dog.... Dog-mediated human rabies disproportionately affects rural communities, particularly children, and economically disadvantaged areas of Africa and Asia, where awareness of the disease and access to appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can be limited or nonexistent.
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Heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a condition frequently encountered by healthcare professionals and, in order to achieve the best outcomes for patients, needs to be managed optimally. This guideline document is based on the European Society of Cardiology Guidelines for the t...reatment of acute and chronic heart failure published in 2016, and summarises what is considered the best current management of patients with the condition. It provides information on the definition, diagnosis and epidemiology of HFrEF in the African context. The best evidence-based treatments for HFrEF are discussed, including established therapies (beta-blockers, ACE-i/ARBs, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), diuretics) that form the cornerstone of heart failure management as well as therapies that have only recently entered clinical use (angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), sodium/glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors). Guidance is offered in terms of more invasive therapies (revascularisation, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) by implantation of a biventricular pacemaker with (CRT-D) or without (CRT-P) an ICD, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) use and heart transplantation) in order to ensure efficient use of these expensive treatment modalities in a resourcelimited environment. Furthermore, additional therapies (digoxin, hydralazine and nitrates, ivabradine, iron supplementation) are discussed and advice is provided on general preventive strategies (vaccinations). Sections to discuss conditions that are particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (HIV-associated cardiomyopathy (CMO), peripartum CMO, rheumatic heart disease, atrial fibrillation) have been added to further improve clinical care for these commonly encountered disease processes.
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The Knowledge Translation Unit is a group within the University of Cape Town’s Lung Institute and Department of Medicine who has worked on primary care programmes to strengthen provision of evidence-informed care in low-resources settings in South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Brazil for two decad...es. See here for more information. We are working around the clock to help health workers in these and similar settings to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. These can be accessed below. We are also working to expand these to support primary healthcare workers, patients and households. You can also access our free online training.
For purposes of assisting communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are making our COVID-19 and related materials freely available for others to use subject to some simple conditions.
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Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides a vast amount of information and the highest possible resolution for pathogen subtyping. The application of WGS for global surveillance can provide information on the early emergence and spread of AMR and further inform timely policy development on AMR control.... Sequencing data emanating from AMR surveillance may provide key information to guide the development of rapid diagnostic tools for better and more rapid characterization of AMR, and thus complement phenotypic methods. This document addresses the applications of WGS for AMR surveillance, including the benefits and limitations of current WGS technologies
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31 March 2021
This article is part of a series of explainers on vaccine development and distribution. Learn more about vaccines – from how they work and how they’re made to ensuring safety and equitable access – in WHO’s Vaccines Explained series.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe, and getting v...accinated will help protect you against developing severe COVID-19 disease and dying from COVID-19. You may experience some mild side effects after getting vaccinated, which are signs that your body is building protection.
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The COPD Foundation's website provides a range of educational resources and downloadable materials aimed at helping patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals learn more about COPD, including information on prevention, treatment, and disease management.
This manual provides a framework for morbidity management and disability prevention of patients affected by NIDs and gives specific guidance for the proper care of patients suffering from chronic conditions caused by lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, trachoma, and Chagas disease. It is intended to be u...sed mainly by health care workers at the primary health care level, but health workers at more complex and specialized levels may also find it useful.
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Human scabies is a parasitic infestation caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis. The microscopic mite burrows into the skin and lays eggs, eventually triggering a host immune response that leads to intense itching and rash. Scabies infestation may be complicated by bacterial infection, leading to t...he development of skin sores that, in turn, may lead to the development of more serious consequences such as septicaemia, heart disease and chronic kidney disease. In 2017, scabies and other ectoparasites were included as Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), in response to requests from Member States and the recommendations of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for NTDs.
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The Americas region hosts more than 18.4 million refugees, asylum-seekers, displaced and stateless people, representing some 20 per cent of persons of concern to UNHCR worldwide. During the last two years, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on refugees and ...migrants in host communities, including loss of livelihoods opportunities, an increase in evictions, engagement in negative coping mechanisms, discrimination and xenophobia. Further compounded by limited access to regularization and documentation in some countries, these impacts have contributed to onward movements of people in search of protection and/or better opportunities elsewhere.
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WASH in schools during a cholera response is important due to the strong correlation between WASH and IPC. Not only can it impact the health and well-being of students and staff but also facilitate the potential spread of the disease via the congregation of children and adults from multiple househol...ds. Hygiene can often be more difficult to control with young children and therefore efforts to put in place systems to encourage good practices are essential.
To prevent the spread of cholera in schools, it is important to have clean and safe water sources, proper sanitation facilities, and good hygiene practices in place. This includes providing clean drinking water, hand-washing stations with soap, and education on hygiene and sanitation practices and implement Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) including dissemination of Information, Education and Communication materials (IEC).
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COVID-19 is a serious disease and all people living with HIV should take all recommended preventive measures to minimize exposure to, and prevent infection by, the virus that causes COVID-19. As in the general population, older people living with HIV or people living with HIV with heart or lung prob...lems may be at a higher risk of becoming infected with the virus and of suffering more serious symptoms.
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t aims to enable participants to:
know more about children’s reactions to distress
know what psychological first aid for children is and what it is not
understand the three action principles of ‘Look, Listen and Link’ in relation to children
have practised providing PFA t...o a child and caregiver in distress
have considered complex reactions and situations
be aware of the importance of self-care when helping others.
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The ANA (American Nurses Association) is a internet platform, where you can find important resources about nursing care, work environment, advocacy, scope of practice and much more. ANA believes that every nurse should be supported to be at their best health, as role models, advocates, and educators... for our nation.
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Briefing Note 8.
Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is a strategy for adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change by harnessing nature and the services it can provide. This strategy is crucial for cities and peri-urban areas, threatened by a multitude of climate hazards and home to more than ha...lf the human population as of 2018. Despite some outmigration from the largest cities during the COVID-19 pandemic, urbanization will continue, and by 2035, 62.5 percent of the world’s population is expected to reside in urban areas. However, given the need to retrofit, replace and upgrade deteriorating urban infrastructure, and to meet the challenges of climate change, including the urban heat island effect, droughts and more intense flooding, many experts and policymakers see in these demands an opportunity to reinvent cities as greener, less prone to pandemics, and more liveable.
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Afghanistan has one of the largest populations per capita of persons with disabilities in the world. At least one in five Afghan households includes an adult or child with a serious physical, sensory, intellectual, or psychosocial disability. More than 40 years of war have left more than one million... Afghans with amputated limbs and other mobility, visual, or hearing disabilities. Many Afghans have psychosocial disabilities (mental health conditions) such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, which are often a direct result of the protracted conflict. Other Afghans have pre-existing disabilities not directly related to the conflict, such as those caused by polio.
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WHO has issued a new recommendation on the length of bladder catheterization following surgical repair of a simple obstetric urinary fistula. Currently the length of catheterization is not standard and ranges from 5 to 42 days. The new guidance recommends a 7–10 day period of bladder catheterizati...on to allow complete healing. Longer periods of catheterization can be inconvenient for the woman, her family and care providers as it is associated with more discomfort and inconvenience. It also increases the risk of infection and erosion related to catheterization; requires more intensive nursing care and costs more per patient.
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The CDC Self-Study Modules on Tuberculosis are a series of nine educational modules divided into two courses. The first course (Modules 1–5) provides fundamental information about tuberculosis, while the second course (Modules 6–9) offers more specific program-related details. These modules are ...designed for healthcare providers and other professionals who want to expand their knowledge of tuberculosis through self-study.
The modules cover topics such as transmission, pathogenesis, epidemiology, targeted testing, diagnosis, treatment, infection control, patient management, patient rights, contact investigations, and outbreak response. Some modules also offer the opportunity to earn continuing education credits.
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Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease with a broad global distribution and an increasing number of recorded cases worldwide. However, it is still one of the world's most neglected diseases. Over the last decades, the disease has been found to expand geographically with a global increase of cases o...f visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis increasing the public health problems associated with the disease epidemics. The reported range expansion of the diseases has been associated with range expansions of vector populations in response to climate change. Leishmaniasis is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. The transmission can either be zoonotic and/or anthroponotic through the bite of an infected female phlebotomine sandfly. In Eurasia and Africa, all vector-competent sandfly species belong to the genus Phlebotomus. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis. In the ‘old world’, it is caused by five currently recognized Leishmania species: L. major, L. tropica and L. aethiopica (being main causative parasites) as well as L. infantum and L. donovani. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), another common and more severe form of leishmaniasis, is only associated with the Leishmania species L. infantum and L. donovani. The specific Leishmania species cause different clinical symptoms in humans.
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