Many countries have made significant progress in the implementation of World Health Organization recommended preventive chemotherapy strategy, to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF). However, pertinent challenges such as the existence of areas of residual infections in disease endemic districts pose... potential threats to the achievements made. Thus, this study was undertaken to assess the importance of these areas in implementation units (districts) where microfilaria (MF) positive individuals could not be found during the mid-term assessment after three rounds of mass drug administration.
more
The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination in India (2023-2027) focuses on achieving malaria elimination by 2030, in alignment with the Global Technical Strategy. The document outlines the strategies, targets, and goals for malaria elimination, aiming for zero indigenous malaria cases by 20...27. It emphasizes district-based planning, robust surveillance systems, and enhancing case management and vector control. The plan stresses the importance of universal access to treatment, prevention, and data-driven decision-making. Furthermore, it encourages innovation and research in malaria elimination efforts, fostering multisectoral coordination and community engagement.
more
Taenia saginata is a zoonotic tapeworm that is of economic importance in countries where cattle are kept. The parasite is transmitted from human tapeworm carriers (taeniosis) to bovines (cysticercosis) by excretion of eggs or proglottids containing eggs into the environment via the stool. Bovines ca...n then ingest the eggs through contaminated feed or water. After ingestion, the eggs hatch and release oncospheres in the small intestines, where the oncospheres penetrate the intestinal wall to reach the blood circulation. This distributes them throughout the body, but primarily to muscle tissue, where they develop into cysticerci. For humans to become infected with T. saginata, raw or undercooked bovine meat or offal containing infective cysts must be consumed. Bovine cysticercosis has been associated with various environmental factors related to water sources, such as animals having access to surface water, flooding of pastures and proximity to wastewater sources.
more
The major neglected tropical diseases, Taenia solium taeniosis/cysticercosis and schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni or S. haematobium are presumed to be widely distributed in Africa. Taenia solium taeniosis/ cysticercosis has been reported as an emerging disease in different regions of Af...rica [1, 2], but currently the exact distribution remains unclear. Reported prevalences of T. solium taeniosis and cysticercosis in African countries are not extensive and are further complicated by the lack of ‘gold standard’ tests for diagnosis.
more
Background: The human helminth infections include ascariasis, trichuriasis, hookworm infections, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis. It is estimated that almost 2 billion people worldwide are infected with helminths. Whilst the WHO treatment guidelines for helminth infecti...ons are mostly aimed at controlling morbidity, there has been a recent shift with some countries moving towards goals of disease elimination through mass drug administration, especially for LF and onchocerciasis. However, as prevalence is driven lower, treating entire populations may no longer be the most efficient or cost-effective strategy. Instead, it may be beneficial to identify individuals or demographic groups who are persistently infected, often termed as being “predisposed” to infection, and target treatment at them.
Methods: The authors searched Embase, MEDLINE, Global Health, and Web of Science for all English language, humanbased papers investigating predisposition to helminth infections published up to October 31st, 2017. The varying definitions used to describe predisposition, and the statistical tests used to determine its presence, are summarised. Evidence for predisposition is presented, stratified by helminth species, and risk factors for predisposition to infection are identified and discussed.
Results: In total, 43 papers were identified, summarising results from 34 different studies in 23 countries. Consistent evidence of predisposition to infection with certain species of human helminth was identified. Children were regularly found to experience greater predisposition to Ascaris lumbricoides, Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium than adults. Females were found to be more predisposed to A. lumbricoides infection than were males. Household clustering of infection was identified for A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and S. japonicum. Ascaris lumbricoides and T. trichiura also showed evidence of familial predisposition. Whilst strong evidence for predisposition to hookworm infection was identified, findings with regards to which groups were affected were considerably more varied than for other helminth species.
Conclusion: This review has found consistent evidence of predisposition to heavy (and light) infection for certain human helminth species. However, further research is needed to identify reasons for the reported differences between demographic groups. Molecular epidemiological methods associated with whole genome sequencing to determine ‘who infects whom’ may shed more light on the factors generating predisposition.
more
SOP- Quality Assurance of Malaria Diagnostic Tests
Research Article
Journal of Addiction
Volume 2016, Article ID 2476164, 8 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2476164
Sudan Medical and Scientific Research Institute, Khartoum, Sudan
Received 26 November 2015; Accepted 27 January 2016
DHS Working Papers No. 110 | Zimbabwe Working Papers No. 11
Using Epidemiology to Support Primary Health Care. Updated version of the WHO handbook published in the early 1990's entitled: Manual of Epidemiology for District Health Management or those with an interest in applied epidemiology in primary health care and district health systems
Maternal Child Nutrition. 2017;e12478
This paper analyzes individual level and household level determinants of anemia among children and women in Nepal and Pakistan. Applying multivariate modified Poisson models to recent national survey data, we find that the prevalence of anemia was significa...ntly higher among women from the poorest households in Pakistan (adjusted prevalence ratio [95% CI]: 1.10 [1.04–1.17]), women lacking sanitation facilities in Nepal (1.22 [1.12–1.33]), and among undernourished women (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) in both countries (Nepal: 1.10 [1.00–1.21] and Pakistan: 1.07 [1.02–1.13]). Similarly, children in both countries were more likely to be anemic if stunted (Nepal: 1.19 [1.09–1.30] and Pakistan: 1.10 [1.07–1.14]) and having an anemic mother (Nepal: 1.31 [1.20–1.42] and Pakistan: 1.21 [1.17–1.26]).
https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12478
more
L’ampleur de la résistance aux insecticides chez les vecteurs du paludisme met en péril l’efficacité des programmes de lutte anti-vectorielle. Si cette résistance n’est pas atténuée, le taux de morbidité palustre va s’accroître, entraînant une hausse significative des coûts liés ... la prévention de la maladie. Ce nouveau cadre est un guide pour l’élaboration d’un plan national de suivi et de gestion de la résistance aux insecticides chez les vecteurs du paludisme, lequel doit considéré comme partie intégrante du plan stratégique national de lutte contre le paludisme.
more
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease with a wide variety of parasite species, reservoirs, and vectors involved in transmission. It is caused by different species of the protozoa Leishmania and is transmitted to animals and humans through a bite of insects in the Psychodidae family. Its presence i...s directly linked to poverty, but social, environmental, and climatalogic factors directly influence the disease's epidemiology.
more
This technical report presents the epidemiology of human and animal leishmaniases in the EU and its neighbouring countries and concludes that the disease remains widespread and underreported in many countries of southern Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East and that there is a need to improv...e leishmaniasis prevention and control based on robust surveillance in humans, animals, and vectors, and to increase public awareness following a one health approach.
more
The document explains why vector control is important in national programmes and describes the preparation of a tailor-made vector control plan for national programmes. It outlines entomological procedures for regular and specific vector control and how data should be analysed for better overall und...erstanding of filarial transmission and vectors. The document will also be useful for teaching personnel in lymphatic filariasis programmes about the use and value
of entomological procedures in overall epidemiological appraisal in the context of
elimination
more