scholarly journals Seroprevalence of ToRCH Pathogens in Southeast Asia

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 574
Author(s):  
Franziska E. Fuchs ◽  
Maude Pauly ◽  
Antony P. Black ◽  
Judith M. Hübschen
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Seroprevalence Data ◽  
Newborn Child ◽  
Torch Infections

ToRCH is the acronym for several pathogens associated with pregnancy complications and sequelae in the unborn or newborn child. Particularly primary infections during pregnancy are associated with increased risk. Seroprevalence data of ToRCH infections are important, especially in countries with weak disease surveillance systems, to estimate immunity and vaccination levels, as well as exposure rates and thus the risk of infection during pregnancy. A systematic literature search spanning a 30-year time period was conducted to identify serosurveys on ToRCH pathogens in Southeast Asia. The 96 identified studies showed that some pathogens were well studied, while only limited data were available for others. Studies from the better-developed countries of the region were more abundant. Moreover, seroprevalence data were often limited to a certain geographical region within the country or to certain cohorts, there was an evident lack of recent serosurveys, and the study quality was often not adequate. Well-designed and area-wide serosurveys of ToRCH pathogens are clearly warranted. If combined with risk factor analysis, these studies may guide the development and implementation of effective measures for infection prevention, especially during pregnancy. In addition, educational programs for health care workers and for pregnant women during antenatal care are urgently needed.

scholarly journals Global Impact and Implications of Covid-19: Call for Multi-Dimensional Perspectives towards Sustainable Solutions

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teddie O. Rahube
Keyword(s):  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Late Response ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sustainable Solutions

The COVID-19 pandemic poses an enormous challenge, and it is evidently presenting itself as one of the greatest threats to humanity. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global health impact and implications of COVID-19 relative to other recent viral disease outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with the aim to propose the implementation of sustainable solutions. The magnitude of COVID-19 deaths is incomparable to other coronaviruses (CoVs) disease outbreaks experienced in recent history. The high number of deaths observed in developed countries compared to developing countries may have been triggered by the late response/preparedness to the pandemic rather than by the socio-economic statuses. CoVs will remain a serious health threat to humanity due to absence of vaccines and anti-viral treatments. The absence of specific treatment regimens also lead to heavy reliance on chemical disinfectants and could significantly contribute to the rise in AMR, further raising some important questions surrounding hygiene, microbes, ecosystem health and human diseases. The CEASE approach, comprising of five key elements; Communication, Education, Advocacy, Socialization, and Experimentation is proposed for implementation at a global level. CEASE approach is critical especially for African countries and can be used to further explore opportunities that can lead to improvements in sanitation, access to clean water, health care, education and infectious disease surveillance systems.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of a Mobile-Based Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance System (FluMob) Among Health Care Workers: Longitudinal Study

10.2196/19712 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e19712
Author(s):  
May Oo Lwin ◽  
Jiahui Lu ◽  
Anita Sheldenkar ◽  
Chitra Panchapakesan ◽  
Yi-Roe Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Influenza Like Illness ◽  
Care Workers

Background Existing studies have suggested that internet-based participatory surveillance systems are a valid sentinel for influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance. However, there is limited scientific knowledge on the effectiveness of mobile-based ILI surveillance systems. Previous studies also adopted a passive surveillance approach and have not fully investigated the effectiveness of the systems and their determinants. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of a mobile-based surveillance system of ILI, termed FluMob, among health care workers using a targeted surveillance approach. Specifically, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the system for ILI surveillance pertaining to its participation engagement and surveillance power. In addition, we aimed to identify the factors that can moderate the effectiveness of the system. Methods The FluMob system was launched in two large hospitals in Singapore from April 2016 to March 2018. A total of 690 clinical and nonclinical hospital staff participated in the study for 18 months and were prompted via app notifications to submit a survey listing 18 acute respiratory symptoms (eg, fever, cough, sore throat) on a weekly basis. There was a period of study disruption due to maintenance of the system and the end of the participation incentive between May and July of 2017. Results On average, the individual submission rate was 41.4% (SD 24.3%), with a rate of 51.8% (SD 26.4%) before the study disruption and of 21.5% (SD 30.6%) after the disruption. Multivariable regression analysis showed that the adjusted individual submission rates were higher for participants who were older (<30 years, 31.4% vs 31-40 years, 40.2% [P<.001]; 41-50 years, 46.0% [P<.001]; >50 years, 39.9% [P=.01]), ethnic Chinese (Chinese, 44.4% vs non-Chinese, 34.7%; P<.001), and vaccinated against flu in the past year (vaccinated, 44.6% vs nonvaccinated, 34.4%; P<.001). In addition, the weekly ILI incidence was 1.07% on average. The Pearson correlation coefficient between ILI incidence estimated by FluMob and that reported by Singapore Ministry of Health was 0.04 (P=.75) with all data and was 0.38 (P=.006) including only data collected before the study disruption. Health care workers with higher risks of ILI and influenza such as women, non-Chinese, allied health staff, those who had children in their households, not vaccinated against influenza, and reported allergy demonstrated higher surveillance correlations. Conclusions Mobile-based ILI surveillance systems among health care workers can be effective. However, proper operation of the mobile system without major disruptions is vital for the engagement of participants and the persistence of surveillance power. Moreover, the effectiveness of the mobile surveillance system can be moderated by participants’ characteristics, which highlights the importance of targeted disease surveillance that can reduce the cost of recruitment and engagement.

scholarly journals Opportunities for improved surveillance and control of dengue from age-specific case data

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Rodriguez-Barraquer ◽  
Henrik Salje ◽  
Derek A Cummings
Keyword(s):  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Incidence Data ◽  
Seroprevalence Data ◽  
Administrative Units ◽  
And Control ◽  
Incident Cases

One of the challenges faced by global disease surveillance efforts is the lack of comparability across systems. Reporting commonly focuses on overall incidence, despite differences in surveillance quality between and within countries. For most immunizing infections, the age distribution of incident cases provides a more robust picture of trends in transmission. We present a framework to estimate transmission intensity for dengue virus from age-specific incidence data, and apply it to 359 administrative units in Thailand, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico. Our estimates correlate well with those derived from seroprevalence data (the gold standard), capture the expected spatial heterogeneity in risk, and correlate with known environmental drivers of transmission. We show how this approach could be used to guide the implementation of control strategies such as vaccination. Since age-specific counts are routinely collected by masany surveillance systems, they represent a unique opportunity to further our understanding of disease burden and risk for many diseases.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 Antibodies in Scottish Healthcare Workers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hani Abo-Leyah ◽  
Stephanie Gallant ◽  
Diane Cassidy ◽  
Yan Hui Giam ◽  
Justin Killick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Antibody Test ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Seroprevalence Data ◽  
Predominantly Female

AbstractIntroductionHealthcare workers are believed to be at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The extent of that increased risk compared to the general population and the groups most at risk have not been extensively studied.MethodsA prospective observational study of health and social care workers in NHS Tayside (Scotland, UK) from May to September 2020. The Siemens SARS-CoV-2 total antibody assay was used to establish seroprevalence in this cohort. Patients provided clinical information including demographics and workplace information. Controls, matched for age and sex to the general Tayside population, were studied for comparison.ResultsA total of 2062 health and social care workers were recruited for this study. The participants were predominantly female (81.7%) and 95.2% were white. 299 healthcare workers had a positive antibody test (14.5%). 11 out of 231 control sera tested positive (4.8%). Healthcare workers therefore had an increased likelihood of a positive test (odds ratio 3.4 95% CI 1.85-6.16, p<0.0001). Dentists, healthcare assistants and porters were the job roles most likely to test positive. Those working in front-line roles with COVID-19 patients were more likely to test positive (17.4% vs. 13.4%, p=0.02). 97.1% of patients who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR had positive antibodies, compared to 11.8% of individuals with a symptomatic illness who had tested negative. Anosmia was the symptom most associated with the presence of detectable antibodies.ConclusionIn this study, healthcare workers were three times more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 than the general population. The seroprevalence data in different populations identified in this study will be useful to protect healthcare staff during future waves of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Opportunities for improved surveillance and control of infectious diseases from age-specific case data

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Rodríguez-Barraquer ◽  
Henrik Salje ◽  
Derek AT Cummings
Keyword(s):  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Incidence Data ◽  
Seroprevalence Data ◽  
Administrative Units ◽  
And Control ◽  
Incident Cases

AbstractOne of the challenges faced by global disease surveillance efforts is the lack of comparability across systems. Reporting commonly focuses on overall incidence, despite differences in surveillance quality between and within countries. For most immunizing infections, the age-distribution of incident cases provides a more robust picture of trends in transmission. We present a framework to estimate transmission intensity for dengue virus from age-specific incidence data, and apply it to 363 administrative units in Thailand, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico. Our estimates correlate well with those derived from seroprevalence data (the gold-standard), capture the expected spatial heterogeneity in risk, and correlate with known environmental drivers of transmission. We show how this approach could be used to guide the implementation of control strategies such as vaccination. Since age-specific counts are routinely collected by many surveillance systems, they represent a unique opportunity to further our understanding of disease burden and risk for many diseases.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of a Mobile-Based Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance System (FluMob) Among Health Care Workers: Longitudinal Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
May Oo Lwin ◽  
Jiahui Lu ◽  
Anita Sheldenkar ◽  
Chitra Panchapakesan ◽  
Yi-Roe Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Influenza Like Illness ◽  
Care Workers

BACKGROUND Existing studies have suggested that internet-based participatory surveillance systems are a valid sentinel for influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance. However, there is limited scientific knowledge on the effectiveness of mobile-based ILI surveillance systems. Previous studies also adopted a passive surveillance approach and have not fully investigated the effectiveness of the systems and their determinants. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of a mobile-based surveillance system of ILI, termed FluMob, among health care workers using a targeted surveillance approach. Specifically, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the system for ILI surveillance pertaining to its participation engagement and surveillance power. In addition, we aimed to identify the factors that can moderate the effectiveness of the system. METHODS The FluMob system was launched in two large hospitals in Singapore from April 2016 to March 2018. A total of 690 clinical and nonclinical hospital staff participated in the study for 18 months and were prompted via app notifications to submit a survey listing 18 acute respiratory symptoms (eg, fever, cough, sore throat) on a weekly basis. There was a period of study disruption due to maintenance of the system and the end of the participation incentive between May and July of 2017. RESULTS On average, the individual submission rate was 41.4% (SD 24.3%), with a rate of 51.8% (SD 26.4%) before the study disruption and of 21.5% (SD 30.6%) after the disruption. Multivariable regression analysis showed that the adjusted individual submission rates were higher for participants who were older (&lt;30 years, 31.4% vs 31-40 years, 40.2% [<i>P</i>&lt;.001]; 41-50 years, 46.0% [<i>P</i>&lt;.001]; &gt;50 years, 39.9% [<i>P</i>=.01]), ethnic Chinese (Chinese, 44.4% vs non-Chinese, 34.7%; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), and vaccinated against flu in the past year (vaccinated, 44.6% vs nonvaccinated, 34.4%; <i>P</i>&lt;.001). In addition, the weekly ILI incidence was 1.07% on average. The Pearson correlation coefficient between ILI incidence estimated by FluMob and that reported by Singapore Ministry of Health was 0.04 (<i>P</i>=.75) with all data and was 0.38 (<i>P</i>=.006) including only data collected before the study disruption. Health care workers with higher risks of ILI and influenza such as women, non-Chinese, allied health staff, those who had children in their households, not vaccinated against influenza, and reported allergy demonstrated higher surveillance correlations. CONCLUSIONS Mobile-based ILI surveillance systems among health care workers can be effective. However, proper operation of the mobile system without major disruptions is vital for the engagement of participants and the persistence of surveillance power. Moreover, the effectiveness of the mobile surveillance system can be moderated by participants’ characteristics, which highlights the importance of targeted disease surveillance that can reduce the cost of recruitment and engagement.

Vitamin A: dietologist’s position

2020 ◽  
pp. 49-57
Author(s):  
S. V. Orlova ◽  
E. A. Nikitina ◽  
L. I. Karushina ◽  
Yu. A. Pigaryova ◽  
O. E. Pronina
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Therapeutic Practice ◽  
The Past ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mucous Membranes

Vitamin A (retinol) is one of the key elements for regulating the immune response and controls the division and differentiation of epithelial cells of the mucous membranes of the bronchopulmonary system, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, eyes, etc. Its significance in the context of the COVID‑19 pandemic is difficult to overestimate. However, a number of studies conducted in the past have associated the additional intake of vitamin A with an increased risk of developing cancer, as a result of which vitamin A was practically excluded from therapeutic practice in developed countries. Our review highlights the role of vitamin A in maintaining human health and the latest data on its effect on the development mechanisms of somatic pathology.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RELATIONS OF UZBEKISTAN WITH MALAYSIA DURING THE YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-25
Author(s):  
Otabek Alimardonov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The Government

Today, Malaysia is one of the most developed countries in Southeast Asia and a close partner of Uzbekistan in the region. Taking into account the peculiarities of the development and achievements of the countries of Southeast Asia, the Government of Uzbekistan from the first years of independence has paid special attention to the establishment and development of cooperation with Malaysia

scholarly journals Sperm DNA methylation mediates the association of male age on reproductive outcomes among couples undergoing infertility treatment

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oladele A. Oluwayiose ◽  
Haotian Wu ◽  
Hachem Saddiki ◽  
Brian W. Whitcomb ◽  
Laura B. Balzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Infertility Treatment ◽  
Reproductive Outcomes ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes ◽  
Male Age ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Sperm Dna ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Sperm Dna Methylation

AbstractParental age at time of offspring conception is increasing in developed countries. Advanced male age is associated with decreased reproductive success and increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring. Mechanisms for these male age effects remain unclear, but changes in sperm DNA methylation over time is one potential explanation. We assessed genome-wide methylation of sperm DNA from 47 semen samples collected from male participants of couples seeking infertility treatment. We report that higher male age was associated with lower likelihood of fertilization and live birth, and poor embryo development (p < 0.05). Furthermore, our multivariable linear models showed male age was associated with alterations in sperm methylation at 1698 CpGs and 1146 regions (q < 0.05), which were associated with > 750 genes enriched in embryonic development, behavior and neurodevelopment among others. High dimensional mediation analyses identified four genes (DEFB126, TPI1P3, PLCH2 and DLGAP2) with age-related sperm differential methylation that accounted for 64% (95% CI 0.42–0.86%; p < 0.05) of the effect of male age on lower fertilization rate. Our findings from this modest IVF population provide evidence for sperm methylation as a mechanism of age-induced poor reproductive outcomes and identifies possible candidate genes for mediating these effects.

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