Urban health in megacities of developing countries

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mobarak Hossain Khan

SummaryUrban health in rapidly urbanizing megacities of developing countries is a global public health concern due to growing slums in vulnerable areas, huge impacts of climate change, environment pollution, unhealthy lifestyles, high inequity, limited resources, and growing violence. Increasing cooperation and partnership among relevant disciplines such as urban planners, health professionals, community workers and politicians including improved urban governance are necessary to ameliorate risk factors and improve megacity health.

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (8) ◽  
pp. 748-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kritika Poudel ◽  
Pramod Subedi

Background: Public health concern is increasing with recent rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Nepal. To curb this pandemic, Nepal is facing some forms of lockdown, encouraging people to implement social distancing so as to reduce interactions between people which could eventually reduce the possibilities of new infection; however, it has affected the overall physical, mental, social and spiritual health of the people. Methods: Published articles related to psychosocial effects due to COVID-19 and other outbreaks were searched and reviewed. Conclusion: While many countries are supporting their citizens with sophisticated health safety-nets and various relief funds, some developing countries have unique challenges with vulnerable populations and limited resources to respond to the pandemic. This review presents the consequences of pandemic and lockdown on socioeconomic, mental health and other aspects in Nepalese society.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 701
Author(s):  
Aroa Lopez-Santamarina ◽  
Esther Gonzalez Gonzalez ◽  
Alexandre Lamas ◽  
Alicia del Carmen Mondragon ◽  
Patricia Regal ◽  
...  

Allergies are an increasing global public health concern, especially for children and people living in urban environments. Allergies impair the quality of life of those who suffer from them, and for this reason, alternatives for the treatment of allergic diseases or reduction in their symptoms are being sought. The main objective of this study was to compile the studies carried out on probiotics as a possible therapy for allergies. The most studied allergies on which probiotics have been shown to have a beneficial effect are rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Most studies have studied the administration of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. in children and have shown beneficial effects, such as a reduction in hyperreactivity and inflammation caused by allergens and a decrease in cytokine release, among other beneficial effects. In the case of children, no clear beneficial effects were found in several studies, and the potential risk from the use of some opportunistic bacteria, such as probiotics, seems controversial. In the studies that reported beneficial results, these effects were found to make allergy symptoms less aggressive, thus reducing morbidity in allergy sufferers. The different effects of the same probiotic bacteria on different patients seem to reinforce the idea that the efficacy of probiotics is dependent on the microbial species or strain, its derived metabolites and byproducts, and the gut microbiota eubiosis of the patient. This study is relevant in the context of allergic diseases, as it provides a broader understanding of new alternatives for the treatment of allergies, both in children, who are the main sufferers, and adults, showing that probiotics, in some cases, reduce the symptoms and severity of such diseases.


Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasetti-Escargueil ◽  
Popoff

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is produced by the anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium Clostridium botulinum. As one of the most poisonous toxins known and a potential bioterrosism agent, BoNT is characterized by a complex mode of action comprising: internalization, translocation and proteolytic cleavage of a substrate, which inhibits synaptic exocytotic transmitter release at neuro-muscular nerve endings leading to peripheral neuroparalysis of the skeletal and autonomic nervous systems. There are seven major serologically distinct toxinotypes (A–G) of BoNT which act on different substrates. Human botulism is generally caused by BoNT/A, B and E. Due to its extreme lethality and potential use as biological weapon, botulism remains a global public health concern. Vaccination against BoNT, although an effective strategy, remains undesirable due to the growing expectation around therapeutic use of BoNTs in various pathological conditions. This review focuses on the current approaches for botulism control by immunotherapy, highlighting the future challenges while the molecular underpinnings among subtypes variants and BoNT sequences found in non-clostridial species remain to be elucidated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bev John ◽  
Katy Holloway ◽  
Nyle Davies ◽  
Tom May ◽  
Marian Buhociu ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mahmoudi ◽  
S. Agha Kuchak Afshari ◽  
S. Aghaei Gharehbolagh ◽  
H. Mirhendi ◽  
K. Makimura

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-78
Author(s):  
Niresh Thapa ◽  
Muna Maharjan

Diabetes is an important public health concern which is increasing rapidly in developing countries. It is challenging to prevent and manage diabetes in a rural setting. The Integrated Diabetic Clinic is comprehensive diabetes care under one roof. Its aim is to provide efficient accessible and affordable comprehensive care. It will make a huge difference in the management of diabetes. This clinic will play a major role in unifying different aspects of health care under one roof and offer the most comprehensive and cost-effective accessible health care to minimize mortality and morbidity associated with diabetes.


2014 ◽  
Vol 142 (9) ◽  
pp. 1848-1858 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. PANDA ◽  
A. K. DEB ◽  
M. CHAWLA-SARKAR ◽  
T. RAMAMURTHY ◽  
S. GANGULY ◽  
...  

SUMMARYSocio-behavioural factors and pathogens associated with childhood diarrhoea are of global public health concern. Our survey in 696 children aged ⩽2 years in rural West Bengal detected rotavirus as sole pathogen in 8% (17/199) of diarrhoeic stool specimens. Other organisms were detected along with rotavirus in 11% of faecal specimens. A third of the children with rotavirus diarrhoea, according to Vesikari score, had severe illness. The top four rotavirus genotypes were G9P[4] (28%), G1P[8] (19%), G2P[4] (14%) and G8P[4] (8%). In the multivariate model, the practice of ‘drawing drinking water by dipping a pot in the storage vessel’ [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2·21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·03–4·74,P = 0·041], and ‘children aged ⩽6 months with non-exclusive breastfeeding’ (aOR 2·07, 95% CI 1·1–3·82,P = 0·024) had twice the odds of having diarrhoea. Incidence of rotavirus diarrhoea was 24/100 child-years in children aged >6–18 months, 19/100 child-years in children aged >18–24 months and 5/100 child-years in those aged ⩽6 months. Results have translational implications for future interventions including vaccine development.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 904-907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilbur H. Chen ◽  
Karen L. Kotloff

ABSTRACTShigellaspp. represent the second most common etiologic pathogen causing childhood diarrhea in developing countries. There are no licensedShigellavaccines, and progress for such vaccines has been limited. In this issue ofClinical and Vaccine Immunology, Riddle and colleagues (M. S. Riddle, R. W. Kaminski, C. Di Paolo, C. K. Porter, R. L. Gutierrez, et al., Clin Vaccine Immunol 23:908–917, 2016,http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/CVI.00224-16) report results from a phase I study of a parenterally administered monovalent O-polysaccharide “bioconjugate” directed againstShigella flexneri2a. Ultimately, the goal is to develop a broad-spectrumShigellavaccine to address this public health concern. A parenteralShigellavaccine capable of eliciting protection in children of developing countries would be an important tool to reach this goal.


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