Point of Care Tuberculosis Diagnostics in Developing World

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Botrous ◽  
Shehreen Dheda ◽  
Karen Liu ◽  
Aswathi Sreedharan ◽  
Kristine Velasco
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Active Tuberculosis ◽  
World Health ◽  
Diagnostic Device ◽  
Handheld Device ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
The World ◽  
The Many ◽  
Health Organization

The aim of this project is to develop a cost effective point of care (POC) microfluidic diagnostic device to detect the presence of active tuberculosis (TB) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) co-infected individuals in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 8.8 million people develop new cases of active TB each year in addition to the many millions of untreated existing cases. Current TB diagnostic tests are less accurate in detecting active TB in HIV co-infected individuals. Hence, the development of a fast, affordable, portable and handheld device to accurately detect active TB is necessary. As there are different stages of TB infection, it is important to detect the presence and progress of the infection. Our device design utilizes a serological assay in a microfluidic device, incorporating protein antigen microarrays spotted onto nitrocellulose, to detect TB at various stages of the disease. Features of the design include a microfilter to separate serum from the blood sample to be used, a passive pump to ensure uniform continuous flow, and an immunosensor to detect and analyze results.

Fighting the SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) Pandemic with Soap

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narendra Kumar Chaudhary ◽  
Nabina Chaudhary ◽  
Manis Dahal ◽  
Biswash Guragain ◽  
Sumie Rai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Public ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Hand Washing ◽  
World Health ◽  
Potential Effectiveness ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Unique Chemical

Today, the entire globe is struggling to deal with the greatest pandemic of the century, COVID-19. With no clinically approved treatments available, we are left with no options other than following the preventive measures issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). Among many others, hand washing with soap and water has been emphasized the most because it is cost-effective and easily accessible to the general public. Various studies have reported that soaps offer unique chemical properties that can disinfect the virus as a whole. However, there is still ambiguity in the general public about whether soaps can really shield us from this highly contagious disease. In an attempt to help eliminate the ambiguity, we analyzed the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of soap and its prospect for preventing the spread of COVID-19. In this paper, we have provided an overview of the history and characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), the detailed mechanisms of the deactivation of viruses by soaps, and the potential effectiveness of soap in eliminating coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2.

scholarly journals Partnership of the community in support of health for all

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 775-787
Author(s):  
A. Abdullatif
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Community Partnerships ◽  
World Health ◽  
Community Partnership ◽  
Important Principle ◽  
The World ◽  
The Many ◽  
Health Organization

Health for all is a people-based approach to health which considers the community as its focus. Community partnership is an important principle of health for all. This paper describes the many aspects of community partnership and gives examples of community partnerships initiatives in the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Region, such as the basic development needs approach. The main agenda of community partnership for health for all is discussed and some opportunities conductive to community partnership in the Region are outlined

Barriers to the delivery of palliative care

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry J.A. Laird
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
World Health ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The World ◽  
Effective Delivery ◽  
Palliative Care Services ◽  
The Many ◽  
Health Organization

This chapter discusses several key barriers to the delivery of palliative care, firstly considering the definition of ‘palliative care’. It describes the World Health Organization (WHO) definition and notes that the ideology of palliative care being a concept with which to approach management of patients may still not be fully understood. Furthermore, the differences between generalist and specialist palliative care may also contribute to confusion. Although palliative care as a concept has largely been embraced throughout the world, its implementation into routine clinical care is lacking. Essential to the change from palliative care being a principle available to the few, to being available to all, and a human right, is the need to address the many barriers to the efficient and effective delivery of high-quality palliative care. The chapter argues that the WHO is the key group necessary to develop palliative care worldwide and, together with international palliative care organizations, to help countries advance palliative care services.

scholarly journals Adherence to Immunization: Rebuttal of Vaccine Hesitancy

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Tamar Etzioni-Friedman ◽  
Amos Etzioni
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Near Future ◽  
New Vaccines

Immunizations have been saving the lives of millions of people since they were first used by Edward Jenner in 1796, and new vaccines are being developed all the time. Hopefully, a new vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will be developed in the near future, and perhaps even one for human immunodeficiency virus. Although the effectiveness of vaccinations has been proven over the years and adverse effects to currently available vaccinations are extremely rare, many people continue to defer immunizations for themselves and their families. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this phenomenon, known as “vaccine hesitancy,” is a major public health problem globally. This review summarizes the unproven adverse effects of various vaccines and stresses the importance of enforcing vaccination policies to minimize vaccine hesitancy. Every effort should be made to improve existing vaccines and to produce new ones, according to carefully designed scientific preclinical and clinical trials. This is particularly important in today’s era, in light of the global transparency regarding vaccination development, and the potential for future pandemics such as COVID-19.

scholarly journals Breeding and agronomic approaches for the biofortification of zinc in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to combat zinc deficiency in millions of a population: a Bangladesh perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shilpi Das ◽  
Apurbo Kumar Chaki ◽  
Akbar Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
World Health ◽  
Zn Deficiency ◽  
Cost Effective Method ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Deficiency Diseases ◽  
Maize Research Institute

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that around 2 billion people across the globe are suffering from “hidden hunger”, where 815 million are under malnutrition. The major essential elements for humans are Fe, Zn, I, Se, Ca, F, and also vitamins. Among them, Zn is considered in the fifth place leading to causes of several deficiency diseases. At least one-third of the population in the world is facing Zn deficiency including around 450,000 children under the age of five. Vitamin A, Fe, and Zn deficiencies can be overcome through the biofortification of staple foodstuffs. This review emphasizes various breeding and agronomic approaches for the biofortification of Zn in wheat grains, which is an encouraging and cost-effective method to enhance the Zn contents of cereal grains. Recently, the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI), with technical support from CIMMYT, Mexico, released a promising new Zn-biofortified wheat cultivar, ‘BARI Gom 33’, a result from a conventional breeding program. It has 32 and 50–55 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> Zn without and with soil application of ZnSO<sub>4</sub>, respectively. This cultivar could be a savior for a million people in South Asia, including Bangladesh.

Rheumatic Fever Prevention in Industrializing Countries: Problems and Approaches

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 97 (6) ◽  
pp. 996-998
Author(s):  
Rachel Snitcowsky
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatic Fever ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The United States ◽  
World Health ◽  
Streptococcal Infections ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Group A ◽  
Health Organization

Editor's Note The problems resulting from Group A streptococcal infections remain largely unsolved in many of the industrialized countries of the world at the close of the 20th century. The fact that Group A streptococcal infections had assumed almost the role of a nuisance in the United States and Europe, before the beginning of the mid-1980s and 1990s resurgence, stands in marked contrast to the spectrum of streptococcal-related diseases in other parts of the world. Confirmatory epidemiologic data are often difficult to locate, but there is little doubt about the existence and the general magnitude of the problem. Because of this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has targeted Group A streptococcal infections and their sequelae for additional attention. During the last decade the WHO has invested considerable effort toward their control. The need for cost-effective primary and secondary rheumatic fever public health prevention programs is greater in those countries where the magnitude of the problem may be inversely proportional to available resources. Approaches considered routine in North America, in Europe, and in some countries of Latin America and Asia often are nonexistent in industrializing countries where as little as less than $5 per person per year may be reserved for total health care. With these issues in mind, the following perspective was invited to bring these unique problems related to Group A streptococcal infections and their sequelae into focus and to offer suggestions for realistic approaches under less than ideal conditions. We are grateful to Dr Snitcowsky for her comments.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document