scholarly journals Hepatitis C Worldwide and in Brazil: Silent Epidemic—Data on Disease including Incidence, Transmission, Prevention, and Treatment

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iara Fabricia Kretzer ◽  
Andrea do Livramento ◽  
Joel da Cunha ◽  
Sabrina Gonçalves ◽  
Iraci Tosin ◽  
...  

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is endemic worldwide and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 150 million chronic carriers worldwide. The infection is a leading cause of liver diseases like cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); thus, HCV infection constitutes a critical public health problem. There are increasing efforts worldwide in order to reduce the global impact of hepatitis C through the implementation of programmatic actions that may increase the awareness of viral hepatitis and also improve surveillance, prevention, and treatment. In Brazil, about 1,5 million people have been chronically infected with HCV. The country has a vast territory with uneven population density, and hepatitis C incidence rates are variable with the majority of cases concentrated in the most populated areas. Currently, the main priorities of Brazilian Ministry of Health's strategies for viral hepatitis management include the prevention and early diagnosis of viral hepatitis infections; strengthening of the healthcare network and lines of treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, viral hepatitis, and AIDS; improvement and development of surveillance, information, and research; and promotion of universal access to medication. This review aims to summarize the available data on hepatitis C epidemiology and current status of efforts in prevention and infection control around the world and in Brazil.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kush K. Maheshwari ◽  
Debasish Bandyopadhyay

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect a huge population of the world and majority of the victims belong to the poor community of the developing countries. Until now, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 20 tropical diseases as NTDs that must be addressed with high priority. However, many heterocyclic scaffolds have demonstrated potent therapeutic activity against several NTDs. Objective: There are three major objectives: (1) To discuss the causes, symptoms, and current status of all the 20 NTDs; (2) To explore the available heterocyclic drugs, and their mechanism of actions (if known) that are being used to treat NTDs; (3) To develop general awareness on NTDs among the medicinal/health research community and beyond. Methods: The 20 NTDs have been discussed according to their alphabetic orders along with the possible heterocyclic remedies. Current status of treatment with an emphasis on the heterocyclic drugs (commercially available and investigational) has been outlined. In addition, brief discussion of the impacts of NTDs on socio-economic condition is included. Results: NTDs are often difficult to diagnose and the problem is worsened by the unhealthy hygiene, improper awareness, and inadequate healthcare in the developing countries where these diseases primarily affect poor people. The statistics include duration of suffering, numbers affected, and access to healthcare and medication. The mechanism of actions of various heterocyclic drugs, if reported, have been briefly summarized. Conclusion: Scientists and pharmaceutical corporations should allocate more resources to reveal the in-depth mechanism of actions of many heterocyclic drugs that are currently being used for the treatment of NTDs. Analysis of current heterocyclic compounds and development of new medications can help in the fight to reduce/remove the devastating effects of NTDs. An opinion-based concise review has been presented. Based on available literature, this is the first effect to present all the 20 NTDs and related heterocyclic compounds under the same umbrella.



Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 3423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shrikant Warkad ◽  
Satish Nimse ◽  
Keum-Soo Song ◽  
Taisun Kim

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 71 million people were living with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection worldwide in 2015. Each year, about 399,000 HCV-infected people succumb to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver failure. Therefore, screening of HCV infection with simple, rapid, but highly sensitive and specific methods can help to curb the global burden on HCV healthcare. Apart from the determination of viral load/viral clearance, the identification of specific HCV genotype is also critical for successful treatment of hepatitis C. This critical review focuses on the technologies used for the detection, discrimination, and genotyping of HCV in clinical samples. This article also focuses on advantages and disadvantages of the reported methods used for HCV detection, quantification, and genotyping.



2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Gabriela Mitea ◽  
Marius Daniel Radu ◽  
Ana Maria Ionescu ◽  
Nicoleta Blebea

In infectious diseases, viral hepatitis has an increased incidence, being an important cause of morbidity and mortality, being a "sentinel" indicator of the socio-economic and hygienic-cultural standard of a geographical area. The World Health Organization (WHO) admits the following types of hepatitis viruses: A, B, B + D, C, E, F and G. Among the viral entities recognized by the WHO, a special importance in terms of incidence, evolution over time with the risk of chronicity and the therapeutic options are presented by hepatitis B and C. There is currently an effective vaccine as well as treatment for hepatitis B. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but in recent years considerable progress has been made in treating this disease. Also, the introduction of drugs known as direct-acting antivirals makes it possible to cure over 90% of patients within 2-3 months. But in many countries, current drug policies, regulations and prices keep treatment out of the reach of most people with hepatitis. Eradication of viral hepatitis is possible if greater emphasis is placed on prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Vaccination is very important, as it is possible for types A and B of hepatitis. Early diagnosis is also extremely important, given that there are currently very effective drugs that can prevent the development of liver cancer. The WHO also noted that about two million people worldwide become ill each year due to the reuse of syringes and stressed the importance of checking blood donors to see if they are not carriers of hepatitis B or C viruses. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to highlight the pharmacological treatment and the main therapeutic and prevention schemes currently used for patients with these liver diseases. The paper was based on the most popular methods of identification of the latest international information about the treatment of hepatitis (by electronic search using Pubmed, SciFinder, Scirus, GoogleScholar and Web of Science). We also consulted the global literature cited in the hepatitis database of the World Health Organization (WHO) updated frequent from the current literature on this topic.



2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 2218-2227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Safreed-Harmon ◽  
Sarah Blach ◽  
Soo Aleman ◽  
Signe Bollerup ◽  
Graham Cooke ◽  
...  

Abstract Cascade-of-care (CoC) monitoring is an important component of the response to the global hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic. CoC metrics can be used to communicate, in simple terms, the extent to which national and subnational governments are advancing on key targets, and CoC findings can inform strategic decision-making regarding how to maximize the progression of individuals with HCV to diagnosis, treatment, and cure. The value of reporting would be enhanced if a standardized approach were used for generating CoCs. We have described the Consensus HCV CoC that we developed to address this need and have presented findings from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, where it was piloted. We encourage the uptake of the Consensus HCV CoC as a global instrument for facilitating clear and consistent reporting via the World Health Organization (WHO) viral hepatitis monitoring platform and for ensuring accurate monitoring of progress toward WHO's 2030 hepatitis C elimination targets.



Crisis ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 172-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murad Moosa Khan

Suicide and attempted suicide are understudied subjects in Pakistan, an Islamic country where they are considered criminal offenses. National suicide statistics are not compiled nor are suicide mortality statistics reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). Although there are strong religious sanctions against suicide, there are no clear principles against attempted suicide in Islam. Despite this, Pakistan, like many other Islamic countries, has punitive laws against attempted suicide. This has led to both suicide and attempted suicide being underdiagnosed and underreported. Data on suicide and attempted suicide are also difficult to obtain. This article gives an overview of the current state of suicide and attempted suicide in Pakistan, in the context of existing religious and legal factors, highlighting the main findings of the few studies carried out over the last 50 years. It is important that researchers in Islamic countries like Pakistan not be deterred by the apparent low rates of suicide in these countries, but conduct further research in this important yet neglected public-health problem.



2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bongomin ◽  
Kwizera ◽  
Denning

Progressive disseminated histoplasmosis, caused by H. capsulatum, is a life-threatening illness and is an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection. It is neglected, worryingly under-diagnosed, and often misdiagnosed as cancer or tuberculosis with fatal consequences. Globally, over 100,000 cases of disseminated histoplasmosis have been estimated. In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that disseminated histoplasmosis is a significant cause of mortality in AIDS patients. Through the rigorous efforts of the Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections (GAFFI) and partners, in 2019, the Histoplasma antigen test was included on the 2nd Edition of the WHO List of Essential Diagnostics. The drugs used in the treatment of histoplasmosis (amphotericin B and itraconazole) are on the WHO Essential Medicine List. The Manaus Declaration on histoplasmosis in the Americas and the Caribbean, where histoplasmosis kills more people with HIV than tuberculosis, advocates for universal access to rapid testing for histoplasmosis and availability of essential drugs for the treatment of histoplasmosis in every country by 2025. Hyperendemic areas are present in the Americas, Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. In conclusion, histoplasmosis remains an important clinical and public health problem. To reduce HIV-associated mortality, disseminated histoplasmosis must be addressed through advocacy, increased awareness, and universal access to essential diagnostics and antifungal agents.



2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Reis de Oliveira ◽  
Chalana Duarte Sena ◽  
Gilvânia Patrícia Do Nascimento Paixão ◽  
Josinete Gonçalves dos Santos Lírio

Considerada pela Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) como problema de saúde pública, a violência contra a mulher (VCM) é uma epidemia mundial, estima-se que as mulheres em vivência de violência doméstica, ao longo de suas vidas, apresentam mais problemas de saúde e buscam, com mais frequência os serviços de saúde do que pessoas que não sofrem estes maus tratos. Diante do exposto, o presente estudo tem como objetivo: Identificar os fatores que facilitam e dificultam a assistência a saúde a mulher em situação de violência domestica segundo a literatura brasileira, visando à importância da identificação das mulheres em vivência de violência e a ampliação deste cuidado não apenas para a cura/tratamento, mas para o vínculo e acolhimento eficaz e humano entre o agente cuidador e o agente alvo de cuidados, visando à superação tanto do cenário atual, quanto de tal momento doloroso na vida na mulher.Descritores: Violência Doméstica e Sexual Contra a Mulher; Cuidados; associados ao uso do recurso booleano “AND”. ABSTRACT Considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a public health problem, violence against women (VCM) is a worldwide epidemic, it is estimated that women experiencing domestic violence throughout their lives have and seek health services more often than people who do not suffer from these ill-treatment. In view of the above, the present study aims to: Identify the factors that facilitate and hinder the health care of women in situations of domestic violence according to the Brazilian literature, aiming at the importance of identifying women in the experience of violence and the expansion of this care not only for the cure/treatment, but for the effective and humane bonding and reception between the caregiver agent and the target agent of care, aiming at overcoming both the current scenario and that painful moment in life in the woman. Descriptors: Domestic and Sexual Violence Against Women; Care; associated with the use of the boolean "AND".



2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilson Suraweera ◽  
David Warrell ◽  
Romulus Whitaker ◽  
Geetha R Menon ◽  
Rashmi Rodrigues ◽  
...  

The World Health Organization call to halve global snakebite deaths by 2030 will requires substantial progress in India. We analyzed 2,833 snakebite deaths from 611,483 verbal autopsies in the nationally representative Indian Million Death Study from 2001-14, and conducted a systematic literature review from 2000-19 covering 87,590 snakebites. We estimate that India had 1.2 million snakebite deaths (average 58,000/year) from 2000-19. Nearly half occurred at ages 30-69 years and over a quarter in children <15 years. Most occurred at home in rural areas. About 70% occurred in eight higher-burden states and half during the rainy season and at low altitude. The risk of an Indian dying from snakebite before age 70 is about 1 in 250, but notably higher in some areas. More crudely, we estimate 1.11-1.77 million bites occurred in 2015, of which 70% showed symptoms of envenomation. Prevention and treatment strategies might substantially reduce snakebite mortality in India.



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