scholarly journals Distribution of Respiratory Tracy Infectious Diseases in Relation to Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Concentration in Selected Urban Centres in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamuno-owunari Perri ◽  
Vincent Ezikornwor Weli ◽  
Bright Poronakie ◽  
Tombari Bodo
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
World Health ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Delta Region ◽  
Niger Delta Region ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Pm2.5 Concentration

Due to the visibility of soot in the environment of the Niger Delta especially Rivers State that has led to the increase of  espiratory Tract Infections (RTIs) in the region, this study was undertaken to determine the relationship between Particulate Matter (PM2.5) concentration and the incident of Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs) in selected urban centres of the Niger Delta. Data on RTIs were collected from the Hospital Management Boards of the Ministries of Health of Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States and the data for PM2.5 were remotely sensed from 2016 to 2019, and subsequently analyzed with ANOVA and Spearman’s rank correlation statistics. The findings of this study revealed that there was significant variation in the occurrence of PM2.5 across the selected urban centres in the Niger Delta Region. The PM2.5 for the reviewed years was far above the World Health Organization (WHO) annual permissible limit of 10 µg/m3 thereby exacerbating Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs).The epidemiology of the RTIs showed that there are basically four (4) prominent RTI diseases: Asthma, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The result of this study showed that the concentration of PM2.5 varies in all the selected cities, and the mean monthly variation (2016-2019) showed that Port Harcourt had 47.27 µg/m3 for January while Yenagoa and Asaba had 46 µg/m3 and 47.51 µg/m3 respectively for January; while the lowest mean value in the cities were seen within the month of September and October, which also had a strong seasonal influence on the concentration of PM2.5. The concentration of PM2.5 and the numbers of RTIs also gradually increases in the study areas from 2016 to 2019. The study recommends that the necessary regulatory bodies should closely monitor the activities of the companies likely to cause such pollution; guild them through their operations and give prompt sanctions and heavy fines to defaulters of the accepted standards.

scholarly journals Study on Knowledge and Practices of Ayurvedic Preventive Measures for Respiratory Tract Infections

2021 ◽  
pp. 29-37
Author(s):  
B. L. Edirisinghe ◽  
W. M. S. S. K. Kulathunga
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
World Health ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Tract Infections

Respiratory diseases have become world health burden. It has been estimated that 65 million people have moderate severe chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases from which about 3 million die each year. Objective of this survey study was to assess knowledge and practice of Intern medical officers on Ayurvedic preventive measures for managing respiratory tract infectious diseases. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out among the Intern Medical Officers during their training program. 85 respondents out of 150 were assessed for their knowledge and practices on Ayurvedic preventive measures for Respiratory tract infections by using pre-structured questionnaire. Among the sampled students, most of them were female 92.9% (79) and unmarried 51.8% (44). The mean age and the standard deviation of the respondents were 28.25 + 0.815 years. There were 41(48.2%) Intern medical students with good knowledge, 42(49.4%) were with satisfactory knowledge and 2.4% of the study group was having the little knowledge. Most of the respondents 56(65.9%) were doing good practice on preventing RTI and 29 (34.1%) respondents were doing bad practice. Overall the respondents have good practice on prevention of RTI with the mean score of 19.9 + 2.589.

Pharmacological Efficacy and Safety of Glycyrrhiza glabra in the treatment of respiratory tract infections

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shadma Wahab ◽  
Irfan Ahmad ◽  
Safia Irfan ◽  
Ayesha Siddiqua ◽  
Shazia Usmani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Clinical Medicine ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Glycyrrhiza Glabra ◽  
World Health ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Virus Growth ◽  
The World ◽  
Tract Infections

: Respiratory tract infections are underestimated because they are mild and disabling, but in clinical medicine, these are the most prevalent problems. According to the World Health Organization third-most comprehensive cause of death in the world till 2030 would be chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Dominating viruses of respiratory infections are influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinoviruses, and human coronaviruses. Antibiotics are mostly used to treat bacterial infections, and they do not effectively manage viral infections like sinusitis, sore throats, bronchitis, influenza, and common respiratory infections. Presently no medication is available only symptomatic interventions is an option in our hand. However, a lot of research is going on the vaccine and drugs-based approaches against respiratory viruses worldwide. Traditional medicines are getting the attraction to treat many diseases. It is vital to screen the medicinal plants to find the potential of new compounds for treatment against antiviral and antimicrobial activities. Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Licorice) pharmacological actions modulate the immune system, inhibit virus growth, produce anti-inflammatory activity, and inactivate viruses. This comprehensive review mainly focuses on the role of licorice in managing respiratory infections caused by viruses and bacteria, including complications associated with its excess intake. There has been limited human research’s exhibited licorice effectiveness in respiratory infections; therefore, there is a need for uncompromising and long-term research. This paper will be a valuable reference for biologists and physicians looking for a medication for respiratory infections. Glycyrrhiza glabra could open the door to novel agents in drug discovery and development.

scholarly journals Pharmacological Efficacy of Ginseng against Respiratory Tract Infections

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (13) ◽  
pp. 4095
Author(s):  
Abdulrhman Alsayari ◽  
Abdullatif Bin Muhsinah ◽  
Dalia Almaghaslah ◽  
Sivakumar Annadurai ◽  
Shadma Wahab
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Clinical Medicine ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
World Health ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Tract Infections

Respiratory tract infections are underestimated, as they are mild and generally not incapacitating. In clinical medicine, however, these infections are considered a prevalent problem. By 2030, the third most comprehensive reason for death worldwide will be chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the World Health Organization. The current arsenal of anti-inflammatory drugs shows little or no benefits against COPD. For thousands of years, herbal drugs have been used to cure numerous illnesses; they exhibit promising results and enhance physical performance. Ginseng is one such herbal medicine, known to alleviate pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8) formed by macrophages and epithelial cells. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of ginsenoside are still not fully understood. Various clinical trials of ginseng have exhibited a reduction of repeated colds and the flu. In this review, ginseng’s structural features, the pathogenicity of microbial infections, and the immunomodulatory, antiviral, and anti-bacterial effects of ginseng were discussed. The focus was on the latest animal studies and human clinical trials that corroborate ginseng’s role as a therapy for treating respiratory tract infections. The article concluded with future directions and significant challenges. This review would be a valuable addition to the knowledge base for researchers in understanding the promising role of ginseng in treating respiratory tract infections. Further analysis needs to be re-focused on clinical trials to study ginseng’s efficacy and safety in treating pathogenic infections and in determining ginseng-drug interactions.

scholarly journals Elevated Indoor Volatile Organic Compound Exposure in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 1939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalé Kponee ◽  
Jamaji Nwanaji-Enwerem ◽  
Xianqiang Fu ◽  
Iyenemi Kakulu ◽  
Marc Weisskopf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Niger Delta ◽  
World Health ◽  
Delta Region ◽  
Cancer Risks ◽  
Groundwater System ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
Niger Delta Region ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
Reported Health

The implications of environmental contamination on human health in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria remain a topic of growing international public health interest. To better understand ongoing air pollution and initiate remediation efforts, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report recommended the monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) across different media (water, soil, and air) in Ogoniland, an at-risk population in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. In this pilot study, we measured indoor VOC concentrations in the indoor air of 20 households in Ogale, an Ogoniland community whose groundwater system is contaminated with benzene at levels 900 times the World Health Organization guidelines and evaluated self-reported health conditions and predicted cancer risks and hazards from inhalation exposure to VOCs. We detected higher concentrations of benzene (mean = 25.7 μg/m3, SD = 23.2 μg/m3) and naphthalene (mean = 7.6 μg/m3, SD = 13.8 μg/m3) than has been reported in other regions. Although study participants reported health symptoms consistent with VOC exposure, we were underpowered to detect a significant association between select indoor VOCs and these self-reported health symptoms using univariate logistic regression models. These findings suggest that that the health symptoms reported by participants may be poor proxies for the underlying disease processes associated with adverse health outcomes due to VOC exposure in this community and that the burden of adverse health effects due to VOC exposure may stem from the contaminated groundwater system. We estimated a non-cancer hazard quotient of 3 from exposure to naphthalene and lifetime excess cancer risks from exposure to naphthalene, benzene, p-dichlorobenzene, carbon tetrachloride, and ethylbenzene of 3 × 10−4, 2 × 10−4, 6 × 10−5, 6 × 10−6, and 1 × 10−5, respectively. These results exceed common risk benchmarks in the United States, suggesting a need for further studies to characterize VOC exposures, sources, and associated health risks in the Niger Delta.

scholarly journals Prevention of respiratory tract infections with bacterial lysate OM-85 bronchomunal in children and adults: a state of the art

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando De Benedetto ◽  
Gianfranco Sevieri
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Immunological Response ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Bacterial Lysate ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Bacterial Lysates ◽  
Tract Infections

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and also represent a cause of death in some parts of the world. The treatment of RTIs implies a continuous search for stronger therapies and represents an economical burden for health services and society. In this context the prevention of infections is absolutely required. The use of bacterial lysates as immuno-modulators to boost immunological response is widely debated. Aim of this review is to summarize the main clinical studies on the effect of the bacterial lysate OM-85 in treating RTIs in susceptible subjects - namely children and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-affected adults. Results from clinical trials and recent systematic reviews are reported. The results show that mean number of RTIs decreases upon treatment with OM-85, as measured by frequency of exacerbations or number of antibiotic courses. Data from systematic reviews indicated that OM-85 is particularly beneficial in children at high risk of RTIs. In COPD-affected adults, clinical studies showed that treatment with OM-85 reduced exacerbations, although systematic reviews did not legitimate the protective effect of OM-85 toward COPD as significant. The use of OM-85 could be efficacious in reducing exacerbation frequency of RTIs in children and adults at risk. However further high-quality studies are needed to better explain the mechanism of action and confirm the beneficial results of OM85.

scholarly journals An Overview of Antivirals for Treating Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Elvira Cruz Jiménez ◽  
Liliana Quintanar Vera ◽  
J. Armando Lujan-Montelongo
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Lower Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
World Health ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Lower Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Viral Pathogens ◽  
El Sistema ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Tract Infections

Abstract. Covid-19 has resulted in a worldwide epidemic (pandemic) with high morbidity and mortality, which has generated efforts in various areas of research looking for safe and effective treatments to combat the virus that generates this disease: SARS-CoV-2. However, several viruses have been emerged/adapted in the last few decades, also affecting the respiratory system. According to the world health organization (WHO), lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and viruses are playing important roles as the cause of these infections. In contrast to the vast repertoire of antibiotics that exist to treat bacteria-caused LRTIs, there are a very few antivirals approved for the treatment of virus-caused LRTIs, whose approach consists mainly of drug reuse. This minireview deals on the main viral pathogens that cause LRTIs and some of the most relevant antivirals to counter them (available drugs and molecules in research/clinical trials), with concise comments of their mechanism of action.   Resumen. Covid-19 ha resultado en una epidemia mundial (pandemia) con alta morbilidad y mortalidad, lo que ha generado esfuerzos en diversas áreas de investigación en la búsqueda de tratamientos seguros y eficaces para combatir el virus que genera esta enfermedad: el SARS-CoV-2. Sin embargo, un número de virus han surgido o se han adaptado en las últimas décadas, que también afectan el sistema respiratorio. Según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), las infecciones en vías respiratorias inferiores (LRTIs, por sus siglas en inglés) son una de las principales causas de muerte a nivel mundial, siendo los virus de los principales patógenos causantes de estas infecciones. En contraste con el repertorio amplio de antibióticos que existen para tratar LRTIs causadas por bacterias, existen muy pocos antivirales aprobados para su tratamiento, cuyo enfoque consiste principalmente en la reutilización de fármacos. Este ensayo consiste en una breve revisión de los principales agentes virales que causan LRTIs y de los antivirales más relevantes para combatir los virus que las causan (tanto fármacos disponibles como moléculas en fases de investigación o clínicas), con comentarios concisos sobre su mecanismo de acción.

scholarly journals Prescribing Pattern of Drugs in Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Children aged 1 To 5 Years At Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1903-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sujata Jadhav ◽  
Chitra Khanwelkar
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Essential Medicine ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Brand Names ◽  
World Health ◽  
Prescribing Pattern ◽  
Tract Infections

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) are very common in all age groups. Childhood respiratory tract infections are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality. It is significant health problem in India also. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2 million children under five years of age die due to pneumonia. Majority of ARTIs have viral etiology. Rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial viruses, parainfluenza and influenza viruses, human metapneumovirus, and adenoviruses are main causative agents. Among bacteria, group A streptococci, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, N. meningitides, H. influenzae, pneumococcus and Staphylococcus aureus are responsible for ARTIs. Drug utilization studies help to understand the pattern of prescription in that particular area for specific conditions.We included children from one to five years of age, diagnosed as ARTI and evaluated 298 prescriptions given to these children. Analysis of these prescriptions was done as well as they are compared with WHO prescription indicators. Cough (96%), fever (93%) and rhinitis (82.5%) were common symptoms observed, but sore throat, earache and breathlessness were also present in these children. Average number of drugs prescribed was 4.1/patient. Following drugs were prescribed, Antipyretics 98.3%, antimicrobials 91.3%, antihistaminics and cough syrups in 75.2%, Leukotriene antagonist in 25.1% patients, Vitamin B complex 11% and glucocorticoids 4.6%. All drugs were prescribed by brand names and not by generic name. 97.3% prescribed drugs were from national list of essential medicine. We found overuse of antimicrobials in our study. Educational programs are needed in order to bring rational use of antimicrobials. At the same time awareness in parents also should be done regarding antimicrobial use.

scholarly journals ACUTE RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS (ARIS);

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (02) ◽  
pp. 322-325
Author(s):  
Muhammad Usman Anjum ◽  
Hashim Riaz ◽  
Hafiz Muhammad Tayyab
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
World Health ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Respiratory Illnesses ◽  
Acute Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Predominant Symptom ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Tract Infections

Objective: To determine the epidemiological and clinical profile of patientssuffering from acute respiratory tract infections in our area. Study design: Descriptive study,Setting: Frontier Medical & Dental College, Abbottabad, Pakistan. Period: July to December,2014. Materials and methods: All those children who were less than five years of age andclinically diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infections were included in the study. Whereaschildren who were more than five years of age, or suffering from chronic respiratory illnesses,or having congenital disease of respiratory tract were excluded from the study. Structuredproforma was used to record demographic and clinical data. World health organization’s criteriawere used to categorize the cases of ARIs. Results: A total of 229 patients were included inthe study. There were 109 male patients while 120 female patients with male to female ratioof 1:1.18. Maximum number of patients, 43%, was in the age group of 13-24 months followedby 31% in age group of 1-12 months and 15% in the age group of 25-36 months. The majorityof patients presented with shortness of breath as their main symptom followed by sore throatand cough. About 97% of our patients sought treatment from trained health care professionalwhile only 03% resort to self-medication. Conclusion: Acute respiratory tract infections arean important group of diseases in children of less than five years of age. These infectionsmostly affect children between 1-2 years of age. The predominant symptom is shortness ofbreath followed by sore throat and cough. Therefore, any child presenting with these symptomsshould be carefully evaluated for ARIs and their severity using World Health Organization’scriteria. Early diagnosis and treatment will, in turn, improve prognosis and reduce burden onhealth care facilities.

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