scholarly journals Systematic Review of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Central Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 8-20
Author(s):  
Demba Kodindo Israël ◽  
Cheick Amadou Coulibaly ◽  
John C. Beier ◽  
Gunter C. Muller ◽  
Seydou Doumbia
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Severe Form ◽  
Canine Leishmaniasis ◽  
Neglected Diseases ◽  
Kala Azar ◽  
Public Health Challenges ◽  
Significant Public Health

In underdeveloped countries, infectious diseases remain one of the most important public health challenges. Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as Kala-azar, is a lethal vector-borne parasitic disease with an increasing number of cases. However, it remains one of the most neglected diseases in the world. It is the most severe form of leishmaniasis and is endemic in 75 countries. Around 95% of the patients live in seven countries: Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and causes about 20,000-40,000 deaths per year of which 50-70% are children. In Central Africa, this pathology is little known and less documented, making it difficult to access information. We have performed this study to characterize the knowledge on the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis in Central Africa. We reviewed the literature on visceral leishmaniasis in Central Africa on the number of reported cases, identified parasites, reservoirs and vectors. The documents consulted came from WHO reports, publications of scientific journals, reports of research institutions and abstracts of scientific conferences consulted online on Pubmed and Google Scholar. The information covers the period from the first reporting of cases in each country until December 2020. The review of the situation of visceral leishmaniasis revealed that it is not a significant public health problem in Central Africa. However, a lot of work remains to be done especially surveillance and research in order to present the exact situation of the disease in this part of the continent. This work would include the underreporting of cases inherent to the weaknesses of the surveillance system in these countries, the clarification of the transmission dynamics of human visceral leishmaniasis, canine leishmaniasis, the identity of parasites and vectors.

scholarly journals Insights from mathematical modelling and quantitative analysis on the proposed WHO 2030 targets for visceral leishmaniasis on the Indian subcontinent

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1651
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Indian Subcontinent ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
District Level ◽  
World Health ◽  
Kala Azar ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Leishmania protozoa that are transmitted by female sand flies. On the Indian subcontinent (ISC), VL is targeted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for elimination as a public health problem by 2020, which is defined as <1 VL case (new and relapse) per 10,000 population at district level in Nepal and sub-district level in Bangladesh and India. WHO is currently in the process of formulating 2030 targets, asking whether to maintain the 2020 target or to modify it, while adding a target of zero mortality among detected cases. The NTD Modelling Consortium has developed various mathematical VL transmission models to gain insight into the transmission dynamics of VL, identify the main knowledge gaps, and predict the feasibility of achieving and sustaining the targets by simulating the impact of varying intervention strategies. According to the models, the current target is feasible at the appropriate district/sub-district level in settings with medium VL endemicities (up to 5 reported VL cases per 10,000 population per year) prior to the start of the interventions. However, in settings with higher pre-control endemicities, additional efforts may be required. We also highlight the risk that those with post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) may pose to reaching and sustaining the VL targets, and therefore advocate adding control of PKDL cases to the new 2030 targets. Spatial analyses revealed that local hotspots with high VL incidence remain. We warn that the current target provides a perverse incentive to not detect/report cases as the target is approached, posing a risk for truly achieving elimination as a public health problem although this is taken into consideration by the WHO procedures for validation. Ongoing modelling work focuses on the risk of recrudescence when interventions are relaxed after the elimination target has been achieved.

scholarly journals Seroepidemiological Survey of Canine Leishmania Infections from Peripheral Areas in Natal, Northeast Brazil

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Ribeiro Barbosa ◽  
Francisco Canindé Carlota ◽  
Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Domestic Dog ◽  
Canine Leishmaniasis ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Igg Antibody ◽  
Human Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Significant Difference

Background and Objective: Human visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in Natal, northeast of Brazil, where the domestic dog is an important parasite reservoir in the infectious cycle of Leishmania spp. In this study, was evaluated the antileishmanial IgG antibody and epidemiological factors related to canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). Methods: Sera samples obtained by venipuncture of 1,426 dogs living in areas of human visceral leishmaniasis occurrence were tested for detection of IgG anti-leishmania antibodies with Immunofluorescence Antibody Assay (IFA) and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Chi-square (x2) and Odds Ratio (OR) were calculated. Differences were considered statistically significant at p≤0.05. RESULTS: The overall seroprevalence was 10.30% (147/1,426); prevalence increased when the samples were found to be positive at least for one technique ([417/1,426] 29.3%). The high percentage of seroprevalence was observed in Nova República (15.35%), Nova Natal I (12.7%) and Lagoa Azul (11.4%) neighborhoods. In the Planalto, Soledade and Brasil Novo, the infection rates ranged from 7.5 at 8.06%. (p=0.00051). There was neither statistically significant difference between leishmanial infection nor clinical signs of disease (p=0.84; OR=1.0 [0.41; 2.3]), sex (p=0.78, OR=0.94 [0.66; 1.28]); and breed (p=0.92; OR=1.0 [0.65; 1.54]) were observed. Conclusion: The RESULTS suggest that CVL is widely distributed in Natal, may be increasingly urbanizing and will spread through neighborhoods but not endemic, resulting in a serious public health problem, emphasizing the need for epidemiological studies to a greater understanding of the distribution of canine leishmaniasis in these specific areas and contribute proactively to the public health policies.

scholarly journals Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) in Nepalgunj Medical College

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-68
Author(s):  
Shyam Kumar B.K. ◽  
S. D. Bassi ◽  
S. Baral ◽  
A. Shah ◽  
A. Dhakal
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Sand Fly ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Major Health Problem ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Kala Azar

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar is a potentially fatal vector-borne (sand fly phlebotomies spp) zoonotic disease caused by a protozoan parasite, Leishmaniadonovani. Kala-azar remains a public health problem in Nepal. The patient presented with a history of high-grade fever, abdominal distension, anemia, and weight loss. The disease is preventable, but various environmental, socioeconomic, health care and health behavior related variables affect its transmission. Objective: Find out the incidence of Kala-azar infection in Nepalgunj medical college. Method: This Hospital based study. Data was collected from April 2018to August 2018. Blood sample collected and test rk39 performed in laboratory of Nepalgunj Medical College Kohalpur. Result: Among 75 patients 16 were diagnosed kala-azar, rk39 positive 14 males and 2 females respectively. It is 12% of total cases. Among 16cases male are 14 and 2 are females. 85.7% male and 12.3% female. Age group between 15-30 years (31.25%), 31-45 years (25%), 46-60 years(18.75%), 61-75 years (12.5%), 76-85 years (12.5%). young people's age group 15-30 years are commonly infected. Conclusion: Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) cases are still major health problem in Nepal. There should be regular surveillance research work to be carried out in both epidemic and non-epidemic districts of the country. Mass public health education, to make the people aware about preventive aspects of the disease is important.

scholarly journals Adenosine and Immune Imbalance in Visceral Leishmaniasis: The Possible Role of Ectonucleotidases

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Paletta-Silva ◽  
José Roberto Meyer-Fernandes
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Immune Evasion ◽  
Extracellular Enzymes ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Severe Form ◽  
Immune Impairment ◽  
Immune Imbalance

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe form of leishmaniasis and is responsible for mostLeishmania-associated deaths. VL represents a serious public health problem that affects many countries. The immune response in leishmaniasis is very complex and is poorly understood. The Th1 versus Th2 paradigm does not appear to be so clear in visceral leishmaniasis, suggesting that other immunosuppressive or immune-evasion mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of VL. It has been demonstrated that generation of adenosine, a potent endogenous immunosuppressant, by extracellular enzymes capable to hydrolyze adenosine tri-nucleotide (ATP) at the site of infection, can lead to immune impairment and contribute to leishmaniasis progression. In this regard, this paper discusses the unique features in VL immunopathogenesis, including a possible role for ectonucleotidases in leishmaniasis.

scholarly journals Perspectives on Sustainable Development in the Context of Public Health Issues

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-39
Author(s):  
Ioana-Codruta Racz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Iodine Deficiency ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
The Body ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Northern Asia ◽  
Good Nutrition

Abstract Health is an integral part of sustainable development, a process that can’t be materialized if there is a high prevalence of diseases, a high percentage of those is due to environmental factors. An important component of health is the healthy nutrition, especially of children and pregnant women. Iodine is an essential micronutrient for a good nutrition that covers the physiological needs of the body, iodine deficiency having important consequences for mother and fetus, then for children, especially in the first years of life. The main role of iodine in the body is due to his importance for synthesis of thyroid hormones involved in growth and development of psychic and somatic body, starting with intrauterine life. Iodine deficiency was, and still is, a public health problem, globally the most affected countries are in Central Africa, central South America and northern Asia. Europe iodine deficiency is relatively lower. Multiple interventions were made to improve and even eradicate iodine deficiency disorders, in particular through the universal iodization of salt for human consumption, but must be supported in continuing efforts because this issue is not fully resolved to this day.

scholarly journals Refractive disorders in children

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9
Author(s):  
Larisa-Bianca Holhos ◽  
◽  
Mihaela Coroi ◽  
Teodora Holhos ◽  
Ioana Damian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Motor Skills ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Severe Form ◽  
Perceptual System ◽  
Refractive Errors ◽  
Visual Dysfunction ◽  
Sensory Motor ◽  
Complex Activities

According to current estimations, globally, there are around 150 million people with an uncorrected refractive disorder, which means 27% of the world’s population. Approximately 1.4 million of these are children and have a milder or more severe form of visual dysfunction secondary to refractive errors. Since 1990, refractive errors are considered to be a public health problem among children and cause visual dysfunction, with a prevalence of up to 43%. Vision maturation occurs in early childhood, when all the senses and motor skills work together to acquire language, first ideas about the environment and all the elements that define the person himself. Sight is a contributory perceptual system for the cognitive, social, sensory-motor development and for the assemblage of information about the environment. In the first years of life, the child increasingly discovers complex activities, requiring the ability to change the eyes fixation in space from one point to another and a normal binocular motility.

Information about Antimalarial Chemoprophylaxis in Hospitalised Patients — Is it Adequate?

1997 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Nathwani ◽  
J Spiteri
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Oil Boom ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Hospitalised Patients ◽  
The Uk

Malaria remains a huge public health problem worldwide, with over 100 million new cases annually, causing one to two million deaths.1 This global problem spills over into the UK, with around 2000 cases of reported annually.2 The proportion of infections due to Plasmodium falciparum (PF) continues to increase and worse still accounts for five to 12 deaths per year. In 1992, Nathwani et al reported the 10 year experience of malaria cases admitted to the Regional Infection Unit, in Aberdeen, Scotland-the “Oil Capital”.3 This study was of interest in that 46% of those British residents who acquired infection had travelled to West or Central Africa on oil related business. The Oil boom of the 1980‘ s appeared to very much centred around Aberdeen and the neighbouring hinterland but did not appear to extend to Dundee which was only 60 miles further down the North-East coast. We, therefore, carried out a retrospective study of patients with malaria admitted to the Regional Infectious Diseases Unit in Dundee over a fifteen year period between 1980 and 1994.

Green tea polyphenols prevent lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory liver injury in mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 3898-3908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongxu Wang ◽  
Man Zhang ◽  
Taotao Wang ◽  
Min Cai ◽  
Frank Qian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Liver Injury ◽  
Green Tea ◽  
Liver Diseases ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Green Tea Polyphenols ◽  
Inflammasome Activation ◽  
Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation ◽  
Significant Public Health Problem ◽  
Significant Public Health

Inflammatory liver diseases present a significant public health problem.

scholarly journals Sero-evaluation of Immune Responses to Vibrio cholerae in a Postelimination Setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tai The Diep ◽  
Owen Jensen ◽  
Nguyen Van Thuong ◽  
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Nhi ◽  
Nguyen Ngoc Anh Thu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Specific Antibody ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Antibody Testing ◽  
Southern Vietnam ◽  
Significant Public Health Problem ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Clinical Surveillance ◽  
Blood Spot

Abstract Cholera remains a significant public health problem worldwide. In settings of declining incidence, serosurveillance may be used to augment clinical surveillance. We utilized dried blood spot sampling and cholera-specific antibody testing to examine the serologic profiles of vaccinated and unvaccinated children in southern Vietnam, where cholera was recently eliminated.

scholarly journals Patient Perception of Ideal Body Weight and the Effect of Body Mass Index

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rozhin Naghshizadian ◽  
Amir A. Rahnemai-Azar ◽  
Kruthi Kella ◽  
Michael M. Weber ◽  
Marius L. Calin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Ideal Body Weight ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Education Of Patients ◽  
Significant Public Health Problem ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Ideal Body ◽  
Obesity Prevention Programs

Objective. Despite much effort, obesity remains a significant public health problem. One of the main contributing factors is patients’ perception of their target ideal body weight. This study aimed to assess this perception.Methods. The study took place in an urban area, with the majority of participants in the study being Hispanic (65.7%) or African-American (28.0%). Patients presented to an outpatient clinic were surveyed regarding their ideal body weight and their ideal BMI calculated. Subsequently they were classified into different categories based on their actual measured BMI. Their responses for ideal BMI were compared.Results. In 254 surveys, mean measured BMI was 31.71 ± 8.01. Responses to ideal BMI had a range of 18.89–38.15 with a mean of 25.96 ± 3.25. Mean (±SD) ideal BMI for patients with a measured BMI of <18.5, 18.5–24.9, 25–29.9, and ≥30 was 20.14 ± 1.46, 23.11 ± 1.68, 25.69 ± 2.19, and 27.22 ± 3.31, respectively. These differences were highly significant (P<0.001, ANOVA).Conclusions. Most patients had an inflated sense of their target ideal body weight. Patients with higher measured BMI had higher target numbers for their ideal BMI. Better education of patients is critical for obesity prevention programs.

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