Equity-oriented toolkit for health technology assessment and knowledge translation: application to scaling up of training and education for health workers

Human resources for health are in crisis worldwide, especially in economically disadvantaged areas and areas with high rates of HIV/AIDS in both health workers and patients. International organizations such as the Global Health Workforce Alliance have been established to address this crisis. A technical working group within the Global Health Workforce Alliance developed recommendations for scaling up education and training of health workers. The paper will illustrate how decision-makers can use evidence and tools from an equity-oriented toolkit to scale up training and education of health workers, following five recommendations of the technical working group. The Equity-Oriented Toolkit, developed by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Knowledge Translation and Health Technology Assessment in Health Equity, has four major steps: (1) burden of illness; (2) community effectiveness; (3) economic evaluation; and (4) knowledge translation/implementation. Relevant tools from each of these steps will be matched with the appropriate recommendation from the technical working group

Should the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae be of wider concern for veterinary and medical science?

The poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae is best known as a threat to the laying-hen industry; adversely affecting production and hen health and welfare throughout the globe, both directly and through its role as a disease vector. Nevertheless, D. gallinae is being increasingly implemented in dermatological complaints in non-avian hosts, suggesting that its significance may extend beyond poultry. The main objective of the current work was to review the potential of D. gallinae as a wider veterinary and medical threat. Results demonstrated that, as an avian mite, D. gallinae is unsurprisingly an occasional pest of pet birds. However, research also supports that these mites will feed from a range of other animals including: cats, dogs, rodents, rabbits, horses and man. We conclude that although reported cases of D. gallinae infesting mammals are relatively rare, when coupled with the reported genetic plasticity of this species and evidence of permanent infestations on non-avian hosts, potential for host-expansion may exist. The impact of, and mechanisms and risk factors for such expansion are discussed, and suggestions for further work made. Given the potential severity of any level of host-expansion in D. gallinae, we conclude that further research should be urgently conducted to confirm the full extent of the threat posed by D. gallinae to (non-avian) veterinary and medical sectors

Changes in range of mosquito-borne diseases affected by global climatic fluctuations

Climate models suggest the strong possibility of range increase of the diseases transmitted by parasitic arthropods, mostly mosquitoes. In predicting processes of malaria and Dengue diseases dispersion the estimation of risk is based mostly on reproduction rate of vector species. These models allow to calculate the critical threshold of host density which is necessary to maintain parasites and pathogens transmission. Such studies based on integrated mathematical modelling indicate widespread increase of risk due to expansion of the areas suitable for mosquito−borne diseases transmission. This predicted increase is the most pronounced at the borders of the endemic areas and at higher altitudes within malaria and Dengue areas. The simulated change in mosquito−borne diseases risk must be interpreted on the basis of local environmental conditions as well as the effects of socio−economic developments and control disease programs. Apart from mathematical models the sequencing of proteins and DNA of vectors and their pathogens as well as satellite technology (GIS) are taken into consideration. It is supposed that potential impact of global climate change on malaria and Dengue risk can be reduced by constant warning system based on biological monitoring of mosquito vector species and their pathogens. Efficient care system connected with full diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis of transmission diseases are also required