The emergence of the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 in multiple countries requires active surveillance : current scenario and counteracting strategies

Dear Editor, On April 11, 2022, a child less than two years old living in the Tamanrasset province of South Algeria showed signs of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). On July 8, 2022, this was notified by the WHO through the Global Polio Laboratory Network (GPLN) as a case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) [1]. In the past few months, several genetically-linked Sabin-like type 2 (SL-2) poliovirus isolates have been detected numerous times in the US and the UK [2]. Since last February, the GPLN in London has been consistently detecting SL-2 isolates in sewage samples. The latter showed enough mutations to be classified as type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV2) and, due to the evidence of community transmission, were classified as circulating VDPV2 (cVDPV2) [2]. No human cases of VDPV2 have been documented in the UK as of September 5, 2022. Only one case of VDPV2 was reported in an unvaccinated paralytic individual. This was the first poliomyelitis case reported in that country since 2013 that was not linked to recent international travel. In the US, the virus isolates detected in environmental samples were found to be genetically-related to those reported in the sewage samples from London and those from Jerusalem, Israel [2]. In the case of the child who showed AFP in Algeria, the cVDPV2 isolates were detected in the stool samples. This was the first case of cVDPV2 in that country. Genome sequencing showed that the isolated virus was genetically-related to one strain previously isolated in Kano, Nigeria. The child had not received the polio vaccine and had never travelled outside the Tamanrasset province. Public health investigations are currently underway in that region to identify any more AFP cases [1]

COVID-19 Era and the Constantly Reemerging Novel SARS-CoV-2 Variants Calls for Special Attention for the Geriatrics: A Real Challenge

Global public health is significantly challenged due to the continuing COrona VIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak brought forth by the severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) [...

Post‐COVID‐19 complications: Multisystemic approach

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SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine‐induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia: Promoting awareness to improve patient‐doctor trust

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Current approaches in smart nano‐inspired drug delivery: A narrative review

Abstract Background and Aim The traditional drug delivery approach involves systemic administration of a drug that could be nonspecific in targeting, low on efficacy, and with severe side‐effects. To address such challenges, the field of smart drug delivery has emerged aiming at designing and developing delivery systems that can target specific cells, tissues, and organs and have minimal off‐target side‐effects. Methods A literature search was done to collate papers and reports about the currently available various strategies for smart nano‐inspired drug delivery. The databases searched were PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Based on selection criteria, the most pertinent and recent items were included. Results Smart drug delivery is a cutting‐edge revolutionary intervention in modern medicines to ensure effective and safe administration of therapeutics to target sites. These hold great promise for targeted and controlled delivery of therapeutic agents to improve the efficacy with reduced side‐effects as compared to the conventional drug delivery approaches. Current smart drug delivery approaches include nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, and hydrogels, each with its own advantages and limitations. The success of these delivery systems lies in engineering and designing them, and optimizing their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties. Conclusion Development of drug delivery systems that can get beyond various physiological and clinical barriers, as observed in conventionally administered chemotherapeutics, has been possible through recent advancements. Using multifunctional targeting methodologies, smart drug delivery tries to localize therapy to the target location, reduces cytotoxicity, and improves the therapeutic index. Rapid advancements in research and development in smart drug delivery provide wider and more promising avenues to guarantee a better healthcare system, improve patient outcomes, and achieve higher levels of effective medical interventions like personalized medicine

ViSHWaS: Violence Study of Healthcare Workers and Systems—a global survey

Objective To provide insights into the nature, risk factors, impact and existing measures for reporting and preventing violence in the healthcare system. The under-reporting of violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) globally highlights the need for increased public awareness and education.Methods The Violence Study of Healthcare Workers and Systems study used a survey questionnaire created using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) forms and distributed from 6 June to 9 August 2022. Logistic regression analysis evaluated violence predictors, including gender, age, years of experience, institution type, respondent profession and night shift frequency. A χ2 test was performed to determine the association between gender and different violence forms.Results A total of 5405 responses from 79 countries were analysed. India, the USA and Venezuela were the top three contributors. Female respondents comprised 53%. The majority (45%) fell within the 26–35 age group. Medical students (21%), consultants (20%), residents/fellows (15%) and nurses (10%) constituted highest responders. Nearly 55% HCWs reported firsthand violence experience, and 16% reported violence against their colleagues. Perpetrators were identified as patients or family members in over 50% of cases, while supervisor-incited violence accounted for 16%. Around 80% stated that violence incidence either remained constant or increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among HCWs who experienced violence, 55% felt less motivated or more dissatisfied with their jobs afterward, and 25% expressed willingness to quit. Univariate analysis revealed that HCWs aged 26–65 years, nurses, physicians, ancillary staff, those working in public settings, with >1 year of experience, and frequent night shift workers were at significantly higher risk of experiencing violence. These results remained significant in multivariate analysis, except for the 55–65 age group, which lost statistical significance.Conclusion This global cross-sectional study highlights that a majority of HCWs have experienced violence, and the incidence either increased or remained the same during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in decreased job satisfaction

Global, regional, and national burden of allergic disorders and their risk factors in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Asthma and atopic dermatitis (AD) are chronic allergic conditions, along with allergic rhinitis and food allergy and cause high morbidity and mortality both in children and adults. This study aims to evaluate the global, regional, national, and temporal trends of the burden of asthma and AD from 1990 to 2019 and analyze their associations with geographic, demographic, social, and clinical factors. Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019, we assessed the age-standardized prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of both asthma and AD from 1990 to 2019, stratified by geographic region, age, sex, and socio-demographic index (SDI). DALYs were calculated as the sum of years lived with disability and years of life lost to premature mortality. Additionally, the disease burden of asthma attributable to high body mass index, occupational asthmagens, and smoking was described. Results: In 2019, there were a total of 262 million [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 224–309 million] cases of asthma and 171 million [95% UI: 165–178 million] total cases of AD globally; age-standardized prevalence rates were 3416 [95% UI: 2899–4066] and 2277 [95% UI: 2192–2369] per 100,000 population for asthma and AD, respectively, a 24.1% [95% UI: −27.2 to −20.8] decrease for asthma and a 4.3% [95% UI: 3.8–4.8] decrease for AD compared to baseline in 1990. Both asthma and AD had similar trends according to age, with age-specific prevalence rates peaking at age 5–9 years and rising again in adulthood. The prevalence and incidence of asthma and AD were both higher for individuals with higher SDI; however, mortality and DALYs rates of individuals with asthma had a reverse trend, with higher mortality and DALYs rates in those in the lower SDI quintiles. Of the three risk factors, high body mass index contributed to the highest DALYs and deaths due to asthma, accounting for a total of 3.65 million [95% UI: 2.14–5.60 million] asthma DALYs and 75,377 [95% UI: 40,615–122,841] asthma deaths. Conclusions: Asthma and AD continue to cause significant morbidity worldwide, having increased in total prevalence and incidence cases worldwide, but having decreased in age-standardized prevalence rates from 1990 to 2019. Although both are more frequent at younger ages and more prevalent in high-SDI countries, each condition has distinct temporal and regional characteristics. Understanding the temporospatial trends in the disease burden of asthma and AD could guide future policies and interventions to better manage these diseases worldwide and achieve equity in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment