Immunogenicity and safety of live attenuated hepatitis A Vaccine: a multicentric study

Objective: To evaluate immunogenicity and tolerability of single dose live attenuated injectable hepatitis A vaccine in four metropolitan cities of India. Methods: Live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine was administered to 505 children aged 18-60 months in four centers across India. Immunogenicity of the vaccine was assessed by estimation of anti-HAV antibody titer at 6 weeks and 6 months following administration of the vaccine. Safety evaluation of the vaccine was also done during the visits. Results: At 6 weeks, 480 subjects (95%) came for the follow-up and 411 (81.4%) subjects reported at the end of 6 months. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of anti-HAV antibody of the subjects who did not have the seroprotective titer at the baseline were assessed at 6 weeks and 6 months which was 81.04 mIU/ml and 150.66 mIU/ml respectively. At 6 weeks, 95.1% seroconverted and at the end of 6 months, 97.9% had seroconverted. Both solicited and unsolicited vaccine-induced local and systemic adverse events were insignificant at all the centers, except swelling and induration in a few. Conclusion: Live attenuated injectable hepatitis A vaccine was immunogenic and tolerable with minimal reactogenecity, in this study of single dose schedule. Safety profile was also satisfactory in the study population

Injury morbidity in an urban and a rural area in Tanzania: an epidemiological survey

BACKGROUND: Injuries are becoming a major health problem in developing countries. Few population based studies have been carried out in African countries. We examined the pattern of nonfatal injuries and associated risk factors in an urban and rural setting of Tanzania. METHODS: A population-based household survey was conducted in 2002. Participants were selected by cluster sampling. A total of 8,188 urban and 7,035 rural residents of all ages participated in the survey. All injuries reported among all household members in the year preceding the interview and resulting in one or more days of restricted activity were included in the analyis. RESULTS: A total of 206 (2.5%) and 303 (4.3%) persons reported to have been injured in the urban and rural area respectively. Although the overall incidence was higher in the rural area, the incidence of major injuries (≥ 30 disability days) was similar in both areas. Males were at a higher risk of having an injury than females. Rural residents were more likely to experience injuries due to falls (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.1 – 2.3) and cuts (OR = 4.3; 95% CI = 3.0 – 6.2) but had a lower risk of transport injuries. The most common causes of injury in the urban area were transport injuries and falls. In the rural area, cuts and stabs, of which two thirds were related to agriculture, formed the most common cause. Age was an important risk factor for certain types of injuries. Poverty levels were not significantly associated with experiencing a nonfatal injury. CONCLUSION: The patterns of injury differ in urban and rural areas partly as a reflection of livelihoods and infrastructure. Rural residents are at a higher overall injury risk than urban residents. This may be important in the development of injury prevention strategies

PERSONAL HYGIENIC PRACTICES OF SCHOOL GOING ADOLESCENTS – A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY IN CHENNAI

As per World Health Organization estimates, acute diarrhoeal diseases and respiratory infections are the leading causes of death among children1. Diarrhoeal diseases kill nearly 2 million children every year2. Repeated diarrhoeal episodes during childhood and adolescence can lower the fitness and productivity during adulthood3. The main source of diarrhoeal pathogens is the human faeces and for transmission of these faecal pathogens from one infected host to other contaminated hands plays an important role. Hygiene education and hand washing with soap are proved to be cost effective primary preventive measure for diarrhoeal diseases4

Computer Professionals and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is an important problem among computer professionals. Hence the prevalence of CTS among computer professionals and risk factors were studied. 648 subjects were selected from 4,276 computer professionals from 21 companies with a simple random sampling method. CTS was diagnosed based on clinical features.The prevalence of CTS was found to be 13.1% (95% CI 10.5–15.7%). Subjects with over 8 years of computer work, over 12 hrs of work per day and system administrators were at a higher risk for CTS (OR 3.3, 4.9 and 2.5 respectively). Flexed or extended hand position had higher risk for CTS. Higher risk for CTS was found with higher exposure to computer work. Ergonomic considerations are important in facilitating proper positioning of hand while working with a computer. Further studies on CTS risk factors among computer professionals are essential for planning prevention

National health programs in the field of endocrinology and metabolism - Miles to go

The endocrine and metabolic diseases of childhood obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, iodine deficiency disorders, vitamin D deficiency, and osteoporosis are major public health problems. Different programs including National Program for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke address these problems although some are yet to be addressed. National surveys have shown high prevalence of these disorders and their risk factors. Most of the programs aim at awareness raising, lifestyle modification, (primary prevention) and screening (secondary prevention) for the disease conditions as these are proven to be cost-effective compared to late diagnosis and treatment of various complications. Urgent concerted full scale implementation of these programs with good coordination under the umbrella of National Rural Health Mission is the need of the moment. The referral system needs strengthening as are the secondary and tertiary levels of health care. Due attention is to be given for implementation of these programs in the urban areas, as the prevalence of these conditions is almost equal or even higher among urban poor people where primary and secondary prevention measures are scarcely available and treatment costs are sky-high

A community-based study of postpartum depression in rural Southern India

Background: Depression is the most common complication postpartum affecting 10%–15% of women, contributing greatly to maternal mortality and morbidity, but the care availed is very low among the women who suffer. Objective: The aim is to study the prevalence of postpartum depression among recently delivered women in a rural population and the health care utilization pattern for the condition among women. Methodology: This was conducted as a population-based cross-sectional study in a rural population served by primary health center. All women in the study area who had a pregnancy outcome during the past 6 months and have completed 42 days since their last delivery were included in the study. The data on postpartum depression were collected using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Results: There were 365 postpartum women in the study area who participated in the study. Mean age of the study participants was 24.5 years. The deliveries were Institutional in 97.8% of women. The prevalence of depression among the study women (an EPDS score of 10 and above) was 11%. Among women with depression, a history of depression before the last delivery was given by 42.5% of women. Only 7.5% of women had sought some form of health care for their problem. Conclusion: The study shows that the prevalence of depression among postpartum women is quite high and the health seeking for depression is very low. Health professionals and workers have to be trained to raise awareness, detect, and treat depression among postpartum women promptly