Water safety in buildings

Extensive experience shows that poor design and management of water systems in buildings can cause outbreaks of disease. The types of building, water uses, disease outcomes and individuals affected are diverse. The health risks are preventable and can be readily controlled. However, evidence from outbreak detection suggests that the overall trend is increasing. With increasing global urbanization, the overall exposure of the human population to poorly designed or managed water systems in buildings is increasing rapidly. Consequently, the risk of disease outbreaks is also increasing. Actions to reduce the risk of disease should be considered a public health priority. This document provides guidance for managing water supplies in buildings where people may drink water; use water for food preparation; wash, shower, swim or use water for other recreational activities; or be exposed to aerosols produced by water-using devices, such as cooling towers. These uses occur in a variety of buildings, such as hospitals, schools, child and aged care, medical and dental facilities, hotels, apartment blocks, sport centres, commercial buildings and transport terminals

World Malaria Report 2010

The World Malaria Report 2010 summarizes information received from 106 malaria-endemic countries and other sources and updates the analyses presented in the 2009 Report. It highlights continued progress made towards meeting the World Health Assembly (WHA) targets for malaria to be achieved by the end of 2010 and by 2015. The report outlines the evolving situation of financing for malaria control, how these growing resources have resulted in increased coverage of WHO-recommended malaria control interventions, and the association between this rapid scale-up and substantial reductions in malaria burden

Pulmonary tuberculosis diagnostic delays in Chad: a multicenter, hospital-based survey in Ndjamena and Moundou

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tuberculosis remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in low-resource countries. One contagious patient can infect 10 to 20 contacts in these settings. Delays in diagnosing TB therefore contribute to the spread of the disease and sustain the epidemic.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>The aim of this study was to assess delays in diagnosing tuberculosis and the factors associated with these delays in the public hospitals in Moundou and Ndjamena, Chad.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A structured questionnaire was administered to 286 new tuberculosis patients to evaluate patient delay (time from the onset of symptoms to the first formal or informal care), health-care system delay (time from the first health care to tuberculosis treatment) and total delay (sum of the patient and system delays). Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with long diagnostic delays (defined as greater than the median).</p> <p>Results and discussion</p> <p>The median [interquartile range] patient delay, system delay and total delay were 15 [7–30], 36 [19–65] and 57.5 [33–95] days, respectively. Low economic status (aOR [adjusted odds ratio] =2.38 [1.08-5.25]), not being referred to a health service (aOR = 1.75 [1.02- 3.02]) and a secondary level education (aOR = 0.33 [0.12-0.92]) were associated with a long patient delay. Risk factors for a long system delay were a low level of education (aOR = 4.71 [1.34-16.51]) and the belief that traditional medicine and informal care can cure TB (aOR = 5.46 [2.37-12.60]).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Targeted strengthening of the health-care system, including improving patient access, addressing deficiencies in health-related human resources, and improving laboratory networks and linkages as well as community mobilization will make for better outcomes in tuberculosis diagnosis.</p