Knowledge and Practice of Traditional Medicine on Respiratory Disorders

Traditional medicine and indigenous knowledge of local traditional healers have considered key healthcare supportive skill for rural population in most developing countries of south Asia including Nepal. There is lack of specific research on use of ethno- medicine on particular diseases like respiratory disorder. Key informants and Informal discussions were conducted for collection of detail information's of local practice of using flora and fauna used as medicine on respiratory disorder. The survey was undertaken to collect information from Malikarjun Village Development Committee (VDC) during March 14 - April14, 2008. Findings revealed that locals were highly dependent on traditional healers for treatment to of respiratory disorder. The mothers practiced their own methods using traditional medicine in acute respiratory infection on the basis of her child age. The current study documented 13 genera of ethno medicinal plants belonging to 11 families and 3 faunal genera. Population of study area is still following the traditional healers and traditional medicine for the treatment of respiratory diseases

Risk factors for the presence of chikungunya and dengue vectors (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), their altitudinal distribution and climatic determinants of their abundance in central Nepal

Background: The presence of the recently introduced primary dengue virus vector mosquito Aedes aegypti in Nepal, in association with the likely indigenous secondary vector Aedes albopictus, raises public health concerns. Chikungunya fever cases have also been reported in Nepal, and the virus causing this disease is also transmitted by these mosquito species. Here we report the results of a study on the risk factors for the presence of chikungunya and dengue virus vectors, their elevational ceiling of distribution, and climatic determinants of their abundance in central Nepal. Methodology/Principal findings: We collected immature stages of mosquitoes during six monthly cross-sectional surveys covering six administrative districts along an altitudinal transect in central Nepal that extended from Birgunj (80 m above sea level [asl]) to Dhunche (highest altitude sampled: 2,100 m asl). The dengue vectors Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were commonly found up to 1,350 m asl in Kathmandu valley and were present but rarely found from 1,750 to 2,100 m asl in Dhunche. The lymphatic filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus was commonly found throughout the study transect. Physiographic region, month of collection, collection station and container type were significant predictors of the occurrence and co-occurrence of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. The climatic variables rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity were significant predictors of chikungunya and dengue virus vectors abundance. Conclusions/Significance: We conclude that chikungunya and dengue virus vectors have already established their populations up to the High Mountain region of Nepal and that this may be attributed to the environmental and climate change that has been observed over the decades in Nepal. The rapid expansion of the distribution of these important disease vectors in the High Mountain region, previously considered to be non-endemic for dengue and chikungunya fever, calls for urgent actions to protect the health of local people and tourists travelling in the central Himalayas

Relative abundance of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Aedes albopictus</i> in central Nepal.

<p>Each pie-chart represents positive containers for the chikungunya and dengue virus vectors <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Aedes albopictus</i> and their co-occurrences.</p

Effects of climate variables on the abundance of larvae of vector mosquitoes.

<p>Panels A, B and C show the effects of monthly total rainfall (mm), mean temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%), respectively, on the abundance of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> per container. Panels D, E and F show the effects of monthly total rainfall (mm), mean temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%), respectively, on the abundance of <i>Aedes albopictus</i> per container. Mosquito abundances are displayed in log scale.</p

Multivariate logistic regression analysis for the presence of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> larvae and pupae.

<p>OR: Odds ratio</p><p>aOR: Adjusted odds ratio</p><p>Multivariate logistic regression analysis for the presence of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> larvae and pupae.</p

Multivariate logistic regression analysis for the co-occurrence of larvae and pupae of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Aedes albopictus</i>.

<p>OR: Odds ratio</p><p>aOR: Adjusted odds ratio</p><p>Multivariate logistic regression analysis for the co-occurrence of larvae and pupae of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Aedes albopictus</i>.</p

Container types associated with the presence of immature stages of <i>Aedes aegypti</i>, <i>Aedes albopictus</i> and their co-occurrence in central Nepal.

<p>ND: not determined</p><p>OR: Odds ratio</p><p>Miscellaneous includes tree hole, discarded aluminum utensils, steel pot, polythene bag, plastic mug, natural pond, metal plate, metal can, iron kettle.</p><p>Container types associated with the presence of immature stages of <i>Aedes aegypti</i>, <i>Aedes albopictus</i> and their co-occurrence in central Nepal.</p

Collection and Conservation of Leguminous Crops and Their Wild Relatives in Western Nepal from October 29 to November 10, 2016

This is the first report on the collaborative collection and conservation of legume genetic resources in Nepal under the agreement between the National Agriculture Genetic Resources Center (NAGRC), Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Nepal, and the Genetic Resources Center (GRC), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Japan. Three wild Vigna species, Vigna hirtella Ridley (a close relative of azuki bean), Vigna radiata (L.) Wilcz. var. sublobata (Roxb.) Verdc. (wild ancestor of mung bean) and Vigna sahyadriana Aitawade, K. V. Bhat & S. R. Yadav (formerly recorded only from Northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India), were recorded for the first time in Nepal. In addition, Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & Ohashi var. nipponensis (Ohwi) Ohwi & Ohashi (wild ancestor of azuki bean) was recorded for the first time in Western Nepal.A field survey was conducted in Western Nepal from October 29 to November 10, 2016. A total of 68 samples were recorded in Nepal and 67seed materials were collected (no seeds were collected for sample N62) and conserved in the gene bank at NAGRC, Nepal. A subset was transferred to the GRC (NARO Genebank), Japan, using the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR). In Japan, introduced samples were separated and registered as 97 accessions (no seeds for N62) based on the differences of species (N25 contained Vigna radiata and Vigna mungo), seed coat colors and/or seed sizes. These accessions consisted of 15 species from eight genera, including soybean, common bean, azuki bean, mung bean, and the four wild Vigna species mentioned above. NARO Genebank plans to evaluate the growth characters of the collected materials and to propagate using these seeds in the summer of 2017. Multiplied seeds will be conserved and distributed upon request for agricultural research, breeding, and educational purposes