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Background: In 2016, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) recommended the cessation of using type 2 oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) and OPV, with countries having to switch from the trivalent to bivalent OPV (bOPV) with the addition of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) in their routine immunization schedule. The current GPEI strategy 2022–2026 includes a bOPV cessation plan and a switch to IPV alone or a combination of vaccine schedules in the future. The focus of our study was to evaluate the immunogenicity of monovalent OPV type 1 (mOPV1) with IPV and IPV-only schedules. Methods: This was a three-arm, multi-center randomized–controlled trial conducted in 2016–2017 in India. Participants, at birth, were randomly assigned to the bOPV-IPV (Arm A) or mOPV1-IPV (Arm B) or IPV (Arm C) schedules. Serum specimens collected at birth and at 14, 18, and 22 weeks old were analyzed with a standard microneutralization assay for all the three poliovirus serotypes. Results: The results of 598 participants were analyzed. The type 1 cumulative seroconversion rates four weeks after the completion of the schedule at 18 weeks were 99.5% (97.0–99.9), 100.0% (97.9–100.0), and 96.0% (92.0–98.1) in Arms A (4bOPV + IPV), B (4mOPV1 + IPV), and C (3IPV), respectively. Type 2 and type 3 seroconversions at 18 weeks were 80.0% (73.7–85.1), 76.9% (70.3–82.4); 93.2% (88.5–96.1), 100.0% (98.0–100.0); and 81.9% (75.6–86.8), 99.4% (96.9–99.9), respectively, in the three arms. Conclusions: This study shows the high efficacy of different polio vaccines for serotype 1 in all three schedules. The type 1 seroconversion rate of mOPV1 is non-inferior to bOPV. All the vaccines provide high type-specific immunogenicity. The program can adopt the use of different vaccines or schedules depending on the epidemiology from time to time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new species of the chrysilline genus Phintella – P. dentis sp. nov. (♂♀), P. handersoni sp. nov. (♂♀), P. luna sp. nov. (♀) and P. rajbharathi sp. nov. (♂) – are described from India. Additionally, the unknown female of Phintella platnicki Sudhin, Sen & Caleb, 2023 is described and new distributional data are provided for this species. Notes on the type locality and distribution of P. accentifera (Simon, 1901) are provided along with clarification on the identity of other non-type materials. Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations and a distributional map are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the genus Pancorius Simon, 1902, P. sebastianisp. n. (♂♀) is diagnosed and described from Western Ghats, India. Detailed description and illustrations of the new species and a map showing the collecting locality of all Indian Pancorius species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evarcha pulchella (Thorell 1895) is recorded for the first time from India. Hitherto, this species has not been recorded again in the last 128 years since its original description. Detailed diagnostic illustrations and photographs of specimens are provided, along with a map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals use nests for various functions including laying eggs, raising young and gaining protection from predators. Social insect colonies provide rich microhabitats for various foreign inhabitants. Social spiders in the family Eresidae live in large, long-lasting colonies with a dense silken nest where spiders reside in complex capture webs. Social spider colonies contain several organisms apart from the host spiders, yet little is known about the foreign species and their roles. In this study, we cataloged foreign animals found in the nests and webs of the Indian social spider Stegodyphus sarasinorum Karsch, 1892 from different sites in India. We then examined the abundance and diversity of foreign spiders in adult and juvenile colonies, and the nature of interaction of foreign spiders with host S. sarasinorum spiders. We found spiders classified into nine families and insects classified into five orders and a few small vertebrate taxa associated with S. sarasinorum colonies. Adult S. sarasinorum nests and webs contained significantly more foreign spiders than juvenile colonies. However, diversity of foreign spiders did not increase with the number of host spiders. Additionally, we found that foreign spiders found inside the nests preyed on individual S. sarasinorum spiders. Our study sheds light onto the intriguing biology of nest- and web-associates of social spiders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The California Psychological Inventory's Dominance scale was investigated for inconsistencies in item-trait associations across four samples (one American normative and three culturally dissociated manager groupings). The Kim, Cohen, and Park procedure was used, enabling simultaneous multigroup comparison in addition to the traditional differential item functioning focus on paired-group contrasts. Framing comparisons within Hofstede's cultural dimensions, Dominance construct-item association inconsistencies were predicted to occur across Indian manager responses (when contrasted relatively with U.S. and U.K. responses). Results are consistent with the Hofstede predictions and have particular implications for empirically keyed assessments, multigroup contrasts, the cross-cultural expression of individual differences, and the generalizability of trait definitions across cultures. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

A new euophryine species, Thiania indicasp. n. (♂♀), is diagnosed and described from the Western Ghats of southern India. Detailed descriptions, diagnostic features, and illustrations for the new species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new jumping spider species, Langelurillus tertius sp. nov. (♂♀), is described from the Ajanta and Sathmala hill ranges of the Deccan plateau in Maharashtra (India). Detailed description, illustrations, and a map showing the distribution of all known Indian congeners are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India affords special laws and exemptions to minors under the criminal, marriage, labour and administrative laws. Many perpetrators claim to be a minor in the hope of a lenient trial and verdict. The authorities often rely upon forensic experts to provide evidence-based reports. The third molar can be relied upon in the assessment of legal age as it continues developing into the early twenties. The method established by Cameriere et al in 2008 provides an objective method for the accurate evaluation of legal age. Our study was designed to analyze and validate the efficacy of Third Molar Maturity index (I3M) in an Indian Goan population and compare it to published literature. 542 panoramic radiographs of subjects aged between 14 and 24 years were evaluated. The chronologic age increased as I3M reduced. There was no evidence of sexual dimorphism in third molar development across various I3M classes (p>0.05). Receiver Operator Characteristic Curve was plotted for males and females which showed an Area Under Curve of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.92-0.97) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.90-0.96) respectively. 2x2 contingency tables were used to test the performance of various I3M cut-off values ranging from I3M=0.02 to 0.14. I3M = 0.08 showed the most promising results for the assessment of legal age. Our study achieved a high degree of accurate classification of 0.90 and 0.88 for males and females respectively. Results demonstrate a sensitivity of 0.899 and 0.854 and specificity of 0.90 and 0.93 for males and females respectively. The positive likelihood ratios were 9.88 and 12.44 while negative likelihood ratio was 0.11 and 0.15 for males and females respectively. A favourable Bayes Post Test Probability of 0.95 was noted for both males and females. These results allow us to strongly recommend the use of I3M for the assessment of legal age in an Indian Goan population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using reanalysis data and observations, interannual variations and long-term trends in the Somali Jet (hereafter, the Jet) and Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR) are characterized for drought vs flood, El Niño vs La Niña, and positive vs negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) summer monsoon seasons. In flood years, the Jet is stronger over the upstream sector (i.e., Arabian Sea) and weaker over the downstream (i.e., Bay of Bengal), resulting in additional convergence and enhanced moisture transport over India, whereas the reverse occurs during drought years. The Jet and ISMR characteristics for El Niño (La Niña) years are similar to drought (flood) years, despite only around half of dry (wet) years, being associated with El Niño (La Niña). In +IOD years, the Jet shifts northward and intensifies over central and northern India, bringing more moisture and rainfall to those regions, while the −IOD has an opposite but relatively weak impact on ISMR. Over the last century, the Jet has become weaker over peninsular India, with reductions in rainfall across east India. Future projections under the SSP585 scenario from the CMIP6 multi-model mean suggest that the Jet will progressively shift northward and strengthen over the Arabian Sea, with associated rainfall increases over entire Indian region. The long-term changes in the Jet over the twentieth century are of comparable magnitude to interannual variations; however, the absolute magnitude of projected future changes is smaller than interannual variations observed in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dexippus kleini Thorell 1891 is recorded for the first time from India based on a sample collected from Assam, northeastern India which is about 2600 km away from its type locality. The species is diagnosed and illustrated in detail along with notes on its natural history, and a distributional map is also provided. The present species is recorded for the first time since its original description 129 years ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian spider species of the genera Apodrassodes, Herpyllus and Sergiolus are revised, mostly based on the type material available in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. The following new combinations are recognised: Coillina yogeshi comb. nov., transferred from Apodrassodes, Scotophaeus goaensis comb. nov. and Zelotes calcuttaensis comb. nov., both transferred from Herpyllus, Hitobia lamhetaghatensis comb. nov., Hitobia meghalayensis comb. nov., Hitobia poonaensis comb. nov., Hitobia singhi comb. nov. and Poecilochroa khodiar comb. nov., all transferred from Sergiolus. The Chinese species Coillina baka syn. nov. is synonymised with C. yogeshi comb. nov. All images of the examined type material as well as supplementary descriptions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arachnology Letters / Arachnologische Mitteilungen is the property of Arachnologische Gesellschaft e.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A new species of the genus Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000, P. cheppe sp. n. is described from the Indian Himalayas. Detailed description and illustrations are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent recurrences of drought in India have had major societal, economical, and environmental impacts. While region-specific assessments are abundant, exhaustive appraisal over large spatial scales has been insubstantial. Here a new drought index called Water Storage Deficit Index (WSDI) is devised and analyzed for holistic representation of drought. The crux of the method is the employment of terrestrial water storage (TWS) variations from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) for quantification of drought intensity and severity. Drought events in recent times are well identified and quantified using the approach over four homogenous rainfall regions of India over the period from April 2002 to April 2015. Among the four regions, the highest peak deficit of −158.00 mm is observed in January 2015 over central India. While the drought of 2002-04 is prominent in peninsular and west-central India, the drought of 2009-10 and 2012-13 is conspicuous in almost all four regions of India. The longest deficit period of 23 months (from February 2009 to December 2010) and the highest severity value of −26.31 are observed in central and northwestern India, respectively. WSDI values show an increasing trend in west-central India (0.07 yr−1), indicating recovery from previously existing drought conditions. On the contrary, a decreasing trend in WSDI is observed in northwestern (−0.07 yr−1) and central (−0.18 yr−1) India. Results demonstrate considerable confidence in the potential of WSDI for robust characterization of drought over large spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pioneering research has been conducted in India during the past five decades, comprehensively covering epidemiology of poliovirus infection and of polio, efficacy and effectiveness of oral and inactivated polio vaccines (OPV, IPV) as well as pathogenesis of wild and vaccine polioviruses. It was estimated, based on epidemiology data, that India had a very heavy burden of polio, with average 500-1000 cases per day. Prevention was an urgent need, but OPV showed unacceptably low vaccine efficacy (VE) for poliovirus types 1 and 3. Having learned that response to sequential doses followed arithmetic pattern and not prime-boost principle, multiple doses were tested and found to be a simple intervention to increase VE. Eventually this knowledge became critical for polio eradication. Indian research demonstrated that monovalent OPV (mOPV) had nearly three timed higher VE than trivalent OPV (tOPV). Eventually, mOPV type 1 became essential to interrupt wild type 1 infection in many locations where the VE of tOPV was very low. Indian research pointed to the epidemiologic importance of direct person-to-person spread of wild polio viruses and the need and potential of IPV to prevent and control polio. Research on vaccine responses led to the understanding that OPV would become wild-like through back mutations and to the definition of eradication as interrupting transmission of both wild and vaccine-derived polioviruses. By asking and answering the right questions insequence, Indian polio research presaged and guided polio eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In March 2014, India, the country with historically the highest burden of polio, was declared polio free, with no reported cases since January 2011. We estimate the health and economic benefits of polio elimination in India with the oral polio vaccine (OPV) during 1982-2012. Methods: Based on a pre-vaccine incidence rate, we estimate the counterfactual burden of polio in the hypothetical absence of the national polio elimination program in India. We attribute differences in outcomes between the actual (adjusted for underreporting) and hypothetical counterfactual scenarios in our model to the national polio program. We measure health benefits as averted polio incidence, deaths, and disability adjusted life years (DALYs). We consider two methods to measure economic benefits: the value of statistical life approach, and equating one DALY to the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. Results: We estimate that the National Program against Polio averted 3.94 million (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.89-3.99 million) paralytic polio cases, 393,918 polio deaths (95% CI: 388,897- 398,939), and 1.48 billion DALYs (95% CI: 1.46-1.50 billion). We also estimate that the program contributed to a $1.71 trillion (INR 76.91 trillion) gain (95% CI: $1.69-$1.73 trillion [INR 75.93-77.89 trillion]) in economic productivity between 1982 and 2012 in our base case analysis. Using the GNI and DALY method, the economic gain from the program is estimated to be $1.11 trillion (INR 50.13 trillion) (95% CI: $1.10-$1.13 trillion [INR 49.50-50.76 trillion]) over the same period. Conclusion: India accrued large health and economic benefits from investing in polio elimination efforts. Other programs to control/eliminate more vaccine-preventable diseases are likely to contribute to large health and economic benefits in Ind [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on COVID-19 pandemic end by transitioning into endemic prevalence globally. Topics include widespread hope for the pandemic ending with SARS-CoV-2 transmission getting interrupted due to ‘herd immunity;' and vaccination with two doses of various COVID vaccines reaching nearly three-fourths of the populations contributed significantly reaching the HIT of delta variant.

Menemerus nigli Wesolowska & Freudenschuss, 2012 previously known from Western Pakistan is reported in Eastern India. Illustrations of the habitus, male palp and distribution map are provided. DNA barcode data obtained for this species is available at BOLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of being the pioneer leader of research into epidemiology and prevention of tuberculosis among low-income countries, India has the hiqhest population-based burden of tuberculosis among all nations. Children with latent tuberculosis are the pool from which adult pulmonary tuberculosis emerges many years later. In the absence of primary prevention of infection by BCG, sociologic/behavioral Intenventions must be applied to reduce air-borne transmission. In addition to maximizing passive surveillance of adult disease, pediatric tuberculosis must also be brought under surveillance Those with latent tuberculosis must be detected and treated to remove them from the pool Epidemiologically the realistic monitoring method of tuberculosis control trajectory is documenting progressive reduction of the short incubation pertod pediatric disease through surveillance, and not the reduction of long incubation period adult pulmonaiy tuberculosis Application of scientific tools for the detection and management of pediatric tuberculosis infection - latent and active -holds the key to effective tuberculosis control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's success in eliminating wild polioviruses (WPVs) has been acclaimed globally. Since the last case on January 13, 2011 success has been sustained for two years. By early 2014 India could be certified free of WPV transmission, if no indigenous transmission occurs, the chances of which is considered zero. Until early 1990s India was hyperendemic for polio, with an average of 500 to 1000 children getting paralysed daily. In spite of introducing trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (tOPV) in the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1979, the burden of polio did not fall below that of the pre-EPI era for a decade. One of the main reasons was the low vaccine efficacy (VE) of tOPV against WPV types 1 and 3. The VE of tOPV was highest for type 2 and WPV type 2 was eliminated in 1999 itself as the average per-capita vaccine coverage reached 6. The VE against types 1 and 3 was the lowest in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where the force of transmission of WPVs was maximum on account of the highest infant-population density. Transmission was finally interrupted with sustained and extraordinary efforts. During the years since 2004 annual pulse polio vaccination campaigns were conducted 10 times each year, virtually every child was tracked and vaccinated - including in all transit points and transport vehicles, monovalent OPV types 1 and 3 were licensed and applied in titrated campaigns according to WPV epidemiology and bivalent OPV (bOPV, with both types 1 and 3) was developed and judiciously deployed. Elimination of WPVs with OPV is only phase 1 of polio eradication. India is poised to progress to phase 2, with introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), switch from tOPV to bOPV and final elimination of all vaccine-related and vaccine-derived polioviruses. True polio eradication demands zero incidence of poliovirus infection, wild and vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India established the National Tuberculosis Control Project (NTCP) 50 years ago and re-designed it as Revised NTCP (RNTCP) 19 years ago. Tuberculosis (TB) control was beset with obstacles -- BCG vaccination was found ineffective in TB control in 1979; human immunodeficiency virus began spreading in India since 1984 with TB as the commonest opportunistic disease; multi-drug resistance was found to be prevalent since 1992. The World Health Organization declared TB as global emergency in 1993. Yet, RNTCP was extended to the whole nation very slowly, taking 13 years from inception. The first objective of RNTCP, namely 85% treatment success has been achieved and case-fatality had dropped by 90%. Still, TB burden continues to remain huge; about half the cases are not getting registered under RNTCP; pediatric TB is neglected; TB drains national economy of US$ 23 billion annually. Therefore, TB control is in urgent need of re-design and re-invigoration, with additional inputs and system re-organization to cover all such gaps. We highlight the need for Public Health infrastructure under which all vertical disease control projects such as RNTCP should be synergized for better efficiency and for establishing Public Health Surveillance for collecting denominator-based data on incidence and prevalence to guide course corrections. India ought to spend 3 to 5 times more on TB control than at present. Control needs clear epidemiologic definition and measurable parameters for monitoring the level of control over time. TB control is both a measure of, and a means to, socioeconomic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: Extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become a new threat for the control of TB in many countries including India. Its prevalence is not known in India as there is no nation-wide surveillance. However, there have been some reports from various hospitals in the country. Methods: We have reviewed the studies/information available in the public domain and found data from 10 tertiary care centres in 9 cities in India. Results: A total of 598 isolates of XDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been reported in the studies included. However, the reliability of microbiological methods used in these studies was not checked and thus the XDR-TB data remained invalidated in reference laboratories. Interpretation & conclusions: Systematic surveillance and containment interventions are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Infectious diseases like HIV are on the rise in developing countries like India, which puts a heavy burden on the health care needs. Nurses have a key role and they spend considerable time taking care of the HIV positive patients who are admitted to hospitals. Hence, a study was conducted in our hospital to have an insight into the knowledge of nurses about HIV, their apprehensions while taking care of such patients and their attitudes and willingness to take care of them. Methods: This was a cross sectional study which was done among 200 nurses of KMC Hospital, Mangalore. They were given a validated questionnaire which comprised of 67 items which included the knowledge on the spread of HIV, universal precautions, risk perceptions and their attitudes towards the HIV positive patients. Their responses were analyzed by using the SPSS software. Results: Of the 200 nurses who were selected, 152 completed the questionnaire. Regarding the knowledge of the HIV transmission, the correct response for the widely advertised modes of transmission were higher-sexual contact (97.4%) and vertical transmission (88.8%). However, 11.2% did not know about the mother to child transmission and 28.9% did not know about the transmission through breast feeding. 90.1% felt that HIV could be transmitted by the sharing of plates and 83.6% felt that it could be transmitted through mosquito bites. 93.4% knew about the universal precautions and 78.3% routinely practised it. 80.3% were aware of the post exposure prophylaxis.79.2% described that caring for the HIV positives was rewarding, 86.5% were willing to assist in the operations on HIV patients and 84.9% were willing conduct deliveries. 13.4% felt they had a right to refuse care for the HIV patients and 97% felt that the surgical patients needed to be routinely tested for HIV. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that there were deficiencies in the knowledge about HIV and that false beliefs existed among the nurses about the spread of HIV. There is a need to improve the awareness about HIV and HIV patient care through training programmes to clear the misconceptions among the nurses so that the HIV positive patients are not discriminated against and are treated without discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the success of India in eradicating wild polioviruses (WPVs) during the 2010-11 period. According to a study of the National Polio Surveillance Project, the prevalence of WPV-1 and WPV-3 in the high-risk districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in 2010 was 98% and 77%, respectively. One of the factors that contributed to this success was a sustained intensive vaccination program. It cites several risks to India's WPV eradication program.

In this article the author discusses re-examining the measles vaccination schedule in India. The authors says that as India is on the threshold of accelerated measles mortality reduction `and is getting prepared to enter the measles elimination era, the measles immunization schedule has to be re-examined and modified. They also says that during outbreaks even young infants were at risk for severe disease

Abstract: Background: To provide the polio eradication initiative with more immunogenic oral poliovirus vaccines (OPVs), we evaluated newly developed monovalent type 1 OPV (mOPV1) among infants in India. Methods: Two double-blind randomized controlled clinical trials compared two mOPV1s (mOPV1 A and mOPV1 B) versus trivalent OPV (tOPV X) given at birth (trial I), or assessed two products of higher-potency mOPV1 (mOPV1 C and mOPV1 D) versus regular-potency mOPV1 (mOPV1 B) or tOPV Y given at birth and at 30 days (trial II). Results: In trial I, 597 newborns were enrolled, 66 withdrawn or excluded, leaving 531 (88.9%) subjects for analysis. Seroconversion to poliovirus type 1 was 10.4% for mOPV1 A, 15.6% for mOPV1 B and 10.2% for tOPV X. In trial II, 718 newborns were enrolled, 135 withdrawn or excluded, leaving 583 (81.2%) subjects for analysis. Seroconversion to poliovirus type 1 following a birth dose was 15.1%, 19.7%, 18.0% and 10.6%, following the 30-day dose 87.1%, 89.2%, 84.4%, or 55.9%, and cumulative for both doses 90.4%, 90.3%, 89.5% and 61.9% for mOPV1s B, C, and D and tOPV Y, respectively. Conclusions: In both studies, seronconversion rates were unexpectedly low to poliovirus type 1 after mOPV1 or tOPV given at birth but high for all formulations of mOPV1 given at age 30 days. The cause for low immunogenicity of OPV at birth in India is not known. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the problem with regard to infectious diseases in India. The central Ministry of Health is responsible for the control of diseases and outbreaks, although it lacks a formal public health department. It emphasizes the need for the country to rethink and revise its health policy to broaden the agenda of disease control. It also recommends the creation of a functional public health infrastructure which is shared between central and state governments, with professional leadership and formally trained public health personnel.

Copyright of Tropical Medicine & International Health is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses a study which investigated the immunogenicity of a novel bivalent types 1 and 3 oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV). A randomised, double-blind, controlled trial was conducted at three centres in India between August 6, 2008 and December 26, 2008. The authors randomly assigned 900 newborn babies to one of five vaccine groups. The authors found that bOPV was superior over trivalent OPV (tOPV).

The article focuses on the importance of a scientifically defined and soundly designed program for tuberculosis (TB) control in India. The country has been regarded as the TB capital of the world, holding nearly a third of the global cases of TB. It stresses the need to implement additional interventions to ensure that the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) meets its goal of reducing TB burden and mortality come 2015. It discusses ways on how to redesign the TB program, one of which is establish a functional public health surveillance system.

The author contends that the government of India must address health system reform at present so as to re-establish organized public health and to provide quality healthcare with equity. In particular, he calls for the creation of a National Commission on Public Health and Healthcare. He asserts that there must be a clear policy on public-private participation in healthcare. He insists that the pragmatic beginning of health reform is the appointment of a Commission as soon as possible.

This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of tubercular infection and compute the Annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) in Bijnor district of western Uttar Pradesh through a hospital-based tuberculin survey conducted at a pediatric hospital. A total of 1085 children below 18 years (0-4 years 866, 5-17 years 219), attending the out-patient department during October 2007 through September 2008 were included. Tuberculin skin test using standard PPD RT23 with Tween 80 was performed on every 4th child attending the out-patient department and induration was measured after 48 to 72 hours. Using a cut-off of 15 mm among 0-4 y aged children, the average prevalence rate was 7.4%, and using cut-off of 10 mm in 5-17 y age group the average prevalence rate was 26.9%. ARTI was 4.11% (95% CI 3.09-5.14) and 3.50 % (2.46-4.48), respectively in the two age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pandemic-09-H1N1 virus caused the pandemic starting in the second quarter of 2009. The world was prepared to face the pandemic since it was anticipated for over one decade. Most countries, including India, had made detailed pandemic preparedness plans well ahead of its actual occurrence. The infection rapidly spread to the whole country within 2-3 months. The national tactics were to slow down its importation through international air travelers and to slow down its spread in cities and major towns. More than 75% of all infected persons were urban dwellers, suggesting that efforts were concentrated in urban communities. In general the illness of pandemic influenza has been similar to endemic/seasonal influenza; however, there is insufficient epidemiological and clinical data on the latter. We hope that the unprecedented experience of managing the pandemic will encourage the Government of India to plan to confront endemic/seasonal influenza more systematically. The pandemic seems to have reached a peak in September/October and has been on the decline since then. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the eradication of vaccine polioviruses. It notes that in order to achieve global polio eradication (GPE), live oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) was promoted for use in low and middle income (LMI) countries. It is said that the administration of OPV in LMI countries including India has led to the development of vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP). It recommends the eradication of OPV following the global discontinuance of the administration of the vaccine.

The authors emphasize the need to promote and speed-up measles control in India. They describe the prevalence of measles in the country, along with the rate of mortality associated with measles. They offer ideas on how to control measles, including stricter regular immunization system, offering second measles vaccine dose and administering vitamin A therapy in children with measles.

An editorial is presented that addresses the impact of the influenza pandemic on the health system in India. The authors believe the first six months of 2009 completed affected the international scene on the possibility of influenza pandemic. They discuss the objectives of testing specifically for H1N1 infection. They describe the public health infrastructure in India.

Cassia occidentalis is an annual shrub found in many countries including India. Although bovines and ovines do not eat it, parts of the plant are used in some traditional herbal medicines. Several animal studies have documented that fresh or dried beans are toxic. Ingestion of large amounts by grazing animals has caused serious illness and death. The toxic effects in large animals, rodents and chicken are on skeletal muscles, liver, kidney and heart. The predominant systems involved depend upon the animal species and the dose of the beans consumed. Brain functions are often affected. Gross lesions at necropsy consist of necrosis of skeletal muscle fibres and hepatic centrilobular necrosis; renal tubular necrosis is less frequent. Muscle and liver cell necrosis is reflected in biochemical abnormalities. The median lethal dose (LD50) is 1 g/kg for mice and rats. Toxicity is attributed to various anthraquinones and their derivatives and alkaloids, but the specific toxins have not been identified. Data on human toxicity are extremely scarce. This review summarizes information available on Cassia toxicity in animals and compares it with toxic features reported in children. The clinical spectrum and histopathology of C. occidentalis poisoning in children resemble those of animal toxicity, affecting mainly hepatic, skeletal muscle and brain tissues. The case-fatality rate in acute severe poisoning is 75-80 per cent in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the universal immunization program (UIP) and polio eradication in India. It mentions that the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) gives its full support to the polio eradication initiative (PEI) of the Government of India (GOI) despite the latter's lack of full attention to the professional advice provided by the former. It discusses the PEI which began in 1988 which has the aim of eradicating polio come 2000. It notes that UIP may be reconstructed in the country by following a systematic process of determining success factors.

The article focuses on the recommendations for improvements on the national tuberculosis (TB) control efforts in India addressed by an editorial titled "Tuberculosis control, without protection from BCG" that was published in the January 2000 issue of "Indian Pediatrics." It states the need for screening children in contact with every adult diagnosed with active TB. It also mentions the importance of conducting regular periodic tuberculin surveys at district and sub-district levels in the country.

Increased levels of immune activation among HIV patients from developing countries are believed to accelerate and/or enhance the shift to a Th2 cytokine environment, which in turn may result in a more rapid progression to AIDS. In support of this hypothesis, we present data from a cohort of 35 HIV+ individuals in southern India. Among asymptomatic individuals in this cohort, a dramatic increase in plasma interleukin (IL)-10 coincided with rapid decrease in CD4 counts and progression to AIDS. Serum IL-10 levels were significantly higher after 6 months of follow up (P=0.01), while CD4 counts declined at a rate of 280 cells/ul per year, roughly 3 times the rate of decline reported for HIV+ asymptomatic subjects in developed countries. Changes in serum IL-10 levels and CD4 counts fell short of statistically significant correlation (P=0.1). Among AIDS patients in this cohort, the mean period from diagnosis of AIDS to death was <5 months and is in agreement with an earlier report of rapid progression in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human leptospirosis is prevalent in several states in India, sporadically or as outbreaks, especially during rainy seasons. It affects predominantly male adults who work in agriculture, causing severe morbidity and unnecessary mortality. Yet, there is no systematic leptospirosis prevention and control programme in the country, as it is not identified as priority under the national health policy. Therefore states with leptospirosis ought to establish public health programme for its prevention and control, as part of building a comprehensive initiative for the control of all-important infectious diseases. After establishing disease surveillance and laboratory support service, the disease burden must be monitored before and during interventions for control. The District is the ideal unit of activity, with full participation of the State Government and Local Panchayati raj. The public health staff must give technical leadership and the risk factors of human leptospirosis must be identified and specific interventions targeted against them. Action must be local-area-specific and coordinated between the Departments of Health, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Environment and Forestry. A model leptospirosis control programme has been formulated in Kerala State and is awaiting implementation. A state level Diagnostic and Epidemiolgy centre has been established to provide technical leadership. This model must be implemented and also replicated in other states. The most important ingredient for the control of infectious diseases is the 'political will'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to validate the Routine Assessment of Patient Progress (RAPP), an instrument for assessment by nurses, among patients with psychosis in South India. One hundred consecutive patients with psychosis admitted to the Department of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India, were assessed on day five and day 19 using the RAPP, the PANSS, and the CGI scales. The correlation of the RAPP with the other scales, its change over time, the inter-rater reliability, and factor structure were assessed. The subscales of RAPP correlated significantly with those of the other scales at intake and at follow-up. The RAPP scores changed significantly after treatment. Its inter-rater reliability as measured by the intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.98. The Cronbach's alpha, used to measure the internal consistency of the scale, was 0.87. The split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown) was 0.89. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation revealed six factors, which explained 67.4% of the variance. Items related to life skills explained a major proportion of the variance. The good psychometric properties, concurrent validity, high inter-rater reliability and sensitivity to change make it a useful instrument for nurses to employ to assess patients with psychoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether increased exposure and attention to news are associated with a greater uniformity of U.S. residents' attitudes about three developing countries: India, Mexico, and Venezuela. Data were collected in a survey of 374 residents of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Evidence suggested that attention to news about specific countries, but not various forms of news exposure, may reduce variability in people's attitudes toward Third World countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the highlights of the National Consultative Meetings on Polio Eradication (NCMPE) conducted by the Polio Eradication Committee (PEC) of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics Committee on March 19, 2010 in New Delhi, India. The continuous neglect and disregard shown to Vaccine Associated Polio Paralysis (VAPP) and the acknowledgement of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) cases are mentioned. The importance of re-building universal immunization programs (UIP) in several states is also discussed.

The author offers information on the Chandipura virus. He relates that the virus was discovered by scientists from the Virus Research Centre (VRC) in Poona, India in 1966. He notes the reemergence of the virus in 2003 when a large outbreak of an acute neurological illness of young children, diagnosed with encephalitis, happened. He examines the characteristic of the virus which is classified under the Rhabdoviridae family.