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Health Information Seeking Behavior (HISB) refers to the behavior and strategies used to attain, clarify, or confirm health information. The uptake of health information depends on system-level and individual-level factors. The purpose of the present study is to understand the sources from which Punjabi elders obtain COVID-19 vaccine-related information and their information seeking behavior. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 391 Punjabi elders aged 50+ years in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario. The survey questions included the need for COVID-19 vaccine information, the type of information sought, sources of information, and barriers to seeking information. Descriptive analysis was conducted using frequencies and percentages, and logistic regression was performed to understand the associations between participants' sociodemographic characteristics and HISB. The results suggested that Punjabi elders are more likely to use informal sources and less likely to seek information from health professionals and government health and wellness websites. The results also suggested that most participants do not cross-check their information with other sources and are more likely to cross-check the information with family/friends, compared to credible care providers, across all demographics. Ultimately, there may be a need for stakeholders to collaborate to regulate the accuracy and type of health-information that is disseminated through media, and to tailor health communication to the health information seeking behavior of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge translation (KT) is a relatively new concept referring to transfers of knowledge into practice in collaboration with multiple sectors that work for the health and wellness of society. Knowledge translation is crucial to identifying and addressing the health needs of immigrants. AIM: To scope the evidence on KT research engaging immigrants in the host country regarding the health and wellness of immigrants. METHODS: This study followed a scoping review approach suggested by Arksey O'Malley. We identified relevant studies from both academic and grey literature using structured criteria, charted the data from the selected studies, collated, summarised and report the results. RESULTS: Analysis of the eligible studies found two types of KT research: integrated KT and end-ofgrant KT. Meeting or discussion with community-level knowledge-users were common KT activities among immigrants, but they were involved in the entire research process only if they were hired as members of research teams. Most KT research among immigrants explored cancer screening and used a community-based participatory action research approach. Barriers and enablers usually came from researchers rather than from the community. There was little practice of evaluation and defined frameworks to conduct KT research among immigrants in Canada. CONCLUSION: This study can help the researchers and other stakeholders of health and wellness of the immigrant population to identify appropriate KT research activities for immigrants and where KT research is required to facilitate the transfer of research knowledge into action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Human enteroviruses (HEVs) are a rare cause of encephalitis, presenting in endemic or epidemic form. Objectives: The aim of the study is to identify and characterise the causative agent of the encephalitis epidemic, which occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India during the summer of 2008. Study design: A total of 90 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were collected between June and October 2008 from children with symptoms of encephalitis admitted to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University and Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Conventional and molecular methods were used to identify and characterise the viral agent associated with the epidemic. Results: Enterovirus RNA was detected in 37 (41.11%) of 90 CSF samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Seroneutralisation, amplification and sequencing of the 3′-end of the VP1 region of EV isolates revealed coxsackievirus B5 (CBV) and echovirus 19 (ECV) as the main serotypes causing this epidemic. Phylogenetic analysis showed that sequence divergence among the same serotypes was 0–4% at the nucleotide level. Conclusions: This is the first report suggesting that CBV 5 and ECV 19 may be responsible for an epidemic of encephalitis in India. These serotypes were variant and evolved within the studied area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: In the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, enteroviruses are a significant cause of infection presenting in endemic or epidemic forms. The present study aimed to use molecular methods to identify enterovirus serotypes in clinical specimens to determine their circulation in the community., Methodology: A total of 320 clinical specimens were collected between January 2009 and December 2010 from children younger than 15 year of age in northern India. Reverse- transcription (RT) real time PCR and semi-nested RT PCR targeting the 5'untranslated region and VP1 region was used for the detection and identification of enterovirus serotypes., Results: The enterovirus genome was detected in 79 (24.7%) of 320 clinical specimens by real time PCR. Central nervous system syndrome (CNS) was the most common clinical manifestation (n=32, 62.74%), followed by respiratory tract infection (n=8, 15.69%), acute febrile illness (n=7, 13.73%), and gastrointestinal disease (n=4, 7.84%). A total of 32 different serotypes were identified with the predominance of coxsackievirus B5 and echovirus 6. Phylogenetic analysis of partial VP1 gene sequences from this study showed that many enterovirus serotypes showed good similarity with strains from America and Europe in comparison to neighbouring Asian countries., Conclusions: To our knowledge this is the first study of enterovirus prevalence from northern India based on unbiased molecular methods which leads to the identification of fifteen different enterovirus serotypes. The high frequency of enterovirus B species serotypes circulation may be an important cause of CNS infection in the children of this region.

Stroke in the young is attributed to the prevalence of thrombophilia, however, reports explaining the cause mechanisms from Indian populations are largely not known. The information about the association of inherited thrombophilia and occurrence of stroke is still missing. Therefore, we describe here 52 cases of young ischemic stroke of which 22 cases were of recurrent stroke and 30 cases of first episode stroke along with an equal number of healthy controls. Imaging techniques (CT/MRI/Doppler studies) were used to identify the type and location of infarcts among various regions of the brain. All the patients and controls were screened for hypercoagulable state by employing Pro C global test. Those tested positive for the latter were evaluated for conventional thrombophilic factors, activity levels of protein C and protein S, antithrombin III levels, plasma homocysteine levels and presence of activated protein C resistance, lupus anticoagulant, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T) and prothrombin G20210A polymorphisms. Out of 52 cases there were 22 cases of recurrent stroke and 30 cases of first ischemic stroke. Infarcts were single in 39 out of 52 cases and multiple in 13 cases. Among the different regions of brain internal capsule infarcts were seen in 13 of 52 (25%) cases, and cerebellum, basal ganglion and midbrain infarcts were seen in five cases (9.6%) each and remaining infarcts were in other anatomical regions of the brain. Left middle cerebral artery territory was involved in 17 of 52 (32.7%) cases. The prevalence of individual thrombophilia among cases ranged from 28.8% (15/52) for protein S and 11.5% (6/52) for protein C deficiencies respectively. All cases of protein C were protein S deficient. Five cases of protein C deficiency patients were of 25 years and younger as compared with one case in the at least 25 years age group. Plasma homocysteine levels were elevated in three cases (5.7%) as compared with normal levels in controls. Homozygous MTHFR C677T was seen in three cases, whereas heterozygosity for the same was observed in five cases. Out of three homozygous cases for C677T MTHFR polymorphism, two of these patients had hyperhomocysteinemia. None of the five cases of heterozygous C677T MTHFR polymorphism had hyperhomocysteinemia. All patients were found to be negative for prothrombin G20210A mutation. The results of the present study suggest that protein S deficiency alone or protein S deficiency in combination with protein C deficiency as well as hyperhomocysteinemia are significantly associated with ischemic stroke in young Indians.

This report addresses the possible impacts of local habitat characteristics on the metacercariae of Clinostomum schizothoraxi Kaw, 1950 infecting crucian carp, Carassius carassius (Linnaeus), from three lakes in Kashmir. The lakes chosen encompass an extremely wide gradient in trophic status--Manasbal (less polluted and mesotrophic), Dal (moderately polluted and eutrophic) and Anchar (strongly polluted and hypertrophic). The results indicate that infrapopulation-level descriptors of abundance of C. schizothoraxi in fish differed between the three lakes and revealed that the infection levels were greater at Anchar Lake. Furthermore, the prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity of infection also changed during the period of investigation along the seasonal gradient of water temperature. The fact that the abundance patterns of the parasite differed in different populations of the same host provided a unique opportunity for a comparative study on the temporal variations in infection patterns attained during different seasons. In particular, the lake environments showed a high degree of variability in the density profiles of mollusc intermediate hosts and, thus, the differences in the infection status of crucian carp were derived on the basis of intermediate host population size which, in turn, was influenced by the trophic characteristics of the three lakes.

Enteroviruses have been reported in epidemic form during last 10 years in northern India. Environmental surveillance of sewage is the method of choice in limited resources countries for detection of enterovirus serotypes circulating in the community. Twenty-four sewage samples collected between January, 2009 and December, 2010 were tested for enterovirus by using a new modified integrated shell vial culture (ISVC) with a semi-nested RT-PCR of a partial VP1 gene and virus isolation integrated with semi-nested RT-PCR of a partial VP1 gene. Twenty-one (87.5%) out of 24 samples were positive for enterovirus by the conventional method and all samples (100%) by the ISVC-RT-PCR. The additional positive samples detected by ISVC-RT-PCR was typed as six different enterovirus serotypes (Sabin poliovirus 3, Coxsackievirus B3, Coxsackievirus A13, Coxsackievirus A17, Echovirus 33, and Enterovirus 75). Phylogenetic analysis of a partial VP1 gene of Echovirus 19 showed that one genetic lineage clustered with isolates from Georgia suggesting their importation into northern India. Detection of wild poliovirus in the absence of clinical cases with 16 different co-circulating enterovirus serotypes supports the need of increased molecular surveillance of sewage. Rapid identification and characterization of enterovirus serotypes is necessary to study their transmission and evolution in different geographical regions to prevent future outbreak., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

We identified and characterized enteroviruses associated with aseptic meningitis in children between April 2009 and March 2010. Enterovirus RNA was detected in 51 (45.5 %) of 112 CSF samples. Molecular typing by RT-PCR and sequencing of a partial VP1 region revealed the predominance of echovirus (ECV) 32 (n = 20), followed by ECV 11 (n = 10), ECV 13 and ECV 14 (n = 5 each), coxsackievirus (CV) B3 and CV B6 (n = 3 each), CV A2, CV A10 and ECV 30 (n = 1 each). Phylogenetic analysis of ECV 32 showed 0 to 4 % sequence divergence among strains of the present study and 20-23 % from the prototype Puerto Rico strain at the nucleotide level. This is the first report of ECV 32 associated with an aseptic meningitis epidemic and identification of seven different enterovirus serotypes (CV A2, CV A10, CV B3, CV B6, ECV 13, ECV 14 and ECV 32) in meningitis cases from India.

Enteroviruses have been reported in encephalitis cases. However, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of enteroviruses in encephalitis are not fully established. We prospectively investigated 204 children with encephalitis over a period of 2 years (2009 to 2010) for enterovirus. Enterovirus was detected in 45 specimens (22.1%); of these, 40 were typed by seminested reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and sequencing of the VP1 gene. Molecular typing of enterovirus revealed the predominance of echovirus 21 associated with an epidemic during the rainy seasons of 2010 and the circulation of echovirus 1, coxsackievirus B1, enterovirus 75, enterovirus 76, coxsackievirus B5, and echovirus 19. The nucleotide divergence among echovirus 21 strains was 0 to 2% at the nucleotide level. This study suggests that enterovirus is an important cause of encephalitis in children from India. To our knowledge, this is the first report of echovirus 21 in encephalitis cases worldwide.