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Introduction: During the Covid-19 pandemic, hospital frontliners faced serious risks of getting infected with the potentially fatal Covid-19 infection and their perception of Covid-19 exposure and depressive symptoms could affect their health and reduce their work quality and their productivity as hospital frontliners. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and their association with the perceived risk of exposure to Covid-19 infection. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was designed and carried out from May to June 2021. The universal sampling method was applied, and 454 people took part, giving a response rate of 98.7 per cent. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items were used as a validated self-administered questionnaire, and the data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Results: Age, female gender, ethnicity, level of education, marital status, and chronic medical ailment had a statistically significant relationship with depressive symptoms. Perceived factors such as difficulty getting the mask (p=0.01), discomfort wearing the mask (p=0.01), and feeling vulnerable to infection after close contact with confirmed/suspected Covid-19 patients (p=0.04) were found to have a statistically significant association with depressive symptoms among the hospital frontliners. In this study, 40.2 percent of hospital frontliners were found with depression symptoms. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression symptoms among hospital frontliners indicates the need for it to be highlighted and measures to be taken accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare tumor of intermediate malignant potential. It may occur in a wide range of anatomical locations. One-third are found in the respiratory tract. We report two cases of IMT of the airway diagnosed at our institution. Case Report: Case 1: A 6-year-old male child presented with a 1-month history of hoarseness of the voice. On evaluation, a polypoid nodule was noted in the right vocal cord which was excised through the endolaryngeal route. Histopathology was suggestive of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative IMT. He presented with recurrence after 4 months, for which he underwent endolaryngeal reexcision and tracheostomy for airway protection. A third recurrence after 6 months was managed with laser excision, and the patient was started on oral celecoxib. After 1.5 years of follow up, endoscopic examination showed no recurrence, and celecoxib was continued. Case 2: A 7-year-old male child presented with cough and respiratory distress. Bronchoscopy and high resolution computed tomography showed a polypoidal lesion with calcification arising from the left anterolateral wall of the trachea with significant narrowing of the lumen. The patient underwent biopsy followed by endoscopic excision, and was diagnosed with IMT. Currently the patient is under follow up with no recurrence. Conclusion: IMT indicates a proliferative myofibroblastic growth. Surgical resection should be recommended for all lesions if not prohibited by anatomic location or morbidity. Patients should be followed up closely for recurrence. In most cases, complete surgical excision will suffice; however multiple recurrences can be managed with chemotherapy. These two cases highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in rare tumors in difficult anatomical locations.

Introduction: Filaria, a parasitic disease caused by filarial worms, has posed a significant health burden in many countries in Asia. In response, various elimination programs have been implemented in the region to combat the transmission of this disease. While some countries in Asia have successfully implemented these strategies, others continue to face challenges in their elimination efforts. This study utilised a systematic review approach to identify the challenges encountered by Asian countries that have not yet achieved the status of elimination and to provide recommendation. Methods: A comprehensive search of databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and SpringerLink, was conducted based on PRISMA to gather relevant records from 2011 to 2021. The inclusion criteria were limited to Asian countries who that have not achieved elimination. JBI tools for cross-sectional and qualitative studies were used for quality assessment. Results: A total of 14 papers out of 372 papers were included in the review. The challenges identified in the filariasis elimination program in Asia can be categorised into five main themes: poor implementation strategy, poor political will, instability or crises, lack of research and surveillance, and lack of awareness, knowledge, perception among the community and geographical and demographic factors. Conclusion: Overall, this study highlights the importance of understanding and addressing the challenges faced by Asian countries and provide recommendations in their filariasis elimination programs. By acknowledging and actively working to overcome these challenges, health authorities can enhance their efforts to eliminate filariasis and improve the overall health outcomes of affected populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]