Pub Date : 2010-09-08DOI: 10.2174/18741967010030100074
M. Farcy, A. Doucoure
Pressure-driven membrane processes such as microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) are increasingly used to produce clean water for a broad range of domestic and industrial applications. This article outlines some key features of these membrane-based technologies and describes how they can be adapted to supply safe drinking water in remote communities and rural regions from the developing world. Three case studies are reported in Asia (Thailand) and Africa (Senegal and Mali) where we investigate the feasibility of removing microorganisms and some dissolved pollutants from water with commercial pressure-driven filtration pilots. The convinc- ing success of the Thailand study established that Pall transportable MF/UF units could help local residents meet their demand in high quality water. This case study provided some rationale for testing a similar concept in West Africa. Given the technological efficacy, robustness and modularity of these membrane systems, we see them as innovative tools for implementing a cost-effective and sustainable strategy to stop the emergence of water borne and vector borne infectious diseases not only in the developing world but also in regions severely affected by natural disasters.
{"title":"Membrane Systems for the Fight against Water-Borne Contaminants in Small Communities and Remote Areas from the Developing World: Accomplishments in Thailand and Some New Development in Sénégal and Mali","authors":"M. Farcy, A. Doucoure","doi":"10.2174/18741967010030100074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100074","url":null,"abstract":"Pressure-driven membrane processes such as microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) are increasingly used to produce clean water for a broad range of domestic and industrial applications. This article outlines some key features of these membrane-based technologies and describes how they can be adapted to supply safe drinking water in remote communities and rural regions from the developing world. Three case studies are reported in Asia (Thailand) and Africa (Senegal and Mali) where we investigate the feasibility of removing microorganisms and some dissolved pollutants from water with commercial pressure-driven filtration pilots. The convinc- ing success of the Thailand study established that Pall transportable MF/UF units could help local residents meet their demand in high quality water. This case study provided some rationale for testing a similar concept in West Africa. Given the technological efficacy, robustness and modularity of these membrane systems, we see them as innovative tools for implementing a cost-effective and sustainable strategy to stop the emergence of water borne and vector borne infectious diseases not only in the developing world but also in regions severely affected by natural disasters.","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"8 1","pages":"74-80"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88688681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-09-08DOI: 10.2174/18741967010030100072
G. Borkow
Central government programs essential for the improvement of the general public health are limited in developing countries. These include mass vaccination programs, which are cornerstones of primary health-care [1]; programs to reduce waterborne and water-associated vector-borne diseases [2]; routine surveillance activities [3,4]; regulation of pesticide usage (e.g. developing countries use only 20% of the world's agrochemicals, yet they suffer 99% of deaths from pesticide poisoning [5]); programs to reduce malnutrition [6]; programs to educate the public (e.g. use of condoms to reduce sexually transmitted diseases); and funding of medical care.
{"title":"Editorial: Fighting Infections in Developing Countries by Cost-Affordable and Sustainable Means","authors":"G. Borkow","doi":"10.2174/18741967010030100072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100072","url":null,"abstract":"Central government programs essential for the improvement of the general public health are limited in developing countries. These include mass vaccination programs, which are cornerstones of primary health-care [1]; programs to reduce waterborne and water-associated vector-borne diseases [2]; routine surveillance activities [3,4]; regulation of pesticide usage (e.g. developing countries use only 20% of the world's agrochemicals, yet they suffer 99% of deaths from pesticide poisoning [5]); programs to reduce malnutrition [6]; programs to educate the public (e.g. use of condoms to reduce sexually transmitted diseases); and funding of medical care.","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"122 1","pages":"72-73"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74578754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-09-08DOI: 10.2174/1874196701003030097
Z. Bentwich
{"title":"De-Worming in Developing Countries as a Feasible and Affordable Means to Fight Co-Endemic Infectious Diseases~!2009-12-10~!2010-02-15~!2010-09-08~!","authors":"Z. Bentwich","doi":"10.2174/1874196701003030097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874196701003030097","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"17 1","pages":"97-103"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75503281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-09-08DOI: 10.2174/18741967010030100092
O. Skovmand
Malaria is to-day a tropical disease that especially has major impact in Subsahelian Africa. The current large- scale campaign against malaria focuses on better first line use of medication and prevention: (1) the combined use of an Artimisin derivative and one of several synthetic anti-malarials; and (2) the use of insecticidal bednets for transmission prevention, since the disease is transmitted between humans by female mosquitoes. The change from nets that were to be treated and often re-treated to factory pre-treated nets about 7 years ago, made the change from a promising research tool to a major campaign tool. However, once the first line problem of fast disappearance of insecticide treatment was solved, other problems appeared such as physical net durability and low use rate of bednets among people that do not see only the advantages of the nets, but also experience the inconvenience of their use in the daily life. Finally, resistance to insecticides is appearing, probably originating from agricultural use of the same insecticides, but now amplified by the extensive use of insecticides for malaria control. A call for use of common sense and diversified use of insecticides is concluded.
{"title":"Insecticidal Bednets for the Fight Against Malaria - Present Time and Near Future","authors":"O. Skovmand","doi":"10.2174/18741967010030100092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100092","url":null,"abstract":"Malaria is to-day a tropical disease that especially has major impact in Subsahelian Africa. The current large- scale campaign against malaria focuses on better first line use of medication and prevention: (1) the combined use of an Artimisin derivative and one of several synthetic anti-malarials; and (2) the use of insecticidal bednets for transmission prevention, since the disease is transmitted between humans by female mosquitoes. The change from nets that were to be treated and often re-treated to factory pre-treated nets about 7 years ago, made the change from a promising research tool to a major campaign tool. However, once the first line problem of fast disappearance of insecticide treatment was solved, other problems appeared such as physical net durability and low use rate of bednets among people that do not see only the advantages of the nets, but also experience the inconvenience of their use in the daily life. Finally, resistance to insecticides is appearing, probably originating from agricultural use of the same insecticides, but now amplified by the extensive use of insecticides for malaria control. A call for use of common sense and diversified use of insecticides is concluded.","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"8 1","pages":"92-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89109441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-09-08DOI: 10.2174/18741967010030100097
Z. Bentwich, R. Horner, G. Borkow
Approximately one-third of humanity, especially in developing countries, is infected with parasitic roundworms or flatworms, collectively known as helminth parasites. These infections cause severe diseases, delayed physical development and mortality. A person in helminth endemic areas may be infected with these parasites all his life. These parasitic infections coincide with many other infectious diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. Treatment of these parasitic infections is relatively easy. In some cases a single dose of anti-parasitic treatment suffices. This paper briefly reviews the effects that helminthic infections have on other infectious diseases; on chronic non-transmittable diseases and discusses the potential benefits that de-worming may have on the overall morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases in developing countries, as well as on the effect de-worming may have on vaccination efficacy. We conclude that successful mass de-worming is essential for the reduction of the morbidity associated with these infections and may be a feasible and affordable means to combat other infectious diseases, such as HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. Furthermore, without it, HIV, malaria and TB vaccines may fail to confer protection in helminth endemic areas.
{"title":"De-Worming in Developing Countries as a Feasible and Affordable Means to Fight Co-Endemic Infectious Diseases","authors":"Z. Bentwich, R. Horner, G. Borkow","doi":"10.2174/18741967010030100097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100097","url":null,"abstract":"Approximately one-third of humanity, especially in developing countries, is infected with parasitic roundworms or flatworms, collectively known as helminth parasites. These infections cause severe diseases, delayed physical development and mortality. A person in helminth endemic areas may be infected with these parasites all his life. These parasitic infections coincide with many other infectious diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. Treatment of these parasitic infections is relatively easy. In some cases a single dose of anti-parasitic treatment suffices. This paper briefly reviews the effects that helminthic infections have on other infectious diseases; on chronic non-transmittable diseases and discusses the potential benefits that de-worming may have on the overall morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases in developing countries, as well as on the effect de-worming may have on vaccination efficacy. We conclude that successful mass de-worming is essential for the reduction of the morbidity associated with these infections and may be a feasible and affordable means to combat other infectious diseases, such as HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. Furthermore, without it, HIV, malaria and TB vaccines may fail to confer protection in helminth endemic areas.","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"97-103"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76953866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-09-08DOI: 10.2174/18741967010030100081
G. Borkow, J. Gabbay
Nosocomial infections, especially those caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria, are increasing at an alarming rate over the globe. Unfortunately, standard infection control practices, such as pre-emptive isolation of high-risk patients, wide and targeted surveillance cultures, and proper ventilation systems are lacking in developing countries mainly due to insufficient resources. Patients shed bacteria and contaminate their pyjamas and sheets. The temperature and humidity between the patients and the bed are appropriate conditions allowing for effective bacterial proliferation. Bed making releases large quantities of micro-organisms into the air, which contaminate the immediate and non-immediate surroundings. Personnel in contact with contaminated textiles can also cross-contaminate other surfaces or patients. Thus textiles in hospitals can be an important source of microbes contributing to endogenous, indirect-contact, and aerosol transmission of nosocomial related pathogens. The use of safe wide-spectrum antimicrobial textiles, especially in those textiles that are in close contact with the patients, may significantly reduce bioburden in clinical settings and consequently reduce the risk of nosocomial infections. This is of special significance in resource poor developing countries, where wards are overcrowded and population infection burdens are very high. The use of biocidal textiles is a simple, cost-affordable and feasible measure that may be especially important in developing countries where essential infection control measures are not implemented.
{"title":"Preventing pathogens proliferation and reducing potential sources of nosocomial infections with biocidal textiles in developing countries.","authors":"G. Borkow, J. Gabbay","doi":"10.2174/18741967010030100081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100081","url":null,"abstract":"Nosocomial infections, especially those caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria, are increasing at an alarming rate over the globe. Unfortunately, standard infection control practices, such as pre-emptive isolation of high-risk patients, wide and targeted surveillance cultures, and proper ventilation systems are lacking in developing countries mainly due to insufficient resources. Patients shed bacteria and contaminate their pyjamas and sheets. The temperature and humidity between the patients and the bed are appropriate conditions allowing for effective bacterial proliferation. Bed making releases large quantities of micro-organisms into the air, which contaminate the immediate and non-immediate surroundings. Personnel in contact with contaminated textiles can also cross-contaminate other surfaces or patients. Thus textiles in hospitals can be an important source of microbes contributing to endogenous, indirect-contact, and aerosol transmission of nosocomial related pathogens. The use of safe wide-spectrum antimicrobial textiles, especially in those textiles that are in close contact with the patients, may significantly reduce bioburden in clinical settings and consequently reduce the risk of nosocomial infections. This is of special significance in resource poor developing countries, where wards are overcrowded and population infection burdens are very high. The use of biocidal textiles is a simple, cost-affordable and feasible measure that may be especially important in developing countries where essential infection control measures are not implemented.","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"38 1","pages":"81-86"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77081588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-09-06DOI: 10.2174/1874196701003030081
G. Borkow
{"title":"Preventing Pathogens Proliferation and Reducing Potential Sources of Nosocomial Infections with Biocidal Textiles in Developing Countries~!2009-09-29~!2009-12-17~!2010-09-06~!","authors":"G. Borkow","doi":"10.2174/1874196701003030081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874196701003030081","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"31 1","pages":"81-86"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83283369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-09-06DOI: 10.2174/1874196701003030087
A. Togo
{"title":"Fighting Nosocomial Infection Rates in the General Surgery Department of the Teaching Hospital Gabriel Toure in Bamako, Mali~!2009-07-22~!2009-09-24~!2010-09-06~!","authors":"A. Togo","doi":"10.2174/1874196701003030087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874196701003030087","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"63 1","pages":"87-91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81593392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-09-06DOI: 10.2174/1874196701003030092
O. Skovmand
Malaria is to-day a tropical disease that especially has major impact in Subsahelian Africa. The current largescale campaign against malaria focuses on better first line use of medication and prevention: (1) the combined use of an Artimisin derivative and one of several synthetic anti-malarials; and (2) the use of insecticidal bednets for transmission prevention, since the disease is transmitted between humans by female mosquitoes. The change from nets that were to be treated and often re-treated to factory pre-treated nets about 7 years ago, made the change from a promising research tool to a major campaign tool. However, once the first line problem of fast disappearance of insecticide treatment was solved, other problems appeared such as physical net durability and low use rate of bednets among people that do not see only the advantages of the nets, but also experience the inconvenience of their use in the daily life. Finally, resistance to insecticides is appearing, probably originating from agricultural use of the same insecticides, but now amplified by the extensive use of insecticides for malaria control. A call for use of common sense and diversified use of insecticides is
{"title":"Insecticidal Bednets for the Fight Against Malaria – Present Time and Near Future~!2009-12-13~!2010-03-01~!2010-09-06~!","authors":"O. Skovmand","doi":"10.2174/1874196701003030092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874196701003030092","url":null,"abstract":"Malaria is to-day a tropical disease that especially has major impact in Subsahelian Africa. The current largescale campaign against malaria focuses on better first line use of medication and prevention: (1) the combined use of an Artimisin derivative and one of several synthetic anti-malarials; and (2) the use of insecticidal bednets for transmission prevention, since the disease is transmitted between humans by female mosquitoes. The change from nets that were to be treated and often re-treated to factory pre-treated nets about 7 years ago, made the change from a promising research tool to a major campaign tool. However, once the first line problem of fast disappearance of insecticide treatment was solved, other problems appeared such as physical net durability and low use rate of bednets among people that do not see only the advantages of the nets, but also experience the inconvenience of their use in the daily life. Finally, resistance to insecticides is appearing, probably originating from agricultural use of the same insecticides, but now amplified by the extensive use of insecticides for malaria control. A call for use of common sense and diversified use of insecticides is","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"5 1","pages":"92-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88083245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-07-16DOI: 10.2174/18741967010030100066
M. A. Arroyo, A. C. Lopes, V. B. Piatto, J. Maniglia
Introduction: For many years Lactose intolerance has been, considered as a universal problem in many children and adults. Objective: The aim is to investigate the prevalence of polymorphism -13910C/T, in a neonatal tracking, for early diagnosis of lactose tolerance/intolerance. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 310 Brazilian newborns, DNA was extracted from leukocyte umbilical cord and specific primers were used to amplify the region that encloses the -13910C/T polymorphism of the MCM6 gene, using the polymerase chain reaction and the restriction fragment length polymorphism tests. Results: One hundred and sixty (52%) male newborns and 150 (48%) female new borns were evaluated. Out of these, 191 (62%) presented CC genotype (lactose intolerant), 95 (31%) CT genotype, and 24 (7%) TT genotype, comprising a total of 119 (38%) lactose tolerant newborns. Accordingly the newbornsgender distribution in relation to the phenotypes has been found; 97 (32%) of male gender and 94 (30%) of female gender lactose intolerant, and 63 (20%) male and 56 (18%) female lactose tolerant newborns, not being such distribution statistically significant (p = 0.801). Conclusions: The molecular analysis made possible the identification of the presence or absence of lactase persistence variant in the Brazilian newborns. The neonatal molecular diagnosis can optimize the follow-up of positive results in newborn screening for lactose intolerance.
{"title":"Perspectives for Early Genetic Screening of Lactose Intolerance: - 13910C/T Polymorphism Tracking in the MCM6 Gene","authors":"M. A. Arroyo, A. C. Lopes, V. B. Piatto, J. Maniglia","doi":"10.2174/18741967010030100066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100066","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: For many years Lactose intolerance has been, considered as a universal problem in many children and adults. Objective: The aim is to investigate the prevalence of polymorphism -13910C/T, in a neonatal tracking, for early diagnosis of lactose tolerance/intolerance. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 310 Brazilian newborns, DNA was extracted from leukocyte umbilical cord and specific primers were used to amplify the region that encloses the -13910C/T polymorphism of the MCM6 gene, using the polymerase chain reaction and the restriction fragment length polymorphism tests. Results: One hundred and sixty (52%) male newborns and 150 (48%) female new borns were evaluated. Out of these, 191 (62%) presented CC genotype (lactose intolerant), 95 (31%) CT genotype, and 24 (7%) TT genotype, comprising a total of 119 (38%) lactose tolerant newborns. Accordingly the newbornsgender distribution in relation to the phenotypes has been found; 97 (32%) of male gender and 94 (30%) of female gender lactose intolerant, and 63 (20%) male and 56 (18%) female lactose tolerant newborns, not being such distribution statistically significant (p = 0.801). Conclusions: The molecular analysis made possible the identification of the presence or absence of lactase persistence variant in the Brazilian newborns. The neonatal molecular diagnosis can optimize the follow-up of positive results in newborn screening for lactose intolerance.","PeriodicalId":22949,"journal":{"name":"The Open Biology Journal","volume":"72 1","pages":"66-71"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86994424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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