{"title":"Projected shortfall of 10 million healthcare workers by 2030: implications for low- and middle-income countries and the way forward","authors":"B. Gulumbe, N. Usman","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11359","url":null,"abstract":"NA \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45597930","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}
S. Lenka, Debasmita Dubey, Shakti Rath, Somadatta Das, S. Swain
Head and neck infection (HNI) can lead to life-threatening complications, including death. The purpose of this study is to look at the entire clinico-demographic profile of patients with HNI as well as the microbiologic profile of recurring bacterial infection cases with a variety of symptoms. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1080 HNI patients in a tertiary care hospital in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, from January 2018 to December 2022. Of the 1080 cases, 771 (71.39%) were males, 309 (28.61%) were females, and 603 (55.83%) were from rural areas reporting to a tertiary care hospital. 62% of the cases were between the ages of 31 and 60. Neck abscesses account for 570 (52.78%) of all cases, with parotid abscesses accounting for 233 (21.57%), peritonsillar abscesses accounting for 170 (15.74%), otitis media 32 (2.96%), and oral cavity infection accounting for 26 (2.41%). In 854 (79.07%) cases, the etiology was odontogenic, followed by sinus in 188 (17.41%) and otogenic in 38 (3.52%). The most common presenting features were neck swelling in 537 (49.72%) cases and face swelling in 238 (22.04%) cases, followed by jaw pain in 26 (2.41%) cases and others. Patients were hospitalized for an average of 11.824.38 days. Treatment and recurrence had a strong significant relationship (p 0.001). Microbiologic investigation of recurrent patients revealed 12 microorganisms, including bacteria and fungus, mainly multidrug-resistant in given ascending order Staphylococcus aureus (26.74%), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans (4.65%), Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei. Apart from colistin, almost all antibiotics were highly resistant to gram-negative bacteria, whereas against S. aureus, benzylpenicillin, and oxacillin showed 100% resistance, followed by erythromycin (91.3%), levofloxacin (86.96%), and ciprofloxacin (82.61%). This exploratory study would aid in determining the HNI burden and epidemiology, as well as their treatment status.
{"title":"Clinical manifestation and microbial profiling of recurrent MDR microorganisms associated with head and neck infection- a retrospective study","authors":"S. Lenka, Debasmita Dubey, Shakti Rath, Somadatta Das, S. Swain","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11527","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11527","url":null,"abstract":"Head and neck infection (HNI) can lead to life-threatening complications, including death. The purpose of this study is to look at the entire clinico-demographic profile of patients with HNI as well as the microbiologic profile of recurring bacterial infection cases with a variety of symptoms. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1080 HNI patients in a tertiary care hospital in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, from January 2018 to December 2022. Of the 1080 cases, 771 (71.39%) were males, 309 (28.61%) were females, and 603 (55.83%) were from rural areas reporting to a tertiary care hospital. 62% of the cases were between the ages of 31 and 60. Neck abscesses account for 570 (52.78%) of all cases, with parotid abscesses accounting for 233 (21.57%), peritonsillar abscesses accounting for 170 (15.74%), otitis media 32 (2.96%), and oral cavity infection accounting for 26 (2.41%). In 854 (79.07%) cases, the etiology was odontogenic, followed by sinus in 188 (17.41%) and otogenic in 38 (3.52%). The most common presenting features were neck swelling in 537 (49.72%) cases and face swelling in 238 (22.04%) cases, followed by jaw pain in 26 (2.41%) cases and others. Patients were hospitalized for an average of 11.824.38 days. Treatment and recurrence had a strong significant relationship (p 0.001). Microbiologic investigation of recurrent patients revealed 12 microorganisms, including bacteria and fungus, mainly multidrug-resistant in given ascending order Staphylococcus aureus (26.74%), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans (4.65%), Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei. Apart from colistin, almost all antibiotics were highly resistant to gram-negative bacteria, whereas against S. aureus, benzylpenicillin, and oxacillin showed 100% resistance, followed by erythromycin (91.3%), levofloxacin (86.96%), and ciprofloxacin (82.61%). This exploratory study would aid in determining the HNI burden and epidemiology, as well as their treatment status.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42941624","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}
The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented challenges for healthcare systems worldwide, affecting the provision of ongoing care for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA). This study aimed to explore the adaptive techniques employed by healthcare systems in providing care for PLWHA during the pandemic and the challenges encountered. An exploratory qualitative study (EQS) methodology was employed, underpinned by the resourcefulness framework. The Silences Framework Analysis Phases were used during data analysis. Fifteen participants were interviewed, and the data were thematically analyzed. The healthcare system employed several adaptive techniques to cater to PLWHA during the pandemic, including developing new standard service protocols, implementing preventative measures to limit COVID- 19 infections during hospital visits, and improving communication. The study identified two significant challenges: a lack of health insurance and a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs). The findings highlight the need for adapting to changing circumstances and provide ongoing care for PLWHA during the pandemic. The results show that developing new protocols and preventative measures can effectively ensure the continuity of care in pandemic situations. Moreover, the provision of PPEs and health insurance for healthcare staff should be prioritized to create a safe working environment. In conclusion, this study underlined the importance of resourcefulness in developing healthcare resilience to sustain care and support for PLWHA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
{"title":"Exploring healthcare system adaptive techniques and challenges in caring for people living with HIV and AIDS during the COVID-19 lockdown period in Harare, Zimbabwe","authors":"Tendai Makwara, Rumbidzai Chireshe, M. Nyashanu","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11424","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11424","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented challenges for healthcare systems worldwide, affecting the provision of ongoing care for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA). This study aimed to explore the adaptive techniques employed by healthcare systems in providing care for PLWHA during the pandemic and the challenges encountered. An exploratory qualitative study (EQS) methodology was employed, underpinned by the resourcefulness framework. The Silences Framework Analysis Phases were used during data analysis. Fifteen participants were interviewed, and the data were thematically analyzed. The healthcare system employed several adaptive techniques to cater to PLWHA during the pandemic, including developing new standard service protocols, implementing preventative measures to limit COVID- 19 infections during hospital visits, and improving communication. The study identified two significant challenges: a lack of health insurance and a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs). The findings highlight the need for adapting to changing circumstances and provide ongoing care for PLWHA during the pandemic. The results show that developing new protocols and preventative measures can effectively ensure the continuity of care in pandemic situations. Moreover, the provision of PPEs and health insurance for healthcare staff should be prioritized to create a safe working environment. In conclusion, this study underlined the importance of resourcefulness in developing healthcare resilience to sustain care and support for PLWHA during the COVID-19 pandemic.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44262855","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}
The prevailing frameworks on access to medicines advise global procurement as a solution by assuming the presence of medicines on the global market. Yet access to medicines remains challenging, especially in developing countries. This is a global worry because the UN considers limited access to essential medicines as one of the five indicators of securing the right to health. To fill a research gap in health system studies and inform policymaking, we synthesized evidence from systematic reviews of how government policies affect low- and middle-income country (LMIC) medicine access. We chose a rapid review approach to reduce timelines and avoid missing policy “windows of opportunity.” To include only studies published after the start of COVID-19, we chose systematic reviews published between 2019 and November 2nd, 2022. This was also in line with recommendations in the literature to look at recent systematic reviews. The themes were grouped using a thematic and textual narrative approach. This review included 32 studies that examined access to medicine from various perspectives. Both supply- and demand-side policies are needed to improve medical access. LMICs cannot afford medicines, and supply never meets demand. LMICs will continue to struggle with pharmaceutical pricing due to their limited bargaining power. The urban bias in health facilities and policy changes reduce medicine availability and use. Leaders must make policy decisions to sustain domestic funds. Policymakers should consider that organizations may act against policy goals. Instead of copying developed nations, LMIC governments must develop multipronged strategies to address their unique challenges.
{"title":"Evidence from systematic reviews on policy approaches to improving access to medicines","authors":"Celestino Kuchena, A. Qutieshat","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11143","url":null,"abstract":"The prevailing frameworks on access to medicines advise global procurement as a solution by assuming the presence of medicines on the global market. Yet access to medicines remains challenging, especially in developing countries. This is a global worry because the UN considers limited access to essential medicines as one of the five indicators of securing the right to health. To fill a research gap in health system studies and inform policymaking, we synthesized evidence from systematic reviews of how government policies affect low- and middle-income country (LMIC) medicine access. We chose a rapid review approach to reduce timelines and avoid missing policy “windows of opportunity.” To include only studies published after the start of COVID-19, we chose systematic reviews published between 2019 and November 2nd, 2022. This was also in line with recommendations in the literature to look at recent systematic reviews. The themes were grouped using a thematic and textual narrative approach. This review included 32 studies that examined access to medicine from various perspectives. Both supply- and demand-side policies are needed to improve medical access. LMICs cannot afford medicines, and supply never meets demand. LMICs will continue to struggle with pharmaceutical pricing due to their limited bargaining power. The urban bias in health facilities and policy changes reduce medicine availability and use. Leaders must make policy decisions to sustain domestic funds. Policymakers should consider that organizations may act against policy goals. Instead of copying developed nations, LMIC governments must develop multipronged strategies to address their unique challenges.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49503390","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}
Social distance is the most promising technique for containing respiratory disorders such as coronaviruses. However, social separation is impractical in some situations where physical proximity is unavoidable. This research proposes alternative and complementary preventive and suppressive social distancing measures. This study explored the literature, produced critical ideas, and synthesized personal insights to develop realistic respiratory syndrome containment measures. Client-initiated congestion is common in enterprises and institutions that supply critical goods and services, according to experience. When overcrowding is unavoidable, containment methods such as using face masks, practicing proper cleanliness, improving the health of living and working environments, expanding access to critical supplies and services, and boosting social wellness must be implemented. Additionally, using (locally available) antiseptics, avoiding risky behaviors such as aggression, loneliness, smoking, drug abuse, and excessive alcohol consumption, eating greens, getting enough rest, receiving psychological treatment, and forming social ties could all help to reduce the negative effects of respiratory syndromes. Snipping hot liquids, preferably with honey, providing special attention to the elderly and individuals with comorbid diseases, seeing on-time healthcare workers and following their advise, and decreasing stress-inducing lifestyle factors all help to regulate respiratory syndromes. To control the transmission of contagions that cause respiratory syndromes, cost-effective and simple-to-implement measures should be used. Ignoring impoverished and marginalized communities in pandemic cases allows contagions to flourish unchecked, increasing the recurrence and circulation of pathologically important respiratory disorders.
{"title":"Compliant strategies to contain coronaviruses amidst the inconveniency of social distancing","authors":"T. T. Desta, Tewodros Mulugeta","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11204","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11204","url":null,"abstract":"Social distance is the most promising technique for containing respiratory disorders such as coronaviruses. However, social separation is impractical in some situations where physical proximity is unavoidable. This research proposes alternative and complementary preventive and suppressive social distancing measures. This study explored the literature, produced critical ideas, and synthesized personal insights to develop realistic respiratory syndrome containment measures. Client-initiated congestion is common in enterprises and institutions that supply critical goods and services, according to experience. When overcrowding is unavoidable, containment methods such as using face masks, practicing proper cleanliness, improving the health of living and working environments, expanding access to critical supplies and services, and boosting social wellness must be implemented. Additionally, using (locally available) antiseptics, avoiding risky behaviors such as aggression, loneliness, smoking, drug abuse, and excessive alcohol consumption, eating greens, getting enough rest, receiving psychological treatment, and forming social ties could all help to reduce the negative effects of respiratory syndromes. Snipping hot liquids, preferably with honey, providing special attention to the elderly and individuals with comorbid diseases, seeing on-time healthcare workers and following their advise, and decreasing stress-inducing lifestyle factors all help to regulate respiratory syndromes. To control the transmission of contagions that cause respiratory syndromes, cost-effective and simple-to-implement measures should be used. Ignoring impoverished and marginalized communities in pandemic cases allows contagions to flourish unchecked, increasing the recurrence and circulation of pathologically important respiratory disorders.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43241489","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}
Chronic smoking may lead to postural imbalance and there is the risk of injuries due to instability. Balance is needed to maintain posture. Literature is scarce regarding static and dynamic balance in smokers. Hence, the study aimed to evaluate the static and dynamic balance in single and dual tasks among active smokers and age-matched non-smokers.100 smokers and 100 non-smokers aged 20-50 years were selected by purposive sampling. Static balance was assessed by a single-leg stance (SLS) test. Dynamic balance was assessed by performing the time up and go (TUG) test, and 10m walk test. All the tests were performed in single and dual tasks in both smokers and age-matched non-smokers. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for assessing normality. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups. pvalue ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. There was a significant difference in the SLS test, 10M walk test, and TUG test in single as well as dual tasks. The static and dynamic balance is impaired in chronic smokers in comparison to age-matched non-smokers and seeks further exploration in larger samples.
长期吸烟可能导致姿势不平衡,并且由于不稳定存在受伤的风险。保持姿势需要平衡。关于吸烟者的静态和动态平衡的文献很少。因此,本研究旨在评估活跃吸烟者和年龄匹配的非吸烟者在单任务和双任务中的静态和动态平衡。采用有目的抽样的方法,选取20 ~ 50岁吸烟者和非吸烟者各100人。静平衡通过单腿站立(SLS)测试进行评估。动态平衡通过拔腿(time up and go, TUG)测试和10m步行测试进行评估。所有的测试都在吸烟者和年龄匹配的非吸烟者中进行了单任务和双任务。采用Kolmogorov-Smirnov检验评估正态性。采用Mann-Whitney U检验对两组进行比较。p值≤0.05被认为是显著的。SLS测验、10M行走测验、TUG测验在单任务和双任务上均有显著性差异。与年龄匹配的非吸烟者相比,慢性吸烟者的静态和动态平衡受损,需要在更大的样本中进一步探索。
{"title":"Evaluation of the static and dynamic balance in single and dual tasks among active smokers and non-smokers","authors":"Yuvraj Rana, H. Vaish","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11159","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11159","url":null,"abstract":"Chronic smoking may lead to postural imbalance and there is the risk of injuries due to instability. Balance is needed to maintain posture. Literature is scarce regarding static and dynamic balance in smokers. Hence, the study aimed to evaluate the static and dynamic balance in single and dual tasks among active smokers and age-matched non-smokers.100 smokers and 100 non-smokers aged 20-50 years were selected by purposive sampling. Static balance was assessed by a single-leg stance (SLS) test. Dynamic balance was assessed by performing the time up and go (TUG) test, and 10m walk test. All the tests were performed in single and dual tasks in both smokers and age-matched non-smokers. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for assessing normality. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups. pvalue ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. There was a significant difference in the SLS test, 10M walk test, and TUG test in single as well as dual tasks. The static and dynamic balance is impaired in chronic smokers in comparison to age-matched non-smokers and seeks further exploration in larger samples.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47209767","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}
Charu Jain, Shukla Das, V. Ramachandran, R. Saha, Sambit Nath Bhattacharyak, S. Dar, Nikita Birhman, N. Singh
Pityriasis Versicolor is a skin condition caused by the commensal yeast Malassezia. Little is known about the pathogenesis of why a commensal only causes symptoms in a subset of infected individuals. Understanding the susceptibility of the host to these commensal-associated diseases may be facilitated by knowledge of genetic polymorphism. The purpose was to investigate the relationship between Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the IL10 and IFN genes of the host and susceptibility to Malassezia infection. There were 38 cases of Pityriasis Versicolor (PV) and 38 healthy controls in the sample. Blood samples were extracted for genomic DNA from all study participants. Amplification refractory mutations system- polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) with sequence-specific primers was used to genotype cytokines. In all patients and healthy controls, three SNPs (IL10-1082A/G; IL10-819/592C/T; IFN- +874A/T) in two cytokine loci were analyzed. In the PV group, we observed significant differences in allele or genotype distribution for the IL10-819/592C/T and IFN- +874A/T gene polymorphisms. In the present investigation, cytokine gene polymorphism revealed that the host was susceptible to Malassezia infection.
{"title":"Pityriasis Versicolor: host susceptibility in relation to IL-10 and IFN γ cytokine gene polymorphism","authors":"Charu Jain, Shukla Das, V. Ramachandran, R. Saha, Sambit Nath Bhattacharyak, S. Dar, Nikita Birhman, N. Singh","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11302","url":null,"abstract":"Pityriasis Versicolor is a skin condition caused by the commensal yeast Malassezia. Little is known about the pathogenesis of why a commensal only causes symptoms in a subset of infected individuals. Understanding the susceptibility of the host to these commensal-associated diseases may be facilitated by knowledge of genetic polymorphism. The purpose was to investigate the relationship between Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the IL10 and IFN genes of the host and susceptibility to Malassezia infection. There were 38 cases of Pityriasis Versicolor (PV) and 38 healthy controls in the sample. Blood samples were extracted for genomic DNA from all study participants. Amplification refractory mutations system- polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) with sequence-specific primers was used to genotype cytokines. In all patients and healthy controls, three SNPs (IL10-1082A/G; IL10-819/592C/T; IFN- +874A/T) in two cytokine loci were analyzed. In the PV group, we observed significant differences in allele or genotype distribution for the IL10-819/592C/T and IFN- +874A/T gene polymorphisms. In the present investigation, cytokine gene polymorphism revealed that the host was susceptible to Malassezia infection.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48117425","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}
Neveen Rashad Mostafa, Abeer A. M. Ali, M. Alkaphoury, R. Marzo
The most prevalent infection that causes chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric cancer is Helicobacter pylori infection. Recent research has implicated H. pylori in the pathogenesis of non-gastrointestinal diseases such as cardiovascular, autoimmune, and metabolic disorders. In addition, since H. pylori is believed to be implicated in insulin resistance, numerous studies have been conducted to determine the relationship between H. pylori infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), but the results have been contested. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between H. Pylori infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. One hundred patients were examined via urea breath test for the presence of H. pylori infection and vibration-controlled transient elastography for the diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. After adjusting for other variables, age, body mass index (BMI), and H. pylori infection were associated with elastography 248dB/m. Infection with H. pylori contributes to the development of NAFLD, and its eradication may influence prognosis.
{"title":"Helicobacter Pylori infection and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Is there a relationship?","authors":"Neveen Rashad Mostafa, Abeer A. M. Ali, M. Alkaphoury, R. Marzo","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11379","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11379","url":null,"abstract":"The most prevalent infection that causes chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric cancer is Helicobacter pylori infection. Recent research has implicated H. pylori in the pathogenesis of non-gastrointestinal diseases such as cardiovascular, autoimmune, and metabolic disorders. In addition, since H. pylori is believed to be implicated in insulin resistance, numerous studies have been conducted to determine the relationship between H. pylori infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), but the results have been contested. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between H. Pylori infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. One hundred patients were examined via urea breath test for the presence of H. pylori infection and vibration-controlled transient elastography for the diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. After adjusting for other variables, age, body mass index (BMI), and H. pylori infection were associated with elastography 248dB/m. Infection with H. pylori contributes to the development of NAFLD, and its eradication may influence prognosis.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47986415","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}
T. T. Desta, Kero Jemal, Rediet Sitotaw, D. Lemessa, Melesse Maryo, Alemtshay Teka, Tewodros Mulugeta
SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is an unparalleled challenge for the international community. Subsequently, an extraordinary effort has been made to contain SARS-CoV-2. However, this has been largely limited to behavioral changes and vaccination. To make the containment strategies effective, behavioral changes and vaccination need to be complemented with alternative prevention methods and curative treatments. This work reports the antiviral properties of some of the commonly known edible medicinal plants that can be used as potential remedies to suppress coronaviruses. A growing body of evidence substantiates that edible medicinal plants with antiviral properties that have been proven effective against sibling coronaviruses likely contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and they may also suppress the fatality of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). The secondary metabolites found in herbal medicines do not cause pathogens to develop drug resistance, which is a common problem in conventional medicines. The use of edible medicinal plants is much safer and causes less panic, thereby avoiding the fear associated with the use of herbal medicines. Right dosages and mixtures of edible medicinal plants need to be rigorously investigated to circumvent unanticipated side effects and chronic health risks.
{"title":"The antiviral properties of edible medicinal plants: potential remedies against coronaviruses","authors":"T. T. Desta, Kero Jemal, Rediet Sitotaw, D. Lemessa, Melesse Maryo, Alemtshay Teka, Tewodros Mulugeta","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11205","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11205","url":null,"abstract":"SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is an unparalleled challenge for the international community. Subsequently, an extraordinary effort has been made to contain SARS-CoV-2. However, this has been largely limited to behavioral changes and vaccination. To make the containment strategies effective, behavioral changes and vaccination need to be complemented with alternative prevention methods and curative treatments. This work reports the antiviral properties of some of the commonly known edible medicinal plants that can be used as potential remedies to suppress coronaviruses. A growing body of evidence substantiates that edible medicinal plants with antiviral properties that have been proven effective against sibling coronaviruses likely contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and they may also suppress the fatality of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). The secondary metabolites found in herbal medicines do not cause pathogens to develop drug resistance, which is a common problem in conventional medicines. The use of edible medicinal plants is much safer and causes less panic, thereby avoiding the fear associated with the use of herbal medicines. Right dosages and mixtures of edible medicinal plants need to be rigorously investigated to circumvent unanticipated side effects and chronic health risks.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46034991","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}
K. Nirmal, Vikas Saini, Nadeem Ahmad, Narendra Pal Singh
Salmonella serotypes, including Salmonella Typhi, S. Paratyphi A, S. Paratyphi B, and S. Paratyphi C, are responsible for the systemic, protracted febrile sickness known as typhoid fever. Various antibody-based tests are being used for diagnosing typhoid fever. This study was carried out to assess the performance of the widal test and blood culture for the diagnosis of typhoid fever among malaria-negative patients in a tertiary care hospital in east Delhi, India. The study was conducted from July 2021 to June 2022 in the Department of Microbiology of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi. Patients, including the adult and pediatric population, were evaluated for typhoid fever and participated in an observational, prospective study on febrile patients that was malaria-negative. Venous blood samples were obtained under strict aseptic conditions and further processed for widal serology and blood culture tests for typhoid fever. In our study, the prevalence of blood culture-positive Salmonella species was 0.3% (30/10,000 = 0.3%) Among antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, S. Typhi revealed the highest resistance rates for Ciprofloxacin (43.33%), Azithromycin (36.66%), and third-generation cephalosporins. Out of 30 blood culture-positive Salmonella Typhi of typhoid fever patients, 5 (17%) samples were negative for the Widal test. Among 30 samples, all were blood culture positive, but only 25 samples show Widal titer above the baseline i.e. >1:64. Although blood culture is the gold standard for the diagnosis of typhoid fever, the Widal test does play a role in the diagnosis and management of typhoid fever, especially in suspected cases when blood culture is negative, especially in government tertiary care hospitals.
{"title":"Assessment of blood culture and tube agglutination serology test for the diagnosis of typhoid fever amongst malaria-negative patients: a one-year hospital-based study","authors":"K. Nirmal, Vikas Saini, Nadeem Ahmad, Narendra Pal Singh","doi":"10.4081/hls.2023.11345","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2023.11345","url":null,"abstract":"Salmonella serotypes, including Salmonella Typhi, S. Paratyphi A, S. Paratyphi B, and S. Paratyphi C, are responsible for the systemic, protracted febrile sickness known as typhoid fever. Various antibody-based tests are being used for diagnosing typhoid fever. This study was carried out to assess the performance of the widal test and blood culture for the diagnosis of typhoid fever among malaria-negative patients in a tertiary care hospital in east Delhi, India. The study was conducted from July 2021 to June 2022 in the Department of Microbiology of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi. Patients, including the adult and pediatric population, were evaluated for typhoid fever and participated in an observational, prospective study on febrile patients that was malaria-negative. Venous blood samples were obtained under strict aseptic conditions and further processed for widal serology and blood culture tests for typhoid fever. In our study, the prevalence of blood culture-positive Salmonella species was 0.3% (30/10,000 = 0.3%) Among antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, S. Typhi revealed the highest resistance rates for Ciprofloxacin (43.33%), Azithromycin (36.66%), and third-generation cephalosporins. Out of 30 blood culture-positive Salmonella Typhi of typhoid fever patients, 5 (17%) samples were negative for the Widal test. Among 30 samples, all were blood culture positive, but only 25 samples show Widal titer above the baseline i.e. >1:64. Although blood culture is the gold standard for the diagnosis of typhoid fever, the Widal test does play a role in the diagnosis and management of typhoid fever, especially in suspected cases when blood culture is negative, especially in government tertiary care hospitals.","PeriodicalId":30412,"journal":{"name":"Healthcare in Lowresource Settings","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70168454","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}