Expected advantage of general screening for hepatitis C in donated blood for prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma: a report from endemic setting

Yasri S. Expected advantage of general screening for hepatitis C in donated blood for prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma: a report from endemic setting. Adv Trop Med Pub Health Int. 2019; 9: 1 - 4.

ABSTRACT

Hepatocellular carcinoma is an important cancer seen worldwide. The high prevalence is seen in tropical Asia and is related to several underlying factors including to hepatitis virus infection. the hepatitis C virus is a carcinogenic pathogen that can induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis. This virus is transmittable via blood contact and the blood transfusion is an important cause of disease transmission. The screening for hepatitis C virus in donated blood is the proposed method for prevention of disease transmission. In this article, the authors summarize and present the expected advantage of general screening for hepatitis C in donated blood for prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the cost per utility of the screening is high it is still less expensive than the cost for management of hepatitis C related hepatocellular case.

Key words:  prevention, blood transfusion, hepatitis C, donation

Rate of children prone to tuberculosis in remoted area, northeastern region of Laos: an epidemiological estimation.

Saysomwong S, Fushida M. Rate of children prone to tuberculosis in remoted area, northeastern region of Laos: an epidemiological estimation. Adv Trop Med Pub Health Int. 2019; 9: 5 - 8.

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis is a preventable mycobacterial infection. At present, this disease is still observable in several poor developing countries. In Indochina, tuberculosis is endemic in many poor countries where the background sanitation is poor. In Laos, tuberculosis is still highly prevalent. The aim of the present study is to predict rate of children prone to tuberculosis in remoted area, northeastern region of Laos using an epidemiological estimation. It can observe that there is a high percentage of children prone to tuberculosis in this region.

Key words:  tuberculosis, vaccine, Laos, prone

Prevalence of brucellosis among slaughter cattle in Bahr El Ghazal Region: Implications for spread in pastoral communities of South Sudan

Kankya C, Madut NA, Muleme J, Muwonge A, Godfroid J, Dhikusooka MT, Jubara A. Prevalence of brucellosis among slaughter cattle in Bahr El Ghazal Region: Implications for spread in pastoral communities of South Sudan. Adv Trop Med Pub Health Int. 2019; 9: 9 - 21.

ABSTRACT

Globally, brucellosis presents significant negative effects on both humans and animals; the problem being more grievous in rural pastoral communities. This disease is associated with significant reduction in animal productivity and thus affecting socioeconomic livelihoods of the farmers at the same time having potential for zoonotic transmission hence affecting the health status of those involved. Pastoralism in South Sudan contributes to a greater portion of the natives’ source of income and livelihood and yet the pastoralists have little knowledge on bovine brucellosis. In this study, the prevalence and factors associated with bovine brucellosis among cattle presented for slaughter in Bahr el Ghazal region were explored.  A total of 1,372 cattle brought to the slaughterhouses in Bahr el Ghazal were randomly selected and subsequently bled for sera from December 2015 to May 2016. This serum was screened for brucellosis using different tests that included Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and the Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA). Meta data on animal characteristics was captured alongside laboratory results, entered in to an Excel-2010 database and analyzed in SPS ver. 24.0 at 95% level of significance.  The overall prevalence of brucellosis in the study area was 16.5% (227/1372). Kuajok state had the highest prevalence (35.8%), Tonj (27.9%), Aweil(26.8%),and lowest in Wau (11.9%). The young animals aged 1-4yrs were more affected (15.8% ,p<0.006) as compared to the other age groups, and more males were presented for slaughter (54%) as compared to the females. The only factor significantly associated with brucellosis among the cattle brought for slaughtering in Bahr el Ghazal region was  age   (P<0.001). This study revealed that brucellosis is highly prevalent among cattle brought for slaughter in Bahr el Ghazal region posing a huge risk of spread to humans. Therefore, we strongly recommend for regular screening of animals in farms and prior to slaughter for human consumption in the region.

Key words:  Brucellosis, seroprevalence, risk, spread, South Sudan

Dengue seropositivity among pediatric patients with repeated acute febrile seizure

Yasri S. Dengue seropositivity among pediatric patients with repeated acute febrile seizure. Adv Trop Med Pub Health Int. 2019; 9: 22 - 26.

ABSTRACT

Fever is a common clinical problem in pediatric practice. Increased body temperature in pediatric patients with fever can be problematic. The diagnosis for the cause of fever is necessary for planning for proper management of the patient. In case with high fever, an important neurological presentation among pediatric patients is seizure. In clinical practice, acute febrile seizure requires good diagnostic approach. Several underlying pathologies can cause acute febrile seizure. In tropical country, tropical infection can cause fever and it can further result in acute febrile seizure in a pediatric patient Of several tropical infections, dengue is a common infection that might cause acute febrile illness and acute febrile seizure. There are some reports regarding the incidence of dengue infection among the pediatric patients presenting with acute febrile seizure Nevertheless, limited reports are available regarding the pediatric patients with repeated acute febrile illness. In the present work, the author retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of overall 60 pediatric patients with repeated acute febrile seizure. The dengue serological test results among these patients are reviewed. Based on the retrospective review, there are 6 cases with dengue seropositivity giving the incidence rate equal to 10 %. The high incidence of dengue seropositivity among the pediatric patients with repeated acute febrile seizure indicates that dengue should be listed in the differential diagnosis for the pediatric patients presenting with repeated acute febrile illness in our settings. Also, the similar consideration can be applied for the other tropical settings.  The dengue serological test is recommended in diagnostic work-up for any pediatric patients, in tropical setting, presenting with repeated acute febrile seizure.

Key words:  dengue, acute, febrile, seizure, repeated, seropositivity

Expected advantage of general screening for hepatitis C in donated blood for prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma: a report from endemic setting.

Yasri S. Expected advantage of general screening for hepatitis C in donated blood for prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma: a report from endemic setting. Adv Trop Med Pub Health Int. 2019; 9: 1 - 4.

ABSTRACT

Hepatocellular carcinoma is an important cancer seen worldwide. The high prevalence is seen in tropical Asia and is related to several underlying factors including to hepatitis virus infection. the hepatitis C virus is a carcinogenic pathogen that can induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis. This virus is transmittable via blood contact and the blood transfusion is an important cause of disease transmission. The screening for hepatitis C virus in donated blood is the proposed method for prevention of disease transmission. In this article, the authors summarize and present the expected advantage of general screening for hepatitis C in donated blood for prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the cost per utility of the screening is high it is still less expensive than the cost for management of hepatitis C related hepatocellular case.

Key words:  prevention, blood transfusion, hepatitis C, donation