The Global Network of Neglected Tropical Diseases has chosen actor Abhishek Bachchan as brand ambassador of its campaign ‘END7’, which aims to eliminate seven tropical diseases by 2020.

Despite World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification of two safe and effective oral cholera vaccines (OCV), concerns about the acceptability, potential diversion of resources, cost and feasibility of implementing timely campaigns has discouraged their use. In 2012, the Ministry of Health of Guinea, with the support of Médecins Sans Frontières organized the first mass vaccination campaign using a two-dose OCV (Shanchol) as an additional control measure to respond to the on-going nationwide epidemic. Overall, 316,250 vaccines were delivered.

A vaccine against malaria could be introduced in the world’s worst-hit countries in 2015, after the latest trial of a treatment produced by Britain’s biggest drug company reduced the number of case

Falciparum malaria increases the risk for bacteraemia, whereas the relationship between vivax malaria and bacteraemia is not clear. Data from a prospective fever surveillance study in Kolkata, India were reanalysed for the potential association between Plasmodium vivax malaria and bacteraemia.

BHOPAL: The future and functioning about sole super-speciality hospital for treatment of Bhopal gas victims- Bhopal memorial hospital and research centre (BMHRC) will be deliberated upon at a meeting of Supreme Court appointed 17-member expert committee here on Thursday.

The committee headed by Lt Gen (Retd) Dr D Raghunath, principal executive (Retd.) Sir Dorabji Tata Centre for Research in Tropical Diseases has been constituted by the apex court to look into the functioning of BMHRC and recommend to improve its efficiency as a super speciality medical centre.

Dengue poses a substantial economic and disease burden in Southeast Asia (SEA). Quantifying this burden is critical to set policy priorities and disease-control strategies.

Kyasanur forest disease (KFD), a tick-borne viral disease with hemorrhagic manifestations, is localised in five districts of Karnataka state, India. Annual rounds of vaccination using formalin inactivated tissue-culture vaccine have been conducted in the region since 1990. Two doses of vaccine are administered to individuals aged 7–65 years at an interval of one month followed by periodic boosters after 6–9 months. In spite of high effectiveness of the vaccine reported in earlier studies, KFD cases among vaccinated individuals have been recently reported.

Dengue fever is now the fastest spreading insect-borne virus in the world and has reached “epidemic potential,” the World Health Organization says.

With over a hundred million annual infections and rising morbidity and mortality, Plasmodium vivax malaria remains largely a neglected disease. In particular, the dependence of this malaria species on relapses and the potential significance of the dormant stage as a therapeutic target, are poorly understood.

WHO reports unprecedented progress against 17 neglected tropical diseases, thanks to a new global strategy, a regular supply of quality assured, cost-effective medicines and support from global partners.

Pages