Indian Journal of Communicable Diseases

Healthcare professionals’ attitudes determine their knowledge and behavior towards evaluation and treatment of people living with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Physiotherapists (PTs) are an essential part of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team to provide holistic care for people with AIDS (PLWA) targeting along a symptom control- quality of life continuum. This short report summarized the findings from research studies on attitudes of PTs towards PLWA from an evidenceinformed perspective through a preliminary search of PubMed database.  

Keywords: AIDS; Physiotherapists; PLWA.

 Congenital Rubella Syndrome affects nearly 110000 infants every year and is one of the most important preventable causes of congenital anomalies in children. The Measles Rubella Initiative along with its partners has chalked out a Global Strategic Plan to combat rubella along with measles and aims to eliminate both the diseases by 2020 in at least five WHO Regions. India is also committed to eliminating Rubella by 2020 and has laid down steps to combat this disease. 

Keywords: Congenital Rubella Syndrome; Rubella-Containing Vaccines (RCV); Measles and Rubella (MR); Measles; Mumps and Rubella (MMR).

 Infant mortality is considered as an important indicator of the health status of a community. Any reduction in infant mortality in developed countries will depend upon preventing one of its principal causes that is congenital anomalies. The decline in Infant mortality has been attributed to improved perinatal care, and better control of communicable diseases through proper vaccination. Maternal infections such as TORCH also contribute to the development of congenital malformations. It also highlights the health care importance in the preconceptional period. By giving more attention to this, now Rubella vaccine is included in the immunization schedule for adolescent girls as they are the prospective mothers. Infant death audit reveals that 50% of infant deaths are due to congenital anomalies and other brain related injuries. Most of the congenital anomalies are due to genetic causes except some develops due to vaccine preventable diseases like rubella. In order to overcome this problem, some preventive measures have to be taken like vaccination. 

Keywords: Rubella; German measles; Adolescent; Congenital anomalies.

 Zika virus disease, first identified in Zika forest of Uganda in Africa, is a newly emerging threat that has been responsible for outbreaks in Brazil and 22 other countries and territories in America within the last few years. The disease is caused by a Flavivirus and transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito. It may also be transmitted through vertical, sexual and parenteral routes, though these are rare. Anyone not previously exposed to the virus and who lives in an area where the mosquito is present, and where imported or local cases have been reported, may be infected. The disease is usually mild and can last for 2-7 days. Symptoms are similar to those of dengue or chikungunya. However, Zika does not have clearly characteristic features, but most patients have skin rashes and some have conjunctivitis. The public health alarm lies in the fact that the outbreak in Brazil is associated with a steep rise of Guillain-Barre syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects, most common being microcephaly, and poor pregnancy outcomes. Hence the World Health Organization has declared the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil, following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and has issued Temporary Recommendations under IHR (2005). India is also at risk, as being a new virus the entire population is susceptible, lacking immunity to it. Also the Aedes mosquito is widespread in the country and the climatic conditions, temperature, and humidity of the country are favourable for transmission of the disease. Hence public health measures must be widely implemented throughout the country to prevent an epidemic. Based on the Recommendations of WHO, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has issued guidelines for prevention and control of Zika virus disease in India. 

Keywords: Zika; Virus; Aedes Mosquito; Microcephaly; Guillain-Barre Syndrome; Brazil Outbreak.

 Background: Acute diarrheal disease due to Rotavirus is prevalent in the community. Severe dehydration results in mortality, if not intervened in time. Aim: This study was undertaken to identify Rotavirus antigen in stools, to study the influence of age, sex and feeding pattern and to analyse the outcome. Settings and design: Prospective, nonrandomized, non- ontrolled, analytical, hospital based study done during 2013-2015. Materials and methods: children less than 5 years with acute watery diarrhea were the study subjects. A commercial kit with Latex Agglutination method was used to identify Rotavirus antigen in freshly passed stool. Children were treated in the standard way, either as out-patient or hospitalised depending on clinical situation. Results: Of the 211 motion specimens tested, 37 (17.5%) were positive for Rotavirus antigen. Twenty-two (59.5%) were infants. Children of both sex, either breastfed or bottle fed were equally affected. 75.7% were hospitalised. Mean duration of hospital stay was 7 days. No mortality. Conclusion: Children of both sex, irrespective of feeding pattern were prone for Rotavirus diarrhea. Infants were at high risk of infection. Early hospitalisation could have prevented mortality.  

Keywords: Infants; Latex Agglutination; Rotavirus. 

  Introduction: Diarrhoea is still a major killer of under five children in India. Mothers are the main care takers of children andto reduce the morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoea, they should have correct knowledge regarding prevention and control of childhood diarrhoea. Therefore the present study was conducted among mothers of under five children to assess their knowledge about prevention and control of diarrhea. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among 115 mothers of under five children who had visited a teaching hospital (study setting) during study period. Data was collected by interviewing the mothers with the help of pre designed questionnaire. Data was analyzed by appropriate statistical techniques. results: Approximately half of the participants had (50.4%) average knowledge, 24.3% had poor knowledge level. Only 46% of mothers were knowing at least one cause of diarrhea and unclean water was the most common cause perceived by them. 71% mothers heard about ORS and health workers was the main source of information for them. Conclusion: The knowledge was average and significantly better among educated women.  

 Introduction:: Needle stick injuries(NSI) pose a significant occupational risk for transmission of blood borne diseases among health care workers. As a result, these workers are at much higher risk of occupational acquisition of blood borne diseases like HIV, hepatitis B and C. Further, needle stick injuries are often under reported. In USA 6,00,000 to 10,00,000 health care workers receive NSIs from conventional needles and sharps every year, while in UK it is 1,00,000 HCWs/year. In India, authentic data on NSI is not available. It is known that around 3-6 billion injections are given per year, of which 2/ 3rd injections are unsafe (62.9%) and the use of glass syringe is constantly associated with higher degree of un-safety. The average percutaneous transmission rates for hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) are 33.3 (6-33%) and 3.3 per cent (1-10%), respectively, while the sero-conversion risk for HIV is 0.31 percent. Therefore, preventing NSI is an essential part of any blood borne pathogens prevention programme in the work place. The present study was undertaken to determine the incidence of NSI among various categories of health care workers (HCWs), the causal factors, the circumstances under which these occur in order to make necessary recommendations to prevent NSIs. Material and Methods:: The study group comprised of 378 HCWs of various categories in present teaching hospital in Mangalore. Available records for last three years (2013-2015) were analysed specifically to identify various factors associated with NSIs. Results: A total of 378 HCWs were included in the study comprising of 49 resident doctors, 98 interns, 195 staff nurses and 36 technicians. During the period of study, a total of 96 cases of NSI were reported with an overall incidence of 25.39%. Recapping of needle was the most common procedure among the health care workers responsible for 55 (57.29%) of the occupational exposure. Highest incidence of NSI was found among nurses i.e. 41.66 % while the technician had lowest incidence i.e. 08.33 %. Hepatitis B vaccination status was found to be highest among residents i.e. 77.55%, while it was lowest 54.87% among staff nurses. Wards were the most common site for NSIs i.e. 54.16%. Conclusions: Needle stick injuries comprise an important occupational hazard for HCWs. While no NSI can be regarded as ‘could not have been prevented’ it is practically not feasible to avoid their occurrence altogether. However, their incidence can be minimized to a large extent. It is recommended that every hospital should develop a multi-pronged strategy to deal with NSIs. Besides health promotion and regular training; there should be a surveillance mechanism in every hospital and also the facilities for prompt response and treatment of NSIs.  

Keywords: Needle Stick Injuries(NSI); Hepatitis B; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Hazard.