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Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Dec 2021Category A agents are biological pathogens that could pose a threat to health and human safety if used as bioweapons. The exploration and possibility of these threats...
Category A agents are biological pathogens that could pose a threat to health and human safety if used as bioweapons. The exploration and possibility of these threats must be comprehensively reviewed to create a preparedness plan to recognize outbreaks, to educate the public, and to offer vaccinations and/or treatment options, if available. A scoping review using PRISMA guidelines was performed to categorize current information on Category A biological agents as well as understand their potential for future threats. The results used 34 articles and found that while botulin neurotoxins were the most lethal, anthrax posed the most likely threat for use as a bioweapon. Most research was conducted on plague, though it is not the most likely threat. Smallpox is the most likely agent to vaccinate against as there is already a working vaccine that has proven effective and the issue at hand is the need for a larger stockpile. Ultimately, preparedness efforts should include vaccinations and continued research and development of them. Category A agents are a serious public health concern; updated and reformed bioterrorism preparedness plans could greatly minimize panic and mortality.
Topics: Anthrax; Bioterrorism; Disease Outbreaks; Humans; Plague; Smallpox
PubMed: 34615562
DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X21001072 -
Health Promotion Perspectives 2021Africa is facing the triple burden of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and nutritional disorders. Multilateral institutions, bilateral... (Review)
Review
Africa is facing the triple burden of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and nutritional disorders. Multilateral institutions, bilateral arrangements, and philanthropies have historically privileged economic development over health concerns. That focus has resulted in weak health systems and inadequate preparedness when there are outbreaks of diseases. This review aims to understand the politics of disease control in Africa and global health diplomacy's (GHD's) critical role. A literature review was done in Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Google scholar search engines. Keywords included MeSH and common terms related to the topics: "Politics," "disease control," "epidemics/ endemics," and "global health diplomacy" in the "African" context. The resources also included reports of World Health Organization, United Nations and resolutions of the World Health Assembly (WHA). African countries continue to struggle in their attempts to build health systems for disease control that are robust enough to tackle the frequent epidemics that plague the continent. The politics of disease control requires the crafting of cooperative partnerships to accommodate the divergent interests of multiple actors. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 and Ebola had a significant impact on African economies. It is extremely important to prioritize health in the African development agendas. The African Union (AU) should leverage the momentum of the rise of GHD to (i) navigate the politics of global health governance in an interconnected world(ii) develop robust preparedness and disease response strategies to tackle emerging and reemerging disease epidemics in the region (iii) address the linkages between health and broader human security issues driven by climate change-induced food, water, and other insecurities (iv) mobilize resources and capacities to train health officials in the craft of diplomacy. The AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and African Centres for Disease Control should harmonize their plans and strategies and align them towards a common goal that integrates health in African development agendas. The AU must innovatively harness the practice and tools of GHD towards developing the necessary partnerships with relevant actors in the global health arena to achieve the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
PubMed: 33758752
DOI: 10.34172/hpp.2021.04 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2021Rodents are one of the most diversified terrestrial mammals, and they perform several beneficial activities in nature. These animals are also important as carriers of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Rodents are one of the most diversified terrestrial mammals, and they perform several beneficial activities in nature. These animals are also important as carriers of many pathogens with public health importance. The current systematic review was conducted to formulate a true depiction of rodent-related zoonoses in Qatar. Following systematic searches on PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science and a screening process, a total of 94 published articles were selected and studied. The studied articles reported 23 rodent-related zoonotic pathogens that include nine bacterial, eleven parasitic, and three viral pathogens, from which the frequently reported pathogens were (32 reports), (23), and spp. (16). The possible pathway of entry of the rodent-borne pathogens can be the land port, seaports, and airport of Qatar through carrier humans and animals, contaminated food, and agricultural products. The pathogens can be conserved internally by rodents, pets, and livestock; by agricultural production systems; and by food marketing chains. The overall estimated pooled prevalence of the pathogens among the human population was 4.27% (95%CI: 4.03-4.51%; < 0.001) with significant heterogeneity ( = 99.50%). The top three highest prevalent pathogens were (30.90%; 22.75-39.04%; < 0.001; = 99.70%) followed by (21.93%; 6.23-37.61%; < 0.001; = 99.30%) and hepatitis E virus (18.29%; 11.72-24.86%; < 0.001; = 96.70%). However, there is a knowledge gap about the listed pathogens regarding the occurrence, transmission pathways, and rodent role in transmission dynamics at the human-animal-environment interface in Qatar. Further studies are required to explore the role of rodents in spreading zoonotic pathogens through the One Health framework, consisting of zoologists, ecologists, microbiologists, entomologists, veterinarians, and public health experts in this country.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Livestock; Parasites; Qatar; Rodentia; Zoonoses
PubMed: 34073025
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18115928 -
Brain Sciences Nov 2023Anxiety and stress plague populations worldwide. Voluntary regulated breathing practices offer a tool to address this epidemic. We examined peer-reviewed published... (Review)
Review
Anxiety and stress plague populations worldwide. Voluntary regulated breathing practices offer a tool to address this epidemic. We examined peer-reviewed published literature to understand effective approaches to and implementation of these practices. PubMed and ScienceDirect were searched to identify clinical trials evaluating isolated breathing-based interventions with psychometric stress/anxiety outcomes. Two independent reviewers conducted all screening and data extraction. Of 2904 unique articles, 731 abstracts, and 181 full texts screened, 58 met the inclusion criteria. Fifty-four of the studies' 72 interventions were effective. Components of effective and ineffective interventions were evaluated to develop a conceptual framework of factors associated with stress/anxiety reduction effectiveness. Effective breath practices avoided fast-only breath paces and sessions <5 min, while including human-guided training, multiple sessions, and long-term practice. Population, other breath paces, session duration ≥5 min, and group versus individual or at-home practices were not associated with effectiveness. Analysis of interventions that did not fit this framework revealed that extensive standing, interruptions, involuntary diaphragmatic obstruction, and inadequate training for highly technical practices may render otherwise promising interventions ineffective. Following this evidence-based framework can help maximize the stress/anxiety reduction benefits of breathing practices. Future research is warranted to further refine this easily accessible intervention for stress/anxiety relief.
PubMed: 38137060
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13121612 -
Epidemiology and Health 2022Q fever, caused by the bacterium, is a major zoonotic disease around the world. This disease is common in the Eastern Mediterranean region; therefore, we conducted the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
Q fever, caused by the bacterium, is a major zoonotic disease around the world. This disease is common in the Eastern Mediterranean region; therefore, we conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis on its prevalence in humans, animals, and ticks in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
METHODS
Major Iranian and international databases were searched from 2000 to 2021. We extracted the prevalence of Q fever in blood samples from animals and milk samples from animals, ticks, and humans as the main outcome. We reported the prevalence of seropositivity and molecular positivity as point estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
RESULTS
In this review, 112 papers were identified. The overall seroprevalence of Q fever was 22.4% (95% CI, 19.8 to 25.1). The pooled prevalence of Q fever in ticks was 17.5% (95% CI, -1.3 to 36.4). The prevalence was 25.5% (95% CI, 16.1 to 34.9) in humans. The prevalence of Q fever in animal blood samples from goats, sheep, camels, cattle, cats, dogs, horses, and buffalo were 28.1%, 25.1%, 25.0%, 20.1%, 9.8%, 8.4%, 6.5%, and 6.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the prevalence of Q fever in milk samples of animals was higher in cattle (20.3%) than in sheep (20.0%), goats (16.4%), and camels (3.3%).
CONCLUSIONS
Coxiella burnetii infections are common in humans and in a wide range of animal species, but they are still not recognized in many countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region, thus presenting a significant threat to human and animal health in the region.
Topics: Cattle; Humans; Animals; Sheep; Dogs; Horses; Q Fever; Coxiella burnetii; Prevalence; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Camelus; Iran; Goats
PubMed: 36317399
DOI: 10.4178/epih.e2022097 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Dec 2021It has been documented that individuals who hear auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) exhibit diminished capabilities in processing external speech. While functional...
It has been documented that individuals who hear auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) exhibit diminished capabilities in processing external speech. While functional neuroimaging studies have attempted to characterise the cortical regions and networks facilitating these deficits in a bid to understand AVH, considerable methodological heterogeneity has prevented a consensus being reached. The current systematic review investigated the neurobiological underpinnings of external speech processing deficits in voice-hearers in 38 studies published between January 1990 to June 2020. AVH-specific deviations in the activity and lateralisation of the temporal auditory regions were apparent when processing speech sounds, words and sentences. During active or affective listening tasks, functional connectivity changes arose within the language, limbic and default mode networks. However, poor study quality and lack of replicable results plague the field. A detailed list of recommendations has been provided to improve the quality of future research on this topic.
Topics: Auditory Perception; Functional Neuroimaging; Hallucinations; Humans; Language; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Speech
PubMed: 34517037
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.006 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023To prevent and/or control infectious diseases in animal and human health, an appropriate surveillance system based on suitable up-to-date epidemiological data is... (Review)
Review
To prevent and/or control infectious diseases in animal and human health, an appropriate surveillance system based on suitable up-to-date epidemiological data is required. The systematic review protocol was designed according to the PRISMA statement to look at the available data on infectious diseases of livestock in Cameroon from 2000-2020. Data were searched through online databases. Grey literature was comprised of dissertations and theses from veterinary higher education institutions in Cameroon. A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled prevalence using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software. Based on disease prevalence, major infectious diseases of livestock in Cameroon were gastrointestinal parasitosis (57.4% in cattle, 67.2% in poultry, 88% in pigs), hemoparasites (21.6% in small ruminants, 19.7% in cattle), bovine pasteurellosis (55.5%), fowl salmonellosis (48.2%), small ruminant plague (39.7%), foot-and-mouth disease (34.5% in cattle), and African swine fever (18.9%). Furthermore, other important endemic zoonoses in the country included: Rift Valley fever (10.9% in cattle, 3.7% in small ruminants), brucellosis (7% in cattle, 8% in pigs), bovine tuberculosis (4.7% in cattle), hepatitis E virus (8.4% in pigs) and bovine leptospirosis (2.5%). Most of the retrieved research were carried out in the Adamawa, Northwest, and West regions of Cameroon. The evaluation of existing data as evidence, albeit publication-specific, is an important step towards the process of prioritizing animal diseases, including zoonoses.
PubMed: 37764884
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091076 -
Journal of Transcultural Nursing :... Mar 2022The World Health Organization states that suicide is the second leading cause of death among youngs, and racism has been proven to have detrimental effects on both...
INTRODUCTION
The World Health Organization states that suicide is the second leading cause of death among youngs, and racism has been proven to have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. These two plagues represent a public health priority, especially for susceptible minorities.
METHOD
This systematic review analyzed 23 studies from multiple database searches, to understand the relationship between racism and suicidality in young minority groups.
RESULTS
The review demonstrated the correlation between racism and suicidality with the consequent development of mental disorders. There is strong evidence that the main suicide risk factor is acculturation, interpreted as the assimilation of the dominant culture with the loss of values from one's cultural background.
DISCUSSION
Health care professionals should not underestimate the risk of suicidality associated with racism. Prevention is crucial and it should be implemented from a young age, in schools, through a joint intervention with children and their families, aiming toward integration without acculturation.
Topics: Acculturation; Child; Humans; Minority Groups; Racism; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide
PubMed: 34551644
DOI: 10.1177/10436596211046983 -
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Sep 2020Tick-borne diseases (TBDs), in particular Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), have been found to be expanding beyond their...
Tick-borne diseases (TBDs), in particular Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), have been found to be expanding beyond their traditional geographic locations in Kazakhstan, which led to increased awareness and concern against TBDs in recent years. The tick fauna of Kazakhstan includes more than 30 species of human-biting ixodid ticks, recognized as carriers of a number of dangerous infectious pathogens that cause CCHF, TBE, tularemia, tick-borne rickettsioses and Lyme borreliosis. This paper presents the current knowledge of the main vectors of tick-borne pathogens (TBP) occurring in Kazakhstan, as well as a review of recent studies of ticks performed with the use of molecular methods being currently developed and widely utilized by Kazakh epidemiologists.
Topics: Animals; Arachnid Vectors; Biodiversity; Incidence; Ixodidae; Kazakhstan; Prevalence; Tick-Borne Diseases
PubMed: 32723625
DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101498 -
PloS One 2020As the global epidemic continues to spread, countries have tapped effective drugs to treat new coronavirus pneumonia. The therapeutic effect of the traditional Chinese... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
As the global epidemic continues to spread, countries have tapped effective drugs to treat new coronavirus pneumonia. The therapeutic effect of the traditional Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen in this new coronary pneumonia epidemic has attracted attention from all walks of life, and relevant research reports continue to appear. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the clinical efficacy and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen in the treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) (referred to as "new coronary pneumonia"), and evaluated the overall level of research quality.
METHODS
We searched seven databases and retrieved the Chinese Journal Full-text Database (CNKI), Vip Database (VIP), China Biomedicine (SinoMed), Wanfang Database and PubMed, Cochrane Central, EMBASE from October 2019 to May 2020 Literature references. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that tested the efficacy of the traditional Chinese medicine lotus clearing plague in the treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia. The authors extracted data and independently assessed quality. We used Stata15.1 software to analyze the data of randomized trials.
RESULTS
A total of 2 articles were identified, including 154 patients. All the participating patients were diagnosed with new coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). The meta-analysis results showed that the disappearance rate of the main clinical symptoms of Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen in the treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia was significantly higher than that of the control group [OR = 3.34, 95% CI (2.06, 5.44), P <0.001]; the disappearance rate of other clinical secondary symptoms is significantly higher than the control group [OR = 6.54, 95% CI (3.59, 11.90), P <0.001]. The duration of fever was significantly lower than that of the control group [OR = -1.04, 95% CI (-1.60, -0.49), P <0.001]. It is confirmed that the traditional Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen treatment improves the clinical effectiveness, and also has certain advantages in relieving cough and fever.
CONCLUSION
The treatment of new pneumonia with traditional Chinese medicine lotus clearing plague can be used as an effective therapy to improve the clinical symptoms of new coronary pneumonia. More rigorous design, multi-center, and prospective RCTs are necessary to further determine the effectiveness and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine lotus decoction in the treatment of new pneumonia.
Topics: COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 32915877
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238828