Crohn’s disease – IH CONNECT

Global Health Weekly News Round-Up

July 1, 2013July 1, 2013 by Vaani, posted in News

Politics and Policies:

The Food and Drug Administration has announced that it will begin exercising its authority given under a 2009 law, power to regulate cigarettes and other tobacco products that they believe pose public health risks.
In an effort intensify campaign to publicize new health insurance options and to persuade consumers, the White House is recruiting mayors, county commissioners and other local officials.

Programs:

A health check program has been launched in Accra, in order to reach out to the people of Ghana who are challenged with non-communicable diseases (NCDS), in an affordable and effective way.
The United Kingdom (UK) is starting a rotavirus vaccination program to protect the babies from infection which causes diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and dehydration.
Ben & Catherine Ivy foundation grants more that $9 million for brain cancer research.

Research:

To help avert 3 million AIDS deaths by 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) through its guidelines is recommending the patients the start medicine at earlier stage of the deadly disease.
According to global Diabetes attitudes, wishes and needs 2 study one in five people with diabetes feel discriminated against them because of their condition. About 16% people suffering from this condition are at risk of depression.
According to the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Ghana cuts new HIV infections among children by 76% since 2009. It states that one three in ten children in need of treatment have access to it.
A report released by the United Nations state that Nigeria has highest number of children with HIV/AIDS virus in the world. It states that the incidence rate has not increased much but the increase in the prevalence rate has remained stagnant.
According to the scientists, new World Health Organization (WHO) test- based approach against malaria does not work everywhere. There must be a hard diagnosis before the disease is treated.
According to the research results published in the Journal of Infectious diseases, infant rotavirus vaccine is effective against this disease in Ghana. Results showed a significant response in parameters of efficacy, safety and immune impact of vaccine.
A study published in the journal’ Diabetologia’, ethnicity should be considered while making guidelines for physical activity. They state that south Asians need more exercise than white Europeans to reduce diabetes risk.
According to a research review published in BMJ, high consumption of fish reduces risk of breast cancer by 14%. It replenishes the body with all omega 3 essential fatty acids which can only be acquired from external sources as body cannot manufacture it.
In a study published in Cell Transplantation journal, type 2 diabetes patients who receive self-donated bone marrow stem cells require less insulin. According to the scientist’s good glycemic control appeared as a critical factor in the transplanted and non-transplanted control group.
A study indicates that consuming more than 2-3 standard alcohol drinks per day is linked to deadly digestive tract cancers including mouth, throat, larynx and esophageal. They also warn of risk of bowel, breast and prostate cancers.
The scientists have found out that the patients of Crohn’s disease also have a virus – enterovirus in their intestines as compared to those who did not have this disease. It also said that the genes associated with the onset of this disease are vital for the immune response against this virus.
According to the researcher’s malaria parasite are full of iron which they cannot digest nor can excrete them. Their invention- hand-held battery operated malaria detector will use the power of magnets to detect them.

Diseases & Disasters:

Reports state that Lusaka (Zambia) records approximately 185 new HIV/ AIDS infections every day. It has high prevalence rate of 20.8 percent as compared to the other districts of Zambia.
The cholera epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo claims lives of 257 people. Lack of proper sanitation and clear water are stated to be the main cause of the outbreak.
Polio outbreak in Somalia jeopardizes global eradication. Before this there was no case of this disease for more than five years. This outbreak is reported in its early stages and WHO experts see more cases coming in next few weeks.
A report released by Greenpeace suggests that a Chinese herbal medicine contains a variety of pesticides. It is increasingly accepted in the western countries for medicinal use.
Reports have shown a new trend of HIV infection among the youths of Manipur (India). Unsafe sex practice has been indicated to be the major mode of HIV transmission among them.
According to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Diclofenac, a common painkiller raises the risk of heart attack and stroke among the patients with serious underlying heart conditions.
Health officials are warning that tularemia cases are on rise in New Mexico. Four cases have been so far been reported.
Japan and Poland are facing epidemic of rubella. Travel warnings have been issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the pregnant females visiting these countries.

Global Health Weekly News Round-up

August 25, 2012 by Vaani, posted in News

Politics and Policies:

U.S. Court rules controversial stem cell research as legal.
U.S. Court ruled that cigarette companies do not need to show graphic warning images.
The Food and Drug Administration U.S. (FDA) Department of Health is enforcing stricter inspection of food imported from Japan since March 14 last year in response to the radiation leak incident at Fukushima nuclear power plant.
UK government wants hospitals to expand overseas.
UK government will spend £2m to tackle cholera epidemic in Sierra Leone.

Programs:

Nigeria receives U.S. $225million from Global Fund to prevent and treat malaria.
Bill Gates has launched a search of a new toilet suited for developing countries- to avoid deaths and diseases due to poor living conditions.
Vietnam puts locally-made medical waste incinerator into operation. It has a capacity of 30-50 kilos of medical waste per hour.
Planned Parenthood launches new initiative in U.S. to fight breast cancer. It will use $3 million donations for its breast health initiative- screenings and education.

Research:

Researchers at National Institutes of Health have identified rare immune disease in Asian people like HIV. This disease has been named as adult-onset immunodeficiency syndrome.
Scientists have created a drug using eggs of a pig parasite to treat chronic debilitating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease.
Researchers from the Stanford University have collaborated to synthesize and study grid-like array of short pieces of a disease-associated protein on silicon chips to identify patients with a particularly severe form of autoimmune disease lupus.
According to a study blood type of a person can determine his/ chances of getting a disease.
Scientists say that the children born to older men are at a greater risk of genetic disorders.
According to a study thiabendazole a common antifungal drug decreases tumor growth and also a potential medicine in cancer therapy.
In a new study scientists said that a three year old can easily find whether you are whining or upset.
In a recent research scientists did some laboratory tests which showed that within five hours of application of extracts from a plant known as virgin’s mantle (medicinal tea) growth of cancer cells was arrested and they died within 24 hours.
According to some scientists chemicals in lipsticks, toothpastes and face washes might cause heart and muscle problems.
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania are using nanofibers to develop biomaterials.
Scientists have learned to harness power from bacteria eating virus.
According to a research aging heart cells can be rejuvenated by modified stem cell therapy.
According to a team of Israeli scientists smoking can prevent progress of degenerative disease (- Parkinson’s).
A national study done in Australia is attempting new ways for the treatment of melanoma. It will map all common gene mutations.
Researchers in Melbourne find key to rare diseases which cause birth defects like DiGeorge syndrome.
According to the scientists ovarian cancer patients should improve their lifestyle to improve their survival rates and quality of life.
Researchers have found that stones in gall bladder in teens are due their overweight problem.
In a study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), the villagers of Amazon have antibodies to rabies which suggests that disease may not be 100% fatal.

Diseases & Disasters:

Cholera epidemic spreads through coastal slums of West Africa. Contagious disease has killed hundreds of people.
Refinery explosion in Venezuela on Saturday killed 24 people and injured many.
Tropical Storm Isaac hits Haiti, killing 3 people. South Florida on alert.
Ebola outbreak in Congo related to contact with infected individuals and consumption of bushmeat.
Record spike in West Nile virus cases in U.S.
Rs. 1 billion uncertified medicine scam unearthed in Sindh. These uncertified medicines were not certified by the central or potential drug laboratories they were potential danger to lives of people.
Uncollected garbage on the streets of Metro Manila has concerned agencies as a potential source of outbreak of diseases.
Swine flu cases have been confirmed in Lucknow, India.
Floods in India and Pakistan have killed dozens of people.
Japan nuclear plant leakage caused mutation in butterflies though no such reports for humans.

Global Health Weekly News Round-Up

March 19, 2012 by Vaani, posted in News

Politics and Policies:

The Obama administration has released rules for health exchanges. The regulations have outlined minimum standards that the states must meet to set up and run these health insurance marketplaces by a deadline of January 1^st 2014 (Source: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/daily-reports/2012/march/13/health-exchange-rule.aspx , http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/12/obama-health-care-law-blu_n_1339286.html ).
China has launched US $125 billion program of health-care reform to ensure universal health coverage. Majority of funding will go to public health and primary health care. Low income people will be subsidized to enroll in social health insurance programs (Source: http://www.verticalnews.com/articles/6704766.html ).
The lower house of the legislature of Wisconsin has passed a bill that would force school staff on classroom sex education indicates a preference for abstinence for abstinence, not contraception (Source: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/11721074-wisconsin-will-teach-sexual-abstinence-in-schools- ).

Programs

South Africa is on its way to launch mobile health (mhealth) services in May in Johannesburg (Source: http://www.pr.com/press-release/397775 ).
The government of Ghana has increased the number of health training schools in the Upper West Region to help address the healthcare needs of people (Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/health/artikel.php?ID=233058 ).

Research

Researchers in Australia have developed a new technique that identifies and tracks the location of diseased proteins inside cells which can help to treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s (Source: http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-tech/australian-researchers-develop-new-protein-tracking-technique-which-could-help-treat-brain-disease/story-fn5fsgyc-1226303483944 ).
The researchers at Georgetown university discovered the “Greedy” gene that makes you eat more even when you are full (Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2116792/Georgetown-University-Medical-Centre-Scientists-discover-greedy-gene-makes-eat-full.html ).
The study done by Israel’s Institute of Technology shows that the antioxidants found in the tea called polyphenols destroy a number of compounds in the mouth that can lead to bad breath , tooth decay and even oral cancer (Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Green-tea-can-beat-bad-breath-cancer/articleshow/12323727.cms ).
The researchers at the West Virginia University School of Medicine have discovered that those people who sleep for less than seven hours at night have a risk of developing heart disease and those sleeping less than five hours have a double risk for this disease (Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Sleep/health-problems-linked-lack-sleep/story?id=15930879 ).
The researchers with the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases at the U of C’s Faculty of Medicine have discovered the cause and cure of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis. They found that the damage or death of neurons within a patients gut is aided by proteins known as “pannexins”. They have also discovered the drugs which can be used to block them to prevent the cell death in gastrointestinal tract (Source: http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/University+Calgary+scientists+make+breakthrough+Inflammatory+Bowel/6321398/story.html ).
A study done by in 2008 by the World Health Organization reveals that the maximum number of deaths due to cancer among the women in India are due to cervical cancer (Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/235082/screening-cancer-not-womens-priority.html ).
According to a recent study, eating white rice might be linked to the development of type 2 diabetes (Source: http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/16/10721069-white-rice-may-increase-your-risk-of-diabetes ).
A study done in Rice University in Houston indicate that the immigrants who are bilingual are healthier than those who speak just one language (Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/two-languages-are-better-than-one-for-immigrants-health-study-finds/article2371383/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Life&utm_content=2371383 ).
The researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have generated a mutant version of a protein whose modifies shape renders it more potent than the natural protein while reducing its toxicity. This protein, known as interleukin-2 or IL-2 is a master regulator of the immune system (Source: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-scientists-boost-potency-side-effects.html ).
Scientists at UCLA Johnson’s Center has uncovered a new mechanism for drug resistance (vemurafenib resistance) in melanoma patients (Source: http://www.esmo.org/no_cache/view-news.html?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1401&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=585 ).
The scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (USCF) have suggest that mild dilation of blood vessels in retina may signal cognitive decline in women (Source: http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/03/19/eye-disease-may-signal-cognitive-decline/36191.html ).
The researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Magee-Women’s Research Institute have found that gene mutations contribute to fibroid development (Source: http://www.upmc.com/MediaRelations/NewsReleases/2012/Pages/Gene-Mutations-Fibroid-Development.aspx ).
Researchers at Yale University School of Public Health have created a map which pinpoints areas of eastern United States where people have highest risk of contracting Lyme disease (Source: http://newtownbee.com/News/2012-03-16__12-09-35/New+Map+Pinpoints+Lyme+Disease+Risk+Areas ).

Diseases & Disasters

Breast cancer on rise among the African women (Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/health/Breast-Cancer-on-the-Rise-among-African-women-Say-Experts–142962875.html ).
Nigeria is one of three polio-endemic countries in the world. The resistance to polio vaccine has been mostly responsible of this deadly disease out breaks in this country. President Goodluck Jonathan has created a new task force to eradicate this disease by 2015 (Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Polio-Still-a-Problem-in-Parts-of-Nigeria-142660566.html ).

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