The war in Gaza, which erupted on October 7, 2023, unleashed unprecedented assaults from the air, sea, and land, affecting the densely populated area of 360 square kilometers housing 2.3 million people. The conflict claimed over 36 000 Palestinian lives, with women and children making up 70% of the casualties, and resulted in more than 80 000 injuries. The devastation was extensive, with over 70% of homes destroyed, along with six universities, numerous hospitals, communication networks, sewage systems, water desalination plants, roads, wells, and other essential infrastructure. Over a million people were displaced from the northern regions to the southern coastal area of Al-Mawasi, which constitutes less than 3% of Gaza's total area, facing dire shortages of water, healthcare, food, and medicine. The collapse of sewage networks and garbage accumulation led to an increase in flies, mosquitoes, insects, and rodents, contributing to the spread of infectious and non-communicable diseases among the displaced population. This research aimed to study the health and environmental impacts of the war in Gaza through data collection, field visits, and photographic documentation. The findings revealed catastrophic conditions, with the destruction of all infrastructure, including buildings, hospitals, universities, mosques, churches, sanitation, water networks, and communications, and the spread of diseases such as intestinal, respiratory infections, and skin infections due to the complete lack of basic life necessities.
Objective: This review aims to summarize the emergence and transmission of vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) across various geographies, its impacts, and the developments of immunization techniques and vaccines.
Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed Prioritization of Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRIMSA) criteria and was registered with Prospective Systematic Reviews (CRD42023389248). We included clinical studies such as randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case reports and cross-sectional studies accessing the fecal excretion of VDPV. Five independent reviewers selected appropriate and relevant studies from PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar published before January 2023. Statistical analyses were performed using odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and a random effects model to address heterogeneity (I2), with publication bias evaluated via funnel plots and statistical tests.
Results: Out of the 83 initially identified studies, 9 were included in meta-analysis. Participants who received the first dose of monovalent oral polio vaccine (mOPV) did not show statistically significant fecal shedding compared to those treated with the second dose (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.51-2.03, P=0.47). Individuals who received the novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV) significantly reduce virus fecal shedding after the second dose compared to the first dose (OR: 2.95. 95% CI: 1.39-6.25, P=0.00). Sero-conversion rates do not differ significantly between two doses in participants received mOPV (OR:1.10, 95% CI: 0.60-2.01, P=0.35), meanwhile nOPV exhibit a higher seroconversion rate (OR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01-0.67, P=0.01).
Conclusions: This study provides the evidence supporting the clinical efficacy and safety of nOPV compared to mOPV.
Objective: It aims to provide a preliminary analysis of the epidemiological characteristics and trends of 40 notifiable infectious diseases in the mainland of China over the past ten years, serving as a valuable reference for public health policies and interventions related to infectious diseases.
Methods: Using data from the monthly analysis reports of the National Infectious Disease Surveillance System, we obtained information on reportable infectious diseases in China from 2013 to 2022. The data were analyzed using Excel 2010 software, and a joinpoint regression model was employed to examine trends in incidence and case-fatality ratios during this period.
Results: From 2013 to 2022, a total of 76 874 318 cases of notifiable infectious diseases were reported in the mainland of China, resulting in an average yearly incidence of 551.26/100 000 persons, with an average annual percentage change (AAPC) was 0.23% (95%CI: -3.81 to 4.37). The infectious diseases with the highest yearly incidence include hand, foot and mouth disease, hepatitis B, infectious diarrhea, tuberculosis, and influenza. There were 207 216 deaths with an average annual case-fatality rate of 2.70/1 000, with an AAPC of 5.53% (95%CI: 2.16 to 9.30). The diseases with the highest mortality rates were acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis, rabies, infectious diarrhea, and COVID-19. The incidence of notifiable infectious diseases was predominantly attributed to category C diseases, accounting for 54.50% of total cases, while intestinal infectious diseases were the most prevalent, comprising 40.64% of the total morbidity. The monthly incidence trend of 40 notifiable infectious diseases in China’s mainland exhibited a "W" distribution, whereas the monthly case-fatality ratio trend displayed an "M" distribution.
Conclusions: It is crucial to continuously reinforce the prevention and control of key infectious diseases, including AIDS, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis, as well as highly prevalent diseases such as hand, foot and mouth disease, influenza, and infectious diarrhea. Additionally, enhancing surveillance and response to emerging infectious diseases is essential to safeguarding public health and safety.
Objective: The study aims to collect data on prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of uropathogens in a hospital in India, and to analyze any changes that have occurred over the past 5 years.
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted over 5 years at Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals, New Delhi. Urine samples from patients who attended outpatient department or were admitted with diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) were included in this study. Samples were cultured and tested to identify bacteria and determine antibiotic susceptibility using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.
Results: A total of number of 151 395 urine specimens were collected from January 2018 to December 2022. The prevalence of UTI was 7.5% (11 372/151 395) with the majority of patients being aged above 40 years (19.3%). The prevalence was higher in females (12.7%) as compared to males (3.2%). Escherichia coli was the predominant pathogen, accounting for 59.8% of cases, followed by Klebsiella spp. at 18.9%, and Enterococcus spp. at 8.3%. Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 89.5% of the isolates and exhibited good susceptibility to aminoglycosides and piperacillin-tazobactam, but showed resistance to fluoroquinolones. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was present in 35% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates with high susceptibility to glycopeptides and nitrofurantoin.
Conclusions: The data suggest the need for careful selection of empirical therapy due to increasing resistance patterns. The stringent use of antimicrobial agents is pivotal to the control of antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotic susceptibility data contributes to tailoring the antibiotic stewardship programs to local needs.
Objective: To assess the bacteria load of lecture rooms in the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.
Methods: Air sampling using settle plate method in lecture rooms was carried out for two months. The temperature and relative humidity of the sampled areas were determined while the bacteriological analyses were carried out using the standard microbiological methods. Virulent factors and antibiotics susceptibility profile of the isolates were analyzed.
Results: The lecture room with the highest bacterial, coliform and Staphylococci count was plant biology and biotechnology lecture room with values 4.84 ± 0.82 × 103, 4.30 ± 0.51 × 103 and 3.52 ± 0.89 × 103 CFU/m3, respectively, in the two months dectected. The identified bacterial isolates were Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Aeromonas (A.) hydrophilia, Enterobacter intermedius, Serratia liquefacias, Pseudomonas spp., Micrococcus luteus, Acineobacter baumanii, Lactobacillus fermenti, Serratia marcescens, A. veronii, Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium spp. The isolate with the highest frequency of occurrence was Staphylococcus aureus. Bacterial isolates with the highest virulence factors of 100 % was A. veronii. The antibiotic susceptibility profile showed that all Gram-negative bacterial isolates were susceptible to Sparfloxacin antibiotic. Isolate with the highest multiple antibiotic resistance index of 0.6 was Acineobacter baumanii.
Conclusions: To maintain air quality, constant monitoring of parameters like temperature and humidity that promote the presence organisms in the air, reducing the number of occupants, ensuring a well-functioning ventilation system, and implementing regular cleaning routines should be practiced.