Communicable Diseases

Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a globally recognised respiratory virus that recently gained attention after its outbreak was reported in China. Two cases of HMPV were recently reported in Karnataka as part of routine surveillance by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Here is an explainer on the HMPV: What is HMPV? HMPV is a viral pathogen that causes respiratory infections in people of all age groups. First discovered in 2001, it belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family and is closely related to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). HMPV spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, as well as by touching contaminated surfaces or coming into direct contact with infected individuals. This virus is known to cause illnesses ranging from mild respiratory discomfort to severe complications, especially in vulnerable populations such as infants, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems. It is prevalent globally and tends to peak during late winte

A genetic analysis suggests the bird flu virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient who contracted the nation's first severe case of the illness, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. Scientists believe the mutations may allow the virus to better bind to receptors in the upper airways of humans something they say is concerning but not a cause for alarm. Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota infectious disease researcher, likened this binding interaction to a lock and key. To enter a cell, the virus needs to have a key that turns the lock, and this finding means the virus may be changing to have a key that might work. Is this an indication that we may be closer to seeing a readily transmitted virus between people? No, Osterholm said. Right now, this is a key that sits in the lock, but it doesn't open the door. The virus has been causing sporadic, mostly mild illnesses in people in the US, and nearly all of those infected worked on dairy or poultry .

India's health ministry has reassured the public that the nation has robust preventive measures in place and is handling the case as per established protocols

Six children have died due to suspected Chandipura virus in Gujarat since July 10, with the total number of cases of the infection rising to 12, state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel has said. Samples of the 12 patients have been sent to Pune's National Institute of Virology (NIV) for confirmation, he said on Monday. Chandipura virus causes fever, with symptoms similar to flu, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). It is transmitted by vectors like mosquitoes, ticks and sand flies. The pathogen is a member of the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae. Patel said four of the 12 patients were from Sabarkantha district, three from Aravalli, one each from Mahisagar and Kheda in Gujarat, while two patients were from Rajasthan and one from Madhya Pradesh. They received treatment in Gujarat. "Six deaths due to suspected Chandipura virus have been reported in the state, but only after results of the samples it will be clear whether they were caused by the Chandipura

The total number of Nipah infections confirmed in the state is six, of which two persons have died, and four persons are being treated

The administration has created containment zones in a 5 km radius of the homes of the two men who died of infection on August 30 and September 11

Drug firm Lupin on Friday said it has tied up with Unitaid, The Aurum Institute, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and other global procurement agencies to support tuberculosis prevention treatment initiative to be rolled out to 138 countries. As per the agreement, the Mumbai-based firm will introduce two new formulations, a fixed-dose combination of Rifapentine + Isoniazid and Rifapentine 300 mg standalone tablets, at an affordable price in various regions, including many low-and middle-income countries with a large burden of tuberculosis (TB). "We are committed to enhancing the global access to affordable and high-quality drugs and APIs for the treatment of tuberculosis... "Through this, we will further reinforce our long legacy to provide shorter, more patient-friendly treatment options to prevent TB," Lupin Managing Director Nilesh Gupta said in a statement. Lupin is a leading player in the cardiovascular, anti-diabetic, and respiratory segments.

Haiti's government on Sunday announced that at least eight people have died from cholera, raising concerns about another potentially catastrophic epidemic like the one that broke out a decade ago and killed nearly 10,000 people. The cases-the first cholera deaths reported in three years-came in a community called Dekayet in southern Port-au-Prince and in the seaside slum of Cite de Soleil, where thousands of people live in cramped, unsanitary conditions. "Cholera is something that can spread very, very quickly," warned Laure Adrien, director general of Haiti's health ministry. Food or water contaminated with the cholera bacteria can lead to severe diarrhoea and dehydration that can be deadly. The deaths come as a lack of fuel and ongoing protests shut down the availability of basic services across Haiti, including medical care and clean water, which is key to helping fight cholera and keep patients alive. Haiti's most powerful gang continues to control the entrance to a main fuel

Researchers in China first detected this new virus as part of routine surveillance in people with a fever who had reported recent contact with animals

Public health expert Anish T S says during the pandemic, reported cases of tuberculosis and typhoid were fewer

Monkeypox is a rare disease, which can spread through direct contact with bodily fluids or through contact with contaminated clothes or bedsheets

According to reports, the new variant is 10 per cent more transmissible than the BA.2 subvariant, which is already the most contagious

The study indicated that vaccines were 94 per cent effective at preventing hospitalisation 50-100 days after receiving the shot but fell to 80.4 per cent 200-250 days later

While the chances are rare, reinfection with BA.2 can occur shortly after initial BA.1 infection, according to a study by Danish researchers.

Herd immunity is when enough of a population is immune to a virus that it's hard for the germ to spread to those who aren't protected by vaccination or a prior infection

A recent study by the Imperial College London has shown that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron coronavirus variant is more than five times higher than other strains

Scientists at the US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory estimates that droplets encased in mucus could remain moist for up to 30 minutes and travel up to about 200 feet

Food poisoning and diarrhea were the main disease outbreaks in India before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. A look at India's health profile in 2019 through six charts

National Centre for Disease Cont­rol has expertise in disease surveillance and prevention, and collaborates with global agencies

UK's Covid hero dies at 100, study says Sinopharm jab works against South African strain, Europe's sluggish vaccination may prolong economic slump and other pandemic-related news across the globe