Journal of infection and public health
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J Infect Public Health · May 2018
ReviewDistressed setting and profound challenges: Pandemic influenza preparedness plans in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Influenza pandemics are unpredictable and can have severe health and economic implications. Preparedness for pandemic influenza as advised by the World Health Organization (WHO) is key in minimizing the potential impacts. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework is a global public-private initiative to strengthen the preparedness. A total of 43 countries receive funds through Partnership Contribution (PC) component of PIP Framework to enhance preparedness; seven of these fall in the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region. We report findings of a desk review of preparedness plans of six such countries from the Region. ⋯ This was a desk review of the plans and not the actual assessment of the influenza preparedness. Moreover, only plans of countries facilitated through funds provided under the PC implementation plan were included. The preparedness scores of majority of reviewed plans were not satisfactory. This warrants a larger study of a representative sample from the Region and also calls for immediate policy action to improve the pandemic influenza preparedness plans and thereby enhance pandemic preparedness in the Region.
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J Infect Public Health · May 2018
Trends and relationship between antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China: Based on a 3 year surveillance data, 2014-2016.
The objective of the study was to identify the trends and relations between antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic use in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Western China from 2014 to 2016. ⋯ The association between antibiotic use and AMR, especially the implication of the difference in resistance density and resistance proportion, is crucial for local physicians and decision-makers to better use of antibiotics and allocate healthcare resources more effectively, as well as to better implement antimicrobial stewardship and effective infection control strategies.
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J Infect Public Health · May 2018
Cross-sectional study of MERS-CoV-specific RNA and antibodies in animals that have had contact with MERS patients in Saudi Arabia.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a newly emerged coronavirus that is associated with a severe respiratory disease in humans in the Middle East. The epidemiological profiles of the MERS-CoV infections suggest zoonotic transmission from an animal reservoir to humans. ⋯ These findings indicate that camels are a significant reservoir for the maintenance of MERS-CoVs, and they are an important source of human infection with MERS.