Indian J Med Res
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Adopting sun exposure as a low-cost sustainable strategy in tropical countries needs critical analysis for its feasibility and inclusion in national policy. This review explores the opportunities and challenges associated with sun exposure in tropical countries and discusses potential strategies that may be adopted for promoting sun exposure. For this, two strands of evidence were reviewed; trials on sun exposure, analysed for risk of bias and, the environmental factors that influence acquisition of vitamin D from sun exposure in the context of on-going ecological and nutritional transition. ⋯ In the context of environmental and lifestyle-related challenges, opportunities go hand-in-hand in terms of built environment, variability in air pollution and personal factors such as skin pigmentation, precursor availability and general nutritional status. Contextual policy decisions should consider urban and rural development planning, control of air pollution, targeted guidelines for indigenous and immigrant population and use of space technology in educating general population for balanced sun exposure as essential components for a sustainable strategy. Important opportunities exist for tropical countries to develop sun exposure as a strategy for acquiring vitamin D and these need to be explored.
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Endometriosis is one of the causes of female infertility, but the prevalence of endometriosis is not exactly known. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide an estimate of the prevalence of endometriosis in women considering the stage of disease, diagnostic method, geographical distribution, clinical symptoms and sample size. ⋯ The results of this study showed that the prevalence of endometriosis in developing countries was high. Future studies are needed to explore other factors affecting the prevalence of endometriosis worldwide, which may help develop future prevention programmes.
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Fungal diseases have not been taken seriously in public health agendas as well as research priorities, despite of globally causing an estimated two million deaths every year, and the emergence of many troublesome fungal pathogens like Candida auris, azole resistant Aspergillus fumigatus, terbinafine and azole resistant dermatophytes, and zoonotic sporotrichosis in humans. Fungi are also responsible for huge losses of agricultural products and stored crops as well as recent massive and unexpected mortality in animals caused by white-nose syndrome in the bats and Chytridiomycosis in amphibians. This review aims to underscore the need for collaborative, multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach to include the One Health approach as an essential component of surveillance, prevention, and control of globally emerging fungal diseases. Rigorous evidence based surveillance of the environment as well as strengthening rapid and quality diagnosis of fungal diseases can save millions of lives and reduce significant morbidity.
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Animal disease surveillance encompasses systematic collection of long-term data on disease events, risk factors and other relevant parameters followed by analyzing the same with reference to temporal and spatial characteristics to arrive at a conclusion so that necessary preventive measures can be taken. In India, the animal disease surveillance is done through National Animal Disease Reporting System, which is a web-based information technology system for disease reporting from States and Union Territories with the aim to record, monitor livestock disease situation and to initiate the preventive and curative action in a swift manner during disease emergencies. ⋯ An integrated surveillance system is necessary for early detection of emerging/zoonotic diseases in humans. This review provides information on disease reporting and surveillance systems in animal health sector and the need for One Health approach to improve and strengthen the zoonotic disease surveillance system in India.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, single-dose comparative pharmacokinetic study of DRL_TZ, a candidate biosimilar of trastuzumab, with Herceptin® (EU) in healthy adult males.
Trastuzumab (TZ) is a recombinant DNA-derived humanized monoclonal antibody approved for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive early breast cancer, metastatic breast and gastric cancers. For the development of TZ biosimilars, establishing pharmacokinetic equivalence is required. The primary objective of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics (PK) of Dr Reddy's Laboratories TZ (DRL_TZ) with that of EU-approved Reference Medicinal Product (RMP), Herceptin® in healthy adult male subjects. ⋯ In this study, DRL_TZ demonstrated PK equivalence with the RMP and had comparable safety and immunogenicity profiles in healthy adult male subjects.