Sero-Surveillance to Monitor the Trend of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Transmission in India: Study Protocol for a Multi Site, Community Based Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Introduction: Large-scale sero-prevalence studies with representation from all age groups are required to estimate the true burden of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in the community. Serial serological surveys in fixed cohorts enable study of dynamics of viral transmission and correlates of immune response over time in the context of gradual introduction of COVID-19 vaccines and repeated upsurge of cases during the pandemic. Methods: This longitudinal study will involve follow-up of a cohort of 25,000 individuals (5,000 per site) aged 2 years and above recruited from five existing demographic surveillance sites in India. The cohort will be tested for the presence of IgG antibodies against S1/S2 spike protein subunits of SARS-CoV-2 in four rounds; once at baseline and subsequently, at intervals of 4 months for a year between January 2021 and January 2022. Neutralization assays will be carried out in a subset of seropositive samples in each round to quantify the antibody response and to estimate the durability of antibody response. Serial serological surveys will be complemented by fortnightly phone based syndromic surveillance to assess the burden of symptomatic acute febrile illness/ influenza like illness in the same cohort. A bio-repository will also be established to store the serum samples collected in all rounds of serological surveys. Discussion: The population based sero-epidemiological studies will help to determine the burden of COVID-19 at the community level in urban and rural Indian populations and guide in monitoring the trends in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Risk factors for infection will be identified to inform future control strategies. The serial serological surveys in the same set of participants will help determine the viral transmission dynamics and durability of neutralizing immune response in participants with or without symptomatic COVID infection.

Technology enabled non-physician health workers extending telemedicine to rural homes to control hypertension and diabetes (TETRA): A pre-post demonstration project in Telangana, India.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of an intervention anchored on mHealth and task sharing strategy of involving non-physician health workers (NPHW) on population level detection, treatment and control of hypertension and diabetes in India. METHODS: Non-physician health workers (NPHWs) equipped with tablet computers that were linked with point-of-care devices for blood pressure (BP) and blood sugar measurements visited households, screened adult individuals for hypertension and diabetes from two randomly selected villages in the Medchal district, Telangana, India. Further, they digitally connected those individuals with hypertension and diabetes to a study physician via Skype, and handed over a printed e-prescription. Medication adherence checks, BP and fasting blood sugar measurements were done once a month and doctor consultations once in three months during follow-up. RESULTS: Among 2456 eligible individuals, 1751 and 1686 individuals were screened for hypertension and diabetes, respectively. Prevalence of hypertension was 23·6% (95% CI 21·6%-25·6%) and among them 38.9% were newly detected. Prevalence of diabetes was 11·2% (9·7%-12·7%) and 28.6% of them were newly detected. After 24 months of intervention, control of BP and blood sugar was achieved in 54.0% and 34·1% of individuals with hypertension and diabetes, respectively. Blood pressure control rate improved by 12% (7.9%-16.0%) in known hypertensive individuals over the intervention period. INTERPRETATION: This research demonstrates the feasibility and local acceptability of a mHealth intervention strategy anchored on NPHWs guided by physicians for detection, treatment and regular follow-up of individuals with hypertension and diabetes in a community setting in India.

Relationship of serum uric acid, serum creatinine and serum cystatin C with maternal and fetal outcomes in rural Indian pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders are the most common in pregnancy. Several studies showed a positive correlation between elevated maternal serum uric acid (UA), serum creatinine and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, but only a few studies are available on serum cystatin C and maternal and fetal outcomes. The present study was undertaken to study the association of serum UA, creatinine and cystatin C with maternal and fetal outcomes. METHODS: Out of 116 pregnant women 69 women had no hypertension and 47 had hypertension with or without proteinuria. Serum UA, creatinine and cystatin C was measured by modified Uricase method, modified kinetic Jaffe's reaction and particle-enhanced immunonephelometric assay respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the independent effects of serum UA, creatinine and cystatin C on maternal and fetal outcomes using stata 13.1. RESULTS: The adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 3.73 (95% CI: 1.18-11.75; P=0.024) for UA; 15.79 (95% CI: 3.04-81.94; P=0.001) for creatinine and 2.03 (95% CI: 0.70-5.87; P=0.192) for cystatin C in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. All the three renal parameters were not significantly associated with birth weight, gestational age of delivery and mode of delivery after adjusting for the confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Serum creatinine and uric acid are independent risk factors for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. High serum uric acid is associated with low birth weight and delivery by caesarian section whereas high serum creatinine with preterm delivery only before adjustment for confounding factors and not after adjustment. Serum cystatin C was not significantly associated with the maternal and fetal outcomes.