RESUMEN
Background: Lyme borreliosis is a public health concern in India. The prevalence of the disease is still undetermined with major entomological and epidemiological gaps. The present study was conducted to determine the seropositivity of Borrelia burgdorferi in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, India. Methods: A cross-sectional serosurvey was conducted in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Data collection tools were developed and standardized for the collection of clinico-socio-demographic data. Sample size for each site was calculated using the formula for the estimation of a single proportion. Qualitative detection of IgG antibodies in serum samples was done using NovaLisa™ Lyme Borrelia IgG ELISA kit. Results: A total of 793 participants were enrolled, 484 (61%) from Arunachal Pradesh and 309 (39%) from Sikkim. Out of 793 participants, 21 (2.7%), 22 (2.8%), 6 (0.8%), 29 (3.7%), 44 (5.5%), and 16 (2.1%) gave history of tick bite, rash, erythema migrans, migratory muscle pain, migratory joint pain, and numbness, respectively, in the past one year. The adjusted seroprevalence (for sensitivity and specificity of kit) for the study is 3.7 (2.4-5.2). No signs or symptoms were found to be associated with IgG ELISA positivity. The state-wise distribution of seropositivity for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim was 4.1 (95% CI: 2.5-6.3) and 2.3 (95% CI: 0.9-4.6), respectively. Conclusion: This study establishes the state of Sikkim as a new endemic area in India of Lyme disease besides its already reported endemicity in Arunachal Pradesh. No association was conclusively established between symptoms of Lyme and IgG seropositivity emphasizing the need for detailed history taking and clinical suspicion in endemic areas.
RESUMEN
India was certified free of polio in 2014. Until now, the oral polio vaccine (OPV) was being used in India. As the OPV is a live vaccine, vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis may occur after its use. The aim is to replace the OPV with injectable polio vaccine. The Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018 has been made to eradicate polio. A switch from the trivalent OPV (tOPV) to bivalent OPV (bOPV) has been undertaken in all countries since April 2016. tOPV vials have been withdrawn and replaced by bOPV. In addition, the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) has been introduced. The next step would be to remove the type 3 virus component followed by complete cessation of the OPV and a final switch to the IPV. The timeline has been fixed as 2018-2019. Replacement of a vaccine may raise fears in the community that need to be addressed. Re-emergence of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus after withdrawal of the tOPV may occur. Proper disposal of vaccine vials needs to be ensured. Proper training of vaccinators is important. All stakeholders need to be incorporated, and focus should be more on deprived populations. The switch marks a significant step towards the final goal of polio eradication. Finally, the importance of community participation cannot be overemphasized. Sustained surveillance is the key to prevent occurrence of cases in polio-free countries through importation.
RESUMEN
Dengue fever has re-emerged as a major public health challenge. Of late, several promising attempts have been made to control the disease with limited success. An innovative method of biological control of dengue is the use of the bacterium Wolbachia. Selected strains of Wolbachia have been introduced into Aedes aegypti to prevent transmission of dengue viruses by the vector. Wolbachia prevents dengue transmission by either directly blocking the virus or by decreasing the lifespan of the vector. The mechanism by which it causes these effects is not clearly understood. The main concern of this technique is the emergence of a new dengue virus serotype which may evade the protection offered by Wolbachia. The technique is environment friendly and holds promise for control of other vector borne diseases.