Drowning prevention challenges and opportunities: An exploratory study of perspectives of delegates from ASEAN nations.

The South East Asian region has the world's second highest fatal drowning burden. This study reports analysis of survey data from representatives from nations within the Association of South East Asian Nations regarding current efforts, challenges and future opportunities for drowning prevention. Twenty-two responses were received from respondents from all ASEAN nations excepting Cambodia and Myanmar. Drowning prevention initiatives varied across ASEAN nations, with most efforts focused on public education and raising awareness, including the provision of drowning data to the media. The lack of comprehensive, national level data collection was identified as a challenge, necessitating strengthened data collection capacity. Governmental involvement spanned one to six different ministries, highlighting the multi-sectoral nature of drowning prevention. However, a lead ministry could be identified in only two countries. Despite the challenges identified, there remain many opportunities to strengthen drowning prevention across ASEAN nations, addressing a significant regional public health threat.

Typing of Thai clinical isolates of Mycobacterium leprae and analysis of leprosy transmission by polymorphism of tandem repeats.

Mycobacterium leprae isolates from Thai leprosy patients were typed for strain differentiation and analysis of leprosy transmission using the six base tandem repeat, GACATC, in rpoT gene and TTC repeat as genetic markers. M. leprae DNA was isolated from skin biopsies of new untreated leprosy patients living in remote areas or in suburban regions of Thailand where leprosy is in low prevalence. In M. leprae strains of 100 patients, TTC alleles exhibited variations in length with 10 to 30, 33 and 35 repeats, the most common alleles being 15, 16, 17 and 19 repeats. All isolates contained three copies of the six base repeat in rpoT gene. Application of TTC repeats in tracking leprosy transmission in two families with multi-cases identified a single (but different) strain of M. leprae in each family.