Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major public health concerns throughout the world. In 2013, there were 382 million people living with DM, and this number is projected to increase to 471 million by 2035. It affects large number of people of wide range of ethnic and economic levels in both developed and developing countries.Objective : The study was undertaken to assess the knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus among rural people in a selected area of Bangladesh.Methods : A descriptive type of cross sectional study was conducted from November 2015 to January 2016 among 400 people of a village of Gazipur district. The data were collected by using pre tested, semi-structured, interviewer administered questionnaire. Non probability purposive sampling technique was followed. Knowledge related variable were initial symptoms, curability, prevention, risk factors, complications, changes occur inside the body, perceived causes and investigation of DM. Data analysis was done by statistical software, SPSS version 20.Results : Out of 400 respondents, majority (47.50%) were in the age group of 21-30 years. Most (58.25%) of them were male and in terms of educational status 80.5% respondents were literate having varying levels of education. Majority (48.75%) of respondents were service holder. Nearly all of respondents (92%) heard about DM and their source of information was from neighbour 28.89% followed by health care provider 27.71%. Majority of respondents had good knowledge regarding initial symptoms 53.80% and curability 60.86% of DM. Most of them had fair knowledge regarding prevention 35.86% and risk factors 48.09% of DM. Majority 70.92% respondents had poor knowledge regarding complications of diabetes mellitus. Most respondents had no knowledge regarding changes occur inside the body 75.27%, perceived causes of DM 61.69% and investigation 61.41% of DM.Conclusion : This study concluded that good knowledge was found on initial symptom and curability of Diabetes mellitus, fair knowledge on risk factor and prevention and poor knowledge was found regarding complications of DM. No knowledge was found regarding changes occur inside the body, perceived causes and investigation of Diabetes mellitus. Therefore, effective awareness and health education program to the rural people regarding various aspects of Diabetes mellitus are in urgent need.Northern International Medical College Journal Vol.7(2) Jan 2016: 131-134

Background : Swine flu is a viral disease spread by droplet infection during coughing, sneezing, laughing or talking. Mortality rate among the adolescent is high.

Purpose:We investigated tick-borne bacteria in field-collected ticks via a metagenomic approach using high throughput sequencing.Methods & Materials: A total of 210 ticks, collected from various regions of Anatolia, were identified morphologically and processed in 39 pools. Homogenization, nucleic acid purification and library preparation in pools were performed using standard assays and protocols, followed by sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq system.Results: A near-complete Rickettsial genome of 1.485.148 nucleotides with 89,5% identity to Rickettsia felis strain URRWX-Cal2 was assembled from a pool of Haemaphysalis parva ticks. The identical pool further provided a 5690-nucleotide sequence of the Rickettsial conjugative plasmid. Varying lengths of 16S, OmpA, Sca1 and gltA sequences were obtained from 7 tick pools (17,9%) comprising Haemaphysalis parva, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and Hyalomma marginatum ticks. The sequences were characterized as Rickettsia felis and Rickettsia hoogstraalii in 5 pools whereas strain identification remained obscure in two pools. 16S rRNA sequences of Coxiella-like endosymbionts were detected in 15 pools (38,4%) of Haemaphysalis parva, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. l., Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma excavatum and Dermacentor marginatus ticks. These sequences formed three phylogenetically-distinct clusters with previously-characterized Coxiella-like endosymbionts from Rhipicephalus, Ixodes and Dermacentor species. Finally, Francisella-related 16S sequences were characterized in 9 pools (23%) of Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. l., Hyalomma marginatum, Dermacentor marginatus and Hyalomma aegyptium ticks. These sequences formed two distinct clusters and grouped with Francisella-like endosymbionts of Dermacentor ticks, sharing a common ancestor with Francisella percica.Conclusion: Rickettsia of the spotted fever -Rickettsia akari group were characterized in this preliminary tick screening study, with detailed sequence information obtained for various strains. Widespread infection of ticks with Francisella-and Coxiella-like symbionts were also identified. The impact of these endosymbiotic bacteria on the circulation and detection of pathogenic strains in ticks requires further investigation.Purpose: India accounts for 58% of malaria cases in South East Asia region. Four villages of Hungund taluk, Bagalkote district in Karnataka state, India reported clustering of malaria cases on 15 th of November, 2015. We investigated to describe the outbreak and to give recommendations.Methods & Materials: Our study population included residents of all four villages, Hirekodagalli, Gugglemaari, Gudur and Hanumnal. We surveyed fever cases in fever clinic, between 20 th of November, 2015 and 31 of March, 2016. We defined a confirmed case of Malaria as any patient whose blood smear was positive for malarial parasites, plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax. We collected line list of confirmed malaria cases from fever clinics in the four villages. We calcu...

Background: Most cholera outbreaks are due to faecal contaminated drinking water. On 25 April 2015, Gulbarga district of Karnataka reported 82 diarrhoea cases in Biral B village. We conducted an investigation to identify risk factors for illness and to provide recommendations to control the outbreak and prevent future illness.Methods & Materials: We defined a suspect case of cholera as ≥3 loose stools in 24 hours in a resident of Biral B village between 19 April and 7 May, 2015. We identified cases by active surveillance through a house to house survey. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in every third household. We interviewed 565 persons in 177 households to assess illness status, socio-demographic characteristics, and potential risk factors including water sources and water treatment. We calculated relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). We collected five stools samples for testing of Vibrio cholerae at district referral laboratory. We assessed water sources, water distribution and tested all sources for faecal coliforms.Results: We identified 169 cases among 2495 villagers (attack rate = 7%). Three fourths (126) were hospitalized with no deaths. Illness onset dates ranged from 22 April to 7 May 2015. The median age was 25 years (range 1-85yrs) with the highest attack rate of 14% (33/235) among 26 to 35 years group and the lowest attack rate of 1.4% (8/561) among the age group 46 to 55 years. The attack rate was 16% (14/86) among persons using water from an unprotected, hand-dug well A for drinking or cooking (RR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2-3.8) compared to 10% (15/149) for a second unprotected hand-dug well B(RR: 0.8, 95% CI: 0.5-1.5) and 7% (28/380) for any of six tube-wells (RR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-1.0). One of five stools samples was positive for Vibrio cholerae El Tor Ogawa by culture. Water samples from wells A and B, the six tube wells, overhead tank, and household taps had faecal coliforms and deemed not potable.Conclusion: This suspected cholera outbreak was from using non-potable water particularly from one unprotected well A for drinking or cooking. We recommend chlorination, protection, and regular testing of water sources, particularly well A.

This descriptive type of cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 persons of different socio-economic conditions of Dhaka city using semi-structured questionnaire through face-to-face interview to identify the impact of mass media in disseminating public health related messages to the urban population of Bangladesh. Convenience sampling was the process of selecting the subjects. Among 180 respondents mean age of the respondents was 28.75±8.55 years. Majority of the respondents were graduate (29.0%). Of the total 180 respondents 121 (67.2%) read newspaper and among them, 46 (38.32%) read Public Health related articles in the newspaper regularly. On the other hand out of the total 180 respondents 170 (95.0%) watch television and of them 36 (21.18%) watch public health related programme in the television regularly. Highest 140 (77.8%) respondents said television as the source of information in TB prevention. Majority (90%) of the respondents said of television as the information source on prevention of diarrhoeal diseases. Magazine and internet were mentioned by 20 (11%) respondents in each group as the information source. Regarding the sources of information on pregnancy related problems and solutions television was mentioned as the source of information by 156 (86%) of the respondents. Friends or relatives or teachers (67%), newspaper (64%), billboard (45%) and radio (44%) were other sources. Television was found as the main source of public health information to the people. Impact of print media in disseminating public health messages was mentioned very satisfactory by 24% and electronic media by 77% respondents. The mass media can be very much effective in getting public health messages to the community in developing countries. In view of our findings, it may be recommended that television, newspaper and billboards may be used as tools for reaching out that the use of these media should be strengthened further. EMCJ. January 2022; 7(1): 21-25