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Monitoring, surveillance and investigation of health threats are vital capabilities for an effective health system. The International Health Regulations require countries to maintain an integrated, national system for public health surveillance and response and set out the core capabilities that countries are required to achieve. Public health laws typically establish a list of “notifiable diseases” and other conditions that health care providers, hospitals and/or laboratories are required to report to the relevant local or national public health authority. Notifiable diseases generally include infectious diseases that can quickly spread throughout communities and regions via water, food, contact with animals, mosquitoes, airborne droplets or through sexual contact and other forms of human interaction. Rare and new events may not be included in regular, clinical and laboratory-based surveillance systems. Also, outbreaks of serious or contagious diseases require immediate investigation so that appropriate public health measures including isolation and contact tracing can be implemented. A significant degree of stigma may be attached to some diseases. Notifiable disease legislation should require the protection of personal information, and clearly define any exceptions. Concerns about discrimination and breach of privacy may be addressed by requiring certain diseases to be reported on an anonymous or de-identified basis.

The neurodynamic effect of graded hydrocortisone treatment on rhinencephalic and telencephalic brain regions was studied in an experimental animal design that sampled isolated hippocampal, basal nucleic and frontal cortical brain regions of male wistar rats. Four test groups, ii to v were administered 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg and 10 mg respectively. The study period lasted for 6 weeks. Results were statistically analyzed and considered significantly different at a confidence interval of 95%. There was a progressive decline in olfactory response as dose of hydrocortisone treatment was increased. There was a significant dose-dependent decrease in assayed frontal cortical acetylcholine and hippocampal glutamate in brain tissue homogenates. Similar change was observed in brain tissue calcium, magnesium and sodium. For the behavioral, histological and biochemical tests conducted in this study, 6 weeks hydrocortisone treatment showed adverse manifestations from 5 mg, which was more obvious from 7.5 mg. The outcome of this study revealed a possible dose-dependent adverse effect of hydrocortisone on specific brain regions responsible for learning, memory, olfaction and psychosocial behavior.

This study evaluated the dose-dependent effect of avocado (Persea americana) peel hydroethanolic extract on antioxidant status of heart and kidney tissue homogenates in wistar rats. A total of 60 wistar rats were used and the study period lasted for 42 days. The animals were randomly sampled into six (6) groups; Group i-normal untreated wistar rats, ii-P. americana peel extract (50 mg/kg), iiilead acetate (100 mg/kg), iv-P. americana peel extract (50 mg/kg) + lead acetate (100 mg/kg), v-P. americana peel extract (100 mg/kg) + lead acetate (100 mg/kg) and vi-P. americana peel extract (150 mg/kg) + lead acetate (100 mg/kg). Biomarkers assayed for include antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase; non-enzyme antioxidant reduced glutathione; isoprostanes and malondialdehyde. The extract caused a dose-dependent increase in antioxidant enzymes and non-enzyme markers when administered alone and when combined with Original Research Article

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