Background: Transmission dynamics of the infectious disease Corona Virus Disease - 19 (COVID-19) is yet to be understood fully. The study aimed at exploring whether quantitative viral load of COVID-19-infected case indicated by cycle threshold (Ct) value of real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction could predict about transmission pattern in the community. Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted involving 1976 individuals, suspected to be suffering from COVID-19 and contacts, of laboratory confirmed cases from selected districts of Gujarat, India. A total of 138 persons were detected to be positive. Weekly positivity showed an overall increasing trend during the studied weeks. It was observed that only 7% had high, 9% as moderate and rest, 84% had low viral load based on Ct values of real-time RT-PCR. Results: Most secondary cases clustered around index cases with high viral load whereas fewer secondary cases clustered around index cases with low viral load. Each index high viral load case transmitted an average of 6.25 secondary cases whereas the same of low viral load transmitted an average of 0.8 case. Conclusion: If cases with higher viral load are selectively isolated on detection from the rest of the community along with contact tracing of all individuals, who came in contact with them during the previous 5 days, the quantum of transmission will reduce subsequently. Moreover, health-care workers often get infected while working, probably due to the fact that they often handle cases with higher viral load. The Ct value of all may be provided along with test report to safeguard everybody's health including health-care workers.

No abstract

No abstract

Background: Cancer of cervix is the third most common cancer in women in India accounting for 21.7% of cancer deaths among women. Unhealthy cervix, characterized by presence of any abnormal growth, ulcer, or vasculature, is a clinically detectable early stage in the life history of cervical cancer. Very few studies have been conducted to determine risk factors of unhealthy cervix.Methods: A clinic-based cross-sectional study was conducted among currently married women of reproductive age group attending Urban Health Unit and Training Centre, Chetla, Kolkata. A total of 189 women attending the clinic was selected using systematic random sampling method was who were interviewed and examined using pre-designed pre-tested schedule. Analysis was done using (SPSS version 16).Results: Among 189 women, 45.5% were diagnosed with unhealthy cervix. Hierarchical logistic regression showed that educational status, PCI, frequency of cleaning external genitalia and extramarital relationship of the spouse were significantly associated with unhealthy cervical condition.Conclusions: Most of the risk factors of unhealthy cervix are behavioral and modifiable. Health education and behaviour change communication of women of reproductive age group would help in reducing their morbidity as well as mortality from cervix related conditions that includes cervical cancer.

Background: Malnutrition is still a great barrier to the growth and development of children, especially in India. Children from the underprivileged sections of the society like slum children are more vulnerable to both undernutrition and overnutrition. This study aimed to estimate the magnitude of malnutrition among school-going children in a slum area of Kolkata and to elicit the association of nutritional status with parental education. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted from November 2017 to May 2018 among 508 school-going children of 6 years to 19 years of age in slums of Chetla, Kolkata. Out of three coeducation high schools catering to those children, two schools were randomly selected. 254 participants from each school were selected using systematic random sampling. Students, unwilling to participate and/or whose parents denied providing informed written consent were excluded. After the interview by a predesigned, pretested schedule, their anthropometric examination was conducted. Results: Prevalence of stunting and severe stunting was present in 9.4% and 1.2% of subjects whereas the prevalence of thinness was 23.6% among them. The prevalence of overnutrition was 11%. Boys are more stunted (OR = 2.13, P = 0.013) and thin (OR = 1.73, P = 0.011) than girls. Poor parental education was significantly associated with both undernourishment (stunting and thinness) as well as overweight and obesity. Conclusion: Substantial burden of double malnutrition was observed among school-going slum children. Parental education had an important role to prevent malnutrition of their children. Thus, periodic growth monitoring with the strengthening of the Mid-Day Meal program and awareness generation campaigns regarding malnutrition among parents of slum children are highly needed.