On January 20, 2023, the Nigerian Ministry of Health and other pertinent health organizations declared a diphtheria outbreak. As of Friday, 25 individuals had reportedly died in the case. The most affected group was children. One of the hardest-hit areas is Nigeria's northern state [1] .The precise number of incidents and fatalities has not yet been verified. Four of the 36 states that have been severely impacted by the outbreak are being monitored by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Nigeria, which has set up an emergency response. The objective of this correspondence article is to evaluate the epidemiological distribution of diphtheria in Nigeria. The etiology of diphtheria concerns "Corynebacteria," the species most harmful concerning Corynebacterium diphtheria, which creates poisons modulating a contagion of public health concern. Corynebacterium diphtheria is a gram-positive, noncapsulated, nonmotile, and club-shaped bacteria [2] . Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and Corynebacterium ulcerans are 2 further noteworthy but uncommon strains.The paralysis of the soft palate and throat muscles, ulcerating skin lesions, and the membrane's expansion into the trachea and larynx, leading to airway obstruction and myocarditis, are all complications of diphtheria [2] . Diphtheria cases decreased from ~1,000,000 annually to an average of 6582 between 2013 and 2017 globally, thanks to the advent of the diphtheria toxoid (DPT) vaccine in the 1950s [2,3] . Beginning in the 1990s, Russia carried the largest global burden [2] . Like other African nations, Nigeria underreports cases. In 2011, there were 98 instances in
BackgroundCancer is a significant threat to public health and a leading cause of morbidity across the globe. Of all cancers, brain cancer can be particularly catastrophic as treatment often fails to achieve the desired degree of effectiveness and diagnosis remains associated with a high mortality rate. Africa, as a continent with resource‐limited countries, needs to allocate the necessary proper healthcare infrastructure to significantly reduce cancer rates and improve patient survival. In addition, the relative paucity of data within this field in Africa makes effective management a challenge.ObjectiveThis review is aimed at elucidating the currently available evidence base with regard to the epidemiology and etiology of brain cancer within resource‐limited African countries. This review hopes to bring to the attention of the wider clinical community the growing burden of brain cancer within Africa and to encourage future research into this field of research.MethodsThe available literature for this Systematic Review was searched on two bibliographic databases, PubMed and Scopus, using an individually verified, prespecified approach. In addition, the Global Cancer Observatory and Global Burden of Disease databases were also utilized. Studies reporting on the epidemiology, etiology, and impact of brain cancer in Africa were suitable for inclusion. The level of evidence of the included studies was considered as per the Centre for Evidence‐Based Medicine recommendations.ResultsOut of the four databases searched, 3848 articles were initially screened rigorously, filtered into 54 articles, and finally assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. We have demonstrated a poor survival rate and lack of proper funds/resources necessary to report, identify, and treat cases, as well as the dearth of comprehensive research on the subject of brain cancer that has become a challenging healthcare concern in many African developing nations. Also, because of the gradual improvement in healthcare facilities and the increasing population within many countries in Africa, the number of patients with central nervous system and intracranial tumors is rising specifically in the elder population. In addition, the population in West Africa is at a higher risk of HIV‐related malignancies due to the high prevalence of HIV in West Africa. The burden of brain cancer in Africa is increasing in comparison with the developed parts of the world in which it is decreasing. Moreover, the mismanagement of cancers in Africa leads to higher morbidity and mortality and decreased quality of life.ConclusionThis study addresses the burden of brain cancer as a major public health crisis in Africa. Improved treatment modalities and access to screening are required to better address the burden of this disease. Therefore, there is a clear need for more substantial and comprehensive research on etiology, epidemiology, and treatment of brain cancer within Africa to understand its epidemiological distribution and provide a means for managing and reducing the associated morbidity and mortality.
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one example of the scores of zoonotic diseases responsible for various outbreaks resulting in the deaths of millions of people for centuries. The COVID-19 pandemic has broken the age-old healthcare infrastructure and led to utter chaos. In the shadow of this pandemic, other zoonotic infections like the nipah virus, monkeypox, and langya virus, to name a few, have been neglected. Hence, outbreaks caused by such zoonotic viruses are rising in their endemic areas, like the Indian subcontinent. The mortality and morbidity due to such zoonoses are greater than usual due to the shortage of healthcare professionals caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Due to the lack of vaccines and therapeutics directed against this viral infection, treatment of patients is limited to supportive management and prevention, making preparedness for these potential zoonotic viral outbreaks essential. This paper highlights some of these zoonotic infections, which perpetuated and wreaked havoc while the world was occupied with containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
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