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Health experts suggested stepping up surveillance to prevent silent spread of monkeypox after the National Institute of Virology (NIV) confirmed the first monkeypox fatality in the nation. The moment has come, according to Dr. PS Indu, professor and head of the department of community medicine at the Government Medical College in Kollam, who was speaking to ANI.

Stressing the surveillance, Dr Indu said, “Surveillance is important. To know what is happening around us, we need data. And this can only happen when people screen them and get tested.”

She said it is important to strengthen surveillance, otherwise, silent transmission can be speared and warned about complications and silent transmission of monkeypox if surveillance is not get strengthened.

“Screening is important, otherwise, the silent transmission can spread and then people will come with complications. All countries have to take action and share data with important information,” added Dr Indu.

The health expert further explained the complications of the virus.

“It is a virus which can create issues like infection in the mouth, cavity, rashes that you see in the face, lymphadenopathy, lesions on palms and soles,” Dr Indu said.

“The secondary infections are dermatology complications and central nervous system complications which can result in mortality death. And other issues that affect the brain. Encephalitis is an infection of the brain,” she added.

Later, she also stressed wearing masks to avoid face-to-face contact and said, “We need to continue to wear masks and avoid face-to-face and skin-to-skin contact with people who are not aware of their potential symptoms.”

There is a monkeypox vaccination as well, but these are the long-term policy choices, she continued.

Veena George, the Kerala Health Minister, said earlier in the day that tests on a 22-year-old with signs of monkeypox who passed away on July 30 revealed a positive result for the viral zoonotic virus.

The young man, who was from Chavakkad Kuranjiyur in the Thrissur district and tested positive there, passed away on July 30 in Kerala.

Also Read: Covid case update: India sees modest decrease with 13,734 cases reported

He received antibiotics as well as treatment for encephalitis, abnormal seizures, and other illnesses.

Twenty high-risk connections, including three health professionals from the private hospital—a doctor and two nurses—are currently being watched.

Notably, India has so far documented five instances of monkeypox, with three cases occurring in Kerala, one in Delhi, and one in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

The federal government is now on high alert as a result, despite an increase in the number of illnesses in several other nations.

There is absolutely no need for panic, according to Dr. V K Paul of NITI Aayog, who represents the health sector. This is because the government has taken significant steps to control the disease.

The monkeypox virus, which is a member of the same viral family as the smallpox virus, is what causes the zoonotic condition known as monkeypox.

The WHO reports that although instances have recently been recorded from non-endemic countries as well, the illness is endemic in places like West and Central Africa.

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Veena George, the state’s minister of health, said on Monday that tests on a 22-year-old with signs of monkeypox who passed away on July 30 tested positive for the zoonotic virus.

The young man, who was from Chavakkad Kuranjiyur in the Thrissur district and tested positive there, passed away on July 30 in Kerala.

“On the evening of July 26 he developed abnormal jerking and he had fever too. On July 27 he was admitted and on July 28 he was moved to the ventilator. On July 30 the hospital authorities informed the Health Department that he got tested on July 19 for monkeypox in UAE and the result of which was positive. Our team went there, unfortunately, that person died in the evening. As per our procedure, we had sent the samples to National Institute of Virology (NIV) Alappuzha and test results show that he was positive for monkeypox,” said George.

He received antibiotics as well as treatment for encephalitis, abnormal seizures, and other illnesses.

Twenty high-risk connections, including three health professionals from the private hospital—a doctor and two nurses—are currently being watched.

The health minister stated that it’s unclear whether the family has hid the fact that the person had testing in the United Arab Emirates.

Also Read: Health experts raise alarm after first Monkeypox death , emphasises need of surveillance

“We constituted a state-level team including state medical board members to enquire what really has happened. And the genomic sequencing of sample is being done at NIV,” she added.

She further pointed out that on his day of arrival at Calicut Airport he was not showing any symptoms of fever or rashes during the thermal scanning but he had a fever four weeks ago and on July 26 he developed it again.

“A Preliminary report says that it is a West African variant,” she said.

The Minister said that the state Health Department has ensured that every person will undergo thermal scanning at the airport so if the person has a high fever he or she can go to the help desk.

“Thermal scanning at airports is regular and if the person has a high fever, we have a help desk there and health workers will take care. We have isolation facilities in all the 48 districts and transportation facilities will also be arranged,” said George.

She also requested people to take precautions and not to hide the information.

“Currently there are two active cases in the state and all the other persons under observation were tested negative,” she added.

5 cases of monkeypox in India

Notably, India has so far documented five instances of monkeypox, with three cases occurring in Kerala, one in Delhi, and one in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

The federal government is now on high alert as a result, despite an increase in the number of illnesses in several other nations.

There is absolutely no need for panic, according to Dr. V K Paul of NITI Aayog, who represents the health sector. This is because the government has taken significant steps to control the disease.

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Following the identification and quarantining of an Ethiopian national with monkeypox symptoms in a private hospital at Bengaluru on Saturday, the state’s chief minister, Basavaraj Bommai, called a meeting on Monday to consider the spread of the disease in the state.

Bommai stated that choices on the screening of passengers arriving from outside and the plans for treatment will be made at the meeting with the Health Minister and authorities. An Ethiopian national exhibiting signs of monkeypox was confined at a private hospital in Bengaluru, according to a statement made earlier on Saturday by the Karnataka health department.

The individual samples have been sent to the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute laboratory for confirmation and reports are awaited.

Also Read: Kerala confirms first death due to Monkeypox

While talking to ANI, he said, “We have taken the Monkeypox infections seriously. I have convened a meeting to discuss the issue tomorrow. The meeting with the Health minister and officials would take decisions on screening of passengers coming from outside and arrangements for treatment.”

While responding to the question pertaining to the recent protest by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists at the Home Minister’s residence, Bommai added that there was no lapse in security. Those who were to be present at that time were not there.

While talking about the Hindutva ideology of the party, the chief minister said, “Ours is a national party. Nationalism is our stand. There is no question of discrimination against anyone.

Speaking to media persons at Davangere GMIT helipad, Bommai said, “the leaders of previous regimes should introspect on their conduct then over such issues.”

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted in its public health recommendation for gays and men who have sex with men that the risk of monkeypox is not restricted to them, following a hoax that may have demonised the LGBTQ community.

WHO in its earlier statement had said that a few monkeypox cases were reported in health clinics located in the LGBTQ communities. “It is important to note that the risk of monkeypox is not limited to men who have sex with men. Anyone who has close contact with someone who is infectious is at risk. However, given that the virus is being identified in these communities, learning about monkeypox will help ensure that as few people as possible are affected and that the outbreak can be stopped,” read the WHO’s public health advice.

The above statement underlines that monkeypox may be transferred through close physical contact regardless of sexual orientation or race, and that LGBTQ people are not’spreaders’ of monkeypox.

The recent monkeypox outbreak has raised fears for the LGBTQ community after some cases of monkeypox were registered among men who had sex with men.

Earlier, when the first case of monkeypox was registered it was said that it is a disease common in children later close contact happened between the people of the LGBTQ community during the celebrations of Pride Month, and some more cases of monkeypox were logged.

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer detected worldwide. Lung cancer develops when cells in the lungs proliferate abnormally and create a malignant tumour. Lung cancer accounts for 5.9 percent of all cancers and 8.1 percent of cancer-related deaths in India. More than 2.2 million new cancer cases were reported worldwide in 2020, with roughly 81,200 new cases diagnosed in India.

Lung cancer can be connected to environmental variables such as radon, air pollution, and asbestos exposure, in addition to existing lung illness or cigarette use. The frequency of this illness among nonsmokers is an increasing source of concern for everyone right now.

Due to a lack of population-level screening techniques, lung cancer incidence are expected to increase seven-fold by 2025, according to an ICMR study paper. Treatment for lung cancer is most successful when it is identified early. Screening is checking a person for illness despite the absence of symptoms. Doctors advocate taking a screening test in the early stages of the disease to enhance the effectiveness of therapy.

History of lung cancer

First described by doctors in the early 19th century, lung cancer was an extremely rare disease for a very long time. Some 150 years ago, people had only heard of this disease, and studies showed less than 1% to 2% of the population was afflicted with it. Cut to the next century, and the scenario changed completely. While still rare in the early part of the 20th century, by the end, it became the leading cause of male cancer-related deaths in more than 25 countries.

The day was first observed in 2012 by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and the American College of Chest Physicians.

Facts about lung cancer

1. Every person suffering from lung cancer needs sympathy and assistance: Lung cancer patients may encounter societal stigma. But, in reality, there is no space for blame. Every individual diagnosed with lung cancer has the same difficulties as anyone who discovers they have cancer. People with lung cancer need all of the compassion and support that their families, care providers, and the larger cancer community can offer to help them fight this disease.
2. Navigating life with lung cancer demands a community: When dealing with a lung cancer diagnosis, it’s critical to form a support network that includes the oncologist and health care team, as well as family and friends. Connecting with others can bring a sense of support and comfort to sufferers as they navigate the challenges of managing this condition.
3. Lung cancer does not affect only one sort of individual: Lung cancer affects both men and women of all ages. While it is most commonly diagnosed in persons 65 and older, it can affect younger adults as well. In fact, 10% of lung cancer cases are diagnosed in adults under the age of 55.
4. There are multiple risk factors for lung cancer, including some outside our control: Smoking is the greatest risk factor for developing lung cancer, but there are others as well, including having a family history of the disease and exposure to certain environmental substances.

   Environmental risks include:

   • Radon gas
   • Exposure to asbestos, second-hand smoke and other carcinogens in the air, such as arsenic, chromium and nickel

   5. Scientific advances are making an impact in lung cancer: More Americans are surviving lung cancer. Over the past five years, the survival rate has increased from 13% to 22.6%.

Early identification of lung cancer can improve survival chances, but the condition can be deadly. As a result, it is advised to consult a medical specialist for early identification of lung cancer.

A new study found that obtaining fewer than nine hours of sleep every day causes cognitive impairment, mental issues, and reduced grey matter in brain areas.

According to a new study led by University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers, elementary school-age children who get less than nine hours of sleep per night have significant differences in certain brain regions responsible for memory, intelligence, and well-being compared to those who get the recommended nine to 12 hours of sleep per night. In those who lacked sleep, such changes were associated with increased mental health issues such as sadness, anxiety, and impulsive conduct.

Inadequate sleep has also been connected to memory, problem-solving, and decision-making issues. The findings were published in the journal The American Academy of Sleep Medicine today. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises that children aged 6 to 12 years old sleep 9 to 12 hours each night on a regular basis to support optimal health. There have been no research that have looked at the long-term effects of poor sleep on the neurocognitive development of pre-teens.

Inadequate sleep has also been connected to memory, problem-solving, and decision-making issues. The findings were published in the journal The American Academy of Sleep Medicine today. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises that children aged 6 to 12 years old sleep 9 to 12 hours each night on a regular basis to support optimal health. There have been no research that have looked at the long-term effects of poor sleep on the neurocognitive development of pre-teens.

The researchers evaluated data from over 8,300 youngsters aged 9 to 10 years who were participating in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) project to perform the study. They looked at MRI scans, medical records, and surveys filled out by participants and their parents during enrolment and during a two-year follow-up visit when they were 11 to 12 years old. The ABCD research, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the biggest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States.

“We found that children who had insufficient sleep, less than nine hours per night, at the beginning of the study had less grey matter or smaller volume in certain areas of the brain responsible for attention, memory and inhibition control compared to those with healthy sleep habits,” said study corresponding author Ze Wang, PhD, Professor of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at UMSOM. “These differences persisted after two years, a concerning finding that suggests long term harm for those who do not get enough sleep.”

This is one of the first studies to show the long-term effects of sleep deprivation on neurocognitive development in children. According to Dr. Wang and his colleagues, it also offers strong support for existing sleep guidelines in youngsters.

The research team discovered that individuals in the sufficient sleep group increasingly slept less over two years, which is normal as children enter their adolescent years, but those in the insufficient sleep group’s sleep habits did not alter significantly. The researchers took into account socioeconomic class, gender, puberty status, and other characteristics that may influence how much a kid sleeps and how the brain and intellect function.

“We tried to match the two groups as closely as possible to help us more fully understand the long-term impact on too little sleep on the pre-adolescent brain,” Dr. Wang said. “Additional studies are needed to confirm our finding and to see whether any interventions can improve sleep habits and reverse the neurological deficits.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to promote good sleep habits in their children. Their tips include making sufficient sleep a family priority, sticking with a regular sleep routine, encouraging physical activity during the day, limiting screen time and eliminating screens completely an hour before bed.

The study was funded by NIH. Fan Nils Yang, PhD, a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Wang’s laboratory is a study co-author. Weizhen Xie, PhD, a researcher at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is also a study co-author. UMSOM faculty members Thomas Ernst, PhD, and Linda Chang, MD, MS, are co-principal investigators of the ABCD study at the Baltimore site but were not involved in the data analysis of this new study.

“This is a crucial study finding that points to the importance of doing long-term studies on the developing child’s brain,” said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. “Sleep can often be overlooked during busy childhood days filled with homework and extracurricular activities. Now we see how detrimental that can be to a child’s development.”

World Breastfeeding Week is observed yearly from August 1 to 7, with the goal of encouraging breastfeeding and improving the health of newborns worldwide. Originally, roughly 70 nations observed the week; however, it is now observed by 170 countries.

The event marks the signing of the Innocenti Declaration in August 1990 by government officials, WHO, UNICEF, and other organisations to preserve, promote, and encourage breastfeeding. Breastfed children are more intellectually and physically robust, according to the WHO. Furthermore, their odds of being overweight, obese, and predisposed to diabetes are lower than those who are not. Breast milk is the greatest nourishment for newborn newborns because it includes antibodies that help prevent a variety of common paediatric diseases.

World Breastfeeding Week’s theme this year is ‘Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support.’

World Breastfeeding Week has been celebrated since 1992 and includes annual themes such as healthcare systems and women. In 2016, the week aligned its mission with the Sustainable Development Goals (S.D.G.s) and began promoting various strategies to encourage breastfeeding. During the week, all communication platforms inform people on the issue and the interesting history surrounding breastfeeding that many are unaware of.

Here are 5 important facts about Breastfeeding:

1. It affects a child’s sleep patterns

   Breast milk makes babies sleepy

2. There are hormones in breast milk

   Breast milk contains prolactin and oxytocin.

3. It reduces the risk of illnesses

   It is thought that women who breastfeed are less likely to get breast cancer.

4. Certain risks are lowered

   The risk of infant death syndrome is reduced.

5. Breast milk and the body

   It consumes 25% of the body’s energy.

    

Breastfeeding can help new mom’s in following ways:

• Promotes faster postpartum weight loss by burning 500 additional calories daily to create and maintain a milk supply
• Causes the uterus to contract and shrink back to normal size
• Reduced possibility of postpartum haemorrhage
• Lessened risk of urinary tract infections
• Reduced risk of breast or ovarian cancer
• Lowered risk of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
• Breastfeeding causes the naturally calming chemicals oxytocin and prolactin to be produced, which promotes stress reduction and happy sentiments in the nursing mother
• Physical and emotional bonding between mother and child is strengthened. Breastfeeding encourages more skin-to-skin contact, as well as more holding and stroking. Many people believe that loving connection during childhood helps prevent social and behavioural difficulties in children and adults

According to the findings of a recent new study, attending day care in the first three years of life is associated with an increase in lung difficulties among children who were born preterm and diagnosed with a kind of chronic lung illness.

The research was published in the journal ‘The Journal of Paediatrics.’ The study indicated that preterm children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) who attended daycare were more likely to visit the emergency room, take systemic steroids, and have persistent respiratory problems than children who did not attend daycare.

“Preterm children born with BPD have a short window to improve their lung function trajectory, so we are always looking for ways to minimize exposures in early childhood to prevent lung function problems in adult life,” said lead author Sharon McGrath-Morrow, MD, MBA, Associate Chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine and leader of the Post-preemie Lung Disease Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“This study shows that daycare is a modifiable risk factor that is linked with poorer outcomes in preterm children with BPD,” he added.

Several previous research have found a link between daycare attendance and an increased risk of respiratory problems in children with extremely low birth weight. However, because those research focused on a specific centre or site, the findings were not generalizable throughout the community.

The researchers collected registry data from nine tertiary care facilities in the United States that participate in the BPD Collaborative Outpatient Registry to further assess the influence of daycare exposure on respiratory infections in children with BPD. Researchers collected data on daycare attendance, clinical features, acute care usage, and chronic respiratory symptoms from 341 former preterm children with BPD between the ages of 0 and 3.

Preterm children with BPD who attended daycare were three times more likely to visit the emergency department and four times more likely to receive systemic steroids, according to the study. They also discovered a higher incidence of persistent respiratory issues, such as coughing or wheezing, among preterm children who attended daycare, as well as an increased usage of rescue medicine, such as inhalers. There was no difference in outcomes for children who attended in-home daycares versus those who attended center-based daycares.

The researchers divided their data into three age groups to see if these effects faded with age: 6-12 months, 12-24 months, and 24-36 months. They discovered that the harmful effects of daycare were greatest in the 6-12 month age group, although the findings revealed that those effects may last longer.

“Many families need childcare outside the home for a variety of reasons, including caregiver employment,” McGrath-Morrow said.

“Providers should advise families with infants and young children with BPD about the potential risks of daycare attendance, particularly prior to 1 year of age, while also bearing in mind the financial needs of the family,” he concluded.

According to the findings of a study conducted by the University of Surrey, cocoa only helps to lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness when these parameters are excessive.

The study’s findings were published in the journal ‘Frontiers in Nutrition.’ Cocoa flavanols have previously been shown to reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness in the same way that some blood pressure medications do. However, because past research in this field were conducted in closely controlled laboratory conditions, it is uncertain how beneficial flavanols are in ordinary life in lowering blood pressure.

Surrey’s new study dispels worries that using cocoa as a therapy for high blood pressure might pose health dangers by lowering blood pressure when it is not elevated, opening the door for it to be utilised in clinical practise.

Researchers set out to evaluate the potential of flavanols, a chemical found in cocoa, in decreasing blood pressure and arterial stiffness in patients outside of clinical settings in the first study of its type.

Christian Heiss, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Surrey, said: “High blood pressure and arterial stiffness increase a person’s risk of heart disease and strokes, so it is crucial that we investigate innovative ways to treat such conditions.

“Before we even consider introducing cocoa into clinical practices, we need to test if the results previously reported in laboratory settings safely translate into real-world settings, with people going about their everyday lives.”

For many days, eleven healthy individuals alternated between taking six cocoa flavanol capsules and six placebo capsules containing brown sugar. Participants were given an upper arm blood pressure monitor as well as a finger clip monitoring pulse wave velocity (PWV), which measures arterial stiffness.

Blood pressure and PWV were measured before taking the capsules, every 30 minutes after ingestion for the first three hours, and then hourly for the next nine hours. Researchers discovered that participants’ blood pressure and arterial stiffness were only reduced when it was high, and there was no impact when it was low in the morning.

Significantly, effects were also, for the first time, identified eight hours after cocoa was consumed. Researchers believe that this second peak may be due to how bacteria in the gut metabolise cocoa flavanols.

Professor Heiss added, “The positive impact cocoa flavanols have on our cardiovascular system, in particular, blood vessel function and blood pressure is undeniable. Doctors often fear that some blood pressure tablets can decrease blood pressure too much on some days.”

“What we have found indicates that cocoa flavanols only decrease blood pressure if it is elevated. Working with participants’ personal health technologies showed us how variable blood pressure and arterial stiffness can be from day to day and shows the role of personal health monitors in developing and implementing effective personalised care.”

According to a new study on adults with a cluster of heart disease risk factors, using green tea extract for four weeks can reduce blood sugar levels and improve gut health by decreasing inflammation and “leaky gut.”

The study’s findings were published in the journal ‘Current Developments in Nutrition.’ According to the researchers, this is the first study to look at whether the health risks associated with metabolic syndrome, which affects around one-third of Americans, may be mitigated by green tea’s anti-inflammatory properties in the stomach.

“There is much evidence that greater consumption of green tea is associated with good levels of cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides, but no studies have linked its benefits in the gut to those health factors,” said Richard Bruno, senior study author and professor of human nutrition at The Ohio State University.

The clinical experiment was undertaken in 40 people as a follow-up to a 2019 study that linked lower obesity and fewer health risks in mice who received green tea supplements with improved gut health.

Green tea extract significantly reduced blood sugar, or glucose, as well as intestinal inflammation and permeability in healthy adults, according to the new research.

“What this tells us is that within one month we’re able to lower blood glucose in both people with metabolic syndrome and healthy people, and the lowering of blood glucose appears to be related to decreasing leaky gut and decreasing gut inflammation – regardless of health status,” Bruno said.

People with metabolic syndrome have at least three of the five risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and other health issues: excess belly fat, high blood pressure, low HDL (good) cholesterol, and high levels of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides, a form of fat in the blood.

The problematic thing about these risk variables that comprise metabolic syndrome is that they are frequently just slightly changed and do not yet necessitate pharmacological treatment, yet they nevertheless represent a significant danger to health, according to Bruno.

“Most physicians will initially recommend weight loss and exercise. Unfortunately, we know most persons can’t comply with lifestyle modifications for various reasons,” he said. “Our work is aiming to give people a new food-based tool to help manage their risk for metabolic syndrome or to reverse metabolic syndrome.”

For 28 days, forty individuals – 21 with metabolic syndrome and 19 healthy people – ate gummy confections containing green tea extract rich in anti-inflammatory chemicals known as catechins. The daily intake was equivalent to five cups of green tea. In the randomised double-blind crossover study, all individuals took a placebo for another 28 days, with a month off between treatments.

Researchers confirmed that participants, as advised, followed a diet low in polyphenols – naturally occurring antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, teas and spices – during the placebo and green tea extract confection phases of the study so any results could be attributed to the effects of green tea alone.

Results showed that fasting blood glucose levels for all participants were significantly lower after taking green tea extract compared to levels after taking the placebo. Decreased gut inflammation due to the green tea treatment in all participants was established through an analysis that showed a reduction in pro-inflammatory proteins in faecal samples. Using a technique to assess sugar ratios in urine samples, researchers also found that with green tea, participants’ small intestine permeability favourably decreased.

Gut permeability, or leaky gut, enables intestinal bacteria and related toxic compounds to enter the bloodstream, stimulating low-grade chronic inflammation.

“That absorption of gut-derived products is thought to be an initiating factor for obesity and insulin resistance, which are central to all cardiometabolic disorders,” Bruno said. “If we can improve gut integrity and reduce leaky gut, the thought is we’ll be able to not only alleviate low-grade inflammation that initiates cardiometabolic disorders but potentially reverse them.

“We did not attempt to cure metabolic syndrome with a one-month study,” he said. “But based on what we know about the causal factors behind metabolic syndrome, there is potential for green tea to be acting at least in part at the gut level to alleviate the risk for either developing it or reversing it if you already have metabolic syndrome.”