International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh

About: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh is a facility organization based out in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Vibrio cholerae. The organization has 3103 authors who have published 5238 publications receiving 226880 citations. The organization is also known as: SEATO Cholera Research Laboratory & Bangladesh International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research.

Transcriptional Profiling of Vibrio cholerae Recovered Directly from Patient Specimens during Early and Late Stages of Human Infection

Abstract: Understanding gene expression by bacteria during the actual course of human infection may provide important insights into microbial pathogenesis. In this study, we evaluated the transcriptional profile of Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, in clinical specimens from cholera patients. We collected samples of human stool and vomitus that were positive by dark-field microscopy for abundant vibrios and used a microarray to compare gene expression in organisms recovered directly from specimens collected during the early and late stages of human infection. Our results reveal that V. cholerae gene expression within the human host environment differs from patterns defined in in vitro models of pathogenesis. tcpA, the major subunit of the essential V. cholerae colonization factor, was significantly more highly expressed in early than in late stages of infection; however, the genes encoding cholera toxin were not highly expressed in either phase of human infection. Furthermore, expression of the virulence regulators toxRS and tcpPH was uncoupled. Interestingly, the pattern of gene expression indicates that the human upper intestine may be a uniquely suitable environment for the transfer of genetic elements that are important in the evolution of pathogenic strains of V. cholerae. These findings provide a more detailed assessment of the transcriptome of V. cholerae in the human host than previous studies of organisms in stool alone and have implications for cholera control and the design of improved vaccines.

Household food security is associated with infant feeding practices in rural Bangladesh.

Abstract: Although household food security (HHFS) has been shown to affect diet, nutrition, and health of adults and also learning in children, no study has examined associations with infant feeding practices (IFP). We studied 1343 infants born between May 2002 and December 2003 in the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Intervention in Matlab study to investigate the effect of HHFS on IFP in rural Bangladesh. We measured HHFS using a previously developed 11-item scale. Cumulative and current infant feeding scales were created from monthly infant feeding data for the age groups of 1-3, 1-6, 1-9, and 1-12 mo based on comparison to infant feeding recommendations. We used lagged, dynamic, and difference longitudinal regression models adjusting for various infant and maternal variables to examine the association between HHFS and changes in IFP, and Cox proportional hazards models to examine the influence of HHFS on the duration of breast-feeding and the time of introduction of complementary foods. Better HHFS status was associated with poor IFP during 3-6 mo but was associated with better IFP during 6-9 and 9-12 mo of age. Although better HHFS was not associated with the time of introduction of complementary foods, it was associated with the type of complementary foods given to the infants. Intervention programs to support proper IFP should target mothers in food-secure households when their babies are 3-6 mo old and also mothers in food-insecure households during the 2nd half of infancy. Our results provide strong evidence that HHFS influences IFP in rural Bangladesh.

Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Spousal Violence Against Women in Slum and Nonslum Areas of Urban Bangladesh

Abstract: This study explores the prevalence and correlates of past-year physical violence against women in slum and nonslum areas of urban Bangladesh. The authors use multivariate logistic regression to analyze data from the 2006 Urban Health Survey, a population-based survey of 9,122 currently married women aged between 15 and 49 who were selected using a multistage cluster sampling design. The prevalence of reported past-year physical spousal violence is 31%. Prevalence of past-year physical spousal violence is higher in slums (35%) than in nonslums (20%). Slapping/arm-twisting and pushing/shaking/ throwing something at the women are the most commonly reported acts of physical abuse. Multivariate analysis shows that the risk of physical spousal abuse is lower among older women, women with post-primary education, and those belonging to rich households and women whose husbands considered their opinion in decision making. Women are at higher risk of abuse if they had many children, believe that married woman should work if the husband is not making enough money, and approve wife-beating norms. This study serves to confirm the commonness of physical spousal abuse in urban Bangladesh, demonstrating the seriousness of this multifaceted phenomenon as a social and public health issue. The present findings suggest the need for comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies that capitalize on the interplay of individual and sociocultural factors that cause physical spousal violence. Our study adds to a growing literature documenting domestic violence against women in urban areas of developing south Asian nations.

Association between nutritional status and arsenicosis due to chronic arsenic exposure in Bangladesh

Abstract: The role of nutritional factors in arsenic metabolism and toxicity is not clear. Provision of certain low protein diets resulted in decreased excretion of DMA and increased tissue retention of arsenic in experimental studies. This paper reports a prevalence comparison study conducted in Bangladesh to assess the nutritional status among the chronic arsenic exposed and unexposed population. 138 exposed individuals diagnosed as arsenicosis patients were selected from three known arsenic endemic villages of Bangladesh and age, sex matched 144 unexposed subjects were randomly selected from three arsenic free villages. The mean arsenic concentration in drinking water for the exposed and unexposed population was 641.15 and 13.5 microg L(-1) respectively. Body Mass Index was found to be lower than 18.5, the cut off point for malnutrition, in 57 (41.31%) out of 138 exposed arsenicosis cases and 31 (21.53%) out of 144 unexposed individuals. The crude prevalence ratio (or risk) was 1.92 (95% CI = 1.33-2.78) for poor nutritional status among the arsenicosis cases compared to the unexposed population. The findings of this study add to the evidence that poor nutritional status may increase an individual's susceptibility to chronic arsenic toxicity, or alternatively that arsenicosis may contribute to poor nutritional status.