World Health Organization

About: World Health Organization is a government organization based out in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Public health. The organization has 13330 authors who have published 22232 publications receiving 1322023 citations. The organization is also known as: World Health Organisation & WHO.

Strongyloides stercoralis: A Plea for Action

Abstract: Strongyloidiasis remains an underestimated public health problem, just as it was at the dawn of last century.

Interventions to improve breastfeeding outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract: Aim: To provide comprehensive evidence of the effect of interventions on early initiation exclusive continued and any breastfeeding rates when delivered in five settings: (i) Health systems and services (ii) Home and family environment (iii) Community environment (iv) Work environment (v) Policy environment or a combination of any of above. Methods: Of 23977 titles identified through a systematic literature search in PUBMED Cochrane and CABI 195 articles relevant to our objective were included. We reported the pooled relative risk and corresponding 95% confidence intervals as our outcome estimate. In cases of high heterogeneity we explored its causes by subgroup analysis and meta-regression and applied random effects model. Results: Intervention delivery in combination of settings seemed to have higher improvements in breastfeeding rates. Greatest improvements in early initiation of breastfeeding exclusive breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding rates were seen when counselling or education were provided concurrently in home and community health systems and community health systems and home settings respectively. Baby friendly hospital support at health system was the most effective intervention to improve rates of any breastfeeding. Conclusion: To promote breastfeeding interventions should be delivered in a combination of settings by involving health systems home and family and the community environment concurrently. ©2015 The Authors. Open Access.

Secular trends of tuberculosis in western Europe

Abstract: Deaths due to tuberculosis have decreased uniformly in all countries in Western Europe, and most have occurred among those aged > or = 65 years. In recent years, tuberculosis case notifications have continued to decline in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, and Spain, and have levelled off in Sweden and the United Kingdom; increases have, however, been recorded in Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. In Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland an increasing number of cases of tuberculosis among foreign-born residents has resulted in a change from the expected downward trend. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection appears to contribute only marginally to the overall tuberculosis morbidity; however, it appears to be important in Paris and its surrounding areas, and tuberculosis is very common among HIV-infected persons in Italy and Spain. Despite these recent changes in the incidence of tuberculosis, there is currently no evidence of its increased transmission among the youngest age groups of the indigenous populations. Properly designed disease surveillance systems are critical for monitoring the tuberculosis trends so that each country can identify its own high-risk groups and target interventions to prevent, diagnose, and treat the disease. Tuberculosis remains a global disease and because of increasing human migrations, its elimination in Western Europe cannot be envisaged without concomitant improvements in its control in high-incidence, resource-poor countries.

Patterns of routine antenatal care for low‐risk pregnancy

Abstract: Background It has been suggested that reduced antenatal care packages or prenatal care managed by providers other than obstetricians for low risk women can be as effective as standard models of antenatal care. Objectives The objective of this review was to assess the effects of antenatal care programmes for low-risk women. Search strategy We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register, reference lists of articles and we also contacted researchers in the field. Date of last search: May 2001 Selection criteria Randomised trials comparing programmes of antenatal care with varied frequency and timing of the visits and different types of care providers. Data collection and analysis Trial quality was assessed and data were extracted by two reviewers independently. Study authors were contacted for additional information and they were provided with the final version of the review. Main results Ten trials involving over 60,000 women were included. Seven trials evaluated the number of antenatal clinic visits, and three trials evaluated the type of care provider. Most trials were of acceptable quality. A reduction in the number of antenatal visits was not associated with an increase in any of the negative maternal and perinatal outcomes reviewed. However, trials from developed countries suggest that women can be less satisfied with the reduced number of visits and feel that their expectations with care are not fulfilled. Antenatal care provided by a midwife/general practitioner was associated with improved perception of care by women. Clinical effectiveness of midwife/general practitioner managed care was similar to that of obstetrician/gynaecologist led shared care. Authors' conclusions A reduction in the number of antenatal care visits with or without an increased emphasis on the content of the visits could be implemented without any increase in adverse biological maternal and perinatal outcomes. Women can be less satisfied with reduced visits. Lower costs for the mothers and providers could be achieved. While clinical effectiveness seemed similar, women appeared to be slightly more satisfied with midwife/general practitioner managed care compared with obstetrician/gynaecologist led shared care.

Genetic loci associated with delayed clearance of Plasmodium falciparum following artemisinin treatment in Southeast Asia

Abstract: The recent emergence of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in western Cambodia could threaten prospects for malaria elimination. Identification of the genetic basis of resistance would provide tools for molecular surveillance, aiding efforts to contain resistance. Clinical trials of artesunate efficacy were conducted in Bangladesh, in northwestern Thailand near the Myanmar border, and at two sites in western Cambodia. Parasites collected from trial participants were genotyped at 8,079 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using a P. falciparum-specific SNP array. Parasite genotypes were examined for signatures of recent positive selection and association with parasite clearance phenotypes to identify regions of the genome associated with artemisinin resistance. Four SNPs on chromosomes 10 (one), 13 (two), and 14 (one) were significantly associated with delayed parasite clearance. The two SNPs on chromosome 13 are in a region of the genome that appears to be under strong recent positive selection in Cambodia. The SNPs on chromosomes 10 and 13 lie in or near genes involved in postreplication repair, a DNA damage-tolerance pathway. Replication and validation studies are needed to refine the location of loci responsible for artemisinin resistance and to understand the mechanism behind it; however, two SNPs on chromosomes 10 and 13 may be useful markers of delayed parasite clearance in surveillance for artemisinin resistance in Southeast Asia.