Internationale Zeitschrift für öffentliche Gesundheit und Sicherheit

West Nile virus is an emerging arthropod borne flavivirus with increasing distribution worldwide that is responsible for severe and fatal encephalitis in humans. Currently, there is no licensed human vaccine or specific therapy to prevent WNV infection. Present study was aimed to assess the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of recombinant whole envelope (rEnv) and domain III (rDIII) in mice model. Briefly, the gene coding for the envelope and domain III protein of WNV was cloned and expressed in pET 28a expression vector followed by purification. Balb/C mice were immunized with the purified recombinant proteins of rEnv and rDIII with a conc. of 25 and 50μg with Freund' s adjuvant. Booster injections with same formulation were given on 14 and 28 days after first immunization. Two booster doses were given subsequently. Humoral and cell mediated immune responses were determined by ELISA titer, PRNT assay and cytokine ELISA. Further assessment of cell mediated immune response from immunized mice revealed higher levels of both pro- and anti- inflammatory cytokines indicating a balance of Th1/Th2 type of immune response. All the mice were challenged with 100LD50 dose of WNV after 30 days of last booster and observed for 1 month. Mice immunized with recombinant whole envelope protein showed 100 % protection whereas domain III only confers 83 % protection. These results indicate that WNV whole envelope protein can be better candidate molecule for vaccinestudies.

This paper explores the definition of mental illness stigma, it’s various component and its prevalence among health care professionals and the general public. It also discuss the link between stigma and discrimination and outlines evidence based methods to develop anti stigma campaigns

Abstract Introduction: American healthcare delivery systems and accountable care organizations are increasingly implementing population health management programs at the organizational level. Most European countries, including France, have already adopted programs that link social welfare, public health, and healthcare delivery. This study aim at exploring the applicability of the French model to health systems in the United States in order to promote population health. Methods: A cross-case comparison between France multi-level organizational care networks and a U.S.-based integrated delivery system (Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah) focuses on selected conditions and specific population health interventions. Results: The French healthcare delivery system responds to the needs of its population via a top-down, bottomup integration with its public health and welfare systems. Intermountain Healthcare relies on an ambulatory-hospital centrist system driven by standardized clinical protocols and outcomes measurement. Conclusions: If the United States is to improve the quality of its healthcare delivery systems, it must go beyond its current focus on the viability of its ambulatory-hospital centrist care delivery system. It would benefit also to coordinate and integrate with governmental and other health agencies taking into consideration all the factors affecting the health of its local populations.

Bath water is heated to warm the body, and in Japan it is used to remove cleaning agents from the skin before entering the bathtub. Usually this water does not enter the body, but there have been cases where people have caught infectious diseasesthrough inhalation of aerosols. In this study, we examined the change in hygiene and chemical composition of the bathtub water in various conditions as a model of circulating bath. To investigate the potential for bacterial growth in home bath water in Japan, changes in the concentrations of metal and non-metal inorganic compounds were studied as the number of days the water was re-used. With re-use of bath water within 1 week, the concentrations of most of the compounds increased, but the phosphorus decreased. Increasing concentrations could be attributed to sweat secreted from skin of the bather, compounds eluted from the water heater, as the bath water was re-heated, and addition of bath salts. Consumption of inorganic compounds by bacteria and precipitation of metal hydroxides could be thought to the decreasing concentrations. Common bacteria and coliform bacteria were also measured simultaneously, and only the coliform bacteria increased in the water on the second day the water was used for bathing. It seems bacteria probably grew in the pipes between the water heater and the bathtub.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a significant public health problem in the developing and developed world alike. Infants born to mother who are infected with HIV are at risk of acquiring the infection, and vertical transmission is the main method by which infants are infected. For these reasons it is of vital importance that these infants at risk are identified at earliest and appropriate prophylaxis commenced. We explore the current guidelines for prevention of transmission in neonates born to HIV-1 positive mother.

In the recent scenario, occupational health hazard has been the reason of great concern for a long period of time in this industrialized and digital generation. It is obviously because their significant impacts in terms of human, social and economic sufferings both on national and international arena, but mostly on Asian region. However, there were attempts to take measures and strategies to prevent, control, reduce or eliminate these hazards; they were not adequate to eliminate this issue completely. As a result, occupational hazards are still continued to be significantly disastrous in developing countries like Bangladesh. In Bangladesh it is estimated that 11.7 thousand workers suffer from fatal accidents and a further 24.5 thousand die from work related diseases across all sectors each year which lead the victims spend an average of US $4 on each injury where 17.6% of the population lives below the lower poverty line. Therefore, in order to raise required concern this article will provide a brief overview of occupational hazard exposures, accidents and their hazardous impacts on human health, keeping in concern the most hazardous occupational sectors in a developing country of Asia with a close comparison with other developed and developing countries of the world. And at the end, it will also provide possible recommendations among industrialists, researchers and policy makers.

Objectives: To examine the attitude of medical students at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) toward Psychiatry and the impact of factors such as age, gender, curriculum, clinical level, Psychiatry training, and experience of mental illness in self or family. Methods: This is a cross sectional study conducted among medical students at the college of Medicine at Sultan Qaboos University, muscat, Oman. All students from the Pre–clerkship, junior–clerkship and 7th year students were invited to participate in this study. The 30 items Attitude toward Psychiatry survey (ATP–30) was used. Data was analyzed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 19. Results: A total of 269 students participated in the study (37% males and 63% females). The Attitude towards Psychiatry (ATP) was moderately positive and the positivity increased among the students who completed psychiatry rotation. The impact of demographic factors on the attitude was not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study showed that medical students at Sultan Qaboos University have a positive attitude toward psychiatry.