Measles needs a vaccination strategy like polio

Measles needs a vaccination strategy like polio It is a deadly disease and still a cause of major child mortality in the country New Delhi, 15 August 2017: Statistics indicate that about 1,34,200 children, mostly under the age of five years, died due to measles around the world in the year 2015. In India, it killed 49,200 children. As per the IMA, measles is a deadly disease and one of the main causes behind child mortality in the country. Eliminating measles will help achieve Sustainable Development Goal’s target 3.2, which aims to end preventable deaths of children under 5 years by 2030. Measles is a highly infectious illness caused by the rubeola virus. As many as 21 strains of the virus have been identified to date. The virus takes about 1 to 3 weeks to establish itself. While there is no specific treatment for this, getting vaccination at the right time can be affective. Pregnant women are advised taking the vaccine. Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, National President Indian Medical Association (IMA) and President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Dr RN Tandon – Honorary Secretary General IMA in a joint statement, said, “The rubeolavirus lives in the mucus of the nose and throat of an infected child or adult. The disease is contagious for 4 days before the rash appears. It then continues to be contagious for about 4 to 5 days after.A person can get infected through physical contact with an infected person, being near an infected people when they cough or sneeze, touching a surface that has infected droplets of mucus. When the virus enters the body, it multiplies in the back of the throat, lungs, and the lymphatic system. The infection then replicates in the urinary tract, eyes, blood vessels, and central nervous system.” The symptoms of measles include runny nose, dry hacking cough, swollen eyelids, and inflamed and watery eyes, sensitivity to light, sneezing, a reddish-brown rash, Koplik's spots, and generalized body aches. Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, said, “A highly contagious disease, measles spreads like wildfire in communities where children are unvaccinated. Since the virus reduces immunity, children who have had measles - especially those who are undernourished - may die of pneumonia, diarrhea and encephalitis later on. India should build on its polio eradication campaign experience to ensure more children get vaccinated against measles. Awareness needs to be created about the need and safety of measles vaccination.” Some tips to ease the symptoms of measles include the following. • Get adequate rest and avoid heavy activities. • Drink plenty of water, fruit juice, and herbal tea to replace fluids lost by fever and sweating. • Seek respiratory relief and use a humidifier to relieve cough and sore throat. • Rest your eyes by keeping the lights low, and avoid reading and watching the television.

Universal screening for alcohol misuse at hospitalization is a feasible strategy

Universal screening for alcohol misuse at hospitalization is a feasible strategy A study published online July 27, 2017 in the Journal of Hepatology has demonstrated that universal screening for alcohol misuse at the time of hospitalization to identify patients at risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease, is a feasible strategy. Researchers from the UK screened all admissions to the Acute Medical Unit of a large acute hospital using an electronic data capture system. At the time of admission, information about the amount of alcohol consumed, previous visits and or admissions and whether they were alcohol-related was recorded. Around 91% patients completed the screening; of these, around 3% of the patients were grouped as “increasing”, and 4% as “high” risk of alcohol harm. The high risk group had more frequent emergency room (ER) visits and higher re-admission rates; gastrointestinal bleeding, mental health disorders, poisoning and liver disease were the most common diagnoses for hospitalization. What this study showed was that it is possible to screen patients for alcohol misuse at hospitalization, identify patients with a very high unit consumption and then to refer them for appropriate intervention, potentially reducing the burden of alcohol-related harm. While, lower risk patients can be given brief advice by any trained healthcare professional This study assumes all the more importance because alcohol misuse is a major cause of preventable death. It also offers a solution to the unmet need to identify patients with alcohol-related liver disease at an earlier stage. According to the WHO, 3.3 million deaths (~6% of all deaths) globally every year are due to alcohol-related harm. It is all the more worrisome because alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life, particularly in the younger age group. Alcohol has been linked to many noncommunicable diseases, including alcohol-related liver disease and injuries. Overall 5.1 % of the global burden of disease and injury is attributable to alcohol, as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Source 1. Westwood G, et al. Universal screening for alcohol misuse in acute medical admissions is feasible and identifies patients at high risk of liver disease. Journal of Hepatology, published 27 July 2017. Dr KK Aggarwal National President IMA & HCFI