India Narrative

Bacteria causing Typhoid fever are becoming increasingly resistant to some of the most important antibiotics used to treat the disease, according to a study published in The Lancet Microbe journal. The study which constitutes the largest genome analysis of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) also shows that resistant strains — almost all originating in South Asia — have spread to other countries as well. Antibiotics can be used to successfully treat typhoid fever infections, but their effectiveness is threatened by the emergence of resistant S. Typhi strains, the study observes. “The speed at which highly-resistant strains of S. Typhi have emerged and spread in recent years is a real cause for concern, and highlights the need to urgently expand prevention measures, particularly in countries at greatest risk,” said the study’s lead author, Jason Andrews, from Stanford University in the USA. While typhoid is most prevalent in South Asia – which accounts for 70 per cent of the gl

Even dim light can disturb sleep, increasing the risk of serious health problems such as blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity in older adults, according to a new study carried out in the USA.   The findings of the research were published in the journal 'SLEEP'. In a sample of older men and women ages, 63 to 84, those who were exposed to any amount of light while sleeping at night were significantly more likely to be obese, and have high blood pressure and diabetes compared to adults who were not exposed to any light during the night, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. Light exposure was measured with a wrist-worn device and tracked over seven days. This is a real-world (not experimental) study demonstrating the prevalence of any light exposure at night being linked to higher obesity, high blood pressure (known as hypertension) and diabetes among older adults. It will be published on June 22 in the journal SLEEP. Read more

It is generally believed that serious and fatal diseases of Europe like whooping cough, smallpox and the dreaded tuberculosis reached different parts of the world, including South America, due to colonisation. Yet, a report in sciencealert.com mentions that a recent study suggests that tuberculosis strain may have already reached South America coasts and mountains, much before this. Scientists in 2014 discovered in skeletons from 1,000 years ago in South America the DNA of a bacterium which was connected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis which leads to tuberculosis in human beings. It may be noted that this was much before the Spanish, French and Portuguese set foot in the continent as colonisers. Even though it has been known to science that TB moves from one species of mammal to another yet the detection of this ancient strain in South America points to the need for rethinking as to how the bacteria spread originally. The 2014 or the pre-contact strains had the closest resemblance to M

 A recent study has found that there is an almost 27 per cent increase in heart disease risk in postmenopausal women who experience both high levels of social isolation and loneliness. The study has been published in the 'JAMA Network Open Journal'. The findings of the prospective study revealed that social isolation and loneliness independently increased cardiovascular disease risk by 8 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively. If women experienced high levels of both, their risk rose 13 per cent to 27 per cent compared to women who reported low levels of social isolation and low levels of loneliness. "We are social beings. In this time of COVID-19, many people are experiencing social isolation and loneliness, which may spiral into chronic states," said first author Natalie Golaszewski, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at the University of California San Diego. "It is important to further unders

  In the 'Revised Comprehensive Guidelines for Management of COVID-19 in Children and Adolescents (below 18 years)', the health ministry has said that masks are not recommended for children aged five years and below. Those aged 6-11 years may wear it depending on the ability of the child to use a mask safely and appropriately under direct supervision of parents, it said. Those aged 12 and above should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults, the ministry said. The guidelines were reviewed by a group of experts in view of the current surge that is mainly attributed to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which is also a variant of concern. Which mask should you use? AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria has said on several occasions that N95 masks provide the best protection. There are the cloth masks, which are the least protective, owing to their larger pores and some offering only one layer of material for protection from particles of COVID-19. Then there are the readily

  The World Health Organization has warned that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading at an unprecedented rate and urged countries to act WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists that the strain had been reported in 77 countries and had probably spread to most nations undetected "at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant". At the same time the WHO on Tuesday also gave reason for some optimism, saying Africa had recorded a massive rise in cases over the past week but the number of deaths were lower than the previous waves. However, it urged countries to act swiftly to rein in transmission and protect their health systems and warned against complacency. WHO expert Bruce Aylward emphasised against "jumping to a conclusion that this is a mild disease". "We could be setting ourselves up for a very dangerous situation," he added. Omicron, first identified by South Africa and reported to the WHO in late November, has over 30 spike