Differentiation of wild-type varicella-zoster strains from India and the Oka vaccine strain using a VZV open reading frame - 62 based PCR-RFLP technique

Since the introduction of varicella vaccination in India, surveillance of circulating VZV strains has gained significance. Differentiating wild-type VZV strains from the Oka vaccine strain can be achieved only by molecular genotyping methods. The development of PCR methods for VZV strain differentiation has been hampered by the fact that the VZV genome is highly conserved. We used VZV ORF 62 PCR-RFLP analysis to identify and differentiate wild-type VZV strains in India from the Oka vaccine strain. Digestion of VZV ORF 62 amplicons with SmaI, enabled accurate strain differentiation; the Oka strain was positive for three SmaI sites, compared to two SmaI sites in the wild-type VZV strains that we tested.

Sanitation: a call on resources for promoting urban child health.

Poor sanitation is known to increase the risk of morbidity and mortality from diarrhea among children. Several studies have found a high correlation between childhood morbidity and availability of sanitation services. It has been estimated that 1.7 million deaths each year, or 3.1 percent of all deaths are attributable to inadequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene. The urgency for sanitation in the urban environment stems from the fact that the urban poor live in crowded slums and informal settlements where sanitation facilities are particularly important for children's health and personal dignity. Demand for sanitation services has remained low, as livelihood priorities have been more pressing. There is a pressing need to get Governments and society to recognize the appalling toll created by poor sanitary conditions in urban poor settlements. Serious efforts should be made to develop local, national and international campaigns which promote convergence among programs aimed at urban health infrastructure, community development and education; motivate people to demand and maintain better sanitation; and place sanitation to the forefront of development and political dialogue.