Choice of point of Care diagnostic device in anemia prevalence surveys: policy-level Implications in monitoring progress and guiding further action.

Anemia is highly prevalent disease of global concern. Childhood anemia can result in irreversible damage to brain and affect cognitive, intellectual, and pyscho-motor development. In pregnant women, it is a significant contributor to adverse maternal outcome (1–4). In 2011, alone it was responsible for loss of 42 million Disability adjusted life years and among the top three causes of disability worldwide (5). In an attempt to address this huge public health problem, guidelines have been issued by various leading international organizations and targets have been set to monitor progress towards its control. One such indicator is 50% reduction of anemia in women in reproductive age group (WRA) between 2011 and 2025 (6). This makes it necessary to carry out huge population-based anemia prevalence surveys repeatedly, to measure the progress and guide policy makers in carrying out specific interventions needed to reduce its prevalence.

Risk factors and associated problems in the management of infections with methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PURPOSE: It is necessary to define the problem of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in every hospital to evolve control strategies. The objectives of this study were to determine factors influencing the persistence of MRSA in patients with hospital acquired infection and to identify alternate cost effective antibiotics. METHODS: A six month study was carried out for 50 patients with MRSA infection. Treatment modalities and risk factors were determined by a preset protocol. Minimum inhibitory concentration of commonly used antibiotics was determined. RESULTS: The risk factors were prolonged postoperative morbidity, prior antibiotic therapy and emergency admissions. Seventy percent of the isolates were from postoperative cases undergoing emergency surgeries. Isolation was highest during the second week of hospital stay. Emergency admissions had a significantly higher chance of early isolation. Prior treatment with multiple antibiotics in 38% was found to be another major risk factor. Ofloxacin was seen to be efficacious in a small percentage of cases. Rifampicin in combination with ofloxacin and clindamycin were found to be other good alternatives. Ofloxacin was found to be the cheapest and vancomycin the most expensive, for a full course of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Minimizing risk factors and attention to alternate cost effective combination therapy may ease the problem of management of infections with MRSA.