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INTRODUCTION: Community based programs can assist in early detection and improved survival of breast cancer. AIMS: To assess the feasibility and explore challenges of a district-wide door-to-door breast cancer screening program “ASWAS” conducted in Kannur district, Kerala, India from 2011 to 2014. METHODS: Aggregate data from survey records were collected in terms of the population screened, referred, diagnosed, and treated. Case records of breast cancer patients who were identified were reviewed and updated. In-depth interviews were conducted with program stakeholders. The contents of the interview were organized into a strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) matrix to describe the screening program. RESULTS: A total of 1,049,410 eligible women above 30 years residing in 81 panchayats were visited door-to-door by 8,200 community volunteers; of them, 93% were screened using a symptom-risk factor checklist. Of those referred with symptoms (n = 5353), 81% attended the cancer camp. In total, 23 breast cancer cases were confirmed. 14 (61%) were in early stages, treated, and are disease free at 3-year follow-up. Those in the advanced stage and old age had poor outcomes. SWOT analysis identified political support, female volunteers, community engagement, dedicated fund for treatment, and teamwork as strengths. Weaknesses included poor healthcare access, maintaining volunteer motivation, and issues around sustainability. CONCLUSION: Community participation with the engagement of the health system and local self-government are required for implementing a comprehensive cancer screening strategy. Breast-cancer screening program using local volunteers for early detection is feasible in low-income settings, thereby improving survival.
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Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral infection, causes significant morbidity and has become endemic in the Indian subcontinent. Virus strains currently circulating in many parts of the country are not well studied at the molecular level. In the present study, genetic characterization of virus strains from a dengue outbreak that occurred in and around a tertiary care hospital in Ernakulam, Kerala in the year 2008 has been reported. By reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 37 out of 75 (49.3%) clinically suspected cases were positive for dengue viral RNA. Among these, 21 (56.8%) samples showed concurrent infection with multiple serotypes of the virus. Majority of the combined infections were caused by dengue serotype 2 and 3. Co-infections with type 1 and 2 in two patients, and type 1, 2 and 3 in one patient were also observed. The core-pre-Membrane (CprM) junction nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the type 1 strains were related to the viral strains reported from Delhi-2001 and Gwalior-2002 dengue outbreaks, while the type 2 strains were related to the strains from Gwalior-2001 epidemic. Sequences of type 3 strains did not show clear relation to any of the previous Indian isolates, and in the phylogenetic analysis, they formed a distinct lineage within the Indian type 3 strains. This study indicates hyperendemicity of dengue in the region with the presence of multiple serotypes and high rates of co-infection, and local genomic evolution of the viral strains involved in this outbreak.
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BACKGROUND: Effectiveness of intermittent Short Course Chemotherapy for Neuro Tuberculosis has not been well studied. There are only few reported studies on this issue in the world literature under filed conditions. Neurologists all over India are reluctant to accept Directly Observed Treatment Short course for neuro tuberculosis since its introduction in India. AIM: Assessing effectiveness of Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP-DOTS) regimens among neuro tuberculosis patients registered under the programme. METHODS: All the neuro tuberculosis patients referred to RNTCP for treatment were included in the study. Study population included only those patients diagnosed at higher centre and referred to RNTCP during the period Jan - Dec 2002, Alappuzha District. Diagnostic Algorithm as per RNTCP guidelines was strictly followed and treatment outcome and follow-up status were taken from tuberculosis register. No pediatric age group was included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 32 cases registered for DOTS regimen were included in the study, of whom 29 completed the treatment and all were asymptomatic at the end of treatment (85%). All patients received treatment as DOTS, but only 70% received actual DOTS. All patients were given nine months intermittent regimen as per RNTCP guidelines. Five patients died during the treatment (14%). This result shows that DOTS under field programme conditions are efficient in curing Neuro Tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: Good result was obtained with intermittent short course chemotherapy under programme conditions in neurotuberculosis.