RESUMO
Background: Around 2.6 billion people cook their food using biomass fuel (BMF), kerosene oil, and coal fuel, by which each year, 4 million people die prematurely from household air pollution or by this inefficient cooking practices. So, this study was planned to measure the effect of interventions of cooking fuel (BMF to LPG) to reduce the indoor air pollution in asthmatic children of rural India. Methods: Prospective observational study was done by door-to-door survey, among school-age children. Households of asthmatic children were encouraged to change their cooking fuel to more secure and were followed up for a period of 9 months. The intervention was in the form of a change of cooking fuel (from BMF to LPG) and proper education. The levels of indoor pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) were measured before and after 3 months of follow-up. Result: A total of 56 asthmatic children from 42 households were followed-up for the following 9 months at every 3 months visit. The mean age was 9.27 ± 3.94 years with an equivalent sex ratio. There was at least one smoker in 73.81% of households of asthmatic children. Nearly, 45% of children were living in 101–500 square yard area and 67.86% with the inhabitation of ? 3/room. The level of all particulate matter decreased significantly at 3 months (p < 0.05). At 3, 6, 9 months of follow-up, respiratory symptoms and morbidity significantly diminished. Conclusion: The change in cooking fuel to more secure was found to be one of the factors decreasing indoor pollutants and respiratory symptoms/morbidity among asthmatic children in rural areas.
RESUMO
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global public health problem. The real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. However, the assay requires hours to get the final results. Therefore, antigen-based rapid assays are being used extensively to reduce the time. We have evaluated the performance of the antigen-based rapid test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus in comparison with RT-PCR. Materials and methods: Nasopharyngeal and throat swabs were collected from 366 suspected patients of COVID-19 visiting our institute and subjected to qualitative RT-PCR and antigen-based rapid assays to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus. The sensitivity and specificity of the antigen-based assay were calculated in comparison with RT-PCR. Results: Compared with RT-PCR, sensitivity and specificity of the antigen-based rapid assay were observed to be 70.5% and 98.6%, respectively, in comparison with RT-PCR. However, the sensitivity of antigen-based rapid assay varied significantly with decreasing viral load. The sensitivity of the rapid antigen assay was equivalent to RT-PCR (23/23, 100%) at a higher viral load (Ct value 15�). In contrast, the antigen assay could only detect 3/21 (14.28%) samples with Ct value >30. Conclusion: The antigen-based assay could assist in the rapid screening of a large population. However, the rapid antigen assay might not detect early stages of infection represented by low viral load. Therefore, the antigen-based assay could not replace RT-PCR testing. The study reiterates that all antigen-based negative tests should be confirmed by RT-PCR.
RESUMO
Background. Ambient aeroallergens and organic or inorganic air pollutants are known to cause asthma exacerbation and subsequent asthma-related hospital admissions. Methods. This study was carried out to study the impact of meteorological factors, air pollution, pollens over hospital visits for respiratory illness in north Delhi region from July 2014 to June 2015. Daily monitoring of pollen grains was done on the roof of the multistorey building (height up to 20m) of the Institute. Meteorological factors including temperature, relative humidity, and precipitations were recorded daily. Daily concentrations of nitric dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) were also recorded. Number of hospital visits of patients with respiratory illness were assessed in relation to air pollutants (NO2, SO2 and PM2.5) and climate change (temperature, relative humidity and rain). Results. During the study period, 113,462 pollen counts were recorded. Two highest peaks of mean pollen counts were observed in post-monsoon season (October-2014) and in the spring season (March 2015). The maximum and minimum pollen concentration was observed in the month of March 2015 (18818/m3) and August 2014 (4731/m3). Our results showed that pollen numbers significantly correlated with respiratory emergency department patient visits (P=0.037, r=0.604), and temperature and humidity (P=0.711, r=-120, and (P=0.670, r=-0.137), respectively. NO2 significantly correlated with SO2, respiratory emergency department patient visits and new respiratory OPD patients (P=0.017, r=0.670, P=0.031, r=0.622 and P=0.016, r=0.675, respectively). A statistically significant correlation between rainfall and SO2 was observed (P=0.004, r=-0.757) in the present study. Conclusion. Our study suggests that significant increase in pollen concentration and air pollutants in the ambient environment causes respiratory illness.