COVID-19 Pandemic: Trend Analysis with Respect to District Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, Northern India

With 1st case being reported in Wuhan city of China in December 2019, COVID?19 infection cases made their way to every corner of the world. Then, on January 07, 2020, laboratory results led to pneumonia being named as COVID?19. Scant data is available from Northern India, thus to reveal the trend of COVID?19 infection since last year of COVID?19 pandemic onset, this study took shape. The unit of analysis of our study was District Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir. Till February 05, 2021, a total of 4625 cases of COVID?19 virus were reported in District Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir. Negative history of close contact with COVID?19 patient (66.1%) constituted the most common exposure, majority (84.4%) were asymptomatic and comorbidities were present in 68 (1.5%). COVID?19 infection was more prevalent among younger age group, with higher male predominance, with comorbid being at higher risk, hence most stringent measures must be adopted.

Serological, Isolation and Molecular Studies on Brucellosis in an Organized Farm, Jammu and Kashmir, India

The present study was conducted in an organized farm of Jammu region, Jammu and Kashmir state having history of late-term abortions in cattle and buffaloes to elucidate the role of brucellosis in causing abortions on the farm. The farm had 46 animals (23 adults, 15 heifers and 9 calves). The farm was positive in herd test (milk ring test). Serological tests viz., Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and serum agglutination test (SAT) were conducted on 30 serum samples and 11 samples were found positive in both tests. Five vaginal swabs from abortion cases were processed for isolation and 3 isolates of Brucella were obtained which on further characterization by biochemical tests, genus-specific PCR and species-specific PCR were identified as B. abortus biovar 1. As brucellosis is an anthropozoonoses, the high prevalence of brucellosis in livestock of farm demands the surveillance of disease in humans working on the farm and necessitates the control of disease on the farm.

Prevalence of early childhood caries among preschool children of low socioeconomic status in district Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

Introduction: Dental caries is also one of the major issues which interfere with the healthy life of an individual, especially in children. Due to its high prevalence worldwide, caries in children has often been described as a ‘pandemic’ disease. In preschool age children, this disease is called Early Childhood Caries (ECC), but is commonly known as “baby bottle tooth decay” or maxillary anterior caries. About 90% of school children worldwide experience dental caries with the disease being most prevalent in Asia and Latin American countries and least prevalent in African countries. This study was undertaken with the aim of assessing prevalence of ECC among preschool children of low socioeconomic status in Srinagar city. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study, approved by the institutional Ethical Committee was designed. Children were selected from various Anganwadi centres in Srinagar city, Jammu and Kashmir, India. All children 24–59 months old, attending the selected Anganwadi centres, forming a total of 466 were selected. Clinical examination was carried out at Anganwadi centres or concerned schools by a single calibrated examiner. Data was analysed using SPSS version 16.0 software. Results: Out of the 466 children examined, 229 (49.1%) were boys and 237 (50.9%) were girls. The prevalence of ECC was 39.9% (186 out of 466) out of which 102 (54.8%) were boys and 84 (45.2%)were girls. Whereas prevalence of ECC was significantly higher among 36-47 month months old children as compared with other groups (χ2 = 14.03, P = 0.001). The overall mean deft for ECC was 1.80 ± 3.18 ranging from 0 to 17 teeth. Mean deft was significantly higher in 36-47 months age group as compared with others (F = 10.89,p=0.000). Conclusion: There is an urgent need to implement Preventive and Curative Oral Health Programs for children. As Anganwadis are run by State Government, a public-private partnership between government, Private Dental Colleges, and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) would prove useful toward providing oral health care to these children.

Consanguinity and Its Sociodemographic Differentials in Bhimber District, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

Kashmiri population in the northeast of Pakistan has strong historical, cultural and linguistic affinities with the neighbouring populations of upper Punjab and Potohar region of Pakistan. However, the study of consanguineous unions, which are customarily practised in many populations of Pakistan, revealed marked differences between the Kashmiris and other populations of northern Pakistan with respect to the distribution of marriage types and inbreeding coefficient (F). The current descriptive epidemiological study carried out in Bhimber district of Mirpur division, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, demonstrated that consanguineous marriages were 62% of the total marriages (F=0.0348). First-cousin unions were the predominant type of marriages and constituted 50.13% of total marital unions. The estimates of inbreeding coefficient were higher in the literate subjects, and consanguinity was witnessed to be rising with increasing literacy level. Additionally, consanguinity was observed to be associated with ethnicity, family structure, language, and marriage arrangements. Based upon these data, a distinct sociobiological structure, with increased stratification and higher genomic homozygosity, is expected for this Kashmiri population. In this communication, we present detailed distribution of the types of marital unions and the incidences of consanguinity and inbreeding coefficient (F) across various sociodemographic strata of Bhimber/Mirpuri population. The results of this study would have implication not only for other endogamous populations of Pakistan but also for the sizeable Kashmiri community immigrated to Europe.