ABSTRACT
Poliomyelitis is the leading infectious cause of acute flaccid paralysis among children under five years of age, caused by the Wild Poliovirus, with no medical cure other than prevention through vaccination. The advent of mass vaccination campaigns against polio disease worldwide has greatly decreased the number of global cases and limited the rate of transmission. However, the emergence of Vaccine-derived Poliovirus due to genetic reversions in the live attenuated oral polio vaccine has posed a significant impediment to global polio eradication efforts. Therefore, There is a need to modify the vaccination regimen by utilizing more doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine or adopting the bivalent oral polio vaccine in order to eliminate the transmission of Vaccine-derived Poliovirus. In addition, collective efforts from governments, health policymakers, vaccination groups and health-related bodies are required to improve vaccine coverage and suppress the circulation of Vaccine-derived Poliovirus.
ABSTRACT
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions have suffered globally and as a result, attention and resources for other diseases, such as Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), has declined. Despite a significantly lower incidence rate compared to COVID-19, CCHF has a considerably higher mortality rate at approximately 30%. Both diseases share symptoms such as headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, sore throat, however they have different modes of transmission, mortality rates, and incubation periods. Public health professionals have faced several challenges when attempting to prevent and control the spread of both diseases and despite their differences, many of the prevention methods remain the same. These include increasing public awareness regarding avoiding contact with infected individuals and animals, training healthcare professionals in emergency and preparedness for disease outbreaks and increasing the investment in medical supplies and treatment to control the spread of both diseases.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus made governments across the world announce country-wide lockdowns suspending all activities and banning travels. This affected the lives of millions of people across all the continents in the world, including South America. The low-income classes were most affected by the lockdowns as many lost their only source of income. In addition, the uncertainty of the disease and its deadly nature along with lack of access to correct information led to a deterioration of the mental health of the low-income and indigenous groups in South America. The low-income population has little chance of gaining access to proper mental healthcare as many healthcare systems collapsed due to the nature of the pandemic. A good number of them faced short-term mental effects such as anxiety and panic attacks as well as long-term effects of depression. Proper steps must be taken to maintain and help the most vulnerable sections of the population. The pandemic along with the widespread poverty-stricken regions in the country have affected the population of the country. This article assesses the impact of COVID-19 on the poor and low-income population of the South American continent and the impact it has had on their mental health. It also reviews the recommended steps that can be taken to improve the situation and help the affected people.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is among the most prevalent forms of dementia in the world and neuropathological studies suggest similar high prevalence of mixed (AD + vascular) dementias. Approximately 25%-50% of individuals with AD develop psychosis sometime during their illness. The presence of psychosis in AD worsens outcomes. Currently there are no United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medications for the treatment of psychosis in AD. Pimavanserin, a novel atypical antipsychotic medication, was approved by the FDA for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson disease psychosis and is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of psychosis in AD. AIM: To evaluate the existing literature regarding the use of pimavanserin for treating psychosis among individuals with AD. METHODS: A literature review of clinical studies of pimavanserin treatment for psychosis in individuals with AD was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Trials were identified by systematically searching PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Scopus through October 2019. The 5-point Jadad scoring system was used to assess the methodologic quality of the randomized placebo-controlled trials. RESULTS: A total of 499 citations were retrieved and pooled in EndNote and de-duplicated to 258 citations. This set was uploaded to Covidence for screening. Two separate screeners (Srinivasan S and Tampi RR) evaluated the titles, abstracts, and full text of eligible articles. Of the identified 258 abstracts, 98 articles underwent full text review and 2 publications from 1 randomized controlled trial (RCT) were included in the final analysis. The quality of evidence was assessed to be of good methodologic quality, scoring 4 out of 5 using the 5-point Jadad questionnaire with the Jadad Scoring calculation. This systematic review found only one RCT that evaluated the use of pimavanserin for the treatment of psychosis among individuals with AD. This phase 2 trial resulted in two publications, the second of which was a subgroup analysis from the original study. The evidence from these two publications showed that pimavanserin improves psychotic symptoms among individuals with AD when compared to placebo at week 6. CONCLUSION: Pimavanserin may be a pharmacologic consideration for the treatment for psychosis in AD. Additional RCTs are needed to assess the evidence of effectiveness before pimavanserin is considered a standard treatment.