Whole-genome characterization of common rotavirus strains circulating in Vellore, India from 2002 to 2017: emergence of non-classical genomic constellations.

Rotaviruses (RVs) are the most common etiological agent of acute gastroenteritis among young children, even after vaccine introduction in low-income countries. A whole-genome classification representing the 11 RV genes, was introduced for surveillance and characterization of RVs. This study characterized the common circulating strains in Vellore, India from 2002 to 2017 to understand rotavirus strain diversity and evolution using Whole genome sequencing (WGS) carried out on Illumina MiSeq. The 89% (92% of Wa-like, 86% of DS-1-like) of strains had classical constellations, while reassortant constellations were seen in 11% (8% of Wa-like, 14% of DS-1-like) of the strains. The rare E6-NSP4 in combination with DS-1 like G1P[8] and the emergence of the OP-354 subtype of P[8] were identified. Phylogenetics of RV strains revealed multiple subtypes circulating in the past 15 years, with strong evidence of animal to human gene transmission among several strains.

Prevalence and determinants of hypertension among urban tribal communities in Nagaland, India-A community-based study.

Background: There is a paucity of data on the burden and factors associated with hypertension among the Nagas (collective term for tribal ethnic groups predominantly residing in Nagaland) living in an urban environment. Insights from this study will aid in mapping focused community-based and primary care interventions for hypertension. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension among Nagas aged 30-50 years residing in urban Dimapur, Nagaland. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between January and July 2019. This study screened 660 participants for hypertension using a digital blood pressure apparatus. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess the risk factors, and anthropometric measurements were recorded using standard guidelines. Results: The prevalence of hypertension and pre-hypertension was 25.9% and 44.5%, respectively. Non-modifiable risk factors such as male gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32-3.09), age > 40 years (AOR: 2.32; 95% CI: 1.57-3.41), family history of hypertension (AOR, 1.87, 95% CI: 1.19-2.92) and modifiable risk factors such as current alcohol consumption (AOR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.27-3.31), high/very high perceived stress (AOR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.28-3.62), lack of participation in stress relief activities (AOR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.17-3.71) and overweight/obesity (AOR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.55-3.30) were independently associated with hypertension in this study. Conclusion: To avert an impending health crisis in this community, a multipronged approach involving primary-care/family physicians, culturally appropriate awareness, and targeted community-based screening programs with an adept referral system must be implemented to curtail this emerging threat.

Effect of lock down due to COVID-19 pandemic on the alcohol use and abuse among a tribal community in South India.

Background: Alcohol consumption in the tribal communities is found to be rising, as Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) is easily accessible through state-run outlets. During the first coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, despite IMFL being non-available, there were not any reports of alcohol withdrawal among the tribal men who were enrolled in our substance abuse clinic. Methodology: This is a community-based, mixed-method study to document the changes during the lockdown in the drinking pattern and behavior of families and communities of men who consume alcohol. The quantitative part of the study was done by interviewing 45 alcohol-dependent men and documenting their alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) scores during the lockdown. The qualitative part captured the changes in familial and social behavior. Focused group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among community members and leaders. In-depth interviews (IDs) were done among men with harmful drinking patterns and their spouses. Results: There was a significant reduction in the consumption of IMFL among the men interviewed as depicted by the low mean AUDIT score (16.42, P < 0.001). Trivial withdrawal symptoms were found among them (67%). Around 73.3% could access arrack. The community perceived that arrack was brewed and sold at a higher cost within days of lockdown. Familial conflicts reduced. Certain community leaders and members could proactively curb the brewing and selling of arrack. Conclusion: The study uniquely brought out in depth the information at the individual, familial, and community contexts. It is imperative to develop policies to protect indigenous populations by different rules governing the sales of alcohol.

Hazardous use of alcohol among men in the tribal population of Jawadhi Hills, Tamil Nadu: Nature, prevalence, and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, hazardous use of alcohol is common among many cultures and societies and adversely impacts families and communities, with significant morbidity and mortality. Scheduled Tribes (STs) who are socially deprived and marginalised have higher rates of alcohol use. AIM: We attempted to determine the nature, prevalence, and risk factors associated with hazardous consumption of alcohol in the tribal community. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult male and permanent residents of Jawadhi hills. A total of 1200 men were interviewed. Study participants were chosen by Probability Proportionate to Size (PPS) sampling method. The questionnaire that documented socio-demographic characteristics and patterns of alcohol use was used. AUDIT tool was used to assess the hazardous use of Alcohol. Data were analysed using SPSS. RESULTS: Majority of the men were middle-aged, married, and were from lower socio-economic strata. A large proportion of men (65%) had a history of alcohol consumption in the last one year using one-year, of whom a quarter showed hazardous use (29%) and another quarter exhibited alcohol dependency (24%). Tobacco use, higher income and local alcohol production were found to be significant risk factors for Hazardous alcohol use. CONCLUSION: Alcohol consumption needs to be treated as a social problem and has to be tackled at the policy level. Population-based interventions, legislation, taxation, policies regarding the manufacture and sale of alcohol, are some of the ways to address this problem.

Treatment outcomes with daily self-administered treatment and thrice-weekly directly-observed treatment in two cohorts of newly-diagnosed, sputum-positive adults with pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) envisages shifting from thrice-weekly to a daily anti-tuberculosis treatment (ATT) regimen. The potential merits and demerits of both regimens continue to be debated. METHODS: This retrospective study compared treatment outcomes in 191 HIV-negative, newly diagnosed, sputum-positive adults with pulmonary tuberculosis from Vellore district of Tamil Nadu who were treated at a private medical college during 2009 to 2012 with intermittent Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (intermittent DOTS cohort, n=132) or who opted for daily Self-Administered Treatment (daily SAT cohort, n=59). Treatment outcomes obtained from medical records were supplemented by interviews with consenting, traceable patients. RESULTS: The rates for the RNTCP-recommended sputum smear examinations were suboptimal (42% for daily SAT and 72% for intermittent DOTS). However, treatment success with daily SAT and intermittent DOTS (76.2% vs. 70.4%); default (11.9% vs. 18.2%); death (6.8% vs. 5.3%); treatment failure (5.1% vs. 4.6%); and relapse (0% vs. 1.5%) did not significantly differ. CONCLUSIONS: While evaluable treatment outcomes were not significantly different with daily SAT and intermittent DOTS, rates for timely smear examinations and for treatment success were lower, and for default higher, in both cohorts than comparable RNTCP data from Vellore district. Further strengthening of RNTCP facilities within private medical colleges and regular, real-time audits of performance and outcomes are needed if daily ATT regimen under the RNTCP is to succeed.

Prevalence of oral diseases and risks to oral health in an urban community aged above 14 years.

INTRODUCTION: Oral health is a requisite to general health and quality of life. The public health problems associated with oral diseases are a serious burden in every nation around the globe. AIMS: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of dental problems and the oral health seeking behavior of an urban south Indian population aged >14 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this population-based cross-sectional study, 101 households were selected through systematic random sampling. About 419 participants were interviewed and information on sociodemographic characteristics, personal, and dental history was obtained and a complete oral cavity examination was performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of dental caries, periodontal problems, and tooth wear were 78.75%, 74.7%, and 72.3%, respectively. The mean number of overall affected teeth in the population by one dental problem is 16 ± 8.13. The mean Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) score was 4.5. The risk factors that were significantly associated with the poor oral health status were age >31 years (Odds Ratio (OR), 2.88), education less than eighth grade (OR, 2.35), inadequate oral hygiene practices (OR, 1.61), use of any form of tobacco (OR, 2.08), and alcohol consumption (OR, 2.02). Only 185 (44.1%) participants perceived that they had a dental problem at the point of the survey and only 20 of them (10.81%) visited a dentist. CONCLUSION: This study showed a high prevalence of dental caries, periodontal problem, and tooth wear. This emphasizes the need for community-based awareness program on dental health and recommends periodic dental health screening program at the community level for early diagnosis and better treatment.

Challenges in Implementation of ANISA Protocol at the Vellore Site, India.

BACKGROUND: The Aetiology of Neonatal Infection in South Asia (ANISA) study aims to determine the population-based incidence, etiology, risk factors and antibiotic resistance profiles of community-acquired young infant infections in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan using community-based surveillance and standard newer diagnostic tests. The data generated will help plan preventive and treatment strategies to reduce neonatal and infant mortality in this region. The aim of this article is to describe the site-specific characteristics, challenges and solutions in implementing the ANISA protocol at the Vellore site, India. CHALLENGES: Vellore joined the ANISA study 2 years after the sites in Bangladesh and Pakistan, and some challenges relate to the need for rapid implementation. The Vellore site differs primarily in the high rate of institutional deliveries, actively promoted by the Government of India's conditional cash transfer program. The Vellore site hospitals are regular care providers for the study population, which leads to very high rates of consent for enrollment and collection of samples. Keeping blood culture contamination rates low was a challenge the site team overcame by adhering strictly to the protocol. Issues related to incorporation of a large study into a busy clinical services laboratory were overcome by meticulously setting up algorithms related to receipt, processing and storage of samples. CONCLUSION: ANISA is a complex study, but the challenges in implementation have been largely resolved and documented.

Quality of life of a patient with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in rural South India.

BACKGROUND: With a high prevalence of diabetes in India, there is a need to study the impact of this disease on the quality of life (QoL) of the patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This facility-based cross-sectional study assessed the QoL of patients attending the diabetic clinic using the World Health Organization (WHO) QoL BREF instrument in Tamil Nadu. The QoL was analyzed domain-wise and various socio-demographic factors affecting the QoL were studied. RESULTS: The mean total score of the QoL scale was 58.05 (95% CI, 22.18-93.88). Domain-wise, 63% had good physical, 69% had good psychological, 27% had good social and 85% had good environmental QoL scores. Males, currently married and those with BMI more than 25 had a statistically significantly better QoL compared to their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes does impair the QoL of patients but not to a great extent. There is a need to specifically target and improve the QoL of women, widowed and separated, and non-obese diabetics who are at risk of a poor QoL. QoL assessment should be routinely practiced in diabetic clinics.

Birthweight centile charts from rural community-based data from southern India.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of the study were to estimate gestational age specific birthweight centiles from healthy pregnancies in a defined rural block and compare the under-two month mortality rates in those belonging to the lowest and highest centile groups. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Routine data collected regarding all pregnancies, births and deaths occurring in Kaniyambadi, a rural block in Southern India, between 2003 to 2012. SUBJECTS: All singleton live newborns of women without known major antenatal risk factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Gestational age- and sex-specific birthweight centile curves were created using the LMS method. Mortality rates for the first two months of life were calculated for those in various centile groups. RESULTS: The median birthweight at term was lower for the study subjects as compared to the median birth weights in the WHO child growth standards 2006, the US and the UK standards. Mortality rates for those with birthweights both below the 3rd centile as well as above the 97th centile higher than for those between 3rd and 97th centiles. CONCLUSIONS: While absolute values of birthweights were lower than the WHO 2006 child growth standards there was a J shaped curve of birthweight and mortality. This suggests that in a given population, mortality increases at extremes of birthweights, even if some of these birthweights may be considered normal by other standards.

Diet and Physical Activity Among Women in Urban and Rural Areas in South India: A Community Based Comparative Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases are increasing in India. There is a clear need to study risk factors for NCDs in various population groups in the country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This community based cross-sectional survey was conducted to study the diet and physical activity of women in urban and rural areas in Vellore district. Dietary data was collected using 24-h dietary recall and physical activity was collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Sociodemographic variables were collected to assess the risk factors for unfavorable diet and physical activity. RESULTS: The odds of the rural women engaging in high physical activity are 3.61 times greater than urban women (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.36-5.54). The odds of the urban women consuming a high calorie diet are 1.923 times that of the rural women (95% CI = 1.282-2.857). The odds of the urban women being overweight/obese are 5.555 times than that of the urban women (95% CI = 3.333-10). Women who were housewives and not doing household work were significantly less physically active, took higher calorie diet, and were more overweight and obese compared to women who were involved in active household work. CONCLUSIONS: Urban women had unfavorable diet and physical activity levels compared to rural women. They also had higher levels of overweight and obesity. There is a need for targeted NCD prevention interventions among urban women.