Publications by authors named "Anitha P Moorkoth"

Kerala, a south Indian state witnessed several outbreaks of Nipah encephalitis since 2018, a zoonotic viral disease with significant pandemic potential. This review highlights the relevance of surveillance and health system preparedness, infection control, early diagnosis and treatment with broad-spectrum antivirals, environmental conservation, and community engagement in mitigating Nipah outbreaks. Additionally, it emphasises the importance of developing new biologicals and anti-viral drugs to combat the disease.

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Immune profiling of Nipah virus (NiV) infection survivors is essential for advancing our understanding of NiV pathogenesis, improving diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, and guiding public health efforts to prevent future outbreaks. There is currently limited data available on the immune response to NiV infection. We aimed to elucidate the specific immune mechanisms involved in protection against NiV infection by analyzing the immune profiles of survivors of the Nipah outbreak in Kerala, India 2023.

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India experienced its sixth Nipah virus (NiV) outbreak in September 2023 in the Kozhikode district of Kerala state. The NiV is primarily transmitted by spillover events from infected bats followed by human-to-human transmission. The clinical specimens were screened using real-time RT-PCR, and positive specimens were further characterized using next-generation sequencing.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Rubella is an important public health concern due to its potential to cause congenital rubella syndrome, yet the vaccine is not part of India's national immunization program, highlighting the need for vulnerability assessment among children.
  • - This study aimed to determine the age-specific susceptibility to rubella infections in adolescent girls in a rural area of Kerala, using blood tests to measure rubella-specific IgG antibodies.
  • - Results showed that 68.3% of the 250 girls were protected through natural infection, indicating widespread natural immunity, but 32% may still be at risk for rubella during adulthood and pregnancy, suggesting a need for revised immunization policies.
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Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and related opportunistic infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in susceptible population. This study aims to negate the paucity of data regarding the relation between CD4 levels, prevalence of enteric parasites, and the outcome of treatment with HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) and Cotrimoxazole in Kerala, India. Multiple stool samples from 200 patients in a cross-sectional study were subjected to microscopy and Cryptosporidium stool antigen ELISA.

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