Publications by authors named "Arpitha Anbu Deborah"
Article Synopsis
- Nearly 60,000 people in India die from snakebites each year, mainly in rural and tribal areas, prompting a study on snakebite epidemiology and treatment in Tamil Nadu.
- A cross-sectional survey revealed that snakebite incidence and mortality rates were similar in two studied regions, with high reliance on traditional healers for initial treatment, particularly in Jawadhu Hills.
- Major challenges include the use of dangerous first aid practices, poor communication between traditional healers and the healthcare system, and insufficient transportation options to health facilities, necessitating community awareness and better public transport solutions.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the effects of different booster vaccines on immune responses in individuals who initially received either the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 or BBV152 vaccines, focusing on participants randomized into four groups for their booster shots.
- Results showed that ChAd boosted individuals exhibited higher memory-B cell frequencies and anti-spike IgG levels compared to those receiving the BBV152 booster, regardless of their primary vaccine.
- The findings also indicated that those in Group 3 (who received ChAd after two doses of BBV152) had a significantly better ability to inhibit the Omicron variant, suggesting the effectiveness of cross-boosting strategies in enhancing immune responses.
Background: Primary SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has been shown to wane with time and provide lower protection from disease with new viral variants, prompting the WHO to recommend the administration of booster doses. We determined the safety and immunogenicity of homologous or heterologous boosters with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (COVISHIELD™) or BBV152 (COVAXIN®), the two vaccines used widely for primary immunization in India, in participants who had already received two primary doses of these vaccines.
Methods: Participants primed with two doses each of COVISHIELD™ or COVAXIN® 12-36 weeks previously, were randomised to receive either COVISHIELD™ or COVAXIN® booster in a 1:1 ratio.