Rabies death in an adolescent tribal girl diagnosed postmortem, in Kerala - the precious life, preventable loss and equity concerns.

Background: Rabies is a neglected tropical disease endemic in 150 countries, including India where it is present in all states and union territories except Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lakshadweep. Kerala reports high incidence of animal bites. This article discusses the preventable death of a 17-year-old tribal girl due to rabies in Kerala and the equity concerns it raises.

The burden of dengue and force of infection among children in Kerala, India; seroprevalence estimates from Government of Kerala-WHO Dengue study.

Background: Dengue shows high geographic heterogeneity within and across endemic countries. In the context of increasing burden and predicted outbreaks due to climate change, understanding the heterogeneity will enable us to develop region specific targeted interventions, including vaccination. World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests standard methodologies to study the burden and heterogeneity at national and subnational levels.

Obesity Burden and Physical Activity Pattern Among Doctors in South India.

Context: A career as a doctor makes him prone to develop health issues like obesity and obesity-related noncommunicable diseases.

Aims: This study aims to find the burden and determinants of obesity among Modern Medicine doctors in Kerala.

Settings And Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 240 doctors working in South Kerala from 2018 to 2019.

Prevalence of Tuberculosis Infection among Adults of Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala as Measured by Interferon Gamma Release Assay - A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: To achieve the goals of the end tuberculosis (TB) strategy, strategies for management of TB infection (TBI) have to be expanded. The first step to devise policies is to understand the distribution and determinants of TBI in the community. The objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of TBI using Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) and its determinants among the adult population of Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala.

Epidemiological and clinical characterization of dengue virus serotypes during 2017-2019 in southern Kerala, India.

Background: In the context of the largest dengue outbreak in the state of Kerala, India in 2017, along with global evidence of changing epidemiology of dengue virus and its distribution, this study was planned to understand the epidemiological pattern of dengue infection and contemplate the clinical presentations of different serotypes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts of Kerala, India, spanning 3 y from 2017 to 2019. We recruited adult patients based on the World Health Organization case definition of probable dengue fever to study their virological, spatial and clinical characteristics.

Effectiveness of a Non-pharmacological Intervention to Control Diabetes Mellitus in a Primary Care Setting in Kerala: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Despite being the first Indian state with a dedicated Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) program, glycemic control among a large proportion of patients is low in Kerala. This study tries to find evidence for a standardized non-pharmacological strategy delivered through Junior Public Health Nurses (JPHNs) in achieving and maintaining glycemic control among diabetic patients registered with NCD clinics of primary health care settings. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among adult patients with Diabetes Mellitus attending NCD clinics of primary care settings of South Kerala, India.

Domestic violence and psychological problems in married women during COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown: A community-based survey.

Background: Following the declaration of Coronavirus disease-2019 as a pandemic, a nation-wide lockdown was announced in India. This led to increase in psychological problems, especially in women.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of psychological problems and domestic violence (DV) in married women during the pandemic and lockdown in a panchayat in Southern India and to study the association of socio-demographic and clinical variables with psychological problems.

Validation of Malayalam Version of Everyday Abilities Scale for India.

Background: Cognitive impairment is usually associated with impairment in everyday activities. Scales to assess activities of daily living, like the Everyday Abilities Scale for India (EASI), have been employed as screening tools for dementia or major neurocognitive disorder. EASI had not been validated in Malayalam.

Institutional quarantine centres as a strategy in control of COVID-19 outbreak: An evolving model from Kerala, India.

Background: Institutional quarantine centres were set up in all districts in Kerala as a novel strategy in the fight against novel COVID-19 virus. These were meant for returnees from affected areas, for whom home quarantine was not possible due to lack of facilities. This research aims to evaluate facilities and services of Institutional quarantine centres in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala state and to study profile of persons under quarantine in these centres.

Raltegravir, Indinavir, Tipranavir, Dolutegravir, and Etravirine against main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV-2: A molecular docking and drug repurposing approach.

Background: Outbreak of COVID-19 has been recognized as a global health concern since it causes high rates of morbidity and mortality. No specific antiviral drugs are available for the treatment of COVID-19 till date. Drug repurposing strategy helps to find out the drugs for COVID-19 treatment from existing FDA approved antiviral drugs.

Computational selection of flavonoid compounds as inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 main protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and spike proteins: A molecular docking study.

An outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been recognized as a global health concern. Since, no specific antiviral drug is proven effective for treatment against COVID-19, identification of new therapeutics is an urgent need. In this study, flavonoid compounds were analyzed for its inhibitory potential against important protein targets of SARS-CoV-2 using computational approaches.

Antiviral activity of astragaloside II, astragaloside III and astragaloside IV compounds against dengue virus: Computational docking and in vitro studies.

This study was aimed to identify the phytocompounds possessing anti-dengue virus activity using in silico and in vitro approaches. A total of 7000 phytocompounds were virtually screened against protein targets (envelope, NS2b/NS3, and NS5) of dengue virus using iGEMDOCK and individually docked using Maestro 10.7 module of Schrödinger software.

Assessing physical activity in people with mental illness: 23-country reliability and validity of the simple physical activity questionnaire (SIMPAQ).

Background: Physical inactivity is a key contributor to the global burden of disease and disproportionately impacts the wellbeing of people experiencing mental illness. Increases in physical activity are associated with improvements in symptoms of mental illness and reduction in cardiometabolic risk. Reliable and valid clinical tools that assess physical activity would improve evaluation of intervention studies that aim to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in people living with mental illness.

Reliability and validity of PHQ-9 when administered by health workers for depression screening among women in primary care.

Background: Depression is twice more prevalent among women but remains unidentified in primary care.

Objective: We aimed to estimate the reliability and validity of PHQ-9, when administered by health workers, a cadre of public health staff, posted in primary health centres. We translated PHQ-9 to Malayalam, a language spoken by 30 million people in Kerala, India.

Experience of Domestic Violence and Psychological Morbidity in Spouses of Alcohol-Dependent Males.

Background: Prevalence of both domestic violence (DV) and alcohol use is reported to be high in Kerala. The prevalence of DV and psychological morbidity in spouses of alcohol-dependent males has not been studied objectively.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken to study the occurrence of DV and psychological morbidity-major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorders, and adjustment disorders-in spouses of alcohol-dependent males attending the de-addiction center of a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Effectiveness of community-based depression intervention programme (ComDIP) to manage women with depression in primary care- randomised control trial.

Background: In low and middle income countries where mental health resources are limited, community based depression intervention models, which can be implemented through the existing health system, are extremely relevant.

Objective: To test the effectiveness of Community based Depression Intervention Programme (ComDIP), newly developed by us, to reduce severity of depression in women, compared to the treatment as usual (TAU).

Methods: An RCT (Trial registration Number: CTRI/2011/08/001978, Clinical Trials Registry -India) was conducted in a primary care setting in Trivandrum, Kerala, South India.

Attitudes towards mental health, mental health research and digital interventions by young adults with type 1 diabetes: A qualitative analysis.

Background: Young people with type 1 diabetes are at increased risk of mental disorders. Whereas treatment need is high, difficulty recruiting young people with type 1 diabetes into psychosocial studies complicates development, testing and dissemination of these interventions.

Objective: Interviews with young adults with type 1 diabetes were conducted to examine attitudes towards mental health and mental health research, including barriers and motivators to participation in mental health studies and preferred sources of mental health support.

Primary care Screening Questionnaire for Depression: reliability and validity of a new four-item tool.

Background: Unidentified depression in primary care is a public health concern, globally. There is a need for brief, valid and easily administered tools in primary care.

Aims: To estimate reliability and validity of the newly developed Primary care Screening Questionnaire for Depression (PSQ4D), a four-item tool, with 'yes' or 'no' options.

Profile of Patients Attending Psychogeriatric Clinic in a Tertiary Care Setting.

Background: Proportion of elderly is increasing among the total population of Kerala, and mental health problems of this group are unique.

Objectives: To assess the clinical and sociodemographic profile of patients attending Psychogeriatric Clinic in a tertiary care center and to study the correlation of sociodemographic and clinical variables with psychiatric diagnoses in this population.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients, who attended the Psychogeriatric Clinic of a tertiary care center over a period of 1 year, was done.

Comparative efficacy of cedarwood oil and xylene in hematoxylin and eosin staining procedures: An experimental study.

Background: Xylene is used as a clearing agent in hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) staining of tissue sections in routine histopathology based diagnosis. However, the hazards associated with exposure to xylene are of concern. Numerous solutions mainly essential oils have been evaluated in the past as clearing agents, which can possibly be substituted for xylene during the routine tissue processing.