Post-campaign coverage evaluation of a measles and rubella supplementary immunization activity in five districts in India, 2019-2020.

Background: In alignment with the Measles and Rubella (MR) Strategic Elimination plan, India conducted a mass measles and rubella vaccination campaign across the country between 2017 and 2020 to provide a dose of MR containing vaccine to all children aged 9 months to 15 years. We estimated campaign vaccination coverage in five districts in India and assessed campaign awareness and factors associated with vaccination during the campaign to better understand reasons for not receiving the dose.

Methods And Findings: Community-based cross-sectional serosurveys were conducted in five districts of India among children aged 9 months to 15 years after the vaccination campaign.

Precision of metabolite-selective MRS measurements of glutamate, GABA and glutathione: A review of human brain studies.

Single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (SV H-MRS) is an in vivo noninvasive imaging technique used to detect neurotransmitters and metabolites. It enables repeated measurements in living participants to build explanatory neurochemical models of psychiatric symptoms and testing of therapeutic approaches. Given the tight link among glutamate, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), glutathione and glutamine within the cellular machinery, MRS investigations of neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders must quantify a network of metabolites simultaneously to capture the pathophysiological states of interest.

Ultra-high field neuroimaging in psychosis: A narrative review.

Schizophrenia and related psychoses are complex neuropsychiatric diseases representing dysconnectivity across multiple scales, through the micro (cellular), meso (brain network), manifest (behavioral), and social (interpersonal) levels. human neuroimaging, particularly at ultra-high field (UHF), offers unprecedented opportunity to examine multiscale dysconnectivity in psychosis. In this review, we provide an overview of the literature to date on UHF in psychosis, focusing on microscale findings from magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), mesoscale studies on structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and multiscale studies assessing multiple neuroimaging modalities and relating UHF findings to behavior.

Added value of the measles-rubella supplementary immunization activity in reaching unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children, a cross-sectional study in five Indian districts, 2018-20.

Introduction: Supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) aim to interrupt measles transmission by reaching susceptible children, including children who have not received the recommended two routine doses of MCV before the SIA. However, both strategies may miss the same children if vaccine doses are highly correlated. How well SIAs reach children missed by routine immunization is a key metric in assessing the added value of SIAs.

Evaluating the effect of measles and rubella mass vaccination campaigns on seroprevalence in India: a before-and-after cross-sectional household serosurvey in four districts, 2018-2020.

Background: India did phased measles-rubella supplementary immunisation activities (MR-SIAs; ie, mass-immunisation campaigns) targeting children aged 9 months to less than 15 years. We estimated measles-rubella seroprevalence before and after the MR-SIAs to quantify the effect on population immunity and identify remaining immunity gaps.

Methods: Between March 9, 2018 and March 19, 2020 we did community-based, cross-sectional serosurveys in four districts in India before and after MR-SIAs.

Ultrasound of Median Nerve in the Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-Correlation with Electrophysiological Studies.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy caused by impairment of the median nerve due to compression as it passes through the carpal tunnel. The current gold standard in diagnosing CTS and nerve damage is by electrophysiological nerve conduction study (NCS). However, 10 to 25% of NCS results are falsely negative.

Safety and immunogenicity of the Rotavac and Rotasiil rotavirus vaccines administered in an interchangeable dosing schedule among healthy Indian infants: a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 4, non-inferiority trial.

Background: Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe dehydrating gastroenteritis among children younger than 5 years in low-income and middle-income countries. Two vaccines-Rotavac and Rotasiil-are used in routine immunisation in India. The safety and immunogenicity of these vaccines administered in a mixed regimen is not documented.

Epidemiology of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections among Primary School Children in the States of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Tripura, India, 2015-2016.

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are highly prevalent in many developing countries, affecting the poorest and most deprived communities. We conducted school-based surveys among children studying in first to fifth standard in government schools in the Indian States of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Tripura to estimate the prevalence and intensity of STH infections during November 2015 and January 2016. We adopted a two-stage cluster sampling design, with a random selection of districts within each agro-climatic zone in the first stage.

Epidemiology and Transmission of Carbapenemase-Producing in a Health Care Network of an Acute-Care Hospital and Its Affiliated Intermediate- and Long-Term-Care Facilities in Singapore.

Movement of patients in a health care network poses challenges for the control of carbapenemase-producing (CPE). We aimed to identify intra- and interfacility transmission events and facility type-specific risk factors of CPE in an acute-care hospital (ACH) and its intermediate-term and long-term-care facilities (ILTCFs). Serial cross-sectional studies were conducted in June and July of 2014 to 2016 to screen for CPE.

Comparative epidemiology and factors associated with major healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones among interconnected acute-, intermediate- and long-term healthcare facilities in Singapore.

Objectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has spread across countries and healthcare settings, with different clones occupying different ecological niches. It is crucial to understand the comparative epidemiology of MRSA clones between healthcare settings and independent factors associated with colonization of specific clones.

Methods: We conducted annual cross-sectional surveillance studies in a network comprising an acute-care hospital and six closely-affiliated intermediate- and long-term care facilities in Singapore between June and July, 2014-2016; 5394 patients contributed 16 045 nasal, axillary and groin samples for culture and MRSA isolates for whole-genome sequencing.

Space time analysis of dengue fever diagnosed through a network of laboratories in India from 2014-2017.

Background & Objectives: The Department of Health Research and the Indian Council of Medical Research, Government of India, have established Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory Network (VRDLN) to strengthen the laboratory capacity in the country for providing timely diagnosis of disease outbreaks. Fifty-one VRDLs were functional as on December 2017 and had reported about dengue fever across Indian states. The objectives of the study were to detect space time clusters and purely temporal clusters of dengue using Kulldorff's SaTScan statistics using patient level information; and to identify regions at greater risk of developing the disease using Kriging technique aggregating at district level.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Pre- and Post-Surgery Myocardial Changes in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Correlation with Echocardiography.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common form of cardiomyopathy and a leading cause of sudden death in the young. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an established pre-operative tool for the evaluating of patients suspected with HCM for morphological assessment and identifying patients at risk of sudden death. Echocardiography and MRI are equally used in the post-treatment assessment of cardiac function and morphology.

Epidemiology of chikungunya based on laboratory surveillance data-India, 2016-2018.

Background: We analysed the laboratory surveillance data generated by the network of virology laboratories from January 2016 to July 2018 to describe the epidemiology of chikungunya in India.

Methods: Suspected patients reporting to virology laboratories are investigated for the presence of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies against chikungunya virus (CHIKV) as evidence of recent infection. We analysed the data to describe the distribution of seropositive individuals by time, place and demographic characteristics.

Epidemiology of dengue fever in India, based on laboratory surveillance data, 2014-2017.

Objectives: The Indian Council of Medical Research and the Department of Health Research have established a network of Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) to strengthen laboratory capacity in India. We analyzed the data generated by the 52 VRDLs during 2014-2017 to describe the epidemiology of dengue fever (DF) in India.

Methods: As per the laboratory protocol, suspected DF patients reporting to various hospitals where VRDLs are located, or samples from suspected DF outbreaks are investigated for the presence of NS1 antigen or IgM antibodies against dengue.

Comparative Epidemiology of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Colonization in an Acute-Care Hospital and Its Affiliated Intermediate- and Long-Term Care Facilities in Singapore.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are an important cause of nosocomial infections in acute-care hospitals (ACHs), intermediate-care facilities (ITCFs), and long-term care facilities (LTCFs). This study contemporaneously compared the epidemiology and risk factors for VRE colonization in different care settings in a health care network. We conducted a serial cross-sectional study in a 1,700-bed ACH and its six closely affiliated ITCFs and LTCFs in June and July of 2014 to 2016.

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, 2016: Clinical and Laboratory Findings.

Background: Seasonal outbreaks of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) with high fatality have been occurring in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, for several years. We conducted investigations during the 2016 outbreak to identify the etiology.

Methods: We included 407 hospitalized AES patients with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (>5 cells/mm) in our study.

The association between oral health status and respiratory pathogen colonization with pneumonia risk in institutionalized adults.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the oral health and the prevalence of pre-existing oral colonization with respiratory pathogens in dependent elderly, and whether these factors influence pneumonia development.

Materials And Methods: Participants residing in a long-term care facility received bedside oral examinations, and information on their oral health (caries status, calculus index and debris index) was obtained. Samples from the tongue and teeth were collected at baseline and at time of pneumonia development.

High prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections among primary school children, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2015.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections often affect the poorest and most deprived communities. In order to generate reliable data for planning a school based deworming program, we conducted a survey among primary school children studying in government schools in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The objectives of our survey were to estimate the prevalence and intensity of STH infections.

Coverage of childhood vaccination among children aged 12-23 months, Tamil Nadu, 2015, India.

Background & Objectives: District-Level Household Survey-4 (DLHS-4) indicated that during 2012-2013, only 56 per cent of children aged 12-23 months in Tamil Nadu were fully vaccinated, which were lesser than those reported in earlier national surveys. We, therefore, conducted cluster surveys to estimate coverage of childhood vaccination in the State, and also to identify the factors associated with low coverage.

Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 15 strata [municipal corporation non-slum (n=1), municipal corporation slum (n=1), hilly (n=1), rural (n=6) and urban (n=6)].

Coverage & missed opportunity for Japanese encephalitis vaccine, Gorakhpur division, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2015: Implications for Japanese encephalitis control.

Background & Objectives: Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an important aetiology of acute encephalitis syndrome in Gorakhpur division, Uttar Pradesh, India. Two doses of JE vaccine ( first during 9-12 months and second during 16-24 months of age) are administered under the Universal Immunization Programme. We conducted surveys to estimate the coverage of JE vaccine and magnitude of missed opportunity for vaccination (MoV) for JE in Gorakhpur division.

MRSA Transmission Dynamics Among Interconnected Acute, Intermediate-Term, and Long-Term Healthcare Facilities in Singapore.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most common healthcare-associated multidrug-resistant organism. Despite the interconnectedness between acute care hospitals (ACHs) and intermediate- and long-term care facilities (ILTCFs), the transmission dynamics of MRSA between healthcare settings is not well understood.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a network comprising an ACH and 5 closely affiliated ILTCFs in Singapore.