Rapid assessment of case recruitment tools to inform integrated surveillance of influenza and other respiratory viruses in Eastern Mediterranean countries.

Influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) case recruitment tools from 10 countries were reviewed. The contents of the existing tools were compared against World Health Organization's current guidelines, and we also assessed the content validity (accuracy, completeness and consistency). Five of the ILI tools and two of the SARI tools were rated as having high accuracy against WHO case definitions.

State and situation of avian influenza in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Avian influenza viruses have had a significant burden of disease on animal and public health in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. In this review, we aimed at describing the state of avian influenza in the region from 2011 to 2021. We gathered information available through the peer-reviewed scientific literature, public gene sequence depositories, OIE World Animal Health Information System platform, World Health Organization FluNet, Joint External Evaluation reports, and governmental, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and World Organization for Animal Health websites.

The Pearl River Declaration: a timely call for enhancing health security through fostering a regional one health collaboration in the Asia-Pacific.

The Second International Symposium on One Health Research (ISOHR) was held in Guangzhou city, China on 23-24 November 2019. A transdisciplinary collaborative approach, One Health (OH), was the central theme of the symposium which brought together more than 260 experts, scholars and emerging researchers from human health, veterinary health, food safety, environmental health and related disciplines and sectors. More than 50 organizations including World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control (USA), and Queensland Government (Australia) participated in the symposium.

Mapping 123 million neonatal, infant and child deaths between 2000 and 2017.

Since 2000, many countries have achieved considerable success in improving child survival, but localized progress remains unclear. To inform efforts towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.2-to end preventable child deaths by 2030-we need consistently estimated data at the subnational level regarding child mortality rates and trends.

The Burden of Primary Liver Cancer and Underlying Etiologies From 1990 to 2015 at the Global, Regional, and National Level: Results From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.

Importance: Liver cancer is among the leading causes of cancer deaths globally. The most common causes for liver cancer include hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and alcohol use.

Objective: To report results of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 study on primary liver cancer incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 195 countries or territories from 1990 to 2015, and present global, regional, and national estimates on the burden of liver cancer attributable to HBV, HCV, alcohol, and an “other” group that encompasses residual causes.

Evidence for a comprehensive approach to Aboriginal tobacco control to maintain the decline in smoking: an overview of reviews among Indigenous peoples.

Background: Tobacco smoking is a leading cause of disease and premature mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians. While the daily smoking prevalence among Indigenous Australians has declined significantly from 49% in 2001, it remains about three times higher than that of non-Indigenous Australians (39 and 14%, respectively, for age ≥15 years in 2014-15). This overview of systematic reviews aimed to synthesise evidence about reducing tobacco consumption among Indigenous peoples using a comprehensive framework for Indigenous tobacco control in Australia comprised of the National Tobacco Strategy (NTS) and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan (NATSIHP) principles and priorities.

Global, Regional, and National Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life-years for 32 Cancer Groups, 1990 to 2015: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study.

Importance: Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Current estimates on the burden of cancer are needed for cancer control planning.

Objective: To estimate mortality, incidence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 32 cancers in 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2015.

Cost Assessment of Hepatitis B Virus-related Hepatitis in Bangladesh.

Unlabelled: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is endemic in Bangladesh. Studies have indicated that HBV is the major cause of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in this country. Recently, HBV-related acute on chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) has emerged as a serious and emergent medical problem in Bangladesh.

The effects of high temperature on cardiovascular admissions in the most populous tropical city in Vietnam.

This study examined the short-term effects of temperature on cardiovascular hospital admissions (CHA) in the largest tropical city in Southern Vietnam. We applied Poisson time-series regression models with Distributed Lag Non-Linear Model (DLNM) to examine the temperature-CHA association while adjusting for seasonal and long-term trends, day of the week, holidays, and humidity. The threshold temperature and added effects of heat waves were also evaluated.

Environmental health risk assessment of nickel contamination of drinking water in a country town in NSW.

Objectives: To assess the health risks associated with consumption of drinking water with elevated nickel concentration in a NSW country town named Sampleton.

Methods: We used enHealth Guidelines (2002) as our risk assessment tool. Laboratory test results for nickel in water samples were compared with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2004 and the World Health Organization's (WHO) Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality 2005.

An epidemiological investigation into an outbreak of rash illness among methadone maintenance clients in Australia.

In late 2004, NSW Health received several reports of a serious desquamating rash among clients of the methadone program. We sought to identify the extent and likely cause of this outbreak. We initiated active surveillance for cases throughout Australia, a survey of dosing points in NSW, and a case control study of clients receiving methadone syrup (MS) at two clinics.

Salmonella typhimurium phage type 170 in a tertiary paediatric hospital with person-to-person transmission implicated.

Nosocomially-acquired salmonellosis is uncommonly reported in Australia. We report a cluster of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 170 (STm 170) centred on a tertiary paediatric hospital in Sydney, New South Wales from 8 to 19 May 2004. A total of 12 children had STm 170 isolated from faecal specimens.