Developing and assessing the "MultiLife" intervention: a mobile health-based lifestyle toolkit for cardiometabolic multimorbidity in diabetes and hypertension management - a type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial protocol.

Background: Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM), characterized by the coexistence of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, poses a major health challenge in India, particularly in rural areas with limited healthcare resources. Lifestyle interventions can manage cardiometabolic risk factors, yet adherence remains suboptimal. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer a scalable approach for managing CMM by promoting behaviour change and medication adherence.

Differential Gene Expression and Transcriptomics Reveal High M-Gene Expression in JN.1 and KP.1/2 Omicron Sub-Variants of SARS-CoV-2: Implications for Developing More Sensitive Diagnostic Tests.

SARS-CoV-2, a positive-strand RNA virus, utilizes both genomic replication and subgenomic mRNA transcription. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) from clinical samples can estimate viral gene expression levels. WGS was conducted on 529 SARS-CoV-2 positive clinical samples from Assam and northeastern India to track viral emergence and assess gene expression patterns.

Developing a digital data platform for surveillance of food and water-borne pathogens in North East India: insight for public health advocacy.

Robust digital infrastructure is vital and the need of the hour, especially in the healthcare sector, for real-time data generation, analysis, and quick decision-making. Food- and water-borne illnesses represent a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. India, a developing nation with diverse cultures and food practices, poses a high risk of food-borne diseases and outbreaks, yet is often underreported and ineffectively researched.

Comprehending the risk of foodborne and waterborne disease outbreaks: Current situation and control measures with Special reference to the Indian Scenario.

Background: Foodborne and waterborne diseases and outbreaks are a neglected public health issue worldwide. In developing countries, diarrheal disease caused by foodborne and waterborne infections is a major cause of ill health. There is a lack of information on foodborne pathogens, their transmission routes, outbreaks, and related mortalities, due to the absence of a robust disease surveillance system and adequately equipped laboratories.

Operational feasibility and multi-centric evaluation of 'TB sputum microscopy kit' for the direct detection of in field settings.

Background: India relies primarily on direct smear microscopy for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. However, the low sensitivity of smear microscopy emphasizes the need to improve its performance. We recently described the development of 'TB' kit which showed improved performance over direct smear microscopy at National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) in India.

An outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis due to Coxsackievirus A24 in a residential school, Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh: July 2023.

Purpose: An acute conjunctivitis outbreak was investigated at a residential school in Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India, in July 2023. We aimed to identify the etiological agent and assess any complications in follow-up cases.

Methods: We used a structured questionnaire to record clinical findings and followed up with cases one-month post-conjunctivitis.

Evidence on the prevalence of emerging and re-emerging tick- and flea-borne rickettsial agents in acute encephalitis syndrome endemic areas of northeast Uttar Pradesh, India.

Outbreaks of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) with unknown aetiology are reported every year in Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India, and Orientia tsutsugamushi, the rickettsial pathogen, responsible for scrub typhus has been attributed as the primary cause of AES problem. However, information on the prevalence of other rickettsial infections is lacking. Hence, this study was carried out to assess any occurrence of tick- and flea-borne rickettsial agents in villages reporting AES cases in this district.

First Report of Rubber Collection Bowls & Plastic and Bamboo Water Containers as the Major Breeding Source of with the Indigenous Transmission of Dengue and Chikungunya in Rural Forested Malaria-Endemic Villages of Dhalai District, Tripura, India: The Importance of Molecular Identification.

Background: With the reports of indigenous cases of dengue and chikungunya in the forest-covered rural tribal malaria-endemic villages of Dhalai District, Tripura, India, an exploratory study was undertaken to identify the vector breeding sites.

Methods: From June 2021 to August 2022, mosquito larvae were collected from both natural and artificial sources in the villages, house premises, and their nearby forested areas outside of the houses. Other than morphological characterisation, species were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction targeting both nuclear (ITS2) and mitochondrial genes (COI) followed by bidirectional Sanger sequencing.

Dealing with infodemic during COVID-19 pandemic: Role of effective health communication in facilitating outbreak response & actions - An ICMR experience.

Objectives: To highlight and assess the impact of intervention tools used by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) against COVID19 associated infodemic in the world's largest democratic country, India.

Study Design: It is a retrospective cross sectional study. The impact of ICMR's multi-pronged strategy to address the infodemic during pandemic has been assessed through analysis of print media reportage and social media engagements.

Omicron BA.2 lineage predominance in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 positive cases during the third wave in North India.

Background: Recent studies on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reveal that Omicron variant BA.1 and sub-lineages have revived the concern over resistance to antiviral drugs and vaccine-induced immunity. The present study aims to analyze the clinical profile and genome characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 variant in eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP), North India.

Reply to Deora et al. Multiplexing for spp.? Think Again! Comment on "Bhowmick et al. Dry Post Wintertime Mass Surveillance Unearths a Huge Burden of , and Mixed Infection with , a Threat to Malaria Elimination, in Dhalai, Tripura, India. 2021, , 1259".

We thank Deora et al. [..

Health Seeking Behaviour and Healthcare Utilization in a Rural Cohort of North India.

Background: The healthcare infrastructure of a country determines the health-seeking behaviour of the population. In developing countries such as India, there is a great disparity in the distribution of healthcare institutions across urban and rural areas with disadvantages for people living in rural areas.

Objectives: Our objectives were to study the health-seeking behavior and factors associated with the use of formal healthcare among the Gorakhpur Health and Demographic Surveillance System (GHDSS) cohort of North India.

Molecular detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi strains circulating in Nagaland.

The antigenic heterogeneity of Orientia in India is still unknown in many disease endemic areas. The present study aims to characterize the strains of O. tsutsugamushi circulating in Nagaland, Northeast India.

Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Health Expenditures of Noncommunicable Disease Multimorbidity-Findings From Gorakhpur Health and Demographic Surveillance System.

Background: Noncommunicable disease (NCD) multimorbidity throws a unique challenge to healthcare systems globally in terms of not only management of disease, but also familial, social, and economic implications associated with it.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of NCD multimorbidity and its associated risk factors along with health expenditures among adults (≥18 years) living in a rural area.

Methods: A secondary data analysis of the first-round survey done as part of the Gorakhpur Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (GHDSS) was done.

Immune responses against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 including Omicron following 6 months of administration of heterologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccine.

Comparative analysis at one- and six-months post-vaccination showed modest reduction in S1-RBD IgG antibody and NAb titers against B.1, Alpha, Beta and Delta variants in heterologous and homologous vaccine recipients groups. However, significant reduction in NAb titers against Omicron in vaccinees’ sera post-six months underlines need for cautious prospective follow-up.