Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in Indian Expatriate Children in Dubai: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study.

Background Childhood obesity is one of the most prevalent nutritional disorders affecting children across the world, which further leads to diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and fatty liver disease in adulthood. The magnitude of this problem among Indian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not been investigated before. This study delves into the prevalence of childhood obesity among this demographic and also provides a comparative analysis of the prevalence of obesity in UAE citizens and children in India.

Utility of dengue NS1 antigen rapid diagnostic test for use in difficult to reach areas and its comparison with dengue NS1 ELISA and qRT-PCR.

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the utility of dengue virus (DENV) non structural protein 1 (NS1) based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for use in tribal and difficult to reach areas for early dengue (DEN) diagnosis in acute phase patients and evaluate its sensitivity and specificity against DENV NS1 enzyme linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) and real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The DENV NS1 RDT was used for preliminary diagnosis during outbreaks in difficult to reach rural and tribal areas. The diagnosis was confirmed by DENV NS1 ELISA in the laboratory.

Factors associated with utilization of antenatal care services among tribal women: A study of selected States.

Background & Objectives: Despite various efforts by the Government of India, utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services continues to be low among women from rural areas particularly those belonging to the Scheduled Tribes. The present study was undertaken to examine the factors associated with the utilization of ANC services among women in four States including Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh which constitute a good share of tribal population of the country.

Methods: Data from third round of District Level Household and Facility Survey, 2007-08 (DLHS-3) have been used.

Strategies & recent development of transmission-blocking vaccines against .

Transmission blocking malaria vaccines are aimed to block the development and maturity of sexual stages of parasite within mosquitoes. The vaccine candidate antigens (Pfs25, Pfs48/45, Pfs230) that have shown transmission blocking immunity in model systems are in different stages of development. These antigens are immunogenic with limited genetic diversity.

Mapping is a prerequisite for elimination of filariasis and effective targeting of filarial 'hot spots'.

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of filarial infection in the districts of Madhya Pradesh, which were classified as non-endemic by the national program for control of filariasis. These districts showed evidence of clinical symptoms related to filariasis. To confirm the presence of filariasis, night blood surveys and entomological surveys were carried out to detect microfilaria in humans and filarial infection in vectors.

Health literacy on tuberculosis amongst vulnerable segment of population: special reference to Saharia tribe in central India.

Background & Objectives: Health literacy on tuberculosis (TB) is an understanding about TB to perform activities with regard to prevention, diagnosis and treatment. We undertook a study to assess the health literacy on TB among one of the vulnerable tribal groups (Saharia) in central India.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2721 individuals aged >15 yr from two districts of Madhya Pradesh State of India were interviewed at their residence during December 2012-July 2013.

Situation of drug resistant tuberculosis in Saharia tribe of central India.

Background & Objectives: The information on multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) situation amongst Saharia, one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Madhya Pradesh, India, is not available. Hence, this study was undertaken to find the situation of MDR-TB amongst Saharia PVTG in two districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Methods: Community based cross-sectional TB prevalence surveys were conducted among Saharia PVTG in Gwalior and Shivpuri districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Pulmonary tuberculosis - a health problem amongst Saharia tribe in Madhya Pradesh.

Background & Objectives: The information on tuberculosis (TB) situation amongst Saharia, one of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) in Madhya Pradesh, is not available from Gwalior division of the s0 tate. Hence, this study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) disease amongst them.

Methods: A community based cross-sectional TB prevalence survey was undertaken among Saharia PVTG in Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh.

Performance of Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) in tribal areas in India.

Background & Objectives: The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) provides free diagnostic and treatment services to all tuberculosis (TB) patients registered under it. Equitable access, implying a preference for the most hard-to-reach groups particularly for tribal areas, is a major concern for RNTCP. This study was conducted to assess the performance of RNTCP in terms of case detection and cure rates in areas dominated by tribal groups in India.

Emergence of dengue in tribal villages of Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Background & Objectives: Dengue (DEN) is a rapidly spreading arboviral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Although it is endemic in India, dengue virus (DENV) infection has not been reported from tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh. Investigations were conducted to establish the aetiology of sudden upsurge of cases with febrile illness in June 2013 from tribal villages of Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, India.

Establishing communication mechanism for malaria prevention in Baiga tribal villages in Baiga Chak area of Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh.

Background & Objectives: Malaria is a serious public health concern in several parts of India, particularly in tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh (MP). Dindori district inhabitated by Baiga tribe, contributes about 15 per cent to the total malaria burden in MP. The tribal and other local inhabitants believe in magico-religious treatment of malaria and use modern health facilities only as second line of treatment.

Malaria situation in India with special reference to tribal areas.

Background & Objectives: In India, malaria is a major public health problem in States having predominantly tribal population. The objective of this analysis was to find out the incidence of malaria in various States/districts having varied proportions of tribal population using National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) data.

Methods: States and districts were classified into three categories based on proportions of Scheduled Tribes (ST) population as <10, 10-29.