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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Comparison of vector competence for West Nile virus of colonized populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus from southern Asia and the Far East.

Seven colonized stocks of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus from different geographic areas of Southern Asia and the Far East were assayed for susceptibility to WN virus infection by membrane feeding and by intrathoracic inoculation. Infected females also were tested for their ability to transmit virus to baby mice. No geographic pattern of differential susceptibility to WN virus infection was apparent from the experiments; however, the per os ID50 of one strain from Khulna, Bangladesh was over 10-fold greater than the ID50's of stocks from Karachi, Pakistan and Sendai, Japan. No difference in susceptibility was found by parenteral inoculation of virus. Likewise, greater than or equal to 90% of infected females from all the colonies were able to transmit virus.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Phylogeography and molecular evolution of Newcastle disease virus across a century of global surveillance.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) remains one of the most economically important avian pathogens worldwide, causing recurrent outbreaks in poultry despite decades of vaccination and disease control efforts. Since the first reported outbreak of NDV a hundred years ago, numerous molecular epidemiological studies have been conducted globally across diverse geographic and production settings. Following a century of NDV circulation and evolution, the present study aimed to compile all publicly available NDV sequence data and perform a comprehensive global analysis of the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationship, and global spatiotemporal distribution of NDV over a 100-year timescale. All publicly available NDV complete genome and full-length fusion (F) gene sequences were retrieved from GenBank up to February 2026. Following rigorous quality control, phylogenetic analyses were performed based on complete genomes and F gene datasets. Phylogenetic analysis identified two genotypes within Class I and 20 genotypes within Class II NDVs, with extensive diversification at the sub-genotype level. Genotype XIII exhibited the greatest sub-genotypic diversity, while genotype VII represented the most globally disseminated genotype, reported across 36 countries. Chronological assessment based on the earliest available reports indicated an increasing number of recognized genotypes from the 1930s to recently described sub-genotypes such as XIII.2.3 and XXII.2.2. Regional diversity analysis revealed the highest genotype diversity in Western Africa, Eastern Asia, and Southern Asia. Comparative residue analysis demonstrated substantial genotype-specific variation within critical functional domains of the fusion protein, including cleavage sites, neutralizing epitopes, and heptad repeat regions. Overall, this study provides the first comprehensive 100-year global overview of NDV evolution and phylogeography. The findings highlight continuous viral diversification, broad geographic dissemination of multiple genotypes, and ongoing molecular variation, emphasizing the need for sustained genomic surveillance and periodic evaluation of vaccine compatibility with emerging NDV genotypes.

100-years of data↗
PubMed2026

Adolescent health across Asia Pacific, 2000-23: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023.

BACKGROUND: The Asia Pacific region is home to more than half of the world's 1·93 billion adolescents (aged 10-24 years). Addressing adolescent health in this region is of global importance, but to date a systematic analysis of key contributors to disease in adolescents has not been done, which is a barrier to responsive action. This systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2023 aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of adolescent health across the Asia Pacific region, at both the subregional and national levels, encompassing burden of disease, mortality, and prevalence of adolescent risk factors. METHODS: As part of GBD 2023, we obtained estimates for cause-specific mortality, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and risk factor prevalence by sex for adolescents aged 10-24 years and 5-year age groups (10-14 years, 15-19 years, and 20-24 years) across 44 countries and territories (hereafter referred to collectively as Asia Pacific), grouped by seven UN subregions, from 2000 to 2023. We extracted GBD 2023 population counts and estimates of number and rate (per 100 000 population) for mortality and disease burden (DALYs). Risk prevalence estimates were obtained directly from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and binge drinking estimates were sourced from WHO. Estimates are reported with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) where possible. UIs were estimated by running 250 draws of the posterior distribution, ordering the draws, and selecting the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles for each metric. FINDINGS: In 2023, in adolescents across Asia Pacific, there were 637 496 deaths and a total disease burden of 115·8 million DALYs, representing 34·1% of global adolescent deaths and 40·6% of the global adolescent burden of disease. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs; particularly mental disorders) were the leading causes of disease burden and mortality (64·8% of DALYs and 43·9% of deaths). Unintentional and transport injuries were also leading causes of death (14·7% of deaths due to transport injury and 13·3% of deaths due to unintentional injury) and leading causes of disease burden particularly among males in south-eastern Asia. In Melanesia, Micronesia, and some parts of south-eastern Asia (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste), respiratory infections and tuberculosis remained important contributors. Southern Asia had the largest reduction (1·5% per year) in all-cause DALYs over the study period, and Australia and New Zealand (0·2% per year) had the smallest, with females in Australia and New Zealand showing a slight increase contrary to regional trends. Eastern Asia had the largest reduction (2·8% per year) in all-cause mortality rate and Melanesia (0·8% per year) the smallest. Risk factors generally had between-subregion and within-subregion variation; however, some regional trends stood out, with overweight and obesity increasing in all countries across the region, and binge drinking increasing in more countries than not. In 2023, prevalence of smoking in males exceeded that in females in every country, from 40% difference in Timor-Leste to less than 1% difference in Australia. Anaemia prevalence is decreasing in all countries, but female prevalence was higher and reducing at a slower rate than in males. Bullying prevalence was slightly higher in Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia combined, Australia and New Zealand, and eastern Asia compared with southern and south-eastern Asian subregions. INTERPRETATION: Several patterns were consistent across the region: the dominance of mental disorders and NCDs, the universal rise in overweight and obesity (particularly high in Oceanic countries but increasing rapidly in south and south-eastern Asia), and persistent sex-specific challenges across subregions: unintentional injuries and smoking in males, and anaemia in females. Actions to tackle shared risk factors (while accounting for context-specific local health profiles, workforce deficits, cultural factors, and health system capacity) should not be forgone due to local variation. Future research could focus on subnational variation, intersecting inequalities, and multi-sectoral interventions targeting shared risk factors. Priority actions should include regional investment in adolescent mental health services and obesity prevention, targeted injury reduction strategies for high-risk populations, and sex-specific approaches to smoking cessation and anaemia reduction, delivered through local health systems with the capacity and cultural responsiveness to meet local needs. FUNDING: Gates Foundation and Australian Government.

Humans↗
PubMed1976

Brucellosis as a world problem.

Brucellosis is one of the most widespread and economically the most ravaging of zoonoses. The occurrence of the acute, often incapacitating infection in man caused by Brucella melitensis usually coincides with occurrence of the infection in sheep and goats. Well-known foci of this infection have been identified in the Mediterranean basin, Central Asia and Latin America. Recent investigations in parts of Africa and India have shown that the infection is much more widespread than was previously suspected and that more foci remain to be discovered by the application of laboratory methods in epidemiological investigations. Bovine infection has a wider distribution and is more important than infection of sheep and goats as far as economic losses are concerned. Although the infection has been reduced by control measures to a low level of incidence in some countries of Europe and North America, its incidence in other parts of the world has actually increased because of emphasis on increased animal production and aggregation under poor hygienic conditions. This is particularly the case with dairy production units which have developed around rapidly growing urban centres in many developing countries. Although human infection with B. abortus may be mild, it can cause troublesome and intractable illness. The economic ravages of bovine brucellosis are tremendous and the losses in Latin America and the USA alone have been estimated by their respective governments to be 700 million dollars annually. The world figure must be truly staggering. Swine brucellosis is largely a problem of the Americas although a few foci have recently been discovered in other parts of the world, notably in Europe and Southern Asia. In the Americas, swine infection is second only to bovine brucellosis in its economic importance. A large number of human cases of B. suis infection are detected every year in the endemic areas. Other forms of brucellosis, e.g. B. canis in dogs and B. suis, biotype 4 in reindeer, have a limited distribution and are responsible for only sporadic human infections. B. ovis of sheep is more widespread but is generally confined to sheep. Annexes 1 and 2 show the reported incidence of brucellosis in man and animals. However, the officially reported data are generally incomplete and the actual incidence must in most cases be much higher than is shown in these tables. FAO and WHO have been assisting countries in which brucellosis is endemic by organizing control measures, providing training and reference materials, and by focusing coordinated research on problems which arise in these programmes. Some of the highlights of this work are outlined in the following paragraphs.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Pharmacokinetics of norethindrone in Indian Women.

Pharmacokinetics of norethindrone (NET) was evaluated in eleven women belonging to a low socio-economic group and in five womem belonging to the high socio-economic group after the administration of an oral dose of 0.35 mg NET minipill on an empty stomach. Blood samples were collected at different intervals of time over a period of 24 hours. Plasma NET was estimated by radioimmunoassay. In all women, peak levels of NET occurred within 1-2 hours and a semi-log plot of plasma NET levels showed a biexponential decline. The half-life of plasma NET clearance was relatively shorter in women of low socio-economic group with poor nutritional status as indicated by anthropometric indices, as compared to that in well nourished women of high socio-economic group. There was a significant positive correlation between weight/(height) 2x 100 index on the one hand and t1/2 (beta) on the other in all the women studied, thereby suggesting a role for nutritional status in the metabolic handling of NET.

Absorption↗
PubMed1976

The effect of D-norgestrel, 30 micrograms, on the oral glucose tolerance test, including insulin levels, in Thai women.

The effect of D-norgestrel, 30 mug, on the oral glucose tolerance test was studied in 49 Thai women. There was a significant elevation of the blood glucose level at 60 minutes during the test in women who had taken D-norgestrel for 6 and 12 months. Insulin levels in the blood were significantly elevated over control levels in both groups of women at 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes during the test. There was no difference in the results obtained at 6 months and 12 months. There was also no significant difference in the fasting blood glucose or insulin levels in the three groups of women. The results indicate that D-norestrel at a daily dose of 30 mug has an effect on carbohydrate metabolism in Thai women.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1979

Safety of postabortion sterilisation compared with interval sterilisation. A controlled study.

406 women--about one-fifth of those requesting an induced abortion and sterilisation over a thirty-three-month period--volunteered to be allocated randomly to either a concurrent induced-abortion/sterilisation group or a group which was sterilised six weeks after abortion. The abortion-attributable and sterilisation-attributable complication rates of 3.8% and 5.2%, respectively, for the concurrent group did not differ significantly from the 6.7% and 6.9% rates for the interval group. The estimated 2%-10% of women who would have changed their minds must be set against the 4% of women who became pregnant again before being sterilised. Efforts should be made to identify women likely to regret sterilisation.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed2026

Effectiveness of tobacco cessation interventions delivered in clinical settings in South Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the burden of tobacco use, access to cessation support in South Asia remains scarce. OBJECTIVE: This review evaluates the effectiveness of tobacco cessation interventions delivered in clinical settings in South Asia. METHODS: Five relevant databases were searched from inception to February 2025. Eligibility criteria included randomized and non-randomized studies evaluating behavioral, pharmacotherapy, and multicomponent interventions delivered in clinical settings in South Asia. Data on study setting and design, participant information, intervention, comparator, and outcomes were extracted. Meta-analyses using random-effect models were conducted where possible. Certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies were included (22 randomized and 15 non-randomized). Interventions involved pharmacotherapy (n = 6; 16.2%), nicotine replacement therapy (n = 7; 18.9%), behavioral counseling (n = 12; 32.4%), or combined/multicomponent interventions (n = 12; 32.4%). Most studies were conducted in India (n = 26; 70.3%), followed by Pakistan (n = 6; 16.2%), Nepal (n = 3; 8.1%), and two studies (5.4%) were multi-country in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Pooled analyses demonstrated higher quit rates among intervention versus control for continuous abstinence at 0-3 months (RR: 1.21, 95%CI: 1.06 to 1.37) and >3 months (RR: 1.68, 95%CI: 1.1.4 to 2.47), and for point abstinence at >3 months post-intervention (RR: 2.03, 95%CI:1.35 to 3.08). Heterogeneity was high for all analyses (I2 range: 94% to 97%). Combined behavioral and pharmacotherapy interventions were most effective (RR: 1.70, 95%CI: 0.98 to 2.92), although not statistically significant (p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: Tobacco cessation interventions delivered in clinical settings in South Asia are effective, particularly when combining behavioral support with pharmacotherapy. However, evidence is limited by methodological weaknesses.

Humans↗