In 2001, Gottfried Hirnschall joined the WHO to work on the global response to HIV/AIDs, 18 years later he just retired as the director of WHO’s department for HIV and Hepatitis. The intervening period, almost half the time we’ve been aware of the disease the fight against the infection has been characterised by scientific breakthroughs, and...

Francine Ratner Kaufman
Oct 1, 2002; 20:
President's Pen

George A. Bray
Apr 1, 2014; 37:950-956
Current Concepts of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention

George A. Bray
Apr 1, 2014; 37:950-956
Current Concepts of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention

Intensive farming, characterized by the overuse of antibiotics, large numbers of animals and limited genetic diversity, increases the odds of animal pathogens making the jump to humans and triggering an epidemic.

Designer drugs -- Fentanyl.

Breslau : E. Morgenstern, 1882.

Leipzig : F. Deuticke, 1908.

[London] : printed by C. and J. Adlard, [1843]

Boston : Wright & Potter Printing Co, 1898.

London : Swan Sonnenschein, 1898.

Edinburgh : Oliver & Boyd, 1862.

Edinburgh : Young J. Pentland, 1895.

London : J. & A. Churchill, 1873.

London : Bailliere, Tindall and Cox, 1884.

Achillefs Tzioufas.

Source: Brazilian Journal of Probability and Statistics, Volume 33, Number 3, 674--684.

Abstract:
The epidemic process on a graph is considered for which infectious contacts occur at rate which depends on whether a susceptible is infected for the first time or not. We show that the Vasershtein coupling extends if and only if secondary infections occur at rate which is greater than that of initial ones. Nonetheless we show that, with respect to the probability of occurrence of an infinite epidemic, the said proviso may be dropped regarding the totally asymmetric process in one dimension, thus settling in the affirmative this special case of the conjecture for arbitrary graphs due to [ Ann. Appl. Probab. 13 (2003) 669–690].

Muteb Alharthi, Theodore Kypraios, Philip D. O’Neill.

Source: Bayesian Analysis, Volume 14, Number 3, 927--956.

Abstract:
We consider the problem of model choice for stochastic epidemic models given partial observation of a disease outbreak through time. Our main focus is on the use of Bayes factors. Although Bayes factors have appeared in the epidemic modelling literature before, they can be hard to compute and little attention has been given to fundamental questions concerning their utility. In this paper we derive analytic expressions for Bayes factors given complete observation through time, which suggest practical guidelines for model choice problems. We adapt the power posterior method for computing Bayes factors so as to account for missing data and apply this approach to partially observed epidemics. For comparison, we also explore the use of a deviance information criterion for missing data scenarios. The methods are illustrated via examples involving both simulated and real data.

Far-right groups and individuals in the United States are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to promote disinformation, hate, extremism and authoritarianism. "COVID-19 has been seized by far-right groups as an opportunity to call for extreme violence," states a report from ISD, based on a combination of natural language processing, network analysis and ethnographic online research.

A museum director looks to the past to explain why 'Aloha' is as necessary as ever

Why won’t Republicans help Americans losing their jobs?

It is thought that vaccination coverage increases during and immediately after an infectious disease epidemic; however, little evidence exists to support this phenomenon.

The 2011 to 2012 pertussis epidemic did not significantly change the proportion of infants in Washington State who were up to date for pertussis-containing vaccines. This finding may challenge conventional wisdom that vaccine acceptance uniformly increases when risk of disease is high. (Read the full article)

Although opioid pain relievers are commonly prescribed in pregnancy, their association with neonatal outcomes is not well described. Further, factors associated with development of neonatal abstinence syndrome, a neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome is inadequately understood.

Prescription opioid use in pregnancy is common and strongly associated with neonatal complications. Antenatal cumulative prescription opioid exposure, opioid type, tobacco use, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use increase the risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome. (Read the full article)

Although waning immunity with the childhood pertussis vaccination series has been reported, there are limited data on duration of protection of the adolescent pertussis vaccine (Tdap), especially among those who have received only acellular vaccines.

This study reports that protection from Tdap wanes substantially 2 to 4 years after vaccination among adolescents who received all acellular vaccines during childhood. This waning protection is likely contributing to the increase in adolescent pertussis. (Read the full article)

I was recently honored to share the stage with government and medical leaders to discuss ways to impact the nation’s opioid epidemic. Hosted by The Washington Post, this event included often spirited conversations on ways to solve this national crisis. As the medical director for SAS US Government, I have [...]

The post Washington Post, new SAS user group, highlight need to collaborate on opioid epidemic appeared first on Government Data Connection.

For some time Wuhan in China and Lombardy in Italy were epicentres of the COVID-19 virus, something that has changed when the contagion is spreading fast in the US. A Lombardy in the grip of a deadly epidemic might among several Italians give rise to memories of their school days. For almost a century, Alessando […]

The post Public Health and Epidemics appeared first on Inter Press Service.

ISLAMABAD: All sections of Chinese society are generously supporting Pakistan, donating medical supplies and funds, sharing experience of anti-epidemic and dispatching medical experts to overcome COVID-19 virous.According to Gwadar Pro, in recent fortnight, Chinese government and the people,...

PARIS: A host of state intelligence services warned early of a new coronavirus with the potential to wreak havoc worldwide, yet many governments failed to heed the warnings — a mistake that experts say they are unlikely to make again.The scramble to contain the outbreak has underscored for...

Countries can minimize the economic risk of epidemics by investing in the tools needed to predict disease emergence.

Title: Zika Epidemic in U.S. Could Be a Costly Scenario
Category: Health News
Created: 5/3/2017 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/4/2017 12:00:00 AM

The peak of the UK coronavirus epidemic now looks likely to arrive within the next month, according to analysis by the government’s science advisers

The DRC’s Ebola epidemic will be declared over on 12 April but there’s little time to celebrate as the country pivots towards tackling the coronavirus

Past public health crises inspired innovations in infrastructure, education, fundraising and civic debate

An American doctor operating out of Philadelphia made clinical observations that where patients lived, not how they lived, was at the root of the problem

The World Health Organisation's chief has warned that most countries are still in the early stages of their coronavirus epidemics and others are starting to see a resurgence in cases.

Mike Pence has said the White House believes the coronavirus epidemic in US could be "largely in the past" by this summer.

Plague Inc. is an app and online game in which users play the role of a disease set on infecting the world with a pathogen.

Experts have long been concerned about loneliness in America

France reported 56,989 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, and the country's death toll is the fourth highest in the world at 4032.

A major health agency fears a humanitarian crisis. Migrant workers are returning home from the hard-hit Dominican Republic. Medical equipment is in short supply. And social distancing is improbable.

The number of daily new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus are finally declining in China. But the number is increasing in the rest of the world, from South Korea to Iran to Italy. However the epidemic unfolds—even if it is soon brought under control globally—it is likely to do much more economic damage than policymakers…

Today, the Brown Center on Education Policy is releasing a new report on one of the unexplored effects of the opioid crisis: the link between the opioid epidemic and the educational outcomes of children in hard-hit areas. Written by Rajeev Darolia and John Tyler, the report suggests a need to be aware of the potentially…

Dr. David Katz argues that poor nutrition is a greater threat than the coronavirus, but we think both are concerning.

Tim McGraw wants to hear from you!

Tim McGraw wants to hear from you!

Russia is now the world's fifth-most infected country with more than 187,800 cases, surpassing Germany and France, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and RFI, the president of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, discussed the Covid-19 pandemic in his country, as well as a controversial treatment developed in Madagascar that the Republic of Congo plans to use. He also talked about the economic consequences of the health crisis and asked for up to "$500 million" in aid from the IMF. Finally, he ruled out the release of two jailed political opponents, Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and André Okombi Salissa, on health and humanitarian grounds.

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Monday re-imagined India for the "post-COVID world" and suggested measures across different sectors, including an "epidemic preparedness budget" for the health sector.

"While there are concerns, it's worth praising how this crisis is setting a precedent with state governments coming together and co-operating with each other as well as with the Centre. I sincerely hope this becomes a norm and help overcome perennial battles like the water crisis, pollution, migrants' woes, women's safety, communal violence, healthcare etc," Haasan said on his Twitter account.

"The last full-scale war India fought was almost half a century ago, but poor healthcare is an everyday war leading to 1.6 million deaths annually. Yet, year after year our Defence budget overshadows the healthcare budget," Haasan stated and added that it's a "pity that India continues seeing Defence as a more newsworthy proposition compared to healthcare".

He suggested that India needs to earmark an "epidemic preparedness budget with immediate effect".

"We are under threat a lot more from within than from outside our borders. Our priority towards Health needs to be reimagined with a handsome budget to match," Haasan said.

The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) President later went on to talk about the Agriculture sector and said that India requires a 'Green Plus' revolution that firstly converts part of our agricultural land for an allied enterprise like processing, logistics, etc.

"Secondly, we need to accelerate productivity maximization on a war footing. Boosting agro based MSMEs will help retain youth in the sector and build a sustainable and prosperous future for farming. This will also solve the problem of seasonal lack of work for farmers," Haasan said.

He also suggested bringing India's vast informal sector into the formal fold.

"Bringing India's informal workers under the formal fold must become the biggest national exercise that the government needs to undertake in the near future. Other than boosting the morale of this segment and paving way for its growth, it will also mean enhanced tax collection, a lot of which can be ploughed back to improve infrastructure and offer welfare to the same workers," Haasan said.

"There is also a need to change our outlook towards the vast majority of women who toil their lives away under the status of 'housewife'. Women engaging in housework must be accorded job status. They have little or no savings and a Universal Income Guarantee will give a boost to their savings. Savings always help during any kind of crisis," he added.

Haasan even suggested correction in income inequality and poverty alleviation.

He added, "COVID-19 has shown us that poverty still remains India's most critical challenge. In a crisis, the rich will take a hit but they will not starve to death. Our leaders must learn to integrate the poor man's life in how they plan the running of the country. Relief measures are mere afterthoughts."

In conclusion, Haasan said, "It's time we reinvent the word superpower, India's pipe dream for decades. Let's be a universal thought leader, to put it in parlance a Vishwa-Guru and for all the right reasons."

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