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Abstract: Introduction: Leprosy is a chronic disease that attacks the peripheral nerves, skin and other body tissues. A leprosy reaction is an acute episode in which leprosy occurs as a result of sudden changes in the immune system. Leprosy reactions can occur before, during, and after treatment. In type I leprosy reactions, it is very important to recognize and treat appropriately, otherwise there can be rapid and extensive nerve damage while in mild type II reactions, it can disappear immediately but severe type II reactions can persist for years. Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the influence of the determinant factors of leprosy reactions based on Biological, and Psychological reactions in leprosy patients at Naob Hospital, TTU Regency. Material and Methods: This type of research is analytic survey research with cross sectional design. The population in this study was people with leprosy who experienced reactions of leprosy types I and II with a total of 65 people with leprosy. This study uses a total sampling technique, namely sampling in which the number of samples is the same as the population which is 65 people. The data analysis included univariate and bivariate with chi-square test and multivariate with logistic regression test. Results: The results showed that there was a relationship between biological reactions (Type of Leprosy, Duration of Illness and Disability), and there was a significant relationship between psychological reactions (Stress) with the incidence of leprosy reactions in the patients at Naob Hospital, TTU Regency with p-value<α (0.05). Simultaneously, the independent variable (Type of Leprosy, Duration of Illness, Disability and Stress) had an effect of 55% on the dependent variable (Leprosy Reaction) in leprosy patients at Naob Hospital, TTU Regency. The most influential independent variable is duration of illness.

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Abstract: Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which affects the lungs most of all. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) shows resistance to Isoniazid and Rifampicin both of which are the first-line anti-TB drugs. This is one of the critical health concerns all over the world and MDR-TB represents a major threat to control of the disease worldwide because of its high mortality and limited treatment therapy. Methodology: The present study was designed to determine the spread of MDR-TB in Gujrat, Punjab Pakistan. A total of 300 sputum samples were collected from suspected patients at Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital, Gujrat. All the information regarding patients and their previous history of infection was collected through a predesigned questionnaire. After collection all the sputum samples were directly screened for acid fast bacilli through Z-N and Fluorescent staining. Molecular confirmation of MDR-TB was done by Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF assay. Results: Out of 300 samples 167(55.7%) were male and 133(44.3%) were females among those 149 were new patients and 49 were previously treated patients. ZN staining reveled 153 (51.0%) positive cases and mostly (n=60; 39.2%) were found in 21-40 years age. Moreover, 199 (66.3%) cases were positive for MTB by fluorescent staining and mostly (n=76; 38%) were observed in 21-40years age group. However, 214 (71.3%) MTB cases were identified by Gene-Xpert and among these, 25 (8.3%) were MDR-TB. Out of 25 cases 18 (72%) were females and 07 (28%) were male patients. Conclusion: There was high prevalence of MTB (71.3%) and MDR-TB (8.3%) in clinical setting of Gujrat. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to conduct surveillance study to overcome this problem.

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Abstract: On 11 March 2020, WHO declared Covid 19 as a pandemic? RTPCR, the gold standard test for diagnosis of COVID 19 has false negatives due to low viral load and inappropriate sample collection. Therefore, antibody tests are the alternative. This study is conducted to identify sociodemographic patterns and to measure seroprevalence of IgM antibodies against SARS-COV-2 among sanitation workers. A cross - sectional study was conducted during August 2020 -September 2020 among sanitation workers employed in Government General Hospital, Kurnool. After obtaining IEC clearance, informed consent was obtained from 151 participants and study was conducted using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire and Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) test with cut off value for IgM antibodies of 10 AU/ml. The data was analysed using MS Excel 2016. Out of 151 participants, 59.6% were males. Majority (46.4%) were 31 to 40 yrs of age and 25.8% were illiterates. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (12.6%) in the study population. Overall seroprevalence was found to be 6.6%, among females 8.2%, among study subjects aged more than 60 yrs it was found to be 33.3% and in those with Hypertension 15.8%. Out of those who turned out to be positive for antibodies, 100% were asymptomatic. After six months of emergence of first case, seroprevalence is only 6.62% indicating majority are still susceptible to Covid 19 infection. Among those positive for antibodies, 100% were asymptomatic, hence a need for periodic serological surveys among sanitation workers.

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Abstract: Covid-19 pandemic has a great psychosocial impact on society, due to fear of infection and disturbed the economy of the people. The aim of the study is to assess the psychosocial and economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic among sanitation workers of a tertiary care hospital. A cross sectional study was carried out from August 2020 to September 2020 at Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool. In previous studies, 75% of study subjects responded that Covid-19 has a serious psychosocial and economic impact. Considering prevalence of 75% and 20% of allowable error, sample size arrived at is 33.4, using the formula 4pq/l2. Out of 100 sanitation workers of one outsourcing agency, 30 workers who fulfilled inclusion criteria of one year work experience and with at least one school going child, were selected by simple random sampling. IEC clearance, permission from the work supervisor and informed consent from the study subjects was obtained. Data collected using a semi structured questionnaire was analysed using MS Excel-2016 version. Majority were in the age group of 31-40 years (63.33%). Most of them were females (90%), 50 % were literates. Decreased family income was noticed among 60% of study subjects and decrease in savings among 76.6%. 70% had fear of sickness and 73.33% responded that their children’s education was affected. Assurance of job security and social security measures at the work place would help these workers during such pandemics.

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Abstract: Infectious hepatitis b virus (HBV), currently a common disease of the world is entangling over two billion susceptible individuals intimated with ≥ 400 million chronicity cases. HBV induces higher mortality, morbidity, financial burden, constituting major global health threat to any human race. Previous studies hinted that high prevalence of HBV infections in Ghana, negatively affect individuals and communities at large. This timely case study purposively cross-examined the impact of HBV on individual patients and community as a whole at the Ejura-Sekyedumasi district hospital. The designed survey involved 36 randomly selected HBV infected patients been pooled from hospital records to willingly offer information under purposive sampling technique using already pretested questionnaires that scored ≥ 95% veridicality. The findings revealed deleterious effects of HBV by juxtaposing percentage infection, morbidity, debilitation rates on the reduced living standards among patients which specifically engrossed: obnoxious stigmatization (50-61.1%); inability to [afford three square meals (≥ 55.6%); pay utility bills (≥ 69.4%); save money (≥ 80.6%); pay medical bills (≥ 58.4%)]; risk of dismissal from work (≥ 61.1%); poor relationships and neglect (41.7% and 13.9%); ineffective participation in community functions (≥ 58.3%); and fear of cross infection (≥ 94.4%). The study recommends joint actions of religious bodies, healthcare service providers, public health education advocates elucidating causes, effects, early screening and vaccination interventions against HBV. State media institutions should be educating communities on proper management of HBV while reproaching neglect and stigmatisation, projecting pre-marital counselling or screening to counteract the disease.

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Six bacteria species, associated with raw milk contamination were comparatively assessed in rural-peri urban case study using standard laboratory microscopy. Entirely 80 milk samples, ~ 500ml were screened from Mampong Zongo and Daaho peri urban cattle husbandry communities within the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Bacterial spots discovered in the milk for relative contamination (cfu/ml) at dilution factor of 105 were: 208 (12.76), 28 (12.62), 263 (5.98), 217 (14.39), 163.5 (3.65) and 34.3 (3.27), respectively for total bacteria count, E. coli, Staphylococcus; Bacillus; Clostridium and Salmonella species. The microbial isolates were comparatively not significant (P-values > 0.05) although; Bacillus spp. predominated milk at both farms. The unhygienic traits of milk handlers contributed to cross contamination, predisposing consumers to high risks of bacterial infections. Farmers training on hygienic habits could urgently promote higher food chain safety standards. Environmental Health Departments have a major role on food hygiene public education during routine nutrition action plans in these peri urban communities. Food and Drugs Authority in Ghana need to perform routine quality assessment of local milk products to control pathogenic infections.

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COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2, first emerged in Wuhan, China, on December 2019. Subsequently, it has spread rapidly around the globe with severe public health burden. The authentic epidemiological information is important to guide public health decision-making. However, epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh have not well documented. In this critical situation, we aimed to accumulate the epidemiological features of COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh. All the information of COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh were accumulated from national and international sources as of June 24, 2020. Extracted data were categorized according to potential epidemiologic parameters. A total of 1,22,660 confirmed cases and 49,666 recoveries were recorded until 24 June 2020 in Bangladesh. Among the confirmed cases a total of 1,582 deaths have confirmed with overall case fatality rate of 1.30%. In the regional distribution of COVID-19 infection, the highest magnitude of confirmed cases (56.20%) and deaths (77.20%) was observed in Dhaka division. Among the age groups of COVID-19 patients, ≥60 years group (39%) was severely fatal than young patients, whereas young individuals of 20-39 years were highly infected (55%). Regardless of age, a total of 70% cases with 72% fatality in males and 30% cases with 28% deaths were observed in females. A significant number of cases and deaths were also reported in different professionals of COVID-19 front-liners. COVID-19 has spread countrywide rapidly among all age and sex groups. Older with high comorbidities and male COVID-19 patients are at the higher risk of fatality in Bangladesh.