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PubMed2005

Donor management in South-East Asia region (SEAR).

Quality management of a BTS starts with safe donor recruitment and donor care. In the South-East Asia region (SEAR) almost all countries except Thailand depend heavily on replacement of blood from relatives and friends. Most of these countries except Bangla Desh have ruled out the paid-donor system; however in the guise of replacement donation it still exists. Lack of resources, lack of professional management, myths and misconceptions arising from cultural and social differences form a barrier to blood donation. Most of the countries still do not have a National Blood Policy and/or a well planned blood programme. Besides recruitment, the donor screening and donor management are also not well addressed. The donors are mainly males of 20-35 years who come from the middle class of the society. Only 3-6 % of females donate blood. Most of the donors donate once in a lifetime as there is no emphasis on retention programmes. Only 5-10 % are repeat donors. The autologous transfusions are not widely practised. However, insistence on directed donors has increased. The prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections in the region is variable; HIV 0-1.6 %, HBV 0.06-8.5 %, HCV 1.2-3 %. Training of staff and volunteers involved in the programme has started. Countries such as India and Sri Lanka are introducing NBP and moving towards reorganisation of their blood programme. All countries have now realised a need for regulation and implementation of a quality system as well as increased their efforts towards donor recruitment and retention. To improve the safety of blood supply, all are trying to phase out the replacement system and move towards 100 % voluntary non- remunerated regular blood donation. The aim of the presentation is to highlight the problems encountered as well as strategies used in making adequate and safe blood available.

Asia, Southeastern↗
PubMed2005

Ternidens deminutus infection: first pathological report of a human case in Asia.

This is a report of Ternidens deminutus infection in a 33 year old Thai female who was admitted to the hospital because of abdominal pain and a right lower quadrant mass. Exploratory laparotomy revealed an omental mass with attached terminal ileum. Resection of the mass together with the terminal ileum and the right sided colon was performed. Pathologically, the omental mass was an abscess with an immature male Ternidens deminutus identified. The parasite usually is found in the intestine of primates in Africa and Asia. Human infection occurs when food contaminated with infective filariform larvae is ingested. The larvae molt in the intestinal wall and become adults. They pass eggs in feces. Eggs in contaminated soil hatch and become rhabditiform larvae and then infective filariform larvae.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Epidemiology and ecology of highly pathogenic avian influenza with particular emphasis on South East Asia.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been recognised as a serious viral disease of poultry since 1878. The number of recorded outbreaks of HPAI has increased globally in the past 10 years culminating in 2004 with the unprecedented outbreaks of H5N1 HPAI involving at least nine countries in East and South-East Asia. Apart from the geographical extent of these outbreaks and apparent rapid spread, this epidemic has a number of unique features, among which is the role that asymptomatic domestic waterfowl and more particularly free-ranging ducks play in the transmission of highly pathogenic H5N1. Field epidemiological studies have been conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization and several collaborative centres to explore the factors that could have led to a change from infection to the emergence of widespread disease in 2003-2004 and 2005. Domestic waterfowl, specific farming practices and agro-ecological environments have been identified to play a key role in the occurrence, maintenance and spread of HPAI. Although there are some questions that remain unanswered regarding the origins of the 2004 outbreaks, the current understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of the disease should now lead to the development of adapted targeted surveillance studies and control strategies.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

Setting-up a cost recovery system for the largest wastewater treatment plant in South-East Asia.

A tariff system has been set up for the largest wastewater treatment plant in South-East Asia, the Samut Prakarn Wastewater Treatment Plant south of Bangkok, which is currently under completion. Fully functional the plant will have a design capacity for 500,000 m3 per day and will service a combined residential and industrial area with approximately 600,000 residents and 2,300 factories. The tariff system, which includes a tariff model, is based on water consumption and BOD load. As background for setting the tariffs a comprehensive monitoring system including an industrial permitting system has been developed. The paper presents the background and rationale for setting up the system as well as the objective, scope and content of the tariff system and the industrial permit system. Further, the feasibility of introducing cost recovery systems, which is widely accepted in developing economies on the conceptual level and to some extent implemented at the legal and regulatory level, but has yet to be implemented at large, is discussed.

Asia, Southeastern↗
PubMed2005

Sub-regional dimensions of agricultural and environmental nitrogen: the case of Asia.

Asia embraces a wide range of cropping environments, largely related to the diversity of climate. To meet the high food requirements of a very large population (some 59% of the earth's total) large inputs of mineral N fertilizer are required (44.2 Tg N x yr(-1) in the mid 1990s). However, because of the low (20%-50%) overall efficiency of use of fertilizer N, sometimes coupled with heavy use in intensively-farmed areas (for example in parts of China), losses of fertilizer N from agricultural land are expected to be high. Part of the N lost is thought to cause pollution of the atmosphere and water resources. A sub-regional approach, based on the FAO Agroecological Zone (AEZ) concept, has the potential to provide meaningful assessments of the agricultural and environmental dimensions of N. The AEZ concept can also provide the rationale for locating Sub-regional Centers of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) by basing the considerations, as far as practicable, on agroecological conditions.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

[Numerical simulations of spatial and temporal characteristics of airborne dust over Asia during springs of 2000 to 2002].

Spatial and temporal characteristics of airborne dust over Asia during springs of 2000, 2001 and 2002 were simulated with a mineral dust entrainment and deposition model (DEAD) embedded in a global model of atmospheric transport and chemistry (MATCH) using the real-time meteorological data as forcing fields. The results show a good agreement of the pattern of model-simulated atmospheric dust concentration with the distribution of surface-observed spring dust storm frequency and a significant correlation between the simulated dust aerosol optical depth (DAOD) and satellite-observed aerosol index (AI). These results validate applicability of the integrated model in simulating dust entrainment, transportation and deposition and describing spatial and temporal characteristics of dust loading over the Asian continent. In addition, an attempt was made to explore possible paths of dust transportation by use of correlation analyses between the simulated dust emission flux (DEF) and DAOD.

Air Movements↗
PubMed2006

[Analysis of the hemochromatosis gene (HFE) mutations, C282Y and H63D, in the populations of Central Asia].

Analysis of the C282Y and H63D mutations in the HFE gene was carried out in 594 individuals representing seven indigenous populations of Central Asia. Among the populations examined, mutation C28Y was found in Uighurs with the frequency of 0.009, and in Kazakhs and Tajiks with the frequency of 0.012. The mutation was absent in Uzbeks, Kyrgyzes, Kurds, and Turkmens. Mutation H63D was detected in all populations studied with the frequencies ranging from 0.024 (Tajiks) to 0.139 (Turkmens). Judging by the frequencies of the mutations of interest, the populations examined occupied the intermediate position between the European and Eastern Asian populations, which corresponded to their geographical position.

Amino Acid Substitution↗
PubMed2006

Avian influenza: mini-review, European control measures and current situation in Asia.

Avian influenza (AI) is a highly contagious disease for birds, which can easily take epidemic proportions when appropriate and efficacious measures are not taken immediately. Influenza viruses can vary in pathogenicity from low to medium or highly pathogenic. A low pathogenic strain can become highly pathogenic by introduction of new mutations (insertions, deletions or substitutions) in the cleavage site of the haemagglutinin during circulation in chickens. Up till now only H5 and H7 strains gave rise to highly pathogenic strains in this manner. At present the avian H5N1 influenza virus is endemic in Southeast Asia (47) and is expanding westward. In addition, its virulence is extremely higher than other HPAI, like H7N7. Moreover, the avian host range is expanding, as species previously considered resistant, now get infected and can contribute to the dissemination of the virus. In the context of H5N1, all movements (trade, high international mobility, migration and smuggling) can become high risk factors of spreading the disease. In most European countries eradication measures are applied when an outbreak occurs. But such measures have great economical and social implications, and are no longer generally accepted. The combination of prophylactic measures (vaccination and medicines), hygienic measures and surveillance could offer an acceptable alternative.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Epidemiology and health impact of obesity: an Asia Pacific perspective.

The Asia-Pacific region contributes more than half the world population and includes some of the world richest and most developed countries alongside some of the world's poorest and least developed countries. Despite persisting levels of underweight in some countries, overweight and obesity have become a major public health concern for almost the entire region. Official levels of obesity ranges from over 80 % of the entire adult population of some Pacific nations to less than 3 % in the Philippines. There remains much debate about the most appropriate BMI cut points to define the overweight and obesity in Asian populations and thus the true levels of obesity are likely to higher in most Asian countries. The causes of this rapid increase in overweight within the region are likely to be complex. However, rapid development leading to a shift away from traditional diets to an eating pattern containing more high fat, high energy foods and drinks together with a significant reduction in physical activity through shifts in occupational and recreational patterns is likely to be major contributors to the problem. This weight gain has been associated with an epidemic of chronic diseases such diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers which is threatening to overwhelm the health care systems of less developed countries and results in an enormous, health, social and economic burden to the region.

Asia, Southeastern↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Role of the cancer registries in determining cancer mortality in Asia?

Data on incidence, prevalence, and disease specific mortality are frequently incomplete, not very reliable or are lacking in many countries particularly in Asia and Africa. In the absence of dependable data from the Civil Registration System (CRS), many countries have developed their own Sample Registration System (SRS). Due to several socio-economic constraints cause is not adequately noted in the death certificates. Sample registration system practice in India helps in this but for correlating with cancer registry data this is not the optimal. When cancer morbidity figures from SRS system and cancer registry are compared the SRS figures are low. Reasons for fewer cancer deaths in Municipal Corporation reports may be due to that they only look at primary cause of death and overlook the secondary or underlying causes. There are also a number of reasons for under-registration of cancer deaths in cancer registries but they nevertheless give a more accurate picture. Many registries collect follow-up information for survival studies, which is also helpful to improve cancer mortality data. Tumour registries also represent important resources for rapid identification of cancer survivors for research studies.

Asia↗
PubMed2006

Characterization of counterfeit artesunate antimalarial tablets from southeast Asia.

In southeast Asia, the widespread high prevalence of counterfeits tablets of the vital antimalarial artesunate is of great public health concern. To assess the seriousness of this problem, we quantified the amount of active ingredient present in artesunate tablets by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. This method, in conjunction with analysis of the packaging, classified tablets as genuine, substandard, or fake and validated results of the colorimetric Fast Red TR test. Eight (35%) of 23 fake artesunate samples contained the wrong active ingredients, which were identified as different erythromycins and paracetamol. Raman spectroscopy identified calcium carbonate as an excipient in 9 (39%) of 23 fake samples. Multivariate unsupervised pattern recognition results indicated two major clusters of artesunate counterfeits, those with counterfeit foil stickers and containing calcium carbonate, erythromycin, and paracetamol, and those with counterfeit holograms and containing starch but without evidence of erythromycin or paracetamol.

Antimalarials↗
PubMed1991

Malaria as a military factor in Southeast Asia.

Malaria remains a major cause of military casualties in Southeast Asia. The numerous conflicts in the region have been greatly affected by malaria. Besides guerrilla warfare, refugees and other civilian movements across international borders contribute heavily to the continuing problem of multiple drug-resistant malaria. Drug resistance is an increasing problem with few available prophylactic options. The malaria threat to any potential deployment of United States military forces remains unsolved.

Asia, Southeastern↗
PubMed1991

[An approach to tuberculosis in newcomers from Asia and Africa].

In recent years, it has been documented that tuberculosis frequently occurs among recently entered foreigners dominantly from Asia. We studied 85 cases admitted to our hospital for active tuberculosis from 1986 to 1990. Many of those cases, we believe, were infected in countries of origin and were reactivated soon after or before entering Japan. In spite of higher rate of involving recurrent cases and resistance to anti-mycobacterial drug agents, chemotherapy has been generally efficient. In some cases, continuance of treatment was difficult because of their illegal stay, misunderstanding of the disease or other problems such as customs and economic difficulties.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Sleep patterns in aircrew operating on the polar route between Germany and east Asia.

The study was performed as the second part of an investigation to assess sleep behavior and circadian rhythmicity in aircrew operating regular passenger flights between Germany and East Asia via Anchorage (ANC). Continuous records of sleep and ratings of sleep quality were obtained by sleep logs from 101 B747-cockpit crewmembers, starting at least 3 d before commencing flight duty, continuing during days on duty (the duration depending on the flight schedule) and finishing 4 d after return, at the earliest. Regardless of the specific duty roster, sleep deficit occurred mainly after the first flight leg to ANC, presumably due to the 10-h time zone difference and the short layover time. During the layover in the Far East, the sleep deficit diminished partly because of additional naps. Sleep was often disturbed and scattered over days and nights. Another pronounced sleep deficit occurred after the first return flight from South Korea or Japan to ANC. Compared to the outgoing layover period in ANC, the number and duration of naps increased during this layover and, additionally, on the first 2 d after returning home. Poorer sleep quality ratings were associated with accumulated sleep deficit and increased napping, but significant decrements in sleep quality were seen only during two out of the six different duty rosters. All six of the polar route duty rosters may lead to significant sleep disturbances. During some flight schedules the sleep deficit is large enough to raise operational implications.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The NT 1311 polymorphism of G6PD: G6PD Mediterranean mutation may have originated independently in Europe and Asia.

A polymorphic site exists in exon 11 of G6PD: in the wild-type enzyme, nucleotide (NT) 1311 is a C, but is some individuals from diverse populations a T is present instead. Nine of 54 X chromosomes from Europeans of mixed origins, nine of 41 X chromosomes of Ashkenazi Jewish subjects, three of 18 X chromosomes of Sicilians, five of 20 African X chromosomes, and nine of 20 Asian Indian X chromosomes had the mutant genotype. In contrast, the mutation was found in only three of 59 Oriental X chromosomes and in three of 30 Central/South American X chromosomes. The mutation was absent from four samples of chimpanzee DNA. Twenty-one of 22 male subjects from Mediterranean countries who had the G6PD Mediterranean 563T genotype investigated in the present study or reported previously had a T at NT 1311. Only one had the normal C at NT 1311. In contrast, both G6PD Mediterranean563T males from the Indian subcontinent had the normal C at NT 1311. These findings suggest that the same mutation at nucleotide 563 giving rise to G6PD Mediterranean may have arisen independently in Europe and in Asia.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Monitoring the progress of health-for-all strategies: the situation in South-East Asia.

Analysis of the results of the recent monitoring and evaluation of the HFA strategies of the 11 countries in WHO's South-East Asia Region shows that, in most cases, the process adopted for implementing the strategy has been the extension of coverage by health services operated by trained personnel. This process has not necessarily resulted in the equitable provision of health care, since it does not take into account the widely varying needs of different population groups within a country. For example, the infant mortality rate (IMR) for India was 96 per 1,000 live births (1986), but state-by-state analysis shows that the range by state is from 27 to 132. The figure for urban IMR at the national level is 62, compared to 105 for rural areas. Similarly, the IMR of 28.4 for Sri Lanka (1983) obscures extremes of variation between districts of 10.2-51.5. The health needs of disadvantaged areas or population groups can only be met in collecting and analysing data at lower levels than the national. This should not be difficult or expensive to achieve through suitable reorientation of peripheral and intermediate-level personnel. Improvements in the collection of data on some of the global indicators are documented by tables showing reported levels of coverage with maternal and child health care in 1983 (first monitoring), 1985 (first evaluation) and 1988 (second monitoring). Obtaining data on the birthweight of newborns appears to be difficult for some countries, and it is suggested that this indicator be replaced by one that asks whether the baby is healthy or not.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Asia, Southeastern↗
PubMed1989

[Ecology of the peoples of the Central Asia. the anthropological aspect].

The results of the long-term investigations of the original Altai-Sayany inhabitants' morphophysiological features in connection with general research of adaptation to Alpine, steppe, taiga and desert ecological niches are represented in the article. The morphophysiological characteristics of the studied ethnic groups reflect the adaptations to cold stress. The features of specific adaptation to Alpine, steppe and taiga zones are found against a background of expressed continental adaptive type. In conclusion the author discusses the perspectives of further human ecology investigations of Mongolia as a model territory for studies of process of adaptation to climate-landscape conditions in Central Asia.

Adolescent↗