Health

Maternal Zika virus infections can re-programme foetal immune development, leading to long-term consequences for children`s immunity, according to a study on Friday, amid cases of the mosquito-borne viral disease in India.   The study led by Cleveland Clinic researchers in the US showed that the immune system occurs in children born even without the physical characteristics associated with congenital Zika syndrome. While visible symptoms of congenital Zika syndrome include impaired skull or brain development, the team found "much more to this condition than meets the eye". The findings, published in the journal eBioMedicine, revealed that only 5 per cent of children whose mothers experienced Zika infections during pregnancy are born with physical or neurological disabilities and diagnos...

Doctors at the Osmania General Hospital, the oldest government-run hospital in Hyderabad, have successfully performed a liver transplant on a three-year-old boy.  Modugu Chohan Aditya of Khammam district was suffering from congenital biliary atresia and liver failure. An advanced liver donor transplant procedure was performed successfully on July 3 by Dr Madhusudan and his team of surgical gastroenterology and liver transplantation at the Osmania General Hospital. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office, the child`s mother Amla donated a part of her liver to her son. Both the mother and child were discharged on July 16. So far, 30 cases of liver transplant, including 8 paediatric liver transplant cases, have been successfully performed at the Osmania General Hospi...

A 31-year-old woman with primary infertility has successfully delivered  a baby after undergoing a novel Transvaginal Sonography in Mumbai recently. She visited Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central presenting with primary infertility of seven years due to polycystic ovaries and her husband`s oligoasthenozoospermia (OATS).  Under Dr Rana Choudhary, consultant obstetrician, gynecologist & fertility specialist, the patient conceived via in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and all embryos were frozen. In a subsequent cycle, she underwent frozen embryo transfer (FET) and conceived a singleton. Her antenatal course was uneventful, but at 26 weeks, she reported heaviness and discomfort in the lower abdomen and vulva. Examination revealed a 26-week-sized uterus with no uterine contractions and a foe...

Air pollution, exposure to secondhand smoke, occupational hazards, and indoor pollutants like cooking fumes are responsible for the rising cases of lung cancer, even among people who do not smoke, said experts on Thursday. A recent research, published in the Lancet`s eClinical Medicine Journal, showed that the ratio of lung cancer research output in India to global research output is 0.51. The study revealed that lung cancer develops 10 years earlier in India than in Western countries, where the age of diagnosis ranges from 54 to 70.  It could also be the result of India`s younger population where the median age is 28.2 years, compared to the US’ 38 years and China’s 39 years. Speaking to IANS, Dr. Shrinidhi Nathany from the Department of Molecular Hematology and Oncology at Fortis Mem...

Prediabetes is the most ‘overlooked’ health condition, which if not reversed in time can raise the risk of diabetes by 70 per cent, said experts on Wednesday. Prediabetes is a serious condition that occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered Type 2 diabetes. The condition affects more than 130 million individuals in India and over 700 million people worldwide. Like diabetes, it can lead to life-threatening complications like a heart attack or brain stroke. “Prediabetes puts you at a greater risk of developing diabetes. If both fasting and post-glucose levels are high, the risk is the highest. The level of HbA1c determines the risk for diabetes, with the five-year risk being 50 per cent if the HbA1c is more than 6 per cent, and 25 per cent...

People who gain excess weight from their 20s are likely to have weaker hearts by the time they reach their 60s, according to a study. Scientists from the University College London (UCL) verified this by examining the links between weight gain in young and middle-aged adults and enlarged hearts that pump blood less well. This is over and above the effect of being overweight in later years, they said in the paper, published in the European Heart Journal. Alun Hughes, Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology at UCL noted that early weight gain causes heart damage beyond the effects of being overweight later in life. He said that while it is known that "being overweight is associated with poorer heart health, we know little about the long-term relationship between being overw...

Four new human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, infection in the state of Colorado have been confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bringing the total cases to nine since 2022. The four presumptive-positive cases were reported by the state on Friday, and the CDC confirmed the infection on Sunday, according to a press release, Xinhua news agency reported. All new cases were in farm workers who were involved in the depopulation of poultry at a commercial egg facility experiencing an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus. These workers reported symptoms after being exposed to infected poultry. The CDC said they reported "mild illness," including conjunctivitis and eye tearing, as well as fever, chills, coughing, sore...

The monsoon season brings with it the necessity and opportunity to implement specific lifestyle practices. While people are quick to adopt weather-appropriate clothing and choose monsoon travel destinations, an often overlooked area that requires special attention during monsoon is skincare. The humid weather causes several challenges for the skin like dampness and clogged pours, making implementation of special monsoon skincare measures important. In a conversation with mid-day.com, Dr. Taniyaa Bakshi, a Delhi-based homeopathy expert and director of Bakson Group, shares the importance of monsoon skincare and essential tips one must follow to keep the skin radiant and healthy during rainy season. Why is it important? Seasonal change necessitates special skincare practices. “Monsoon mean...

Heart diseases are increasing at an alarming rate, with many young patients in their 20s and 30s succumbing to heart attacks in India. This trend is a huge concern for cardiologists, renowned interventional cardiologist H.K. Bali said in Chandigarh on Sunday. HEART Foundation organised a day-long academic program, CIIST360, to highlight the latest advances in the field of cardiology. Around 250 cardiologists and physicians from northern India attended the conference. Speakers delivered lectures on cardiac diseases, including coronary artery diseases, structural heart diseases, and heart failure. Delegates had the opportunity to interact with distinguished speakers and discuss specific patient cases, enhancing the collaborative spirit of the event. Bali, the founder patron of HEART Found...

Global childhood immunisation levels stalled in 2023, with a whopping 14.5 million kids missing out on the essential three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine, according to a new report by the UN organisations on Monday.  The report by the WHO and UNICEF provides estimates of national immunisation coverage (WUENIC) for vaccinations against 14 diseases. It showed that 84 per cent (108 million) children received three doses of the vaccine against DTP in 2023. However, 14.5 million did not receive a single dose of the vaccine -- an increase from 13.9 million in 2022. In addition, 6.5 million children did not complete their third dose of the DTP vaccine, the key to achieving disease protection in infancy and early childhood. “The latest trends demo...