Health

Genetic factors sometimes play in role in the development of prevalent non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cancer. In some cases, these health risks can be identified early through genetic testing, a process that examines one’s DNA to detect changes that can increase risk of diseases. It can often prove useful in diagnosing genetic conditions and assessing risk of future diseases. Dr Pranav Gupta, Consultant and Head, Molecular Biology Regional Reference Lab at Apollo Diagnostic Delhi, explains, “Genetic testing is an effective tool that provides valuable insight into one’s health by analysing DNA and confirming whether one has a birth defect, chromosomal disorder or hereditary cancer.” Further sharing how DNA can help diagnose health risks, he says, “DNA acts as a blueprint of y...

India has seen a more than 30 per cent reduction in the suicide death rate in India from 1990 to 2021, according to a study published in The Lancet Public Health on Thursday, marking a significant progress in health strategies.  The analysis, based on the results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, showed that the suicide death rate in India was 18.9 per lakh population in 1990, in 2019 it stood at 13·1 lakh per lakh population and 13 per lakh population in 2021. From 1990 to 2021, the suicide death rate in India declined to 31·5 per cent. The reduction in death rates by suicide was seen more in females than males. In 1990 suicide death rate among females stood at 16·8 per lakh population, which reduced to 10·3 per lakh population in 2021. On...

One in five or 20 per cent of newborns with neonatal seizures will go on to develop epilepsy by age one, finds a study on Wednesday.   Seizures in newborns are one of the most frequent acute neurological conditions among infants admitted to neonatal care units. Researchers from the Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet in Denmark showed that after neonatal seizures, the risk of epilepsy is persistently increased throughout adolescence. The team analysed data on all 1,998 children born in the country who experienced neonatal seizures. The results, published in the journal Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology showed that the cumulative risk of epilepsy was 20.4 per cent among children with neonatal seizures compared with 1.15 per cent among children without. Among these...

In a medical achievement, a team of doctors in Navi Mumbai performed a successful cochlear implant surgery on a 2.5-year-old baby girl from Mahad, who had congenital profound hearing loss. The patient, Anika (name changed), had hearing loss by birth. She wasn`t responding to sounds of claps, toys, etc. Her parents consulted an audiologist, and BERA tests were performed at the age of 1. Due to the non-availability of facilities in Mahad and financial constraints, her treatment was delayed. A team led by Dr. Rajendra Waghela, Consultant ENT Surgeon, Medicover Hospital, performed the surgery after ENT consultation, under the guidance of Dr Sanjiv Badhwar. Dr Waghela said, “The baby was suffering from congenital hearing impairment. Despite being diagnosed with hearing loss before the age of...

Doctors at a hospital in Hyderabad removed a pen cap from the lungs of a man, who had accidentally ingested it 21 years ago. The 26-year-old from Karimnagar recently approached a hospital due to persistent cough and unexplained weight loss. According to Dr. Shubhakar Nadella, Consultant Clinical and Interventional Pulmonologist, KIMS Hospital, the youth’s condition worsened significantly over the last 10 days, making it difficult for him to sleep. "When the patient arrived, we conducted a CT scan, which showed a lump-like structure inside his lungs. We initially assumed it was an obstruction causing his persistent cough. However, during the procedure, we discovered that it was actually a pen cap lodged inside,” he said. “Midway through the procedure, we called in his elder brother and ...

A vaccine to fight cancers affecting women will be available in five to six months, and those in the age group of nine to 16 years will be eligible for inoculation, Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav said on Tuesday.Addressing a press conference in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the Union Minister of State for Health, Family Welfare and Ayush (Independent Charge) said that research on a vaccine is nearly complete and trials are underway."The number of cancer patients has increased in the country, and the Central government has initiated steps to address this issue. Women above 30 will undergo screening at hospitals, and daycare cancer centres will be established for early detection of the disease," Jadhav said.He said the government has also waived off customs duty for medicines used in cancer tr...

Swimming in some lakes with still water can lead to infection with Legionella -- a bacterium that can cause pneumonia -- said a team of researchers on Tuesday calling out on people who engage in open water swimming to be aware of the risk.   Also referred to as legionnaires` disease, infection with legionella causes severe lung inflammation that is characterised by fever, chills, malaise, chest pain, cough, fatigue, respiratory symptoms, and sometimes diarrhoea. "Legionella infection represents a public health hazard owing to its ability to spread through exposure to natural water bodies and human-made water reservoirs," said Dr. Ashley Bryson, an internal medicine resident at the University of Manitoba. In an article, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the experts e...

Exposure to pollution from car brake wear can prove to be more harmful to the lungs than diesel exhaust, according to a study.  The study, led by researchers from the University of Southampton in the UK, emphasised that focusing on particulate matter (PM) exhaust emissions alone may be inadequate to mitigate the health effects of vehicle-derived pollution. Airborne PM2.5 is known to reach the alveolar regions of the lungs and is associated with more than 4 million premature deaths per year worldwide. While road traffic -- diesel exhaust emissions -- is a major source of PM in urban environments, non-exhaust emissions, especially from brake wear, represent an increasing component of traffic-related PM, about which there is a paucity of information. The researchers argued that car brake w...

In a remarkable medical feat, a Mumbai Central-based hospital has successfully treated a rare and critical case of aluminium phosphide poisoning, which has an almost 100 per cent fatality rate.  A 16-year-old boy, Neev Jain, along with his parents, were exposed to toxic fumes after home pesticide treatment. Due to severe inhalation, Neev`s condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to multi-organ failure.  However, with the prompt intervention of a multidisciplinary medical team at Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central, he was stabilised using advanced life support systems. The Jain family unknowingly inhaled Aluminium Phosphide fumes the morning after pest control was conducted in their home. Neev, who had been unwell for a few days before exposure, suffered the most. The boy`s heart’s pumpin...

Headaches can be experienced by people at different times of the day and in varying intensity. It is especially common at the end of a long or stressful day. While sometimes a headache can occur as a result of stress, at other times, it can signal a deeper issue. Mechanism of headaches The cause and impact of a headache often depends on its timing, which is guided by several factors. Dr Aakash Agrawal, Consultant Neurophysician, Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneswar, informs, “The timing of a headache is mostly guided by our internal clock, or circadian rhythm, and managed by the supra-chiasmatic nucleus in our brain. This is a shared rhythm that dictates when that kind of headache is most likely to happen.” “Tension-type headaches (TTH), for instance, tend to occur later in the day or evening,...