Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus
Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) is a rare disease that has killed five elephants in Odisha. EEHV is as a type of herpes virus that can cause a highly fatal hemorrhagic disease in young Asian elephants between the ages of 1 and 12. If a young elephant dies before reproducing, it affects the population of the species as a whole in the concerned geography. When […]
Lymphatic filariasis
Commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease. Infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. Infection is usually acquired in childhood causing hidden damage to the lymphatic system. The painful and profoundly disfiguring visible manifestations of the disease, lymphoedema, elephantiasis and scrotal swelling occur later in life and can lead […]
BLUETONGUE (BT) VIRUS
The Bluetongue (BT) virus is an insect-transmitted viral disease of domestic and wild ruminants that includes the camelid species. The disease is widespread among the sheep, goats, cattle, buffaloes and camels in the country. With the help of the Kit “Bluetongue: Sandwich ELISA for detection of Antigen”, the Bluetongue Virus can be controlled with the […]
Salmonella
A group of bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses known as salmonellosis. How widely is it spread? According to estimates by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Salmonella causes 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalisations and about 450 deaths in the United States every year. In a majority of these cases — roughly 1 […]
New anti-tuberculosis drug
Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug Pretomanid for treating drug-resistant tuberculosis — multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). Key facts: Pretomanid is only the third new anti-TB drug approved for use by FDA in more than 40 years. Pretomanid will be part of the three-drug regimen for drug approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). […]
Kyasanur Forest Disease
It is caused by Kyasanur Forest disease Virus (KFDV), a member of the virus family Flaviviridae. It was first identified in 1957 in a sick monkey from the Kyasanur Forest in Karnataka. Since then, between 400-500 humans cases per year have been reported. KFD is endemic to the Indian state of Karnataka. Rodents, shrews, and monkeys are common hosts for KFDV after […]
Dengue
Dengue fever is a tropical disease that is borne by mosquitoes. It is caused by the dengue virus. Dengue is spread by several species of female mosquitoes of the Aedes variety, specifically of the A.aegypti. The ideal conditions for this species of mosquitos are usually between the latitudes of 35° North and 35° South with […]
Polio
Polio, short for poliomyelitis, or infantile paralysis, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus destroys nerve cells in the spinal cord causing muscle wasting and paralysis. There are three wild types of poliovirus (WPV) – type 1, type 2, and type 3. People need to be protected against all three types of the virus in order to prevent polio disease Symptoms: Many people who are infected with the […]
Rubella and Measles
Rubella is a contagious, generally mild viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease and is a cause of death among young children globally. Though the diseases are caused by different viruses but share more or less the same symptoms, including the red rashes. The Measles & Rubella Initiative, a global program, aims at eliminating both these diseases. The vaccine for the […]
Hepatitis
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Causes: Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can all cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common hepatitis viruses are hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B […]