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2021|Vol
.4|I
ssueNo.
2
11 January 2021 | Vol.4 |#02
NEWS BULLETIN A weekly publication from NIRT Library
Union Health Minister
Campaign brings out undetected TB
asks Tamil Nadu CM to
cases
Abhinaya Harigovind focus on TB elimination
KOCHI, JANUARY 10, 2021 23:10 IST CHENNAI, JANUARY 08, 2021 16:10 IST
“We have asked some States that
have the potential and capability to
eliminate TB by 2025, five years ahead
of the international goals. I hope Tamil
Nadu could be one of those States,”
Harsh Vardhan said on Friday.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan
on Friday said that he had asked Chief
Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to
focus on the elimination of
tuberculosis.
Shortly after meeting the Chief
Minister, Dr. Vardhan told reporters,
“We have asked the Chief Minister to
specifically focus a little more on TB
elimination. We have asked some
The State’s ‘catch-up’ campaign to detect tuberculosis cases
States that have the potential and
that may have gone undiagnosed during the COVID-19
capability to eliminate TB by 2025, five
pandemic between June and August, screened over six lakh
years ahead of the international goals.
people, tested 29,166 and diagnosed 802 people with
I hope Tamil Nadu could be one of
tuberculosis (TB) between October and December 2020.
those States and examples like this
The dip in tuberculosis cases detected between June and can be showcased to the rest of the
August 2020, when compared to figures in 2019, prompted the country. They can also emulate the
Health Department to initiate a ‘catch-up’ campaign as part example of Tamil Nadu,” he said…
of the Akshaya Keralam project.
Continued in page no.2
“There was a 40%-50% dip in active TB cases sector for other ailments. As part of the STEPS
between June and August,” said M. Sunilkumar, (System for TB Elimination in the private sector)
State TB Officer. While 2,049 cases were programme, some patients were even directed to
detected in August 2019, the figure fell to 1,213 private hospitals from government ones handling
in August 2020. COVID-19,” he said
He identifies two reasons for the fall of around Across the State, till the first week of December
1,500 cases in three months – people were afraid 2020, 174 TB patients were infected with COVID-19
to visit health centres with the coronavirus doing and 26 among them died.
the rounds and lab technicians were afraid to
handle sputum for sputum microscopy. People
were even reluctant to cough keeping the
COVID-19 stigma in mind, he added. Continued from page no.1
An analysis of the situation in August made the Union Health Minister asks Tamil Nadu CM to
Health Department change tack. In 2018, a list of focus on TB elimination
people vulnerable to TB was prepared in each
panchayat. This vulnerability mapping exercise, …OVID-19 vaccine date not specified
which identified 7.75 lakh people, proved useful The Union Health Minister, however, did not
between October and December 2020, when specify when the COVID-19 vaccines would be
ASHA workers reached out to them over phone rolled out. To a question on when the first batch of
to identify and test people with symptoms. vaccines would be rolled out, he said all the
preparations such as trial runs were happening as
Vulnerable segments the vaccine has to ultimately be rolled out one
Vulnerable populations include the elderly, day. “You will get to know as soon as the date is
people with chronic conditions who might be decided,” he said.
immunocompromised, smokers, and alcoholics.
He said he had conveyed his appreciation [to the
A hub-and-spoke model was set in motion for State] for providing exemplary services on the
testing with samples being collected from homes, health front in particular. “Various facts that we
taken to PHCs, and then a diagnostic centre. noticed including the performance of 100% RT-
Medicines were delivered at homes. People who PCR tests, providing good quality facilities for
showed symptoms like weight loss, cough, and treatment of patients even in the government
fever but tested negative for COVID-19 were sector and also institutionalising post-COVID care
tested for TB. “We tried molecular diagnostics, sequelae and research around that. I had come
which is automated, over sputum microscopy. This to Tamil Nadu to oversee arrangements being
improved case finding,” Dr. Sunilkumar said. made for impending vaccination against COVID-
19,” he said.
Private hospitals
Mirroring the situation across the State, in He noted that he inspected three vaccination
Ernakulam, private hospitals diagnosed 25% more sites in the government and private sector, and
cases in 2020 when compared to 2019, said P.S. central stores where the vaccines would be stored
Rakesh, WHO consultant for TB elimination for for distribution to most of the southern States.
Kerala and Lakshadweep. “There was a dip in
diagnosis in the public sector since some hospitals “We also requested the CM for attention on the
were converted into COVID-19 treatment facilities. health and wellness centres. Our aim is to create
Patients may have depended on the private 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres focussing on
preventive, promotive and positive health in all The State recorded 724 fresh infections, eight of
parts of the country by the end of 2022,” he said. which were detected among incoming
passengers.
Dr. Vardhan recalled that the Centre had
sanctioned 11 new government medical colleges These included four international passengers —
for the State. “In 2019, the Cabinet had decided two each from the U.A.E. and the U.S. Among
to have 75 more medical colleges converted from domestic passengers, there were two from West
district hospitals in the country. All 75 have been Bengal and one each from Odisha and Bihar, who
decided, and 11 medical colleges were allotted arrived by surface transport, health officials said.
to Tamil Nadu, and we laid the foundation stone
for a few of them in the beginning of 2020. I have As on date, 7,164 persons are undergoing
requested the Chief Minister to keep his treatment or are under isolation. The State’s tally
commitment to the health sector at the highest touched 8,26,261.
level,” he said.
On Sunday, 857 persons were discharged after
treatment, taking the total figure to 8,06,875. The
State also recorded seven deaths. All the
deceased had co-morbidities.
Public health officials said of the approximately
2,300 passengers who travelled from the U.K.,
20 districts see under 10 cases, between November 25 and December 23, last
year, 2,146 have been traced and tested. Of them,
even as State records 724 24 tested positive for COVID-19. Details of the
CHENNAI, JANUARY 11, 2021 01:30 IST
passengers include cross notification from/to
other States. Tracing of other passengers is under
Perambalur records no new case; seven more
way, officials said.
persons succumb to infection; 857 persons
discharged after treatment
According to the daily health bulletin released by
the Directorate of Public Health, 208 fresh
Twenty districts recorded under 10 COVID-19
infections and one death was recorded in
cases in Tamil Nadu, while Perambalur saw none.
Chennai district. A total of 240 persons were
NIRT Library News Bulletin
3
discharged after treatment. As many as 2,182 This is the first international patent earned by the
persons are currently undergoing treatment in the university. The award offers the promise of
district. developing a new drug for cancer treatment.
So far, 2,27,800 persons have been infected in the The patent comes as a culmination of almost 10
district. Its toll touched 4,045. years of research that began in 2010 with support
from the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Coimbatore (1), Ramanathapuram (2), Thanjavur
(2) and Tiruvallur (1) districts reported deaths. According to Prof. Sabu, FAS inhibitors are
expected to be future drugs in cancer treatment.
Four of the deceased had diabetes mellitus. One FAS is essential for fat metabolism, and its inhibition
person had chronic liver disease and another had leads to the death of the cell.
chronic liver disease.
Phormidin has great potential in the treatment of
Yet another person, whose death was recorded, obesity, diabetes, and tuberculosis. The new hope
had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis and was for cancer treatment is that the drugs developed
also suffering from chronic kidney disease. based on FAS inhibitor may have better properties
with few side effects, Prof. Sabu pointed out.
The State added one more private testing facility
in Tiruvallur, taking the total number of testing
centres to 180.
As many as 63,794 persons were tested in the last
24 hours, officials said.
Covid-19 vaccination drive:
Healthcare workers’ database to
be frozen tomorrow
The nationwide vaccination of priority groups will
Kannur varsity researchers get US begin January 16. In the initial phase, priority will
patent
KANNUR , JANUARY 07, 2021 02:08 IST
New hope for cancer treatment
A research team of the department of
biotechnology and microbiology at Kannur
University, comprising Prof. A. Sabu, M. Haridas,
and Prasanth Shankar, has been awarded a US
be given to an estimated 3 crore healthcare
patent for the discovery of ‘Phormidin’ an inhibitor
of the enzyme Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS). workers and frontline workers.
NIRT Library News Bulletin
4
Health workers conducting mock vaccination drive at a by vaccine availability and won’t be “necessarily
Covid-19 vaccination centre in New Delhi. (Express Photo: sequential,” the guidelines said.
Praveen Khanna)
Every eligible person for Covid vaccination needs
The database of healthcare workers on the
to be registered on Co-WIN and a mechanism has
Centre’s CoWIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence
been created to mark out different priority groups.
Work) app will be frozen on January 12 and that
The Centre has said that the latest electoral rolls
of frontline workers on January 25, the Union
for Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections
Minister of Health and Family Welfare said.
will be used to identify population aged 50 years
or more.
The health ministry has directed state health
departments to ensure all vaccine beneficiaries,
including healthcare and frontline workers are
registered on the app.
“We have repeatedly communicated that only
pre-registered beneficiaries on Co Win will receive
Covid 19 vaccine,” said Dr Mahesh Kumar Mass vaccination sites open in
Aggarwal, Additional Commissioner-UIP, Ministry New York City as COVID-19
of Health and Family Welfare.
batters U.S.
That means those who do not register before the
deadline will miss out on getting the jab in the The Brooklyn site is one of two mass vaccination
initial phase of the Centre’s Covid-19 vaccination locations that opened in New York City on Sunday.
drive The second one is located at Bathgate Contract
“After the database for healthcare workers and Postal Station in the borough of the Bronx.
frontline workers is frozen as per the timeline By: Reuters | New York | January 11, 2021 11:01:07 am
addition of bene, no addition of beneficiaries on
Co-Win will be permitted,” Dr Aggarwal added.
The nationwide vaccination of priority groups will
begin January 16. In the initial phase, priority will
be given to an estimated 3 crore healthcare
workers and frontline workers.
Healthcare workers and frontline workers will be
followed by those above 50 years of age and
those under-50 with co-morbidities — these
number around 27 crore, the Health Ministry said.
More than 79 lakh potential vaccine recipients Sarah Gonzalez of New York, a Nurse Practitioner, gives
have already been registered on the flagship Co- Claudia Zain, 47, of New York, her first dose of the COVID-
WIN IT platform, which will provide real-time 19 vaccine at a New York Health and Hospitals vaccine
information of vaccine stocks and will track clinic in the Brooklyn borough of New York Sunday, Jan. 10,
individual recipients. 2021. The clinic, serving 30 people getting vaccines
Sunday, will expand to a twenty-four hour, seven days a
According to operational guidelines given to the
week operation starting Monday. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
states, the prioritization of groups will depend on
the “disease incidence and For Claudia Zain, a home healthcare aid in New
prevailing pandemic situation.” Timing for the York City, getting the first shot of
rollout in these three priority groups will be guided the coronavirus vaccine on Sunday felt like being
NIRT Library News Bulletin
5
“a little part of history” that left her excited and aged below five years are stunted in terms of their height-
hopeful for the future as the United States struggles for-age. (Illustration by C R Sasikumar)
to contain the raging pandemic.
More than 30 per cent children under the age of
five years in Himachal Pradesh are stunted and
“There’s so many emotions wrapped up in what’s
more than 1/4th are underweight, according to
happening right now and I’d like to be an
the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS)
inspiration for people who are wondering, ‘Can I
released recently. The health of children in the
do this? Should I do this?’,” said Zain, 47 after
state has taken a turn for the worse in terms of all
getting the shot at Brooklyn Army Terminal on a
three crucial indicators of nutrition — stunting,
frigid Sunday afternoon. “You should do it
wasting (low weight for height) and underweight,
because this is the way to move forward.”
the survey has shown.
The Brooklyn site is one of two mass vaccination Stunting is impaired growth and development in
locations that opened in New York City on Sunday. children due to poor nutrition, repeated infection
The second one is located at Bathgate Contract and inadequate opportunities to play and learn,
Postal Station in the borough of the Bronx. according to the World Health Organization, and
it can be prevented but not cured.
The survey, conducted in 2019-20 in nearly 11,000
households in Himachal, found that 30.8 per cent
children aged below five years are stunted in
Over 30% kids under 5 yrs in terms of their height-for-age, i.e. their height is low
in relation to their age as per WHO’s standards of
Himachal stunted, more than normal child growth.
1/4th underweight: NFHS The proportion of stunted children is more in rural
areas as compared to urban areas, and has
The proportion of stunted children is more in rural increased by 4.5 per cent since the last such
areas as compared to urban areas, and has survey held five years ago.
increased by 4.5 per cent since the last such
survey held five years ago. The WHO says that stunting in early life, particularly
By: Express News Service | Shimla | Updated: December in the first 1,000 days from conception until the
23, 2020 9:08:54 pm age of two, has negative consequences for the
child’s physical and mental development. Poor
maternal nutrition and health, inadequate
breastfeeding and infections are the main causes
of stunting.
Chamba HP’s worst-affected district
The worst-affected district in Himachal is Chamba
where 42.6 per cent children are stunted, followed
by Bilaspur (40 per cent) and Kullu (36 per cent),
the survey said.
The survey, conducted in 2019-20 in nearly 11,000 Even in the least-affected district of Una, 25 per
households in Himachal, found that 30.8 per cent children
cent children are stunted.
NIRT Library News Bulletin
6
Furthermore, a total of 25.5 per cent children in the Children aged 12-23 months are fully vaccinated:
state are underweight and 17.4 per cent are 89.3%
wasted, including 7 per cent who are severely Source: National Family Health Survey-5, 2019-20
wasted, according to the survey. Child wasting
means a child is too thin for his/her height. Wasted
children have an increased risk of death, the WHO
says, but treatment is possible.
Less than one-fifth children receiving adequate
diet
Dr Piyush Gautam, an associate professor at a
medical college in Tanda, said that after attaining
the age of six months, a child needs
complimentary feed in addition to being breast- After Covid-19 test duty,
fed. “Sometimes, this practice is neglected by GeneXpert machines revert to TB
parents and the child continues to be only breast-
fed, or there is a lack of adequate calories, testing
proteins and nutrients in the diet. This results in Suraksha P, DHNS, Bengaluru, DEC 11 2020, 00:07
ISTUPDATED: DEC 11 2020, 00:54
malnutrition and wasting, which may further be
aggravated by underlying infections such as
tuberculosis and chronic diarrhea,” he added.
The survey found that only 19 per cent children in
Himachal aged 6 to 23 months are receiving an
adequate diet. The situation is alarming in urban
areas of the state, where only 14.4 per cent
children are receiving an adequate diet, the
survey said.
With Covid-19 cases declining, the Tuberculosis
Dr Gautam said that in children aged less than six
(TB) wing of the Health department has been
months, lack of breast-feeding or feeding diluted
asked to utilise all theremaining CBNAAT
cow milk is also a contributory factor towards
cartridges available for Covid-19 testing and from
malnutrition. The survey said that 70 per cent
now on use the GeneXpert machines for testing TB
children in the state aged under 6 months are
samples as was done before the pandemic.
exclusively breastfed.
Child health and nutrition in Himachal The state resorted to using the machines for testing
Covid samples when the pandemic began. So far,
Children under 5 years are stunted: 30.8% 29,599 Covid samples have been tested using
CBNAAT method. There are eight to nine
Children under 5 years are wasted (low weight for government Covid testing labs that have
height): 17.4 % GeneXpert machines in the state.
Children under 5 years are underweight: 25.5% Dr Ramesh Reddy, joint director, TB, Health
department, said, “Cartridges for GeneXpert
Children aged 6-23 months are receiving
machines are supplied by the Government of
adequate diet: 19%
India. We cannot procure them locally. Around
NIRT Library News Bulletin
7
3,000 cartridges arrived two months ago. Further have tested 200 Covid samples with CBNAAT so
supply will not come. We cannot do anything. We far. We could not use more than 400 cartridges
are left with 500 cartridges to test Covid samples.” supplied more than two months back, because
our GeneXpert machine was taken
Rapid antigen/RTPCR away by the Health department for TB testing.”
Now, the labs have to use rapid antigen method
and RTPCR machines for Covid-19 tests.
Eliminating TB
“We have received guidelines that we have to
use TrueNAT and CBNAAT machines to test TB
samples as we have a goal to eliminate TB. If we
use the machines for Covid testing, we cannot do
TB testing. Even though Nimhans did not ask for People shouldn’t hesitate to get
the cartridges, we gave it to them, to exhaust
them. Active case finding is underway for TB and vaccinated, listen to scientists:
door-to-door survey will be done.”
Delhi’s 1st COVID patient
The Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS)
started CBNAAT testing on May 6 and has so far The massive drive, whose first phase will begin
tested 286 Covid samples with the technology. from January 16 with healthcare workers to be the
top priority group to receive the dose, will
Quick tests for emergencies comprise 89 vaccination centres in Delhi.
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 11, 2021 12:09 IST
Dr Mahantesh Parande, HoD, microbiology, BIMS,
told DH, “We use CBNAAT only in emergency
Days ahead of the nationwide COVID-19
situations, because we have shortage of
vaccination roll-out, the city’s first coronavirus
cartridges. We last got 360 cartridges from the
patient urged people on Monday to get
Health department on November 10. The
immunised without hesitation and listen to the
advantage of using CBNAAT is, in cases of
scientific community, and not get swayed in by
emergency surgery, we can get the Covid test
naysayers or those “spreading misconception”
result in three hours, while RTPCR takes eight hours
about it.
for a cycle.”
The massive drive, whose first phase will begin from
While TrueNAT results come in one-and-a-half hour, January 16 with healthcare workers to be the top
only four samples can be mounted at one go. The priority group to receive the dose, will comprise 89
GeneXpert system is available in a one, two, four, vaccination centres in Delhi.
and 16-module configuration.
With final preparations underway and the vaccine
Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) set to arrive in the national capital in the next
started CBNAAT testing on April 24. Dr Mahesh couple of days, Rohit Datta, who was the first
Baragundi from GIMS said, “We tested 193 Covid person to be diagnosed with coronavirus infection
samples with CBNAAT and then stopped, as on March 1, said “it feels surreal”.
despite repeated requests, we were not supplied
cartridges.” Dr Channamm... “Till a few months ago, we were struggling, people
were dying in large numbers and fear of an
Katti from the Vijayapura district hospital said, “We unknown virus was at its peak. But our doctors,
NIRT Library News Bulletin
8
nurses and other healthcare workers fought a We have to trust the scientists. What other options
tough battle in 2020. And the first dose is rightfully do we have,” said the 46-year-old, who has a son
to be given to all those corona warriors,” he said. (12) and a daughter (8).
Mr. Datta, 46, a businessman and resident of east “If there is trust deficit, no amount of ‘dawa’ or
Delhi’s Mayur Vihar, praised the scientists who ‘dua’ will work,” he said.
have worked tirelessly in labs to make these
vaccines a reality. “When I had been detected Mr. Datta, who became quite spiritual after
with COVID-19, a lot of lay people had sort of completing his 14-day isolation at Safdarjung
become self-proclaimed medical experts, giving Hospital, argued that in Delhi, residents breath
their opinions on the new virus, many spread “highly polluted air” but some people are getting
misinformation and wrong information about it, uneasy about a vaccine and its efficacy.
even though the scientific community was
The fear among some people is about any
struggling to understand this novel virus. Now,
possible side effects of the vaccine, but Delhi
same thing is happening about the COVID
Health Minister Satyendar Jain has said that an
vaccine too,” he said.
“emergency room” will be there at all vaccination
“Many are spreading misconceptions about it centres where the vaccinated person will be kept
even before the roll-out. Let us give our scientists a under observation for 30 minutes.
chance,” the leather businessman said.
Among the 89 centres in Delhi, 40 will be
India’s drugs regulator has approved Oxford government hospitals and 49 private facilities, Jain
COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by told reporters on Sunday.
the Serum Institute, and the indigenously-
Delhi recorded 399 fresh COVID-19 cases on
developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for
Sunday, the seventh time the daily incidence
restricted emergency use in the country.
count stood below the 500-mark in January, even
“I would appeal to fellow citizens to not hesitate as the positivity rate dipped to 0.51%.
and get vaccinated, whenever an opportunity
The infection tally in the city stood at 6.3 lakh and
presents itself. The Queen of England and her
the death toll mounted to 10,678 with 12 new
husband Prince Philip just got vaccinated, and
fatalities.
Indian leaders also should come to the forefront
and lead the way, to instil confidence among
Mr. Datta said he was waiting for his turn after the
people,” Mr. Datta.
priority groups are first vaccinated, but “I am
ready to take the jab, whenever the government
He cautioned that many “misconceptions” with
tells us to get the vaccine”.
no scientific basis are being spread about the
vaccine by a section of lay people, including by
A senior doctor at a Delhi government hospital,
some religious leaders, and urged people to be
which earlier was a fully COVID-19 facility, said
wary of it and “not get swayed in by those
human psyche tends to reject the unknown or
unscientific arguments”.
accept it with reluctance or be afraid of it.
“Even introduction of polio vaccine had faced
“People were afraid of the novel coronavirus and
resistance by many in the beginning, but today,
then accepted the new normal. Now, this
we take our children to the booths for getting its
vaccine is going to be administered for the first
dose. When vaccine to treat small pox was made
time, so there is a sense of unease among many.
by Edward Jenner, he also had given it to his son.
NIRT Library News Bulletin
9But, why that fear, the vaccine’s efficacy we will China on January 14, Chinese authorities said on
get to know about later, but it is not unsafe. I will Monday.
be in the forefront to receive the jab,” he said.
Lack of authorisation from Beijing had delayed the
World leaders and doctors in countries like the U.S. arrival of the 10-strong team on a long-awaited
and the U.K. have received the vaccine mission to investigate early infections, in what
approved for emergency use in their countries. China’s foreign ministry called a
“misunderstanding.”
Mr. Datta, who was diagnosed with the infection
much before the nationwide lockdown was The National Health Commission, which
implemented from March 25, said it was strange announced the arrival date, delayed from its early
that when the time for vaccination has come, bird January schedule, did not detail the team’s
flu has hit many parts of the country, including itinerary, however.
Delhi.
China has been accused of a cover-up that
Mr. Datta, whose house is near Sanjay Lake where delayed its initial response, allowing the virus to
several ducks have been found dead, hopes 2021 spread since it first emerged in the central city of
will be kinder to all creatures unlike the year gone Wuhan late in 2019.
by, which saw a pandemic of the century after
the Spanish Flu of 1918. The United States has called for a “transparent”
WHO-led investigation and criticised its terms,
“I did quarantine for 14 days at the hospital, and which allowed Chinese scientists to do the first
then 14 days of home isolation, when these were phase of preliminary research.
technical jargons. Now, these are household terns.
Similarly, getting Covid vaccination will, I hope Ahead of the trip, Beijing has been seeking to
become a routine affair like polio vaccine,” he shape the narrative about when and where the
said. pandemic began, with senior diplomat Wang Yi
saying “more and more studies” showed it
emerged in multiple regions.
While other countries continue to struggle with
infection surges, China has aggressively doused
flare-ups.
Sunday’s 103 new cases were mainland China's
China says WHO team to probe biggest daily increase in more than five months, as
COVID-19 origins will arrive new infections rise in the province of Hebei,
surrounding the capital, Beijing.
January 14
Lack of authorisation from Beijing had delayed the
arrival of the 10-strong team on a long-awaited
mission to investigate early infections
BEIJING, JANUARY 11, 2021 11:38 IST South Africa to store COVID-19
A World Health Organisation (WHO) team of vaccines from India at secret
international experts tasked with investigating the
origins of the COVID-19 pandemic will arrive in
NIRT Library News Bulletin
10Mr. Mkhize also allayed concerns that the vaccine
place for fear of theft, black
to be supplied by India had not yet been
market sales approved by South African regulators.
JOHANNESBURG, JANUARY 11, 2021 04:59 IST
He said teams from the department of health as
The South African government will store the 1.5 well as the South African Health Products
million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that it will Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) were fine-tuning
receive from India in the next few weeks at a and aligning all the regulations and processes to
secret place because of the risk of theft for sale at ensure that there were no unnecessary delays or
black market prices, according to a media report. impediments to rollout the vaccine.
“The vaccines are a highly-rated commodity
once they’re stolen and reach the black market,” “We are all happy that the Serum Institute of India
Department of Health spokesperson Popo Maja and the AstraZeneca vaccine have already been
told the weekly City Press on January 10, adding approved by various regulators and is being rolled
that if this occurs, there is a risk that the prices of out in other countries,” he said.
these illegally-obtained vaccines will be hiked
significantly. Addressing concerns that corruption might make
the process costly, as had been the case in the
“There will be a central place where the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
consignment will be stored and from where we will to health workers for months during the COVID-19
distribute it to hospital and clinic pharmacies that lockdown, Mr. Mkhize gave an assurance that
can store it,” Mr. Maja said. there would be no corruption as the deal was
being done directly between the government
“There’s a security issue too because countries and the manufacturer, unlike the middlemen
which have already begun rolling out the used in the PPE acquisitions who had exploited the
vaccines have warned us that there is a huge situation.
theft of it, so we may not even disclose where it is
being centrally stored,” Mr. Maja said.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said during an address
to the South African Parliament last week, that the
government had secured 1.5 million doses of the
AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from India as
South Africa battles exponentially rising infections
and deaths daily amid a second wave of the Tuberculosis diagnosis by
coronavirus and a new variant of the virus.
metagenomic next-generation
Overnight on January 10 there were over 21,600 sequencing on bronchoalveolar
new infections and 399 more deaths.
lavage fluid: A cross-sectional
A million doses are expected from India before
analysis
the end of this month and a further 500,000 in
February, with healthcare workers in both Liu X, Chen Y, Ouyang H, et al
government and private facilities being prioritised International Journal of Infectious Diseases|January 5,
2021
for vaccination.
NIRT Library News Bulletin
11line medications or drugs, as well as to the set of
medicines usually used to fight it.
In the face of the epidemiological situation, this
technology seeks to facilitate the detection of
Peruvian scientists develop rapid Mycobacterium tuberculosis using a liquid culture
kit in the standard MODS test.
diagnostic kit for tuberculosis
An improved kit
For this presentation, transport conditions have
been improved since the elements have been
dehydrated to avoid low temperatures.
In addition, the dispensing of antibiotics has been
simplified, using new materials that are permeable
to gas but impervious to liquids in order to achieve
oxygen exchange without risk of contamination.
According to the scientists, these features will
make the diagnosis of tuberculosis accessible to
more people, since the process will be simplified
In order to solve one of the most recurrent health and the cost will be reduced given that the kit can
problems in Peru, a team of national scientists has be stored at room temperature.
been developing a kit for rapid diagnosis of
tuberculosis, as well as of its resistance to various (END) NDP/HML/RMB/MVB | Published: 1/8/2021
drugs, using the Microscopic Observation Drug
Susceptibility (MODS) test.
The project was carried out by experts
from Cayetano Heredia University (UPCH), with
the support of the National Council for Science
and Technological Innovation (Concytec) and
the World Bank.
A dangerous and contagious disease New imaging method reveals if
According to the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO), tuberculosis (TB) is the antibiotics reach bacteria hiding
leading infectious cause of death in the world. in tissues
THE FRANCIS CRICK INSTITUTE | NEWS RELEASE 5-JAN-2021
Peru has 14% of tuberculosis cases in the Americas,
with 1,457 of them being multidrug-resistant Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and the
tuberculosis and 121 extensively drug-resistant University of Western Australia have developed a
tuberculosis. new imaging method to see where antibiotics
have reached bacteria within tissues. The method
These types of TB refer to cases in which the
could be used to help develop more effective
disease has mutated to become resistant to first-
antibiotic treatments, reducing the risk of
antibiotic resistance.
NIRT Library News Bulletin
12During bacterial infections like tuberculosis, They also found this antibiotic was collecting in
bacteria enter human cells, which poses a macrophages and in polymorphonuclear cells,
challenge for treatment, as antibiotics must reach both types of immune cell. This was a surprise as
and enter all infected cells in order to be effective. these cells have different environments and it
If researchers could select for or develop more wasn't thought that one antibiotic would be able
effective antibiotics based on where they reach, to enter both.
this may reduce the length of treatment needed,
which in turn could reduce the risk of antibiotic Tony Fearns, author and senior laboratory
resistance developing. research scientist in the Host-Pathogen
Interactions in Tuberculosis Laboratory at the Crick,
In their study, published in PLoS Biology the says: "Our approach could be used to help
researchers developed a new imaging method to develop new antibiotics or to re-assess current
see where in infected tissues and in cells an antibiotics to judge how effectively they reach
antibiotic given to treat tuberculosis reaches the their targets. The more we learn about how drugs
bacteria. The scientists are continuing to work on behave in the body, for example where they
the method, adapting it for other types of collect, the better we will be able to treat
antibiotic and to image multiple antibiotics at the bacterial diseases like tuberculosis."
same time.
So: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/tfci-
Max Gutierrez, author and group leader of the nim010521.php
Host-Pathogen Interactions in Tuberculosis
Laboratory at the Crick, says: "In the case of
tuberculosis, people need to be treated with at
least three different antibiotics over six months. We
don't yet fully understand why this extended
treatment is needed. We hope that being able to
more clearly see where antibiotics are going, will
help us better understand this process and find Covid makes matters worse for
ways to improve it." TB patients
Friday, 08 January 2021 | PNS | Lucknow
To develop the imaging method, called CLEIMiT,*
the researcher analysed lung tissue from mice
A man sold the dry straw of the thatched roof of
infected with tuberculosis and treated with the
his house in a Banda village so that his father, who
antibiotic bedaquiline.
was suffering from TB, could get treatment, but to
no avail as the patient died of the dreaded
They combined a variety of imaging methods,
including confocal laser scanning microscopy, 3D disease recently. The deceased belonged to
Attara block in Banda district of Bundelkhand.
fluorescence microscopy, electron microscopy
and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry,
to develop their new approach. A patient with Covid-19 symptoms was brought to
Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences
Using this method, they found that bedaquiline in Lucknow last week. He was also suffering from
had not reached all infected cells in the lung tissue TB and his lungs were in a poor shape. He died
and also had not entered all infected areas within within 24 hours of admission to the hospital.
infected cells.
NIRT Library News Bulletin
13These are not solitary cases as TB and HIV patients having TB need to take more precautions during
have been the prime victims during the unlock this period, he said.
period.
“TB is the leading killer and around 4.35 lakh
Manohar and Rajkumar, two TB patients who died people die of this disease every year. On an
on Sunday, belonged to Kuchbandiyas caste average, over 1,000 people die of TB, everyday,”
(untouchables) and lived in Kherwa village in he pointed out.
Banda. The villagers detest interacting with the
Kuchbandiyas even under normal circumstance; Over 28 million cases of tuberculosis were there in
the fear of coronavirus has added to their India before Covid-19 happened. Once people
ostracisation. are diagnosed with TB, they are notified as being
part of India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination
Ramesh, son of Raj Kumar, said that they do not Programme. Protocol mandates that community
have anything to eat. “My father had been eating health workers follow up on the notified patients,
only once a day despite being a TB patient. I sold making sure that they consume their medicines
the straw of our thatched roof so that I could get and show up for scheduled appointments at the
medicines for my father, but that did not help,” he tuberculosis unit for health check-ups and to
recalled. collect medicines.
TB patients need nutritious food but during the But the lockdown has resulted in a significant
Covid lockdown and subsequent unlock period, disruption of this system. Patients have been
the supply chain snapped. “Go to any village of unable to travel to clinics. “We have asked TB
Bundelkhand and you will find TB patients. They health workers not to compromise and conduct
are dying because they are not getting food and tests for both TB and Covid. The primary symptom
are also missing out on the medicines that they are of both the diseases is the same. In TB, the cough
supposed to take regularly,” Raja Bhaiya of Vidya is accompanied by sputum while in case of Covid-
Dham Samiti said. “Doctors are talking about 19, it is dry cough. Otherwise, both the patients
corona but what about TB patients? Almost have fever. In case of Covid-19, the patients
everyday, 4-5 people are dying of TB in villages,” develop bodyache which they cannot hide,” Dr
he said. Suryakant pointed out.
Incidentally, the government does not have any
record as to how many people have died of TB
from March 25 till date. “We are compiling the
data,” a senior official, requesting anonymity,
said.
The government pays Rs 500 as sustenance
allowance to TB patients and officials have no New peptide can target specific
information regarding its impact.
pathogen without damaging the
Dr Suryakant, head of the department of good bacteria
Respiratory Medicine at King George’s Medical
University, said any person with compromised Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Jan 7 2021
lungs is vulnerable to coronavirus infection. People
NIRT Library News Bulletin
14Drug-resistant bacteria could lead to more deaths preventable and treatable, but drug-resistant TB is
than cancer by 2050, according to a report an emerging threat that is on track to becoming
commissioned by the United Kingdom in 2014 and a serious global health problem," Medina said. "It's
jointly supported by the U.K. government and the a scary prospect."
Wellcome Trust. In an effort to reduce the
potential infection-caused 10 million deaths To develop a pathogen-specific antibacterial
worldwide, Penn State researcher Scott Medina against TB, the researchers looked to the
has developed a peptide, or small protein, that pathogen itself. The TB pathogen is wrapped in a
can target a specific pathogen without thick envelope that is difficult to penetrate,
damaging the good bacteria that bolsters the especially compared to other bacteria.
immune system.
"The envelope has pores, though -- channels
Medina, an assistant professor of biomedical through which the pathogen takes in nutrients
engineering, led the team who published its results and metabolites," Medina said. "We asked if we
Jan. 4 in Nature Biomedical Engineering. could mimic these channels to design
antibacterials that would create holes in the
One of the best protective mechanisms we have bacterial envelope, and ultimately kill the
to prevent infection are beneficial bacteria that pathogen."
inhabit our bodies, known as commensals. For
example, we often avoid food poisoning because The researchers made a peptide that seems to
our guts are already populated by helpful disrupt the protective outer coating of the
bacteria. There's no room for the pathogen to pathogen, making the TB bacteria susceptible to
take hold and colonize. If you wipe out the good antibiotics and die, but it does not interact with
bacteria, opportunistic pathogens can take the good bacteria. Medina said they are currently
advantage and cause infections." studying the exact mechanism by which the
peptide attacks the TB pathogen, but they
Antibiotics can knock out an infection, but they suspect it has something to do with a fatty acid
can also kill off good bacteria, creating an that lives on the pathogen's surface.
opportunity for a potentially fatal secondary
infection. Repeated exposure to antibiotics can "There aren't many biochemical differences
also breed bacteria resistant to drugs. The between the targeted pathogen and good
potential for secondary infection and drug- bacteria, except for this surface lipid," Medina said.
resistant bacteria holds true for infections "We think the interaction of our peptide with this
elsewhere in the body, too, according to Medina. fatty acid is one of the things driving this
preferential interaction."
Led by biomedical engineering doctoral student
Andrew W. Simonson, first author on the paper, the He also pointed to the bacteria's thin
team set out to develop a peptide that could carbohydrate region. In other types of bacteria,
eradicate the pathogen that causes tuberculosis the carbohydrates form a thick defensive barrier
(TB), one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide, that appears to insulate the bacteria against the
without harming surrounding good bacteria. peptide.
"There are great control strategies and treatments "It's not entirely clear why this works, but it's working
in place for tuberculosis, making it largely on TB," Medina said. "There's a 10-fold
NIRT Library News Bulletin
15improvement on the effectiveness of antibiotics (pulmonary TB) but can also affect other parts of
on this pathogen relative to the other good the body (extra-pulmonary TB). TB bacteria are
bacteria." expelled in airborne fluid droplets when an
infected person coughs, sneezes or exhales. Be
Next, the researchers plan to investigate how to sure to teach your young ones to always cover
administer the peptide to treat TB in a full model their mouths when they cough or sneeze, and to
system. Peptides tend to break down when stay clear of children who may be sick. TB is also
injected, Medina said, so his team is working to one of approximately 20 opportunistic infections
develop an aerosol that would allow a person to that are associated with HIV. Extra-pulmonary TB is
inhale the peptides directly to the infected lung an AIDS-defining illness.
tissue.
TB signs and symptoms
"Once we understand why this peptide targets TB, TB symptoms include a persistent cough lasting
and how to administer the peptide as a viable longer than two weeks that may (or may not)
therapeutic, we can use this platform to design contain blood, unexplained weight loss,
antibacterials toward other lung pathogens," drenching night sweats, loss of appetite, chest
Medina said. pain, and tiredness. If anyone in your family has
So: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210107/New- these symptoms or anything similar to
peptide-can-target-specific-pathogen-without- these, consult with your doctor immediately.
damaging-the-good-bacteria.aspx
Treatment options for childhood TB
Treatment for TB consists of four drugs that are
Childhood TB: Separating fact active against TB: At the initiation or intensive
phase of treatment, four drugs (isoniazid,
from fiction
rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol) are
We explore childhood tuberculosis (TB) and the taken for the first two months. If the initiation phase
signs and symptoms of this infectious disease. of treatment is successful the patient progresses to
6 days ago the continuation phase taking two drugs (isoniazid
and rifampicin) for four months (or longer). The
Would you believe us if we told you that South entire course of TB medication must be taken
Africa is among the top five countries with the properly for the full length of time prescribed by
highest TB incidence and prevalence? In 2010 the healthcare worker or the TB could become
there were approximately 400, 000 – 590, 000 new drug-resistant.
TB cases in South Africa. In 2010 there were
approximately 25, 000 – 38,000 TB-related deaths New research on treating childhood TB
in South Africa. The number of people in South “We can cure children with TB, but the challenge
Africa living with HIV who also have TB is between is to make the treatment more child and family-
300, 000 and 350,000. With this in mind, it’s friendly by making the regimen shorter and giving
therefore very important to learn about this illness children medication that is easy to swallow,” says
in order to protect yourself, and your children from Prof Anneke Hesseling, director of the Desmond
this disease. Tutu TB Centre at SU’s Faculty of Medicine and
Health Sciences.
What causes Tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. TB mainly affects the lungs
NIRT Library News Bulletin
16The current treatment regimen for a child with
drug-sensitive TB lasts six months, while treatment
for multi-drug resistant TB can last between 12 and
18 months – including six months of daily injections
during which the child is often hospitalised.
“There are fewer actual TB organisms in a child
with pulmonary (lung) TB and therefore fewer
organisms to kill. So there is a real opportunity to
shorten the treatment for drug-sensitive TB in
children,” says Hesseling.
Her research group is testing new treatment
strategies to try and shorten the treatment regime income countries with the highest burdens.
for drug-sensitive TB from six to four months for Patients often are tested for either of the two
children with non-severe forms of this disease. This conditions, which have similar symptoms, such as
trial will utilise a new child-friendly formulation that persistent fevers and coughs. However, co-
combines all the TB drugs (fixed dose) in a small, infections often are missed.
pleasant-tasting tablet that can be dissolved in
water. Currently, adult-size tablets have to be Deep learning software, when used in diagnosis,
halved, quartered, or crushed in order to could help address this challenge. With that in
administer the correct doses to infants and mind, India is tapping into its strengths in
children. information technology.
So: https://risingsunchatsworth.co.za/169620/childhood-
tb-separating-fact-from-fiction/ One example is the work of Mumbai-
based Qure.ai, which specializes in deep learning
algorithms to interpret radiology images and has
developed Qxr, a chest X-ray screening tool built
with deep learning to automate the interpretation
of chest X-rays in less than a minute.
India looks to AI to tackle TB, The Qxr tool classifies chest X-rays as normal or
COVID-19 abnormal, identifies abnormal findings and
January 8, 2021 highlights them on the X-ray image. It can be used
By T.V. Padma
as a point-of-care screening tool, followed by
NEW DELHI – India, which has the highest bacteriological confirmation, to speed up TB
incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the world and the diagnosis from several weeks to a few hours, said
second highest of COVID-19, is looking to artificial Qure.ai’s CEO and founder Prashant Warier. The
intelligence (AI) to help detect and classify cases algorithm is trained to detect classical primary
of both and lower the cost of diagnosis. pulmonary TB and simultaneously screen for
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung
Lockdowns and fears of COVID-19 contagion malignancies in high-risk populations and some
have led to a disruption in TB diagnosis and cardiac disorders. Qure.ai also has developed
treatment services in the mostly low- to middle- Qscout, an AI-powered pandemic response app
NIRT Library News Bulletin
17built on the company’s experience on an app radiographs of 3,180 patients and found that “our
used for global TB screening. AI models matched the radiologist’s performance
in the diagnosis of COVID-19 from (chest X-rays)
The potential of AI, especially deep learning, to and obtained sensitivity matching (that of)
increase TB detection rates was discussed at the imaging experts,” Kharat said.
annual conference of the International Union
Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease last Kharat added that unlike RT-PCR tests that give
October. Over the past two years, organizations positive and negative results for COVID-19, AI tools
such as PATH, FHI 360 (formerly Family Health help quantify the amount of lung tissue affected
International), Philippines Business for Social by disease and correlate it with morbidity, aiding
Progress and other programs funded by the U.S. in better decision-making related to treatment,
Agency for International Development, TB REACH such as whether to admit a patient to a hospital.
and The Global Fund have adopted Qxr
technology, said Warier. AI screening of chest X-rays for COVID-19 and
integrating with structured reporting “can be an
Multiple studies conducted by the Stop TB excellent tool” to streamline workflow and hasten
Partnership and the McGill International TB Centre report turnaround time, says Kharat.
have found that Qxr outperformed other
algorithms and resulted in cost benefits of The Deeptek study showed that AI screening of
between 55% and 65%. chest X-rays sped up turnaround times and can be
a useful prescreening tool.
PATH, one of the early users of AI in TB, has worked
with Qure.ai for almost two years. For instance, as Another company working on this space is
part of an 11-month program in Maharashtra state, Hyderabad-based Docturnal Pvt. Ltd., which
Qxr TB was used to screen more than 9,000 people developed TimBre, a screening app for lung TB
and led to a 20% increase in notifications, a 13% that has been used across 25 pilot studies on 5,000
increase in case detections and a 50% rise in cases subjects, said founder Rahul Pathri. The company
confirmed by microbiological culture tests. developed the Covawe algorithm for COVID-19
that was used from May to July 2020 to screen
Another company, Pune-based Deeptek Medical 2,000 people at home. The model showed 77%
Imaging Pvt. Ltd. has screened about 100,000 sensitivity and 86% specificity.
people for TB using AI under an ongoing project to
free Chennai and its population of 7 million from “We now plan for a bi-directional screening
the disease using mobile diagnostic vans and an mechanism with a single cough sample screening
AI-based tool to screen for underlying chest for both TB and COVID-19 in one go,” said Pathri.
disease and generate a radiology report. The tool
helped evaluate chest X-rays and classify them And AI-based tools can be affordable. For
into patients likely or unlikely to have TB, Deeptek example, a single screening using TimBre costs
founder Amit Kharat told BioWorld. INR50 (US$0.68) per screening, excluding
hardware filters or surgical masks. “Covawe is free
“The diagnosis time is drastically reduced,” Kharat for now, and we plan to charge INR25 per screen
said. AI facilitates accurate, instant diagnosis, post clinical trials,” Pathri said.
eliminating the need for a detailed report from So: https://www.bioworld.com/articles/502207-india-looks-
radiologists. to-ai-to-tackle-tb-covid-19
Deeptek had carried out a retrospective study in
Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai, on 9,098 chest
NIRT Library News Bulletin
18cancer (13.3% of all cancer diagnoses) in 2020.
This is followed by colorectal (341,000, 12.7%),
prostate (336,000, 12.5%) and lung cancer
(318,000, 11.9%).
What are the benefits of AI in As the European population expands and the
radiology and how can it be proportion of older patients grows, the number of
breast and lung cancer cases is rising
implemented? correspondingly. With the current shortage of
8th January 2021 radiologists in Europe expected to continue in the
future, this profession is facing multiple challenges,
the largest of which is time. At any given time in
the UK, there are an estimated 330,000 X-rays
which have been waiting more than 30 days for a
report. In many European countries, a double
reading process is necessary and in southern
European countries chest X-rays and
mammograms still need to be printed.
Lunit is a medical AI software company devoted
© iStock-sefa ozel to developing advanced medical image
analytics and data-driven imaging biomarkers
through cutting-edge deep learning technology.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology offers time Lunit’s mission is to provide AI solutions in order to
savings, improved performance, case rating by open a new era of data-driven precision
prioritisation and earlier detection of cancers. medicine, with the aim of solving the most critical
issues in cancer care today: offer healthcare
Between 1960 and 2020, the population of the EU systems a stronger time efficiency, reducing
grew from 354.5 million to 447.7 million, an increase medical costs and prolonging patient survival.
of 93.2 million people. On 1 January 2020, the total
population of the EU’s 27 Member States was
Lunit INSIGHT MMG
estimated to be 0.9 million more than the previous
Lunit INSIGHT MMG assists both breast specialists
year, showing a growth of 0.26%. With the current
and general, non-specialist radiologists by
population growth and the increase in life
increasing the cancer detection rate and
expectancy worldwide, the share of people aged
decreasing the rate of false positives when
80 years or above within the total population of
interpreting screening mammograms. Studies
the EU is projected to grow 250% between 2019
show the software has an accuracy of 96% and
and 2100, bringing the total proportional elderly
significantly improves the interpretive capabilities
population from 5.8% to 14.6%. This growth is
of radiologists by up to 10%.
expected to result in a corresponding exponential
rise in cancer diagnoses.
Implementing AI in the analysis of mammogram
images could help reduce false positive and false
Female breast cancer is the most commonly
negative recalls and successfully triage up to 60%
diagnosed cancer in Europe, with over 355,000
of all cases without human interpretation,
women in the EU diagnosed with breast
NIRT Library News Bulletin
19reducing the reading workload by more than half. Lunit INSIGHT CXR
In addition, INSIGHT MMG improves diagnostic Diving into chest X-rays, Lunit INSIGHT CXR supports
accuracy of mammograms for dense and fatty radiologists with difficult cases of chest
breasts by up to 9% and 22% respectively. abnormalities, helping them minimise the risk of
missed cases. Studies show that this AI-supported
NIRT Library News Bulletin
20technology has an accuracy of 97% to 99% and Lunit offers all healthcare professionals interested
increases workflow efficiency through decreasing in this topic, free webinars and sessions to learn
the total report reading time by 34%. INSIGHT CXR and discuss how AI should be implemented
automatically generates a case report which properly and how it can support HCPs.
includes an analysis of each radiologic finding
and its location information. Radiologists can To learn more about Lunit’s AI solutions and try our
customise detectable findings and their FREE demo, go to https://insight.lunit.io/
visualisation methods according to the user’s So: https://www.healtheuropa.eu/what-are-the-benefits-
clinical environment. of-ai-in-radiology-and-how-can-it-be-
implemented/104791/
Lunit Insight CXR detects nodules, atelectasis,
cardiomegaly, fibrosis, calcification, consolidation,
mediastinal widening, pleural effusion,
pneumoperitoneum, and pneumothorax. It also
supports with tuberculosis screening. Lunit Insight
CXR detects nodules, atelectasis, cardiomegaly,
fibrosis, calcification, consolidation, mediastinal
widening, pleural effusion, pneumoperitoneum,
and pneumothorax. It also supports with
tuberculosis screening.
Education in AI
In reference to the abnormality scores on the
worklist, radiologists can prioritise exams in their
reading order, resulting in a 65% reduction in
reading time for normal cases and a 25%
reduction for abnormal cases. The AI-aided,
automatic detection of small, subtle pulmonary
nodules, especially during regular checkups,
enables radiologists to reduce false negative
cases and detect lung cancer at early stages.
Many radiologists are aware of the potential
offered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), as it has been
a popular concept in recent years and has made
many appearances in different congresses.
Nonetheless, based on the results of a study
published recently in the Academic Radiology
journal, the knowledge gap remains an obstacle
to AI implementation. 39.8% of radiologists who
participated in the survey said they have no
understanding of AI, while 30% reported that they
were familiar with the basics. Therefore, education
will be key in the implementation of AI.
NIRT Library News Bulletin
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