More and better testing: on viral disease outbreaks and national responses

Since the first Zika outbreak was reported in Pune on June 20, confirmed cases have been on the rise. Maharashtra has reported 88 confirmed cases since the first week of August. There are 73 cases in Pune and 6 in Pune Rural. Of the total cases reported so far, 37 are pregnant women, which is half of the confirmed cases. Although very rare, people infected with the Zika virus are at risk of developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the nervous system. 

But the most damaging effects occur in pregnant women, who have smaller-than-average head sizes, are more likely to develop microcephaly and other neurological disorders. A meta-analysis of 13 studies conducted in Brazil from 2015 to 2017 in the January 2023 issue of The Lancet Health Americas found that among 1,548 infants born to Zika virus-infected mothers, the overall infant risk was 6.6. Delivery cost or duration. In general, the risk of functional neurological disorders in children is 18.7% and neurological disorders, visual and auditory disorders are relatively low. Also short stature (10.5%), low birth weight and low pregnancy rate (16.2%). 

Because the infectious virus remains in semen for at least two months, men are less likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, HIV-infected men, especially women who are planning to start a family, are advised to take measures to prevent viral infection for at least three months according to South African disease control and prevention guidelines.

Interestingly, considering the seriousness of the virus, Pune’s ICMR laboratory conducted the test only after the samples were sent to the Government Medical College by the Pune Municipal Corporation to reduce the delay in testing.

The recent outbreak of Nipah virus in Kerala has shown the importance of developing high-quality governance for countries, and Gujarat has also realized this fact with outbreaks of Chandipura virus and severe encephalitis syndrome. Identification and sequencing of viruses causing frequent and severe epidemics.  

 Limiting and shortening the spread of the virus from the time the first suspect is identified is key to stopping an outbreak in a timely public health response. The 2019 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in 1971 demonstrated the benefits of decentralized testing and sequencing and should be replicated for all pathogens that cause severe outbreaks.

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Author: MedBlog18 Blog Team

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