3.COVID-19 - where do we go from here?
Singapore medical journal 2020;61(7):343-344
4.Recent Advances in Toxoplasma gondii Immunotherapeutics.
Sherene Swee Yin LIM ; Rofina Yasmin OTHMAN
The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2014;52(6):581-593
Toxoplasmosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. T. gondii is widespread globally and causes severe diseases in individuals with impaired immune defences as well as congenitally infected infants. The high prevalence rate in some parts of the world such as South America and Africa, coupled with the current drug treatments that trigger hypersensitivity reactions, makes the development of immunotherapeutics intervention a highly important research priority. Immunotherapeutics strategies could either be a vaccine which would confer a pre-emptive immunity to infection, or passive immunization in cases of disease recrudescence or recurrent clinical diseases. As the severity of clinical manifestations is often greater in developing nations, the development of well-tolerated and safe immunotherapeutics becomes not only a scientific pursuit, but a humanitarian enterprise. In the last few years, much progress has been made in vaccine research with new antigens, novel adjuvants, and innovative vaccine delivery such as nanoparticles and antigen encapsulations. A literature search over the past 5 years showed that most experimental studies were focused on DNA vaccination at 52%, followed by protein vaccination which formed 36% of the studies, live attenuated vaccinations at 9%, and heterologous vaccination at 3%; while there were few on passive immunization. Recent progress in studies on vaccination, passive immunization, as well as insights gained from these immunotherapeutics is highlighted in this review.
Drug Discovery/trends
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Global Health
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Humans
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Immunization/*methods
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Immunotherapy/*methods/trends
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Protozoan Vaccines/immunology/isolation & purification
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Toxoplasma/*immunology
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Toxoplasmosis/*therapy
7.Population Screening for Colorectal Cancer Means Getting FIT: The Past, Present, and Future of Colorectal Cancer Screening Using the Fecal Immunochemical Test for Hemoglobin (FIT).
James E ALLISON ; Callum G FRASER ; Stephen P HALLORAN ; Graeme P YOUNG
Gut and Liver 2014;8(2):117-130
Fecal immunochemical tests for hemoglobin (FIT) are changing the manner in which colorectal cancer (CRC) is screened. Although these tests are being performed worldwide, why is this test different from its predecessors? What evidence supports its adoption? How can this evidence best be used? This review addresses these questions and provides an understanding of FIT theory and practices to expedite international efforts to implement the use of FIT in CRC screening.
Colorectal Neoplasms/*diagnosis
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Early Detection of Cancer/methods/trends
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Feces/*chemistry
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Forecasting
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Global Health
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Hemoglobins/*analysis
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Humans
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Immunochemistry
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Mass Screening/methods/trends
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Occult Blood
;
Sensitivity and Specificity
8.International Medical Mission Facing Global Increase of Chronic Disease: 2-Year Experience in Bangladesh.
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2016;31(2):326-328
Specialists of developing countries are facing the epidemic growth of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). From 2011 to 2013, I, as a Korean volunteer doctor, had been working in a local primary healthcare center in Bangladesh, assessing rates of NCDs. Proportion of patients with NCDs was increased from 74.96% in 1999 to 83.05% in 2012, particularly due to the spreading of diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and tuberculosis. To succeed in medical mission in developing countries, volunteer doctors have to take measures for preventing chronic diseases along with proper treatment.
Bangladesh/epidemiology
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Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology
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Chronic Disease/*epidemiology
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Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology
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Global Health/trends
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Humans
;
*Medical Missions, Official
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Primary Health Care
;
Tuberculosis/epidemiology
9.MERS Countermeasures as One of Global Health Security Agenda.
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2015;30(8):997-998
No abstract available.
Coronavirus Infections/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*prevention & control
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Cross Infection/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*prevention & control
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Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control/*statistics & numerical data
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Global Health/*trends
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Humans
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Incidence
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Population Surveillance/methods
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Republic of Korea/epidemiology