INTRODUCTION

Effective mosquito control is pivotal in the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases, but no successful preventive measures have been recorded for dengue vector control. Hence, possible alternatives to chemical larvicides have been explored, including plant alcoholic extracts. This study determined the larvicidal efficacy of Annona squamosa ethanolic leaf extracts against third instar larvae of Aedes aegypti.

Three replicates of varying concentrations of Annona squamosa ethanolic extract (i.e., 10%, 40%, and 70%) versus positive (Novaluron) and negative controls (tap water) were used to determine larval mortality.

Greatest larval mortality was noted using the 70% concentration (i.e., 24% versus the observed values of 20% and 8%, respectively for the 40% and 10% ethanolic concentrations). Relative to the controls, the mean differences in the mortality rates of the Aedes aegypti larvae across the leaf ethanolic concentrations were statistically significant (i.e., p-value < 0.05). There was increasing trend in larval mortality over time, but 50% lethal dose was not achieved. In conclusion, the different Annona squamosa ethanolic leaf extracts could be used as alternative botanical larvicides against Aedes species.

BACKGROUND

While wearing face shields and other gears to protect the facial mucous membranes not covered by face masks are proven to decrease the odds of infection in the hospital setting, there is no concrete evidence of its efficacy in the general public.

To determine the effectiveness of face shield use in the general public in the local setting.

This study utilized an ecological study design, with the weeks when the policy was implemented serving as the exposure variable while the weeks when the policy was not in effect, whether prior to or after, serving as control. Primary outcomes were mean incidence of COVID-19 and case fatality rate (CFR) per week.

When the mandatory face shield use was implemented, the mean incidence of COVID-19 per week was higher compared to weeks when it was not implemented [93 cases per 1000 population per week (ptpw) vs 65 cases, relative risk:1.43, z=-3.79, p=0.0001]. Moreover, during weeks when only less than 50% of the population was vaccinated with first dose (93 cases ptpw vs 52 cases, RR: 1.79, z=-4.3, pCONCLUSIONS

In general, although face shield use increased susceptibility to COVID-19, it decreased case fatality rate in the Philippines. However, a more robust and controlled study in the future may be needed to truly justify its recommendation for the public.

Background and Objective: Scabies is the second most common cause of disability due to skin disease in the Philippines. However, there were no cited studies in Global Burden of Disease 2019 and the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) computations were most likely based on statistical modelling. The Philippine Department of Health has embarked on a program to estimate the disease burden of priority diseases in the country, which include scabies. The last nationwide prevalence survey was 23 years ago. This systematic review aimed to estimate the prevalence or incidence of scabies in the Philippines. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, Herdin, and Philippine Health Research Registry (search date October 2022) for studies on prevalence/incidence (including systematic reviews, cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, case series, registry or census studies) of patients diagnosed with scabies in the Philippines. We excluded narrative reviews, commentaries, and conference proceedings or abstracts. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, assessed full text reports for eligibility, appraised the quality of included studies, and collected data using a pretested data extraction form. We did not pool studies due to clinical heterogeneity but plotted the individual studies in a forest plot with prevalence estimates and confidence intervals. We reported the median and interquartile range for entire group or relevant subgroups (age, setting) of studies. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the certainty of evidence. Results: We included nine studies (N=79,065). Most were clinic-based prevalence studies, retrospective chart reviews, conducted in dermatology outpatient clinics, Metro Manila area, and on pediatric populations. Prevalence of scabies was moderate (i.e., between 2 and 10%), ranging from 2.75% (national prevalence survey) to 6.8% (communitybased review), to high (> 10%) among pediatric patients in clinic-based retrospective chart reviews (29 to 36%) and institution-based surveys (39.0% to 45%), and a tertiary government university training hospital dermatology clinic (22.9%). The most affected age group was from 0 to 14 y/o, while males tended to have a higher prevalence than females. The cooler month of January had higher prevalence than the hotter month of June in one study. Conclusion Scabies is common in the Philippines, especially among children and elderly in institutional settings, and during the month of January. There is a need to do a national prevalence survey to identify high-risk areas and to monitor the prevalence of scabies, especially in crowded settings and vulnerable populations. This information can be used for estimating the burden of disease for scabies and guide appropriate health resource allocation.
Scabies ; Philippines ; Epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Incidence

Humans ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Endoscopy ; Esophageal Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Mass Screening

Humans ; Hong Kong/epidemiology* ; COVID-19

Humans ; Albumins ; Albuminuria/urine* ; Blood Pressure ; China/epidemiology* ; Creatinine ; Risk Factors ; Aged

Humans ; Nasal Polyps/epidemiology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Rhinosinusitis ; Asthma/epidemiology* ; Sinusitis/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease

Humans ; Air Pollutants/adverse effects* ; Genotype ; China/epidemiology* ; Hypertension/epidemiology*

In recent years, there has been a significant global increase in skin cancer incidence, which continues to pose a significant challenge to public health. This retrospective study aimed to comprehensively characterize the epidemiology of histopathologically diagnosed skin cancers at the Department of Dermatology, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center from January 2013 to December 2022. The research encompassed an analysis of demographic and clinical profiles in 352 cases. The cases consisted of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (161, 46%), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (62, 18%), melanoma (21, 6%), mycosis fungoides (MF) (37, 11%), other cutaneous T-Cell lymphomas (11, 3%), mammary Paget’s disease (7, 2%), extramammary Paget’s disease (6, 1.7%), Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) (8, 2%), sebaceous carcinoma (3, 1%), Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) (1, 0.3%), dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (1, 0.3%), angiosarcoma (2, 0.6%), Kaposi sarcoma (3, 0.9%), and cutaneous metastasis (29, 8%). Among the primary cutaneous malignancies, BCC, SCC, MF, and melanoma were the most frequently encountered types. The findings reveal a notable upward trend in all skin cancer incidence, and projections suggest a continued increase in the next five years. BCC and SCC were more common in males and affected predominantly sun-exposed areas, while melanoma exhibited a slight female preponderance and primarily affected the lower extremities (acral melanoma). These skin cancers were more common among elderly individuals. The study highlights the need for standardized documentation to improve data quality on epidemiology. This, in turn, can lead to improved early detection, prevention, and better management of this escalating global public health issue.

INTRODUCTION

Allergic contact dermatitis remains a commonly encountered condition in dermatology. Contact allergen prevalence fluctuates over time, making ongoing surveillance essential for detecting trends and identifying emerging allergens.

To determine the prevalence and trends of top allergen patch test-positive patients over a 10-year period.

The medical records of 906 patients who underwent patch testing at the hospital between 2012 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical data and patch tests results with clinical relevance from consultation records were extracted and analyzed.

In the 10 years, data from 996 patients patch tested with European baseline series of contact allergens were analyzed. The overall positivity rate was 64.25%. The predominant allergens investigated during the previous decade include nickel sulfate (19.60%), fragrance mix I (8.70%), potassium dichromate (5.99%), cobalt chloride (5.92%), and p-phenylenediamine base (5.92%). The trend in our study aligns with global patch test data, with nickel sulfate consistently leading as the most frequent allergen.

The study emphasizes the need for regular monitoring and updating of the standard patch test series to ensure its clinical relevance and improve patient care.