#pan american health organization

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

PAHO: Brazil lists efforts to tackle racism in the Americas

The Brazilian government has delivered to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) proposals and guidelines for tackling racism in the Americas. The list comes as the result of the Regional Meeting: Addressing Ethnic-Racial Inequalities in Health, hosted by Brazil and attended by representatives from 22 countries from the region.

The recommendations are aimed at implementing the Strategy and Action Plan on Ethnicity and Health in Latin America:

Continue reading.

[worldblooddonorday]

Webinario - 20 años celebrando la generosidad: ¡Muchas gracias, donantes de sangre!

La campaña del Día Mundial del Donante de Sangre 2024 tiene como lema “20 años celebrando la generosidad: ¡Muchas gracias, donantes de sangre!”, en conmemoración del hito del vigésimo aniversario y el profundo impacto que tiene la donación de sangre en la vida de pacientes y donantes. Esta campaña brinda la oportunidad de dar las gracias a las personas de todo el mundo que salvan vidas con sus donaciones de plasma sanguíneo y plaquetas. La campaña además hace un llamamiento a la acción, para motivar a más personas a que se unan al movimiento mundial de donación de sangre.

[thethief1996]

Israel has just bombed a hospital where hundreds of wounded and refugees were taking solace. Journalists in Gaza have reported there was hardly a single body whole in the aftermath (If you can stomach it, there's a video of a father holding what remains of his child). At least 500 people killed by IOF soldiers, who planned this action, got into an airplane and dropped that bomb willingly. The deadliest attack in five wars, according to the Ministry of Health.

Israel has denied ownership of the attack and said it was a misfired Hamas rocket. Originally, they celebrated it on their social media, saying they had destroyed a Hamas target, treating the deaths like an unfortunate collateral. After international backlash, they posted videos to their social media claiming it was a Hamas rocket. The video, though, shows a second explosion 40 minutes after the airstrike, and they edited it our of their tweet in a pathetic attempt at covering up.

Israel has said multiple times that they were going to bomb hospitals. They told doctors to evacuate and leave their patients to death because they were going to bomb, namely: Al Shifa, Shuhada Al Aqsa and the Quwaiti Hospital. Al Shifa housed at least 10.000 refugees and wounded, and worked as a hub for the press because it was one of the only hospitals that still had working generators. Medical crew worked with sirens blaring to signal the hospitals were not empty. This was a purposeful massacre. These people died hungry, thirsty and in pain because of the Israeli government's cruelty.

CNN and other media outlets already tried to pin the blame on Hamas, parroting back the pathetic propaganda being sold by the IOF. Even in death, Palestinians can't be respected and are used to further their own oppression. These people's deaths are not going to be in vain. Within our lifetimes, Palestine will be free.

Take action. The Labour Party in the UK had an emergency meeting today after several councilors threatened to resign if they didn't condemn Israeli war crimes. Calling to show your complaints works.

FOR PEOPLE IN THE USA: USCPR has developed this toolkit for calls

FOR PEOPLE IN THE UK: Friends of Al-Aqsa UK and Palestine Solidarity UK have made toolkits for calls and emails

FOR PEOPLE IN GERMANY: Here's a toolkit to contact your representatives by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN IRELAND: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN POLAND: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN DENMARK: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN SWEDEN: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

Protests in support have already erupted in Beirut, Madrid and Rabat in response to the shelling of the hospital. Join your local protest and raise your voices. For people in the US, Israel has just asked for additional $10bi in aid on top of the annual $3.8bi already given to them. Palestinians are asking that you refuse this loudly, with their every breath.

Here's a constantly updating list of protests:

Global calendar

USA calendar

Here are upcoming events:

WASHINGTON, DC: Outside Congress on 18/10 at 12 PM

WASHINGTON, DC: NATIONAL MARCH in front of the White House on 4/11 at 12 PM

SAN DIEGO: 2125 Pan American E Rd. (Spreckles Organ Pavillion) on 18/10 at 7 PM

NEW YORK: 72nd st. And 5th ave., Brooklyn on 21/10 at 2 PM

NEW YORK: CUNY Grad Building on 18/10 at 2 PM

NEW YORK: Oct 18, 5pm, Steinway & Astoria Blvd.

DALLAS: 1954 Commerce Street (Dallas Morning News Building) on 19/10 at 3 PM

[CAR RALLY] KITCHENER-WATERLOO: Fairview Park, 2960 Kingsway Dr. on 18/10 at 6 PM

KITCHENER-WATERLOO: CBC Building, 117 King St. W on 19/10 at 5 PM

HOUSTON: Zionist Consulate, 24 Greenway Plaza on 18/10 at 4 PM

OMAHA: 72nd St & Dodge St on 18/10 at 6 PM

SAINT PAUL, MN: Oct. 18, 5:30pm. State Capitol, 75 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

BALTIMORE: Oct 20, 6pm. Baltimore City Hall

DUBLIN: Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 1 on 18/10 at 5 PM

THURLES: Liberty Square on 19/10 at 7 PM

LURGAN: Market Street on 21/10 at 3 PM

PORTO ALEGRE: Rua João Alfredo, 61 on 18/10 at 19h

RIO DE JANEIRO: Cinelândia on 19/10 at 17h

RECIFE: Parque Treze de Maio on 19/10 at 17h

MANAUS: Teatro Amazonas, Largo de São Sebastião on 19/10 at 17h

SÃO PAULO: Praça Oswaldo Cruz on 22/10 at 11h

FOZ DO IGUAÇU: Praça da Paz on 22/10 at 9h

TSHWANE: Belgrade Square Park, Jan Shoba Street on 20/10 at 10 AM

VEREENIGING: Roshnee Sports Grounds on 21/10 at 14h30

Feel free to add more resources

[chagasdiseaseday]

The theme for World Chagas Disease Day 2023 is Time to integrate Chagas disease into primary health care.

 There are approximately 6-7 million people infected with Chagas disease worldwide, with 10,000 deaths, every year. World Chagas Diseases Day 2023.

[whencyclopedia]

Indigenous Intercultural Health in Chile

Since the return to democracy in Chile in 1990 CE, the new governments have dealt with one of the great historical debts of the Chilean state, its relationship with the indigenous peoples. These peoples have been historically marginalized and made invisible in all spheres. However, with the revaluation of their cultural heritage, indigenous medicine and the use of elements of nature and medicinal herbs - wisdom accumulated for centuries - re-emerges. Through the Special Program of Health and Indigenous Peoples (PESPI by its Spanish acronym, Programa Especial de Salud y Pueblos Indígenas), present in almost all health services in Chile, indigenous medicine has become available for the whole population as a valued alternative within the official medical system. This programme promotes complementarity between the conventional and indigenous medical systems, incorporating intercultural medical assistance in hospital and primary care facilities.

Traditional Mapuche Health

The PESPI programme promotes the indigenous health of each of the peoples recognized by the Chilean State (Chile recognizes 9 indigenous peoples) and the complementarity with the official medical system. The public health strategy is to establish a link between the hegemonic medical system and the alternative one, reinforced and supported by the recommendations of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO):

This perspective assumes, therefore, that medical systems alone are not sufficient to meet the health demands of an indigenous population, both in their conceptions of health and disease and in the way they carry out healing. (Manriquez-Hizaut et al., 760)

The Mapuche people are the most numerous and have the greatest presence in the urban context, particularly in Santiago where nearly a third of Chile's indigenous population lives. Their conception of illness and health is quite different from the one we know today, and this diverse view has generated interest not only among the Chilean indigenous population who value this ancestral wisdom but also among the non-indigenous population and the health teams in care facilities.

Mapuche medicine understands health as a balance basically in two areas. Firstly, the person is conceived as an "open body", as opposed to the modern view of a closed and divided body (inaugurated with Descartes): "The integrative conception of the body or "open body" leads its people to live illness and health as states of the body in relation to its social environment: "wezafelen" or being bad and "kumel kalen" or being good" (Solar, 2005, 2).

The idea of kumel kalen or küme mongen (to be well, to live well) is also present in other Latin American cultures under the concepts of Sumak Kawsay in Quechua or Suma Qamaña in Aymara for example. The illness is then understood as a lack of respect or imbalance of the individual with its environment. This can happen through the transgression of laws, rites, or the forbidden. In this way, "the evil is not the disease, but the cause that produced it and thus considers the disease not as an evil, but as a reaction to the evil" (Solar, 4).

Secondly, the Mapuche worldview sees the universe or the whole as a unit made up of opposite and complementary poles. Likewise, health (Konalen) and illness (Kutran) are in constant tension, making it impossible to see the body as an isolated unit, but rather as an open entity that reflects the tensions and balance of the world. Thus, in order to incorporate the indigenous approach to the traditional health system, the only way is to talk about complementarity, that is, a relationship that allows health teams to get closer to indigenous medicine specialists (machi or lawentuchefe), that allows for the derivation and exchange of knowledge when necessary.

Continue reading...

[hellomynameisbisexual]

Bisexual erasure. “When bisexuality is ignored, discriminated against, demonized, or rendered invisible by both the heterosexual world and the lesbian and gay communities. Often, the entire sexual orientation is branded as invalid, immoral, or irrelevant.”

what does it Look like?

- Assuming that two women together are lesbians, two men together are gay, or a man and a woman together are straight

- In most scientific studies, bisexuality is lumped in under “gay” or “lesbian” identities

- Many LGBTQ+ organizations don’t offer programming for bisexuals

- Questioning someone’s bisexuality if they haven’t had sex with both men and women.

what does it sound like?

- “I’m not interested in dating you because you’ve only dated men.” (Implying that I’m actually straight)

- “Bi women are more likely to leave you for a straight relationship.”

- “He’s only ever dated men, so he’s obviously gay.”

- “There’s no point in coming out as Bi if you never plan to leave your current relationship. You just want attention.”

what are the consequences?

- Bi erasure leads to bi phobia (discrimination, anger, blame, and hypersexualization).

- Bi people have *significantly* higher health risks than any other sexual identity group, including alarmingly high rates of depression and suicide.

- Bi women experience much higher rates of domestic violence.

- In the ‘80s and ‘90s bi people were blamed for spreading HIV. and we are still blamed for the spread of other STI’s.

what can I do?

- If you want to help, here’s what you can do:

- Check your own biases When someone says something shitty about bisexuality, correct them—even if a bisexual person isn’t present

- Ask your local LGBTQ+ orgs to offer bi/Pan programs

- Donate time or money to bi-specific organizations.

- Resources: Bisexual Resource Center (BiResource.org) Bi Plus Organizing US (@BiPlusOrgUS) Bi Pride UK (BiPrideUK.org) BiPhoria! (biphoria.org.uk) American Institute of Bisexuality (bisexuality.org) “Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much” by Jen Winston “Look Both Ways: Bisexual Politics” by Jennifer Baumgardner “Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body” by Roxane Gay

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

Vaccine hesitancy driven by covid-19 antivaxxers is also effecting other vaccination, driving down efficacy. Mask up and get vaxed!

By Mary Van Beusekom, MS

The effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine against hospitalization among high-risk groups during the 2024 seasonal flu season in five Southern Hemisphere countries was low (35%), down from 50% in 2023 but not outside the expected range, which may portend similar efficacy during the upcoming Northern Hemisphere flu season if similar A(H3N2) viruses predominate, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers report.

The interim estimates, published late last week in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), come from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay, where an average of only 21.3% of patients hospitalized for flu from March to July 2024 (the Southern Hemisphere flu season) had received the flu vaccine.

"While Southern Hemisphere data cannot predict exactly what will happen in the Northern Hemisphere, what we can say is that if we see similar influenza viruses (strains or clades) circulating this season in the Northern Hemisphere, we can expect similar vaccine effectiveness against influenza-related hospitalizations," lead author Erica Zeno, PhD, epidemic intelligence service officer with the CDC’s Influenza Division, told CIDRAP News in an email.

This flu season, the United States is using trivalent (three-strain) vaccines with the same components as those in Southern Hemisphere vaccines, Zeno said.

On August 29, the CDC forecasted that the upcoming flu season "will be similar to or lower than that of the 2023-2024 season rate of 8.9 weekly laboratory-confirmed hospitalizations per 100,000, with moderate confidence," it wrote. "However, past seasons have varied widely in the number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths, depending on the subtypes circulating, population immunity to different subtypes, and vaccine effectiveness against circulating subtypes."

Campaign targeted high-risk groups The researchers used a test-negative, case-control design to analyze data from a multinational surveillance network to generate estimates of interim vaccine effectiveness (VE) against hospitalization with flu-related severe acute respiratory illness (SARI).

The study population was made up of 11,751 SARI patients from three Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) vaccination target groups: young children (58.3%), older children and people with underlying medical conditions (14.5%), and older adults (27.2%). Case-patients had SARI and tested positive for flu, while control patients had SARI and tested negative for flu and COVID-19.

Data were pooled from 30 hospitals in Argentina, 2,477 in Brazil, 13 in Chile, 5 in Paraguay, and 10 in Uruguay beginning 2 weeks after each country's flu vaccination campaign. Vaccination status was confirmed using national electronic vaccination records.

All countries used World Health Organization (WHO)–recommended egg-based Southern Hemisphere formulations. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay used trivalent (three-strain) vaccines containing antigens from A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09–like virus, A/Thailand/8/2022 (H3N2)–like virus, and B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)–like virus, while Paraguay used quadrivalent (four-strain) vaccines that also contained the B/Yamagata lineage–like virus.

Vaccination rate lower than prepandemic norms The five countries reported 11,751 flu-related SARI cases and an average low seasonal flu vaccination rate. "The documented influenza vaccination coverage levels (21.3%) were below pre–COVID-19 norms," the researchers wrote. "This finding is consistent with postpandemic declines in vaccination coverage across the Americas associated with vaccine misinformation, hesitancy, and disruptions in routine immunization services, prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic."

The adjusted VE was 34.5% against hospitalization, 36.5% against the predominant A(H3N2) influenza substrain, and 37.1% against the A(H1N1)pdm09 substrain. VE was 58.7% among patients with chronic conditions, 39.0% among young children, and 31.2% among older adults.

"The vaccine effectiveness estimated is within the confidence interval of prior H3N2 (34%–53%) and H1N1 (18%–56%) for this Southern Hemisphere network," Zeno said. "It is lower than what was observed in the United States last season, but that was on the high-end of the historic range."

As of July 19, too few influenza B cases were available to estimate VE, the authors said. Adjusted VE against SARI from any flu virus was 42.2% in Argentina, 30.3% in Brazil, 56.9% in Chile, and 61.0% in Uruguay; VE was not calculated for Paraguay because of insufficient data. A sensitivity analysis excluding Brazil estimated an adjusted VE of 56.5%.

In total, 32.7% of SARI patients tested positive for flu, and 98.6% of identified viruses were influenza A. Only 0.7% of patients were infected with influenza B, all of which were of the B/Victoria lineage. Of 61.9% of subtyped influenza A viruses, 68.3% were A(H3N2), and 31.7% were A(H1N1)pdm09. Most (59.2%) of the case-patients were older adults, followed by people with chronic conditions (50.4%), and the lowest proportion of cases (16.0%) occurred among young children.

Vaccination can reduce illness severity, death "While flu vaccine effectiveness can vary from season to season, we know that influenza vaccination can offer significant protection for people who get vaccinated and is the best protection against influenza," Zeno said. "Importantly, influenza vaccination also can reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick."

Vaccination is one of the most effective interventions to prevent flu-related complications, including death, the authors said. "Annual influenza vaccination should be encouraged for young children, persons with comorbidities, and older adults," the authors wrote. "To enhance this year’s modest influenza vaccine protection against hospitalization, providers should treat patients with suspected or confirmed influenza as soon as possible with antivirals."

"Influenza vaccine postintroduction evaluations and knowledge, attitudes, and practices surveys might identify additional reasons for low coverage and strategies for improved coverage for the next Southern Hemisphere season," they added.

[plumbits]

Leptospirosis: What it is, what it does, and how you can protect yourself and your pets.

People always have questions about leptospirosis (lepto) when they come into the clinic, especially in regards to the vaccine. This post will hopefully clear up those questions or any confusion regarding lepto and its vaccine, and why it's so serious. The information in this post comes from my formal education as a LVT, as well as other sources including the CDC, PAHO, and AVMA. If I missed anything or you see something that's incorrect, please let me know!

First and foremost: What is leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that effects human and non-human animals. It's caused by bacteria in the genus Leptospira. In humans, it can cause a wide range of symptoms that can be very general. This leads to misdiagnoses. Animals such as dogs, livestock, and certain wildlife are all susceptible to infection.

How is leptospirosis spread?

Lepto is most often spread through contact with the urine of an infected animal. This is especially the case (but not the only case) with wild rodents. Infected dogs can seem healthy, but still pass the bacteria on in their urine. In urine-soaked soil, the bacteria can survive for weeks to months.

Dogs typically become infected when their mucous membranes or open wounds come into contact with urine or urine contaminated surfaces (like soil or water). Infection can also be spread through urine-contaminated bedding or food, or the tissues from the carcass of an infected animal. There have been rare instances where lepto has been transmitted by bite or breeding. A pregnant dog who is infected may pass the bacteria to her puppies through the placenta.

Humans contract lepto pretty much the same way: through contact with urine from an infected animal or urine-contaminated surfaces.

What are the signs and symptoms?

In humans:

High fever

Headache and muscle aches

Chills

Jaundice

Vomiting and diarrhea

Redness of the eyes

Abdominal pain

Rash

Humans can also be asymptomatic, which is particularly concerning. It usually takes anywhere from 2 days to 4 weeks post-exposure to the infection source before any symptoms are displayed. The illness begins abruptly and it may occur in 2 phases. The first phase is where you will see a lot of the general symptoms listed above. The person infected may recover for a period of time, but become ill again. The second phase is more severe, leading to kidney or liver failure, and possible meningitis. The illness can last a few days to 3 weeks or longer.

Without treatment, recovery can take several months.

In dogs:

Signs and symptoms may vary slightly depending on the strain of the infected bacteria. The signs are also very general in dogs, but the most common ones include:

Loss of appetite

Vomiting and diarrhea

Lethargy

Abdominal pain

Jaundice

Dehydration

Increased thirst and urination

Weight loss

Stiffness or muscle pain

The disease can also progress to kidney and liver failure in dogs, with damage to other organ systems also noted in the literature. Lepto can also cause bleeding disorders, which can lead to blood in urine, vomit, feces, or saliva, and petechiae on the mucous membranes or light colored skin.

Who is most at risk?

For humans, those who are most at risk include those who work with animals or outdoors where you come into contact with wildlife. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) also mentions that sewer workers and military personnel are at-risk populations. Farmers (and generally people who work with livestock) also make the list, as do veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary assistants.

For dogs, it's all of them. "All dogs are at risk of leptospirosis, regardless of age, breed, lifestyle, geographic location, time of year, and other factors." (source: AVMA)

Situations that can increase the risk of your dog contracting leptospirosis are listed below:

Exposure to drinking from slow-moving or stagnant water sources (this includes puddles)

Roaming on rural property

Exposure to wild animals or farm animals, even if it's only in the yard

Contact with other dogs (such as in urban areas, dog parks, boarding, or training facilities.

How is leptospirosis treated and diagnosed?

Disclaimer: I am NOT a medical doctor or DVM, but I am an LVT. If you think you're experiencing these symptoms, PLEASE go see your doctor. If you think your dog or any of your other animals are experiencing these symptoms, PLEASE take them to your vet.

Diagnosis in non-human animals:

Unfortunately, routine blood tests alone cannot diagnose leptospirosis. That's why it's important for your vet to use all information available to them (i.e. diagnostics, signs and symptoms, lifestyle, etc). There WILL be abnormal results for blood work, most likely high liver and/or kidney values and high white blood cell count. There are specific tests available for diagnosing lepto, such as the DNA-PCR and MAT tests. Both may be needed to reach or confirm a diagnosis. False negatives are possible, so your pet may be treated as if they have leptospirosis, even if the test results are negative. False positives are exceedingly rare.

Diagnosis in humans:

Leptospirosis is diagnosed in a similar fashion in humans. A physical exam, blood work, and urinalysis will likely be run. The same style of tests are used: DNA-PCR and MAT.

Treatment in non-human animals:

Leptospirosis is treated with antibiotics and supportive care. Doxycycline is most commonly used, and will likely be prescribed for 2 weeks or more. Supportive care includes hospitalization with IV fluids and management of electrolyte levels. Additional medications and procedures may be necessary.

Treatment in humans:

The treatment is similar in humans, with antibiotics (usually doxycycline). Your doctor may also suggest to take ibuprofen and monitor yourself at home for less severe cases. If the case is severe, then you'll likely spend time in the hospital. Additional medications or procedures may also be necessary.

Outcomes:

In non-human animals:

Leptospirosis is responsive to treatment with antibiotics. Complete recovery is possible, but some animals that survive may be left with chronic kidney and liver disease. Some animals may not survive if the infection has gotten to the point where it causes severe organ damage or the ability of blood to form clots.

In humans:

You can survive leptospirosis. Most cases have either very mild symptoms that go away on their own, or none at all. Without treatment, leptospirosis can cause kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, trouble breathing, and even death. PLEASE go see a doctor if you think you're experiencing any of these symptoms, especially together.

Prevention

How can you prevent infection and protect your pets?

For dogs, there's the leptospirosis vaccine. This is an annual vaccine that vaccinates against multiple strains of Leptospira. If you're worried about your dog having a vaccine reaction, let your vet know and they can administer an injection of diphenhydramine (generic benadryl) beforehand, OR you can ask them what the appropriate dose is for your dog and give them the respective amount at home (in tablets or liquid). Vaccine reactions are uncommon, but if they do happen, it's usually immediately after exposure to the vaccine. You can ask to stick around in the lobby/waiting area of your vet clinic for a few extra minutes if you're still concerned.

Limit your dog's access to standing water. Don't let them drink from it. Prevent rodent problems where you can by properly storing food items in appropriate containers, securing your garbage, and patching up any access points into your house if you see them. Try to avoid contact with wildlife, when possible.

For humans, the recommendations remain similar. Don't wade or swim in stagnant water, ESPECIALLY if you have open wounds. Avoid contact with wildlife. WASH YOUR HANDS, often and appropriately. USE PPE if you work in a veterinary setting and properly clean and disinfect surfaces and equipment. Make sure you know or research the area that you're in if you like swimming and boating. Check to see if there have been any recent lepto infections. Cover your scrapes and wounds with waterproof bandages and wear water shoes if possible.

I hope this post answered a lot of your questions! Thanks for reading.

Sources under the cut.

Sources:

[zhi-bde]

Canada recently issued a travel advisory following the emergence of the Oropouche virus, also known as the 'sloth virus', transmitted through flying insect bites, causing outbreaks in Cuba and South America. Below is an explanation of what the virus is and how it spreads.

Written by Cameron Webb, University of Sydney and Andrew van den Hurk, The University of Queensland

International authorities are issuing warnings about “sloth fever”. Despite the name, it’s not contracted via contact with sloths. Rather, you should avoid contact with mosquitoes and biting midges.

So how can Canadians protect themselves from sloth fever when travelling to South and Central America? And how does “sloth fever” compare with other mosquito-borne diseases, such as Zika?

What is ‘sloth fever’?

Sloth fever is caused by Oropouche virus and is formally known as Oropouche virus disease or Oropouche fever.

The virus is an orthobunyavirus. So it’s from a different family of viruses to the flaviviruses (which includes dengue, Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis viruses) and alphaviruses (chikungunya, Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses).

Oropouche virus was first identified in 1955. It takes its name from a village in Trinidad and Tobago, where the person who it was first isolated from lived.

Symptoms include fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash. This makes it difficult to distinguish it from other viral infections. Around 60% of people infected with the virus become ill.

There is no specific treatment and most people recover in less than one month.

However, serious symptoms, including encephalitis and meningitis (inflammation of the brain and membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord) have occasionally been reported.

What’s happening with this latest outbreak?

In July, the Pan American Health Organization issued a warning after two women from northeastern Brazil died following infection with Oropouche virus, the first fatalities linked to this virus.

There has also been one fetal death, one miscarriage and four cases of newborns with microcephaly, a condition characterized by an abnormally small head, where infection during pregnancy occurred. The situation is reminiscent of the Zika outbreak in 2015–16.

Oropouche had historically been a significant concern in the Americas. However, the illness had slipped in importance following successive outbreaks of chikungunya and Zika from 2013 to 2016, and more recently, dengue.

How is Oropouche virus spread?

Oropouche virus has not been well studied compared to other insect-borne pathogens. We still don’t fully understand how the virus spreads.

The virus is primarily transmitted by blood-feeding insects, particularly biting midges (especially Culicoides paraensis) and mosquitoes (potentially a number of Aedes, Coquillettidia, and Culex species).

We think the virus circulates in forested areas with non-human primates, sloths and birds as the main suspected hosts. During urban outbreaks, humans are carrying the virus and blood-feeding insects then go on to infect other people.

The involvement of biting midges (blood sucking insects mistakenly known as “sandflies”) makes the transmission cycle of Oropouche virus a little different to those only spread by mosquitoes. The types of insects spreading the virus may also differ between forested and urban areas.

Why is Oropouche virus on the rise?

The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a warning about rising cases of Oropouche in the Americas. Cases are rising outside areas where it was previously found, such as the Amazon basin, which has authorities concerned.

More than 8,000 cases of disease have been reported from countries including Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Cuba (as of August 21, 2024).

Cases of travellers acquiring infection in Cuba and Brazil have been reported on return to Europe and North America, respectively. On September 3, the Government of Canada issued a health advisory for international travellers after several travel-related cases of Oropouche were reported internationally, the majority of which were in travellers returning from Cuba.

While a changing climate, deforestation and increased movement of people may partly explain the increase and geographic spread of the virus, something more may be at play.

Oropouche virus appears to have a greater potential for genomic reassortment. This means the evolution of the virus may happen faster than other viruses, potentially leading to more significant disease or increased transmissibility.

Areas in South America with reported cases of Oropouche as of September 4, 2024 (Source: CDC)

What can travellers do to protect themselves?

There are no vaccines or specific treatments available for Oropouche virus.

If you’re travelling to countries in South and Central America, take steps to avoid mosquito and biting midge bites.

Mosquito repellents containing diethytoluamide (DEET), picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus have been shown to be effective in reducing mosquito bites, and are expected to work against biting midge bites too.

Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and covered shoes will further reduce the risk.

Sleeping and resting under insecticide-treated mosquito bed nets will help, but much finer mesh nets are required as biting midges are much smaller than mosquitoes.

Although no specific warnings have been issued by Canadian authorities, the CDC and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control have warned that pregnant travellers should discuss travel plans and potential risks with their health-care professional.

[howieabel]

'Dengue fever in Argentina broke a record this year. In the first eight weeks of 2024, authorities reported 57,461 confirmed cases and 47 deaths, a 2,153% increase compared with the same period last year. Recent data from the health ministry indicates a new record was reached in March when cases rose to 233,000 and deaths to 161. The spike in cases occurred in the same year Argentina registered record temperatures, providing the conditions for the Aedes aegypti mosquito to thrive. An as-yet-unpublished report from the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet) associated with the University of Buenos Aires, two leading Argentine institutions, paints a picture of the current state of the epidemic in the country. “Our study shows that the thermal favourability for the mosquito to continue acting for longer has increased and, in this year’s case, has spread among more people,” says Sylvia Fischer, a researcher at Conicet and a co-author of the forthcoming report. “The conditions of large cities, with a large part of the population living in densely populated areas, is another significant factor.” On 2 April, the health ministry published a note on X that questioned the vaccine’s efficacy, saying it would wait for “more scientific evidence” before offering it to the public. “The vaccine is not a validated tool for controlling the transmission of the disease in the context of the outbreak, as expressed by the Pan American Health Organization”, the note said.' - Guardian

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

PAHO Director welcomes Brazil's proposal for Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty within G20

In a meeting with the President of the Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Americas, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, congratulated the Brazilian government for its proposal to create a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty within the G20 framework.

The exchange took place shortly after the pre-launch of the initiative today, 24 July, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During his intervention at the event’s plenary session, Dr. Barbosa also commended President Lula and Brazil's Minister for Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger, Wellington Dias, for putting forward the proposal.

The aim of the Global Alliance is to obtain resources and exchange knowledge for the implementation of public and social policies proven to be effective in ending hunger and poverty worldwide.

According to the PAHO Director, the poorest populations are the most affected by diseases and exposed to risk factors, which can in turn lead to an even greater reduction in income. “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages is intrinsically linked to the commitment to end poverty, hunger and malnutrition,” he said.

Continue reading.

[worldblooddonorday]

Thank and recognize the millions of voluntary blood donors who have contributed to the health and well-being of millions of people around the world.

On June 14th, World Blood Donor Day 2024, let's say ''Thank you, blood donors''.

[zlitbtrwel]

What do you love most?

Myself.

Sun. Sky. Stars. Clouds. Weather. Ocean. Wind. Trees. Dirt. Lakes. Streams. Rivers. Rain.

Museums. Art galleries. Aquariums. Planetariums. Zoos. Gas stations. The beach. Public parks. Golf courses. Country clubs.

Birds. Bugs. Fish. Aquatic mammals & other non-fish sea life. Hands. Friends. Planes. Space. Boats. Cityscapes. A room with a view. Room service.

Algebra. Geometry. Philosophy. Psychology. History. U.S. Military.

Ferrari. Porsche. Tesla. Maserati. Lexus. Hyundai. Nissan.

Oil painting. Photography. Ballet. Short and easy hikes. Writing. Drawing. Yoga. Pilates. Knife throwing. Floor laying. Showering for far too long. Weekly massages. Laundry. Tidy home. Cooking. Baking. Inventing recipes. Traveling. Car-living. Organizing. Color coding. Alphabetizing. Observing. Dissecting. Tea parties. Pickle ball. Creating. Tarot reading.

iPad. Procreate. Books. Blue ray DVD’s. Sketch books. Cute notes. Flowers. Sailor Moon Monopoly. Game boy. Switch. Legos. Stuffed bunny. Rose oil. Mini projector. White Reeboks. Bumble bee Gucci’s. Tennis skirts with pockets. Hotel pillows. Z flip 5. Digital camera. Camcorder.

Sushi. Pork burritos. Cheesecake. Fried pickles. Grilled shrimp. Salmon. Tilapia. French fries in fish burritos. Ramen. Fried eggs. Salt and pepper chips. Jalapeño cheddar Cheetos. Annie Chuns. Calpico strawberry. Calpico peach. Aloe Vera juice. Coconut water. Steak. Fettuccine Alfredo. Pesto. Panini. Turkey sandwiches. Hot sandwiches. Ranch. House made dill pickle spears. Fish tacos. Siracha mayo. Chamberlain Coffee Matcha. Strawberry oatmeal. Konjac Jelly. Tteokbokki. Pasta. Sparking cider. Sparkling grape juice. Peach juice. Watermelon juice. Lime juice. Pineapple juice. Pickle juice.

Go Fish. Phase 10. Spit. Uno. Skip Bo. Funky puzzles.

Mario Kart. Barbie groovy games. Hello kitty happy party pals. Minecraft. Scooby doo. Frogger. Fruit ninja.

F1. Basketball. Baseball. Football (American). Tennis. Sometimes golf. Horse racing.

Pretty nails. Jewel tones. Tatcha. Pan Oxyl. Face masks. Burt’s bees. L’Oréal Paris. Snail mucin. Pureology (blue). Okay firming lotion. Okay beauty bar. Florida water soap bar. Wax strips. Exfoliating gloves. Lume.

Silk & satin. High thread counts. Soft skin. Clear skin. Happy eyes. Well-rested. Good-humored. Fresh breath. Clean white teeth. Physically fit. Good health.

Zendaya. Beyoncé. Boyfriend. Blonde friend. Brunette friend. Grandma. Grandpa. Assistant. Accountants. Business Manager. Lawyers. Anne Hathaway. Anna-Taylor Joy. Carlos Sainz. Lewis Hamilton. Kardashians. Camille Rowe. Lando Norris. Oscar Piastri. Dove Cameron. Max Verstappen. Fernando Alonso. Emma Watson. Margot Robbie. Cher. Alex Albon. Sabrina Carpenter. Victoria Beckham. Lily James. Elle Fanning. Angelina Jolie. George Russell. Rihanna. Olivia Rodrigo. Jenna Ortega. Kaya Scodelario. Dylan O’Brien. Barbra Palvin Sprouse. Dylan Sprouse. Shuang Hu. Seo Yeaji. Kim Soohyun. All BTS members. Logan Lerman. Alexandra Daddario. Uma Therman. Natalia Dyer. Dacre Montgomery. Jackson Wang.

Starfire. Kate Sharma. Jeremiah (tatbilb). Shawn Spencer. Gus TT Showbiz. Juliette Ohera Spencer. Percy Jackson. Robin (teen titans). HeKate. Persephone. Venus. Aria (PLL).

Individuality. Confidence. Kindness. Unorthodox solutions. Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency. Exclusivity. Loyalty. Honesty.

The list goes on, and on, forever. . .

[thoughtlessarse]

The number of dengue cases in the region is the highest level since officials began tracking it in 1980. The Caribbean and the Americas are being hit hard by dengue fever, with a record 12.6 million suspected cases of the mosquito-borne virus reported this year, according to regional health officials. That’s nearly triple the number of cases reported in 2023, with cases surging globally as warmer weather brought on by climate change enables mosquitoes to expand their reach. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) – the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Americas – said deaths from dengue are also rising. The Caribbean and the Americas have reported more than 7,700 deaths so far in 2024, up from 2,467 deaths in 2023, according to the organization. The number of cases in the region, which includes the United States, is the highest reported since record keeping began in 1980, PAHO director Jarbas Barbosa said at a news conference. “This is linked directly to climatic events,” he said, referencing warmer temperatures, droughts and flooding. Amid fast population growth, unplanned urbanisation and poor sanitation have contributed to the rise in dengue. -The virus has surged worldwide since last year and spread to areas previously free of dengue, according to PAHO.

continue reading

[thinkeco-friendly]

The Impacts of Pollution on Human Health

Waste generation in low/high-income areas and its impacts.

It is not a secret that plastic and toxic chemical pollution due to improper waste disposal in our environment threatens our health and safety. In many places, garbage cannot be properly disposed of because of unsustainable waste disposal systems, which will pollute the water, soil, and air. Waste dumpsites, especially in rural low- and middle-income communities worldwide, are at their highest with unregulated trash. Most of the unregulated plastic pollution on land will eventually seep into the soil, and others will find their way down to bodies of water, infiltrating ocean ecosystems. Due to the inaccessibility of a reliable waste management system, many people in these communities suffer from exposed methane and carbon dioxide emissions, diseases, microplastics, and pollutants.

Although the waste output of low- to middle-income communities will be much less than those in high-income neighborhoods, without a well-funded waste management system and access to compostable, biodegradable, environmentally friendly products, their society will remain in plastic waste. Regardless, many of these communities try to eliminate the garbage by uncontrolled burning and waste dumping, but these methods are not sustainable for themselves or the Earth's future.

Burning plastic trash instead of properly disposing of it or using techniques to limit the waste output, such as recycling or reusing, will result in black carbon and poor air quality, elevating the risk of respiratory diseases, cancer, and death. According to the Pan American Health Organization, nearly "7 million premature deaths are attributable to air pollution in 2016," and "about 88% of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries."

Waste dumping results in plastic pollution in the environment, which "pose both physical (e.g., entanglement, gastrointestinal blockage, reef destruction) and chemical threats (e.g., bioaccumulation of the chemical ingredients of plastic or toxic chemicals sorbed to plastics) to wildlife and the marine ecosystem."

Though their methods may not be feasible in the long run, only government environmental programs and agencies can enact real change in these communities with funded systems and innovative ways to transport trash in and out of rural areas. Education on composting, reducing, reusing, and recycling may also help create a better environment.

Despite the large amounts of pollution attributed to the low- and middle-income communities' unsustainable waste systems, the continual plastic pollution is mostly because of the high production of plastic in growing industries in China, North America, and Europe. With easy access to waste-generating goods, the pollution problem becomes more prevalent in these countries. This foreshadows other factors that play a role in the plastic pollution issue, such as the illegal dumping of plastic waste, littering, and mismanagement of plastics; in 2016, the United States ranked #1 in plastic waste generation, as shown in the photo below.

Source: NPG, 2020

With the ever-growing amount of mismanaged plastic disposed of in our environment, the effects continue to show in research studies, revealing that it threatens the health of humans globally.

The diagram created by CIEL below demonstrates the multitudes of ways that exposure to pollution can affect human health.

More than ever, we should beware of its effects and stop producing single-use plastics that will only create more problems when disposed of. Learning and educating ourselves on Earth and becoming aware of the adverse effects will allow us, as a community, to grow one step closer to a more sustainable planet.

Sources

Mihai, F., Gündoğdu, S., Markley, L. A., Olivelli, A., Khan, F. R., Gwinnett, C., Gutberlet, J., Meidiana, C., Elagroudy, S., Ishchenko, V., Penney, S., & Lenkiewicz, Z. (2022). Plastic Pollution, Waste Management Issues, and Circular Economy Opportunities in Rural Communities. Sustainability, 14(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010020

Vinti, G., & Vaccari, M. (2022). Solid Waste Management in Rural Communities of Developing Countries: An Overview of Challenges and Opportunities. Clean Technologies, 4(4), 1138-1151. https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol4040069

Zhou, B., Qi, F., Riaz, M. F., & Ali, T. (2022). An Analysis of the Factors behind Rural Residents’ Satisfaction with Residential Waste Management in Jiangxi, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114220

[beardedmrbean]

A record surge in dengue cases throughout Latin America and the Caribbean prompted the head of the Pan American Health Organization to warn of the need for proactive measures to curb the virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes.

PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said in a press briefing Thursday that as of March 26, the region had seen more than 3.5 million cases of dengue and more than 1,000 deaths.

"This is cause for concern, as it represents three times more cases than those reported for the same period in 2023, a record year with more than 4.5 million cases reported in the region,” he said.

As of March, the hardest-hit countries in Latin America are Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina — which have accounted for 92% of the dengue cases and 87% of the deaths — where mosquitoes have thrived because of the warm and rainy weather this time of year.

Barbosa said, however, that they're seeing an uptick in Barbados, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Martinique and Mexico, "where transmission is usually higher in the second half of the year.”

U.S. embassies have been issuing health alerts in countries throughout the region, urging people to cover their arms and legs, use mosquito repellent and avoid stagnant water and other mosquito-breeding places.

The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico declared a dengue public health emergency this week, with a surge in cases mostly in the island's capital, San Juan.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “dengue viruses are spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species” mosquito, with symptoms that can range from mild to life-threatening for those who get sick from the infection. About 1 in 20 people can get severe dengue, which can lead to death.

The most common symptom is fever, according to the CDC; other symptoms include serious headaches, nausea, vomiting, rash and body pain.

���Facing the dengue problem is a task for all sectors of society,” Barbosa said, urging community engagement.

This includes “efforts to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and protect against mosquito bites, increase preparedness in health services for early diagnosis and timely clinical management, and continuous work to educate the population about dengue symptoms and when to seek prompt medical attention,” according to a PAHO news release.