RESUMEN
In South Africa, cervical cancer is the most common female cancer followed by breast cancer. Despite the high incidence of these cancers, population-based screening is limited to cervical screening available at primary health clinics. Cervical screening uptake is, however, low. In 2009 a new cancer prevention initiative was launched in a specific resource poor community in Tshwane, South Africa. The low cervical screening uptake as well as a potentially low breast screening uptake could have resulted in the failure of this initiative. The purpose of the study was to develop and pilot test an intervention to address this risk. A Community Health Worker was trained and tasked to raise awareness of cervical and breast cancer and motivate women to take up screening. The intervention was assessed in terms of three outcomes: screening uptake, awareness and the value of the Community Health Worker. Despite the fact that the Community Health Worker's role was valued, screening uptake was disappointing and the level of awareness remained low. Unfortunately this intervention failed and once again we are left with the challenge of improving screening uptake.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Mama/diagnóstico , Servicios de Salud Comunitaria/organización & administración , Promoción de la Salud/organización & administración , Tamizaje Masivo/organización & administración , Neoplasias del Cuello Uterino/diagnóstico , Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Conductas Relacionadas con la Salud , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Proyectos Piloto , Sudáfrica , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Maps showing gradations of risk of fasciolosis due to Fasciola gigantica in Cambodia were produced using geographic information systems (GIS) technology in conjunction with determinants of fasciolosis. A comparison between levels of risk predicted by the maps and field measurements of prevalence in 11 provinces (n=1406) showed general agreement, which suggested the epidemiological determinants and weightings used to produce the maps were appropriate. However, due to logistical constraints, prevalence was measured at the provincial level and animals were not randomly sampled (and thus were unlikely to be representative of variability within provinces). To address this, additional field work was carried out to measure prevalence in more detail--faecal samples were collected from a randomly selected set of animals in four districts across a representative province for areas predicted to be at high risk (n=311), moderate risk (n=268) and no risk (n=262). As with the original field survey, the results show general agreement between prevalence and risk predicted by the maps, with the best fit found for areas predicted to be at high risk.
Asunto(s)
Búfalos/parasitología , Enfermedades de los Bovinos/epidemiología , Fascioliasis/veterinaria , Sistemas de Información Geográfica/normas , Medición de Riesgo , Animales , Cambodia/epidemiología , Bovinos , Fascioliasis/epidemiología , Heces/parasitología , Modelos Biológicos , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Factores de Riesgo , Vigilancia de Guardia/veterinaria , Caracoles/parasitologíaRESUMEN
A geographic information systems (GIS) model for mapping the risk of fasciolosis in cattle and buffaloes was developed for the Kingdom of Cambodia using determinants of inundation, proximity to rivers, land use, slope, elevation, and the density of cattle and buffaloes. Determinants were subjectively weighted according to their perceived relative importance before combining them to produce a risk-map of fasciolosis. The model estimates that 28% of Cambodia is potentially at risk of fasciolosis with areas of high and moderate risk concentrated in southern and central Cambodia. The estimates of risk reflect the actual prevalence of fasciolosis in most districts surveyed, suggesting that the epidemiological determinants and weightings used to produce the model were appropriate. These results will be progressively refined as more detailed field surveys are completed to fully validate the model.
Asunto(s)
Búfalos/parasitología , Enfermedades de los Bovinos/parasitología , Fasciola/crecimiento & desarrollo , Fascioliasis/veterinaria , Animales , Cambodia/epidemiología , Bovinos , Enfermedades de los Bovinos/epidemiología , Fascioliasis/epidemiología , Fascioliasis/parasitología , Sistemas de Información Geográfica , Modelos Biológicos , Medición de Riesgo/métodos , Caracoles/parasitologíaRESUMEN
Since bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV), known as bovine lentivirus, has been detected in dairy and beef cattle in various countries around the world, a prevalence study of antibodies to BIV and bovine leukemia virus (BLV) was conducted in draught animals in five provinces in Cambodia, where protozoan parasite infections were suspected in some animals. To clarify the status of draught animals including Haryana, Brahman, mixed-breed, local breed cattle and muscle water buffaloes, a total of 544 cattle and 42 buffaloes were tested, and 26.3 and 16.7%, respectively, were found positive for anti-BIV p26 antibodies determined by Western blotting. There were 5.3% positive for anti-BLV antibodies detected by immunodiffusion test among the cattle, but no reactors among buffaloes and no dual infection for both BIV and BLV was determined in this study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from BIV-seropositive cattle were found to have BIV-provirus DNA, as detected by polymerase chain reaction and subsequent Southern blot hybridization. This is the first evidence for the presence of BIV and BLV infections in draught animals in tropical countries such as Cambodia. This wide distribution of BIV suggests its association with problems in animal health as reported worldwide, and that a primary BIV infection can predispose death of affected animals by other aggressive pathogens or stresses.
Asunto(s)
Anticuerpos Antivirales/sangre , Enfermedades de los Bovinos/epidemiología , Leucosis Bovina Enzoótica/epidemiología , Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Bovina/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones por Lentivirus/veterinaria , Virus de la Leucemia Bovina/aislamiento & purificación , Animales , Búfalos/virología , Cambodia , Bovinos/virología , Enfermedades de los Bovinos/inmunología , Industria Lechera , Leucosis Bovina Enzoótica/inmunología , Femenino , Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Bovina/inmunología , Inmunodifusión , Infecciones por Lentivirus/epidemiología , Infecciones por Lentivirus/inmunología , Virus de la Leucemia Bovina/inmunología , Carne/virología , Especificidad de la EspecieRESUMEN
Babesia microti produces a self-limiting infection in mice, and recovered mice are resistant to reinfection. In the present study, the role of T cells in protective immunity against challenge infection was examined. BALB/c mice which recovered from primary infection showed strong protective immunity against challenge infection. In contrast, nude mice which failed to control the primary infection and were cured with an antibabesial drug did not show protection against challenge infection. Treatment of immune mice with anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (MAb) diminished the protective immunity against challenge infection, but treatment with anti-CD8 MAb had no effect on the protection. Transfer of CD4(+) T-cell-depleted spleen cells resulted in higher parasitemia than transfer of CD8(+) T-cell-depleted spleen cells. A high level of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), which was produced by CD4(+) T cells, was observed for the culture supernatant of spleen cells from immune mice, and treatment of immune mice with anti-IFN-gamma MAb partially reduced the protection. Moreover, no protection against challenge infection was found in IFN-gamma-deficient mice. On the other hand, treatment of immune mice with MAbs against interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, or tumor necrosis factor alpha did not affect protective immunity. These results suggest essential requirements for CD4(+) T cells and IFN-gamma in protective immunity against challenge infection with B. microti.