Global health news -Â November 2009
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Research
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HIV vaccine reduces risk of infection by one third
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 For the first time, research has shown that an experimental HIV vaccine reduces the risk of HIV infection. A study conducted among 16 000 people in Thailand proved that the risk of becoming infected with HIV was cut by more than 31%. In the trial, a combination of two previously unsuccessful vaccines were tested among Thai men and women between the ages of18 to 30 who were at average risk of becoming infected. Half of the participants received the vaccine while the other half received a placebo. All were given counselling on HIV/AIDS prevention. During a three year period, the volunteers were tested for HIV infection every six months. After three years, 51 of 8 197 participants who were vaccinated became infected with HIV, while new infections occurred in 71 out of the 8 198 who received a placebo. Despite the promising results of the trial, researchers stress that it is unknown if the vaccine would work against the different strains predominating in Africa. LD
Reference:Â Nature, september 2009
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Fungus kills malaria mosquito
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The results of a study conducted by the University of Wageningen in cooperation with their colleagues in South Africa indicate that fungi are able to effectively infect and kill malaria mosquitoes, even those that are pesticide-resistant. They also increase mosquitoes’ susceptibility to pesticides.
The spores of the fungus Beauveria bassiana infect mosquitoes, which weaken their immune systems. This, in turn, slows the development of the malaria parasites within the mosquito and eventually killing it. The relatively slow effect of the fungus is sufficient to block malaria transmission, as it takes up to two weeks for a mosquito to transmit the disease. As malaria mosquitoes are increasingly becoming resistant to pesticides, fungi offer a sustainable alternative as a vector control agent. Worldwide, each year more than one million people die from malaria, especially children under the age of five in Sub-Saharan Africa. LD
Reference: Nicolas Praet et al, Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp, PloS Negl Trop Dis April 2009 |
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Health policy
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Fighting climate change with contraception
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 A WHO study on population growth and climate change, led by Leo Bryant, shows that contraception advice is crucial in battling climate change in poor countries.
Carbon emission in developing nations is relatively low, so an expansion in population is unlikely to increase global warming significantly. However, overpopulation combined with climate change will worsen living conditions by depleting natural resources. Moreover, climate change may increase the occurrence of natural disasters such as storms and can force people to live in areas susceptible to floods, drought and disease.
Governments are aware of the link between rapid population growth and its environmental impact, but few have plans to tackle the problem. The stigma attached to birth control is hindering the reduction of population growth and its impact on the environment.According to Leo Bryant, 200 million women across the world want contraceptives, but cannot get them, since policymakers fear to advocate ideas like sterilization or one-child policies.
Focus on family planning is cheap compared to other measures: for every £ 4 spent on family planning over the next four decades, global CO2 emissions would be reduced by more than a ton, whereas a minimum of £ 19 would have to be spent on low-carbon technologies to achieve the same result. JSÂ
Reference: Physicians for National Health Programmes |
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Russia's president calls for a crackdown on alcoholism
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Russians drink eighteen liters (38 pints) of pure alcohol each year - more than double the WHO's recommended maximum. Nowadays, 38% of Russians till the age of 40 and more than half between 40 and 59 years suffer from alcoholism. Alcohol poisoning kills an average of 30,000 people each year. Doctors believe alcohol related diseases cause around half of all deaths. Like the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's drive to reduce drinking in the mid-eighties, a new campaign against alcoholism is needed. Health minister Golikova praises Gorbachev's initiatives, although opponents postulate this campaign also led to illegal production of low-quality alcohol.
The Russian goverment wants to form his anti-alcoholism strategy in collaboration with religious groups and NGOs. The government’s goal is to reduce the intake of pure alcohol to fourteen liters (30 pints) by 2012. Measures taken to reach this goal include: limits on can sizes, limiting the sale of alcohol to adolescents, larger health warning labels on all types of alcohol packages, control of alcohol sales, and collecting more taxes from alcohol producers.JS
Reference:The Moscow Times, WHO international news, September 2009 |
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A lethal lack of health insurance
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Harvard studies in cooperation with CDCP suggest that annually, over 45 000 deaths in the US are associated with the lack of health insurance. This figure is about two and a half times higher than previous estimates from similar studies in 1993 and 2002 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
The researchers found that uninsured, working-age Americans have a 40% higher risk to die than their privately insured counterparts, raised from a study that suggested 25% in 1993. This result was significant after correction for factors such as socioeconomic status, health behavior, and baseline health. The researchers think the study should prompt policymakers in Washington to consider the impact of scaling back any effort to provide truly universal coverage. JS
Reference:Â Â CDC Journal |
Photo by hitthatswitch, shared under Creative Common License
Photo by Kelli Gaskill, shared under Creative Common License
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Global Medicine 8
