The UN is facing claims from Haitian cholera victims.

Haiti’s poor Infrastructure already shattered by earthquake in January 2010 is now facing the rapid spread of water borne disease in the country.

The UN is facing claims from Haitian cholera victims, IJDH filed the demand on behalf of some 5,000 victims ( IJDH, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti is a Boston- based human right group). The IJHD is demanding $50,000 in compensation for each sick people and $ 100,000 for each death.

The IJDH argues that infected UN peacekeeper troops from Nepal, caused the cholera outbreak. They claim that UN mission in Haiti failed to screen peacekeeper for cholera and allowed dumping of untreated water from their rural base camp into a tributary of the Artibonite river.

The study published by UN scientific experts in may reported that it was not possible to be conclusive about how cholera was introduced into Haiti. UN reported the outbreak of epidemic cholera in Haiti was the result of a ‘confluence of circumstances’ rather than the fault of a group or individual.

Several studies have concluded that UN peacekeepers from Nepal carried cholera to Haiti. Studies strongly suggest that the disease was introduced by UN peace keepers troops from Nepal living in a rural base where poor santitary conditions allowed human waste to enter the tributary system of most important river. US center for disease control also linked the cholera outbreak to Nepalese troops.

Since the cholera outbreak that begun in October 2010 more that 6,500 have died of cholera and nearly 500,000 have been sick according, to the Haitian Ministry of Health.

Ref:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15648110

India has "never been closer" to wiping out polio

Marking the World polio day India’s health minister stated“India is close to wiping out Polio”. Ever since the launch of global eradication campaign no new cases of polio has been reported for more than nine months. This makes the longest polio-free period in India.

Polio is still prevalent in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. India is one among these countries in the World where polio is still endemic. Uttar Pradesh has been one of the worst-affected regions in the world's fight against polio. In 2008, of the 549 polio cases reported in India, 297 were in Uttar Pradesh.

This year the only reported case of polio was in the state of West Bengal. There were 39 cases reported over a similar period in 2010. The health ministry reported that no cases were reported from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh for 18 months and no cases have been reported from Bihar over the last 13 months. The results are encouraging, India’s health minister stated, “"We are close to our goal but are not taking any chances.” He declared that the country will intensify its efforts to stop any residual polio virus circulation and also to prevent any polio cases following an international importation.

India has battled the debilitating disease which strikes children aged under five. For decades health officials and non-governmental organizations have administered large-scale immunization programmes. India holds two national immunization days every year. On each of these immunization days, polio drops are given to nearly 170.2 million children. India's efforts to reduce polio cases have been praised by international health organizations. According to officials, any new case of Polio would be dealt with as a public health emergency.

References:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15425852

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is critical nutrients that help body make healthy red blood cells. Vitamin B₁₂, also known as cobalamin is a micronutrient that is synthesized only by microorganisms. In chronic lack of Vitamin B12 the body can't make needed amount of red blood cells. The major signs of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency are megaloblastic anemia and neuropathy. Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in people of all ages who consume a low intake of animal-source foods, including populations in developing countries. Strict vegetarians /vegans have a greater risk of developing vitamin B₁₂ deficiency relative to nonvegetarians. 

Animal products like meat, poultry, seafood and dairy foods like milk, eggs, yogurt, and cheese are the best sources of vitamin B12. The vegans are at risk for B12 deficiency since most vitamin B12 in the diet comes from animal products. Honey, vegetables, and fruits are not really sources of vitamin B12, which is why vegan diet does not contain enough vitamin B12. Therefore, vegan pregnant and nursing mothers or even strict vegetarians are recommended food fortified with B12 or B12 supplement. 

Fatigue is the most common symptom for individuals with low levels of vitamin B12. A sign of B12 deficiency includes weight loss, constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal bloating and gas, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, loss of balance, and a sore, red tongue. Most people with vitamin B12 deficiencies have a mild problem. However it can at times be serious when there is an extremely low level of Vitamin B12 in the body. Some of the serious consequences due to vitamin B12 deficiency are mental problems, confused thinking, memory loss, and dementia. Low levels of B12 can also cause nerve damage and weaken bones. Vitamin B12 deficiencies occur when body does not get the right nutrients from our dietary intake. Sometimes B12 deficiency is caused by conditions other than diet; such as body inability to absorb B12 properly or when there is problem of the digestive system. Elderly individuals have more problems with malabsorption of B12 from food and malnutrition therefore, vitamin B12 deficiency is prevalent among the elderly. Crohn's and celiac disease, weight loss surgery, chronic alcoholism all interferes with the body’s ability to absorb enough of the nutrients needed. Drugs like antibiotics, antacids, diabetes and seizure medications can interfere with the body's ability to break down vitamin B12 from food.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults over age 14 years need at least 2.4 micrograms of B12 a day while pregnant or breastfeeding women need slightly more. However, daily body loss of the vitamin is estimated to be between 2 and 5 µg/day. It has been reported that a daily vitamin B₁₂ intake of 6 µg appears to be sufficient to maintain a steady-state concentration of plasma vitamin B₁₂ and vitamin B₁₂ related metabolic markers. A blood test at doctor’s office will help confirm vitamin B12 deficiency.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can be corrected by making adjustments in diet by taking B12-fortified foods or by taking a supplement. We can get plenty of Vitamin B12 by eating a well-balanced diet. Some people easily boost their low levels of B12 by simply changing their diet, eating more animal products, as vitamin B12 in our diets comes from animal products such as, seafood, yogurt, cheese, and eggs. However, in more serious cases of Vitamin B12 deficiency doctor’s care is needed. Many people may have a severe deficiency or have an underlying health condition that causes B12 to drop. Vitamin B12 deficiency is treated in several ways. If the symptoms are mild or moderate, an oral B12 supplement is started, which is taken once a day or a weekly vitamin B12 nasal spray is used. Serious B12 deficiencies may require B12 injections, which are administered occasionally.

Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D was first discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, as a missing nutrient in children causing severe bone demineralization, a disease called rickets. Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in metabolizing calcium for healthy bones. Insufficient vitamin D makes bones thin and brittle causing rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin D has multiple non-skeletal actions besides its major role in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism.

The term "vitamin D" refers to two different forms; (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D2 is synthesized by plants and vitamin D3 is synthesized by humans in the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays from sunlight. Vitamin D, as either D₃ or D₂, does not have significant biological activity it must be metabolized within the body to the hormonally-active form known as 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.

The major sources of vitamin D are our diet, supplementation and sun exposure. The good food sources of Vitamin D are fish liver oils, fatty fish, fortified milk products, fortified cereals. However, vitamin D is found in very few foods naturally (e.g. fish, eggs and cod liver oil); while foods such as milk, orange juice, yogurts and some breakfast foods are fortified with Vitamin D. Foods may be fortified with vitamin D2 or D3. The fortification level is aimed at about 400 IU per day.

Vitamin D is formed naturally as a result of sunlight exposure; as little as 10 minutes of sun exposure is thought to be enough to prevent vitamin D deficiencies. Lack of proper sun exposure or inadequate Vitamin D3 supplement increases body’s odds to vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency.

The Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) or Adequate of Vitamin D for adults’ age 18-50 years, pregnant and breastfeeding women is 5 micrograms/day. The RDA for adults’ age 51-70 years is 10 micrograms/day, while for adults over age 70 years RDA is 15 micrograms/day. Upper limit or the highest amount of Vitamin D taken without risk is said to be 50 micrograms/day. (The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 200 international units (IU) for people up to 50 years old and 400 IU for people 51 - 70 years old and 600 IU for people over 70 years old.)

The Vitamin D blood levels should be around 50-80 ng/mL (125-200 nmol/L) for optimum health, these values are relevant to both children and adults. While, most doctors still consider a result of 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) to be sufficient; when it is not. Total serum 25(OH) D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) is the total amount of vitamin D in the blood, both vitamin D3 and vitamin D2. The only way to determine the body Vitamin D status is by testing Vitamin D blood levels. Vitamin D test tells us how much of the storage form of vitamin D, known as 25(OH) D is present in our blood serum. Vitamin D test can be obtained by asking the doctor for a 25-hydroxyvitamin D [5(OH) D] test. We need to be careful while ordering the right test a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test NOT a 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D test. We can also perform the test oneself by purchasing an in-home test kit.

Vitamin D deficiency is a highly prevalent condition. In spite of foods fortified with vitamin D and wide supplement intake, it is estimated that ~1 billion people have insufficient levels of vitamin D. According to Anthony Norman, an international expert on vitamin D, half the people in North America and Western Europe get insufficient amounts of vitamin D. Anthony Norman recommends a daily intake of 2000 international units for most adults. He says only eating vitamin D-rich foods are not adequate to solve the problem for most adults.

Lately, epidemiological data has shown prominent role of Vitamin D in autoimmune and cardiovascular disease as well as in cancer therefore interest in mechanisms of vitamin D action is growing persistently. Century later we are now aware of Vitamin D non-skeletal actions. Vitamin D has effect in target organ damage; Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is present in many tissues including immune cells and cardiovascular (CV) target organs.

Vitamin D ameliorates the target organ damage by enhancement of immune suppression/ modulation of immune responses; downregulates renin-angiotensin system and inhibits cardiac hypertrophy.

Several experimental data point towards beneficial effects of vitamin D in cardiovascular disease as it is said to have a novel role as a negative modulator of renin synthesis. One of the studies done by Wang et al., (2010) assessed whether vitamin D and calcium supplements reduced the risk for cardiovascular events in adults. They used data sources from clinical studies and trails from 1966 to July 2009. The findings showed consistent reductions in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among adults who received vitamin D supplements in five prospective studies of patients receiving dialysis and one study involving a general population. However, study found no differences in incidence of CVD between calcium supplement recipients and nonrecipients in four prospective studies of initially healthy persons. Similarly, the results of secondary analyses in 8 randomized trials showed a slight but statistically nonsignificant reduction in CVD risk with vitamin D supplementation at moderate to high doses but not with calcium supplementation or a combination of vitamin D and calcium supplementation compared with placebo. The results suggest that vitamin D supplements at moderate to high doses may reduce CVD risk, whereas calcium supplements have minimal cardiovascular effects.

Likewise, several observational studies have suggested anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties of vitamin D. Results have shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher incidence of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes mellitus. Evidences from a number of studies have reported substantial reductions in incidence of breast cancer, colon cancer and Type 1 diabetes in association with adequate intake of vitamin D. These positive effects were reported to have occurred within five years of initiation of adequate vitamin D intake.

Vitamin D has much potential health benefits, research so far suggest vitamin D provides protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. However, more research needs to be done in some areas to make it even more comprehensible.

References:

Holick, M. F. (2007). Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med, 357, 266–281.
Munger, K. L., Levin, L. I., Hollis, B.W., Howard, N. S., Ascherio, A. (2006). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of multiple sclerosis. JAMA, 296, 2832–2838.

Wang, L., Manson, J. E., Song, Y., Sesso, H. D. ( 2010). Systematic review: Vitamin D and calcium supplementation in prevention of cardiovascular events. Ann Intern Med, 152, 315– 323.

Time for course correction

Chickens of “consensus” politics have come home to roost. The manhandling of Finance Minister Surendra Pandey by the Maoist members of parliament is a preview of what the future holds for the politicians of the current coalition, who once endlessly harped on the need for consensus, if the outcomes of the political bargain do not go the Maoists’ way. The footage of the ultra-progressives (read the Maoists) manhandling the less-progressive (the minister from the less-progressive CPN-UML) is just a mouse-click away for the world to see. The timing could not have gotten any better. Pandey got roughed up at a time when the never-ending rounds of elections for the post of prime minister was providing the world a glimpse of how exactly a dysfunctional political system looks like.

As usual, each side is blaming the other for the incident. Anything new in that? Not really. The blame-game has been going on for a while now. Instead of trying to figure out who is at fault, it would be helpful if we spent our time and energy trying to understand why something as serious as this happened inside the parliament. It happened for a simple reason. And the reason is that as a nation, we allow politicians to run the country by cutting deals in the name of consensus. Nobody except the dealmakers actually know the terms and conditions of the deals. So, it is very easy for them to lie about them later. What makes this deal-based process even more complicated is that, for these dealmakers, pleasing their masters (Chinese for the Maoists and Indians for the current coalition members) is much more important and lies at the heart of anything they do or agree to than serving the nation’s interest and fulfilling people’s expectations.

Blaming the Maoists for insincerity at this point in time is completely absurd and unintelligent. The Maoists have been inconsistently consistent throughout about their motive behind joining the hands with the political parties. They wanted to use the opportunity to achieve their goal of establishing the dictatorship of the proletariat. The rationalization of the Maoists’ intent to come overground came from the very politicians that now grouch about the Maoist motives, pundits who change their color faster than chameleons to remain politically-relevant and human right activists that are now nowhere to be seen when a people’s representative is manhandled in broad light inside the parliament. Hence, the wound that politicians of the Nepali Congress (NC) and the UML complain about is self-inflicted. The sooner they learn to live with it, the better off they will be.

The Maoists are now one of the dominant players of Nepali politics and there is logic to what they do. Every move of theirs is well-calculated and is meant to serve their political agenda. With India against their quest for power, the Maoists have no choice but to tilt the domestic political balance by coercing their political opponents. They want the opponents to be perceived as feeble and power-hungry who will eventually succumb to their bullying tactics. And there is precedence to what they believe in. On the other side, there is no political preparation to tackle the Maoists. All they have is the same old slogan of how big a threat the Maoists are for democracy, which gives them an opportunity to cash in on India’s soured relationship with the Maoists, both of which will not take the coalition very far.

Putting the blame on the Maoists will not serve any purpose when it comes to correcting the course that they are in. The NC and the UML should prove to the people, which they have not done so far, that they can effectively govern the nation and meet people’s expectations. The state’s reach has been shrinking with each passing day. Regurgitation of the same old stale slogan of democracy being in danger from the likes of Krishna Prasad Sitaula, who not very long ago used every argument that they could think of to justify how bringing the Maoists overground was good for democracy, makes the case that the coalition is trying to make against the Maoists look malicious and empty.

The ongoing small-scale confrontation between the major partners of the coalition and the Maoists will get bigger and more frequent in the days to come. This is just the beginning. The NC, with its new president, can be a game changer if it dares to get away from the influence of the likes of Sitaula that failed miserably to correctly assess the Maoists’ motives. It is time to play the game with the Maoists the way they do. Backdoor dealings with them should be completely stopped. Things as important as budget should be made public with or without the Maoist support. If they oppose, they are the ones that will be seen as obstructionist, and if they get physical, they should end up behind bars. Appeasing the Maoists so far has not gotten the nation anywhere, has it? It is high time that they be held accountable for their acts.

The moving of the political process forward should be done smartly. Staying put in a futile prime ministerial election process makes the NC look like a club of politically-immature jokers. Its obsession with the prime ministership is pushing Jhala Nath Khanal and his fellow comrades closer to Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Helping the UML retain its political base is as important as maintaining its own political space for the NC. The UML’s loss is the Maoists party´s gain. Hence, letting Khanal become the prime minister is politically more profitable for the NC than alienating him by endlessly bidding for Ram Chandra Poudel. Even if Poudel became the prime minister, there will absolutely nothing in this lame duck environment for him to achieve that will change the NC’s face and fate. So, why remain obsessed? Cut your losses by not appearing insensitive to Khanal’s desperation to become the prime minister.

Banking on India’s support and regurgitation of democracy-in-peril rhetoric may work for a while and help the coalition stay put in power for some time, but with China’s support, the Maoist party is hell-bent on tipping the balance. If and when the balance tips, India will have no choice but to reengage with the Maoists. Aung San Suu Kyi received Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1993 from the Indian government, but when the Indian government later on realized that the Burmese junta was not going to release Suu Kyi anytime soon, it started reengaging with the junta that put her under house arrest. Than Swe’s recent gala reception in India and the endless case made by India’s foreign policy experts, including Shyam Saran, about the necessity of becoming pragmatic when it came to dealing with Myanmar’s junta is an example of how far the Indian pendulum can swing with change in domestic political situation. Endless complaints about the Maoists’ anti-democratic acts have not made them change their ways, so it is time you change your ways and do things differently Mr Sushil Koirala. By opting for that, you would be doing a huge favor both to your party as well as the nation.

American cuisine

In my view, there is nothing like American cuisine. American cuisine is a fusion cuisine. The fusion in this case means that it takes ingredients from more than one cuisine, mixes them together, and creates something new. American cuisine encompasses ingredients and techniques from around the world. It is basically a product of both regional uniqueness and international diversity. American food reflects the origins of its international diversity and blend of their culture and culinary mix. The fact that America does not have a cuisine is a measure of its democracy and ethnic diversity.

For me, Cuisine is a form of cultural expression in ways of preparing food. It is about bringing the flavors out of the ingredients at hand. Expensive ingredients do not necessarily make great cuisine. It is all about using the right ingredients in right quantity. Individuals and families from various nations and ethnicity have settled in the US, and through their cuisine, they share their heritage.

The United States is a land of delicious eating. It has unique food traditions, festivals, and events. Rather than unifying national style of cooking, the U.S. is a nation of regional cuisines. Regional traditions and diversity are the two important ingredients that make American cuisines attractive and diverse. Food choices vary from one region to another because of variation in culture, tradition, and climate. In the U.S. every region, state, city and town has its own unique food traditions and establishment, which is a combination of local tradition and diverse influence from around the world. The regional foods associated with the North East are cranberries, oyster, apples and cheese-steak. Regional foods from South East are collards, peaches, shrimp, tomatoes and okra. Corn, beef, grains, pasta, pizza are the regional foods in mid west. Salmon, clams, cheese, apples, strawberries are regional food in North West. While, chilies, tortillas, corn, beans, grapes, lettuce, avocados are regional food of south west. There is a rich diversity in American food culture. This can be very much experienced by traveling across the country. For example, regional differences exist even in the word “Barbecue.” It means pork in south and beef in the southwest.

There has been a major influence on American food over time. In 1700, a new country was formed by settlers from all parts of Europe and Africa, which resulted in mixing of cultures and cuisines. Some of the major influences on US cuisine came from African slaves. They carried with them seeds from their native foods, yams, okra, watermelon etc. The enslaved Africans created southern cuisine; sweet potato pie and candied yam as cook in Southern plantation kitchen by combining native foods with those of European colonists. African-Americans played a major role in molding the renowned cuisine of the South.

The American popular food “Barbecue” was discovered after the mingling of Native Americans, Anglo, and African traditions. In 1852, Chinese immigrants arrived in California to work in mines, pick crops, and build the railroads. Even though they were confined to the Chinese community and legally kept away from mingling with the broader population, they brought new traditions and ingredients to American dinner table. Over time, descendants of Chinese workers of gold rush era and the new Chinese immigrants started moving out of the China towns, as a result their cuisines became popular and a part of the American eating experience. It is said that there more Chinese restaurants in the US than the McDonald, which is a popular fast food chain.

Reference: American Cuisine. Available online at, <>

Speak the truth

The political stalemate continues unabated. While the members of the current coalition continue to stick to the demand of the dissolution of paramilitary structure of the Young Communist League (YCL) and return of the property seized property, the Maoists like in the past are trying their best to get away without fulfilling these demands. Given the level of political dishonesty that the Maoists exhibit, will these demands, that have a far reaching consequences on how we live and pursue our livelihoods, be ever met? Many concerned citizens have these questions crossing their minds.

Let’s get this straight: The paramilitary structure of the Young Communist League (YCL) will not be dissolved and the seized property will never be returned. There are many reasons for this, the prime being: In the Maoists’ collective consciousness, YCL is not a paramilitary force. It is a youth political force like the ones that every other major Nepali political party has. As far as the seized properties are concerned, 90 percent have been already returned. This is what the chief architect of the Maoist Party, Baburam Bhattarai said when grilled by Fauziah Ibrahim of the Al Jazeera television, recently. Is Bhattarai telling the truth? Absolutely not! There is ample evidence to support the fact that YCL is a paramilitary force. As far as the return of the seized properties is concerned, the process is yet to begin. Despite their pledge to return the seized properties, the Maoists continue to seize private properties. Ms. Ibrahim presented the fact that the latest event of confiscation occurred in May of 2010.

Bhattarai’s latest interview raises a serious question on his integrity. Bhattarai, whom many youngsters revere as the most honest politician, may not be what they believe him to be. The time has come for the bewildered youths who see political messiah in Bhattarai to take a close look at things he says and does. There is clear disconnect. It might be dangerous to chase fantasies preached by intellectual guru that believes in radical violent means to social reform and has an audacity to lie with a straight face knowing the fact that he will be watched by millions within and beyond the national boundary.

What should we expect from our politicians? Should we expect moral perfection? Or should we expect them to do the job they were hired to do? Or, the both? Answering these questions might be even considered redundant given the level of dishonesty that Nepali politicians exhibit. Despite consistent outlandish remarks and violent outbursts, Bhattarai is considered as a relatively clean and competent leader. He has been so far successful in not only charming relatively well educated youths but also keeping the Indians that call the shots in Nepal guessing. At the end of the day, he might turn out to be not very different from his current boss Pushpa Kamal Dahal, whom India groomed unsuccessfully to serve its interest.

Indians in their never ending experiment to turn Nepal into a client state are hedging their bet on Bhattarai primarily for two reasons. First, the Maoist party at its current form with Pushpa Kamal Dahal as a supreme leader is impossible to dictate. Hence, it needs to be cut down in size. And the best way to do that is by promoting Bhattarai, which they think will eventually lead to a vertical split in the Maoist party. Indian bureaucrats and intelligence operatives, especially the ones stationed in Kathmandu, seriously believe that making Bhattarai the next prime minister will bring about a split in the Maoist party. Second, Indians at this point have no bankable leader with popular mass support, whom they can rely on, to fulfill Indian interests.

Bhattarai with a straight face lied to Ms. Ibrahim. Why did he do that? He did so for a very simple reason. And, the reason is—he can afford to do so. He very well realizes the fact that he is dealing with a fragmented electorate. People whose property has been seized belong to the upper middle class and beyond, who did not support the Maoist rebellion to begin with. Plus, they are the ones that complain about the YCL’s paramilitary activities. So, why even bother about being correct?

Instead of engaging in a futile exercise of wining the hearts and minds of urban elites and “feudal” in hinterland, he talks about the rights of peasants to till the land. It is important to understand why Bhattarai and others ideologues in UCPN (Maoist) raise the issue of land reform, which they failed to act upon, while heading the government. In a country where approximately half of the population lives below the poverty line and millions are landless, the idea of land reform has tremendous political appeal. Through land reform the Maoists want to hand out “rights” to politically correct groups (read landless and tenants). At the end of the day, by expanding the entitlements of these groups, they want to garner their undivided support and use them against other citizens that oppose Maoists’ agendas. In doing so, Bhattarai and his fellow ideologues conveniently ignore the fact that the cost of the gifts they bestow on these groups have to be borne by other hardworking citizens.

HIV & PREGNANCY

• HIV is an RNA herpes virus that is spread by infected body secretions.

• The most common ways of transmission are sharing contaminated needles, having sexual intercourse with an infected partner and perinatal transmission.

• The clinical course from HIV to AIDS is a gradual but relentless immunosupression during a period of year, resulting in death caused by overwhelming infection from opportunistic diseases. Progression from HIV to AIDS in infants is more rapid than in adults.
  

• Neonates of HIV infected women have a 13-52% chance of acquiring HIV from the mother.

• The major route of vertical transmission is contact with the infected genital secretion at the time of vaginal delivery.

• Neonates born from HIV positive mother will have positive HIV tests from passage of trans placental passive IgG.

• All HIV- positive pregnant women are recommended anti viral prophylaxis(AZT), which is continued from 14 weeks' gestation throughout pregnancy, including delivery.

• The vertical transmission rate is 30%, without maternal azidothymidine (AZT) prophylaxis. AZT prophylaxis has reduced the infection rate to 10%, with vaginal delivery.
  

• Pregnant women with low CD4 count and high RNA viral loads are given multidrug antiviral regimens.

• The currently offered mode of delivery is cesarean section to HIV-positive women.

• Perinatal transmission is increasing globally as a direct result of the increase in number of HIV infection among women of child bearing age. Global precautions is to pay careful attention in handling all body fluids.

India brides had 'virginity test'

India's National Commission for Women wants Madhya Pradesh state to explain why hundreds of would-be brides reportedly underwent virginity tests.

All the women who took part in a state-run mass wedding last month were forced to take the test, witnesses say.

Several of the women later complained that they had found the exercise shameful and humiliating.

Officials deny virginity tests took place. They said the tests had been to ensure the women were not pregnant.

In India, a bride's virginity is highly prized and pre-marital sex is frowned upon...click & read more

Polio threat to Pakistan children

The continuing conflict in Pakistan has left more than a million children at risk of contracting polio.

Vaccination programmes earlier this year were compromised by opposition from militants and by violence, which has made many areas inaccessible.

Pakistan is one of four countries which still see annual outbreaks of polio.

The first few months of the year are crucial for vaccination teams who try to reach children before the polio virus starts to circulate.

This year, their campaigns have been badly disrupted...click to read more...

Proof mounts on restricted diet

Cutting calories may delay the aging process and reduce the risk of disease, a long-term study of monkeys suggests.

Over 20 years, monkeys whose diets were not restricted were nearly three times more likely to have died than those whose calories were counted.

Writing in Science, the US researchers hailed the "major effect" of the diet.

It involved reducing calorie intake by 30% while maintaining nutrition and appeared to impact upon many forms of age-related disease seen in monkeys, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and brain atrophy.

Whether the same effects would be seen in humans is unclear, although anecdotal evidence so far suggests people on a long-term calorie-restricted diet have better cardiovascular health.

The precise mechanism is yet to be established: theories involve changes in the body's metabolism or a reduction in the production of "free radical" chemicals which can cause damage.

The benefits of calorie restriction are well documented in animals, but now the results have been replicated in a close relative of man over a lengthy period.

Over 20 years, monkeys whose diets were not restricted were nearly three times more likely to have died than those whose calories were counted.

Writing in Science, the US researchers hailed the "major effect" of the diet.

It involved reducing calorie intake by 30% while maintaining nutrition and appeared to impact upon many forms of age-related disease seen in monkeys, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and brain atrophy. click for more news..

'Lower' Asian obesity threshold

The threshold for being overweight and obese should be lowered for British Asians, international experts say.

People of South Asian origin are more likely than white people to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

To reflect this, Indian health chiefs have changed their measuring system and said other countries should follow suit for people of South Asian origin.

GPs in the UK agree a better system is needed, but have put forward another option to pick up those at risk.

Standards used around the world to tell when someone is overweight or obese are based on data from Caucasians....click for full news