Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0024530 (malaria)
 44,886 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The antibody response to group C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine was studied in a Nigerian village. Household clustering of poor responders to immunization was detected. Age had a marked effect on antibody response, maximal titres being obtained only in those over the age of 10 years. Children with malaria parasitaemia had a lower antibody response than those without parasitaemia and subjects with the genotype AA had a lower antibody response than those with the genotype AS. The antibody response to the vaccine was not influenced by mild degrees of malnutrition but children with clinical marasmus or kwashiorkor were excluded from the study.
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PMID:The immune response to a meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine in an African village. 677 65

Epidemiologic and immunologic factors determine the impact of malaria on the demography and economics of human communities. Where malaria is epidemiologically stable, its effects are most obvious in young children; adults, because of acquired immunity, are much less affected and remain an economically viable workforce. Where the disease is unstable, it affects all age groups and may incapacitate adults enough to impede food production seriously. Three areas are identified in which malaria may adversely affect host nutrition: low birth weight, the development of protein energy malnutrition, and the pathogenesis of anemia. The influence of host nutrition on malarial infections is considered. The view is expressed that, although deficiencies of some dietary factors may potentiate the resistance to malaria conferred by some genetic traits, there is as yet little convincing evidence that malnutritional states in humans materially enhance the severity or lethality of plasmodial infections.
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PMID:Malaria: nutritional implications. 681 96

One of the major factors in the development of severe protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is infection, such as diarrhea, upper respiratory infection, and malaria. Social and environmental factors include family size, access to land and occupation of parents, and exposure of rural populations to urban centers. Breast milk has been shown to play a role in the prevention of infections; however, the mother must be well-nourished to provide the optimum product. Traditional foods available to rural children in most developing countries are difficult to digest and low in energy and protein and inadequate nutritional education prevents the inclusion of good protein sources in children's diets. Severe PEM, called marasmus and kwashiorkor is indicated by wasting of muscles, absence of subcutaneous fat, wrinkled skin, thin and sparse hair, and weakness. The basic treatment for severe PEM is dietary. Treatment of kwashiorkor and marasmus is divided into 3 stages: 1) attending to acute problems, 2) restoring nutritional balance, and 3) ensuring nutritional rehabilitation. Care must be taken to ensure a minimum daily intake of 3-4 gm of protein and 120-150 Kcal of energy/kg of body weight. There must be, in addition, replacement of vitamin A, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and iron. An initial regimen which has been advocated is based on dry skim milk, sugar, and vegetable oil, divided into 6-12 feedings/day, which prevents vomiting. It is not necessary to remove lactose from the diet, and other animal protein sources such as meat and meat extracts are also well accepted. Soy and vegetable protein have been used successfully. In treating mild and moderate PEM it is important to ensure the intake of these food supplements by the child and to avoid a major substitution effect in the household diet. It is crucial for the physicians, nutritionists, public health workers, and educators to convince parents about the safety of using foods that are fed only to adults and older children. In addition nutritional and health education must not be restricted to the rehabilitation of the child but the prevention of nutritonal deterioration of the entire family and sometimes to the entire community.
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PMID:Infantile malnutrition in the tropics. 681 12

Following an overview of the less developed countries (LDCs) and their health problems, attention is directed to what pharmaceutical companies have been doing to develop tropical disease medicinals: past and current programs for the development of pharmaceuticals; the relationship of pharmaceuticals to other health problems; criticisms of the pharmaceutical industry; problems and constraints in developing drugs by pharmaceutical firms, particularly for tropical diseases; and strengthening incentives to pursue tropical medicine research in the future. There are 31 countries in the less developed category and they have 4 things in common: poverty; a high birthrate; a young population, and a low life expectancy. At the top of the list of the major health problems in developing countries are malaria, diarrheal diseases, and malnutrition. For malaria, there is a need for something new for chloroquine resistant infections, but research looks promising. Meanwhile, the use of presently available medications in much of the world would go far towards alleviating suffering and death from this disease. For diarrheal diseases and malnutrition the principal problems lie elsewhere than with development of new pharmaceuticals. For tuberculosis and leprosy, the 4th and 5th major health problems, therapy has improved markedly in recent years, yet there is room for improvement. Of the sexually transmitted diseases, only for sexually transmitted herpes is the industry missing a solution. On balance, it seems clear that the need for new pharmaceuticals, although important, is not as critical as some of the other needs of the LDCs. If this individual is correct in maintaining that the most important problems in the LDCs are pure water, adequate food, basic sanitation, and a distribution system for already available pharmaceuticals, then the question is why is the drug industry singled out for so much criticism. The principal charges, which are discussed in detail, are as follows: inadequate research on the endemic diseases of the developing and least developed countries; the practice of "dumping" drugs in developing countries that do not sell or sell for different indications at home; labeling of products differently than in the US; permitting over the counter sales of drugs that a prescription only goods in the US; selling products whose stated expiration date has passed; and charging high prices and reaping excessive profits. The critics are the UN agencies, consumer groups, trade unions, and media writers. Much of what is said is in defense of the pharmaceutical industry. but shortcomings are also noted.
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PMID:The role of pharmaceuticals in the total health care of developing countries. 685 94

Health care problems are discussed by an employee of the Mozambican maternal and child health service. The most serious problems for children are malnutrition, infectious diseases, and a high incidence of illnesses in children under 5. The main objectives of health centers are to improve hygiene, combat tuberculosis, leprosy, and malaria as well as to provide maternal and child health care, including family planning. Trained staff advise pregnant women, and examine prospective mothers for anemia, malaria, and tetanus. Information on proper nutrition is provided, and every mother gets iron and folic acid pills, in addition to the antimalarial drug choloroquine. Incidences of tetanus in newborns have declined sharply in areas where a vaccination program has been carried out. By classifying the risk level of pregnant women, so-called "risk mothers" can be identified. Family planning methods include low-dose oral contraceptives, IUDs (the "spiral"), condoms, and foam. Regular weighing, examination, and vaccination of children is provided until age 5. Infant mortality is high, at least 150/1000 births, most of which are caused by diseases such as untreated diarrhea and measles. Malnourished children get specialized care, and vaccinations against polio, tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, and measles are compulsory as is administration of chloroquine against malaria. Mobile teams of SMI (maternal-infant service) scan the countryside in remote areas where there is no village health center. Health personnel take a 6-month training course before being placed in charge of a village's hygiene, vaccination, and other tasks. The decline in illiteracy rates has resulted in better health of the population. The shortage of qualified health workers has been eased by an increase in the number of nursing and pediatric health care students. Finally, international assistance extended by the world Health Organization, Swedish-African aid organizations, and SIDA are contributing to the praiseworthy efforts of the Mozambican government to improve maternal and child health.
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PMID:[Big venture to improve children's health]. 692 Sep 76

In a Highlands Valley, at low altitude, malaria is a contributing factor to stunting of growth, an expression of chronic malnutrition, in young children. The affect is most marked in children under two years of age, and may result from retarded intrauterine growth, although malaria also possibly exerts a direct affect on growth in young children. In the absence of a malaria control programme, distribution of amodiaquine to young children and chloroquine to pregnant women and mothers of young children, could reduce not only unnecessary mortality and ill health, but also contribute to the nutritional well being of growing children. In accessible areas the regular MCH clinics held every month could effect such a prophylaxis programme among these at risk groups.
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PMID:Malaria and growth stunting in young children of the highlands of Papua New Guinea. 700 27

Iron in food is classified as belonging to the haem pool, the nonhaem pool, and extraneous sources. Haem iron is derived from vegetable and animal sources with varying bioavailability. Hookworm infestation of the intestinal tract affects 450 million people in the tropics. Schistosoma mansoni caused blood loss in 7 Egyptian patients of 7.5- 25.9 ml/day which is equivalent to a daily loss of iron of .6-7.3 mg daily urinary loss of iron in 9 Egyptian patients. Trichuris trichiura infestation by whipworm is widespread in children with blood loss of 5 ml/day/worm. The etiology of anemia in children besides iron deficiency includes malaria, bacterial or viral infections, folate deficiency and sickle-cell disease. Severe infections cause profound iron-deficiency anemia in children in central American and Malaysia. Plasmodium falciparum malaria-induced anaemia in tropical Africa lowers the mean haemoglobin concentration in the population by 2 g/dI, causing profound anaemia in some. The increased risk of premature delivery, low birthweight, fetal abnormalities, and fetal death is directly related to the degree of maternal anemia. Perinatal mortality was reduced from 38 to 4% in treated anemic mothers. Mental performance was significantly lower in anemic school children and improved after they received iron. Supplements of iron, soy-protein, calcium, and vitamins given to villagers with widespread malnutrition, iron deficiency, and hookworm infestation in Colombia reduced enteric infections in children. Severe iron-deficiency anemia was treated in adults in northern Nigeria by daily in Ferastral 10 ml, which is equivalent to 500 mg of iron per day. Choloroquine, folic acid, rephenium hydroxynaphthoate, and tetrachlorethylene treat adults with severe iron deficiency from hookworm infestation in rural tropical Africa. Blood transfusion is indicated if the patient is dying of anaemia or is pregnant with a haemoglobin concentration 6 gm/dl. In South East Asia, mg per day prevented iron-deficiency anaemia in pregnancy. Field-trials on nutritional iron deficiency include an acidified milk formula plus ferrous sulphate for infants; biscuits with added bovine hemoglobin for children in Chile; sugar plus sodium ferric EDTA in Guatemala; salt with ferric orthophosphate and sodium acid sulphate in India; and Salt with ferrous sulphate plus sodium hexametaphosphate.
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PMID:Iron deficiency in the tropics. 704 57

The development of resistance to reinfection with Plasmodium berghei was studied in rats in which the primary infection had been almost totally suppressed by feeding a protein-free diet (peak parasitaemia 0.5%; patent for only the first four days after inoculation) On Days 5, 9, 15, 23 and 28 after primary inoculation groups of animals were challenged with the same strain of parasite. At the same time the diet was changed to that of a 17% casein formula. The development of resistance as judged by the level of parasitaemia following challenge reached a significant level nine days after the primary inoculation and almost complete protection by Day 23 of the study. The protective activity was immunological since it could be transferred to other animals by a single intravenous injection of a suspension of spleen cells from infected donors. The study illustrates that infected animals experiencing severe protein malnutrition are still capable of mounting a substantial immune response to malaria.
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PMID:Resistance to superinfection with Plasmodium berghei in rats fed a protein-free diet. 705 55

The Philippines is an archipelago with a growing population, largely rural, 50% of which is in the 0-14 years old age group. As noted by WHO (1978), the leading health problems are communicable diseases, malnutrition, poor environmental sanitation, malaria and schistosomiasis, rapid population growth, drug abuse and dependence. Health care delivery is hampered by insufficient number and maldistribution of personnel, health clinics and hospitals. The predominant attitude of curative rather than preventive approach to health problems shared by consumers and care givers alike, passive and meager participation if at all on the part of recipients also contribute to deficient health care delivery. Child-to-Child health programmes would be most useful in depressed areas of the country, especially in the rural setting and should be widely implemented if feasible. Data concerning the community involved will include resources, strengths and weaknesses, and degree of commitment from its members. We hope to have in the Philippines more experience in Child-to-Child programmes-health care delivery in the future.
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PMID:Child-to-Child programme in the Philippine setting. 716 58

The nutritional status, parasitic infections and general health of 801 male roadworkers living in four different areas of Kenya, namely, the highlands, coastal lowlands, Lake Victoria basin and the semiarid north-west, were investigated. Undernutrition was common in all areas but was most marked among men in the semi-arid area. Anaemia was most prevalent in the coastal lowlands where 41% of men had a haemoglobin level less than 13.0 g/dl. Hookworm eggs were seen in the faeces of 40% of all men and in 69% of samples collected in the coastal lowlands. The Lake Victoria basin was a significant focus of infection with Schistosoma mansoni, 51% of faecal samples containing its eggs; S. haematobium also occurred but was most common in the coastal lowlands. Stages of Plasmodium spp. were most commonly observed in blood smears collected from men near Lake Victoria and the coast, two significant foci of malaria. An analysis of variance was used to examine the relationship between variables and indicated that the most significant association was between hookworm infections and low haemoglobin levels.
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PMID:A comparative study of the nutritional status, parasitic infections and health of male roadworkers in four areas of Kenya. 716 40


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