A world of vaccine requirements in one database
The country that requires its citizens to be vaccinated with the highest number of distinct antigens (Italy, 26) just happens to completely surround one of the countries that requires the fewest (San Marino, 5), a fact which is probably useless for anything other than demonstrating how nifty and flexible the World Health Organization’s vaccine database is.
Their interface isn’t ideal, but you can get all the data in spreadsheet form as well, and from there it’s easy to import into your favorite database software. In addition to antigen and country, the database also includes information on the recommended vaccine schedule and, when applicable, the parts of the country where each vaccine is required.
It’s an interesting way to put the American vaccine debate, and global public health efforts, in context. The numbers are a little misleading — some antigens seem very similar, or used only in small areas — but the broad strokes are still enlightening. The Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine, for the record, is a reasonably effective tuberculosis vaccine.
(Hat tip to Madison Park at CNN’s health blog)
AHCJ has resources for World Tuberculosis Day
Filed under: Hot Health Headline, Public health, Studies, Tools
In honor of World Tuberculosis Day, an awareness day organized by the Stop TB Partnership, here’s a roundup of the latest in TB as well as some handy background information.
AHCJ New York City Metro chapter’s discussion on TB as a global health problem: Discussion covered all strains of tuberculosis and considered the root socioeconomic causes of the disease. The article is accompanied by audio from expert presentations given at the meeting, as well as copies of the presentations themselves. Article by Sibyl Shalo, presenters included Chrispin Kambili, M.D., (assistant commissioner and director, Bureau of Tuberculosis Control, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene), Donald J. McNeil Jr. (science and health reporter for The New York Times), Lee Reichman, M.D., M.P.H., (executive director, New Jersey Medical School Global Tuberculosis Institute), Mel Spigelman, M.D., (president and CEO, Tuberculosis Alliance) and Janice Hopkins Tanne (journalist and co-author with Reichman of “Timebomb: The Global Epidemic of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis”).
Decrease in Reported Tuberculosis Cases
From the CDC’s weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report
Read it because: It’s a comprehensive summary of the present state of TB in America, packed with stats and even a little analysis.
Key paragraph:
For 2009, a total of 11,540 tuberculosis cases were reported in the United States. The TB rate was 3.8 cases per 100,000 population, a decrease of 11.4% from the rate of 4.2 per 100,000 reported for 2008. The 2009 rate showed the greatest single-year decrease ever recorded and was the lowest recorded rate since national TB surveillance began in 1953.
Drug-resistant tuberculosis now at record levels
From the World Health Organization
Read it because: It’s 71 pages (the important stuff begins on page 13) of statistics, research and anecdotes covering drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis worldwide.
Key paragraph:
… it is estimated that 440 000 people had MDR-TB worldwide in 2008 and that a third of them died. In sheer numbers, Asia bears the brunt of the epidemic. Almost 50% of MDR-TB cases worldwide are estimated to occur in China and India. In Africa, estimates show 69 000 cases emerged, the vast majority of which went undiagnosed.
And, some quick fact sheets:
World Health Organization TB resources
NIH: Definitions of different TB strains
NIH: Roundup of current TB research efforts
CDC tuberculosis resources
WHO: Half of road deaths are non-motorists
Filed under: Hot Health Headline, Public health, Studies
Almost half of the folks killed in traffic accidents annually are cyclists, pedestrians or motorcyclists, according to the World Health Organization’s first status report on global road safety.
Photo by kbrookes via Flickr
The report also includes breakdowns of laws and statistics by country, including information on drinking and driving laws, helmet requirements and child-safety regulations.
Individual country profiles begin on page 60 of the PDF and are alphabetical. Stats for the United States are on page 228 and stats for the United Kingdom are on page 226.
According to the U.S. profile, 51 percent of deaths are drivers of “4-wheelers.” Pedestrians make up 11 percent of fatalities and cyclists make up 2 percent. And 32 percent of road traffic deaths involve alcohol.
WHO declares H1N1 influenza pandemic
Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization announced today that the influenza pandemic alert has been raised from from phase 5 to phase 6, meaning that “the world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic.”
Covering flu, pandemics and preparednessIn a measured statement, Chan said the H1N1 virus “is spreading under a close and careful watch.” Chan goes over what is known about this virus and what is not known - how it will behave under conditions typically found in the developing world.
The statement warns that countries should be prepared to see more cases and, in countries where outbreaks appear to have peaked, officials should expect a second wave of infection.
A joint statement from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Homeland Security Janet Napolitano says the WHO’s decision was expected and that it doesn’t change what public health officials are doing in the United States.
Hospitals, infrastructure focus of World Health Day
In Pakistan's most-affected areas during the 2005 earthquake, 49 percent of health facilities were destroyed. A woman receives medical care outside a hospital in Muzaffarabad after the earthquake. (Photo: WHO/Christopher Black)
The World Health Organization has designated tomorrow (April 7) as World Health Day and this year the WHO is emphasizing the importance of “importance of investing in health infrastructure that can withstand hazards and serve people in immediate need.”
A 36-page brochure about World Health Day looks at how emergencies threaten hospitals and the delivery of care, especially what happens if the hospitals are destroyed or damaged - something that may be an issue in the wake of the earthquake in Italy.
Structural and infrastructural damage may be devastating exactly at the time when health facilities are most needed. Health workers have been killed in collapsing hospitals. The number of other deaths and injuries is compounded when a hospital is destroyed or can function only partially. Health facilities should be the focus for assistance when disaster strikes but, if they are damaged or put out of action, the sick and injured have nowhere to get help.
The WHO lays out things that governments, financial institutions and donors, universities, health institutions, international agencies, NGOs and the media can do to support better health care in emergencies.
More information, including videos and photos that can be used, are available from the WHO.
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