ICGEB researchers have found that the Siddha medicine nilavembu kudineer provides protection against chikungunya virus and treats dengue infection. The nilavembu kudineer formulation was found t be safe for use in humans. Safety, efficacy and mode of action of the formulation will be studied using mice models. Under in vitro conditions, nilavembu kudineer (a Siddha medicine) … Continue reading Siddha drug nilavembu kudineer kills dengue virus, protects from chikungunya
Public health
Polio outbreaks in Congo raise global concern
The polio endgame is proving to be much more challenging with 28 children becoming paralysed by the circulating type 2 vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has spread to five more provinces since June 2017. And there are three different polio outbreaks in the country. Efforts to immunise all children have failed, and … Continue reading Polio outbreaks in Congo raise global concern
The Asian Zika virus strain turns out to be more dangerous
The Asian strain showed greater ability to trigger immune suppression, which allows the virus to replicate and even possibly sneak into the womb and cause more foetal damage. Clinical studies have already shown that infection of pregnant women by the Asian Zika virus strain especially during the first and second trimester of pregnancy leads to … Continue reading The Asian Zika virus strain turns out to be more dangerous
Top health stories of 2016
On the health front, the year 2016 witnessed a few setbacks and but also a few positive developments. Here are the most important health developments of 2016 1. Trial results confirm Ebola vaccine provides high protection The Ebola virus that killed more than 11,300 people in three West African countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra … Continue reading Top health stories of 2016
TB: Social media campaign launched to get Indian government to act
In a desperate bid to urge the Indian government to gets its act together on TB diagnosis and treatment, the Treatment Action Group (TAG) today launched a social media campaign using Twitter called #BrokenTBPromises. The campaign urges the government to live up to promises it has made but has failed to keep in nine areas of … Continue reading TB: Social media campaign launched to get Indian government to act
Let larger pictorial warnings stay
Nearly one million tobacco-related deaths take place in India every year, and in 2011, the total health expenditure burden from all diseases due to tobacco use amounted to more than Rs.1,00,000 crore, which is 12 per cent more than the combined State and Central government expenditure on health in 2011-12. The revenue earned through tobacco … Continue reading Let larger pictorial warnings stay
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