Diseases in News – Prelims 2024

KYASANUR FOREST DISEASE- Recently reported in Karnataka

Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) is a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic fever endemic to South Asia, particularly in India. Here are the key points about KFD:

• Cause: Caused by the Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV), a member of the Flaviviridae family.
• Vector: Transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks, particularly those belonging to the Haemaphysalis genus. It can also spread through contact with an infected animal’s blood or tissues.
• Symptoms: Initial symptoms include high fever, headache, severe muscle pain, vomiting, gastrointestinal symptoms, and bleeding problems. It can progress to neurological complications in severe cases.
• State Affected in India: Primarily found in Karnataka, particularly in the Shimoga district. It has also been reported in other states like Maharashtra, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
• Prevention and Control: Involves vaccination, controlling tick populations, using tick repellents, and avoiding contact with potentially infected animals.
• Treatment: There’s no specific treatment for KFD; management focuses on symptomatic relief and supportive care.
• Vaccination: A vaccine is available and recommended for people living in high-risk areas.
• Kyasanur forest– is in Karntaka

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

It is a severe form of muscular dystrophy characterized by rapid progression of muscle degeneration, leading to muscle weakness and loss. Here are the key points about DMD:

• Genetic Cause: DMD is caused by mutations in the DMD gene that encodes for dystrophin, a protein crucial for maintaining muscle cell integrity.
• Inheritance: It is an X-linked recessive disorder, primarily affecting males, with females being carriers.
• Symptoms: Begin in early childhood, including muscle weakness, difficulties in walking, running, and jumping, and progresses to more severe mobility and respiratory issues.

Recent Advancement:

• A collaborative team from Tamil Nadu, India, and Japanese scientists have developed a novel disease-modifying treatment for DMD.
• The treatment utilizes a beta-glucan produced by the N-163 strain of yeast Aureobasidium pullulans, commonly used as a food additive.

US approves two gene therapies for sickle cell disease

Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics have collaborated on a groundbreaking gene therapy that aims to treat genetic disorders by editing the genes directly. Here are the key points about the Vertex/CRISPR gene therapy:

• Technology: Utilizes CRISPR-Cas9, a revolutionary gene-editing tool that allows for precise modifications to the DNA within human cells.
• Target Diseases: The collaboration initially focused on treatments for two genetic disorders: cystic fibrosis (CF) and sickle cell disease (SCD).
• Mechanism: The therapy involves editing the patient’s stem cells to correct the genetic mutations responsible for the disease. The edited cells are then reintroduced into the patient’s body.

SICKLE CELL ANEMIA

Sickle Cell Anemia is a significant health concern in India, particularly among tribal populations and certain ethnic groups in central and western India.

• Genetic Disorder: Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by the production of abnormal hemoglobin, known as hemoglobin S, leading to the formation of sickle-shaped red blood cells.

• Prevalence: Higher in tribal and certain ethnic communities, especially in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and parts of Kerala and Karnataka.
• Symptoms: Patients often suffer from chronic pain, infections, acute anemic episodes, and complications such as stroke, organ damage, and increased susceptibility to infections.
• Treatment: While there is no cure, treatments include pain management, blood transfusions, and hydroxyurea therapy. Bone marrow transplants have been successful in some cases but are not widely accessible due to high costs and lack of donors.
• Government Initiatives: The Indian government has launched health initiatives and programs to improve screening, diagnosis, and treatment of Sickle Cell Anemia, especially in tribal areas. These include the National Health Mission’s interventions and the establishment of specialized centers for the management of genetic disorders.

Rare Diseases

• Definition: Rare diseases are health conditions with low prevalence, affecting a small percentage of the population.
• Variety: Over 7,000 rare diseases identified, including genetic conditions, rare cancers, autoimmune diseases, and congenital malformations.
• Diagnosis Challenges: Rare diseases are often difficult to diagnose due to their uncommon nature, leading to a “diagnostic odyssey” for patients.
• Treatment Availability: Many rare diseases lack effective treatments, with only a small fraction having FDA-approved therapies.

National Policy on Rare Diseases in India

• Introduction: India’s National Policy on Rare Diseases was released in 2021, addressing the need for comprehensive care for rare disease patients.
• Objectives: The policy aims to lower the high cost of treatment, increase research and development, and ensure early screening and diagnosis.
• Financial Support: The policy includes a provision for financial support up to INR 20 lakhs under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi scheme for the treatment of rare diseases.
• Categories of Rare Diseases: The policy classifies rare diseases into three groups: Group 1 includes disorders amenable to one-time curative treatment, Group 2 consists of diseases requiring long-term or lifelong treatment, and Group 3 encompasses diseases for which definitive treatment is available but challenges exist due to high costs and lack of availability.
• Centers of Excellence: Establishment of Centers of Excellence to provide comprehensive care and treatment for rare diseases.
• Research and Development: The policy encourages research and development in the field of

Nipah Virus

• Origin: Identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore; named after the village in Malaysia where it was first discovered.
• Transmission: Can be transmitted from animals to humans (zoonotic transmission), through contaminated food, or directly between humans.
• Reservoir: Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family are the natural hosts of the Nipah virus.
• Fatality Rate: High mortality rate, varying from 40% to 75% depending on the outbreak.
• Treatment: No specific treatment or vaccine is available; care is supportive.

Recent Outbreak in Kerala

• Location: Kerala, a state in southern India, has experienced multiple outbreaks, with notable ones in 2018, 2019, and recent cases reported as well.

Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report 2023 by WHO

Key Global Findings

• Global Burden: TB was the second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent in 2022, after Covid-19.
• Deaths: TB caused almost twice as many deaths as HIV/AIDS.
• Annual Cases: Over 10 million people fell ill with TB in 2022.
• High Burden Countries: 30 countries accounted for 87% of global TB cases, with India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of Congo being the top eight.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• Diagnosis Increase: 7.5 million diagnosed in 2022, the highest since WHO monitoring began in 1995.
• Treatment Success: Approximately 85% cure rate with WHO-recommended anti-TB drugs.
• Global Recovery: Post-Covid-19 improvements in diagnosis and treatment, with significant contributions from India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Incidence Rate

• Rise in Incidence: 3.9% increase between 2020 and 2022, reversing the previous declining trend.

Findings Related to India

• Case Fatality Ratio: 12% in India, with an estimated 3,42,000 TB-related deaths in 2022.
• MDR-TB: Recorded 1.1 lakh cases of multidrug-resistant TB.

Recommendations of the Report

• End TB by 2030: Calls for urgent action to meet the UN and WHO goal.
• Universal Health Coverage: Essential for accessible TB treatment.
• Multisectoral Action: Needed to address underlying determinants of TB.

Tuberculosis

• Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, affecting lungs and other organs.
• Transmission: Airborne, spreading in densely populated or poorly ventilated areas.
• Symptoms: Include cough, chest pain, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
• Treatment: Standard 6-month course of antimicrobial drugs, with issues of drug resistance.

Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)

• Definition: TB not responding to isoniazid and rifampicin.
• Treatment: Second-line drugs like Bedaquiline for MDR-TB; XDR-TB represents a more severe form.

Initiatives to Combat TB

• Global Efforts: WHO’s “Find. Treat. All. #EndTB” initiative, annual Global Tuberculosis Report.
• India’s Efforts: National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination, The Nikshay Ecosystem, Nikshay Poshan Yojana, TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign, and development of new vaccines VPM 1002 and MIP under trial.

Scrub Typhus

• Cause: Bacterial infection by Orientia tsutsugamushi.
• Transmission: Through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites).
• Symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, rash; onset typically within 10 days of being bitten.
• Vaccine: No vaccine available.
• Outbreak in Odisha: Recent death reported in Sundergarh district, with earlier fatalities in Bargarh district. A total of 132 cases identified in Sundergarh since January, most of which have been cured.

Leptospirosis

• Cause: Bacterial disease affecting humans and animals.
• Symptoms: High fever, headache, chills, vomiting, red eyes, abdominal pain, rashes, diarrhea.
• Complications: Can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress, and death if untreated.
• Duration: Illness lasts a few days to 3 weeks or longer; recovery may take several months without treatment.

Outbreak Response in Odisha

• Increased Surveillance: Directed by the Odisha Government following the seasonal upsurge of Scrub Typhus and Leptospirosis.
• Health Measures: Emphasis on the availability of diagnostic tests, sensitization of healthcare providers, public awareness, early diagnosis, and the use of appropriate antibiotics.