Tea industry is a labor intensive agro-industry and filariasis is mostly localized among the tea garden workers in Assam. The workers live inside the gardens in colonies. Studies conducted in two cosecutive years revealed that among the host seeking Culex quinquefasciatus average infection rate was 4.6% and with 2.1 larvae per mosquito. The overall prevalence of infective mosquitos was 0.8% wit...

Leishmaniasis has been classified primarily as a vector-borne disease that poses a major problem to public health. The Biskra region, which has long been known as a focal point for cutaneous leishmaniasis, has a low extent of visceral leishmaniasis. The aim of the study is to highlight the spatial and temporal evolution of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in Biskra over the last decade, tak...

A review of published reports on the incidence, pathology, and treatment of adder (Vipera berus) bites in man in the United Kingdom and Europe produced numerous case studies but little information about the impact od adders as a threat to public health. Adder bites in man are not uncommon (at least 44/year and probably more than 90/year in the United Kingdom) and, although they have been record...

This study investigated potential risk factors associated with malaria transmission in Tubu village, Okavango subdistrict, a malaria endemic area in northern Botswana. Data was derived from a census questionnaire survey, participatory rural appraisal workshop, field observations, and mosquito surveys. History of malaria episodes was associated with several factors: household income (P < 0.05), ...

Bed bugs are hematophagous insects which due to their morphological and biological characteristics are able to easily adapt themselves to human households. The authors describe two cases of dermatitis caused by bed bug bites in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patients presented linear lesions in the usual "breakfast, lunch and dinner" arrangement, suggesting this diagnosis. A visit to their...

BACKGROUND Venom immunotherapy (VIT) is an effective treatment for subjects with systemic allergic reactions (SR) to Hymenoptera stings, however there are few studies concerning the relevance of the venom specific IgE changes to decide about VIT cessation. We assessed IgE changes during a 5-year VIT, in patients stung and protected within the first 3 years (SP 0-3) or in the last 2 years (SP 3-...

Malaria is a major health burden in developing countries and needs multiple strategies for its control. Community participation as one of the strategies for malaria control promotes self-awareness and confidence, causes the people to examine the problems and to think positively about the solutions. The study was aimed at assessing the level of community participation in malaria control in Oloru...

White sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are apex predators that play an important role in the structure and stability of marine ecosystems. Despite their ecological importance and protected status, white sharks are still subject to lethal control to reduce the risk of shark bites for recreational water users. The Shark Spotters program, pioneered in Cape Town, South Africa, provides a non-lethal ...

To the Editor: I was disappointed with the review article “The Management of Ixodes scapularis Bites in the Upper Midwest” by Elizabeth Maloney, MD.1 When controversy regarding a condition or treatment results in wide variation in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, “guidelines” for diagnosis and treatment, developed and published by an authoritative body using the best science available, ma...