Prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm and atopy doubles over 10 year period in Ghana.
A study led by Adnan Custovic from the University of Manchester analyzing two surveys ten years apart (1993 and 2003) among 9-16 yr old schoolchildren attending urban and rural schools in Ghana showed that the prevalence of both exercise-induced bronchospasm and atopy had approximately doubled over the period.
A related essay puts this survey into context through a discussion of the epidemiology of asthma in Africa.
Citation: Addo-Yobo EOD, Woodcock A, Allotey A, Baffoe-Bonnie B, Strachan D, et al. (2007) Exercise-induced bronchospasm and atopy in Ghana: Two surveys ten years apart. PLoS Med 4(2): e70.
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VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT: http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040070
PRESS-ONLY PREVIEW OF THE ARTICLE: http://www.plos.org/press/plme-04-02-custovic.pdf
Related image for press use: http://www.plos.org/press/plme-04-02-custovic.jpg
CONTACT:
Adnan Custovic
University of Manchester
North West Lung Centre
Wythenshawe Hospital
Manchester, M23 9LT United Kingdom
+44 161 291 5869
+44 161 291 5057 (fax)
adnan.custovic@manchester.ac.uk
Related PLoS Medicine Essay:
What do we know about asthma in Africa?
A recent study published in PLoS Medicine found an increase in the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in children in Ghana between 1993 and 2003. In an essay in this week's PLoS Medicine, two asthma researchers discuss how asthma in Africa differs from asthma in industrialized countries.
Matthias Wjst (Institut für Epidemiologie, GSF–Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Germany) and Daniel Boakye (University of Ghana) say that while asthma symptoms are the same in Africa and the West, there are differences in risk factors and prevalence, and the disease may be caused in different ways.
Citation: Wjst M, Boakye D (2007) Asthma in Africa. PLoS Med 4(2): e72.
PLEASE ADD THE LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT:
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040072
PRESS-ONLY PREVIEW OF THE ARTICLE: http://www.plos.org/press/plme-04-02-wjst.pdf
Related image for press use: http://www.plos.org/press/plme-04-02-wjst.jpg
- Caption: Hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum) Attached to the Intestinal Mucosa - Barely visible larvae penetrate the skin (often through bare feet), are carried to the lungs, go through the respiratory tract to the mouth, are swallowed, and eventually reach the small intestine. This journey takes about a week. (Photo: CDC)
CONTACT:
Matias Wjst
GSF Natl Res Ctr Envir Health
EPI/MOLEPI
Ingolstädter Landstr.1
Munich-Neuherberg, Bavaria 85764 Germany
+498931874565
m@wjst.de
Buruli ulcer prevention by insect saliva
Saliva from aquatic insects in areas where Buruli ulcer is endemic can protect mice against the disease's characteristic skin lesion and might play a role in natural immunity in humans.
Citation: Marsollier L, Deniaux E, Brodin P, Marot A, Wondje CM, et al. (2007) Protection against Mycobacterium ulcerans lesion development by exposure to aquatic insect saliva. PLoS Med 4(2): e64.
PLEASE ADD THE LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE
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PRESS-ONLY PREVIEW OF THE ARTICLE: http://www.plos.org/press/plme-04-02-marsollier.pdf
CONTACT:
Laurent Marsollier
Universite d’Angers
Angers 49000, France
+33 2 41 5 34 72
+33 2 41 35 41 64 (fax)
laurentmarsollier@hotmail.com
Related PLoS Medicine Perspective:
Citation: Silva MT, Portaels F, Pedrosa J (2007) Aquatic insects and Mycobacterium ulcerans: An association relevant to Buruli ulcer control? PLoS Med 4(2): e63.
PLEASE ADD THE LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT:
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040063
PRESS-ONLY PREVIEW OF THE ARTICLE: http://www.plos.org/press/plme-04-02-silva.pdf
CONTACT:
Manuel Texeira da Silva
Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC),
University of Porto,
Porto, Portugal
mtsilva@ibmc.up.pt
Journal
PLoS Medicine