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Background: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) persists as a public health problem in India. Despite more than ten rounds of mass drug administration (MDA), LF continues to be endemic in the Dhenkanal district of Odisha. Hence, we assessed the coverage and compliance of the MDA program and explored the factors affecting it in the Dhenkanal district. Methods: An explanatory mixed-method study was conducted, wherein for the quantitative survey, 552 participants aged 2 years and above were recruited following a multistage cluster random sampling during February 2022. Indepth interviews were conducted among purposively selected key stakeholders and program implementers. Descriptive statistics were used to report coverage and compliance, along with a 95% confidence interval. Qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic approach. Results: We observed coverage of 99.28% and compliance of 85.87% for MDA drugs. Supervised drug administration proved to be a major pillar in increasing compliance. There was difficulty in administering drugs in urban areas due to gated societies, the absence of individuals during the day, and the perspective toward healthcare providers. Participants reported a lack of confidence in drug distributors and a fear of side effects as major causes for non-compliance. Conclusion: There is a need to strengthen MDA, especially in urban areas. An urban-specific strategy, along with surveillance, behavioral change communication, and the involvement of multi-disciplinary teams, is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Dengue, caused by mosquito bite, is an emerging disease of international concern. Evidence regarding the prevalent dengue serotypes is scarce, but essential for its management during the outbreaks. Hence, we mapped the distribution and trends of currently prevalent dengue virus (DENV) serotypes in Odisha. Methods. We conducted a facility-based retrospective study from referral samples sent for the diagnosis/confirmation of dengue in 2018. The samples were serologically tested for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) IgM antibody and NS1. Only NS1-positive samples were chosen for serotyping. A pool of 8-10 NS1-positive samples were analysed for district-wise serotypes. Ribonucleic acid extraction and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done from NS1-positive samples. The PCR products were then subjected to gel electrophoresis. Results. A total of 2892 samples were screened for dengue virus across various districts of Odisha where 763 samples were found to be NS1-positive. Thirteen of 18 districts covering all topographies of Odisha predominantly had DENV2 serotype. Only few districts such as Balangir, Kalahandi and Rayagada had mixed serotypes. Conclusion. Although DENV2 is predominantly prevalent, mixed serotypes too exist in Odisha. Evidence based on variations of dengue serotypes across topographies, seasons, gender and age groups may support public health efforts in preventing the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most common curable sexually transmitted non-viral infection, which can cause urethritis, prostatitis, orchitis and epididymitis among males. Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan causes toxoplasmosis among humans. These infections may lead to decreased fertility. Hence, this study was aimed to estimate the seropositivity of CT and T. gondii infection among the male partners of infertile couples in Odisha, India. In this facility-based cross-sectional study, first void urine, seminal fluid and blood sample were collected from 153 males attending infertility clinics including 74 healthy controls. Urine and seminal fluid were tested through polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA and IgM anti-Chlamydia and IgM anti-Toxoplasma antibodies through serum. The prevalence of CT was 1.26 per cent (95% CI: 0.03-6.85) as estimated from semen samples using PCR. We detected anti-Chlamydia antibodies IgM-four per cent [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83-11.24]; IgA-28.16 per cent (95% CI: 18.13-40.09) and IgG-12.5 per cent (95% CI: 5.87-22.4) among participants. Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies IgM were observed in 27.63 per cent (95% CI: 17.98-39.08) of participants. None of the control samples were found positive. Overall seropositivity of CT and Toxoplasma infections is comparable, which suggests that greater attention is required for screening these infections at clinics, especially among infertile couples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: Serial national level serosurveys in India have provided valuable information regarding the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the general population, but the impact of the ongoing pandemic on the tribal population in India is not well understood. In this study, we evaluated the seroprevalence of COVID-19 antibodies in the tribal population of Odisha post-second wave (September 2021). Methods: A population-based, age-stratified, cross-sectional study design was adopted for the survey, carried out in seven tribal districts of Odisha from 30th August to 16th September 2021. A multistage random sampling method was used where serum samples were tested for antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein in each district, and a weighted seroprevalence with 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) was estimated for each district. Results: A total of 2855 study participants were included from the seven tribal districts of Odisha in the final analysis. The overall weighted seroprevalence was 72.8 per cent (95% CI: 70.1-75.3). Serological prevalence was the highest among 18-44 yr (74.4%, 95% CI: 71.3-77.3) and from Sambalpur district [75.90% (66.90-83.10)]. Among participants, 41.93 per cent had received at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. Kandhamal district had the highest number of fully immunized participants (24.78%), and in Sundergarh district, most of the study participants (58.1%) were unimmunized. Interpretation & conclusions: This study found high seroprevalence against SARS-CoV-2 in the tribal population of Odisha. The vaccination coverage is at par with the general population, and efforts to address some knowledge gaps may be needed to improve the coverage in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]