What is a Superbug?

A bacteria which is resistant to all the anti-biotics is called a Super bug. The recently discoveded bacteria NDM-1 is a Superbug.

World AIDS Day 2009 - Facts about AIDS

Today is World AIDS Day - 1st Dec 2009. Let's be aware about AIDS, let's know about facts and myths of AIDS, its consequences, precautions and preventions. Let's equip us with knowledge. If all of us know What is AIDS, How it Spreads and how to prevent it, then We can make the earth a save heaven to live.

What is AIDS? How AIDS spreads?

AIDS means Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is caused or it spreads by a Virus called HIV (Human Immune Virus). The virus spreads from one person to other through blood by following ways:
1. Unprotected sex
2. Reuse of needles in hospitals
3. Blood transfusion from HIV infected people
4. Baby born from an infected mother has chances of having been affected with AIDS
5. Reusing blade for Shaving beard in public saloon

Consequences of AIDS?

AIDS is a killer disease. There is no cure to it, but medical advancements are helping the patient to increase the life expectancy.

How to prevent spreading of AIDS?

We can create awareness among people about AIDS. We can reach out to the uneducated people to educate them about AIDS. It will help everyone to take necessary precautions and this initiative will help fight AIDS.

I request all readers to understand the AIDS problem and to educate each other to kill this killer disease.

Child Immunization Schedule / Vaccination schedule in India

Here is a list of Immunization Schedule recommended by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. All the Indian babies should follow the following immunization chart so that they will not miss out vaccination for any critical disease.

AGE	VACCINES
Birth	BCG, OPV, Hepatitis B
6 weeks	DTP, OPV+IPV, Hepatitis B, Hib, PCV
10 weeks	DTP, OPV+IPV, Hib, PCV
14 weeks	DTP, OPV+IPV, Hepatitis B, Hib, PCV
9 months	Measles
1 year	Varicella
15 months	MMR, PCV Booster
16 months	Hib Booster
18 months	DTP Booster, OPV+IPV Booster
2 years	Typhoid
2 years 1 month	Hepatitis A
2 years 7 months	Hepatitis A
5 years	DTP Booster, OPV Booster, Typhoid
10 years	Tdap, HPV

The following table contains the Vaccine Names and the disease for which it is used.

VACCINE	DISEASE(S)
BCG	Tuberculosis (Bacillus Calmette Guerin)
OPV	Oral Polio Vaccine
Hepatitis B	Hepatitis B
DTP	Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis
Hib	Pneumonia, Meningitis, Bacteremia (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B)
Measles	Measles
MMR	Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Typhoid	Typhoid
Td	Tetanus
PCV	Bacterial diseases causing pneumonia, meningitis etc., (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine)
Varicella	Chicken Pox
Hepatitis A	Hepatitis A
HPV	Human Papilloma Virus causing cervical cancer
Rotavirus	Rotavirus

Sources: http://www.parentree.in/

You can refer to Immunization schedule in other countries by clicking appropriate links in the above page.

Causes and Prevention of Infant Diarrhea.

What is Infant Diarrhea?
Infant Diarrhea is a disease caused by increased number of bowel movements in a baby causing dehydration and making the baby week. Also, other associated symptoms with Infant Diarrhea are fever.

Causes of Infant Diarrhea:
The main cause of Infant Diarrhea is viral gastroenteritis (the "stomach flu"). The flu/virus enters the infant's body due to unhygenic conditions around him.

Cure:
Most important suggestion and life saving solution is rehydrating the baby with commonly found ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts). It is available in all government hospitals for free. It is only possible because of the UNICEF. If you want to help save a life you can donate to UNICEF. Donate Now. www.supportunicefindia.org

Precautions:
1. Clean hands properly before eating anything
2. Clean hands properly after toilet
3. If baby is having outside food, stop it for sometime and give him breast feeding only.
4. Consult a doctor if fever continues to stay in the baby.

What is BMI (Body Mass Index)?

The body mass index (BMI), or Quetelet index, is a statistical measurement which compares a person's weight and height and indicates the fat percentage in one's body.

As it is easy to calculate, it's usually used to determine whether individuals are normal weight, underweight, overweight or obese.

Body mass index is defined as the individual's body weight divided by the square of his or her height. Unit: kg/m^2

Formula:


Here is a list of BMI and what they indicate:

BMI range – kg/m2    Category
less than 16. 5               Severely underweight
from 16.5 to 18.4           Underweight
from 18.5 to 24.9      Normal
from 25 to 30                Overweight
from 30.1 to 34.9           Obese Class I
from 35 to 40                Obese Class II
over 40                      Obese Class III

So, if your BMI doesn't come in the range of 18.5 to 24.9, then you must take action to keep yourself fit.