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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

MY 1ST BATCH OF PASSERS (SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS)

MY TUTORIAL/REVIEW SERVICE FOR PNLE 1ST BATCH OF PASSERS

4 passers out of 6 reviewees




IMEE FLORES RN


JAYMART SOMBILLO RN


JOBZ ANNE PACANA RN


CLARISA BROSAS RN







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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Health News: DOST "OL Mosquito Trap": The Science of Mosquito Control and Dengue Prevention




According to the Department of Health (DOH), dengue incidence in the Philippines has risen to an “all-time high” and reached the epidemic proportion in some regions.

In 2010, DOH recorded 98,934 dengue cases with 644 deaths from January to September alone. The cases have doubled compared to the entire 2009 cases with a total of 57,819.

This is the reason why DOH concluded that 2010 is the year of living “dengue-rously,” where dengue took center stage as the most prevailing health issue in the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) considered dengue as one of the fastest-emerging infections in the world that, despite decades of research, there is no effective drug or vaccine ever developed.

Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) introduced an alternative to address the alarming dengue situation in the country. This is the DOST Ovicidal and Larvicidal (OL) mosquito trap, a low cost yet effective device designed to reduce the population of the dengue-carrying “Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus” mosquitoes by attracting and killing their eggs in a simple but effective science-based system.

Dr. Lilian de las Llagas, OL trap technical consultant and mosquito expert from the College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) said that, “In order to appreciate how OL mosquito trap works and understand how dengue virus spreads, it is important to understand the life cycle of the female dengue-carrying Aedes mosquitoes.”

Basically, female mosquito has three major chores: To mate with the male mosquito, sip blood of human victim and lay eggs.

“When we talk about the transmission of dengue virus, male mosquito has no significance at all except for reproductive purposes,” said Dr. de las Llagas. After mating with the male mosquito, female mosquito starts to hunt a human victim to supply her blood meal from sunrise to sunset. “This is the reason why dengue virus is not transmitted after six o’clock because Aedes mosquito bites only at daytime,” added Dr. de las Llagas.

Dr. de las Llagas warned that among the favorites of mosquitoes are children who are smelly and wet with sweat, but this does not mean that mosquitoes are selective. No one is exempted from mosquito’s bites. A female mosquito needs to bite at least three human victims in order to complete her blood meal. This leads to virus transmission. Every time an infected mosquito bites, it transfers the virus.

When blood meal is satisfied or completed, the female mosquito lays her eggs. This is the time the OL mosquito trap performs its functions to impede mosquitoes’ regeneration.

The OL mosquito trap system is designed to attract female mosquitoes to lay its eggs on the trap. Basically, the black paint or black container lures the female mosquitoes. Also, the strip of wet “lawanit” board inside the trap creates optimum condition that adds up to the level of attraction for female mosquitoes.

The scientific principle behind this technology is that mosquitoes preferred to lay their eggs in dark colored containers. “This is not actually a new technology,” said Dr. de las Llagas. “This fact has been known since 1969.”

What is new about the OL mosquito trap is the natural ovicide and larvicide incorporated to the system. These are pellets in form, made from organic compounds derived from plants. These pellets contain non-toxic substances safe to human. However, when they are incorporated to the system they become ovicidal and larvicidal. The word “cidal” connotes death. “So once the egg touches the solution it will die. If the egg hatches, the larvae will die, its larvae will not become pupa, its pupa will not become adult and no adult to lay eggs,” said Dr. de las Llagas.

The technology is also easy to manage. It is a “set and forget” principle. Set the trap, put it on dump and undisturbed areas or in the suspected areas where mosquitoes are hiding, then forget about it, because the trap itself kills the eggs or the larvae.

If a single female mosquito lays 100 eggs in the trap, this means you trap 100 eggs to become adults in several days, and you prevent 100 mosquitoes to bite approximately 300 human victims at the average of three human victims in every complete blood meal. “It is a simple arithmetic in terms of natural mosquito reduction by simply putting this trap. The more traps, the better,” said D. de las Llagas.


Source: www.pchrd.dost.gov.ph
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Health Talk: Dengue Fever




DENGUE FEVER

Also known as breakbone fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs.

Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally A. aegypti. The virus has four different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. Subsequent infection with a different type increases the risk of severe complications. As there is no vaccine, prevention is sought by reducing the habitat and the number of mosquitoes and limiting exposure to bites.


SIGN AND SYMPTOMS


TREATMENT

Because dengue fever is caused by a virus, there is no specific medicine or antibiotic to treat it. For typical dengue, the treatment is purely concerned with relief of the symptoms (symptomatic).
Rest and fluid intake for adequate hydration is important.
Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should only be taken under a doctor's supervision because of the possibility of worsening hemorrhagic complications.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and codeine may be given for severe headache and for the joint and muscle pain (myalgia).

PREVENTION

The transmission of the virus to mosquitoes must be interrupted to prevent the illness. To this end, patients are kept under mosquito netting until the second bout of fever is over and they are no longer contagious.

The prevention of dengue requires control or eradication of the mosquitoes carrying the virus that causes dengue. In nations plagued by dengue fever, people are urged to empty stagnant water from old tires, trash cans, and flower pots. Governmental initiatives to decrease mosquitoes also help to keep the disease in check but have been poorly effective.

To prevent mosquito bites, wear long pants and long sleeves. For personal protection, use mosquito repellant sprays that contain DEET when visiting places where dengue is endemic. Limiting exposure to mosquitoes by avoiding standing water and staying indoors two hours after sunrise and before sunset will help. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a daytime biter with peak periods of biting around sunrise and sunset. It may bite at any time of the day and is often hidden inside homes or other dwellings, especially in urban areas.

There is currently no vaccine available for dengue fever. There is a vaccine undergoing clinical trials, but it is too early to tell if it will be safe or effective. Early results of clinical trials show that a vaccine may be available by 2012

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Health News: New Aggressive Dengue Strain



A new and deadly strain of dengue fever has struck 13,000 people in the Peruvian Amazon region.

Fourteen people have died, and approximately 1600 have been hospitalized. The outbreak has caught Peru's health authorities by surprise.

The new strain of dengue is particularly dangerous to children.

Dengue fever is a virus. There are two basic strains of dengue, usually referred to as dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever. There is no vaccination against either strain. Dengue is endemic in Peru and the local strain is known as the "Asian-American" strain.

The new strain, unlike the common endemic variety, causes shock in victims. Dengue is becoming a major problem in South America, with 125,000 cases reported in Venezuela in 2010 and approximately 1200 deaths in Latin America as a whole.

The new South American form of dengue is of particular concern to health authorities in the Americas because of its virulence and the fact that current favorable climatic conditions could encourage its rapid spread.

Dengue is in fact a global problem. It exists around the world in various forms and differing degrees as a public health risk.

In Saudi Arabia, authorities are warning of an increase in dengue cases after flooding in Jeddah.

In the Philippines, another country where dengue is endemic, public health campaigns are being waged to improve public awareness of preventative measures.

In Australia, the recent flooding in Queensland is reported to be responsible for an increase in cases of dengue fever in flood affected areas.

In Malaysia a 52% increase in cases of dengue fever has been reported, and genetically modified mosquitoes are to be employed to attempt to eradicate the mosquito species responsible for carrying the virus.

According to The Independent this methodology does have potential for success:

Last year Oxitec carried out a much larger field trial in the Cayman Islands involving the release of about 3 million GM male mosquitoes – the first release of a GM mosquito into the wild. The company said that the local population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the species that carries the Dengue virus, fell by 80 per cent.

Australia is also in the process of adopting the genetically modified mosquito approach to deal with dengue in Australia's far north, where it's been endemic since colonization.

The genetically modified mosquitoes, being males, don't drink blood and pose no threat of infection.


Source: CheckOrphan News
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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Internet Safety Tips For Kids & Adults

Internet Safety Tips


Having the world at our fingertips in the form of Internet has its pros and cons. While you get access to an unlimited store of information, you also put your own privacy and data at risk. There are thousands of malicious computer viruses that can invade your computer system and steal your data, if you do not have an antivirus software program installed. Here are some Internet safety tips for parents and children, that will protect your privacy and data.

Thou Shalt Not Share Personal Information
One of the prime Internet safety tips for children and adults is about sharing personal information. Do not share your name, address, social security number, phone number and other such personal details on the Internet. You don't know how this information will be used by third parties. Hence it is best that you withhold such information.

Thou Shalt Avoid Talking to Strangers
Children are advised to be suspicious of any strangers that they meet in chat rooms and social networking sites. Avoid talking to strangers and do not give out any personal details if you do. You don't know what are the intentions of a person at the other end of the line. Would you give out any personal information to a man you meet on the street? Similarly, avoid talking to strangers on the Internet. Check out some Internet safety facts.

Thou Shalt Avoid Sharing Pictures
Never share your pictures and home videos on any public forums or website on the Internet. These pictures can be used for nefarious purposes. So, do not share your personal photos or videos on any portal on the Internet.

Thou Shalt Not Share Financial Information
Do not divulge any financial information on the Internet like bank account numbers, credit card numbers and other such information. Do not believe in any mails that you get, offering you with a surprise lottery amount or any such financial reward. If you go ahead with such offers, you are bound to fall for some of the popular Internet scams. Please do not go ahead with any financial transaction on the Internet, before you are sure about the authenticity of the website. This is one of the prime Internet safety tips for adults.

Thou Shalt Avoid Sharing Login Name & Passwords
Under no circumstances should you share your passwords related to your email accounts and online bank account transactions. Otherwise, if you do, there are chances that your account will get hacked, leading to dangerous consequences.

Thou Shalt Not Download Stuff Without Permission
Children are advised to avoid downloading any stuff on the Internet without taking permission from their parents and elders. This is one of the prime Internet safety rules that children should follow.These programs may contain malicious viruses which may crash your computer system entirely. Check out five tips for Internet safety.

Thou Shalt Install Parental Control Filters
One of the important safety tips for parents is to install a parental control software, or change web browser settings, so that children are protected from obscene and pornographic material that is rampant on the Internet. This is very important for your child's safety and mental health.

Thou Shalt Not Violate Copyrights
Do not download pirated music or movies via Internet. This will be considered as a violation of copyrighted material for which you could be prosecuted. Your Internet service provider closely monitors illegal P2P downloads which can be reported to the authorities. So you are advised to be careful.

Thou Shalt Not Misuse Internet Resources
Do not take advantage of the access to personal information that social networking sites like Facebook provide you with. Hacking an email account is a punishable offense and do not indulge in such nefarious activities.

Thou Shalt Get an Antivirus Software Installed

It is very important that you safeguard your PC from attack of malicious software that may get downloaded from the Internet. See to it that you get an antivirus software that has special Internet security features.

By: Gray Pilgrim
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