The Ministry of Health and Family welfare (MoHFW) has designated snakebite cases and deaths as a ‘notifiable disease’.
- Earlier, the Ministry launched the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE) to halve snakebite-related deaths and disabilities by 2030.
What are notifiable diseases?
- It is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities.
- Responsibility of notifying any disease and the implementation lies with the state government.
- The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks.
- Other notified diseases: AIDS, hepatitis, dengue, etc.
NANOPLASTICS AS AGENTS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE
According to a study, nanoplastics derived from single-use plastic bottles (SUPBs) contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR).
- Nanoplastics and microorganisms coexist in diverse environments, including the human gut.
- Polyethylene Terephthalate Bottle-derived Nanoplastics (PBNPs) can facilitate the cross-species gene transfer from E. coli to Lactobacillus acidophilus, a significant beneficial bacteria found in human gut microbiota, through a process called horizontal gene transfer (HGT).
- HGT is the movement of genetic information or material between organisms (except for those from parent to offspring).
About Nanoplastics
- Nanoplastics are solid particles of synthetic or heavily modified natural polymers with sizes between 1 nm (nanometer) and 1000 nm.
- Sources: Primary sources like cosmetics, paints, drugs, electronics, and secondary sources from breakdown and fragmentation of microplastics.
- Impact: More easily penetrate cells and tissues in living organisms, and have been found in human blood, liver and lung cells, and in reproductive tissues.
