Seafood is an important source of dietary protein worldwide, especially for coastal and island dwellers who now comprise 70% of the world’s population. Besides being high in protein and providing 40% of the world’s protein intake, seafood is low in cholesterol and saturated fatty acids and contains unique long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Two seafood PUFAs, eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) inhibit platelet aggregation and reduce mortality from myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic stroke. Although the United States (U.S.) scientific community has recommended a Mediterranean-type diet, based on beneficial PUFAs in seafood, the European scientific community has cautioned that the increasing methylmercury levels in seafood may counteract any cardioprotective effects of PUFAs and actually increase risks of MI. This review describes the health benefits of seafood consumption and makes recommendations for the safe selection and preparation of seafood. In addition, this review describes the burden of seafood-borne diseases, separates seafood-borne toxic, heavy metal, and pesticide poisonings from seafood-borne infectious diseases; and makes recommendations for the management and prevention of seafood-borne illnesses. With the exception of some of the toxic seafood-borne illnesses, most seafood-borne infectious diseases, heavy metal poisonings, and pesticide poisonings can be prevented by careful selection and preparation of fresh seafood and adherence to weekly seafood consumption advisories, especially for those at highest risk of methylmercury poisoning, such as women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or of child-bearing age, and children age seven and younger. A balanced diet combining protein from a variety of sources, including carefully selected and prepared seafood, along with natural antioxidants from fruits and vegetables is recommended to prevent seafood-borne diseases and to promote health and longevity.

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On Ishigaki Island, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax epidemics occurred in 1945-1946 and were successfully suppressed. The epidemic re-emerged in 1949 because many settlers immigrated to the former endemic areas, but it terminated in 1961. The present study aimed at predicting an outbreak of a new epidemic based on the situation in which P. falciparum malaria patients stay on Ishigaki Island and also examined the re-emergence of the P. falciparum epidemic in 1951-1960 to determine the reliability of the model.
A stochastic transmission model of P. falciparum was constructed to detect a small number of infected persons. The seasonal fluctuation of the Anopheles minimus population obtained by observational data and meteorological data through statistical processing was introduced into the model.
Simulations were carried out to predict the risk of a new epidemic with scenarios in which the attribute of index patient, visiting season, and reduced inoculation rates of An. minimus were assumed. When an infected person visited the island in summer, a small number of patients with primary infections derived from the index patient appeared for all 1,000-iterations. On the other hand, when an infected person visited the island in winter, few or no patients with primary infections appeared for any of the 1,000-iterations because of the low mosquito density. In realistic conditions, the simulation results showed that there was little possibility of the occurrence of P. falciparum infection.

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Objective: To convey HIV⁄AIDS-related knowledge to people in rural Cambodia, we conducted an HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention program and investigated its effectiveness, participants’ sexual behavior, HIV-related knowledge, and their attitude to HIV⁄AIDS.
Methods: We conducted HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention in a rural area of Cambodia from April to November 2007. We selected three villages (a total of 180 villagers) in Siem Reap Province. Our HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention involved practical explanations by well-trained Cambodian staff using visual material and participatory activities in order to promote interest among illiterate participants. We implemented a cross-sectional study in each village after the HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention using a questionnaire written in Khmer and assisted by a Cambodian NGO.
Results: Two-thirds of the participants had not finished primary school and had difficulties reading and writing. A total of 77.8% of the people had obtained HIV⁄AIDS-related information from NGOs.
Conclusion: The HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention was welcomed by most of the villagers and positively influenced HIV⁄AIDS-related knowledge through the use of practical explanations. Rural areas are still more vulnerable to HIV⁄AIDS transmission, and at the same time more likely to be influenced by NGOs, than cities because of high rates of illiteracy and a lack of access to general HIV⁄AIDS-related information sources including television, books, newspapers, and the Internet. NGOs need to increase their efforts to educate the vulnerable populations in rural areas.

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The effect of lemon slices, as well as ascorbic and citric acid impregnated paper discs, on the growth of ten non-typhoidal Salmonella, six Citrobacter freundii and four Proteus mirabilis species on Desoxycholate Hydrogen Sulfide Lactose (DHL) agar were examined in comparison to controls without fruit slices or paper discs applied. After 24 h incubation, thick black rings were observed around fruit slices and impregnated discs growing on non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars and not around the other species. We named this the “MY Phenomenon”. We propose that the phenomenon can be used as a rapid, simple and inexpensive screening test that distinguishes non-typhoidal Salmonella species from other enterobacteriaceae in stool samples.

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Post-malaria neurological syndrome (PMNS) is a rare complication after the treatment of falciparum malaria. We describe a case of a 56-year-old man who developed ataxia, tremor, and confusion 16 days after a successful treatment of falciparum malaria with artesunate followed by mefloquine. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed no abnormality, and he recovered spontaneously without any specific treatment including corticosteroids. Inflammatory changes were found in the cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting a localized inflammatory reaction as the cause of the syndrome.

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