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WHO Chief Reportedly Hospitalised With Symptoms Of Labyrinthitis: What Is This Illness?

Labyrinthitis can lead to vertigo— a sensation of spinning— dizziness, nausea, and potential hearing loss read more

World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been hospitalised in Rio de Janeiro's Hospital Samaritano Barra da Tijuca, according to a report by local newspaper O Globo on Thursday (November 21).

Tedros sought medical attention after experiencing symptoms of labyrinthitis and a hypertensive crisis, following initial signs of illness on Monday (November 18) during the G20 summit.

As of now, there has been no official statement from the WHO regarding Tedros's health status.

What is labyrinthitis?

Labyrinthitis is an inner ear disorder marked by inflammation of the labyrinth, a complex system of fluid-filled channels responsible for hearing and balance.

This condition can lead to vertigo— a sensation of spinning— dizziness, nausea, and potential hearing loss.

What causes labyrinthitis?

It is normally caused by a bacterial or viral infection, including colds or flu.

However, research has shown that it can also be a manifestation of systemic autoimmune disease or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Reactions to certain medications can also be responsible.

Despite limited data on the condition, it appears that the incidence of labyrinthitis increases with age.

If left untreated, the illness can result in persistent symptoms, including vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and/or tinnitus, which may significantly impact daily activities and quality of life.

In severe cases, untreated labyrinthitis can lead to long-term hearing loss. Prompt medical intervention is crucial to manage symptoms effectively and prevent potential complications.

How is it treated?

Treatment for labyrinthitis is customised based on the underlying cause (etiology) of the condition and is aimed at managing the symptoms the patient is experiencing.

For instance, If the labyrinthitis is caused by a viral infection, antiviral medications or supportive care may be recommended. If it's caused by bacteria, antibiotics or other specific treatments can be prescribed.

Since there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, self-medicating is not advised.

With inputs from Reuters

Racism And Health: Does Living In A Redlined Neighborhood Affect HIV Outcomes?

People diagnosed with HIV while living in historically redlined neighborhoods may experience a significantly longer time to viral suppression, regardless of the neighborhood's current level of gentrification, according to study results published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Researchers conducted an observational study to determine the effects of redlining on time to viral suppression in individuals aged 13 and older who were newly diagnosed with HIV between January 2011 and December 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana who lived in Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC)-graded neighborhoods, which were classified as A (best; green), B (still desirable; blue), C (definitely declining; yellow), or D (hazardous; red). The primary outcome was time to viral suppression, which was measured as the time (days) from diagnosis date to date of first recorded viral load that was less than 200 copies/mL. To describe time to viral suppression by HOLC grade, Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and a Cox proportional hazards regression model were used.

A total of 1132 individuals (aged 25-44 years at time of HIV diagnosis, 54.8%; men, 76.9%; Black, 64.8%) were newly diagnosed with HIV in New Orleans, of whom 697 and 435 lived in redlined (ie, HOLC grade D) and non-redlined (ie, HOLC grades A, B, or C) neighborhoods, respectively. Redlined vs non-redlined neighborhoods had a greater percentage of people living in gentrifying census tracts (14.6% vs 8.5%).

Overall, viral suppression was achieved by 87.3% of all participants. Within 3 months of HIV diagnosis, 26.1% and 30.3% of people who were diagnosed with HIV while living in redlined and non-redlined neighborhoods, respectively, achieved viral suppression.

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Regardless of their neighborhood's contemporary level of gentrification, individuals diagnosed with HIV while living in historically redlined neighborhoods may experience a significantly longer time to viral suppression.

The median time to viral suppression among people with HIV living in redlined (193 days; 95% CI, 167-223 days) vs non-redlined (164 days; 95% CI, 143-185 days) neighborhoods was longer.

Viral suppression was achieved by 600 of the 697 people with HIV in redlined neighborhoods and 388 of the 435 people with HIV in non-redlined neighborhoods (hazard ratio [HR], 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.95). After adjustment, the association between living in a redlined neighborhood at the time of HIV diagnosis and time to viral suppression was slightly attenuated, but still statistically significant (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.76-0.91; P =.03).

Among people with HIV living in gentrifying neighborhoods, people living in redlined vs non-redlined neighborhoods had a longer time to viral suppression (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.36-0.82).

Study limitations include potential bias, inability to account for possible housing changes within the city, and uniform application of census measures across each neighborhood.

"Regardless of their neighborhood's contemporary level of gentrification, individuals diagnosed with HIV while living in historically redlined neighborhoods may experience a significantly longer time to viral suppression," the researchers concluded.

This article originally appeared on Infectious Disease Advisor

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