There are about 300 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Nepal. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
With the increasing tourism and adventure travel into extreme environments comes the need to reassess the required protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation and possible other oxidative stresses. This is an observational study of UV radiation exposure and skin erythema while at extreme altitude (Mt. Everest). In addition to UV exposure, skin erythema, antioxidant use (such as vitamins C and E) will be measured. Hypothesis: 1. UV radiation at extreme altitude has larger effects on the skin than at sea level; therefore requiring an adjustment of the antioxidant use for adequate protection. 2. The skin is an accurate reflection of UV and oxidative stress exposure 3. The efficacy of oxidatives stress is reflective of the ethnicity of the individual.
A cluster-randomized vector control trial in Bihar, India, and neighboring Nepal, will test the efficacy of long-lasting impregnated bednets (LLINs, Permanets) for reducing visceral leishmaniasis incidence. The intervention unit is the village (400-1000 people). The study is designed to detect a 50% reduction in Leishmania donovani incidence in intervention compared to control clusters over 2 years. 24 clusters (selected as high incidence during previous years) will be randomly allocated to intervention or control. Following health education, and with informed consent, all households in intervention villages will receive free Permanets (from September 2006). Net usage will be monitored and new nets provided if required. Control villages will not be given untreated nets, as - although commonly used in this region - their effectiveness against sandflies has not been proven. Pre-intervention infection status of villagers (>2 yrs) will be evaluated serologically from finger-prick blood (and past/current disease status noted). Incident infections will be recorded by 3-monthly active search for clinical cases, and by annual serological diagnoses to detect subclinical infections. All villagers (>2yrs) will be leishmanin skin tested at the end of the trial for further subclinical infection detection, and sera from a sub-sample will be tested for antibodies to sandfly saliva antigens (a measure of sandfly exposure). All clinical cases will be given free treatment. Free Permanets will be provided to control villages after the trial. Complementary studies involve entomological surveillance by light traps in a sample of houses and social/economic questionnaire surveys. The entomological surveys will test whether community-wide use of LLINs provides any mass effect, which could protect those in the community who fail to use LLIN for any reason.
The purpose of this study is to determine if a hepatitis E vaccine is safe and able to prevent symptomatic liver disease due to the hepatitis E virus.
The purpose of this study is to compare the reductions in skin flora of newborns after a single cleansing of the body with three concentrations of chlorhexidine (0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%) and to examine the safety of skin cleansing in neonates in Nepal.
The aim of this study is to assess whether zinc given as adjuvant therapy to standard antibiotic treatment in children hospitalized for severe pneumonia reduces the duration of the severe illness and risk of treatment failure. A randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical trial will be conducted at the Kanti Hospital.
The use of fixed-dose combined (FDC) drugs in the treatment of tuberculosis by National Tuberculosis Programmes has been recommended by both the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and the World Health Organisation. The advantages of FDC drugs include preventing the emergence of drug resistance due to monotherapy, reducing the risk of incorrect dosage, simplifying procurement and prescribing practices, aiding adherence and facilitating directly observed treatment. Recent bioavailability studies of four-drug FDC tablets have demonstrated satisfactory results. In this study, we are testing the efficacy of this compound, when given in the initial intensive phase of treatment of patients with newly diagnosed smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis. This will be followed by four months treatment with a two-drug FDC of rifampicin and isoniazid.
The aim of the study described is to measure the degree with which zinc given as adjunct therapy to standard antibiotic treatment during childhood pneumonia reduces the risk of treatment failure and the duration of the illness.
The purpose of this study is to see how healthy people and leprosy patients react to 2 new skin tests for detecting leprosy. The study will evaluate the new skin tests that may aid in measuring the number of people exposed to leprosy and enable its diagnosis and treatment at an earlier stage. Participant's ages 18-60 living in Kathmandu, Nepal will be enrolled. Stages A and B of the study will use the skin test in healthy volunteers. Stage C will use the skin test in high risk volunteers (including individuals with leprosy), healthy individuals in contact with leprosy patients and individuals with tuberculosis (TB, lung disease). Study procedures will include injections, physical exam, and blood testing. Injection sites will be checked several times during the participant's study involvement (5 hours of time spread over approximately 1 month). Volunteers screened for the study, which have leprosy or tuberculosis will be treated or referred for treatment.
Neonatal mortality and morbidity is common in Nepal and the vast majority of women deliver babies at home without a skilled birth attendant. The purpose of this project is two-fold: 1) to evaluate whether washing a newborn child with a dilute antiseptic solution soon after birth can reduce mortality in the first 4 weeks of life and 2) to evaluate whether cleaning the umbilical cord and stump with either soap and water or an antiseptic solution for the first few days of life can reduce umbilical cord infections.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether daily supplementation of young children in Nepal with either zinc, iron-folic acid, or both can reduce mortality and morbidity. Young children in Nepal have numerous nutritional deficiencies and high rates of morbidity and mortality. Zinc and/or iron supplementation may be a cost-effective method for reducing these risks.