Daily Prelims Notes 19 May 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

19 May 2024

1. Can humans get H5N1 infection by consuming raw milk?

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Context:

• The Atlanta-based CDC has advised people to desist from consuming uncooked dairy food products such as raw, unpasteurised milk, or raw cheeses from animals with suspected or confirmed H5N1 bird flu virus infection.

More on news:

• No case of H5N1 infection in humans has been reported after consuming raw milk.
• Scientists believed that the virus can be transmitted via an infected cow’s milk that has not been pasteurized.

Human Case:

• The lone reported human case in the current outbreak in cattle spread across 49 herds in nine States in the U.S. has been a dairy farm worker who had direct exposure to cows and developed conjunctivitis.
• There are very few human cases reported so far and almost all of those were in farm workers who had come in close contact with infected animals.
• The likely route of transmission was airborne.

Do humans get H5N1 infection by consuming raw milk?

• Raw milk from H5N1 infected cows may not cause illness in humans as the route of introduction of the virus is oral rather than nasopharyngeal.
• Possibility of a human being catching H5N1 infection from infected raw milk is very low. 
• There has been no documented evidence of H5N1 transmission from animals to humans via the oral route,till now.
• Almost all human influenza virus infections are primarily respiratory infections unlike in some other mammals where gut infections are reported.
• Based on that it can be stated that consumption of heavily infected H5N1 containing raw milk is unlikely to cause illness in human beings.

Transmission in cats and birds:

• There are many reports of cats being infected with H5N1 in the current outbreak in the U.S.
• Domestic cats fed with raw, unpasteurised colostrum and milk from affected cows developed fatal systemic influenza infection, thus demonstrating the oral route of transmission in cats.
• Some birds (poultry) as well as cats do show susceptibility to influenza virus infections via oral route. Humans have not been infected by faeco-oral route even if the virus is shed by humans in the excreta.

What is A(H5N1)? 

• H5N1 is one of several influenza viruses that causes a highly infectious respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza (or bird flu).
• Infections in mammals, including humans, have also been documented.
• In 1996, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus was first identified in domestic waterfowl in Southern China. 
• India experienced the first Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) outbreak in the State of Maharashtra and Gujarat on 18th February, 2015.

2. Why is the RBI keeping an eye on gold loans?

Sub: Economy

Sec: Monetary Policy

Context:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had asked gold loan lenders to stick to regulatory norms while lending in a bid to tighten its grip over Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).

More on news:

• The RBI has increased its scrutiny of NBFCs after it found certain NBFCs to be flouting regulatory norms.
• RBI banned IIFL Finance from issuing fresh gold loans after the firm was found violating lending norms.
• Gold loan portfolio of NBFCs has increased at an aggressive pace since the pandemic, growing over four fold from about ₹35,000 crore at the end of financial year 2020 to about ₹1,31,000 crore by the end of FY 2023.
• RBI had temporarily allowed lenders to make loans up to 90% of the value of the underlying gold collateral during the pandemic to help borrowers, and this also helped NBFCs expand their loan books aggressively.

What are the RBI’s gold loan norms?

• The RBI stipulates lenders to comply with certain norms while lending money in lieu of gold. 
• Lenders are not allowed to lend any amount of money that is greater than 75% of the value of the gold that is submitted as collateral by the borrower.
• This is to ensure that banks have sufficient cushion to absorb any losses by selling the gold in case the borrower defaults on the loan.
• Complying with income tax rules, the RBI mandated that when a loan is disbursed to a borrower, no more than ₹20,000 can be disbursed in the form of cash and the remaining loan amount needs to be deposited in the borrower’s bank account.
• It also instructs lenders to conduct the auction of any gold (in case a borrower defaults) in a fair and transparent manner in locations that are accessible to the borrowers.

Why does the RBI want to reinforce these norms now?

• Some NBFCs are violating regulations linked to gold-based lending.
• RBI found that there were loan-to-value irregularities in over two-thirds of defaulted accounts in the case of IIFL Finance.
• NBFCs are wanting to increase the size of their loan book at an aggressive pace in an attempt to grow their business, and thus may be willing to offer loans of value that exceed 75% of the value of the underlying collateral.
• RBI suspects that  aggressive lending by NBFCs is leading to widespread violation of lending norms and that could potentially cause systemic trouble in the future as the gold loan industry grows in size rapidly.
• NBFCs are  trying to deliberately overestimate the value of the gold that the borrowers submit as collateral.
• Lenders such as IIFL Finance were using internal assayers to evaluate the value and the purity of the gold offered as collateral by borrowers.

Impact on NBFCs?

• RBI’s scrutiny is expected to make NBFC gold loans less attractive.
• NBFCs might become less aggressive in their lending practices as the RBI enforces the loan-to-value rules more strictly.
• Such measures to make the auction process more transparent and accessible to borrowers could increase the cost of doing business for NBFCs and lead to higher borrowing rates for lenders.
• These lending norms will make the gold loan business more sustainable and help avoid systemic risks in the long run.

What are NBFCs?

• Nonbank financial companies (NBFCs), also known as nonbank financial institutions (NBFIs), are entities that provide similar services to a bank but do not hold a banking license.
• A Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956. 
• Investment banks, mortgage lenders, money market funds, insurance companies, hedge funds, private equity funds, and P2P lenders are all examples of NBFCs.

Features of NBFCs:

• NBFC cannot accept demand deposits.
• NBFCs do not form part of the payment and settlement system and cannot issue cheques drawn on itself.
• Deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation is not available to depositors of NBFCs.

3. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Finalise Regional Alliance Project

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

• Junta-run Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have finalised plans to form a confederation.

Historical perspective:

• The Sahel region has faced years of deadly jihadist violence.
• In January, the three countries announced their departure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), criticizing it for being under French influence and deciding to establish their own regional grouping.
• These three nations, all former French colonies recently overtaken by military regimes.

Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES):

• Countries Involved: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger
• Background and Motivation: These three nations have severed ties with their former colonial ruler, France, and are seeking closer relations with Russia.
• The decision is influenced by dissatisfaction with France’s inability to curb jihadist violence in the Sahel region.
• The foreign ministers of the three countries met in Niamey, Niger’s capital, to finalize a text for establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

About the Liptako-Gourma Charter:

• The Liptako-Gourma Charter establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
• It aims to “establish an architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance for the benefit of the population”.
• This alliance will be a combination of military and economic efforts between the three countries.
• The charter binds the signatories to assist one another, including militarily — in the event of an attack on any one of them.
• It also binds the three countries to work to prevent or settle armed rebellions.

Liptako-Gourma region:

• It is the region where the Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger borders meet.
• It has been ravaged by jihadist insurgency in recent years.

Significance:

• The creation of AES marks a significant geopolitical shift in the Sahel region, highlighting the countries’ intent to pursue greater autonomy and regional cooperation, distancing themselves from traditional Western influence.

About the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): 

• Also known as CEDEAO in French.
• It is the regional group which was established in 1975 through the Lagos Treaty.
• Headquarters: Abuja, Nigeria.
• Mandate: Promoting economic integration among its members.
• The vision of ECOWAS is the creation of a “borderless region” that is well-integrated and governed in accordance with the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance.
• Members: Benin, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.
• ECOWAS’ larger aims are to have a single common currency and create a single, large trading bloc in areas of industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, financial issues, and social and cultural matters.
• Along with the goals of economic cooperation, it has attempted to quell military conflicts in the region.
• It also operated a regional peacekeeping operation known as ECOMOG, led by Nigeria in the 1990s and early 2000s.

4. Don’t use calcium carbide to ripen fruits, orders FSSAI

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Context:

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reiterated the ban on using calcium carbide for fruit ripening.

Details:

• The ban is enforced under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, which prohibits selling or handling fruits ripened with acetylene gas.
• FSSAI has urged state and UT Food Safety Departments to remain vigilant and take stringent action against those violating the ban.

How does Calcium carbide ripen the fruit?

• In contact with moisture, CaC2 produces acetylene gas, an analog of ethylene, and mimics its functions as a natural fruit-ripening plant hormone.
• Although CaC2 quickens the fruit ripening process the Skin/epicarp may change colour, but mesocarp and pericarp often remain green and raw.
• It results in tasteless, unhealthy, and highly toxic fruit.
• Naturally-ripened fruits are beneficial for human health and nutrition.
• Harmful effects:
  • Calcium carbide releases acetylene gas containing harmful arsenic and phosphorus traces, posing health risks such as dizziness, thirst, irritation, weakness, swallowing difficulty, vomiting, and skin ulcers. The gas is also hazardous to handlers.

Approved Alternatives:

• Ethylene Gas: FSSAI recommends using ethylene gas as a safer alternative for ripening fruits.
  • Ethylene is the first identified plant hormone regulating many processes in plant growth, development, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses.
  • It is best known for its effect on fruit ripening and organ abscission, holding great commercial importance in agriculture.
  • As a gaseous hormone, ethylene can diffuse across membranes and is synthesized at or near its site of action, differing from other plant hormones.
• Ethylene can be used at concentrations up to 100 ppm, depending on the fruit’s crop, variety, and maturity.
• Ethylene, a naturally occurring hormone in fruits, regulates the ripening process by initiating and controlling chemical and biochemical activities.
• Ethephon 39% SL: Approved by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB & RC) for uniform ripening of mangoes and other fruits.

About the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI):

• It is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
• The FSSAI was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which is a consolidating statute related to food safety and regulation in India.
• Vision: Build a new India by enabling citizens to have safe and nutritious food, prevent diseases, and lead a healthy and happy life.
• Mission: Set globally benchmarked standards for food, encourage and ensure that food businesses adhere to these standards, adopt good manufacturing and hygiene practices, and ultimately enable citizens to access safe and right food.

Functions of FSSAI:

• FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.
• It lays down standards and guidelines in relation to articles of food and provides for licensing, registration, and accreditation for food business operators.
• Anyone selling or importing food in India needs a food licence issued by FSSAI.
• FSSAI also directly monitors compliance of food regulations, especially in the area of food imports to India.
• FSSAI officers carry out food import controls and ensure that they contain no harmful ingredients. To do this, they send selected test products from the import to accredited laboratories for inspection.
• The FSSAI is also responsible for the accreditation of food testing laboratories throughout India.
• The FSSAI is responsible for the Food Certification in India.
• It is mandated to specify systems for enforcing its standards, for accreditation of certification systems, and for certification of food safety management systems for food businesses.

Source: TH

5. Women with no sexual autonomy twice likely to get STIs: study

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Context: omen who had controlling husbands and had experienced intimate partner violence in their married life are more at risk of developing sexually transmitted infection (STI) or reproductive tract infection (RTI) than women who do not report facing control or intimate partner violence (IPV) in their marriage, a new study reveals

What are STIs?

More than 30 different bacteria, viruses and parasites are known to be transmitted through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. Some STIs can also be transmitted from mother-to-child during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Eight pathogens are linked to the greatest incidence of STIs. Of these, 4 are currently curable: syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. The other 4 are incurable viral infections: hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus (HSV), HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV).

In addition, emerging outbreaks of new infections that can be acquired by sexual contact such as monkeypox, Shigella sonnei, Neisseria meningitidis, Ebola and Zika, as well as re-emergence of neglected STIs such as lymphogranuloma venereum. These herald increasing challenges in the provision of adequate services for STIs prevention and control.

Prevention of STIs

When used correctly and consistently, condoms offer one of the most effective methods of protection against STIs, including HIV. Although highly effective, condoms do not offer protection for STIs that cause extra-genital ulcers (i.e., syphilis or genital herpes). When possible, condoms should be used in all vaginal and anal sex.

Safe and highly effective vaccines are available for 2 viral STIs: hepatitis B and HPV. These vaccines have represented major advances in STI prevention. By the end of 2020, the HPV vaccine had been introduced as part of routine immunization programmes in 111 countries, primarily high- and middle-income countries. To eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem globally, high coverage targets for HPV vaccination, screening and treatment of precancerous lesions, and management of cancer must be reached by 2030 and maintained at this high level for decades.

Research to develop vaccines against genital herpes and HIV is advanced, with several vaccine candidates in early clinical development. There is mounting evidence suggesting that the vaccine to prevent meningitis (MenB) provides some cross-protection against gonorrhoea. More research into vaccines for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are needed.

Other biomedical interventions to prevent some STIs include adult voluntary medical male circumcision, microbicides, and partner treatment. There are ongoing trials to evaluate the benefit of pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis of STIs and their potential safety weighed with antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Diagnosis of STIs

STIs are often asymptomatic. When symptoms occur, they can be non-specific. Moreover, laboratory tests rely on blood, urine or anatomical samples. Three anatomical sites can carry at least one STI. These differences are modulated by sex and sexual risk. These differences can mean the diagnosis of STIs is often missed and individuals are frequently treated for 2 or more STIs.

Accurate diagnostic tests for STIs (using molecular technology) are widely used in high-income countries. These are especially useful for the diagnosis of asymptomatic infections. However, they are largely unavailable in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Even in countries where testing is available, it is often expensive and not widely accessible. In addition, the time it takes for results to be received is often long. As a result, follow-up can be impeded and care or treatment can be incomplete.

On the other hand, inexpensive, rapid tests are available for syphilis, hepatitis B and HIV. The rapid syphilis test and rapid dual HIV/syphilis tests are used in several resource-limited settings.

Several other rapid tests are under development and have the potential to improve STI diagnosis and treatment, especially in resource-limited settings.

Treatment of STIs

Effective treatment is currently available for several STIs.

• Three bacterial (chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis) and one parasitic STIs (trichomoniasis) are generally curable with existing single-dose regimens of antibiotics.
• For herpes and HIV, the most effective medications available are antivirals that can modulate the course of the disease, though they cannot cure the disease.
• For hepatitis B, antivirals can help fighting the virus and slowing damage to the liver.

AMR of STIs – in particular gonorrhoea – has increased rapidly in recent years and has reduced treatment options. The Gonococcal AMR Surveillance Programme (GASP) has shown high rates of resistance to many antibiotics including quinolone, azithromycin and extended-spectrum cephalosporins, a last-line treatment (4).

AMR for other STIs like Mycoplasma genitalium, though less common, also exists.