From April 1988 to March 1989 an extensive search was carried out for the uncommon intestinal parasites like Strongyloides stercoralis and Trematodes in Northern India. Stool Samples were concentrated by the formal-ether centrifugation method and three cover slip mounts were made instead of one daily for 3-5 days. Following this method rhabtidiform larvae of Strongyloides, stercoralis were found in stool samples of 10 patients out of 2100 odd samples examined. Interestingly 7 out of these 10 patients had resided in Kumaun region of Uttar Pradesh from where Strongyloides, stercoralis has never been reported earlier. These patients were followed up and treated with Mebendazole but the drug was found ineffective and all patients required Thiabendazole. The clinical and demographic features of these patients are detailed.

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Vaginal Swabs from 200 patients of nonspecific vaginitis (NSV) and 50 age matched controls were investigated Gardenerella Vaginalis was isolated in 36.5 cases of NSV and 8% controls. Quantitatively the growth was 3+or4+ on HBT medium in NSV and 1 + or 2 + In control group. Other aerobic organisms isolated in NSV epidermidis (11.5%). Amongst the controls the commonest aerobes were Staph albus and Esch. Coli 22% and 16% respectively. Isolated strains of G. Varinalis were most sensitive to Amplicillin (77.92%) followed by Kanamycin (54.55$) and metronidazole (44.16%).

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In any assessment of the quality of microbiological laboratory services within a country, it is necessary to consider and evaluate many factors. This article attempts to describe a comprehensive range of activities that are components of total quality assurance. Some of these activities will not be appropriate to local circumstances and it is essential that each country develop their quality programme according to their individual needs and resources. For those starting on the path leading to improved quality, it can be profoundly discouraging to see the amount of work that needs to be done, often with inadequate resources. Although it may be useful to recognize what should be done in an ideal world, it must be recognized that the ideal may not be realizable in the short term, and perhaps never. This must not discourage laboratory workers and those responsible for the organization of laboratory services from attempting to improve quality. Many of the components of quality assurance are not unduly expensive and significant improvements can be achieved through alterations in the way that work is done and in people’s attitudes. The most significant need is to persuade people to think about quality; once this is achieved, the rest will follow.

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Vaginal swabs of one hundred and eighty Obstetric cases of fever for more than 5 days duration were studied for anaerobic infection. Incidence of anaerobic positive cultures was found in 31.1 percent cases in pure cultures and in mixed culture with aerobic bacteria in 36.7 percent cases. Peptostreptococci were the commonest anaerobe isolated. The severity and incidence of clinical complications were significantly higher with anaerobic infections, as compared to mixed, aerobic & anaerobic infection and aerobic infections.

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A total of 70 strains of salmonella typhimurium isolated from children with diarrhoeal disease were studied for the presence of R factors and their transfer to Escherichia coli K 12 F Nalidixic acid resistant. Of these 70 strains, one strain was resistant to single drug, 4 resistant to two drugs and remaining 64 strains were resistant to 3 or more drugs. All these strains were subjected to conjugative transfer study. Enbloc and partial transfer was seen in 10 (22.20%) and 35 (50.00%) respectively. Enbloc and partial secondary transfer was seen in 19 (48.70%) and 20 (51.30%) respectively in 45 transconjugants.

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Twelve isolates of Trichomonas recovered from symptomatic cases and 3 isolates recovered form asymptomatic cases were studied for their pathogenicity in mice using the subcutaneous route of inoculation. The average abscess size produced on the 7th day of inoculation by the strains recovered from symptomatic patients was 413 mm3 as compared to 141 mm3 produced by the strains from asymptomatic cases. The standard reference strain showed average abscess area of 358.5 mm3. Histopathological findings of the infected area correlated with the degree of infection in mice.

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A miniaturized method for the identification of anaerobic bacteria is evaluated This employs a microtitre tray for substrate fermentation, aesculin hydrolysis, gelatin liquefaction and sport indole test. The results obtained are directly comparable with those produced by standard conventional methods in use at present..

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There is paucity of data from our country on the occurrence of HDV infection. Of the 48 serum samples positive for HBs Ag, 26 (54.2%) were positive for anti-HDV. The study showed high delta reactivity in chronic hepatitis cases (56.5%), in asymptomatic carriers it is (52%) and in acute hepatitis it is (50%).

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The in-vitro susceptibility of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid was determined against commonly isolated gram positive and gram-negative bacteria. This activity was independently compared with that of ampicillin, co-trimoxazole and cephalexin. The activity of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid was found to be much superior than the other antibiotics against many bacteria. This combination appears to be a better choice for the treatment of common infections especially for domiciliary use and initial therapy awaiting the bacteriology results.

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The conventional approach of HIV testing which relies on confirmation of all initial positive screening test using a Western Blot assay is expensive, time consuming and interpretation is difficult which leads to lot of indeterminate results. To reduce the number of Western blot assays, alternative strategy of using 2 ELISA combination yielded results which were comparable with conventional approach at a cost which is 1/7 the cost of using the conventional approach.

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