Circulating immune complexes (CIC) were determined in the sera of sixty-five patients with breast cancer and twenty-six normal healthy women matched for age and marital status by inhibition of rheumatoid factor (RF) mediated agglutination of IgG coated latex particles (LAI) polyethylene glycol precipitation (PEG-pptn.), and polyethylene glycol precipitation complement consumption (PEG-C’C) tests. The inhibitory activity was present in 73.8% of the sera from patients with breast cancer but none of the sera from control women contained this activity. Similarly, 24.6% and 35.4% of serum samples from cancer patients were positive for CIC by PEG-pptn. and PEG-C’C assay systems respectively, while only 7.7% of normal serum samples were positive by these two tests. No correlation was observed among these tests, which may be due to the difference in their ability to identify complexes of different sizes and molecular composition in addition to their sensitivity. A combination of all three tests determined CIC in 86.2% of patients, while a combination of PEG pptn. or PEG-C’C with LAI could detect complexes in 80% and 84.6% respectively. The significance of these findings is discussed.

230 Strains of E coli from infantile and children diarrhea were serotyped and examined for entrotoxigenicity. 017, 020 and 02 were most common serotypes in infantile diarrhoea and 02 and 017 in children diarrhoea. 100 strains were found to be enterotoxigenic. ST producing strains were more (66%) than LT producing (17%) or LT+ST producing (17%) strains. 95 enterotoxigenic strains were multi-drug resistant and 34 showed transfer of R plasmids to standard receplen-stranis. 18 strains showed simultaneous transfer of Ent + plasmid also. Importance of proper surveillance of E. coli or Ent + and R factors in relation to control of infantile and childhood diarrhoea is discussed.

One hundred and forty eight urinary isolated of catalase positive, coagulase negative gram- positive cocci from out-patients and inpatients of both sexes were studied to assess the incidence of urinary tract infection due to S. saprophyticus. Fifty nine (39.86%) were identified as S. saprophyticus on the basis of pigment production, mannitol fermentation and resistance to Novobiocin and nalidixic acid. Although more common among females between 20 and 40 years of age, S. saprophyticus bacteriuria was present in males (12) and children (7) also. Patients with S. saprophuticus bacteriuria also included 25 (42.37%) hospitalised cases. Symptoms of lower urinary tract infection were present in most cases and obstructive uropathy in all male children below the age of 10 years.

A randomized, concurrent comparison of the following methods for the processing of sputum specimens from tuberculous patients for estimation the viable population of M. tuberculosis, was undertaken; (1) sputolysin + 1% cetrimide; (2) bromhexine + 1% cetrimide; (3) standard petroff’s. The mean log viable count was 5.64 by the sputolysin, 5.21 by bromhexine and 5.35 by the petroff’s method. The difference between the sputolysin and petroff’s methods was statistically significant (P=0.01). The bromhexine method, which had a value similar to Petroff’s, can be used as an alternative method.

The present study is an attempt to delineate the cellular immune response of pneumocystis carinii infected rats. It was observer that although B cells were decreased, but not adversely till the 5th week. The T-cell population was markedly decreased from second week onwards till the end of study (8 weeks). The lymphocytes of infected animals responded to phytohacmaggultinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con-A) and P. carinii antigen. However, the response was significantly less (p<0.001) than in the normal animals. The inclusion of only protein fed and only steroid injected animal groups helped to understand the response. The low (8 percent) protein feeding to rats did not result in lowering of B cell percentage or blastogenic responses to PHA, Con-A and specific antigen, although T cells were decreased. Steroids had marked effect on all parameters and resulted in decrease of T and B cell percentage as well as blastogenic responses to various mitogens.

Effect of 6-MFA, an interferon inducer of fungal origin having antiviral activity, was investigated on the functions of macrophages during dengue virus (DV) infection. It was observed that treatment of mice with 6-MFA abrogated the DV induced depression of attachment and phagocytosis of opsonized sheep erythrocytes by the peritoneal macrophages. This effect appears to be mediated by interferon. 6-MFA had no effect on the outcome of infection.

Using seven strains of entamoeba histolytic grown and maintained by serial subcultures in modified Boeck and Irabhlav’s medium, the effect of heat stress on the virulence of the amoeba and modifying effect thereon of cyproheptadine were examined. Weanling albino rats of Charles Foster strain were used as experimental animals and virulence was quantitated by the caecal score criteria on Neal. All the strains of E histotytica tested showed significantly higher virulence in animals subjected to heat stress, compared to those kept at ambient temperature. Although this enhanced virulence under heat stress could be lowered significantly by simultaneous administration of cyproheptadine, even then the caecal scores were higher than that in the controls. On the basis of the results it is postulated that 5-hydroxytrptamine plays an important role in enhancing the virulence of the hosts under heat stress.

Giardia lambila infection in an endemic area was investigated by following 61 infants in a village community for one year. Positive antigiardia antibody titres were acquired between four months to one year and the prevalence of sero-positivity was 27.86 percent. No association was found between positive antibody titre and positive stool examination. Serum antibodies were not a good reflection of infection and hence might not be protective against acquired infection as milk antibodies were.

Mouse adapted neurotropic (WSN) and non-neurotropic recombinant (X-31) strains of influenza virus were able to infect both target (lungs) and non-target organs producing infectious viral particles when administered intraperitoneally into mice suggesting that the virus did not have its tissue tropism.

The Cellular reactivity to streptococcal extracellular antigens in patients with streptococcal pyoderma (25) showed a significant increase in the percentage of LMI to SLO and DNase-B as compared to Controls (15). The percentage of cellular reactivity was much higher with DNase-B when compared with SLO. The cellular reactivity to PHA and Con-A revealed that reactivity was specific to streptococcal antigens and not generalized.

An epidemic of dysentery afflicted people of West Bengal during the drought of late March1984. It started as post measles dysentery in December 1983 and continued till September 1984. Relentless outpouring of new cases unsatisfactory response to antibacterial (s), predilection for the 0 to 5 year age group and only 2% mortality were the highlights of this outbreak. Enteroinvasive E.coli 0152 (12.4%) and S. dysenteriae 1(9%) proved to be the major pathogens during April to July 1984, S dysenteriae 1 revealed peak incidence with the onset of monsoon and disappeared after the first week of July. Enteroinvasive E.coli marched ahead throughout the study period. Barring the in vitro susceptibility to furazolidone, gentamicin and to a large extent to nalidixic acid, the major agents were multidrug resistant.

Three hundred sixty two clinically diagnosed cases of dermatophytoses were examined. Evidence of dermatophytes was found in 233 (64.34 per cent) cases by either KOH examination or culture or both. 139 cases were positive by both KOH examination and culture. 30 KOH negative were positive by culture. Male: Female ratio was 9:1. Tinea corporis was most prevalent type (37.84 per cent) followed by tinea curries (25.69 per cent), tinea capitis (15.19 per cent), tinea barbae (9.39 per cent) and mixed type of infection (9.12 per cent). Out of 169 isolates, 101 were Trichophyton rubrum, 31 Trichophyton mentagrophytes, 27 Epidermophyton floccosum, 3 T. violaceum, 4 Trichophyton species, 1 T, tonsurans and one each of microsporum gypseum and M, canis.