Ten Escherichia coli isolates from cases of significant bacteriuria were examined for presence of fimbrial adhesions by uroepithelial cell adhesion assay and electron microscopy (EM). Nine strains which demonstrated adhesin activity by UroEp adhesion assay (UEpAdh) exhibited fimbriae by EM also. The results were fount to be in complete agreement with each other. No relationship could be established between other virulence factors like hernolysin production, colicinogeny, aerobactin production and dulcitol fermentation and the presence of fimbriae.

A total of 196 strains of Klebsiella isolated from clinical specimens were studies for their urease activity, Klebocin sensitivity and antibiotic resistance patterns. It was observed that 67.3% of the total isolates were urease positive. Klebocin sensitivity typing of the isolates showed that 85.2% strains were typable and they could be grouped into 30 Klebocin types. The commonest types were 244, 311, 111, 112, 141, 121, 224, 122, 113, 142. Urease positive strains were more typable (93.9%) compared to urease negative strains (67.1%). Majority of the urease positive strains belonged to the first 10 major klebocin types. The Klebocin producer 153 inhibited 76% of the total typable strains; while the other klebocin producers were less active (40% to 50%). Urease producing strains were more sensitive to all to Klebocin producers compared to Urease negative strains ( < 0.05). Majority of the isolates were resistant to Ampicillin (86.5%) followed by other antibiotics like Streptomycin (66.5%), Co-trimaxamzole (64%.5%), Chloramphenicol (62%), Kanamycin (59.5%) and Gentamycin (36%). A significant difference in the incidence of the resistance to antibiotics like Ampicllin, Tetracycline, chloramphenicol and kanamycin was noted when majority of the other Klebocin types and non typable strains were compared. Further the incidence of the multiple antibiotics resistance was significantly more in typable strains than in non-typable strains. The study shows that there may be a common plasmid or plasmids mediating the urease production, klebocin sensitivity and antibiotic resistance since more number of urease positive strains are typable and incidence of multi drug resistance is more among them.

Haemophilus: ducreyi grew on clotted blood in 51 out of 71 clinically suspected cases of chancroid, which formed the study group. In 27 cases H. duceryi grew on Mueller-Hinton blood agar MHBA) either on primary culture or subculture from clot. All the isolates were sensitive to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin and tetracycline. MHBA was found to be a good medium for the isolation of H. ducreyi.

Of the 282 patients of bacteraemia and septicaemia studies, 42(14.9%) yielded positive blood cultures for anaerobes; 30(10.63%) in pure form and 12(4.3%) in combination with aerobes. Amongst the anaerobic isolates, Bacteroids 58.49% (B. fragilis 52.83%; Bacteroides species 5.6%) were predominant followed by Peptostreptococci 37.73% and Clostridium perfringens, 3.77% B.fragilis were found to be more common in septicaemias associated with intr-abdominal wall wound (63.63%), burns (50%) and septic abortion/puerpearal sepsis (42.85%). Of aerobes, Escherichia coli 29.7% and pseudomonas aeruginosa 24.3% were predominant. Metronidazole was the most effective drug with 100% sensitivity to Bacteroides and Clostridia and 85% to peptostreptococci. While Bacteroides and Clostridia showed minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.62-5 μg/ml to metroniadzole, it was 1.25 to 8 μg/ml to peptostreptococci.

Malaria continues to be a major public health problem in India. Anaemia, a major complication of P. falciparum infection is an important cause of morbidity and at times mortality in malaria. Pathogenesis of anaemia in malaria is not well understood. It is generally recognized that the degree of anaemia in P. Falciparum infection is usually much more than expected from the level of parasitaemia. The hypotheses puts forward like “mechanical disruption� and “immune-haemolysis� due to autoantibodies do not explain all the aspects of anaemia. Recent studies indicate that oxidant stress due to increased production of reactive oxygen species and the compromisation of antioxidant system of red blood cells may have an important role in pathogenesis of anaemia in malaria.

A Thick fleshly worm, identified as Fasciolopsis buski was found in the vomitus of a 13 year-old girl. Mild epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting and occasional loose motions for a period of about 10 days were the presenting symptoms. Her dietary habit revealed that she is a frequent eater of raw vegetables including a variety of water plants. Clinical examination showed no abnormal findings except pain in the epigastrium. Diagnosis of fasciolopsiasis for the first time in Manipur caused a great concern to the health authority. a single dose of praziquantel, 15 mg per kg body weight was the treatment given for a cure.

Sporotrichosis is a chronic subcutaneous or lymphatic fungal infection caused by thermally dimorphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii1. It is an uncommon fungal disease in India2. The Present case of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis is reported, because in addition to being a rarely seen condition in Punjab, it has other unusual features too.

In vitro susceptibility testing of seven species of dermatophytes in microcuoltures with a standardized, fragmented mycelial inoculum was carried out using the aqueous extracts of the leaves of cassia alata Linn and Lawsonia alba Lam used in native medicine for ringworm infections. The results were compared with the minimal inhibitory concentrations of griseofulvin and imidazoles, miconazole nitrate (Janssen Pharmaceutica) and econoazole base (Cilag - Chemie). Significant anti-fungal activity was found in the extracts.

An out-break of Viral Hepatitis appeared at Ammakkapet Village, Ibrahimpatnam Mandal, Karimnagar District, Andhra Pradesh in the Months November and December of 1989. sera from patients and contacts of patients and contacts of patients were screened for hepatitis markers like HBs Ag, Anti HBc IgM by ELISA technique. The water samples collected from the three drinking water sources of the village were subjected to chemical and bacteriological analysis. The results indicated that the out-break was due to enterically transmitted Non-A, Non-B hepatitis and polluted water could be the possible source of infection.

A total of 528 women attending the outpatient department of Obstetrics and Gynecology were screened for rubella infection. The obstetrical group consisted of mothers with history of repeated abortions. Stillbirth or previous deliveries of congenitally malformed babies. The sera of the above were collected within nearly 3 to 6 months of their previous history of repeated abortions; still birth etc. Fifty-seven of them were diagnosed as having acute rubella infection by detection of rubella specific IgM antibodies using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Along with this, 100 control cases were also studied.

Echoviruses were identified in 100 rectal swab (R.S.) samples, collected from patients of 0 to 55 years of age, by employing sandwich Elisa. The incidence of Echoviruses was observed in 45 of 100 R.S. Samples (45%) with preponderance in the age group of 6 to 12 years. Correlation of identification of echoviruses directly from R.S. Samples and from cell culture isolates indicated that 22 of 55 (40.0%) samples detected similar echoviral types, where as these viruses were not detected in 24 (47.2%) samples. Only in 7 (12.7%) out of 55 samples echoviruses could not be detected directly but through cell culture antigens.