ABSTRACT: Acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALTRI) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children in India. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenza have been found to be predominant cause of ALRTI. S. pneumoniae are largely susceptible to penicillin and erythromycin but show high degree of resistance to co-trimoxazole. Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections are relatively common in children as shown from studies carried out in northern India. There is a paucity of data on the role of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila in respiratory infections in children and adults. Respiratory syncitial virus has been found to be a significant cause of morbidity in children, while the role of other viruses like parainfluenza, influenza A and B and adenoviruses is not clearly documented.

ABSTRACT: This study was designed to evaluate rapid diagnostic methods of detection of respiratory syncytial virus in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI). The methods used in this study included IFA staining on direct smears, centrifugation enhanced cultures combined with indirect immunofluorescence staining and RT-PCR. Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) were collected from 100 children under 5 years of age with ALRTI. RSV was detected in 9 by IFA staining on direct smears, by centrifugation enhanced cultures in 16 and by RT-PCR in 27 NPAs. Of 27 Strains detected by RT-PCR, 15 were typed as group A and 12 as group B by seminested PCR. RT-PCR was found to be a rapid method for detection and typing of RSV in clinical samples from children with ALRTI.

ABSTRACT: A total of 300 strains of nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli (NFGNB) were isolated from different clinical specimens. Out of 300 nonfermenters isolated, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the commonest isolate (72.66 percent), followed by .acidovorans (6.66 percent), P.flourescens (3.66 percent), Acinetobacter spp. (3.66 percent) P.putida (3 percent), P.picketii (2 percent) and A.denitrificans (1.33 percent). Analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility pattern showed multidrug resistant pattern with majority of the isolates being resistant to two or more drugs.

ABSTRACT: The microbiological features of 46 patients with necrotizing fasciitis are presented. Aerobic bacteria alone were recovered in 17(36.9 percent) specimens and anaerobic bacteria only in 1(2.2 percent) specimen. Mixed aerobic and anaerobic growth was seen in 28(60.9 percent) specimens. In total there were 91 isolates (60 aerobic and 31 anaerobic bacteria), with an average of 2 isolates per specimen. The predominant aerobes were Staphylococcus spp. (26.7 percent), Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas spp. (16.6 percent) each. The predominant anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus spp. (48.4 percent) and Bacteroides spp. (19.3 percent). Predisposing conditions were seen in 32 out of 46 patients (69.6 percent), commonest being diabetes (28.1 percent). Our study highlights the polymicrobial nature of necrotizing fasciitis.

ABSTRACT: The polyclonal antibody response in different groups of filariasis and controls were studied using soluble antigens of Setaria digitata in a passive haemagglutination test. The study group included non-endemic healthy controls (8), endemic normals (16), microfilaria carriers (36), patients of ADL (16), hydrocele (20) and lymphoedema grades I, II and III (16, 20 and 12 respectively). The geometric mean titre (GMT) in each of the above groups was 2.6, 14.0, 9.9, 61.3, 100.4, 51.5, 73.5 and 30.2 respectively. The results suggest dynamic change in the antibody levels in the different clinico-pathological states of filariasis.

ABSTRACT: In this study we standardized a nPCR by using inner and outer primers to the morphological transforming region II of CMV and estimated its sensitivity in relation to plaque forming units (PFU) of the virus. Two sets of triplicate experiments were carried out to assess the sensitivity. The sensitive of the nPCR for CMV was estimated to be in the range of 0.01 to 0.001 PFU. This highly sensitive and specific nPCR for CMV can be used as a diagnostic test in post transplant immunosuppressed and HIV infected patients for the early detection of active CMV infection and therapeutic intervention in Indian settings.

ABSTRACT: Three cases of acanthamoeba keratitis, is non contact lens wearers are being reported for the first time from rural Maharashtra. Precipitating factors could be ascertained in two. All three cases presented late with masked clinical features, reporting only after treatment failure from outside. The presenting features were suggestive of bacterial or fungal aetiology. Failure to antibacterial and antifungal treatment led to the suspicion of acanthamoeba infection. Acanthamoeba was detected by wet mount examination and culture in all 3 cases. These simple techniques can also be used in successfully in small rural centres.

ABSTRACT: Heterosexual contact is the most common mode of transmission of HIV infection in India and Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs) are known to be the most common source of this infection. Most Metropolitan cities in India, like Bombay and Madras have reported very high and increasing rates of HIV infection among 2CSWs. Till 1995, reports in Calcutta showed almost a steady prevalence (less than 2 percent) of this infection amongst CSWs. This study, however, reveals that HIV infection amongst CSWs in Calcutta is also high (12.9 percent).

ABSTRACT: Two hundred untreated milk samples from cows including 30 from those with mastitis were studied to detect the presence of Streptococcus agalactiae and other microorganisms. Two strains of S. agalactiae were isolated from 30 milk samples obtained from cows with mastitis. None of the healthy animals had shown the presence of S. agalactiae in their milk. The other microorganisms isolated from both the categories of milk samples were Staphylococcus spp (21.5 percent), Micrococcus spp (15.0 percent), other streptococci (7.5 percent), Escherichia coli (6.0 percent0, Klebsiella spp. (3.0 percent), Enterococcus spp (3.0 percent) and Bacillus spp (1.5 percent).

ABSTRACT: The post antibiotic effect (PAE) of 5 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to amikacin, gentamicin and netilmicin were studied. Intermittent dosing is recommended for optimum response to treatment.

ABSTRACT: One hundred and nine Salmonella typhi strains isolated from the blood of patients suffering from enteric fever during the year 1994-95 were tested for susceptibility to 9 antimicrobial agents by disc diffusion method. For six drugs viz. chloromphenicol, ampicillin, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin and pefloxacin the MIC was also determined. Ninety five percent of the strains isolated were resistant to chloramphenicol. More than 85 percent of the strains resistant to three or more drugs examined. However, almost 95 percent of the strains were still sensitive to flouroquinolones. The degree of resistance to chloramphenicol was very high with more than 85 percent of the strains not being inhibited even at 40 miug/ml. The most commonly associated phate type was found to be El.

ABSTRACT: A total of 61 patients suspected to have AIDS with oral lesion/lesions suggestive of oral candidiasis were studied. Candida species were isolated from 39 patients. Of these 30 isolates were identified as C.albicans, 7 as C.tropicalis and 2 as C.albicans var. stellatoidea. Among the 30 Candida albicans strains isolated, 28 were C.albicans serotype `A' and 2 were C.albicans serotype `B'. Thus a predominance of C.albicans serotype `A' was observed.

ABSTRACT: Propionibacterium acnes, an anaerobe of low virulence has been associated with serious infections. We report herein a case of bacteraemia with P.acnes in a leukaemic patient presenting with sudden loss of vision due to central retinal vein occlusion. The ophthalmic complications of P.acnes infection in immunocompromised patients should not be overlooked.