ABSTRACT: This review shows that much attention has been paid historically to search for animal models for leprosy. After one hundred and twenty years of these investigation, three species of armadillos, normal mice thymectomised irradiated rats/mice, nude mice, SCID mice, Biege mice and four non-human primates (Gibbon, Ape, Rhesus, African green and Mangabey monkeys) have been shown to be useful or potentially useful. Chimpanzees could be added further to the list but more extensive experimental studies are necessary to establish their usefulness.

ABSTRACT: Cryptococcus species was isolated and/or cryptococcal antigen detected 65 patients in Nehru Hospital, Chandigarh during 1983-1994. Eleven patients had subclinical infection or carrier state of lung which subsided without therapy. In the 54 cases with clinical disease, the diagnosis was made by both culture and cryptococcal antigen detection in 37, cryptococcal antigen detection alone in 11 and by isolation alone in 6 cases. Cryptococcus was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood and urine in 86.0, 37.2, and 14.0 percent of patients respectively. All except three isolates were identified as Cryptococcus neoformans. The three other isolates were found in the sputum in the subclinical group, two were C.albidus and one C.laurentii. Predisposing factors were identified in 57.4 percent of patients with clinical infection, of which renal transplantation was the commonest. Use of combination therapy of amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine was more effective than amphotericin B alone. Seven out eight patient treated with fluconazole responded. Latex agglutination test for detection of antigen in CSF was found to be useful both in diagnosis and in predicting the outcome of the patients as geometric mean of antigen titre in CSF was significantly higher (p0.001) in patients who died compared to those who recovered.

ABSTRACT: Motility of bacteria was studied by using different dilution of nigrosin. Motility was seen with all dilutions of nigrosin. At 1:20 & 1:200 dilutions motility was seen near the edge only. While at 1:2000 dilution, motility was seen near the edge as well as at the centre of the field. Effective contrast was not obtained at 1:20,000 dilution. Motility was observed after four hours period also. The results observed are correlated with 'Vital staining method'.

ABSTRACT: A study of blood cultures from 2638 children admitted in Sion Hospital, Bombay during one year showed 495 (18.8 percent) to be positive for bacterial growth. Incidence of bacteraemia in hospitalised children was 188 per 1000 admissions and nosocomial infection comprised 47 per 1000 admission. Overall mortality rate was 30.5 percent. Gram negative isolates comprised 85.2 percent, commonest being Klebsiella, followed by Enterobacter, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas. Of the 14.8 percent Gram positive isolates, Staphylococcus was commonest. The isolates were resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Maximum sensitivity was seen with amoxyclav (72.9percent) and netilmycin (72.0percent). The commonest underlying disorder was amoxyclav (72.9 percent) and netilmycin (72.0 percent). The commonest underlying disorder was pneumonia, followed by acute gastroenteritis, acute lymphatic leukaemia and meningitis.

ABSTRACT: Bacteriology of empyema pus was studied in 126 (84 percent) of 150 patients of radiologically confirmed cases of empyema with non-tubercular etiology. Anaerobic bacteria were recovered in 79 of 126 cases (62.7 percent) and they were the exclusive isolates in 38 (30.2 percent) cases. The predominant anaerobic bacteria isolated were, gram negative anaerobic bacilli (Bacteroides sp. 28, Fusobacterium sp. 13) followed by anaerobic cocci (40). pseudomonas aeroginosa (32), Staphylococcus aureus (24) and Klebsiella (18) were the major aerobic isolates. Clindamycin was found to be the most effective drug against anaerobes and Ciprofloxacin against aerobes in vitro susceptivity tests.

ABSTRACT: Although Chlamydia trachomatis has been identified as an important sexually transmitted agent, screening of patients for chlamydia is rarely performed due to the non-availability of accurate simple tests. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of Iodine, Giemsa and Methyl Green Neutral Red (MGNR) staining methods for detecting C.trachomatis infection, by using ELISA as the 'Gold Standard'. The sensitivity and specificity of MGNR staining method were estimated to be 91.11 percent and 82.51percent respectively, which were significantly higher than those for Giemsa and Iodine staining methods and overall predictive accuracy was estimated to be 86.81 percent. Hence, MGNR staining method could be the method of choice among the staining methods for detecting C.trachomatis inclusions and can be recommended for routine screening.

ABSTRACT: One hundred diagnosed cases of Rheumatoid arthiritis and 25 healthy persons as controls were studied for seroreactivity by Latex test & Rose Waaler test. Seventy percent were positive with Latex test and 62 percent with Rose Waaler test. In RF Positive group all the three serum immunoglobulins were raised significantly, but in the RF negative group only IgA was raised significantly. Levels of complement C3 were low in the RF positive group only as compared to RF negative and control group. L.E. cell phenomenon was observed in 4percent cases with severe disease.

ABSTRACT: The role of complement with special reference to malaria is not well documented. A total of 80 diagnosed patients, suffering from malaria were included in the study. Their serum C3 component of complement was estimated by single radial immuno-diffusion. The level showed a marked fall during the course of acute malaria infection among children and adults. (p0.01). The serum C3 level was found within normal level with reference to control on 10th, 20th and 30th days post-infection. The C3 level was markedly lower in children as compared to adults (p0.05). P. falciparum produced greater reductions in C3 levels than P. vivax, irrespective of age. Further considerable reduction in C3 levels was noted in children who developed acute cerebral malaria infected with P. falciparum.

ABSTRACT: One hundred and eleven paediatric patients with haematological disorders, who had received multiple transfusions were screened for the presence of anti HIV-1 & HIV-2 antibodies, by ELISA and Serodia techniques and confirmed subsequently by Western Blot test. Of these patients, nine tested positive for anti HIV antibodies. None were positive for anti HIV-2 antibodies. Of the 111 patients, 89 were thalassemics, 20 were leukemics and two were haemophiliacs. The breakup of HIV seropositivity in these groups was 8.9 percent (8/89), 0 percent (0/20), and 50 percent (1/2) respectively.

ABSTRACT: Very few reports are available in the literature regarding neurocysticercosis in children. We herewith report the retrospective clinical and laboratory analysis of 1775 children suspected clinically of neurocysticercosis and later confirmed either surgically or by biopsy examination. One hundred and seventy seropositive children were analysed for age, sex and clinical presentation. Majority of seropositive children were in the age group of 6-15 years and males. Generalised epilepsy was the most common clinical presentation. Geometric mean cysticercus haemagglutination titres were significantly higher in 16 confirmed patients of neurocysticercosis as compared to patients with other neurological disorders and normal controls. Analysis indicates that neurocysticercosis should be suspected in every child with seizures and seroepidemiological study may be concluded for the ultimate control of the disease.

ABSTRACT: Effectiveness of co-amoxiclav (CAV) was compared with cotrimoxizole (CTX) in cases of urinary tract infections. A total of 179 proved cases of urinary tract infection were randomly treated either with CAV or CTX. Bacteriological success rates for CAV were complete in 84.6percent, partial in 4.4 percent whereas these rates were 72.7 percent and 6.8percent for CTX respectively. CAV sensitivity for different isolates ranged from 83.3-95.5percent compared to 33.3percent for amoxycillin. The minimal inhibitory concentration of CAV ranged from 8-32 mg/l.

ABSTRACT: Three major modes of transmission of HIV infection are sexual, blood borne and vertical. During last five years special efforts have been made to obtain global information about the magnitude of HIV infection in most vulnerable but least accessible group viz., women and children. In the present study anti-HIV antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 viruses were detected in sera of pregnant women and neonates born to seropositive mothers, using ELISA technique. Thirty seven (4.56percent) of 811 pregnant women and 16 babies born to seropositive mothers were positive to anti HIV antibodies.

ABSTRACT: Fungal endocarditis is increasing in recent years. Next to Candida, Aspergillus endocarditis ranks common. We had seen two patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) caused by A. terreus during Oct'93 to Nov'94, both presenting as femoral artery embolism. Diagnosis was made available in 30 min by impression smears and the agents were identified as A. terreus by culture in 48 hours. Blood cultures taken at the time of embolectomy because positive within 4 to 12 days in different media. The etiology of P.V.E and femoral artery embolism by A. terreus was thus established by isolation from emboli and blood cultures in both cases.