ABSTRACT: Mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) have become a favoured model for the study of many infectious diseases. SCID (the term describes congenital absence of functional B and T-cell mediated immunity) syndrome was first observed in humans, manifested in recurrent and devastating bacterial, fungal, fungal and viral infections in affected infants.

ABSTRACT: This study included 128 cases of corneal ulcers, based on clinical suspicion alone. Fifty four cases were diagnosed as mycotic keratitis. Mycological analysis on all 128 cases revealed that the 74 cases which were clinically non mycotic, were negative for fungal culture. Out of 54 clinically suspected cases, fungal etiology was proven in 21 patients; the incidence of mycotic keratitis being 38.9 percent. Fungi were isolated in 16 cases (29.6 percent). KOH wet mount showed presence of hyphal elements in an additional 5 ases. Aspergillus species inclusive of A. fumigatus (48.7 percent) and A. niger (12.5 percent) were the predominant fungal agents isolated. The other fungi isolated were Fusarium spp. (12.5 percent). Mucor spp (12.5 percent), Penicillium spp. (12.5 percent) and Curvularia spp. (6.3 percent). In our locality, mycotic keratitis frequently occurred in elderly patients pursuing agricultural occupation, who were exposed to risk of corneal trauma. Injudicious use of steroids/antibiotic preparations and herbal medicines were contributory factors.

ABSTRACT: Thirty eight acute renal failure cases with the clinical suspicion of leptospirosis during the months of July to November 1996 were screened for leptospiral aetiology. Twenty seven (71 percent) seropositive cases were diagnosed by microscopic agglutination test, and among these cases three were also positive by direct dark field microscopy of their urine samples. Isolation was successful in only one of these seropositive cases. The isolate was identified as Leptospira interrogans javanica (serogroup) javanica (serovar). This was the first report of L. javanica isolation from a human source in the city of Chennai (Tamil Nadu).

ABSTRACT: Mycetoma, though highly prevalent in some parts of India, is being reported infrequently from Chandigarh and surroundings. In an earlier study from this centre 20 cases were reported during the period from 1967 to 1977. In the present study 23 cases of mycetoma were diagnosed in sixteen years (1980-96). Actinomycotic agents were isolated in 56.5 percent patients while eumycotic agents were responsible for 43.5 percent of the mycetoma cases. Madurella mycetomatis was the agents most frequently isolated. the other agents isolated were N. asteroides, A. madurae, M. grisea and Streptomyces spp, foot is still the common site of infection. However, in the present study, males and females were found to be equally affected.

ABSTRACT: Coagglutination test employing Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I strain sensitized with rabbit antiserum to hexon antigen of adenovirus type 5 was used for the rapid detection of adenoviruses from the acute respiratory diseases (ARD) of the children. Throat swab samples collected from 54 hospitalized cases with ARD were processed for virus isolation using HEp 2 cell line. Of the 31 CPE positive culture supermatants, 12 were positive for adenovirus by neutralization test (NT) and 9 among them were detected by coagglutination test. The 19 NT negative cases were also negative with the coagglutination test. Direct testing of 8 throat swap samples revealed 5 as positive in the coagglutination test and the same were confirmed to contain adenoviruses by NT.

ABSTRACT: The role of chlamydial infection in abortions is controversial and very little information is available from India on this aspect. Sera of 140 women with spontaneous (70), and elective abortions (70), and 168 women with full term normal delivery were evaluated for antichlamydial IgM/IgG. About one fourth with elective and nearly half of those with spontaneous abortions were seropositive or antichlamydial IgM as against 15.5 percent women with full term normal delivery. Four per cent of women with spontaneous abortions were seropositive for chlamydial IgG. Recent chlamydial infection seems to be significantly high in early pregnancy. Therefore, screening and appropriate antibiotic treatment would be beneficial in preventing post-abortal sequelae like pelvic inflammatory disease and secondary infertility.

ABSTRACT: Pseudomonas spp produce a variety of metabolites, of which some exhibit antimicrobial activity. Of these antimicrobial substances, pyrrolnitrin has been known to possess antifungal activity. The present study was undertaken to determine the susceptibility pattern of different yeast species to Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Initially a panel of seven yeast strains was used to determine the antifungal activity of twenty three aeruginocin typed strains of P.aeruginosa. The different yeast species varied in their susceptibilities to the Pseudomonas strains. Maximum susceptibility was exhibited by Candida glabrata and Cryptococcus neoformans, which were suppressed by all the aeruginocin types tested. Some of the common aeruginocin types were then randomly selected and further tested with different isolates of the common yeasts species. The results confirmed the susceptibilities of C. glabrata and C. neoformans to the Pseudomonas strains. It was also observed that a greater percentage of C. tropicalis strains were resistant to the different aeruginocin types of Pseudomonas. As per our knowledge this is the first study of this kind. This simple method of testing may be effectively evolved into a typing system for yeast isolates.

ABSTRACT: Growth of Epidermophyton floccosum in 20 amino acids was studied using basal media supplemented with 1mg/ml of each amino acid. The growth pattern and microscopic characteristics of the organism in each amino acid was compared with the growth pattern and macroscopic characteristics of the organism in Sabouraud's dextrose agar. Only 6 of 20 amino acids i.e. proline, histidine, alanine, ornithine, arginine and leucine individually supported growth of E. floccosum whereas the remaining 14 amino acids did not support growth of the organism. the selective utilization of certain amino acids by E. floccosum could be one of the reasons for its low prevalence in human infections.

ABSTRACT: A mycological study was undertaken in 210 clinically suspected cases of dermatophytosis. Direct microscopy in 10 percent KOH solution was positive in 88 (41.90 percent) cases and culture was positive in 76 (36.19 percent) cases. Trichophyton rubrum was found to be the commonest aetiological agent (68.34 percent) followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes (17.10 percent), trichophyton violaceum (11.84 percent) and Epidermophyton floccosum (2.63 percent). The most common clinical type was found to be tinea corporis (36.19 percent) followed by tinea cruris (26.66 percent). the infection was predominantly seen in the age group of 21-30 years belonging to socioeconomic status and males were more commonly affected than females.

ABSTRACT: Faecal lactoferrin latex agglutination (FLLA) titres were evaluated on samples submitted for C. difficile toxin assay. Of 206 stool supernatants tested, 43 (20.9 percent) samples were positive by the FLLA and 20/43 (45 percent) were also positive for C. difficile (CD) toxin assay. There were also 24.206 (11.6 percent) samples that were CD toxin positive but negative for FLLA test. These probably represented transient (CD) carriers. FLLA appears to be an useful adjunct to diagnostic tests for C. difficile associated intestinal disease, provided the age, clinical history and antibiotic exposure are taken into account.

ABSTRACT: A total of 542 individuals attending tuberculosis clinics were tested for HIV antibody after obtaining consent and their sputum examined by smear and culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Forty individuals (12.7 percent) were HIV antibody positive among 314 sputum culture positive for M.tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT: A case of infective endocarditis due to Pseudomonas stutzuri ina a 32-years-old man with HIV is reported. Early detection and institution of appropriate therapy is crucial and life-saving.

ABSTRACT: A case of a 45-year-old woman presenting with hepatic abscess due to Burkholderia pseudomallei infections is reported here in support of the evidence of spread of this infection in southern India. The microbiological work up and the reasons for not recognising this pathogen are discussed.