Expansion of the measles and rubella laboratory network, India.

Objective: To expand the measles and rubella laboratory network of India by integrating new laboratories.

Methods: In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Indian government developed a 10-step scheme to systematically expand the number of laboratories performing serological and molecular testing for measles and rubella. The Indian Council of Medical Research and WHO identified suitable laboratories based on their geographical location, willingness, preparedness, past performance and adherence to national quality control and quality assurance mechanisms.

The rising trend of coagulase-negative staphylococci in neonatal septicemia.

Neonatal septicemia is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Hence, the present study was undertaken to isolate the bacteria causing neonatal sepsis and determine their antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Fifty neonates suspected to have septicemia were screened for 2 months (July and August 2014).

Absolute lymphocyte count as a surrogate marker for CD4 counts after six months of HAART initiation in a resource-limited setting in India.

Background & Objectives: Owing to the ever-expanding access to HAART (highly active anti-retroviral therapy) in resource-limited settings, there is a need to evaluate alternate markers like absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) as a surrogate for CD4 counts. This study was done to assess the usefulness of ALC as a surrogate marker for CD4 counts in monitoring HIV-infected patients after HAART initiation.

Methods: In this study, 108 HIV-positive adult patients of both sexes fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included.

Opportunistic infections in relation to antiretroviral status among AIDS patients from south India.

Background: There is a need to generate data from India on relative frequencies of specific opportunistic infections (OIs) in different regions and their relation to the choice of commonly used generic highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) regimens.

Objectives: To document the prevailing prevalence pattern of OIs both before and after HAART, to look for reduction in OIs following HAART, to assess the risk of developing new OIs within 6 months of HAART initiation and to see if there is any difference in the risk of developing a new OI within 6 months of HAART initiation, for those on Efavirenz (EFV)-based regimens and Nevirapine (NVP)-based regimens.

Materials And Methods: In a prospective observational cohort study conducted in South India involving 108 ART-naive AIDS patients, different pathogens were isolated and identified using standard laboratory techniques.

Total lymphocyte count as a tool for timing opportunistic infection prophylaxis in resource-limited settings: a study from India.

Introduction: In resource-limited settings, due to the high cost of CD4 cell count testing, physicians must decide about opportunistic infection (OI) prophylaxis without a laboratory evaluation of HIV stage and level of immune suppression. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of total lymphocyte count (TLC), an inexpensive laboratory parameter, to CD4 count, and to determine a range of TLC cut-offs for the initiation of OI prophylaxis that is appropriate for resource-limited settings.

Methodology: Spearman correlation between CD4 count and TLC was assessed in patients attending the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre at Mysore, India.