Micronutrient Deficiency in Pregnancy: Time to Think Beyond Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation.

Background: Micronutrients play an important role in influencing pregnancy outcomes. Anemia is common among pregnant women against which iron and folic acid supplementation programs are already in action. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of anemic and selected micronutrient status among pregnant women.

Studies on rapid assessment methods in leprosy.

A study was undertaken in Pudukottai district, Tamilnadu, India to test rapid assessment methods: viz (i) sample surveys with lower coverages for clinical examination in estimating the disease problem in the community, (ii) utility of registered case prevalence for estimating the actual prevalence in a given area, (iii) leprosy in school-going children and its utility in estimating leprosy prevalence in the community, and (iv) information on disability and smear positivity in estimating leprosy prevalence; and develop correction factors for estimating leprosy situation. A sample of 23 clusters from 582 clusters of contiguous villages and hamlets was further divided into two random sub-samples for two surveys with differing coverages. One team covered nine clusters comprising 34 villages with a population of 17,562 and examined 15,596 with a population of 26,927 and examined 16,622 (62%) persons for leprosy.

Clinical predictors of Japanese encephalitis.

Over a 5-year period, virological investigations for Japanese encephalitis (JE) were conducted in children presenting with acute encephalopathic illness. Clinical features of JE-positive patients (n = 116) were compared with patients in whom the diagnosis could be excluded (n = 57). Multivariate analysis by logistic regression revealed that two clinical signs--central hyperpneic breathing pattern and extrapyramidal signs--were significant predictors of the diagnosis.

Clinical sequelae of Japanese encephalitis in children.

Over a five and a half year period, virological investigations for Japanese encephalitis (JE) were conducted in children admitted with acute encephalitis like illness to a large city hospital. The diagnosis of Japanese encephalitis was made by viral isolation from cerebrospinal fluid and/or a four-fold or higher rise in haemagglutination inhibiting antibodies in paired sera followed by demonstration of specific IgM antibodies by HI test after treatment with 2-mercapto ethanol. All children surviving the illness were contacted by post and followed up for sequelae.