Cryptococcal antigen prevalence in HIV patients from a tertiary care centre in South India.

Background And Objectives: Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic mycosis, caused by . Cryptococcal meningitis is one of the most fatal opportunistic infections associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia in people living with HIV (PLHA) and also to find the prevalence of opportunistic infections among these patients.

Prevalence of Anti-HBc Antibodies among HBsAg Negative Individuals and Its Association with Occult Hepatitis B.

 Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an endemic in many Asian countries, and among the major routes of transmission, transfusion is the one that should be prevented. Occult HBV infection (OBI) is defined as the presence of HBV DNA in the absence of detectable HBsAg, with or without anti-HBV antibodies. The aim of this study was to detect the prevalence of anti-HBc total antibodies among the HB surface antigen (HBsAg) negative individuals by way of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and detect the presence of HBV DNA among the anti-HBc seropositives by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Comparison of PCR and phenotypic methods for the detection of methicillin resistant .

Background And Objectives: Resistance to methicillin in methicillin resistant strains of (MRSA) is due to the presence of gene, which encodes a low affinity penicillin binding protein (PBP)-2a or PBP2. Accurate and rapid identification of MRSA in clinical specimens is essential for timely decision on effective treatment. The aim of the study was to compare three different methods for detection of MRSA namely cefoxitin disc diffusion, CHROM agar MRSA and VITEK-2 susceptibility with PCR which is the gold standard reference method and to find the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of these isolates by VITEK-2.

Prevalence of hepatitis C among haemodialysis patients in a tertiary care hospital in south India.

Background And Objectives: Hepatitis C is the most common hepatotropic viral infection that affects patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Most of the laboratories in India depend on HCV antibody detection by ELISA. PCR based studies on detection of HCV RNA among haemodialysis patients are very scanty in India.

Prevalence of dengue and leptospirosis co-infection in a tertiary care hospital in south India.

Background And Objectives: Dengue and Leptospirosis were often discussed separately with rash being more common in dengue and jaundice in leptospirosis. But with increasing reports of co-infection, the situation has become worse. The main objective of this study was to look for the presence of both Dengue and Leptospira IgM antibodies in serum samples of patients, presenting with acute febrile illness.

Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of isolates in a tertiary healthcare center.

Background And Objectives: Shigellosis is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in children in developing countries. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published data in the study area on the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and prevalence of species among diarrheagenic cases. Therefore, a retrospective analysis was done to find the serotypes, common age group affected, and antimicrobial resistance pattern of isolates in South Kerala.

Refractory status epilepticus due to pneumococcal meningitis in an infant with congenital immunodeficiency.

Pneumococcal meningitis remains a life-threatening infection, with varied presentations. A 3 month-old-baby with pneumococcal meningitis presented with clusters of seizures evolving into refractory status epilepticus despite standard antibiotic and aggressive anticonvulsant therapy. Progressive illness despite antibiotic initially suggested possible antibiotic resistance and resulted in addition of another antibiotic.