KIR : HLA association with clinical manifestations of HBV infection in Madurai, south India.

The antiviral action of natural killer (NK) cells is regulated by a wide repertoire of germ-line encoded membrane receptors which recognize the expression of certain self-molecules on target cells. Among the receptors, killer cell immunoglobulinlike receptor (KIR) which recognizes the expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I has a predominant role in regulating the effector functions of NK cells, particularly in viral infections.We studied a total of 128 hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients (15 acute, 43 asymptomatic, 27 chronic and 43 with other liver diseases) while attending the Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, India, and 128 ethnic matched control to find the association between the KIR : HLA genes and differential manifestations of HBV.

High faecal calprotectin levels in intestinal tuberculosis are associated with granulomas in intestinal biopsies.

Background: The diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) is sometimes difficult to establish and requires endoscopic investigation with biopsies for histopathological examination. This study aimed to evaluate calprotectin as a marker of inflammation in ITB.

Methods: Patients with ITB were prospectively recruited in Southern India from October 2009 until July 2012.

Faecal calprotectin levels differentiate intestinal from pulmonary tuberculosis: An observational study from Southern India.

Background: Current methods to establish the diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis are inadequate.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the clinical features of intestinal tuberculosis and evaluate inflammatory biomarkers in intestinal as well as pulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods: We recruited 38 intestinal tuberculosis patients, 119 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 91 controls with functional gastrointestinal disorders between October 2009 and July 2012 for the investigation of clinical features, C-reactive protein (CRP), faecal and serum calprotectin.

Hepatitis B virus subgenotype A1 predominates in liver disease patients from Kerala, India.

Aim: To molecularly characterize hepatitis B virus (HBV) isolates from Kerala and to relate them to the clinical manifestation of infection.

Methods: Sera and clinical data were collected from 91 patients diagnosed with chronic HBV infection and HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV from 44 HCC, 22 cirrhotic and 25 chronic hepatitis patients were genotyped by sequencing of the complete S region or by restriction fragment length polymorphism assays.