Epidemiological investigation of ASF outbreaks in Kerala (India): detection, source tracing and economic implications.

This study investigates suspected African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in two villages of Kannur district in Kerala, India, with the aim of identifying the causative agent and its genotype, the source of infection, and estimating the economic losses due to the outbreaks. Clinically, the disease was acute with high mortality, while gross pathology was characterized by widespread haemorrhages in various organs, especially the spleen, which was dark, enlarged and had friable cut surfaces with diffuse haemorrhages. Notably, histopathological examination revealed multifocal, diffuse haemorrhages in the splenic parenchyma and lymphoid depletion accompanied by lymphoid cell necrosis.

Decolourization of azo, heterocyclic and reactive dyes using spent mycelium substrate of Hypsizygus ulmarius.

Cultivation of Hypsizygus ulmarius to generate spent mycelium substrate (SMS) for dye decolourization gave better yield, biological efficiency, fruitwidth and moisture content (145 gm, 33%, 4 cm, 91%) on paddy straw as compared to coconut husk (59 gm, 21%, 3 cm, 90%). Solid-phase decolourization of Congo red (Azo dye) and Methylene blue (Heterocyclic dye) showed that maximum decolourization (3.31), measured as Decolourization Index, occurred at dye concentration of 25 mg l(-1), while in Solochrome black (Reactive dye), it was at 100 mg l(-1) (1.

How better is random blinded re-checking results in revised national TB Control Programme, India?

Background: The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) is implementing the External Quality assurance (EQA) and Random blinded re-checking (RBRC) as one of its important component. This nationwide study was conducted to determine (1) the number and types of RBRC errors and (2) the sensitivity and specificity among rechecked slides.

Materials And Methods: The study was based on the monthly RBRC reports submitted by ~13,000 designated microscopy centres (DMCs) across the country under routine programmatic settings in 2010.