An epidemiological investigation of mumps outbreak in a slum of Kolkata.

An unexpected clustering of mumps cases were reported in a slum of Kolkata during early part of 2009. An epidemiological investigation was initiated with a view to assess the characteristics and determinants of the disease, and implications of such clustering of cases in a slum of Kolkata. Data were collected through house to house visit using predesigned schedule and epidemiological case sheet.

Profile of postmortem cases conducted at a morgue of a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata.

A record based cross-sectional study of postmortems performed at the mortuary attached to the forensic medicine and toxicology department of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital from March 2008 to February 2009 comprising 1900 cases was conducted to determine the sociodemographic profile and to assess the nature and cause of such deaths. Bodies of 5 foetuses were decomposed which were excluded from the study. Out of a total of 1895 postmortems analysed, 23 autopsies were performed of limbs where the subjects were alive.

Iodine deficiency disorders among school children of Malda, West Bengal, India.

A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,392 school children, aged 8-10 years, in Malda district of West Bengal, India, in January 2001 to assess their iodine status. The children were selected through a multistage 30 cluster-sampling technique to determine the status of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) using recommended quantifiable indicators. The prevalence of goitre was assessed clinically using the standard palpation method by the teachers of Community Medicine, and a total goitre rate of 11.