Immunochromatography in CSF improves data on surveillance of S. pneumoniae meningitis in India.

Introduction: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant cause of childhood bacterial meningitis in India. The United States Food and Drug Administration has licensed an immunochromatographic (ICT) test, BinaxNOW™, to detect the C polysaccharide antigen of S. pneumoniae in cerebrospinal fluids (CSF).

Serologic prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Indian women of child bearing age and effects of social and environmental factors.

Background: Seroprevalence and incidence of toxoplasmosis in women of child bearing age has remained a contentious issue in the Indian subcontinent. Different laboratories have used different patient recruitment criteria, methods and variable results, making these data difficult to compare.

Aim: To map the point-prevalence and incidence of toxoplasmosis in India.

Evaluation of placenta in foetal demise and foetal growth restriction.

Aim: The study objective was to evaluate the pathological changes of the placenta in foetal death and foetal growth restriction and to find correlation of the findings with clinical causes.

Setting And Design: Prospective study at a tertiary care hospital.

Material And Methods: Gross and histopathological examinations of the placentae were carried out in pregnancies with foetal demise (IUD) and Foetal Growth Restriction (FGR).

Renal fungal bezoar owing to Geotrichum candidum.

Geotrichum candidum is yeast like fungi that cause infections in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of renal fungal ball with Geotrichum candidum in a 27 yr. old women post-partum.

Fulminant antiphospholipid antibody syndrome complicated by Aspergillus tracheobronchitis.

Aspergillus fumigatus is a filamentous mold that causes infections in patients who are inmmunocompromised. We report a case of Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in fulminant systemic lupus erythematosus case. Diagnosis with more invasive diagnostic procedures & aggressive antifungal therapy is indicated at early stage.

Can tissue PCR augment the diagnostic accuracy in genitourinary tract tuberculosis?

Purpose: Conventional methods like smear and culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis are of limited sensitivity and specificity. Histopathological examination (HPE) for the tissues obtained gives inconclusive diagnosis in the absence of caseous necrosis or stained acid-fast bacilli. This study was conducted to determine the utility of tissue PCR for diagnosing tuberculosis of the genitourinary tract (GUTB) and its comparative evaluation with HPE.

Comparative in vitro evaluation of efficacy of mouthrinses against Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacilli and Candida albicans.

Purpose: The present study was undertaken to compare the relative antimicrobial efficacy of two commercially available mouthrinses, Hexidine (0.12% chlorhexidine mouthrinse) and S-Flo (0.2% sodium fluoride), and a laboratory-manufactured propolis mouthrinse (10%) tincture with a dilution of 1:5 with water and their combinations against Streptococcus mutans, lactobacilli and Candida albicans.

Bactericidal effect of ultraviolet C (UVC), direct and filtered through transparent plastic, on gram-positive cocci: an in vitro study.

The prevalence of wound infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is increasing along with concern about widespread use of antibiotics. In vitro studies have shown that ultraviolet radiation, especially UVC, is both an effective bactericidal and antifungal. However, evidence about its bactericidal effect on wounds covered with transparent dressings remains inconclusive.

Effect of Triphala mouthwash on the caries status.

Nearly 60-70% of the child Indian population suffers from dental caries. Mouth rinsing is the most cost effective method of preventing dental caries. 'Triphala' has been a classic Ayurveda remedy, probably the best known among all Ayurvedic compounds.

Burkholderia pseudomallei musculoskeletal infections (melioidosis) in India.

Melioidosis, an infection due to gram negative Burkholderia pseudomallei, is an important cause of sepsis in east Asia especially Thailand and northern Australia. It usually causes abscesses in lung, liver, spleen, skeletal muscle and parotids especially in patients with diabetes, chronic renal failure and thalassemia. Musculoskeletal melioidosis is not common in India even though sporadic cases have been reported mostly involving soft tissues.

Neuropsychiatric manifestation of confusional psychosis due to Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii in an apparently immunocompetent host: a case report.

Cognitive disorders like dementia, delirium, depression, anxiety, psychosis and mania are the commonest neuropsychiatric manifestations. We discuss here a case of an adult women presenting with neuropsychiatric manifestations of confusional psychosis owing to Cryptococcosis. The principal cause was consequently established by culturing Cryptococcus neoformans from the cerebrospinal fluid confirmed as C.

PCR for M. tuberculosis in tissue samples.

Background: The presence of granuloma, visualized in histopathology for diagnosing tuberculosis in tissue samples, is not a specific finding. Moreover, histopathological examination of tissue sections needs one to two weeks for final reporting. A rapid and sensitive method is therefore needed for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in these paucibacillary tissue samples.

Emergence of Burkholderia pseudomallei and pandrug-resistant non-fermenters from southern Karnataka, India.

Melioidosis has recently gained the status of an emerging disease in India. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria, however, are already responsible for treatment failure and mortality. In addition, pandrug-resistant (PDR) Gram-negative bacteria have emerged as a new threat to modern medicine.

The role of polymerase chain reaction in the management of osteoarticular tuberculosis.

A dependable method for the rapid diagnosis of osteoarticular tuberculosis has become increasingly important, as routine methods are neither very sensitive nor very specific. The objective of this study is to verify the reliability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the diagnosis and management of osteoarticular tuberculosis. This investigation was a prospective study conducted at the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India.

Aetiology and management of chronic granulomatous osteomyelitis: look before you leap.

We report a rare difficult-to-manage case of chronic granulomatous osteomyelitis due to Burkholderia pseudomallei, the category two organism with atypical sensitivity pattern. The patient was a 29-year-old who presented with a history of dull aching pain in the left thigh region for one year. Local examination revealed a diffuse swelling and tenderness.

Dermatoses among paddy field workers--a descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study.

Background: Paddy farming is one of the main occupations in coastal South India. Dermatological problems in paddy field workers have not received much attention.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to study the dermatoses of the exposed parts of the body, viz.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children with acute respiratory infection.

A prospective study was performed on 93 children admitted to Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Manipal and TMA Pai Rotary Hospital of Udupi and Karkala. Blood samples from 93 children admitted to the ward with no respiratory illness were taken as age-matched controls for the inpatients, IgM antibody against Mycoplasma pneumoniae was detected using a commercial kit (Virion-Serion ELISA, Germany) following the manufacturer's instructions. 23.

Quadruple therapy for initial eradication of Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcer: comparison with triple therapy.

Background: Quadruple therapy appears to be more effective than standard triple therapy in the management of patients with Helicobacter pylori infection who harbor drug-resistant organisms. No data are available on the relative efficacies of triple and quadruple drug regimens from India.

Methods: Consecutive patients with peptic ulcer and H.

Characterization, antibiotic susceptibility pattern and detection of beta-lactamases in Enterococci.

One hundred strains of Enterococci obtained from various clinical specimens over a period of six months were speciated of which 56 were E. faecalis and 44 were E. faecium.