Publications by authors named "Susan Verghese"
Background: Quantitative Cytomegalovirus (CMV) polymerase chain reactions are increasingly being used for monitoring CMV DNAemia in haematopoietic stem cell transplants and solid organ transplants.
Objective: In this study, a commercial CMV viral load assay was compared with an in-house viral load assay.
Materials And Methods: A total of 176 whole-blood samples were tested for CMV DNAemia using both assays.
Quantification of live Lactobacillus acidophilus in mixed populations of live and killed by application of attenuated reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics.
J Pharm Biomed Anal
May 2018
Article Synopsis
- The study explores alternative methods for quantifying probiotics, focusing on the use of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy instead of traditional culture-based methods.
- Live and killed Lactobacillus (La 5) samples were analyzed, demonstrating a clear correlation between the percentage of live bacteria and spectral peak areas.
- Machine learning techniques, particularly artificial neural networks, significantly improved prediction accuracy for live Lactobacillus percentages, even in the presence of a polymer compared to traditional regression methods.
Mycobacterium chelonae causing chronic wound infection and abdominal incisional hernia.
Indian J Pathol Microbiol
April 2015
Mycobacterium chelonae is a rapidly growing mycobacterium that is found all over the environment, including sewage and tap water. They are important species associated with chronic non-healing wounds. We report a case in a 41 year old female patient who underwent multiple surgeries for an ovarian cyst, tubo-ovarian abscesses with peritonitis and a repair of an abdominal incisional hernia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFirst Report of OXA-4, an ESBL Isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa a South Indian Strain.
Indian J Microbiol
September 2013
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on the characterization of a new extended spectrum β-lactamase, OXA-4, found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a patient in India.
- ESBL production was confirmed through double disk synergy tests and PCR methods, with the strain showing high resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and imipenem.
- This is the first report of OXA-4 producing P. aeruginosa in the Indian subcontinent, highlighting its clinical significance.
Article Synopsis
- Pigs may provide a valuable source for xenografts, but they carry porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) which could pose risks for human recipients due to its potential to infect human cells.
- Recent research detected recombinant PERV-AC viruses and identified specific markers in pigs that could influence the likelihood of PERV transmission during xenotransplantation.
- The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the presence of both DNA and RNA forms of PERV in pig tissues when evaluating the safety of using pig organs for human transplants.
Article Synopsis
- The document provides evidence-based guidelines for clinicians on using ultrasound for vascular access procedures like cannulation.
- It highlights the advantages of 2D vascular screening and real-time needle guidance to improve the accuracy of needle placement and reduce complications.
- The study recommends developing an ultrasound curriculum for training healthcare professionals to ensure competence in these techniques.
Objectives/hypothesis: To evaluate and describe airway complications in pediatric adenotonsillectomy.
Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.
Methods: A chart review of patients that underwent adenotonsillectomy between 2006 and 2010 was performed.
Article Synopsis
- Recognition of untreated pediatric pain as a major contributor to complications and mortality after surgery has significantly advanced pain medicine.
- Ongoing improvements in pain assessment and treatment strategies include the exploration of new and combination drugs, as well as innovative administration methods.
- A multimodal approach utilizing various medications aims to optimize pain relief while minimizing side effects, ultimately improving recovery outcomes for children post-surgery.
Post traumatic fungal keratitis caused by Acremonium recifei.
Indian J Pathol Microbiol
November 2010
Geographical location and age affects the incidence of parasitic infestations in school children.
Indian J Pathol Microbiol
November 2010
Unlabelled: Environmental factors affect the dissemination and distribution of intestinal parasites in human communities. To comprehend the prevalence of parasitic infestation and to examine whether geographical location and age also influence the prevalence of infection, fecal samples from 195 school children (rural = 95; male = 39; female = 56) (urban = 100; male = 60; female = 40) of five age groups ranging from 5 to 11 years in two different socio-economic zones (rural and urban) were screened for specific intestinal parasites using standard histological techniques. Percentage incidences of parasitic species found in fecal wet mounts and concentrates in rural children were Entamoeba coli (25.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Plastic bronchitis is a rare condition involving the formation of thick mucus casts in the airways, leading to serious breathing issues, particularly in children who have had a Fontan procedure for heart defects.
- A case series involving three children at a specialized hospital showed that they required multiple bronchoscopies to remove these casts, with some needing ECMO due to severe respiratory failure.
- Although all patients improved in lung function, there was a recurrence for one child, who ultimately passed away from pulmonary failure, highlighting the challenges in diagnosing and managing this complex condition.
Article Synopsis
- There are various ways trauma can affect the neck, including minor suction trauma, which typically leads to superficial bruising.
- Patients with hemophilia are at an increased risk of bleeding from such trauma, making their situations more complicated.
- This text reports a rare case of expanding neck hematomas in a Hemophilia A patient and emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach to both diagnosis and treatment.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate how children's airways respond to desflurane during maintenance and recovery from anesthesia using laryngeal mask airways (LMAs).
- Four hundred healthy kids were divided into two groups—one receiving desflurane and the other isoflurane—while monitoring airway incidents throughout the process.
- Results showed that desflurane had a higher overall frequency of airway events compared to isoflurane, especially during deep anesthesia when removing the LMA, indicating a need for caution when using desflurane in pediatric cases.
HIV infection in low risk areas: cases from outskirts of Chennai city.
Indian J Pathol Microbiol
March 2010
Porcine small intestinal sub-mucosa is a cell-free collagen matrix that has demonstrated its ability as a scaffold material. Transplantation poses special hazards because grafted tissues and organs transmit pathogens efficiently, especially viruses. Rotavirus is thought to be confined to the intestine, causing acute diarrhoea.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPigs offer an unlimited source of xenografts for humans. The use of transplants from animal origin offers a potential solution to the limited supply of human organs and tissues. However, like many other mammalian species, pigs harbor porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV), which are encoded in their genomic DNA and are assumed to have been integrated into the porcine germline.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Cisplatin is an anticancer drug that causes testicular toxicity in mice even at therapeutic doses, leading to reduced testis weight and abnormal sperm production.
- The study included six groups of mice, with varying doses of cisplatin and some receiving l-ascorbic acid, which showed protective effects on testicular health in certain groups.
- Histological changes in the testes involved tissue damage, vacuoles, and a significant decrease in sperm count and motility, though recovery was noted when l-ascorbic acid was administered.
Article Synopsis
- The study focused on using multiplex PCR to quickly identify ESBL-producing genes (bla(CTX-M) and bla(SHV)) in gram-negative bacteria from clinical samples at a hospital in Chennai.
- A total of 260 clinical isolates from various sources were examined, confirming ESBL production through established tests and identifying the presence of the targeted genes.
- The findings showed that bla(SHV) and bla(CTX-M) were present in specific Enterobacteriaceae species, indicating the effectiveness of multiplex PCR for rapid diagnosis in a clinical setting.
Background: Fenoldopam mesylate, a selective dopamine1-receptor agonist, is used by intravenous infusion to treat hypertension in adults. Fenoldopam is not approved by the FDA for use in children; reports describing its use in pediatrics are limited. In a multi-institutional, placebo controlled, double-blind, multi-dose trial we determined the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics and side-effect profile of fenoldopam in children.
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