A network map of Interleukin-10 signaling pathway.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine with important immunoregulatory functions. It is primarily secreted by antigen-presenting cells such as activated T-cells, monocytes, B-cells and macrophages. In biologically functional form, it exists as a homodimer that binds to tetrameric heterodimer IL-10 receptor and induces downstream signaling.

Comparative Evaluation of Different Test Combinations for Diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis Infecting Dairy Herds in India.

A total of 355 cows were sampled (serum, n = 315; faeces, n = 355; milk, n = 209) from dairy farms located in the Punjab state of India. Faeces and serum/milk samples were screened by acid fast staining and "indigenous ELISA," respectively. IS900 PCR was used to screen faeces and milk samples.

Genetic diversity and drug susceptibility profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from different regions of India.

Objectives: Molecular genotyping profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) provide a valuable insight into the evolution and transmission of the bacilli. Due to the lack of comprehensive national level data from India on this subject, we performed this study to determine the recent trends and distribution of various MTB lineages circulating in India.

Methods: A total of 628 MTB isolates were obtained from North, West, South, Central and Eastern India.

A multi-site validation in India of the line probe assay for the rapid diagnosis of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis directly from sputum specimens.

Unlabelled: Rifampicin (R) and isoniazid (H) are key first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs. Failure to detect resistance to these two drugs early results in treatment failure and poor clinical outcomes. The study purpose was to validate the use of the GenoType MTBDRplus line probe assay (LPA) to detect resistance to R and H in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains directly from smear-positive sputum samples in India.

Impact of host genetics on susceptibility and resistance to Mycobacterium avium subspecies Paratuberculosis infection in domestic ruminants.

Johne's disease or Paratuberculosis has emerged as major infectious disease of animals in general and domestic livestock in particular on global basis. There have been major initiatives in developed countries for the control of this incurable malady of animals and human beings alike (inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn's disease). Disease has not received similar attention due to inherent complexities of disease, diagnosis and control, in resource poor counties around the world.

Study of different methods of susceptibility testing of M. tuberculosis.

This communication is on a multi-centre collaborative study carried out by New Delhi Tuberculosis (NDTB) Centre, Delhi, to compare the different methods of drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for Streptomycin, Rifampicin, Isoniazid and Ethambutol in various accredited laboratories 40 samples (selected by simple random sampling technique) from sputum positive out-patients presenting between December 2004 and January 2005 were collected at New Delhi Tuberculosis Centre from 24 males and 16 females (age ranging from 18 to 55 years) were taken up for culture and susceptibility testing. The proportion method of DST done at NDTB Centre was taken as standard for comparing the other methods after it was found to have a good agreement with the proportion method performed at Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai (Kappa coefficient 0.75 to 1).

Microarray analysis of efflux pump genes in multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis during stress induced by common anti-tuberculous drugs.

Treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis has become one of the major problems in public health. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance has been central to tuberculosis research in recent times. DNA microarray technology provides the platform to study the genomic variations related to these mechanisms on a comprehensive level.

Molecular typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from a rural area of Kanpur by spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units (MIRUs) typing.

Molecular typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates has greatly facilitated the understanding of epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB). This study was done to characterize prevalent genotypes of M. tuberculosis on a collection of 97 isolates based on spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable number of tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) typing in rural area of Kanpur, North India.

A preliminary report on characterization and identification of non tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) on the basis of biochemical tests and protein / isoenzyme electrophoretic patterns.

Purpose: To assess the usefulness of protein electrophorograms and protein zymodemes in the identification and characterization of non tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM).

Methods: Cell free extracts (CFEs) from 22 mycobacterial isolates belonging to slow growing and other clinically relevant species were included in the study. The strains isolated from the environment were identified on the basis of their standard biochemical tests; pigmentation and growth characters.

Drug susceptibility profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates at Jaipur.

Purpose: To find prevalence of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from patients attending SMS Medical College, Jaipur during 1997-99.

Methods: Sputum samples from 164 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were processed and cultured on Lowenstein Jensen medium and M. tuberculosis isolates were tested for drug sensitivity.

Rapid discrimination of Indian isolates of M. tuberculosis by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis - a preliminary report.

Purpose: Due to relatively complex nature of molecular typing systems for M. tuberculosis as well as lack of applicability of some of the probes, there is a need for alternate procedures for molecular epidemiology. In this study the usefulness of RAPD analysis for typing of Indian strains of M.

DNA fingerprinting of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Agra region by IS 6110 probe.

DNA fingerprinting using IS 6110 probe has been used all over the world quite successfully to characterize M. tuberculosis strains. The present study has been carried out to study the polymorphism among isolates of M.

Early nerve damage in leprosy: an electrophysiological study of ulnar and median nerves in patients with and without clinical neural deficits.

Background: Peripheral nerve trunk involvement in leprosy is very common. However, by the time it becomes clinically manifest, the damage is quite advanced. If the preclinical nerve damage can be detected early, the deformities and disabilities can be prevented to a large extent.

Identification of a repetitive sequence belonging to a PPE gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its use in diagnosis of tuberculosis.

A repetitive sequence specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from a lambda gt11 library of M. tuberculosis by DNA-DNA hybridization using genomic DNA of M. tuberculosis as probe followed by subtractive hybridization with a cocktail of other mycobacterial DNA.

Prevalence of leprosy in Agra District (U.P.) India from 2001 to 20031.

Leprosy prevalence has reportedly declined all over the world, but six countries, including India, are still endemic for the disease. India alone contributes about 60% to the world's leprosy case load, with the major share from its northern states. The present study done in Agra district was based on a randomly-selected sample of over 10% of the population, spread across 300 villages and 16 urban units of the district.

Persister studies in leprosy patients after multi-drug treatment.

Cutaneous biopsies were collected from leprosy patients who attended the out-patient department of the Institute for treatment at different intervals, i.e., 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 36 months, and more after beginning the multi-drug treatment therapy (M.

Seroprevalence of HIV infection among leprosy patients in Agra, India: trends and perspective.

This study compares the results of HIV seroprevalence, which was carried out in two phases, i.e., 1989 to 1993 and 1999 to 2004.

HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis co-infections among patients attending the STD clinics of district hospitals in Northern India.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the risk of co-infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and syphilis among patients attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics, antenatal clinics (ANC) and Ob-Gyn outpatients department (OPD) clinics which were part of the sentinel surveillance program.

Methods: A serological screening was carried out during the period August-November 2002 to assess the risk of infection with HIV-1/2, and co-infection with HBV, HCV, and syphilis among the outpatients attending STD clinics, Ob-Gyn OPD clinics, and ANC of three district hospitals (Agra, Etawah, and Farrukhabad) of Uttar Pradesh state in Northern India. Unlinked and coded serum samples received from 863 patients (635 females and 228 males) were screened by laboratory tests commonly used for laboratory diagnosis of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis.

On cell signalling mechanism of Mycobacterium leprae soluble antigen (MLSA) in Jurkat T cells.

We investigated the role of Mycobaterium leprae soluble antigen (MLSA) in the modulation of calcium signalling, phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and IL-2 mRNA expression in human Jurkat T cells. We observed that MLSA induced an increase in free intracellular calcium concentrations, [Ca2+]i, via opening CRAC (Ca2+-release activated- Ca2+) channels. Furthermore, MLSA failed to potentiate both thapsigargin- and anti-CD3 antibodies-induced capacitative calcium influx in Jurkat T cells.

Flexor digitorum superficialis--revisited.

Flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) is a median nerve innervated forearm muscle, and is usually available for transfer in palsied hands because of leprosy. Middle and ring finger FDS tendons have been preferably used in these procedures. The removal of FDS from fingers, to be used as motor elsewhere, has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Closure of simple heel ulcers by skin stretching.

A majority of heel ulcers, at least to begin with, extend to dermis or to the fat pad in its superficial part and an appropriate skin closure can heal these ulcers as most of the padding is in tact. Since the skin is adherent to the deeper structures with fibrous bands it has to be stretched or undermined (by cutting the fibrous bands) to close the wound without tension. 17 feet in 11 patients (10 males; one female) in the 12-54 year age-group were operated upon and followed up.

Leprosy situation in the slums of Agra City--epidemiological findings.

The present article is the result of a study of the leprosy caseload in Agra City and is based on a house-to-house survey conducted during April-July 2003 in 5 areas. During the survey 198,150 persons were examined, and 287 cases were detected, giving a prevalence rate of 14.5/10,000.

Animal models of tuberculosis.

It was Robert Koch who recognized the spectrum of pathology of tuberculosis (TB) in different animal species. The examination of clinical specimens from infected humans and animals confirmed the variable patterns of pathological reactions in different species. Guinea pigs are innately susceptible while humans, mice and rabbits show different level of resistance depending upon their genotype.