Comparative evaluation of chromogenic agar medium and conventional culture system for isolation and presumptive identification of uropathogens.

Objective: Urine is the most frequent specimen received for culture/sensitivity by clinical laboratories. The microbiological performance of HiCrome UTI agar medium was compared with Blood agar and MacConkey agar for isolation and presumptive identification of bacteria from urine culture.

Methods: A total of 443 consecutively collected midstream and/or catheter-catch urine samples from patients attending the Islami Bank Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi, Bangladesh during January to December, 2012 were cultured.

Amebic liver abscess in northern region of Bangladesh: sociodemographic determinants and clinical outcomes.

Background: Amebic liver abscess (ALA) is endemic in Bangladesh since historical age but its epidemiology and sociodemographic determinants are not well described in the literatures. This paper focuses on the endemicity, sociodemographic determinants and clinical outcomes of ALA patients from certain northern districts in Bangladesh. Ninety hospitalized ALA patients enrolled from 6 northern districts of Bangladesh during July 2008 to June 2010 were analyzed.

Brugada syndrome with a novel missense mutation in SCN5A gene: a case report from Bangladesh.

Brugada syndrome is an inherited cardiac arrhythmia that follows autosomal dominant transmission and can cause sudden death. We report a case of Brugada syndrome in a 55-year-old male patient presented with recurrent palpitation, atypical chest pain and presyncope. ECG changes were consistent with type 1 Brugada.

Distribution of Liver Disease in Bangladesh: A Cross-country Study.

Introduction: 'Hepatology', as an independent discipline of medical science, has recently been established in Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to formulate the distribution of pattern of liver diseases in this country.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, data regarding patients of liver diseases from the seven different administrative divisions of Bangladesh between January 2012 and 2013 were compiled.

Comparison of PCR-based diagnoses for visceral leishmaniasis in Bangladesh.

The diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is performed using multiple methods encompassing parasitological, serological and nucleic acid-based diagnostic tools, each method with its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Conventional parasitological methods are risky for the patient and require skilled personnel to collect specimens from spleen or bone marrow, and hence they are not generally available in impoverished areas. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been validated as an excellent alternative to microscopy in terms of sensitivity and specificity.

Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis with mucosal involvement: an unusual case presentation including successful treatment with miltefosine.

Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a dermatologic manifestation that usually occurs after visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania donovani. It is characterized by hypopigmented patches, a macular or maculopapular rash and nodular skin lesions on the body surface. Involvement of the mucosae is very rare and unusual in PKDL.

Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of spleen: a case report.

Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of spleen is a very rare occurrence and a very small number of cases have been reported so far, mostly in autopsy series. More commonly observed metastasis to the spleen are from breast, lungs, colorectal organs and ovaries. Interestingly enough the spleen is very unusual site of metastasis from an esophageal malignancy, only very few cases (four cases up to 2005) being reported in the literature.

Epidemiological and molecular analyses of a non-seasonal outbreak of acute icteric hepatitis E in Bangladesh.

Acute hepatitis due to hepatitis E virus (HEV) is endemic in Bangladesh, but its epidemiological characteristics and virological features remain obscure. An outbreak of acute icteric hepatitis E occurred in Rajshahi, Bangladesh during 2010 when 200 patients with visible jaundice visited physicians within a period of 1 month (January-February). Clinical and epidemiological data were collected from these patients using questionnaires.

Does ionizing radiation influence Alzheimer's disease risk?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a human neurodegenerative disease, and its global prevalence is predicted to increase dramatically in the following decades. There is mounting evidence describing the effects of ionizing radiation (IR) on the brain, suggesting that exposure to IR might ultimately favor the development of AD. Therefore better understanding the possible connections between exposure to IR and AD pathogenesis is of utmost importance.

Assessment of renal function by estimation of fractional excretion of sodium in asphyxiated newborns.

This case control study was conducted in Neonatal unit of Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital to assess the validity of fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) as a reliable renal function test in asphyxiated newborns. Seventy five appropriate newborns aged between 0-120 hours were randomized in two groups, (Group I; n=50, cases or study group) and (Group II; n=25, controlled group). Blood urea, serum creatinine, serum electrolytes, urinary electrolytes, creatinine, osmolalities, specific gravity, FENa were estimated.

Pattern of glomerular diseases among adults in Rajshahi, the Northern Region of Bangladesh.

To obtain a recent and comprehensive insight into the pattern of glomerular diseases in the Bangladeshi population, we studied 95 adequate renal biopsies done during July 2008 to June 2009, by light and direct immunofluorescence microscopy in the Department of Pathology, Rajshahi Medical College, Northern Region of Bangladesh. Of these, 38 (40%) were males and 57 (60%) were females, with a male to female ratio of 1:1.5.

Peripheral blood buffy coat smear: a promising tool for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis.

Confirmative diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is still a challenge at the primary health care facilities in most of the rural areas of endemicity in the Indian subcontinent. Conventional methods for parasitological confirmation are risky and require skilled personnel, and hence they are unavailable to the poor people in the regions of endemicity. Buffy coat smear microscopy, as a minimally invasive, simple alternative for the parasitological diagnosis of VL, was evaluated in this prospective study.

Penile agenesis in adult.

Penile agenesis (PA) is an extremely rare congenital anomaly with profound surgical and psychosocial consequences. Only seventy five cases have been reported in the literature, the highest age of presentation known seven years. We present a twenty six years old otherwise normal aphallic male with attraction to female sex and night emission through anus.

Hyperlipidemia in childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome during initial remission and relapse.

The objective of this study was to correlate hyperlipidemia during initial remission of nephrotic child with relapse. This observational prospective study was carried out among 26 children, between 1 to 8 years age with first attack idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, who was seen at Paediatric Nephrology Department of BSMMU and Paediatric Nephrology Department, NIKDU, from December'2005 to August'2006 and were followed-up for at least 6 months after initial attack. Twenty two age and sex matched hospitalized children, suffering from non-renal diseases, were enrolled as controls.

Primary tuberculosis of breast.

Primary tuberculosis of breast is not uncommon in developing countries. Initial presentations may be confused with benign or malignant lesions of breast. Diagnosis in endemic areas is suggested on clinical consideration.

Urine antigen detection by latex agglutination test for diagnosis and assessment of initial cure of visceral leishmaniasis.

This prospective study evaluated the usefulness of the kala-azar latex agglutination test (KAtex) for the diagnosis and laboratory assessment of initial cure of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) (or kala-azar) patients following 30 days of sodium antimony gluconate treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (Bangladesh). KAtex detects a low molecular weight, heat-stable, carbohydrate antigen in the urine of VL patients. KAtex was performed using freshly voided urine samples obtained from 36 parasitologically confirmed cases of VL before and after treatment as well as from 40 healthy controls (20 each from kala-azar-endemic and non-endemic zones).

Cranial hydatid abscess.

A woman of age 20 years presented with a tender cystic swelling over the right temporal region, with proptosis of the right eye and purulent discharge from the right ear. A computed tomography scan revealed a mixed density lesion involving both extra- and intracranial spaces, which was not enhanced with contrast. Following an operation, histopathology revealed the structure to be a hydatid abscess (infected hydatid cyst).

PCR for diagnosis and assessment of cure in kala-azar patients in Bangladesh.

The study evaluated the usefulness of Leishmania-nested polymerase chain reaction (Ln-PCR) for diagnosis of kala-azar and assessed its role as a test of cure among kala-azar patients in Bangladesh. Peripheral blood buffy coat Ln-PCR was done in ninety-seven (97) clinically suspected patients of kala-azar, in forty (40) healthy controls from both endemic and non-endemic areas, and in forty-six (46) patients after completion of treatment with sodium stibogluconate (SSG). The Ln-PCR results were compared with Leishmania donovani parasite load graded by 1+ to 6+ in all smear-positive L.

Prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria and its consequences in pregnancy in a rural community of Bangladesh.

This was a cross-sectional followed by cohort type of study conducted among the pregnant mothers of second trimester in the rural areas of Rajshahi district. Initially 1800 pregnant mothers ofsecond trimester were selected from 18 unions applying 2-stage random sampling. A total of 216 pregnant mothers with asymptomatic bacteriuria were paired among the rest of the healthy pregnant mothers (without bacteriuria) on the basis of age, gravida and economic status for cohort study to relate asymptomatic bacteriuria with the incidence of symptomatic bacteriuria, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) and pre-term delivery.

Gonadal hormones and gonadotrophins in healthy males beyond forty years.

Objective: To determine and compare the sex hormones, gonadotrophins and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in healthy males of different age groups.

Methods: One hundred eighty five consecutive healthy nonobese males of age 40-90 years were studied. Serum samples were assayed for total testosterone, estradiol, LH, FSH and SHBG estimation by radioimmunometric method.

Studies on serum triglyceride level in patients with myocardial infarction.

Myocardial Infarction (MI) is the most common form of heart disease and the single most important cause of premature death in the developed and developing world. Unfortunately the incidence of the condition is increasing rapidly in many developing countries like Bangladesh. Effort should therefore be taken to minimize the risk factors of MI.

Thyroid status of normal pregnant women in Dhaka City.

The thyroid gland secretes thyroid hormones having important role in embryogenesis and fetal development during pregnancy. The present study was carried out to find out alteration in the thyroid size and serum thyroid hormonal levels (T4, T3 and TSH) in normal pregnant women as compared to non-pregnant women in Dhaka City. For this purpose, thirty-five pregnant women during third trimester attending OPD Dhaka Medical College Hospital from January 1998 to July 1998 were selected randomly and twenty-one non-pregnant women of childbearing age group were selected as control.

Deaths in visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) during treatment.

Twenty-seven out of five hundred and fifty three patients hospitalized for visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) died during treatment with sodium antimony gluconate. Data from these patients were evaluated to find out the cause of death. Eight patients had associated diseases such as pulmonary tuberculosis (3), severe malnutrition (1), acute gastroenteritis (1), spleenic infarction (1), acute renal failure (1) and atrial septal defect (1) which could be attributed to death.