Pulmonary cryptosporidiosis in HIV negative, immunocompromised host.

Cryptosporidia are intestinal spore forming protozoa, which cause intracellular infections, predominantly in the epithelial cells of the intestine. Extra-intestinal infections with Cryptosporidium parvum have been rarely reported. However, a few reports of pulmonary cryptosporidiosis in HIV/AIDS cases have been mentioned in literature. In immunocompromised individuals who do not have HIV-related disease, Cryptosporidiosis has been rarely reported. We present a case of respiratory infection caused by C. parvum. The patient was a 10-year-old child with nephrotic syndrome and was receiving corticosteroids for 6 months. The child had history of low-grade fever, breathlessness and cough with expectoration of 3 months duration. The patient was nonreactive for HIV, and there was no evidence of primary immunodeficiency. Major serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM) were in normal range. Simultaneous gastrointestinal involvement with C. parvum was observed.

Virulence factors in uropathogenic E. coli.

Escherichia coli isolates from urinary tract infections often exhibit characters different from those isolated from normal faecal samples. Adherence to uroepithelial cells, nature of lipopolysaccharide O antigen and mannose resistant haemagglutination of human erythrocytes are some of the important virulence factors proposed in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli. In the present study a total of 100 strains of E. coli isolated from symptomatic cases of urinary tract infections (with significant bacteriuria) were studied for these properties. Faecal isolates of E. coli from adult healthy individuals were also studied as controls. As many as 58 uropathogenic strains showed high affinity for attachment to uroepithelial cells while 28 strains showed adherence at moderate degree. Agglutination of human erythrocytes was induced by as many as 70 uropathogenic strains while in 32 strains haemagglutination was not affected by D-mannose. In control group, adherence was observed in eight strains while 28 strains were haemagglutinating. Of these 28 strains, D-mannose resistant haemagglutination was observed in only one faecal strain. In uropathogenic group O4 was isolated with maximum frequency (12%) followed by O101, O135 and O6.

Serotyping of pulmonary isolates of Candida albicans. A preliminary study.

A total of twenty strains of Candida albicans isolated from chronic pulmonary lesions were subjected to serotyping procedure adopting the conventional agglutination reactions. Prior to serotyping all the twenty strains were isolated on at least three different occasions and were identified by the standard accepted criteria (germ tube production, colony morphology on cornmeal Tween 80 agar and sugar fermentation reactions). Of the twenty strains, four strains belonged to serotype B and the remaining sixteen had the agglutination profile consistent with serotype A. The serotyping was undertaken with locally raised antisera against serotype A and serotype B. The proposed serotyping procedure has a definite potential in the epidemiological investigations of Candida albincans.

Changing bacteriological profile of cholera in Nagpur, 1991-93.

In Nagpur (Maharashtra) during the period 1991-93, Vibrio cholerae serogroup 01 predominated in 1991 (94.7%) and 1992 (86.4%) but significantly declined in 1993 (10.7%). Serogroups 02-0138 were infrequently encountered. A new strain V. cholerae serogroup 0139 emerged in 1993 and accounted for 89.3 per cent of the total vibrios isolated in the year. Replacement of the endemic 01 strain by the new 0139 strain was observed.