A Study on Perception and knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS among school students and significance of educational intervention

Background and objectives: HIV/AIDS is a burning crisis worldwide. Cure of HIV is not yet possible so prevention is of prime importance in control of HIV. Education plays an important role in bringing awareness. This study is planned to find the existing knowledge and significance of educational intervention. Material and Methods: This study was an experimental design in which same group of subjects (students to class 9 and 10) of selected schools in Imadol, served as control and experimental group. Participants’ perception and knowledge about various aspects of HIV/AIDS were studied by noting their agreement with a set of 65 statements (questionnaire) using a modified Likert-type scale. The data was entered in SPSS. A p value less than 0.05 were taken as statistically significant. Result: In this study, educational intervention has proved statistically significant in public school (p value 0.02). Among different sub groups total median score for knowledge about HIV/AIDS and idea about vulnerable group was also statistically significant ( p value 0.01). Conclusion: Educational intervention does play significant role in strengthening knowledge and perception regarding issues related to HIV/AIDS.

Ocular Manifestations of Meningitis in Children.

Introduction: Meningitis is the most common central nervous system disease affecting children leading to focal neurological deficits and various oculovisual anomalies including blindness in children. The objective of this study was to evaluate the oculovisual anomalies occurring in Nepalese children suffering from different types of bacterial meningitis. Materials and Methods: A Prospective, study was undertaken for 18 months at B.P.Koirala Lion’s Center for ophthalmic studies, TU Teaching Hospital to study the children suffering from bacterial meningitis admitted at Kanti Children’s Hospital for ocular involvement. A through history, anterior and posterior segment ocular examination and investigations like blood, CSF and CT scan were done. Results: A total of 182 cases of bacterial meningitis were screened. Tubercular meningitis cases were 40 (21.97%) and Pyogenic were 142 (78.02%). Oculovisual anomalies were seen in 70 (38.46%) cases. The ocular abnormalities included pupillary changes (34.28%), Cranial Nerve Palsy (22.86%), Fundus changes (35.72%), Cortical Blindness (4.28%), Panophthalmitis and Proptosis (1.43%). Third nerve involvement was seen in 17.14% cases, sixth nerve in 4.29% cases, Papilledema in 11.43 % and Optic atrophy in 22.86 %. Risk factors included late presentation; hydrocephalous and increased CSF cell count and protein level. Conclusion: Oculovisual anomalies formed an important group of clinical manifestations of bacterial meningitis. Incidence of oculovisual anomalies was more frequently seen in Tubercular meningitis (55%).Children with early presentation and intervention had better prognosis. Hence, timely intervention and health education is important.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis in an era of HIV pandemic: A review of current status and future prospects.

HIV and tuberculosis co-infection interact in fundamentally important ways. This interaction is evident patho-physiologically, clinically and epidemiologically. There are several differences between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients with tuberculosis (TB) that have practical diagnostic implications. TB is more likely to be disseminated in nature and more difficult to diagnose by conventional diagnostic procedures as immunosuppression progresses. As TB rates continue to increase in HIV-endemic regions, improved diagnostic techniques merit consideration as TB-control strategies. There is a need to develop more user friendly techniques, which can be adapted for use in the high-burden and low-income countries. This review focuses on the diagnostic challenges in HIV-TB co-infection with an update on the current techniques and future prospects in an era of HIV pandemic.

Vaginitis in non pregnant women in Haryana.

Study was carried out in 100 patients of non-specific vaginitis (NSV) to find out the incidence of vaginitis due to G. vaginalis. Out of a total of 100 subjects 20 were positive for G. vaginalis as compared to only 6 in equal number of normal matched controls. One positive specimen showed concomitant presence of C. albicans and E. coli was found in another positive specimen. Presence of amines and clue cells in the discharge did not correlate with the isolation rate of G. vaginalis, thus emphasizing the necessity of culture to diagnose NSV due to G. vaginalis.

Evaluation of accuracy of an electric device (Neosono D-SE) for the measurement of tooth length.

The study was conducted on 92 root canals selected from teeth advised for extraction to evaluate the efficacy of an electronic device (NEOSONO D-SE), Ingles method and Digital Tactile method for the measurement of working length of tooth. In 30% of anterior teeth and 30% of posterior teeth the electronic device was able to locate exact position of apical constriction of tooth, as measured after the extraction of the tooth. In 37% of anterior teeth and 13% of posterior teeth, the apical constriction was located exactly when digital tactile method was used. When Ingle's method for determining the working length was used it was successful in 30% of anterior teeth and 42% of posterior teeth. The study was also conducted to know the distance between apex of the tooth to apical foramen and distance between apical foramen and apical constriction. The findings of the study showed that the average distance between apex and apical foramen was 0.215mm and 0.289 mm in anterior and posterior teeth respectively. Whereas the distance between apical foramen and apical constriction was 0.610 mm and 0.504 mm in anterior and posterior teeth respectively.