Asymptomatic chronic hepatitis B virus infection in northern India.

BACKGROUND: Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes a spectrum of diseases ranging from asymptomatic infective state to cirrhosis and hepato-cellular carcinoma. The asymptomatic state has highly variable characteristics. METHODS: Sixty-one incidentally detected asymptomatic HBsAg-positive subjects (IDAHS), in whom HBsAg positivity persisted for > 6 months, were studied for liver biochemistry, HBeAg, anti HBe and HBV DNA levels (in HBeAg-negative subjects). Liver biopsy was done in 29 subjects and scored for histological activity index (HAI) and fibrosis using modified Knodell score. RESULTS: Thirteen (21%) subjects were HBeAg positive. The remaining 48 (79%) were positive for anti HBe, with HBV DNA level of> 105 copies/mL in 15 (31.2%). Transaminase elevation was more frequent in HBeAg-positive subjects (69%; p< 0.05) and in HBV DNA-positive (93%) than in non-replicative (27%) infection. Seroconverted (anti HBe-positive) individuals were a decade older than HBeAg-positive ones and most (93.7%) of them were> 20 years of age. Fifteen of 29 (51.3%) had HAI> 3, more frequently in those with raised ALT (68.4%; p< 0.05) than with normal ALT (20%), but there was no difference in relation to HBeAg status. CONCLUSIONS: Seroconversion to anti HBe was noted in individuals aged 20 years or more. Ongoing liver disease was noted in approximately half of IDAHS, suggesting that a considerable proportion of IDAHS have active infection. In HBeAg-negative subjects, transaminase estimation may be sufficient in planning therapy.

Aluminium phosphide poisoning autopsy findings.

At prospective study to observe the gross and histopathological findings in Aluminium Phosphide Poisoning was undertaken on medicolegal autopsy cases brought to the department of Forensic Medicine. Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal. The study was undertaken, as Aluminium Phosphide Poisoning has become the commonest poisoning in central India over the last few years. 50 chemically confirmed autopsy cases were included in the present study and were examined grossly in detail and samples of tissue from various organs were stained by haemotoxylin eosin and observed microscopically. Several gross autopsy findings have been observed and are included in this paper. The present study is the largest autopsy series reported on Aluminum Phosphide, which includes the histopathological findings of various organs. and observations made earlier by the workers have also been compared.

Trends of organophosphorus poisoning in Bhopal region an autopsy based study.

Organophosphorus pesticides are frequently used group in agriculture, forestry and public health and hence they are easily accessible. The study was therefore undertaken to evaluate in depth the various trends of acute organophosphorus poisoning cases and to evaluate the influencing factors and precipitating factors. This study which was made in Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal from June 1999, to May 2001, deciphers the various individual compounds belonging to Organophosphorus group in accordance with the chemical analysis done in Forensic Science laboratory of Medicolegal Institute Bhopal.