ABSTRACT
Background: Infertility is a global reproductive health problem and the prevalence rate increased by 0.37% per year for females. There are many such risk factors which are avoidable. Thus the purpose of the study is to identify and quantify the burden of infertility and associated risk factors for infertility. Methods: This observational community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 444 reproductive age group (18-49 years) women residing in district Sonepat, from August 2021 to May 2022. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the study subjects. The categorical data were analyzed statistically using Chi-Square test and Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. Continuous variables were analyzed using independent t-test. Results: Out of 444 study population majority of women were fertile (88.7%), while 6.3% of women were secondary infertile and 5% women were primary infertile. Most women were aged between 30-39 years. The difference of occurrence of infertility in relation to time since marriage, male age at marriage, number of family members, thyroid, PCOD, tuberculosis and height were statistically significant. Conclusions: Almost all the factors came out to be responsible for infertility were modifiable. Awareness generation and provision of infertility care services at primary health care facilities will be of use in addressing infertility in Haryana.
ABSTRACT
Background: India put efforts to achieve TB free status by 2025 but, advent of COVID-19 Pandemic compelled to repurposing of health facilities and services to manage the situation, which greatly affected the TB management in the country. This study was aimed to find out the situations faced by Health care providers in diagnosis and initiation/continuation of ATT under NTEP during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Sonepat District of Haryana State among Medical officers posted in Health Centres and Lab Technicians posted in Designated Microscopy Centres, responsible for managing Tuberculosis during second and third quarters of 2020. Data were collected using separate, pretested semi-structured schedules and results were compiled and described in percentages and proportions. Results: Almost half (54%) of the LTs were posted at DMCs daily. Only three of the facilities had CB-NAAT facilities, of which two (66.66%) were partially diverted for COVID-19 testing. Majority (68.2%) of the MOs reported regular OPD facilities at their facilities during lockdown, with regular TB diagnostic lab facilities (68.2%). More than 81% of the MOs reported non-availability of In-Patient (IP) facilities during lockdown, and diversion of staff for COVID-19 was observed as the major reason (66.7%) for facility non-availability. Conclusions: The pandemic affected the provision of TB services in the region. Preparedness, timely interventions on regular feedbacks can mitigate such difficulties in future.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Ludhiana, an industrial city of Punjab, has a large floating population where typhoid has become endemic. A retrospective study was carried out over a period of 20 years (1980-1999) at Ludhiana on the biotyping, phage typing and drug resistance pattern of Salmonella typhi. METHODS: Of a total of 1697 S. typhi isolates obtained, phage typing and biotyping were done of only 1243 isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of these isolates was also studied. RESULTS: Of the 1243 S. typhi isolates, 963 (77.5%) and 280 (22.5%) were of biotype I and biotype II respectively. Twenty four different S. typhi phage types were prevalent in Ludhiana in the past two decades. Between 1980 and 1989, more prevalent phage types were phage type A (35%), O (17.6%) and E1 (15.1%). During 1990-1999, there was a considerable increase in the incidence of phage type E1 (48.1%). The cumulative analysis of past two decades revealed that the incidence of phage type E1 (38.8%) was most predominant. In the past one decade (1990-1999), 412 S. typhi isolates of 13 different phage types exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR) pattern ACCoT (resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole and tetracycline). High chloramphenicol resistance (74.7%) and MDR pattern ACCoT (68.2%) was shown by phage type E1 of S. typhi. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: An association was observed between drug resistance and phage type pattern of S. typhi as 70 per cent isolates of S. typhi phage types E1 and O exhibited ACCoT multidrug resistant pattern. Reemergence of chloramphenicol susceptibility in the last decade emphasizes the need for regular antimicrobial surveillance to minimize the misuse of these drugs.