Could the products of Indian medicinal plants be the next alternative for the treatment of infections.

Indian medicinal plants are now recognized to have great potential for preparing clinically useful drugs that could even be used by allopathic physicians. Traditionally, practitioners of Indian medicine have used plant products in powder, syrup or lotion forms, without identification, quantification and dose regulation, unlike their allopathic counterparts. The present review explores the immense potential of the demonstrated effect of Indian medicinal plants on microbes, viruses and parasites. In the present context, with the available talent in the country like pharmaceutical chemists, microbiologists, biotechnologists and interested allopathic physicians, significant national effort towards identification of an "active principle" of Indian medicinal plants to treat human and animal infections should be a priority.

Genetic diversity among toxigenic clostridia isolated from soil, water, meat and associated polluted sites in South India.

Purpose: To investigate the genetic diversity of toxigenic Clostridium strains isolated from soil, water, meat and its associated polluted sites of Southern India. Materials and Methods: A total of 27 identified isolates of six different toxigenic clostridial species including C. bifermentans , C. botulinum , C. chauvoei , C. ramosum , C. tetani and C. novyi were isolated and characterized by conventional DNA restriction digestion analysis (REA) and by whole-cell and excretory protein patterns on SDS-PAGE. Results: The DNA fragment size ranged from 35-160 kilobases and the protein bands 30-200 KDa, followed by numerical analyses and phylogenetic analyses. Whole-cell protein banding pattern were unique with strains of C. chauvoei , C. novyi and C. ramosum . All the strains were heterogeneous and distinct in restriction digestion pattern and excretory protein patterns. Conclusion: These analyses contribute to the understanding of prevalence of toxigenic clostridial species and phylogeny within the species and assist in development of improved diagnostics and therapeutics for the treatment of clostridial infections.

Immune reconstitution syndrome in a child with TB and HIV.

Immune reconstitution syndrome (IRS) is the transient worsening or appearance of new signs, symptoms or radiological manifestation of an opportunistic infection occurring after the initiation of Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and is not due to treatment failure or new infection. We describe a case of a HIV infected child with tubercular (mediastinal) lymphadenitis with worsening of clinical and radiological features on starting HAART.

Fecundity of the freshwater fish Channa punctatus (Bloch) from three aquatic bodies.

The fecundity studies on Channa punctatus revealed that there is a relationship between length of the fish with fecundity, weight of the fish and ovary with fecundity. The length and fecundity exhibit curvilinear relationship and a straight line relationship is observed between fecundity and body weight. Fecundity and ovary weight also exhibited linear relationship. The comparative degree of fecundity of the fish is Jagat tank > Kadaganchi tank > Kagina river. Although fish collected from Jagat tank exhibits higher fecundity, all the other three aquatic bodies provide proper environmental conditions for the growth and reproductive activity of the fish.

Microbiological profile of anterior chamber aspirates following uncomplicated cataract surgery.

Anterior chamber aspirate cultures were done for 66 patients who underwent either an uncomplicated intracapsular cataract extraction, extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior-chamber intraocular lens implantation, or phacoemulsification with posterior-chamber intraocular lens implantation. The aspirate was obtained at the time of wound closure. The aspirates were immediately transferred to the microbiology laboratory where one drop of the aspirate was placed on a glass slide for gram stain, and the remainder was unequally divided and inoculated into blood agar, chocolate agar and thioglycolate broth. The cultures were incubated at 37 degrees C with 5% CO2 and held for 5 days. Of 66 patients 4 (6%), had smear-positive anterior chamber aspirates. None of the aspirates showed any growth on any of the 3 culture media used. None of the eyes in the study developed endophthalmitis. This study concludes that there is no contamination of the anterior chamber by viable bacteria after cataract surgery, irrespective of the mode of intervention.