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Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have a major impact on public health worldwide. Till now, we are relying on hand washing and environmental disinfection, but the compliance rate of hand washing and adequate supply of materials is always a catch. Alongside patients, surfaces and supplies act as reservoirs of microorganisms in healthcare settings. The reduction in organisms may prove to be an effective strategy to decline HAIs. The use of gold and silver in commercial textiles is prohibited because of the high cost rather than having excellent antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, so copper has become the best choice for researchers as it possesses similar properties to gold and silver and has other characteristics such as its durability, corrosion resistance, prestigious appearance, and ability to form complex shapes. It has been found that copper brings down the microbial burden of high-touch surfaces in healthcare settings. The fundamental properties of copper offer a theoretical advantage to regular cleaning, as the effect is continuous rather than episodic. So the use of copper-impregnated textiles in hospital areas whether in form of bed linen or uniforms for health professionals, as well as patients, can be a viable alternative to decline the levels of infection in healthcare settings, and with the discovery of copper-encapsulated hospital beds and fabrics, dividends will likely be paid in improved patient outcomes, lives saved, and healthcare cost saved. The application of copper in fabrics for healthcare professionals will be a sound initiative to prevent HAIs. The fabric may help decline the infection rate and mortality among hospitalized patients.
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Background: To study the lipid profile of 3rd trimester pregnant women and their cord blood with and without intrauterine growth restriction Design: Observational study, Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Neonatology, in a teaching hospital in North India during February 2013 to August 2014.Methods: Third trimester pregnant women and their neonates. Enrolled 250 women were divided in intrauterine growth restricted and control groups. Outcome Measures: Venous blood Lipid levels of 3rd trimester mothers and their neonate at birth.Results: Women of IUGR group had significantly lowered total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL)210.2 (19.8), 221.6 (36.2),65.4(11.7)and 130.7 (20.8)compared to 251(55.3), 234.7(35.6), 70.8(19.9) and 181.3(16.8) mg/dl control group. The TC, TG and LDL levels in cord blood of IUGR group were 93.6(16.5), 50.4 (6.5) and 51.8(12.6) as compared 106.4(17.7), 30.7(4.4) and 55.9(12.1) mg/dl to control group (p value <0.05). HDL levels were significantly lower 15.8(4.6) in IUGR group as compared to 26.5(5.4) in control group. The LDL: HDL and TC: HDL ratio was significantly higher in IUGR group. Maternal weight, gestational age, urban residence, primi parity, birth weight and APGAR score were lower, while maternal age, parity, smoking, blood pressure, cesarean sections (%) and male sex (%) of baby was higher in IUGR group.Conclusions: Lipid profile of mothers of IUGR fetuses had significantly lowered cholesterol levels and their cord blood had shown atherogenic phenotype
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Background: Tuberculosis continues to be the biggest health problem in India. Tuberculosis involves respiratory, gastrointestinal tract as well as extrapulmonary site. Tubercular lymphadenopathy is the most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. FNAC plays a vital role in diagnosis of tubercular lymphadenopathy. FNAC is not only used for cytological diagnosis but also used for other ancillary tests like Ziehl-Neelsen staining and AFB culture.Methods: The study was conducted in the department of pathology, Government Medical College, Jammu over a period of 6 months and included 450 cases presenting with superficial lymphadenopathy. FNAC was performed in the cases and smears in each case, were stained with May Grunwald Giemsa (MGG), Papanicolaou and Z-N stain.Results: Out of 450 cases,160 cases (35.5%) showed features of tubercular lymphadenitis. The most common site of presentation, being cervical region with 75% cases. Females outnumbered males by ratio of 1.46:1. In cytomorphology 93 cases (58.1%) showed epithelioid granulomas with caseous necrosis,37 cases (23.1%) showed caseous necrosis only while only epithelioid granulomas were seen in 30 cases (23.1%). AFB positivity was seen in 82 cases with maximum AFB positivity (78.3%) seen in cases with necrosis only.Conclusions: FNAC is a rapid diagnostic technique because of its simplicity, cost effectiveness, early availability of results and minimal invasion. FNAC is a reliable and sensitive first line investigation in diagnosis of tubercular lymphadenitis combined with AFB staining.
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Background:For proper disposal of biomedical waste, introduction of laws is only not sufficient but awareness among health care personnel and effective enforcement of existing BMWguidelines have primary importance. Lack of knowledge and practice on Bio-medical Waste Management has led to the hospitals becoming hub for spreading illness. Objective: To assess knowledge and practice about biomedical waste management and associated factors among health care personnel in public hospital.Material & Method:Ahospital based cross sectional study was conducted in the January to March, 2019. Study participants included doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and ward boys working in a public hospital who deal with biomedical waste and were selected randomly to make the sample size of 150. Apretested semi-structured questionnaire was used.Result:Out of 150 participants, 75.3% and 54.7% Health Care Personnel have adequate knowledge and practice score respectively. Adequate knowledge was significantly associated with age, occupation, experience and previous training while adequate practice was significant associated with occupation and adequate knowledge.Conclusion:Study highlighted the need of a comprehensive training for all the categories of health care personnel.
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Background: Respiratory infections among critically ill Patient are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Mechanically ventilated patients are at a high risk of acquiring respiratory infections due to complex interplay between the endotracheal tube, host immunity and virulence of invading bacteria. Irrational use of antibiotics increases the emergence of drug – resistant bacteria. Objectives: The aim of study was to investigate the bacterial isolates in the endotracheal aspirates of mechanically ventilated patients in ICU and see the antimicrobial resistance pattern of bacterial isolates. Methods: Analysis of E.T aspirates of 459 patients over a period of 1 year (Aug 14 to Aug 15) was done. Aspirates were cultured on Blood and MacConkey agar isolation and identification was done using conventional techniques and biochemical reactions. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method as per CLSI guidelines. Results: Out of 459 Samples 365 was found to be positive. Acinetobacter sp (44.65%) was the most common isolate followed by Klebsiella sp (18.63%), Pseudomonas sp (11.23%), Candida (10.46%), Escherichia Coli (7.94%), COPS (3.28%), CONS (2.46%), Enterococci (0.82%), and Citrobacter (0.54%). The gram-negative bacilli were mostly sensitive to Tigecycline, Colistin, Imipenem, Meropenem, Amikacin and Piperacillin/Tazobactam. Gram positive Cocci were mostly sensitive to Vancomycin, Linezolid and Gentamicin. Conclusion: The isolation and antimicrobial resistance pattern of the microorganisms is necessary for their effective management. Endotracheal intubation is one of the major risk factors in causing iatrogenic infections to patients. A local antibiogram for each hospital, based on bacteriological patterns and susceptibility is essential to initiate empirical therapy.
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Background: Birth of healthy term baby depends on normal placenta. IUGR is a condition associated with placental insufficiency. There is a close relationship between IUGR and placental qualitative changes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the morphological and histological changes in placentas of IUGR fetuses and in placentas of normal uncomplicated pregnancies and to determine the relationship that exists between morphological change and frequency of IUGR.Methods: In a cross sectional study conducted in the department of Pathology, GMC Jammu, a total of 60 placenta were received, 30 placenta of IUGR fetus (group 1-case) and 30 placenta of uncomplicated pregnancy with normal single fetus (group 2-control). Exclusion criteria: Twin pregnancy, gestational hypertension, diabetes, congenital anomaly, antepartum hemorrhage and systemic disorder.Results: Placental weights in IUGR group were significantly lower than control group. Average placental weight in IUGR group was 425 gms while in the control group (normal placenta) it was 550 gms. Infarction, intervillous thrombosis, chorionic villitis, hemorrhagic endovasculitis, placental intravascular thrombi, perivillous fibrin deposition, fibrinoid necrosis and villous edema were found to be more common in IUGR group (Group 1-case group) than Normal (Group 2- control group).Conclusions: This study highlightened that significant pathological differences were found between the placentas of IUGR fetus and normal fetus. The gross and microscopic measurement of a placenta is a good way to get proper information about IUGR and helps in management of the pregnancy.
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Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is an important health problem and a leading cause of death worldwide. The most important marker for HBV infection is HBsAg. A proper identification of kit is required for proper diagnosis of infection, as well as disease management and prevention. Aims& Objective: - The aim of the present study was to compare rapid HBsAg detection ICT kits for the screening of HBV infection with gold standard ELISA method. Methods: The study comprised 500 blood samples of pregnant women. These samples were tested with ICT kits of (Hepa Card Company) and ELISA (HEPLISA by J. Mitra.). Results: In present study we found 100% sensitivity, 99.59% specificity, 81.81% positive predictive value ,100%Negative predictive value and 99.60% diagnostic efficiency of rapid card test with comparison to ELISA for HBsAg detection. Conclusion: The present study concluded that the overall performance of the rapid ICT kit for HBsAg was equally sensitive to ELISA and yet they were cheap and quicker. It can be recommended that ELISA comparable rapid devices may be allowed to be used for preliminary screening of HBsAg especially in remote areas or where cost is an issue.
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Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) impairs the host's immune system until it reaches the terminal stage; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). India has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world. Although healthcare workers (HCWs) can play a crucial role in prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, least attention is given to assess their knowledge and attitude on the topic.Methods: A prospective, cross sectional study was conducted (January 2014 and April 2015) to assess the knowledge of HIV/AIDS among students of a nursing and a physiotherapy college in Ujjain district of central India. All enrolled students were invited to participate, of those 98% participated voluntarily (nursing-120/120 and physiotherapy-56/60).Results: More than half of the participants were not aware that HIV is an infection causing virus and AIDS is a spectrum of conditions or a syndrome. The majority of the participants had poor knowledge about the available diagnostic tests and curative treatment of the infection. The study also reflected the participant’s belief in common myths and misconceptions. Physical contacts with intact skin during patient care and social interaction with a person living with HIV were considered as risk factors for infection transmission. More than 60% participants admitted for their inadequate knowledge and majority (>90%) were willing to participate in a training workshop on the topic.Conclusions: Extremely poor knowledge about the infection’s epidemiology, mode of transmission, diagnostics among the future HCWs might be a rick for discrimination. Discrimination-free healthcare, a prerequisite to end the epidemic, could be achieved by addressing the myths and misconceptions among the future and present HCWs
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Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a major global health problem and India accounts for 10- 15%of the entire pool of HBV carriers of the world. Prevalence of Hepatitis B in pregnant women worldwide is 2.5 to 1.5%, whereas in India it is 2 to 7%. Hepatitis B virus is a double stranded DNA virus. The study was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B among the pregnant women in southern part of Rajasthan at a rural based tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: This is a prospective study conducted at a tertiary care hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan, from August 2015 to December 2017.Blood samples were collected from 1011 pregnant women with age ranging from 15- 45 years. Screening of HBsAg was done by RPHA method and positive HBsAg tests were confirmed by ELISA. The data of those , who were found to be positive for HBsAg was statistically analyzed with the chi square tests, and results were considered significant if the p value was <0.05. Results: The overall HBsAg seroprevalence rate was 1.28%, among the total 1011 pregnant women included in this study. HBsAg seroprevalence was highest, (1.64%) in 15-25 years of age group, and 1.71% in the second trimester of pregnancy. The correlations of seroprevalence rate of HBsAg among selected age groups and according to second trimester of pregnancy were not found statistically significant. (p value>0.05) Conclusion: In this study the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen was 1.28%. To prevent vertical transmission in the pregnant women, they should be screened for HBsAg at the first antenatal visit for appropriate management.
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Background: Hepatitis B infection is a major global health problem. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum is the first seromarker to indicate active HBV infection either acute or chronic. The seroprevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen among general population attending OPD at a tertiary care hospital is useful in assessing true nature of problem, which can help to estimate the magnitude of HBV infection and aid in devising preventive measures. The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B infection among OPD patients attending a tertiary care hospital. Methods: Data from Dec 2015- April-2017 for OPD patients underwent HBsAg screening were collected and analysed. Results: A total number of 3891 patients were screened for HBsAg among them 1731 (44.48%) were males and 2160 (55.51%) were females. The seroprevalence of HBsAg in total OPD patients was 90(2.31%), was higher in males 46(2.65%) as compared to females 44(2.03%). The highest seroprevalence was found in 60-71 (4%) age group. Conclusions: The seroprevalence of Hepatitis B positive cases was 2.31% among OPD patients. Also, the rising seroprevalence rates of hepatitis B in males need urgent attention.
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Soft tissue is defined as the complex of non epithelial extraskeletal structures of the body exclusive of the supportive tissue of the various organs and the hematopoietic/lymphoid tissue. It is composed of fibrous tissue, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, blood and lymph vessels and peripheral nervous system. Soft tissue tumours constitute a large and heterogenous group of neoplasms. WHO has classified soft tissue tumors in different categories like Adipocytic tumors, Fibroblastic, Fibro-histiocytic, Smooth muscle, Pericytic, Skeletal muscle, Vascular, Chondro-osseous & tumors of uncertain differentiation. These are further subdivided into Bengin, Intermediate & Malignant. Pattern of a particular disease in any population is studied with the idea of obtaining information about the clinical presentation, the varied morphology and the etiological factors that can be assessed in relation to its prognosis. The present study was undertaken with a view to getting information about the rate of prevalence, relative frequency of various histopathological types of neoplasms and morphological patterns of soft tissue tumors in our institution.