Knowledge and practices of the medical practitioners about management of childhood tuberculosis, Gujrat City

The objective was to describe current practices and knowledge of medical practitioners about management of childhood tuberculosis. The study was conducted in Gujrat city. It was a descriptive, epidemiological study. A sample size of 248 Doctors was obtained who were interviewed with the help of semi-structured questionnaire. Final data was analyzed with the help of EPI - INFO Computer Program. The results showed that for diagnosis of tuberculosis in children using Kenneth Jone's Criteria, only 33% of medical practitioners answered correctly. Thirty two percent of the doctors knew the correct regimen for treatment of childhood tuberculosis. About 63% doctors know at least partially the guidelines of tuberculosis management and 3% of the doctors practicing did not know and never heard about the guidelines for tuberculosis management. Majority of the doctors answered correctly about the symptoms and signs, only 39% gave advice for regular and complete course. It was concluded that knowledge among medical practitioners regarding management of childhood tuberculosis is lacking. Due to poor knowledge about the treatment regimens it is essential to update their knowledge by attending the workshops/seminars/conferences / short courses and by reading the new guidelines for management of childhood tuberculosis

Pericardial hydatid cyst: an incidental finding

The following case report describes an incidental finding of a pericardial hydatid cyst in a patient who was hospitalised for amoebic liver disease. Although serology was negative for echinococcus, in an endemic area possibility of pericardial hydatid should be considered in differential diagnosis. Considering the potential danger of rupture, with its disastrous consequences, surgery was performed and the cyst successfully enucleated. It is emphasised that multimodality imaging plays an important role in dealing with an asymptomatic but potentially serious lesion when laboratory findings are not helpful