ABSTRACT
Background and Aim: Health care workers accessories like mobile and pen have become important fomites in spread of health care infections and when used at the patient’s point of care may be responsible for cross contamination. Aim is to determine whether mobile phones and pens could play a role in the spread of bacterial pathogens. Methodology: Swabs from from mobile phones and pens were taken and inoculated on blood agar and MacConkey agar plates and the isolates were identified by standard microbiological procedures. Results: 28 /74(37.83%) mobile phone and 22/74(29.73%) pens showed bacterial contamination. Coagulase negative staphylococcus accounted for the majority of positive isolates. Conclusion: Mobiles and pens are potential reservoir for bacteria. They might be a vector in the transmission of potential pathogenic microorganisms. The risk can be reduced by using alcohol-based sanitizing agents for wiping mobile and pen.
ABSTRACT
Background: Acute poisoning is a medical emergency. It is important to know the nature, outcome and severity of acute poisoning cases in order to make appropriate prevention and treatment. This study is conducted to assess the paradigm and outcome of acute poisoning cases in a tertiary care hospital in Tamilnadu. Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Tamilnadu. The study included 169 cases and data regarding age, sex, time elapsed after intake, name of the poisons, chemical type; duration of hospital stay; outcome and severity were collected in the structured proforma. Results: Incidence was high among males (60.36%) compared to females (39.64%). Most of the cases of acute poisoning were in the age group 10 to 30 years (60.95%) followed by 30 to 50 years age group (30.77%). A majority of poisoning cases (27.2%) were due to organophosphorus (OPC) insecticide. Total mortality was found to be 5.32%. Mortality rate due to Paraquat, Abrus Pretorius seeds was significantly high compared with OPC because there is no specific antidote. Time lapse had a very significant role in the mortality in cases of poisoning. Conclusions: Poisoning is common with young males. The mortality is high, in cases of self-poisoning with parquet and abrus seeds. Despite the highest consumption rate, no mortality was observed with organophosphorus because of early medical intervention and specific antidote. Early medical care in a tertiary care hospital will help to reduce significant mortality in India
ABSTRACT
Background: Snake bite is an important occupational and rural hazard because India has always been a land of poisonous snakes. In southern India common poisonous snakes are Russell’s viper, Cobra, Krait and Saw Scaled Viper. It is a fact that despite of significant morbidity and mortality, very little attention is paid by the clinicians to this occupational hazard. The objective of the present study was undertaken with the objectives of assessing poisonous snake envenomation, ASV use, Dosage of ASV and clinical outcomes in snake bite victims. Methods: This is a Retrospective study of snakebite victims from November 2013 to April 2015 in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Tamil-Nadu. Results: A Total of 82 cases were studied in our hospital. Out of these 82 Poisonous bites, 42 (51.22%) cases were viper bites, 20 (24.39%) cases were unidentified poisonous bites, 16 (19.51%) cases were Krait, and 4 (4.88%) cases were Cobra. Coagulopathy, cellulitis, wound infection, renal failure and respiratory paralysis were the common complications. Average dose of ASV administered range from 8.57 (± 0.98) to 20.78 (± 4.18) Vials. An increase in mortality, ASV dose and complications were directly proportional to the Bite to ASV Administration time. Conclusions: Delay in hospitalization is associated with poor prognosis and increased mortality rate due to complications. There is an emergent need of awareness among the community for avoidance of traditional form of treatment and delay in early medical interventions.
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Abstracts: Backround: Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV- 2) belongs to the family Retroviridae and is morphologically similar to HIV-1. Reliable and up-to- date information on the HIV-2 epidemic in India is still lacking. Methodology: We conducted this study to know the seroprevalence of HIV-2 in our region. Results: A total 15046 samples were screened at ICTC that includes 6343 from ANC mothers and 8703 samples from direct walk-in clients and referred patients.for HIV-2 antibodies. Also, we found 9 (0.10%) samples positive for HIV-2. One patient was coinfected with HIV-1 and HIV-2. There were no HIV-2 positive cases in ANC and paediatric age group. Conclusion: As HIV-2 is being reported from various parts of the country and its treatment modalities differ from HIV-1 hence screening for HIV-2 should be carried out routinely.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Lymphatic filariasis, the second most common vector borne parasitic disease after malaria. According to WHO, lymphatic filariasis is the second most common cause of long term disability after mental illness. The Government of India has accorded a high priority for elimination of this infection through mass chemotherapy programme (MDA). Material and Methods: This study was conducted to see the effect of MDAon lymphatic filariasis. As lymphatic filariasis control programme is a national programme and it is controlled and monitored by health services, we collected and analyzed the data from four sentinel centers from Nagpur district from 2004 to 2012. Result and Conclusion: We observed that after repeated administration of MDA the Mf rate has declined over a period of time and helped to reduce the transmission from one person to other. It also prevents the chronic disability and increases the marriage prospectus in young females in endemic area. The cost of preventing one case of chronic disease is very low as compared to other chronic diseases. So we concluded that repeated subsequent rounds of MDA is effective. It is economical with social benefits.