Role of Bacterial Vaginosis in Patients with Idiopathic Pre- Term Labour.

Background: To find out the correlation of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in idiopathic preterm labour and find its association with an adverse pregnancy outcome in patients with idiopathic preterm labour. Methods: This is a comparative study, comprising of 150 pregnant females in study group admitted with preterm labour without any obvious cause and 150 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy at term in the control group. Both the groups were tested for BV by using Amsel's criteria and Nugent's criteria. Diagnosis of BV was stamped based on gram staining of vaginal discharge smear. All patients were followed till delivery. Results: In the study group, significantly large number of women tested positive for BV on gram staining of vaginal discharge as compared to control group (20.6% vs 8.0%). In the study group, an adverse pregnancy outcome in the form of preterm delivery (<37 weeks) was noted in 93.4% women testing positive for BV and only in 47.9% women testing negative for BV. The majority of women with BV +ve were more likely to deliver before or at 34 weeks (58.06%) compared to women with BV-ve (14.28%).Conclusion: BV was significantly associated with preterm labour and preterm delivery and adverse perinatal outcomes.

Diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia by bronchoalveolar lavage cytology: experience at a tertiary care centre in India.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia requires morphological demostration of P. carinii (now re-named as P. jiroveci). Although bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cytology constitutes a formidable tool for detecting this infection, few studies on the utility of BAL cytology in diagnosing PCP are available from India. The present study reports the clinical spectrum, cytomorphological features and the utility of BAL cytology in diagnosing Pneumocystis infection from a tertiary care centre in India. METHODS: Retrospective study of 13 patients with PCP, diagnosed on examination of BAL fluid. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 41.2 years. One patient had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, while the other 10 were renal transplant receipients on immunosuppressive therapy. The immune status of two patients was unknown. Fever, cough and shortness of breath were the main presenting symptoms. Radiological diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia was offered in only one case. Foamy alveolar casts were present in all cases. Silver methanamine stain enhanced the rounded, helmet or cleft forms of sporozoites. Inflammatory infiltrate was mainly polymorphonuclear. CONCLUSIONS: BAL cytology, thus, constitutes a useful diagnostic modality for morphological documentation and reliable diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia in an immunocompromised host. Pneumocystis pneumonia appears to be a common opportunistic infection in renal transplant receipients in India.

Sclerosing stromal tumour of ovary--a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of five cases.

We describe the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical findings in five cases of sclerosing stromal tumours of ovary and compare our findings with other reported cases of this uncommon tumour and with fibromas and thecomas which they may mimic.

Malignant melanoma of soft parts a diagnostic pitfall in FNA: a case report.

Malignant melanoma of soft parts (MMSP) is a rare tumour with frequent local recurrences and eventual nodal and distant metastasis. It has characteristic clinical features and histologic picture. However, a precise diagnosis of this tumor may be difficult on aspiration material. We report two cases of MMSP which posed a diagnostic dilemma owing to their variable cytomorphological features and make an attempt to review the literature.

Cytomorphology of polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma--diagnosis and pitfalls.

Polymorphous Low Grade Adenocarcinoma (PLGA) arises characteristically in the minor salivary glands. Histological diagnosis of this tumour has improved following awareness and well characterized histologic features. However cytologic diagnosis is difficult. Ten cases of PLGA were identified on review of 61 cases of palatal salivary gland tumours aspirated over a 17 year period. Seven of these had been diagnosed as salivary gland tumours but had not been further characterized, while two cases had been diagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma initially. In only one case a differential diagnosis between pleomorphic adenoma and PLGA had been considered. Cytologic diagnosis of PLGA is difficult but possible if an attempt is made to identify specific cytologic criteria.