ABSTRACT
Objectives: To assess the regional variation and clinical manifestations of acute dengue infection amongst the patients who presented to a tertiary care hospital of Rawalpindi
Study design: A Descriptive study
Place and duration: Study was carried out at Microbiology Department of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi, from 1st August 2010 to 30th March 2011
Methodology: A simple random sampling technique was adopted for all the suspected cases of acute dengue, admitted in the dengue ward of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi. Their blood samples were taken and analyzed by ELISA test for the detection of antidengue antibodies [IgM]
Results: A total of 30.2% [n=104] patients were diagnosed positive by ELISA test. The frequency of dengue fever [DF] in males was 68.2% [n=71] and in females it was 31.7% [n=33]. The incidence of dengue fever was high in Rawalpindi [30.2%] and Chakwaal [30.1%]. The most common clinical manifestations were high grade continuous fever [>10[degree]F] seen in 88.4% [n=92], followed by retro-orbital headache 65.3% [n=68], epigastric pain 65.3% [n=68], arthralgias 63.4% [n=66] and myalgias 50% [n=52]
Conclusion: The incidence of Dengue fever is high in Rawalpindi and Chakwaal. The most common clinical manifestations of acute DF include high grade continuous fever along with retro-orbital headache, epigastric pain, myalgias and arthralgias
ABSTRACT
Objective: The objectives of current study were to find out the prevalence of Dengue viral infection [DVI] IgG amongst the adult population residing in urban/ rural areas of Rawalpindi in order to assess that in which specific population it is more prevalent. The hypothesis of the study was that DVI is more prevalent in urban areas of Rawalpindi district
Study Design: Descriptive Cross Sectional Comparative Study
Place And Duration: It was carried out at Microbiology Department of Benazir Bhutto Hospital Affiliated with Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi. It was carried out from March to September 2010
Methodology: Stratified random sampling procedure was adopted for 240 healthy adults, 144 urban residents and 96 rural residents of Rawalpindi. The clotted blood samples were used for the detection of anti-dengue Ab [IgG] by 3[rd] generation ELISAmethod
Results: The results were in favor of the hypothesis showing 34.7 % prevalence of DF in urban areas when compared to 19.7% prevalence in rural areas of Rawalpindi
Conclusion: Dengue fever is more prevalent in urban areas of Rawalpindi
ABSTRACT
The source of Naegleria fowleri [N. fowleri] Infection is via direct contact with poorly chlorinated or contaminated water. It can easily be acquired during swimming or face wash with contaminated water through inhalation of Naegleria cysts. The mortality rate with N. fowleri or 'brain-eating amoeba1 has been estimated to be as high as 98%
The exact prevalence of N. fowleri infection in Pakistan cannot be assessed because of limited National data. The clinical manifestations usually mimic meningitis and hydrocephalous, thus, remained the main reason for under reporting of these cases
Therefore, there is a dire need to adopt proper diagnostic approaches through cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] microscopic examination and molecular detection by polymerization chain reaction [PCR] studies in all the suspected cases. Moreover an aggressive combination therapy with Amphotericin B, rifampicin and miconazole can be helpful to reduce the high mortality rate form the said infection
ABSTRACT
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To highlight one of the presentation of primary Dengue Viral Infection [DVI] as Pyrexia of Unknown Origin [PUO] in less than 18 years of age group
MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a Descriptive cross sectional study carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Rawalpindi Medical College and Allied Teaching Hospitals, Rawalpindi. A Simple Random Sampling procedure was adopted to collect the samples from Pediatric and Medicine Departments of RMC and Allied Teaching Hospitals, RWP. The sample size was 117 Samples based upon inclusion and exclusion criteria of study. The data was recorded on the bio data proformas and finally analyzed by SPSS version 16
The frequency of positive cases was calculated in terms of percentages. 3 Generation ELISA was used to assess the presence of anti- Dengue IgG antibodies
RESULTS: Out of total 117 PUO patients, 41 [35%] were found positive for IgG DEN 2 antibodies
CONCLUSION: Dengue viral infection can present as PUO. The results of this study will be helpful for the clinicians to consider DVI in their list of differential diagnosis of PUO
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aims and objectives of the study were to identify the patients with hereditary predisposition for thromboembolism and to assess the distribution of natural anticoagulants deficient in such patients
METHODS: It was a descriptive cross sectional study. A screening test ProC Global was carried out to detect deficiency of protein C or S and then susceptibility of protein C and protein S assays were carried out on the positive cases. The level of antithrombin and the screening test for factor V Leiden were carried out separately
RESULTS: A total of 264 patients were referred for ProC Global out of which 25 [39.0 %] were positive
The protein C was deficient in 3 patients detected by protein C assay and no patient was deficient in protein S. Antithrombin deficiency was detected in 16 out of 190 [8.4 %] patients and screening test for factor V Leiden was positive in three out of 30 [10 %] cases
CONCLUSION: Inherited thrombophilia is common in patients having a positive history of arterial or venous thrombosis
ABSTRACT
Objectives: to assess the variation in reference values of Hematological parameters i.e Hemoglobin [Hb], Total Leucocyte Count [TLC], Red Blood Cells [RBC] and Platelet Counts [PLT] in neonates of Rawalpindi and to compare with the Western literature
Subjects and methods: it was a descriptive study carried out at Hematology department of Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [AFIP], Rawalpindi. The duration of study was 6 months and non-probability sampling was adopted for consecutively selected 400 neonates. The sampling was done from MH, CMH, HFH and SBBH, Rawalpindi the blood samples were analyzed using Sysmex Kx-21 automated hematology analyzer for complete blood counts i.e Hb, TLC, RBC and PLT
Results: the mean reference values of RBC is 4.931012/l [SD= 0.54], TLC is 16 109 / l [SD=5.35] and Platelet Counts is 258.499109/l [SD=70.5]. These values were found to have higher values when compared to the Western literature. However, the reference value of Hb is 14g/dl [SD=2.5] was found to have lower values on comparison with the Western literature i.e 16.89 g/dl [SD=1.92]. The mean reference value of RBC according to Western study is 4.21012/l [SD=1.2], TLC is 12 109 / l [SD=7] and Platelet Counts is 200109/l [SD=50]
Conclusions: the reference values of hematological parameters in neonates are different from those implemented in our country [derived from the Western studies]. It is concluded that various maternal environmental, nutritional, ethnic, socioeconomic and cultural factors do affect the values of hematological parameter in neonate
ABSTRACT
Objective: to determine the reference values of PT and APTT amongst the healthy infants of < 1 year of age
Subjects and methods: it was a descriptive cross sectional study carried out at Hematology department of Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [AFIP], Rawalpindi. The Study duration was1 year and Non-probability convenience sampling was adopted for 2000 blood samples. The Sampling areas were MH, CMH, HFH and SBBH, Rawalpindi. The Data analysis was done by SPSS version 15. Mean, SD and percentages were the quantitative and qualitative variables used for statistical analysis. The PT value for clot formation was detected by the addition of thromboplastin reagent to plasma sample. While APTT value for clot formation was extracted by the addition of equal volume of phospholipid reagent and Kaolin suspension
Results: the mean PT value amongst males and female until 9 month of age has shown no significant difference. While at age 1year females have higher PT values i.e 15.13 sec. [SD=2.25] when compared to males i.e 14.22 sec. [SD=0.63]. However qualitative analysis has shown that 12- 15sec.was the frequently observed range in 95.15% [n=1903] infants. The mean APTT value was found to have same mean values for males and females. However, qualitative analysis has shown that 32-35 sec was the frequently observed range in 85% [n=1700] infants
Conclusion: the mean values of PT and APTT are almost same when compared to the adult values. They are not affected by the growing ages of an infant