Thyroid abscess due to Scedosporium apiospermum.

We report a case of thyroid abscess caused by Scedosporium apiospermum in a patient with cirrhosis of liver and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. To date, there are no reports of isolation of this fungus from thyroid abscess.

Renal function in SFD and AFD preterm babies.

Maturation of neonatal glomerular function as evidenced by serum creatinine and creatinine clearance was assessed in 15 preterm small for dates infants (Group I) and compared with values obtained in 15 preterm appropriate for date babies (Group II), on 3rd, 7th and 14th postnatal days. The mean gestational ages were 34.2 and 32.5 weeks and birth weights 1436 +/- 302g and 1752 +/- 422 g, respectively. The mean serum creatinine values in Group I were 1.40 +/- 0.28, 1.18 +/- 0.22 and 0.92 +/- 0.11 mg/dl and for Group II, 1.22 +/- 0.22, 1.01 +/- 0.24 and 0.82 +/- 0.17 mg/dl on days 3, 7 and 14, respectively. Glomerular filtration rates as evidenced by creatinine clearance were 16.08 +/- 3.53, 21.25 +/- 4.79 and 36.96 +/- 6.44 ml/min/1.73 m2 for Group I as compared to 21.38 +/- 6.65, 35.96 +/- 11.47 and 57.61 +/- 21.61 ml/min/1.73 m2 for Group II on these days, showing statistically significant (p < 0.001) increase in renal function in both the groups from days 3 to 14. Even though the serum creatinine values in the two groups were comparable at identical postnatal ages, creatinine clearance was shown to be statistically less (p < 0.05 on day 3, p < 0.001 on day 7 and p < 0.01 on day 14, respectively) in Group I as compared to Group II, thereby implying slower renal maturation in small for dates preterm babies.

Sub-clinical infection with Mycobacterium leprae in household contacts of leprosy.

870 household contacts of leprosy patients were examined for sub-clinical infection with M. leprae by smear (skin and nasal), lepromin and FLA-ABS tests. 0.6%, 3.3%, 71.5% and 14.4% of the contacts were found to be positive for skin smear, nasal smear, lepromin and FLA-ABS tests respectively. An analysis of the results revealed that 4% of the lepromin positive contacts and 3.6% of the lepromin negative contacts were positive to both FLA-ABS and skin or nasal smear.

Evaluation of levamisole, an immunopotentiator, in the treatment of lepromatous leprosy.

Twenty subpolar lepromatous leprosy patients under multidrug therapy for a period of 1 to 3 years, who continued to be bacteriologically positive (BI 2 to 1 in Dharmendra's grade) were taken in the study. Ten cases (trial group) were given levamisole as an immuno-stimulator for 1 year along with chemotherapy. Another 10 cases (control group) continued to take chemotherapy alone. There was no conversion of Mitsuda reactivity in any of the cases from both the groups. There was no improvement of leucocyte migration inhibition in either group. In both trial and control groups, statistically significant clinical and bacteriological improvements and increase of E. rosette counts are found at the end of one year. However, only the bacteriological improvement in the trial showed statistical significance, when the improvements were compared with those of the control group. No adverse effect due to levamisole therapy was encountered.