Mycological and serological study of pulmonary aspergillosis in central India.

PURPOSE: To study the prevalence and predisposing factors of Aspergillus infection and correlate microscopic, culture and serological findings along with drug sensitivity. METHODS: Sputum samples from 123 patients of pulmonary disease with clinical suspicion of having fungal, especially Aspergillus infections, were examined microscopically and for culture. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of itraconazole was tested against the isolates. Serum samples from these patients were tested for precipitin against Aspergillus antigen using immunodiffusion (ID) technique. RESULTS: Aspergillus species were isolated in 20 (16.26%) cases and Aspergillus fumigatus was the predominant species isolated in 16 (80%) cases. Precipitins were detected in 29 (23.58%) cases. Serum samples collected from 50 healthy individuals to serve as controls showed no precipitin against Aspergillus antigen galactomannan. This fungus was found to be sensitive to itraconazole with MIC range 0.125-1microg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Serological tests have an edge over routine smear and culture methods for the diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis. Itraconazole is more effective than amphotericin B and fluconazole in the treatment of aspergillosis.

Haemolytic Escherichia coli in etiopathogenesis of pyelonephritis in rats--an experimental study.

Of the 26 urinary E. coli strains employed in the present study, 16 were haemolytic and 10 were non haemolytic in character. Of the 16 haemolytic strains injected through the exposed femoral vein of the rats, 12 showed the lesions of pyelitis, pyelonephritis and proliferation of glomerular tuft while 2 showed only the lesions of pyelitis and pyelonephritis. It was interesting to note that none of the nonhaemolytic strains produced any lesion in the animal. The data demonstrated a positive correlationship between haemolytic activity of E. coli and pyelonephritis in rats.

Evaluation of cell mediated immunity in healthy contacts of leprosy.

The cell mediated immunity (CMI) was studied in 50 healthy contacts of leprosy patients and 50 age & sex matched non-contact controls by lepromin test and leucocyte migration inhibition (LMI) test using phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and lepromin and its association with other risk factors in contacts was assessed. The lepromin positivity correlated well with LMI results. There was no difference in CMI in I, II and III degree of contacts. Amongst direct contacts lepromin test was positive in 67 per cent as compared to 92 per cent in indirect contacts while in LMIT migration index (MI) was significantly increased (0.66 +/- 0.20) in direct contacts. MI was also significantly increased (0.73 +/- 0.20) contacts of less than two years duration which decreased to 0.51 +/- 0.18 in contacts of more than five years duration. Lepromin positivity also increased from 60 per cent to 100 per cent in these contacts. The specific CMI was significantly suppressed in contacts of LL patients (MI:0.74 +/- 0.21) and BL patients (MI: 0.61 +/- 0.01) as compared to healthy controls. B.C.G. vaccinated individuals showed better CMI response. The findings in the study showed specific unresponsiveness to lepromin in LMI in leprosy contacts of less than two years duration, direct contacts, contacts of lepromatous spectrum of index patients and contacts not vaccinated with B.C.G. emphasizing that CMI status is an important parameter in identifying the contact population at the greater risk of acquiring leprosy.