ABSTRACT
Purpose: Pityriasis versicolor (PV) is a chronic superficial fungal disease caused by Malassezia species. Our aim was to identify Malassezia species from PV patients and healthy individuals in Punjab. Materials and Methods: Modified Dixon agar was used as isolation culture medium. Identification was based on morphological observation and biochemical evaluation. The biochemical evaluation consisted of culture onto Sabouraud dextrose agar, catalase reaction, Tween assimilation, Cremophor EL assimilation, splitting of esculin and growth at 38 0 C. Results: Out of 58 microscopically diagnosed cases of PV, growth was obtained from 54 (93.10%) cases. The most frequently isolated species were M. globosa, M. sympodialis and M. furfur which made up 51.79%, 31.42% and 18.51% of the isolated etiological agents respectively. However, the major isolate from the back of healthy individuals was M. sympodialis (47.61%), followed by M.obtusa (19.04%), M. globosa (14.20%), M. furfur (9.52%), M. pachydermatis (4.76%) and M. slooffiae (4.76%). Conclusions: M. globosa in its mycelial phase was the main etiological agent, but as normal flora from the back of healthy subjects, it was found in significantly less number (P = 0.01), suggesting that the higher pathogenicity of M. globosa in terms of enzymatic endowment, might be the cause of its predominance in PV lesions.
ABSTRACT
A study was undertaken to detennine the point prevalence rates of major rheumatic disorders in Jammu (J&K). WHO-ILAR COPCORD CCQ (World Health Organisation-International League Against Rhewnatism Community Oriented PrograImne for the Control of Rhewnatic Diseases Core Questionnaire) was used followed by clinical examination for the diagnostic purposes. About one-fourth of the population surveyed in this study had rheumatic complaints. LBA was the most frequently encountered rheumatic ailment.
ABSTRACT
Fifty cases of idiopathic epilepsy and 25 age and sex matched normal healthy controls were studied. There was a significant fall in serum magnesium levels in idiopathic epilepsy on day one and 4 of the seizures (P < 0.01) as compared to controls, and was not decreased significantly on day 7 of the seizures (P < 0.05). The fall was maximum in status epilepticus and severe epilepsy than in mild and moderate epilepsy. Serum magnesium took less time to come back to normal in mild and moderate epilepsy than in other types. This shows that serum magnesium does have a prognostic significance. Lesser the fall in the magnesium levels, less frequent were the convulsions and vice versa. It is concluded that serum magnesium continues to be a sensitive early diagnostic index of idiopathic epilepsy.