Frequency and seasonal variation of plasmodium species in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

To determine the frequency of malaria and seasonal variation of Plasmodium species in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Descriptive study. Department of Pathology Combined Military Hospital [CMH], Bannu, from 1[st] January 2010 to 31[st] December 2011. Five thousand eight hundred and seventy eight [5878] patients with symptoms of fever, nausea, malaise and body aches irrespective of age and gender were included in the study. Samples were collected, thin and thick smears of the samples were prepared and stained with Giemsa's stain. Thick film was used for screening for malarial parasites and species identification was done on thin smears. Out of 5878 patients, 1692 [28.8%] were found to be positive for malaria. Of them 1524 [90%] had Plasmodium vivax infection, while 199 [7.0%] patients were infected with Plasmodium falciparum, 49 [3.0%] of the patients were infected with both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. Plasmodium vivax was most common in the months of August 203 [12.3%] patients, September 235 [14.3%] patients and October 317 [20%], whereas Plasmodium falciparum infection was most common in the months of October 34 [28.6%] patients, November 19 [16%] patients and December 30 [25.2%] patients. Malaria is an endemic infectious disease in Pakistan, in the Southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas of North and South Waziristan. It is prevalent throughout the year and most noticeably from May to November

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A levels in individuals with and without coronary artery disease

To compare pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A [PAPP-A] levels in individuals with and without coronary artery disease [CAD]. Cross-sectional comparative study. Department of Chemical Pathology and Endocrinology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [AFIP], Rawalpindi, in collaboration with Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology [AFIC], from September 2008 to March 2010. One hundred and twenty five [125] individuals both male and female were included in the study. Blood for PAPP-A and lipid profile was collected, just before angiography. On the basis of angiography, the individuals were divided into those with and without CAD. PAPP-A was analyzed by using Diagnostic System Laboratories [DSL] Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay [ELISA] kit and reading was taken by ELISA reader. Lipid profile was determined on automated analyzers Selectra-2 and Vitros 5.1. Amongst the 125 individuals, 41 individuals were without CAD whereas 84 individuals were having CAD. Mean PAPP-A levels were 0.74 +/- 0.35 mIU/L in those without CAD whereas mean PAPP-A levels in those with CAD were 1.35 +/- 0.57 mIU/L. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant [p < 0.001]. A PAPP-A cut off level of 0.85 mIU/L had a sensitivity and specificity of 78% and 70% respectively for diagnosing atherosclerotic CAD. PAPP-A is a potentially relevant marker of the presence and extent of coronary atherosclerosis as its levels are elevated in CAD as compared to individuals without CAD