Bioactivities of extracts from the marine sponge Halichondria panicea

In the present study, we screened the biological activity of extracts from the marine sponge Halichondria panicea collected in the Arabian Sea. Crude toxin was obtained by methanol, chloroform-methanol (2:1) and aqueous extraction. Subsequently, the protein concentration of each crude extract was determined. The impact of both sponge methanolic and aqueous extracts was found to increase activities of Na+-K+ ATP-ase and Mg++ ATP-ase. In the case of chloroform-methanol extract, higher concentrations increased acetylcholine esterase (AchE) activity. The methanolic and chloroform-methanol extracts exhibited hemolytic activity on chicken and human erythrocytes, whereas the aqueous extract failed to do so. Methanol and aqueous extracts produced an immunostimulating effect and all extracts revealed angiogenic activity. The aqueous extract yielded nine bands by SDS-PAGE on 12% gel.(AU)

Breast filariasis diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology--a case report.

We report a case of female who presented with a lump in the right breast. Fine needle aspiration cytology of lump revealed numerous adult filarial worms. Common habitat of the adult filarial worms is the lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes of limbs and their occurrence in breast is uncommon.

Helicobacter pylori and recurrent pain abdomen.

OBJECTIVE: Pain abdomen is a common problem in childhood. Many factors i.e., organic changes in the gut, psychological and environment contribute to recurrent pain abdomen (RAP) in children. Helicobacter pylori infects children very early in childhood and stays indefinitely in the gut without its eradication. It may be responsible for pain abdomen and peptic ulcers in children. This study was done to assess the HP status in children with RAP diagnosed and evaluate the effects of eradication of HP infection in them. METHODS: 76 children were included in the study. RESULT: Out of 76 children studied 14.8% had evidence of a secondary cause for pain abdomen and responded to appropriate therapy. 65.45% of children who had undergone UGIE, had evidence of HP infection in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Most of these children responded to HP eradication therapy by becoming free of abdominal pain after the eradication therapy with OCA or OMA regimen. We could not do repeated endoscopies in all of them to prove the eradication due to parents' refusal and this is the main drawback of this study. CONCLUSION: However, in view of clinical response to HP eradication therapy in almost all the cases, we strongly advocate this therapy for those children with RAP, in whom HP infection of the upper gastrointestinal tract can be established beyond doubt.

Long-term outcome in coma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between Modified Glasgow Coma Scale, its components, brain stem reflexes and long term functional outcome in children with acute non-traumatic coma. METHOD: MGCS and brainstem reflexes were assessed at 6 hourly intervals for 72 hours from the time of admission. The children were followed up regularly and functional outcome was assessed at the end of 9 months. The lowest score of the MGCS and worst brain stem reflexes were used for the analysis. RESULTS: Higher total MGCS score and verbal response score had a significant positive correlation with better functional outcome as measured by GOS and intelligence quotient. There was no association between the language function and the initial MGCS, its components and brain stem reflexes. Lower verbal response (P = 0.005) was the only factor that was found to be individually associated with poorer long term GOS score and intelligence quotient by multivariate linear regression analysis. CONCLUSION: In the long term prediction of outcome in acute non-traumatic coma, MGCS is not useful. However, verbal response, a component of MGCS, correlates well with long term functional outcome and intelligence quotient.

Role of Glasgow Coma Scale in pediatric nontraumatic coma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between Modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS), its components and survival in children with acute coma. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Tertiary care referral hospital. PATIENTS: Consecutive children (n = 270) with acute nontraumatic coma between 2 months to 12 years. METHODOLOGY: MGCS and brainstem reflexes were assessed at 6 hourly intervals for 72 hours from the time of admission. The lowest score of the MGCS and worst brain stem reflexes were used for the analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Survival. RESULTS: Total score (Spearman rank correlation coefficient IRI = O.577, ocular response (IRI = O.641), motor response (IRI = O.729), verbal response (lRI = 0.608), brain stem response (lRI = O.843) were all found to be associated with adverse outcome. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that ocular response and motor response were individually predictive of short-term outcome. CONCLUSION: A score incorporating the brain stem reflexes, ocular response and motor response in the assessment and prognostication of comatose patients needs to be evaluated.

Congenital leukaemia in Down Syndrome--a case report.

A 17 days old male infant, who had features of Down Syndrome, presented with fever, refusal to feed and seizures. He had papular, crusted skin lesions, moderate hepatosplenomegaly and a rapid downhill course. Peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate showed features of acute leukaemia. Congenital Leukaemia is a rare malignancy associated with a very poor prognosis. Paradoxically, many cases of Congenital Leukaemia, especially in infants with Down Syndrome, show spontaneous remission.

Social status of the rural girl child in Tamil Nadu.

OBJECTIVE: The social status of the girl child in school age was assessed in a village in Tamil Nadu applying both qualitative and quantitative methods. METHODS: The home milieu was taken as the social context for the study purpose since home is the first societal unit a child comes into contact with. The various issues considered to study the social status were (1) Gender preference in having children (2) Nutrition and health care given to them (3) Importance given to their education (4) Activity pattern in daily life (5) Attitude of the community towards (a) girl child after menarche and (b) marriage. RESULT: In the study village, although there was desire to have sons, a girl child is not ignored. The value of having a girl in the family was appreciated. There was no gender discrimination in giving nutrition and health care. However the workload in girls was found to be marginally higher than in boys. The educational status of girls was lower than that of boys in terms of school enrollment and attendance. But menarche, was not an important cause of the lower educational status of girls. In the sociocultural context of the study village the priority in a girl's life during school going age was marriage. Soon after attaining puberty in a girl's life during school going age was marriage, not education and this perhaps reveals the lesser importance given to a girl's education by the community. CONCLUSION: The need of the hour is to improve her educational status by changing the attitude of the community so that a girl child's priority in her school age is not marriage but education.

Diphtheria due to non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae: A report of two cases.

Diseases due to non-toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae are being increasingly reported. These diseases have been found to occur in vaccinated individuals. We report two cases of diphtheria with myocarditis and polyneuritis caused by non-toxigenic strains of C. diphtheriae. The virulence factors of this organism and the pitfalls in diagnosis have also been discussed.

Tuberculin reactivity in healthy school children in Pondicherry.

Five hundred healthy school children in the age group 5-9 years underwent tuberculin testing. Seventy nine per cent of the study population had a BCG scar. 9.2% children were found to be suffering from malnutrition, using the Quetlet's Index and 7.8% were found to be malnourished by weight for age method. 18.6% of the children were tuberculin positive (induration > or = 10 mm) and the prevalence of tuberculin positivity increased with age. The numbers of tuberculin reactors or the mean tuberculin reaction were not affected by malnutrition. BCG scar status neither affected the mean tuberculin size nor the number of tuberculin reactors.

Acute pulmonary edema as a complication of anti-snake venom therapy.

Polyvalent Anti-snake Venom (ASV) is a life-saving antivenin for severe envenomation due to snake bite in India. ASV infusion is occasionally associated with severe allergic reactions, i.e. anaphylaxis and death. We report a rare instance of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema due to ASV infusion in an eleven years old boy.

Perinephric abscess due to Aspergillus fumigatus.

Invasive aspergillosis is rare in healthy children. Severe systemic complications due to aspergillosis may be seen in AIDS patients with severe neutropenia and macrophage dysfunction.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare condition in children associated with immunodeficiency, life threatening infections and malignancy. Infection associated hemophagocytosis responds well to appropriate antimicrobioal therapy and rarely to steroids when the infective agent is suspected to be of viral origin.

Intestinal geohelminthiasis in the developing world.

Intestinal parasitic helminths such as roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), hookworms (Ancylostoma doudenale and Necator americanus) and whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) are common in the developing world. Strongyloides stercoralis, though not so common, also contributes to health problems. The prevalence of intestinal worm infestation in India varies from 5% to 76%, which is similar to that in other developing countries. These parasitic infestations are acquired by ingestion, inhalation or penetration of the skin by the infective forms. Ascaris causes many intestinal and respiratory symptoms and plays an important role in precipitating protein-energy malnutrition in undernourished children. Hookworms cause anaemia and hypoproteinaemia. In areas where hookworm infestation is endemic, 90% of pregnant mothers are anaemic. Trichuriasis as a causative agent of human disease has only recently gained attention. Heavy infestation with T. trichiura can result in severe colitis and significant blood loss. This in turn can lead to impaired cognitive functions which are reversible on treatment. Though not as widely prevalent as the other geohelminths in India, Strongyloides stercoralis infestation can be fatal in debilitated and immunosuppressed children. So far, the impact of these parasites on the health of children has been underestimated and concentrated efforts to minimize the worm load and its consequences have not been given due importance in our health policies. This article reviews the pathophysiology, clinical impact and control options of the most commonly prevalent geohelminths in the developing world.

Use of serum bactericidal activity in assessing previous antibiotic therapy in acute lower respiratory tract infection in children.

Bactericidal activity in sera of children with acute lower respiratory tract infection was assayed to determine its effect on the outcome of blood culture. Parental reporting of prior antibiotic therapy was also determined. 14.4% of samples without serum bactericidal activity yielded pathogens from blood culture, whereas only 2.4% of samples with serum bactericidal activity yielded pathogens. A statistically significant correlation was found between isolation of pathogens by blood culture and serum bactericidal activity. Parental reporting could not be relied upon as there was no positive correlation.