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Background: Rubella infection occurring during early pregnancy results in congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). WHO estimates that worldwide more than 100,000 children are born with CRS each year and most of them are in the developing countries. For assessing population immunity against rubella, sero-surveys are generally recommended among adolescent girls and reproductive age female. In India, sero-surveys conducted by different authors have indicated that about 10-30% of adolescent females are susceptible to rubella infection. Adolescent girls are selected because they are at a critical stage of child bearing age and their immunity against Rubella infection is the particular area of interest. objective of this study was to estimate the sero-prevalence of unvaccinated adolescent girls susceptible to Rubella virus infection attending a tertiary care hospital of Patna and then accordingly counsel for vaccination.Methods: A total 150 adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years who had not received MMR vaccine were included in the study. Serum IgG antibody titer for rubella was estimated by the ELISA method.Results: A total 65.33% of the adolescent girls were found to be rubella seropositive and (34.67%) were seronegative. The urban adolescent girls had a higher seropositivity of 85.2% as compared to rural adolescent girls.Conclusions: The study indicates that a substantial number of adolescents (34.67%) are seronegative and hence susceptible to rubella infection.
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Background: This study aimed at assessing prevailing pattern and risk factors of tobacco consumption among health care workers of tertiary care centre, in Faridabad.Methods: A cross-sectional approach was used. A sample of 306 participants included housekeeping and nursing orderly. Participants were interviewed during their lunch time. Semi structured questionnaire was used for data collection.Results: The overall prevalence of tobacco use was found to be 42.8% (n=306), of which (30.7%) prevalence among housekeeping’s compared to nursing orderlies (12.7%). The consumption of smokeless tobacco was higher among housekeeping staff. Khaini (45%) was the main consumption type, followed by hookah (21%) and cigarettes (19.5%) among the current tobacco user (n=133). The consumption of tobacco was found to be associated with gender (male), education, and nature of job (designation) at the hospital setting.Conclusions: Tobacco use is very common in hospital staff in Faridabad as reflected by results of our study. We should build on success encountered in banning smoking in educational institutions and healthcare facilities. This is important for their health and also overall health of patients also as they can influence the behaviour of people that surrounds them.
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Background: Rabies being a preventable disease with no treatment available once onset starts but can be easily prevented by post-exposure among all animal bite victims. So it is essential to take the full course of vaccination for complete protection.Methods: The present study was a hospital based cross sectional study and was carried out in rural health training centre in Maner, Patna.Results: Our study included 340 patients who attended anti rabies clinic for post exposure prophylaxis. Among them 65% were children (<15 years) comprising mostly males (69%) and mostly of category III exposure. Direct cost of post exposure vaccination when compared with the cost of pre exposure prophylaxis is one-third (approx).Conclusions: Compliance to anti-rabies vaccination for post-exposure prophylaxis is still low and they are still at risk of developing rabies. Reasons being irregular supply of vaccine and immunoglobulin in government hospitals, loss of wages, forgotten dates, cost incurred to buy from outside and distance from the hospital if referred to other centre. Seeing the current scenario, planning and prioritizing areas to achieve our goal and lessen economic burden is need of the hour. We infer that pre exposure prophylaxis may be a cost effective strategy which can aid in the control and elimination of rabies in endemic settings.
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Background: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is caused by a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that weakensthe immune system, making the body susceptible to gracious diseases that often lead to death. The prevailing mode of HIVtransmission is through heterosexual contact, followed in magnitude by perinatal transmission, where the mother passes thevirus to the child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding.Aims and Objective: This study was conducted to determine the extent of knowledge, attitude, and awareness about variousaspects of HIV/AIDS among the 1st year MBBS students studying at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna.Materials and Methods: An observational cross- sectional study was carried out among 1st year MBBS students in the agegroup of 17-24 years of regular batch in the year 2018 studying at IGIMS, Patna. All 100 1st year MBBS students were enrolledin the study. The information was collected from them using a pre-designed, semi-structured questionnaire. All data werecompiled and tabulated in Microsoft Excel 2013 software, and descriptive statistics were analyzed using EPI info data analysisV7.2.0.1 in the form of percentages and proportions. P ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The comparison ofthe responses among male and female students was performed using Chi-square test.Result: A total of 100 students were included in this study. Among these, 68 (68%) were boys and 32 (32%) were girls. Amongall of the study participants, majority of 97% of students have heard about HIV/AIDS. About 90% of students agreed that awoman can get HIV if she has anal sex with a man. Majority of 92% of respondents agreed that antiretroviral drugs cure HIV/AIDS. Some participants, 22%, agreed that a person can get HIV by sitting in a hot tub or a swimming pool with a personwho has HIV. About majority of 92% of students agreed that patients with HIV/AIDS need to be nursed separately from otherpatients and a pregnant woman with HIV can give the virus to her unborn baby. Media (94%) was the present leading sourceof information of participants regarding the present knowledge about HIV/AIDS.Conclusion: There is a necessity to consider the basic knowledge of the students about HIV/AIDS and accessible the misinterpretationregarding the disease by the medical educators. The knowledge about HIV/AIDS is crucial for all health-care professionals.
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Introduction: The local patterns of fungal isolates from clinical specimens may change with time and geographical area and it is important to be familiar with recent local trends in order to improve diagnosis. Objective: The local patterns of fungal isolates from clinical specimens of suspected superficial mycosis was studied in a tertiary care centre in Orissa between 2009 - 2011. Material and Methods: Mycological examinations of 311 materials sampled from various sites in patients with suspected superficial mycosis was done by KOH wet mount and culture. Results: A total of 311 specimens were sent for mycological study . Out of 217 specimens of suspected superficial mycosis, Trichophyton (68.42%) was the most frequently isolated genus,with T. rubrum (62.82%) as the most common species, followed by the T. mentagrophytes (29.48%) . T. schoenlenii was responsible for 18.75% of T. pedis and 38.4% of T. capitis cases. T. tonsurans was responsible for 50% of T. barbae and 23.8% T. cruris cases. Out of the other 94 specimens , Aspergillus (35.1%) was the most frequently isolated genus , with A. fumigates (57.57%) as the most common species; followed by Candida (17.02%) in which C. tropicalis (31.25%) was the most commonly isolated species followed by C. albicans (25%). Conclusions : An evident change in the spectrum of fungal isolates causing superficial mycosis has been observed with T. schoenlenii and T. tonsurans emerging as a causative agent of T. pedis , T. capitis and T. barbae and T. cruris respectively. There is a decrease in the relative frequency of C. albicans and increase in Candida tropicalis causing superficial fungal infections.