ABSTRACT
A stool survey was carried out in some of the villages of Dadraul and Bhawal Khera PHC's of district Shahjahanpur (Uttar Pradesh). Out of 381 individuals examined 111 (29.2 per cent) were found positive for one or the other intestinal parasite. Ascaris lumbricoides superseded all the parasites by showing a positivity of 17.85 percent. Other parasites found were Hookworm, Hymenolepis nana, Tapeworm, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, Entamoeba histolytica, E. coli and Giardia lamblia. Parasitic load was slightly higher in females (33.59 per cent) than males (28.18 per cent). The highest positivity was encountered in the age groups between 6 to 14 years. This high prevalence of intestinal parasites may be due to the lack of awareness about personal cleanliness and hygiene and illiteracy among rural women. Majority of them had helminthic infections. It is concluded that in rural areas of district Shahjahanpur intestinal helminthic infections are more prevalent that protozoan infections.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Child , Child, Preschool , Feces/parasitology , Female , Helminthiasis/epidemiology , Humans , India/epidemiology , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Rural Health , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
Night blood survey was carried out during May, 1990 to December, 1991 in 18 villages of 5 Primary Health Centres of district Shahjahanpur (UP), to find out the prevalence of filariasis in the area. Out of 2141 individuals surveyed randomly, 217 were found positive for microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti. The microfilaria rate, filarial disease rate and filarial endemicity rates were 10.1, 11.4 and 18.8 per cent respectively. An entomological survey revealed Culex quinquefasciatus as the vector. The average man hour density was 25.8. It is clear from the results that filariasis is more endemic in rural areas than urban area of Shahjahanpur as observed by local filariasis control unit.
Subject(s)
Animals , Blood Specimen Collection , Elephantiasis, Filarial/epidemiology , Female , Filariasis/epidemiology , Humans , India/epidemiology , Male , Prevalence , Rural Population , Time Factors , Wuchereria bancrofti/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
Humoral immune response of normal rhesus monkeys was studied after giving a standard dose of primaquine. The drug did not effect the level of complement (C3) and its haemolytic activity. Levels of Immunoglobulin i.e. IgG, IgM & IgA and number of immunoglobulin secreting cells also remained unaffected. Results of this study suggested that primaquine did not suppress the immune status of the host and could be given safely to the malaria patients.
Subject(s)
Animals , Antibody Formation/drug effects , Complement C3/chemistry , Complement Hemolytic Activity Assay , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Immunoglobulins/blood , Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects , Macaca mulatta , Monocytes/drug effects , Primaquine/administration & dosageABSTRACT
In an endemic area relapse and reinfection in Plasmodium vivax cases poses serious problems for the malaria control program. We have studied the relapse/reinfection patterns of P. vivax infection in 26 villages of District Shahjahanpur, a malaria endemic area of UP, India for a period of four years (May, 1986 to October, 1988). All the P. vivax cases were given a complete course of radical treatment and were followed-up for relapse/reinfection. There were 8,914, 2,484, 1,439 and 883 P. vivax cases in 1986, 1987 and 1989 respectively, our of which 2,066, 141, 58 and 18 cases in the respective years showed relapse/reinfection. The maximum number of relapse/reinfection was recorded from a 47 year old male patient, who suffered from P. vivax infection eight times. The percentage occurrence of relapse/reinfection was much higher (70.2%) in males compared with females (29.8%). Relapses were more common among 16-30 years old patients. In conclusion it was felt that in 1986 relapse/reinfection in vivax cases was higher due to improper treatment of these cases. This situation may have occurred due to lack of awareness among the public, poor surveillance by the National Malaria Program or higher density of the vector mosquitos in the area.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Drug Administration Schedule , Female , Humans , Incidence , India/epidemiology , Malaria, Vivax/drug therapy , Male , Middle Aged , Recurrence , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
The effect of primaquine on the cellular immune responses (lymphocyte subpopulations and their proliferative responses with PHA, Con-A and LPS, and phagocytosis by monocytes) of normal rhesus monkeys was studied under both in-vivo and in-vitro conditions. When the lymphocytes and monocytes from normal animals were treated in-vitro with primaquine, at concentration normally attainable during therapy, a significant inhibition in blastogenic response of lymphocytes and phagocytic capacity of monocytes was noticed after 4 hours of treatment. In contrast, the in-vivo effect of primaquine treatment on these cells was innocuous. From this study it is clear that the primaquine does not act as an immunosuppresant and can be given safely to any type of malaria patient.
Subject(s)
Animals , Immunity, Cellular/drug effects , Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects , Lymphocyte Subsets/drug effects , Macaca mulatta , Monocytes/drug effects , Phagocytosis/drug effects , Primaquine/adverse effectsABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to examine the comparative efficacy of sucralfate and ranitidine in the treatment of duodenal ulcer. Sixty-six patients with endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer were studied in a 4-6 weeks randomised, single blind trial comparing sucralfate 1 gm T.D.S. one hour before meal and 1 gm nocte (34 pts) with ranitidine 300 mg nocte (32 pts). Six patients (four on sucralfate and 2 on ranitidine) failed to complete the study. Endoscopy after four weeks of treatment showed an ulcer healing rate of 57% in the sucralfate group compared with 73% in ranitidine group (p greater than 0.1). At six weeks these figures had risen to 87% and 90% respectively (p less than 0.5). After one year followup study 69% of sucralfate treated ulcers relapsed whereas the relapse rate was 82% in ranitidine treated ulcer group (p less than 0.1). It was observed that the relapse was earlier in the ranitidine group as compared to sucralfate group (p less than 0.01 at 3 months and p less than 0.05 at 6 months). Asymptomatic recurrence was seen in 15% (6/40) patients. Sucralfate was not only as effective as ranitidine in short term healing of duod. ulcer but also delayed the relapse of ulcer in long term followup after initial healing with the drug.
Subject(s)
Acute Disease , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Duodenal Ulcer/drug therapy , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Ranitidine/administration & dosage , Recurrence , Single-Blind Method , Sucralfate/administration & dosage , Wound HealingABSTRACT
Three cases of cerebral malaria during pregnancy are described. One patient had intrauterine foetal death and died, one patient delivered a dead baby and the other had severe postpartum haemorrhage. Cerebral malaria worsens the outlook both for the mother and for the foetus.
Subject(s)
Adult , Animals , Brain Diseases/diagnosis , Developing Countries , Female , Fetal Death/etiology , Humans , India , Malaria/diagnosis , Plasmodium falciparum , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications/diagnosisABSTRACT
Various pernicious syndromes in Plasmodium falciparum infection are being reported with increasing frequency from tropical countries. A rare case of fatal pancytopenia associated with falciparum malaria is described. The patient developed fulminant aspiration bronchopneumonia which was unresponsive to antibiotic therapy and contributed to the development of adult respiratory distress syndrome. He also had severe uncontrolled gastrointestinal bleeding and possibly an intracerebral haemorrhage. Anaemia and thrombocytopenia are well known in malaria but severe leucopenia is very rare and pancytopenia has not been reported.