ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Dengue virus (DENV) transmission is known to be influenced by the environmental conditions. During 2017, the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) tested 78,744 suspected dengue fever (DF) patients, of whom, 21,260 were laboratory confirmed. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the hypothesis that spatial heterogeneity existed for DF patients and to identify significant determinants of DENV transmission in various districts across the Indian States during 2017. Methods: Laboratory confirmed DF cases were analysed from 402 districts spread across the Indian States. The determinants for DF transmission included in the model were population density, proportion of population living in rural areas, proportion o f forest cover area to the total geographical area, proportion of persons not able to read and write and who were aged greater than seven years; the climatic variables considered were minimum, maximum and average temperature, precipitation and cumulative rainfall. The spatial heterogeneity was assessed using spatial regression analysis. Results: DF cases showed strong spatial dependency, with Moran's I=4.44 (P <0.001). The robust measure for spatial lag (6.55; P=0.01) was found to be the best model fit for the data set. Minimum temperature and cumulative rainfall were significant predictors. Interpretation & conclusions: A significant increase in the number of dengue cases has occurred when the minimum temperature was 23.0-25.8癈 and the cumulative rainfall 118.14-611.64 mm across the Indian districts. Further in-depth investigations incorporating more number of demographic, ecological and socio-economic factors would be needed for robust conclusions.
ABSTRACT
Primary intraosseous carcinoma (PIOC) that arises from the epithelial lining of odontogenic cyst is a rare entity that represents about 1-2% of all oral and maxillofacial carcinoma. In particular, PIOC arising from keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) is rare when compared with such occurrence in other odontogenic cysts such as radicular cyst, residual cyst, and dentigerous cyst. Th e following case report discusses a case of squamous cell carcinoma arising from parakeratinized KCOT associated with impacted mandibular canine in a 43-year-old male patient with a complaint of painful swelling in the mandible. A review of reported cases from 1981 of PIOC arising from KCOT alone is also included.
ABSTRACT
A total of 1377 tribals, comprising Irulas (536), Paniyas (196), Kurumbas (87), Mullukrurumbas (156) and Soligas (402), living in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India were studied for sickle cell trait between 1981-85. Patients attending various tribal clinics at Arayure, Kozhikarai, Kothagiri and Biligiri Rengan hills for various ailments were screened at random by solubility test and by acetate paper electrophoresis, if required. HbAS carrier frequency was 30-37.8 per cent in all the tribals studied except Kurumbas (19.5%). The frequency of carriers were more (37.8%) on the western part of Nilgiris (Nedungode, Kappala and adjoining regions) than the eastern part (30%). Further, the prevalence of carriers was higher (47-49%) in the 10-19 yr age group amongst Paniyas and Mullukurumbas living in the western part of Nilgiris. An episodic, epidemic of malaria so rampant during the early part of this century in the western parts of Nilgiris might have eliminated many children with HbAA and hence the higher frequency of HbAS in this particular age group.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Anemia, Sickle Cell/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , India/epidemiology , Infant , Random Allocation , Sickle Cell Trait/epidemiologyABSTRACT
We conducted a case control study to identify the risk factors for death among hospitalized children with acute pneumonia at the Institute of Child Health, Madras. All the 70 patients who died of pneumonia constituted the case--patients and 140 children recovered from pneumonia, selected by systematic sampling, during the same period served as controls. By univariate analysis, the risk factors for death in pneumonia observed were associated illnesses--Odds Ratio (OR) 22.2. (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.8-51.4; p = < 0.001); congenital anomalies--OR 10.4 (2.9-37.8; p = < 0.001); severe pneumonia--OR 4.2 (1.2-14.4; p = 0.09); marasmic status--OR 2.9 (1.5-5.7; p = 0.001); age under 6 months--OR 2.8 (1.3-5.7; p = 0.004); and severity of the pneumonia (lobar versus segmental)--OR 2.0 (0.9-4.5; p = 0.09). By logistic regression analysis the following risk factors were significant--associated illnesses. (51.6; 18-146.9; p = < 0.001); age under 6 months (6.5; 2-20.6; p = < 0.001), marasmic status (5.8; 2.2-15.6; p = < 0.001); and congenital anomalies (3.8; 2.0-7.1; p = < 0.001). These risk factors should be kept in mind by the clinicians for appropriate intervention at an earlier stage to minimize death.