Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus among patients at a tertiary health care centre in Rajasthan, India

Background: To ascertain the prevalence of Hepatitis C infection among patients visiting a tertiary care center in Jaipur, Rajasthan.Methods: An observation analytic study was done at a tertiary care center affiliated to Medical College with retrospective analysis of the hospital data of two calendar years. During this period HCV infection screening (anti-HCV) was offered to every suspected patient admitted in hospital and every pregnant women visiting antenatal care clinic.Results: The study prevalence of HCV infection was 0.05% (13/25311). The prevalence was more in female (0.03%) than male (0.02%). The study prevalence of anti-HCV among pregnant female was 0.02% (3/16224). Maximum positive cases (4/13, 30.77% positive cases) were in the age group of 21-30 years (sexually active group) and >50 years age group while minimum positivity was found in children (00 case, 0-20 years age).Conclusions: In this study, prevalence of HCV infection was 0.05%. The study prevalence of HCV among pregnant females was 0.02%. Maximum positive cases (4/13, 30.77% positive cases) were in the age group of >50 years and 21-30 years. This study aids in view to strengthen proper screening for HCV infection to reduce HCV related morbidity and mortality

Human immunodeficiency virus and HBV co-infection: independent entities, together by coincidence?

Background: To ascertain the prevalence of HBV among HIV-infected, treatment- naïve patients visiting a tertiary care centre in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.Methods: An observation analytic study was done at a tertiary care centre affiliated to medical college with retrospective analysis of the hospital data of 30 calendar months. During this period routine diagnostic screening of HIV infection and HBV infection was offered to every suspected patient admitted in hospital and every pregnant woman visiting antenatal care clinic. Patients with documentary evidence of HIV infection and history of Hepatitis B vaccination in last 30 days are not screened for these infections at our centre. The HIV screening was done as per NACO guidelines. The HBV screening was done using commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits (ELISA) for detection of surface antigen (HBsAg).Results: The study prevalence of HIV infection was 0.11% (40/35289). The prevalence was more in male (0.45%) than females (0.06%). HBV was not detected in any of the HIV positive patient in this study. The study prevalence of HIV among pregnant females was 0.05% (10/22026).Conclusions: In this study, prevalence of HIV infection was 0.11%. The study prevalence of HIV among pregnant females was 0.05%. Other than pregnant women, maximum positive cases (13/30, 43.33% positive cases) were in the age group of 25-34 years (sexually active group). No patient had HIV and HBV co-infection.

Comparative mode of action of some terpene compounds against octopamine receptor and acetyl cholinesterase of mosquito and human system by the help of homology modeling and Docking studies.

Mosquitoes are vectors of many diseases like malaria, encephalitis, dengue, filaria, yellow fever etc. and thus possess severe threat to public health. Essential oils of some aromatic plants and many pure terpene compounds have been reported effective against different strains of mosquitoes by many authors. In the present investigation, five reported terpene compounds namely eugenol, geraniol, coumarin, eucalyptol and carvacrol were allowed to dock against octopamine receptor and acetyl cholinesterase protein models of Aedes aegypti and Homo sapiens to evaluate their comparative efficacy in terms of docking performance. All the compounds were found to dock with both the protein models of the two animal systems while some of them were found to better perform against the protein models of A.aegypti than the protein models of H.sapiens which can further be explored in mosquito control programme as a comparatively safe compound(s). The results are discussed on the basis of energy value. 3D structures of proteins were modeled using Modeller9v8. The structures assessment were established using the Procheck, WhatCheck and WhatIF server of Swiss Model Workspace. Ligands were prepared using the Commercial Software Exome HorizonTM.

Pseudo-aneurysm of left ventricle.

A 16 years boy who presented with pain chest, precordial bulging with abnormal chest movement and fever was diagnosed to have pseudo-aneurysm of left ventricle with infective endocarditis.

Partial HPRT deficiency (Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome).

Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) deficiency is an X-linked defect of purine metabolism. Clinical manifestations are usually related to the degree of enzyme deficiency; complete HPRT deficiency (Lesh-Nyhan Syndrome) presenting with severe neurological or renal symptoms, or partial HPRT deficiency (Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome) manifesting as a gout-urolithiasis syndrome. We report a case of partial HPRT deficiency presenting as chronic tophaceous gout, mental retardation, nephrolithiasis and family history suggestive of X-linked inheritance, for its rarity.

Immune responses to chloroquine--sensitive and resistant populations of Plasmodium berghei in mice.

In order to elucidate the role of the host as a factor in the spread of chloroquine resistance, a study of the host's immune responses in chloroquine resistant (cqr) and chloroquine sensitive (cqs) Plasmodial infections is essential. Course of the infection and the nature of immune responses in mice infected with chloroquine resistant (R) and chloroquine sensitive (S) strains of Plasmodium berghei were compared. Crude parasite antigen activated T cells from both the groups of mice (R and S) and the parasite specific antibodies were detected in the sera of both the groups. The differences in immune responses between the control (uninfected) and infected mice were found to be significant. However, humoral and in vitro cellular responses obtained with T cells from chloroquine resistant P. berghei primed mice was lower in comparison with the responses obtained with T cells from the sensitive infections. Our studies therefore suggest that immunosuppression to parasite antigen is seen in mice primed with chloroquine resistant P. berghei, which may play a role in the development of resistance.

Total serum levels of triiodothyronine (T3) thyroxine (T4) and thyrotropine (TSH) in school going children of Dibrugarh district: an endemic goitre region of Assam.

The Thyroid Status was studied by estimating the total serum levels of T3 and T4 by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and TSH by radioimmunometric Assay (IRMA) from 635 school children (8-20 years; male 129, female 506) of the Dibrugarh district: a chronic endemic goitrous region of India. The results were compared with the control group of 147 (male 48, female 99) of healthy medical students of the same geographical area. The average values of T3 and TSH of school children were found higher and T4 lower than the control; the difference were only significant for T3 and TSH. T3/T4 ratio is more in school children than the control. The findings of low T4 and high TSH indicate that the school children (Pubertal stage) from chronic iodine deficients areas suffer from poor thyroid status; the male seemed to have been affected more than the female. As age advances the thyroid status improves in female.

Regulation of rat liver NADP+ -isocitrate dehydrogenase during aging.

In an attempt to understand the mechanism of aging in relation to the differences in enzyme regulation, the induction and kinetic properties of NADP+ -isocitrate dehydrogenase of the liver of immature (6 weeks), mature (13 weeks), adult (33 weeks) and old (85 weeks) female rats were studied. The specific activity of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial NADP+ -isocitrate dehydrogenase increased up to the adult age (33 weeks) and decreased in the old rats (85 weeks). Overiectomy decreased and estradiol administration induced activity of both the mitochondrial and eytoplasmic enzyme in the liver ol immature, mature and adult rats but had no significant effect in old rats. However, the activity of mitochondrial NADP+ -isocitrate dehydrogenase decreased and eytoplasmic NADP+ -isocitrate dehydrogenase increased following ovariectomy in old rats (85 weeks). Hormone-mediated induction of enzyme activity was actinomycin D sensitive. The Km for isocitrate and NADP, Ki value for oxalomalate, heat stability and electrophoretic mobility of the purified enzyme from the cytosol fraction of the liver of immature and old rats were similar. It can he concluded that the enzyme does not change structurally with age.