Study of septic abortion cases at a tertiary centre of Uttarakhand.

Aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, maternal morbidity & mortality, clinical features, management in cases of septic abortion in a tertiary centre. This study included 37 cases of septic abortion admitted during 5 years from January 2007 to January 2012 in the Department of obstetrics & Gynaecology in Government Medical College, Haldwani. All patients were evaluated with special reference to incidence, etiological factors, clinical features, surgery & maternal morbidity & mortality. The incidence of septic abortion was 1.08%. Common age group was between 26-30 years. Most of the cases were from lower socioeconomic status. Septic abortion following spontaneous abortion was present in 5 cases. Unwanted pregnancy was the indication for termination of pregnancy in 32 cases. 4 women were admitted in state of septic shock. 12 cases required lapratomy for drainage of pus, 3 had hysterectomy, 3 had resection anastomosis & uterus repair was done in 4 cases. Overall maternal mortality was 5 (13.5%).The incidence of illegal and septic abortion can be reduced by increasing awareness about family planning services and making legal abortion services easily available to the women and that too at a cheaper cost.

Liposomal delivery of Mycobacterium leprae antigen(s) with murabutide and Trat peptide inhibits Fas-mediated apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from leprosy patients.

Protective immunity against intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium leprae is dependent on the activation of T cells. Repeated stimulation of T cells by M. leprae antigens MLCwA (M. leprae total cell wall antigen) and ManLAM (mannose capped lipoarabinomannan) may lead to apoptosis in leprosy patients. In the present study, inhibition of the Fas-induced apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of leprosy patients was investigated using above M. leprae antigen(s), in combination with immunomodulators murabutide (MB) and a Trat peptide in particulate form (liposome). Incubation of the cells with particulate mode of antigen presentation led to both decreased percentage of propidium iodide (PI) positive cells and T cells expressing Fas-FasL, as well as decreased caspase-8/-3 activities in the lepromatous patients, thereby inhibiting apoptosis, while converse was true with stimulation with soluble antigen. Concurrently, there was an upregulation of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-X(L) in the lepromatous patients, thereby inhibiting apoptosis. Thus, the liposomal formulation of antigen promoted proliferation of anergized T cell by inhibiting apoptosis through decreased expression of death receptors and caspase activities and increased expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-X(L) in these patients.