Population ecology of a freshwater turtle Kachuga tentoria near Panchnada (Etawah: U.P.) and its role as water purifier.

The present study deals with biology, ecology and population dynamics of freshwater turtle Kachuga tentoria and its role as water purifier. The study area Panchnada is the site, where five important national rivers meet together and is preserving an appreciable population of nine species of fresh water turtles. Kachuga tentoria was located at all the sampling stations surveyed by the authors, and hence selected for the present study. Different activities (nesting, incubation, predation and other reproductive aspects), climatic conditions, habitat, population density and morphometric features were worked out in detail. A time bound conservation strategy is needed to save this species from extinction. In situ conservation will be more helpful for the recruitment of the population of this species. It will help in the "hatch and release programme" to clean different polluted national rivers.

Neonatal systemic candidiasis in a tertiary care centre.

The purpose of this study was to identify infections causing Candida spp. and to examine their susceptibility to antifungal drugs. The study examined 30 isolates of Candida spp. grown from blood culture samples of neonates. Clinical histories revealed that all 30 infants had received systemic broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, 27/30 were low birth weight, 21/30 suffered from respiratory distress syndrome and 23/30 were preterm. The three species of Candida isolated were Candida albicans (16/30, 53.3%), C. tropicalis (7/30,23.3%), and C. krusei (7/30, 23.3%). Antifungal susceptibility tests against fluconazole and amphotericin B were done based on the NCCLS guidelines for antifungal susceptibility testing. The fluconazole resistance pattern was as follows: 1/16 (6.25%) strain of C. albicans was susceptible, 12/16 (75%) strains were dose dependent susceptibles, and 3/16 (18.75%) were resistant to fluconazole. Among Candida tropicalis, 2/7(29%) strains were susceptible, 4/7 (55.5%) dose dependent susceptible and 1/7 (14.5%) were resistant. All strains of C. krusei were resistant to fluconazole. There was no resistance to amphotericin B.

Symptomatic congenital syphilis presenting at birth.

We report here a case of congenital syphilis presenting in a newborn infant at birth. A negative infant VDRL test, pseudoparesis and more notably, joint swellings (arthritis) were features seen uncommonly. Florid skeletal involvement, which is rarely seen in the early neonatal period, prompted us to draw attention to the varied presentation of this disease, rightly referred to as the "master masquerader".

A randomized comparison of classical mode of administration of amphotericin B with its newer modes of administration in kala-azar.

One hundred thirty parasitologically confirmed cases of kala-azar were randomly divided in two equal treatment groups. Patients in group A were treated by infusion with amphotericin B deoxycholate (ABD), 1 mg/kg day on days 1-20 and the infusion was given in two hours. Patients in group B were treated by an escalating dose of ABD 0.05 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg, 0.25 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg on days 1-5, respectively and then in the same dosage on alternate days. The infusion was completed in 6 hours. Total dose of 20 mg/kg remaining the same in both the groups, the treatment was completed in 20 days in group A and 43 days in group B. Clinical cure (subsidence of fever, improvement in general well being and regression in the size of the spleen) and parasitological cure (absence of parasites in splenic aspirates at the end of treatment) occurred in all patients in both the groups. Sixty four (99%) patients in each group had not relapsed clinically and parasitologically within 6 months of follow up and were ultimately cured. The two relapsed patients, one in each group were treated with a 20-day course of ABD and were cured. Leukocyte count, haemoglobin, serum albumin increased (P < 0.05) and ESR, spleen and liver size decreased (P < 0.05) at the end of treatment and follow up. Adverse events were similar in both the groups. The minimum cost of treatment estimated was Rs. 14,500 in group B and Rs. 10,000 in Group A. Thus the newer mode of administration was more cost effective. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that newer mode of administration of amphotericin B was as effective and tolerable as the classical mode of administration and was no more toxic. The newer mode of administration of amphotericin B is more cost effective and puts lesser burden on hospital staff and is recommended for use in kala-azar.

Evaluation of lymphocyte proliferation assay to purified protein derivative, enzyme linked immunosorbant assay, and tuberculin hypersensitivity in Eales' disease.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunological responses against mycobacterial antigens in Eales' disease. Fifty six patients with Eales' disease and fifty age-and-sex-matched healthy volunteers with normal fundus findings taken as controls, were subjected to Mantoux test, using 2 TU/0.1 ml of purified protein derivative (PPD), lymphocyte proliferation assay to PPD, and ELISA to detect IgM and IgG antibodies against mycobacterial A-60 antigen. The results of Mantoux test and lymphocytes proliferation assay did not differ significantly in the two groups suggesting a similar cellular immune response. The number of individuals with recent exposure/reexposure to tuberculosis (IgM+) was significantly higher among patients. However the number of people with past exposure (IgM-IgG+) was significantly higher among controls. Our study indicates that there are no statistically significant differences in the humoral and cellular immune responses to mycobacterial antigens between the patients with Eales' disease and controls, except for a significantly higher IgM positivity among the patients.