RESUMEN
Bacterial co-infection associated with malaria is potentially important but poorly documented. Published reports are mainly from African children while data from adult Indian population are limited. To determine the spectrum of concurrent bacterial infection in malaria the present study was conducted in department of Medicine at Tripura Medical College. Out of eighty patients, 58 had falciparum, 15 had dual infection and 7 had vivax malaria. Blood culture failed to confirm bacteraemia in any sample with the exception of one case of complicated malaria showing the growth of Escherichia Coli. Urine culture also grew Escherichia Coli in 2.5% of enrolled patients. Anti salmonella IgM antibody was detected in 7.5% of the study population. Sputum culture was positive of streptococcus pneumoniae in single patient with radiological evidence of consolidation. CSF culture was sterile in cases with cerebral malaria. Thus the present study shows that bacteraemia is uncommon in adults with malaria compared to children of endemic areas. Presence of other co-existent infections should be sought in clinically suspected cases only. We propose a restrictive antibiotic policy in the setting of malaria.
RESUMEN
Purpose: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals aged less than 5 years. ARI often leads to hospitalisation, and it has been indicated that causative viral and bacterial infections go undetermined and results in the occurrence of resistant strains. The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of various viral and bacterial infections in patients with ARIs. Materials and Methods: Two hundred samples were collected from July 2011 to July 2012 with patients suffering from ARI. Viral and bacterial infections were determined by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results: Infl uenza-like illness (ILI) consisted of 109 patients and ARI consisted of 91 patients. Pandemic infl uenza A H1N1 was the major viral infection with 21 (19.2%) patients in ILI as compared with 16 (17.4%) patients in ARI. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was found to be 1 (0.9%) in ILI and ARI. Viral co-infections were 16 (14.4%) in ILI and 4 (4.37%) in ARI where pandemic infl uenza A H1N1 and infl uenza type B were major contributors. In bacterial infections, Streptococcus pneumoniae with 11 (10.9%) cases were predominant in both the groups. Bacterial co-infection accounted for only 1 (1.09%) case in both the groups but the most signifi cant fi nding was the viral-bacterial co-infection in which Haemophilus infl uenzae was the major co-infecting bacteria with the infl uenza viruses with 4 (4.36%) cases as compared with Streptotoccus pneumoniae. Conclusion: This data indicate the need to undertake continued surveillance that will help to better defi ne the circulation of respiratory viruses along with the bacterial infections.