Antibiotic associated colitis.

It is a prospective study based on 100 consecutive cases of diarrhea following antibiotic therapy admitted to the pediatric services of J.N. Medical College, A.M.U., Aligarh between January to December 1987. They had C. penicillin (50), chloramphenicol (34), ampicillin (34), gentamicin (34), cephalosporin (4) and cotrimoxazole (4) for 3 days to 3 weeks prior to the onset of diarrhea. Apart from routine and special investigations, naked eye and microscopic examination of stool, its culture for pathogens including Cl. difficile were carried out in all cases. Presence of Cl. difficile cytotoxin was demonstrated by observing the cytopathic. Effect on veru cell culture, 18 grew Cl. difficile (14 cyto toxin positive). Frequency of fever, vomiting, abdominal distension, dehydration and duration of diarrhea was not different (p > 0.05) in the two groups. Purge rate and presence of mucus and blood in Cl. difficile positive patients was significantly higher (p < 0.05). Eight Cl. difficile positive (7 cytotoxin+ve) were subjected to endoscopy. Three of them showed P.M. colitis and 2 non specific colitis. Chloromycetin, gentamicin and penicillin were the main culprits responsible for AAC. None of the patients given ampicillin alone suffered from AAC. The mortality was 5%.

Immunological status of patients in carcinoma head and neck.

The cell mediated immune response in 45 patients of cancer, head and neck was evaluated by various parameters and compared with 20 control cases. (DNCB) Dinitrochlorobenzene cutaneous reactivity in vivo was compared with T lymphocytes, estimated as active rosette forming cells (ARFC) and Total rosette forming cells (TRFC) in peripheral blood. The ratio of TRFC/ARFC was studied in various histological subtypes of cancer head and neck. Lymphocytic infiltration around tumor mass was correlated with peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL), ARFC and TRFC levels in blood. Significant difference was noted in the level of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). TRFC and ARFC between control cases and cancer patients. There was a marked increase in all three parameters i.e. PBL, TRFC, ARFC (P less than 0.001) and a positive DNCB reaction in Adenocarcinoma of nasopharynx, thyroid and salivary gland and a significant decrease in Squamous cell Carcinoma of oral cavity and larynx (p less than 0.001) associated with impaired DNCB sensitivity. These parameters serve as an assessment of the degree of immune reactivity of the host to the malignant tumours.