Clinico-haematological profile in acute and chronic Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children.

The clinicohaematological findings of acute state (Group A, 30 patients) and chronic state (Group B, 34 patients) of falciparum malaria in paediatric patients are compared. The children with chronic falciparum malaria were apyrexic and presented with features of moderate to severe anaemia with hepato-splenomegaly. Greater severity of anaemia and haemolysis, higher incidence and severity of neutropenia, atypical lymphocytosis, monocytosis and thrombocytopenia were observed in patients with chronic falciparum malaria as compared to patients with acute falciparum malaria despite lesser degree of parasitaemia in the former as compared to the latter. While mechanical destruction of parasitised RBC's, ineffective and dysplastic erythropoiesis either due to unmasking of border line dierty folic acid deficiency or otherwise, transient hypoplasia of bone marrow, impaired utilization of iron and immune destruction of RBCs with hypersplenism may be the mechanisms for anaemia, transient hypoplasia of bone marrow and hypersplenism may be the factors responsible for thrombocytopenia and neutropenia.

Patterns of erythropoiesis and anaemia in malaria.

Of 138 patients with malaria, 90 were found to be having Plasmodium falciparum in their peripheral blood smears. Megaloblastosis alone or in combination with the other patterns of erythropoiesis was observed in 82.1 percent cases of chronic P. falciparum malaria as compared to 36.3 and 26.5 per cent cases of acute P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria respectively. Iron deficiency was observed in 15.5 percent cases of chronic P. falciparum, 18.2 per cent cases of acute P. falciparum and 13.3 per cent patients of P. vivax infection. Of patients with chronic falciparum malaria, 33.3 percent revealed features of both megaloblastosis and defective iron utilization and transient hypoplasia of marrow was observed in 8.9 per cent of these cases.

Kala-azar in Varanasi (UP)--preliminary observations.

An epidemiological and entomological survey was conducted in Badohi town of Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh (India) from where an outbreak of kala-azar was reported. Serological and clinical results showed 83 cases who responded to sodium antimony gluconate. Phlebotomus argentipes and P. papatasi could be detected in area of outbreak. An active transmission of kala-azar is strongly indicated.

Bacillaemia and bone marrow involvement in leprosy.

Fifty patients (24 new and 26 receiving specific treatment) of leprosy were investigated to study the concentration and morphological index (MI) of the lepra bacilli in skin, peripheral blood and bone marrow. The organisms were detected in 28 cases on skin slit smear examination, in 38 cases on bone marrow examination and in 38 cases on examination of smears made from buffy coat of peripheral blood. Out of 22 cases negative for the bacilli on skin slit smears, 15 had the organisms either in buffy coat or bone marrow or both. Acid fast bacilli in peripheral blood and bone marrow with skin smear negativity were mainly observed in patients with paucibacillary type of the disease and in those who were receiving treatment. Examination of buffy coat and bone marrow for presence of lepra bacilli is suggested to establish the diagnosis in doubtful cases.

In vitro interaction of bleomycin with collagen--equilibrium dialysis technique.

In an earlier communication, we have presented the results of our study on in vitro interaction of bleomycin with collagens of sepia, fish and rat skins using spectrophotometry. Since the spectrophotometric method does not involve physical separation of the bound and unbound portion of the drug, it was considered worthwhile to test the validity of the use of spectral data by equilibrium dialysis. In the present communication, the values of binding between bleomycin and soluble collagens representing vertebrate, lower vertebrate and invertebrate determined independently at pH 7.4 and 3.0 are presented.