Primary actinomycosis of anterior abdominal wall: A rare occurrence, diagnosed on fine needle aspiration cytology

Actinomycosis, a chronic suppurative and granulomatous infection, is caused by Actinomyces israeli. The common clinical presentations are cervicofacial, abdominal, and thoracic regions. Abdominal wall actinomycosis following pelvic or intraperitoneal involvement is known, but isolated abdominal wall involvement is extremely rare and can mimic malignancy. We report a case of primary actinomycosis of anterior abdominal wall, diagnosed on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Identifying fluffy colonies and branching swirling filaments positive for fungal and Gram stain on cytology smears aid correct diagnosis. FNAC is an effective and reliable tool for early diagnosis of actinomycosis. The treatment is centered around antibiotics, and thus it is essential to diagnose accurately and avoid unnecessary surgery.

Smoking habits, its forms and impact on pulmonary health in planes of Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 611 rural and 164 urban subjects were studied. Smoking was found more prevalent in urban areas as compared to rural areas. In relation to sex it was more prevalent among urban males and rural females. Bidi was the commonest mode of smoking among rurals, and cigarette in urban population. Pulmonary function test (PFT) analysis proved that smoking causes definite pulmonary functional impairments among smokers. Though its aetiology in producing restrictive impairment remains doubtful and may be additive only but its role in precipitating obstructive impairment is definite in urban smokers. On the contrary rural non-smokers suffer more from the obstructive impairment. Environmental pollution, exposure to toxic fumes and industrial gases in urban areas and organic and inorganic dust exposure in rural areas may be responsible for precipitation of pulmonary function impairments among non-smokers.

Breastfeeding in babies delivered by cesarean section.

One hundred mothers undergoing cesarean section and their infants were studied regarding various factors affecting the establishment of breastfeeding during their stay in hospital (mean = 11 +/- 3.6 days). Nearly two-thirds (65.7%) of mothers who underwent elective cesarean section, and 62.8% of mothers who received spinal anesthesia were breastfeeding exclusively; while only 53.8% mothers who had undergone an emergency cesarean section and 28.6% who received general anesthesia were exclusively breastfeeding their neonates. All 9 mothers who initiated breastfeeding within 12 h of the surgery were practicing total breastfeeding. In contrast only 5.8% of mothers who initiated breastfeeding after 96 hours, were exclusively breastfeeding their neonates. Total breastfeeding was more frequent (86.8%) in newborn infants who received prelacteal feeds by spoon as compared to those who received by feeding bottle (33.3%). Babies separated from the mothers in hospital were less likely (35.5%) to be on total breastfeeding as compared to those (68.1%) who were not separated from their mothers. This study suggests that for proper establishment of breastfeeding in mothers undergoing cesarean section an elective procedure under spinal anesthesia promotes, early initiation of breastfeeding. Early initiation of breastfeeding has highly significant correlation with establishment of breastfeeding while separation of babies from mothers discourages breastfeeding.

Acute renal failure due to rifampicin.

A 23-year-old male patient with bacteriologically proven pulmonary tuberculosis was treated with the various regimens of antituberculosis drugs for nearly 15 months. Rifampicin was administered thrice as one of the 3-4 drug regimen and each time he developed untoward side effects like nausea, vomiting and fever with chills and rigors. The last such episode was of acute renal failure at which stage the patient was seen by the authors of this report. The patient, however, made a full recovery.