RESUMO
Cytomegalovirus(CMV) infection may be acquired congenitally, perinatally or postnatally in babies. Congenital and perinatal CMV infection can be diagnosed by viral culture or detection and quantitation of CMV DNAby Real Time Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in blood ,urine and body fluids. The objective of this study was to diagnose and determine CMV load in infants presenting with clinical features suggestive of cytomegalovirus infection by RT-qPCR of urine. This descriptive study was done on babies admitted to the Departments of Neonatology and Paediatrics Govt Medical College, Kozhikode from January 2015 to December 2017. Urine samples from 142 babies were received and processed in the Microbiology Department. DNA isolation and amplification was performed using commercial DNA extraction kit and PCR kit for detection and quantification of CMV. Serum samples of the babies with CMV viruria were tested for CMV IgM antibodies. Of 142 babies suggestive of CMVinfection CMV-DNAwas detected and quantitated in urine of 25 (17.60%) (mean age 3.36 months). . CMVIgM was positive in 15/25(60%) babies with viruria .Twenty two had congenital CMV infection (cCMV) and 3 had perinatal infection.The most common clinical presentation was jaundice 13( 52%). Of 8 babies started on Ganciclovir 7 responded to treatment. RT-qPCR helps in diagnosing and quantitating CMVload which helps in deciding on therapy and assessing response to treatment,and can predict risk for long term sequelae.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Our aim is to assess the prevalence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections among normal healthy persons and high risk groups in the northern part of Kerala state in South India as there is insufficient published literature related to this subject. METHODS: HBsAg and AntiHCV screening were done in normal persons and in high risk groups. Normal persons screened included voluntary blood donors, those attending mandatory medical check up for jobs in middle east Asia and pregnant women. High risk groups were health care workers, intravenous drug abusers, commercial sex workers and male homosexuals. RESULTS: HBsAg and anti HCV antibody test results in the various groups were as follows. Voluntary blood donors--HBsAg was positive in 0.71 % and anti HCV was positive in 0.33%; job seekers to middle east Asia had 0.89% and 0.12% prevalence of HBV and HCV respectively. Among the pregnant women, 0.21% were HBsAg positive. Among the high risk groups, none of the health care workers were HbsAg positive and 0.79% were antiHCV positive. Among the IV drug abusers 2.7% were HBsAg positive and 51.89% were positive for antiHCV. In commercial sex workers, 3.47 % were HBsAg positive and 2.6 % were antiHCV positive. In male homosexuals, 4.49% were HBsAg positive and 3.37% were antiHCV positive. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of Hepatitis B and C in the normal population of Calicut in the northern part of Kerela is 0.52% and 0.24%. Compared to other areas of India, the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B and C are low in the normal population of Calicut. Among the high-risk groups, IV drug users have a high prevalence of AntiHCV.