Novel pan-lineage VP1 specific degenerate primers for precise genetic characterization of serotype O foot and mouth disease virus circulating in India

Analysis of the VP1 gene sequence of the foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) is critical to understanding viral evolution and disease epidemiology. A standard set of primers have been used for the detection and sequence analysis of the VP1 gene of FMDV directly from suspected clinical samples with limited success. The study validated VP1-specific degenerate primer-based reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the qualitative detection and sequencing of serotype O FMDV lineages circulating in India. The novel degenerate primer-based RT-PCR amplifying the VP1 gene can circumvent the genetic heterogeneity observed in viruses after cell culture adaptation and facilitate precise viral gene sequence analysis from clinical samples.

Level of serum uric acid in patients with preeclampsia compared to controls and its relation to feto-maternal outcome

Background: Uric acid is the final product of the purine metabolism in humans. The two final reactions in its production which catalyze the conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine and the latter to uric acid are catalyzed by the enzyme xanthine oxidoreductase. The role of uric acid in the progression of prediabetes to diabetes has been known. Serum uric acid has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. The present study was done to see the level of uric acid in preeclampsia and  healthy pregnant controls, to relate serum uric acid results to the severity of hypertension and its relation to fetomaternal outcome in patients attending OPD at RMC Ajmer.Methods: 100 cases of preeclampsia of age group between 20-40 year and gestational age ≥28 weeks and 100 normal healthy women with similar gestational age and age group were included in the study and maternal serum uric acid was estimated in both groups.Results: Mean serum uric acid levels in preeclampsia was 7.65±081 mg/dl and 3.21±072 mg/dl in control group. Perinatal complication was more in case group, 74 % were preterm compared to 11% in control group. Mean birth weight in study group was 2.07 kg, of which 24% babies were VLBW 52% were LBW, and 24% babies had normal birth weight, in control group mean birth weight was 2.82 kg. The difference was found to be statistically significant (p value 0.001). In the study group, the MSUA concentration is found higher in LBW and VLBW babies compared to normal birth weight babies.Conclusions: There is a positive correlation between SUA & severity of preeclampsia, and a significant adverse fetal outcome is observed with raised MSUA in preeclamptic patients.

Study on the diagnostic accuracy of left atrial enlargement by resting electrocardiography and its echocardiographic correlation.

M-mode echocardiography has been accepted as gold standard for measuring left atrial (LA) size. Electrocardiography (ECG) offers a simple, non-invasive, cost-effective and reproducible method to assess LA size and it is mostly in agreement with echocardiography though discrepancies exist. ECGs and echocardiograms were obtained in 100 consecutive patients suspected of having left atrial enlargement due to different underlying heart diseases. The diagnostic accuracy of six ECG criteria of LA enlargement were evaluated comparing with LA size in M-mode echo study. Various criteria were found to be poor to mildly sensitive (8% to 78%) but highly specific (85% to 100%) for left atrial enlargement. Morris Index (PTFV1) was found to be the best criterion having 76% sensitivity and 92% specificity. Combination of criteria enhances the sensitivity at the cost of specificity. Overall predictive index of electrocardiogram for left atrial enlargement is not encouraging.

Current status of communicable and non-communicable diseases in India.

India is going through a period of transition, both epidemiological and demographic transition. Infectious diseases are still persisting as major health problems in spite of having national programmes for the control of most of these diseases for almost half a century now. This paper focuses on two national programmes: the success story of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme; and the National Anti-Malaria Programme that has failed to achieve its objectives. There are re-emerging infectious diseases which are adding to the burden of diseases. In addition, there is an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases as a result of lifestyle changes and urbanization. These are the challenges that are to be tackled in the new millennium.