Humoral immune responses in different clinical forms of tuberculosis.

To assess the antibody responses in different clinical forms of tuberculosis in an attempt to ascertain the specificity of such a response, so that it may be used as a diagnostic tool, 93 tuberculosis cases and 62 normal healthy controls were included in the study. All the cases were diagnosed as tuberculosis by clinical picture including radiological findings, blood picture, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) or histopathological features, sputum examination or urine culture for acid-fast bacilli. IgM and IgG antibodies in the cases and controls were detected by ELISA using A60 antigen from M. bovis and compared with common diagnostic parameters of tuberculosis like presence of acid-fast bacilli in smear and tuberculin response. Antibody responses with A60 antigen has not been found to be specific and often failed to detect a new case.

Flowcytometric and histopathological correlation of primary intracranial neoplasms.

DNA ploidy and synthetic phase fraction (SPF) of 52 cases of primary intracranial neoplasms have been determined from fresh tissues and the data was correlated with histopathological typing and grading. Fresh tumour tissues from 52 random surgical biopsies (28 malignant and 24 benign) were obtained from neurosurgical operations during the period 1994-1996. The cells were analysed in Becton Dickinson flowcytometer fitted with Consort 30 programme and 'Sober' software. Percentage of diploid cells, proliferative cells and DNA aneuploidy were evaluated. The tumours were classified and graded according to WHO classification (1993). On histology, there were 28 malignant (grade II to IV) and 24 benign cases (grade I). All the histologically benign tumours in this study showed diploid DNA content with the exception of a pituitary adenoma which had a heterogeneous population of cells. The S phase fraction in all the benign cases was less than 10% except in the case of choroid plexus papilloma (S-phase 54%) and an atypical meningioma (S-phase 14%). Out of the 28 malignant tumours, 12 cases were aneuploid (43%) and the rest were diploid (57%). Among the 16 diploid tumours, SPF was more than 10% in eight cases. DNA aneuploidy and high SPF are more common in histologically malignant tumours than benign tumours. SPF is a reflection of proliferation potential of a tumour and may have some role in prognostication of brain tumours.

Poisoning in children: Indian scenario.

The retrospective data on childhood poisoning from eight regional hospitals in India has been reviewed. The demographic features and types of poisonings encountered have been compared. The analysis of the data indicated that pediatric poisonings constituted 0.23-3.3% of the total poisoning. The mortality ranged from 0.64-11.6% with highest being from Shimla. Accidental poisoning was common involving 50-90% of children below 5 years of age and males outnumbered the females. Suicidal poisoning was seen after 13 years of age and was due to drugs and household chemicals. One of the hospitals in Delhi recorded a very high incidence (66.6%) of drug poisoning in children. The drugs consumed belonged to phenothiazines, antiepileptics and antipyretics. Iron poisoning was seen in younger children. Kerosene was one of the causes of accidental poisoning at all hospitals except Shimla and rural Maharashtra were probably wood charcoal is widely used. Pesticide poisoning was more prevalent in Punjab and West Bengal whereas plant poisoning was very common in Shimla. Significant number of snake envenomation has been recorded from rural Maharashtra. Other less common accidental poisonings in children included alcohol, corrosives, heavy metals, rodenticides, detergents and disinfectants. Thus various regions in the country showed some variation in types and frequency of childhood poisoning which could be attributed to different geographical and socio-economic background.

Serosurvey of chikungunya antibody in Calcutta metropolis.

Since its first isolation in Calcutta, in 1963, there have been many reports about epidemis of chikungunya virus infection in different parts of India. Calcutta experienced a concurrent epidemic of dengue and chikungunya between 1963 and 1965. But after that there is no report about any chikungunya infection in Calcutta. During routine investigations it is found that chikungunya antibody is on the wane. The present survey for chikungunya antibody showed only 4.37% (n = 17) seropositivity out of 389 sera tested. The highest (12.5%) seropositivity was observed in the age group of 51-55 years and no chikungunya antibody was detected in young and young adults. The findings suggest that chikungunya virus is disappearing from the Calcutta population.

Influence of admission weight on neonatal mortality amongst hospitalised neonates in Calcutta.

The study was conducted on 785 neonates aged up to 28 days to evaluate the influence of admission weight on mortality. It was observed that there were 200 (25.5%) cases of septicaemia, 134(17.1%) of diarrhoea, 120(15.3%) each of prematurity related conditions and neonatal jaundice, 117(14.9%) of respiratory diseases and 94 (11.9%) cases of convulsion. There were total 182(23.18%) deaths comprising 70(38.5%) from prematurity related conditions, 40(22%) from diarrhoea, 35(19.2%) from respiratory diseases, 26(14.3%) from septicaemia, 8(4.4%) from neonatal jaundice and 3(1.6%) deaths from convulsion. The incidence of deaths among neonates weighing less than 2500 g on admission was 59.2% in diarrhoeal diseases, 53.4% in respiratory diseases and 44.6% in other conditions compared to those of 10%, 8.2% and 7.1% respectively in neonates having admission weight more than 2500 g. The findings are statistically significant. The results of the study indicate that low admission weight should be considered as a predictor of mortality among neonates.

Effect of protein rich diet during acute phase of dysentery.

Ninety six children upto the age of five years suffering from uncomplicated acute dysentery of less than 3 days' duration were studied to find out the impact of feeding of extra-protein rich diet during their acute phase of illness. These children were randomly allocated to either control group (receiving only hospital diet) and study group (receiving hospital diet and extra milk which constituted 30% of ideal total calorie requirement of patients. Patients in the two groups were comparable on admission. Forty percent reduced food intake was observed among the children of both the groups due to severe anorexia which was reflected by no significant differences in clinical outcome, anthropometrical measurements and haematological parameters between the two groups on day 7 of hospitalisation and on day 15 after discharge.

Clinical & bacteriological profiles of shigellosis in Calcutta before & after an epidemic (1984-87).

Patients below 5 yr of age, hospitalised for shigellosis over a period of four years (1984-87), were studied. During the epidemic of bacillary dysentery (1984) isolation of different Shigella spp. as well as Shigella dysenteriae type 1 was high. Decreased isolation of Sh. dysenteriae type 1 and increased isolation of Sh. flexneri was observed during post-epidemic years (1985-87). Isolation of different Shigella spp. was always above 25 per cent from patients with dysentery and greater than 7 per cent from those with watery diarrhoea during the post-epidemic years. Higher incidence of shigellosis was observed amongst older children (greater than 3 yr). Most of the shigellosis patients complained of blood and mucus in stools. Vomiting was common among shigellosis patients presenting with watery diarrhoea whereas fever was commonly seen in patients with both dysentery and watery diarrhoea. Most patients of shigellosis presenting with blood and mucus in stools had no dehydration.