Prevalence and proportion of anemia in pregnant women suffering from malaria

To find out the prevalence and proportion of anemia in pregnant women suffering from malaria. The aims and objectives of our study were to evaluate prevalence and proportion of anemia in pregnant women with malaria among the patients visiting the tertiary hospital PUMHS Hospital, Nawabshah, Shaheed Benazirabad so as to give awareness of these complications to doctors to ensure early diagnosis, prevention and prompt treatment of such cases. Descriptive observational study. This study was conducted at Outpatient Department of MMCH Hospital and Department of Pathology from April 2012 to February 2013. Study includes total 120 cases of malaria, diagnosed on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings. The hematological complications like anemia, leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia were studied in these patients. Out of 120, 64 patients were anemic. We divided pregnant women into 5 groups, 40 patients were in 16 - 20 years age group and amongst them 55% patients were anemic, 34 patients were in 21 - 25 years age group and amongst them 50% were suffering from anemia, 22 patients were in age group 26-30 and amongst them 22 % anemic, 15 cases were in age group 31 - 35 and out of them 46% were anemic and in age group 36-40 years 46 percent were anemic. Overall there were 53% anemic patients in total of 120. According to the occupation status majority were daily wages laborers and farmers and other were housewives. Out of 120 patients most of them were Multigravida. Most of the patients were suffering from anemia, 76% patients had Leucocytosis with Neutrophillia, 74 percent patients had complication of Lymphocytosis, 80 percent of patients had decreased level of monocytes and 60 percent had decreased level of platelets. All the patients were suffering from fever and associated symptoms of chills, sweating, feeling of hotness and coldness, 63 percent had back pain, 45 percent had headache and 23 percent had complication of Spleenomegaly. The diagnosis of malaria was made on clinical grounds and confirmed by laboratory findings. The problems of hematological complications as anemia, leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia were detected among the patient of malaria by determining hemoglobin concentration, complete blood picture and urine examination report. P.vivax malaria is most prevalent variety. Anemia, leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia are the most common hematological complications in these patients. It is suggested to ensure i. Effective malaria control program in country, specially interior Sindh. ii. Effective measures for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of patients. iii. effective health education through electronic and print media

Hepatitis B and C prevalence and prevention awareness among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital

To find the prevalence of Hepatitis B and C and to assess the current Hepatitis B vaccination status and knowledge of standard prophylaxis against blood borne infections in selected group of health care workers at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences [PIMS] Islamabad. Descriptive cross sectional prospective study. Between 15th June 2009-30[th] June 2009. Infection Control Committee in collaboration with Microbiology Department, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad. Three hundred eighty three health workers comprising of nurses and Lab workers were interviewed after taking verbal consent using a self administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 13. Among the 383 HCWs interviewed nurses were 72% [277] and Lab workers were 27.5% [106] .There age ranged from 17-59 years with mean age of 34.38 years. 41% of health care workers had service length between 1-5 years. 57.6% [221] were completely vaccinated, 18.3% [70] partially vaccinated and 24% [92] were not vaccinated at all. Awareness and attitude problem was identified as the main factor responsible for lack of vaccination. 53.5% [206] had been exposed to needle stick injury at least 1-5 times in their whole professional life. 48.1% [99] of the needle stick injury exposed personnel were aware of post exposure prophylaxis whereas 51.9% [107] of them were ignorant of standard prophylaxis. Most of the individuals knew their Hepatitis B and C status i.e. 93.7% [359] while 6.3% [24] had never got themselves tested for hepatitis Band C. Hepatitis B positive were 0.5% [2], while 1 .6% [6] were Hepatitis C positive among 359 HCWs. Percentage of HCWs vaccinated was low and the main factor responsible was awareness and attitude problem. At the same time non- availability of vaccine by the employer had been identified as the second most important reason for non vaccination. Half of the studied group was not aware of the precise post exposure prophylaxis .The prevalence of Hepatitis B and C was low in this high risk group as compared to general population of the area

Prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] in surgical site infections in a tertiary care hospital

To determine the prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] in post-operative wound infections in surgical wards and surgical ICU and also to define the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the strains isolated. A cross sectional prospective study. Departments of Pathology and Surgery, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences [PIMS], Islamabad, Pakistan. January 2004 to August 2005. Wound swabs from patients who had undergone surgery and were suspected of having postoperative infection of the wounds were collected and inoculated on blood agar and MacConkey agar plates. After incubation for 24-48 hours, plates were examined for the growth of S. aureus. Anti-microbial susceptibility test was performed using oxacillin 1ug disc to detect methicillin resistance. An inhibition zone = or <10mm was taken as indicative of MRSA. A total of 1310 surgical wound swabs yielded growth of bacterial pathogens out of which 273 [20%] were found to be S. aureus. 225 of the affected patients were admitted in surgical wards and 48 in SICU. Analysis of the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the isolates revealed that 105 [39%] were strains of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] as indicated by their resistance to Oxacillin [1ug disc]. Significantly higher proportion of the MRSA isolates were from SICU, 31/48 - 65% than from the surgical wards, 74/225 - 35% [p < 0.05] indicating the inherent tendency of these strains to become endemic in the critical care units as well as their propensity for nosocomial spread. Susceptibility patterns further revealed that Vancomycin and Teicoplanin were the most effective antimicrobial agents for MRSA infections - 100% of the strains being fully susceptible - followed by Fusidic acid [80% susceptible]. The reverse was true as regards the efficacy of Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin, to which 100% of the isolates were resistant. Other antibiotics yielded variable results. 273 [20%] out of 1310 post-operative wound infections were caused by S. aureus, 105 [39%] were strains of MRSA whose prevalence was found to be significantly higher in surgical ICU than in the surgical wards [65% as compared to 35% respectively -p < 0.05]. All the isolates were found to be susceptible to Vancomycin. It is concluded that MRSA is a serious nosocomial pathogen in surgical site infections and requires strict intervention for its prevention and control

Prevalence of hepatitis E virus [HEV] antibody in pregnant women of Karachi

This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of HEV in Karachi. Prevalence of hepatitis E antibody in pregnant women was carried out in 65 pregnant women. They had history of acute viral hepatitis while 15 control pregnant women were included having no history of jaundice. The statistical outcome of the present study indicates prevalence of HEV as 57% in pregnant women with jaundice. Majority of the patients [85%] were from lower socio-economic strata, with mean age of 25 years. All these patients had hemoglobin less than 10mg%. The mean ALT level in HEV positive cases was 452 IU/L over a range of 102-5328. It was also observed that HEV affected more women in the last trimester [62%] and in primigravida [67%]. It was observed that it was more common in last trimester and in primigravida. Majority of the patients [85%] were from lower socio-economic strata. Conclusions: The findings of the present study proved the presence of HEV in pregnant women and confirmed that HEV is endemic in Karachi. The study confirms that it occurs in last trimester and in young adult