Infection in haematological malignancies.

Fifty-six febrile episodes in 30 haematological malignancy cases were evaluated. Of these episodes 60.7% were in leukaemia cases. Clinical evaluation and investigation suggested infection in 42 episodes (75%) of fever and in rest 14 (25%) no identifiable cause could be found. Bacterial infection predominated with an incidence of 80.9% followed by fungal infection in 11.9% and parasitic infection in 7.1% of the febrile episodes. Gram-negative bacteria were more frequently isolated (22/34) than Gram-positive bacteria (12/34). Staph aureus was the commonest Gram-positive organism. Kl pneumoniae and Esch coli were the common Gram-negative pathogens. The commonest organisms were sensitive to cephalosporin and gentamicin. Incidence of fever due to infection was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in patients with absolute neutropenia, in whom the mortality rate was significantly higher (p < 0.001).

Male gonadal function in Hodgkin's disease before and after treatment.

Twenty eight histologically confirmed cases of Hodgkin's disease were evaluates with regard to libido, sperm count, FSH, LH and urinary ketosteroid levels, before and during different stages of chemotherapy along with testicular biopsy on 16 cases. Decrease in libido during therapy improved following treatment, 50% cases who were oligospermic before treatment became azospermic, Serum FSH levels increased significantly (p 0.001) during the course of treatment. There was no significant change in LH and urinary ketosteroid levels (p 0.05). Testicular biopsy, normal initially, showed germ cell aplasia and absence of spermatogenesis after therapy. Drug induced testicular change leads to sterility.

Coagulation disorder following viper bite in Orissa.

Forty-three cases of viper bite were studied for coagulation disorder of which 34 (79.1%) cases had bleeding manifestations from one or more sites, haematuria being the commonest (46.5%). Disseminated intravascular coagulation was the predominant coagulation abnormality. Administration of snake venom antiserum resulted in prompt recovery from coagulation disorder. However, natural recovery from coagulation abnormality did occur though took longer time.

Lipid peroxidation in acute falciparum malaria.

Lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) in 30 patients with falciparum malaria and 20 controls (10 healthy adults and 10 patients of vivax malaria). Mean serum MDA was 0.96 +/- 0.38 nmol/ml, 1.1 +/- 0.17 nmol/ml and 2.9 +/- 1.1 nmol/ml in healthy controls, disease controls and falciparum malaria patients, respectively. Levels were significantly high (P less than 0.001) in patients with falciparum malaria. Higher values were associated with more number of complications and deaths.

Double blind clinical trial on centperazine & DEC in bancroftian filariasis.

Centperazine, an analogue of DEC, was subjected to a double blind controlled trial, to evaluate its efficacy as a newer antifilarial agent. Centperazine (300 mg/day) along with equivalent quantities of DEC and placebo were administered to different types of filariasis patients. DEC was found to be significantly effective in reducing peripheral microfilaraemia, in different weeks and months of follow-up, except at the end of 6th month, as compared to Centperazine. There was no significant difference between the placebo and Centperazine treated patients, in this respect, revealing that the drugs had no efficacy in eliminating peripheral microfilaraemia. Recurrence of acute attack within 6 months was nearly equal with both Centperazine and DEC, being 28.2 and 24 per cent respectively, whereas in the placebo group the recurrence rate was 48.9 per cent. Centperazine treated patients showed significantly less side effects (8.9%), as compared to DEC treated patients (34%). Giddiness, nausea and vomiting were the common adverse effects observed.

Immunopathological changes in kidney in Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Fifteen (34.8%) of 43 patients of falciparum malaria screened for urinary abnormalities showed significant proteinuria (greater than 150 mg/24 h), haematuria (greater than 1/HPF) and casts, with or without azotaemia. Light microscopic examination of renal biopsy tissue from 12 patients revealed mesangial and endothelial proliferative change in 8, and acute tubular necrosis in one patient. Immunofluorescence showed IgM alone, or IgG and IgM along with C3, in 7 patients within the mesangium or along the capillary walls. Repeat kidney biopsy after 6 wk in 5 patients revealed no residual pathology indicating the reversible nature of the lesions.

Detection of a new focus of Brugia malayi infection in Orissa.

526 people were surveyed in a village called Chudamani, in Balasore district of Orissa, for detection of asymptomatic microfilaria (mf) carriers. Of these 36 (6.8 per cent) were cases found to harbour mf; 19 cases had Brugia malayi, 4 Wuchereria bancrofti and 5 cases had mixed infection. In 8 cases, species could not be ascertained. For the first time after 1955, a focus of B. malayi has been detected in Orissa.