A study on the prevalence of hookworm infection in four districts of West Bengal and its linkage with anaemia.

Stool samples collected from the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Hooghly and Calcutta in West Bengal were examined for hookworm and associated parasites. It was found that maximum prevalence of hookworm was in Hooghly district (24.8%). N. americanus appeared to be more prevalent species in all the districts studied. The load ofhookworm infection appeared to be mostly in the mild range. Ascaris lumbricoides appeared to the most common accompanying infection. In the affected population, the degree of anaemia was mostly mild.

Review of trends of malaria in an urban community of Calcutta during 1984-1997.

The trends in the malaria situation over the last 14 years in an urban community of Calcutta with a population of 1,04,000 have been analysed with particular reference to the malaria epidemic which took place in Calcutta in November-December, 1995. Annual and monthwise data on malariometric indices pertaining to 1984-1997 were collected from health centre records. The total number of blood slides examined every year has steadily increased from around 8,000 in 1984 to more than 23,000 in 1996 with some decline in 1997. About 95% of the confirmed malaria cases were of the benign tertian type, while remaining 5% were of the malignant tertian type. The slide vivax rate has steadily declined over the years 1984-1997 from around 50 per cent in 1984 to between 20 to 30 per cent during 1993-1997. The slide falciparum rate over the same period varied between 0.5 to 2 per cent and did not show any clear secular trend. The annual parasite incidence (API) which varied cyclically between 40 to 60 per thousand during 1984-87 increased (with a cyclical trend superimposed on a secular increasing trend) to vary between 50 to 70 per thousand during 1994-97. The 1995 winter epidemic of malaria was characterised by an increased occurrence of both P vivax and P falcipanrum malaria.

Aortoarteritis involving supra-aortic trunks: a profile of six cases.

Six patients (2 male, 4 female; age range 24 to 36 years) with aortoarteritis involving the supra-aortic trunks were investigated and surgically managed by bypass graft with either preclotted dacron or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in an urban institute. There has been no mortality and post-operative functional recovery has been satisfactory in all the cases.

Effects of plant extract Centella asiatica (Linn.) on cold restraint stress ulcer in rats.

Extract of C. asiatica (Linn.) inhibited significantly gastric ulceration induced by cold and restraint stress (CRS) in Charles-Foster rats, Antiulcer activity of plant extract was compared with famotidine (H2-antagonist) and sodium valproate (anti-epileptic). Plant extract, formotidine and sodium valproate showed a dose dependent reduction of gastric ulceration. Plant extract increased brain GABA level which was also dose dependent. Pretreatment with bicuculline methiodide (specific GABAA-antagonist) at the dose level of 0.5 mg/kg im, reversed the antiulcerogenic activity of both plant extract and sodium valproate. Bicuculline as such did not induce gastric ulceration in normal rat.

Prevalence of the type of hepatitis virus in hospitalized jaundiced individuals.

The prevalence of different types of hepatitis virus was estimated in 185 hospitalized jaundiced patients. It was found that 41.08% were positive for HBs Ag by ELISA method. The jaundiced group was also tested for IgM antibody and for total antibodies (IgG and IgM) to HAV infection by ELISA method and 5.40% were found to be positive. All patients in the jaundiced group had serum bilirubin above normal values. It was, therefore, assumed that the rest 52.92% were suffering from Non A Non B virus infection.