A Hospital Based Study on Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Healthy Population

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is pandemic, yet it is the most under-diagnosed and under-treated nutritional decency in the world. It is a serious public health problem, particularly in the Indian sub- continent. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in apparently healthy individuals. Methods: The data of 25-hydroxy(OH) vitamin D assay of 540 healthy individuals, enrolled under executive health checkup at orthopedics ward of S.K. Hospital SIKAR over a period of two years, were extracted from the hospital information system and was reviewed. 25(OH) vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH) vitamin D< 20 ng/ml, insufficiency as 25(OH) vitamin D between 20 and 29 ng/ml and 25(OH) vitamin D sufficiency (VDS) as 30-100 ng/ml, Potential toxicity>100 ng/ml. Results: A total of 540 healthy individuals were included in this study. There were 300 females and 240 males.365 healthy adults were found to be Vitamin D deficient. Prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency was found to be 67.5%. 225 females and 140 males were found to be Vitamin D deficiency, prevalence being 75% in female and 58.3% in male. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in apparently healthy individuals.

Serological evidence of rickettsial infections in Delhi.

Background & objectives: Rickettsial infections remain under-diagnosed due to lack of diagnostic facilities in developing world. Here we present our experience at National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, about a serosurvey done in Delhi for rickettsial disease with easy to perform low cost, low expertise Weil Felix test. Methods: On the basis of cut-off titre obtained in healthy population, Weil Felix test results were interpreted along with clinical data. Entomological investigation was also carried out in select areas of Delhi. Rodents were trapped from houses and gardens and vector mites were collected. Results: When serum samples were collected during initial 5 yr period from patients with fever of unknown origin, seropositivity was 8.2 per cent whereas when rickettsial infection was kept as one of the differential diagnosis by clinicians seropositivity increased to 33.3 per cent. Rickettsial infections detected were scrub typhus (48.2%) followed by spotted fever group (27.5%) and typhus group (6.8%) during 2005-2009. In preliminary entomological survey vector mite Leptotombidium deliense was found on rodents. Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings showed that results of Weil Felix test should not be disregarded, rather clinically compatible cases should be treated to save lives.