Leptospirosis in northern India: a clinical and serological study.

A total of 400 serum samples collected from patients, clinically suspected of leptospirosis, were evaluated for antibodies by LEPTO dipstick and microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Twenty of these patients (5%) had serological evidence of leptospirosis. Leptospira interrogans serovars Autumnalis and Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola and Javanica were serogroups recorded serologically. Fever and jaundice were the most common clinical presentations. Male preponderance was seen in the leptospirosis cases. Outdoor activities, agricultural activities, contact with animals were significantly associated with seropositivity for Leptospira. This study highlights that leptospirosis is a significant health problem in northern India, though grossly under reported due to the absence of routine laboratory diagnostic facilities for this disease.

Keratometric astigmatism after ECCE in eastern Nepal. Continuous versus interrupted sutures.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to compute and compare the keratometric astigmatism induced by wound closure with continuous and interrupted sutures in conventional extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation at a single centre in eastern Nepal. METHODS: Sixty eyes of 60 patients were included in the study. All patients received conventional extracapsular cataract extraction and single piece modified C-loop posterior chamber intraocular lens. Thirty eyes were sutured with continuous (Group 1) and 30 eyes with interrupted sutures (Group 2). The results were analysed by the unpaired student's t-test. RESULTS: At the end of 6 weeks, Group 1 patients had significantly higher astigmatism (3.53 +/- 2.19D) compared to Group 2 patients (1.7 +/- 1.35). A majority of patients in both groups had with-the-rule astigmatism throughout the postoperative period. CONCLUSION: Interrupted sutures cause less astigmatism than continuous suture. The factors responsible for high astigmatism in continuous sutures call for further analysis.