COVID-19-induced Stress in Health-care Workers: Effect of 8-week Common Yoga Protocol on Autonomic Function and Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic posed a huge stress on health-care givers affecting their physical and mental health. Wellness strategies like yoga can improve flexibility, resilience, and outlook. Aim: The present study explored the effect of 8-week standard common yoga protocol (CYP) intervention on autonomic functions, emotional stress, oxidative stress, and inflammation markers in the nurse group of health-care givers. Materials and Methods: It is a randomized controlled trial where 50 nurses underwent CYP and 50 participated as controls. Anthropometric parameters, cardiovascular parameters, autonomic function including time and frequency domain parameters, biochemical parameters, and psychological stress using the questionnaire were assessed before and after 8-week CYP. Results: Total 88 nurses completed the study with 42 and 46 participants, respectively, in the CYP and control groups. CYP intervention resulted in a significant reduction in cardiovascular parameters systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, and rate pressure product (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002, respectively), perceived stress score and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale psychological variables of depression, anxiety, and stress, and serum lipid parameters compared to the control group. CYP significantly increased total power, low frequency, high frequency, root mean square of successive differences between adjacent NN intervals, change in successive normal sinus (NN) intervals exceeds 50 ms, and pNN50% (P < 0.001, P = 0.006, P = 0.006, P = 0.039, P < 0.001, and P = 0.013, respectively) suggesting improved resting autonomic modulation and parasympathodominance due to higher vagal efferent activity. There were significant reductions in serum cortisol, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-6 in both the groups. Serum telomerase significantly reduced (P = 0.024) and total antioxidant capacity (P = 0.036) increased in the CYP group post intervention. Conclusion: CYP intervention was beneficial in improving psychophysiological, autonomic, and biochemical profile of the nurse group of health-care workers.

To Study the Prevalence of Various Enteric Parasitic Infections Among HIV Infected Individuals in the P.D.U. Medical College and Hospital, Rajkot, Gujarat, India.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Enteric parasites are a major cause of diarrhoea in HIV infected individuals. The present study was undertaken to detect the enteric parasites in HIV infected patients with diarrhoea, who were at different levels of immunity. METHODS: This study was carried out in the P.D.U Medical College and Civil Hospital, Rajkot, India. during the period from June 2009 to June 2010. A total of 100 stool samples from HIV seropositive patients were examined for opportunistic, gastrointestinal parasitic infections. The samples were classified according to the age groups, sex, and occupation, a history of diarrhoea and different categories of the CD4 cell count. The stool samples were collected and examined for enteric parasites by microscopy and by special staining methods. The CD4 cell counts were estimated by using the FACS count system. RESULTS: The intestinal parasitic pathogens were detected in 28% patients. Among all, Isospora appeared to have the highest prevalence (18%), followed by Giardia lamblia (5%), Strongyloides stercoralies (3%) and Cryptosporidium parvum (2%). In the HIV infected patients with a CD4 count of < 200 cells/µl, Isospora was the most commonly observed (56%) pathogen. The proportion of the opportunistic pathogens in the patients with CD4 counts of <200 cells/µl was significantly higher as compared to those in the other two groups of patients with CD4 counts of >200 respectively. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Parasitic infections were detected in 28% of the HIV infected patients and a low CD4 count was significantly associated with an opportunistic infection. The detection of the aetiologic pathogens might help the clinicians in deciding the appropriate management strategies.

Microbial keratitis in Gujarat, Western India: findings from 200 cases.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to study the epidemiological characteristics and the microbiological profile of patients suspected with microbial keratitis in Gujarat. METHODS: Corneal scraping was collected from 200 consecutive cases of suspected microbial keratitis and was subjected to direct examination and culture. RESULTS: Of the 200 ulcers 55% were culture positive, 26.5% were bacterial ulcers of which 47% were due to Staphylococcus spp. Pure fungal growth was seen in 22% while 6% were mixed ulcers. Fusarium spp. (30%) was the most common fungus followed by Aspergillus spp. (21%). Only one case of Acanthamoeba keratitis was encountered. Patients were mainly from rural areas (61.5%) with male preponderance (61.5%). Corneal injury was seen in 78.5% cases of which 53% had injury with vegetative matter. Prior treatment was seen in 58% of which 5% had been treated by village healers. Nineteen patients (9.5%) also used some kind of traditional topical treatment. Increased incidence was seen from August to December. Five case of fugal ulcers lead to perforation of which three were due to Fusarium spp. whereas perforation was seen in only two cases of bacterial ulcers due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CONCLUSION: Staphylococcus and Fusarium spp. were the most common etiological agents in our region. Predominant outdoor agricultural activity is the principal causative factor for corneal injury. Corneal ulcers complicated due to treatment by village healers are another important concern. The information regarding regional etiology will help empirical management as many eye clinics do not have microbiological facilities.