RESUMO
PURPOSE: Pityriasis versicolor (PV) is a chronic superficial fungal disease caused by Malassezia species. Our aim was to identify Malassezia species from PV patients and healthy individuals in Punjab. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Modified Dixon agar was used as isolation culture medium. Identification was based on morphological observation and biochemical evaluation. The biochemical evaluation consisted of culture onto Sabouraud dextrose agar, catalase reaction, Tween assimilation, Cremophor EL assimilation, splitting of esculin and growth at 38 0 C. RESULTS: Out of 58 microscopically diagnosed cases of PV, growth was obtained from 54 (93.10%) cases. The most frequently isolated species were M. globosa, M. sympodialis and M. furfur which made up 51.79%, 31.42% and 18.51% of the isolated etiological agents respectively. However, the major isolate from the back of healthy individuals was M. sympodialis (47.61%), followed by M. obtusa (19.04%), M. globosa (14.20%), M. furfur (9.52%), M. pachydermatis (4.76%) and M. slooffiae (4.76%). CONCLUSIONS: M. globosa in its mycelial phase was the main etiological agent, but as normal flora from the back of healthy subjects, it was found in significantly less number (P = 0.01), suggesting that the higher pathogenicity of M. globosa in terms of enzymatic endowment, might be the cause of its predominance in PV lesions.
Assuntos
Malassezia/classificação , Malassezia/isolamento & purificação , Tinha Versicolor/epidemiologia , Tinha Versicolor/microbiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Índia/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Técnicas de Tipagem Micológica , Prevalência , Centros de Atenção Terciária , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Fifty cases of idiopathic epilepsy and 25 age and sex matched normal healthy controls were studied. There was a significant fall in serum magnesium levels in idiopathic epilepsy on day one and 4 of the seizures (P < 0.01) as compared to controls, and was not decreased significantly on day 7 of the seizures (P < 0.05). The fall was maximum in status epilepticus and severe epilepsy than in mild and moderate epilepsy. Serum magnesium took less time to come back to normal in mild and moderate epilepsy than in other types. This shows that serum magnesium does have a prognostic significance. Lesser the fall in the magnesium levels, less frequent were the convulsions and vice versa. It is concluded that serum magnesium continues to be a sensitive early diagnostic index of idiopathic epilepsy.
Assuntos
Epilepsia/sangue , Magnésio/sangue , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Epilepsia/etiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Prognóstico , Valores de Referência , Estado Epiléptico/sangue , Estado Epiléptico/etiologiaRESUMO
Thirty seven patients with various neuroparalytic manifestations were studied. There were 25 males and 12 females aged 14 to 50 years with majority in 3rd and 4th decades. Their neurological deficits comprised of drowsiness in 12, stupor in 6, coma in 4 and convulsions in 4 patients. Ptosis was found in 22, ophthalmoplegia and pharyngeal paralysis in 12 each, facial paralysis in 9, respiratory paralysis in 8, flaccid limb paralysis in 9, respiratory paralysis in 8, flaccid limb paralysis in 16 and lock jaw in one case. History of snake bite was present in 25 cases and in the remaining 12 cases there was a history of not awakening or inability to come out of the bed in the early morning. These subjects were treated with respiratory support, antivenom serum supplemented with atropine-neostigmine combination. Recovery was dramatic in 25 cases. 6 patients died within 12 hours of hospitalization and remaining 6 patients showed improvement gradually in 2-3 days time. The importance of high index of suspicion in the early diagnosis of elapid bite poisoning as a cause of neuroparalysis has been emphasized.
