Red baby syndrome a new disease due to parvovirus B-19 observed in Kerala.

Red Baby Syndrome is a new disease seen in infants and young children. Dramatic onset of clinical symptoms with high intensity, short duration and lack of similarity with other cutaneous lesions makes it distinct. Of 50 such patients studied over a period of 5 years, half were below one year of age. Abrupt onset of high fever and generalized erythema involving the entire skin, which is swollen and tender is characteristic. These children were highly irritable and had paradoxical cry when cuddled. Rapid resolution of symptoms occurred in 7-10 days with extensive desquamation. Routine investigations were normal, C-reactive protein was raised only in 10 patients. Human Parvo virus B-19 IgM antibodies were positive in 15 out of 24 patients. Real time polymerase chain reaction was positive for human parvovirus B 19 DNA in one. Histopathological changes in the skin biopsy showed post infectious vascular injury pattern.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease in Calicut.

OBJECTIVE: Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a mild exanthematous illness seen worldwide, affecting mainly children under ten years of age. The causative agents were initially Coxsackie virus type A 16 and related serotypes. The situation changed drastically about thirty years ago with the advent of a new aetiological agent, Enterovirus type 71 (EV 71), which has caused very large outbreaks with severe complications and many deaths. METHODS: The authors report an outbreak of papulovesicular lesions on the skin and oral mucosa compatible with the diagnosis of HFMD in children in and around Calicut in October 2003. Clinical and laboratory study in collaboration with the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi. Eighty one children with the syndrome were examined and followed up from October 2003 to February 2004, when the outbreak subsided. RESULT: The outbreak was mild and all children recovered within 1 to 2 weeks. CONCLUSION: Acute and convalescent paired serum samples collected from 19 patients were examined at the NICD for IgM antibody against EV 71 by microneutralisation test in cell culture. All the paired samples tested showed significant rise in titre of antibodies, confirming the diagnosis of EV 71 infection in each of them.

Rotavirus and acute diarrhoeal disease in children in a southern Indian coastal town.

Rotavirus was found by electron microscopy in the stools of 70.7% of a representative sample (368) of the 3355 children with acute diarrhoea admitted to hospital over a period of 16 months in Calicut on the west coast of India. The prevalence of the virus was high (nearly 100% of cases examined) in the period from November to January and lowest in May just before the onset of the monsoon. Prevalence was high (75.1%) in infants aged from 6 to 23 months, but was considerably lower in those under 6 months of age (34.8%). The management of cases and the planning of control measures for this disease are discussed in the light of knowledge of the high prevalence of rotavirus.

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Cladosporium bantianum in Kerala (India).

A case of phaeohyphomycosis caused by Cladosporium bantianum is reported from India for the first time. It is also the first known case of infection involving the foot caused by this fungus. The cultural characteristics and animal pathogenicity of the isolate are described.

The role of cell-mediated immunity in typhoid.

The cell-mediated immunity in typhoid was assessed by the leukocyte migration inhibition test and delayed hypersensitivity skin test in 60 clinical typhoid patients. The property of leukocyte migration inhibition appeared first and was positive in 28 of 60 (46.7%) patients on admission and 45 of 60 (75%) at the time of discharge. This difference was definitely more in blood culture positive patients. The delayed hypersensitivity appeared later and was positive in 18 of 60 (30%) on admission and 31 of 60 (51.7%) at the time of discharge. Patients with positive cellular-immune response against typhoid antigen did not develop relapse. On the whole cell-mediated immunity seems to play an important role in typoid. The control groups--the medical and surgical patients, doctors, clinical students and preclinical students--showed positive cellular immune response of 43.3 81.3, 40.7 and 25% respectively. The significance of these results is discussed.

Experimental infection of animals with influenzavirus types A and B.

The knowledge that domestic cats were susceptible to infection with freshly isolated A/Hong Kong/68 influenzavirus led to studies on the susceptibility of some other animal species to this virus, as well as to studies on the ability of egg-passaged Hong Kong virus and an Asian virus to infect cats. The ability of a recent isolate of influenzavirus B to infect these animals was also studied. Macaca radiata monkeys could be infected with fresh isolates of A/Hong Kong virus by intranasal instillation or by contact with infected animals. They could also be infected with influenzavirus B by intranasal challenge, but contact transmission was not demonstrated. Mongrel dogs were found to be susceptible to A/Hong Kong/68 virus by intranasal instillation, but not to type B virus. Domestic cats could be infected with A/Hong Kong/68 virus passaged 6 times in eggs. They were also susceptible to infection with an established laboratory strain of Asian virus. Cats could be infected with influenzavirus B either by intranasal challenge or by contact with infected animals. In no case was clinical illness found following infection, but the infected animals shed virus from the throat and developed haemagglutination inhibiting antibodies.