Evaluation of status of tuberculin skin sensitivity test among medical students.

The status of tuberculin skin sensitivity tests was evaluated in 87 medical students. It was found that Mantoux test has less significant role to play in the vaccinated individuals and in the population at high risk of exposure. Hence this test is to be supplemented with clinical manifestations and other investigations to establish the final diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Sensitivity of EIA in the diagnosis of tuberculosis using 38-kDa antigen.

Patients, who reported to Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh with suspected signs and symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis, were examined. Their sputum was investigated for the presence of acid-fast bacilli, using the routine Ziehl-Neelsen staining, for 3 consecutive days. The positive cases were referred for treatment and the rest were referred for supplementary tests like x-ray, Mantoux test, FNAC and the presence of IgG antibodies in their serum against recombinant 38-kDa antigen derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, using micro-ELISA plates. It was found that 37.8% of the cases who were negative for acid-fast bacilli found to be positive for the presence of antimycobacterial IgG antibodies with an antibody titre greater than the cut off value in addition to one of the above mentioned positive supplementary finding. Hence, EIA for tuberculosis is more sensitive as compared to the routine acid-fast bacilli staining.

Otomycosis--a clinico-mycological study and efficacy of mercurochrome in its treatment.

A total of 110 patients of symptomatic otomycosis was investigated, prospectively. Aural swabs were collected on 1st, 7th and 14th day and examined by direct microscopy and culture for fungi. Of these, 80 patients found to be having pure fungal infection, were taken up for mycological and therapeutic study. Fungi belonging to genus Aspergillus were isolated in 76 (95.0%) patients of which Aspergillus niger was the commonest isolate in 46 (57.5%), followed by A. flavus in 27 (33.7%), A. fumigatus in 3 (3.7%), Candida species in 3 (3.7%) and Mucor in 1 (1.2%). The patients were of all age groups but majority were between 21 and 30 years and the male-female ratio was equal. Of the total of 40 male patients, twenty-one were Sikhs using turban. Before developing the symptoms, forty five patients used oil, mixture of oil and garlic juice, antibiotics, steroids, antiseptics or wax solvent as ear drops. Only two patients were diabetic. No patient had fungal infection elsewhere in the body. The patients were called for regular follow-up for three weeks. In forty cases mercurochrome was applied as the antifungal agent after cleaning the external auditory canal, in twenty-three clotrimazole and in rest of the seventeen patients miconazole was used. On 7th day, only 11 (13.7%) patients grew different fungi in culture. They became symptom-free on 14th day and no fungal material could be seen on otoscopy, direct microscopy or culture. Mercurochrome was found to be most effective in these patients.