scholarly journals Diphtheria: a re-emerging infectious disease

Author(s):  
Shashidhar S. Suligavi ◽  
Divya K. Vishwanath ◽  
Shilpa Gokale ◽  
S. S. Doddamani

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background: </strong>Diphtheria is a fatal bacterial infection which affects the mucous membranes of oropharyngeal and nasal cavity, caused by aerobic gram-positive bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Clinical diphtheria is on the increase worldwide, mainly affecting developing countries and leading cause of morbidity and mortality. We sought to understand its presentation among patients and also early intervention of the disease. The objective of the study was to study the clinico-demographic profile of cases, the relationship between immunization status and clinical disease, the role of microbiological investigations and to identify complications in diphtheria cases.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This study is a hospital based observational study from September 2019 - September 2020 at a tertiary care centre, S.Nijalingappa Medical College and HSK hospital, Bagalkot, Karnataka. The cases were analysed with respect to demographic details, clinical features, immunization status, microbiological confirmation and complications of diphtheria cases.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results: </strong>32 cases were suspected to have diphtheria on clinical examination. The mean age of presentation was 15 years. Fever, sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, neck swelling and pseudomembrane in oral cavity were the common signs and symptoms. Airway compromise, myocarditis and neurological complications were noted. Antidiphtheritic serum (ADS) was tried in all 32 cases and 8 cases had adverse reactions. Case fatality rate was 12.5%.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Shifting of occurrence of diphtheria in the age group of &gt;5 years suggest the need to improve and strengthen the immunization program specially the booster doses.</p>

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 607
Author(s):  
Sachin K. R. ◽  
Ramesh H. ◽  
Sachin K. G. ◽  
Siddharth E. S.

Background: Diphtheria is a fatal bacterial infection which affects the mucous membranes of oropharyngeal and nasal cavity, caused by aerobic gram-positive bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. With the advent of universal immunization against diphtheria the incidence of this infectious disease has declined dramatically with few developed nations having eradicated the disease. No large outbreaks have been reported in India in recent times.Methods: In present study, authors reviewed an outbreak of diphtheria in Davangere between the months of June 2017 and July 2018. Case records of children suspected to have diphtheria, admitted to hospitals affiliated to JJM Medical College, Davangere were retrospectively analysed.Results: 15 cases were suspected to have diphtheria on clinical examination. The mean age of presentation was 7.5 years. Fever, sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, neck swelling and patch in oral cavity were the common signs and symptoms. Airway compromise, myocarditis and neurological complications were noted. Antidiphtheritic serum (ADS) was tried in all 15 cases. Case fatality rate was 40%.Conclusions: Diphtheria is a resurgent problem in India. Prompt identification and early appropriate treatment is essential to prevent morbidity and mortality. Strict adherence to the national immunisation schedule should also be emphasized.


Author(s):  
Deepak A. V. ◽  
K. J. Jacob ◽  
Sumi P. Maria

Background: Peripartum hysterectomy is a life-saving procedure resorted to when conservative measures fail to control obstetric haemorrhage. Several predisposing factors, suboptimal care and lack of infrastructure may lead to this emergency procedure. We wanted to find out factors associated with peripartum hysterectomy and the adverse maternal outcomes at our centre.Methods: A retrospective case series analysis of 40 cases of peripartum hysterectomy performed over a period of 5 years from January 2010 to December 2014 at Government Medical College Hospital, Thrissur, Kerala was done.Results: The incidence of peripartum hysterectomy was 0.29%. The most common indication for peripartum hysterectomy was hysterectomy was uterine atony (50%). Thirty-five women (88%) were between 20 and 35 years. Most of the subjects were unbooked. There were two maternal deaths (case fatality rate of 5%) following peripartum hysterectomy during this period. All the subjects required blood transfusion.Conclusions: Prompt performance hysterectomy before the patient’s clinical condition deteriorates is the key to success. The incidence of adherent placenta is increasing, so every effort should be taken to reduce the caesarean section rates globally. 


Author(s):  
Mukesh Kumar ◽  
Mukta Meel ◽  
Nikita Choudhary ◽  
Ashok Singh ◽  
Kusum Mathur

Abstract Background Nonneoplastic cysts of brain are a diverse group of benign lesions with variable etiopathogenesis. Due to different site and histogenesis, these lesions have wide clinicopathologic spectrum. Objective The study was performed to evaluate epidemiology and clinicopathologic spectrum of nonneoplastic central nervous system (CNS) cysts highlighting the role of histopathology in the diagnosis as well as to compare the data with other institution’s data available in literature. Materials and Methods All nonneoplastic CNS cysts reported from January 2013 to June 2020 in the Department of Pathology of Sawai Man Singh Medical College, Jaipur, were retrieved and reviewed. The data were evaluated for age, site, cyst wall lining, nature of cyst contents, and location (intracranial and spinal), using SPSS software version 20.0. Results A total of 255 cases were reviewed with an incidence of 4.96% and an age range of 2 to 74 years with slight male preponderance. Among them there were 157, 34, 26, 24, and 2 cases of epidermoid, arachnoid, dermoid, colloid, and glioependymal cysts, respectively, and 1 case of perineural cyst. Infective cysts were much less common than noninfective cysts, accounting for two cases of neurocysticercosis and hydatid cysts each. All cyst types mainly presented with signs and symptoms of a mass lesion. Conclusion Nonneoplastic cyst mainly presented like a CNS mass lesion with overlapping clinical features, and image finding revealing the key role of histopathological analysis. Epidermoids were the most common type of these cysts in the present series followed by the arachnoid cysts.


Author(s):  
Anjali Handa ◽  
Sunita Bundas ◽  
Ashok Pal

Background: The transfusion of convalescent blood products is an age old therapy in emerging infectious disease outbreaks. Convalescent plasma works on the principle of passive immunotherapy and Viral Neutralization. In the Current pandemic of corona virus disease (COVID-19), convalescent plasma transfusions can have therapeutic role as there is no specific preventative and therapeutic options. This study was done to see the challenges faced by blood transfusion services for recruitment of plasma donors.Methods: The retrospective study included challenges faced by blood transfusion services in recruiting Donors for convalescent plasma for COVID-19 and strategies followed for improving the donation at SMS Medical College and Hospital from April 2020 to October 2020.Results: This study evaluated challenges faced to recruit the recently recovered COVID-19 patients as donors, Setting up of plasmapheresis capacity, Role of social media in recruitment of Convalescent plasma donors, Financial aspects associated with Convalescent plasma donation, Role of NGOs in recruitment of donors and Success achieved in organization of donor mobilization and plasma collection.Conclusions: Recruitment of Convalescent Plasma donor from COVID-19 recovered patients is a big challenge for blood transfusion services. Different strategies to motivate donors should be implemented such as personnel communication, advertisement via classical mass media like radio, poster, newspaper and online media. 


2021 ◽  
pp. 32-34
Author(s):  
Anita Sanker ◽  
G Nandakumar ◽  
Swapna Balkrishnan

There are signicant differences in the histopathology of leprosy lesions which is inuenced by the host immune response to Mycobacterium leprae. Objective - To nd the histopathological changes in newly diagnosed multibacillary leprosy(MB) cases registered in the skin department Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. Method- skin biopsy performed in 40 multibacillary leprosy cases and histopathological ndings were evaluated. 70% showed epidermal atrophy. Granulomas, composed of sheets of foamy macro Results- phages, lymphocytes and epithelioid cells, were seen in 21 cases & twenty two cases were AFB positive. Eight cases each were lepromatous, borderline tuberculoid, mid boderline, borderline lepromatous types. Conclusion- Presence of 60% cases of borderline leprosy indicates the unstable immune response in leprosy patients. Majority were either borderline lepromatous or lepromatous showing the infective nature of multibacillary leprosy. Histopathological examination with Fite- Foroco staining is a crucial method and the gold standard for accurate diagnosis and typing of leprosy.


2021 ◽  
pp. 65-66
Author(s):  
R. K. Maurya ◽  
Shraddha Verma ◽  
R. K. Tripathi ◽  
Amit Yadav

Background: Hypospadias is a common congenital anomaly in which the anterior urethra is incompletely developed and does not extend to the tip of the glans penis. The present study was aimed to study the clinical prole of hypospadias. Settings and Design:This was a prospective, observational study. Methods: This prospective study was conducted at Department of General Surgery, LLR & Associated Hospitals, GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, India, from January 2019 to October 2020, on 72 patients of hypospadias, after taking clearance from the Institutional Ethical Committee, and taking proper informed consent for participation. Data collected for each patient included age, sex, demography, symptoms with duration, and relevant past and treatment history. Results: The most common age of presentation was between 1-5years of age (48.61%, n=35). Distal hypospadias (DH) was the most common site. (47.22%, n=34). 4.16% (n=3) patients presented with urethrocutaneous stula. Chordee was more commonly seen in patients with mid & proximal penile hypospadias (64.70%, n=33). In the present study, 4.1% (n=3) had associated undescended testis, 4.1% (n=3) had an associated bid scrotum and 1.3% (n=1) had an associated congenital hernia. Conclusions: Most cases of hypospadias present before 10 years of age. Distal hypospadias is the most common type. Chordee is associated most commonly with proximal penile and mid penile hypospadias. It may also be associated with other congenital anomalies like, undescended testis, bid scrotum or congenital hernias


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (27) ◽  
pp. 2001-2006
Author(s):  
John Britto Augustin ◽  
Sureshbaboo Variamkandi

BACKGROUND Corneal ulcer is the leading cause of ocular morbidity and monocular blindness worldwide. To effectively prevent blindness in patients with corneal ulcer, a proper understanding of the risk factors predisposing to ulceration, its clinical and microbiological characteristics are essential. Timely identification of aetiological agents causing corneal ulcers and their prompt treatment helps to save the vision. We wanted to detect aetiological agents of corneal ulcer with special references to fungal causes and characterize the fungal aetiological agents to species level. METHODS This is a cross sectional study, conducted in Government Medical college, Kozhikode, between January 2016 and June 2017. All patients who were clinically diagnosed as cases of infectious corneal ulcer in the Ophthalmology department, Government Medical College, Kozhikode were included in the study. Corneal scrapings collected from the infected eye were subjected to microbiological examination and culture. A total of 120 cases were analysed. Each patient was examined with the slit lamp bio microscope after staining with fluorescein. Scrapings from cornea at the site of corneal ulcer were collected by ophthalmologist after a detailed clinical history and examination of the affected eye. The laboratory procedures used in the diagnosis of infectious keratitis were based on direct visualization of organisms by subjecting corneal scrapings to Gram stain and KOH wet mount and inoculation of material on to blood agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar. RESULTS Among the 120 cases, a total of 49 cases were culture positive. Twenty-one [17.5 %] were bacterial, twenty-two [18.34 %] were fungal and six [5.0 %] were poly microbial [bacteria and fungus]. Among the fungal aetiology, fusarium species was most common [32.14 %], followed by aspergillus species - 25.0 %. Trauma was the major risk factor. Diabetes mellitus, exposure keratitis were the other comorbidities / risk factors. CONCLUSIONS This study shows majority of infected corneal ulcers are associated with risk factors and the aetiology are mainly fungi. Microscopy, culture, and clinical correlation helped in adequate management. Thus, prognosis and outcome of corneal ulcers rely on timely identification of their aetiology and prompt treatment. KEY WORDS Corneal ulcer, Fungal Keratitis


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