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Biomedical subjects

E Mathai

Publications and source records attributed to E Mathai.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Evaluation of different solid media used for cultivation of Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori.

The ability of nine blood containing media to support the growth of H. pylori was compared. Eighteen strains of H. pylori isolated from antral biopsies were cultivated in two dilutions, for colony counts on the media to be tested. Columbia base chocolate agar without additives was found to be the best medium for growth of H. pylori. However, all other fresh blood containing media also supported the growth of this organism satisfactorily.

Blood↗
PubMed1991

The effect of bile acids on the growth and adherence of Helicobacter pylori.

Bile reflux gastritis occurs in the absence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The aim of this study was to see if the bile acids cheno or ursodeoxycholic acid affected the growth or adherence of H. pylori in vitro. Twenty-seven strains growth were inhibited by 0.1% chenodeoxycholic acid whereas only 11 out of the 27 were inhibited by 0.1% ursodeoxycholic acid. Growth was totally inhibited by a combination of 0.05% chenodeoxycholic acid +0.05% ursodeoxycholic acid. Chenodeoxycholic acid was a more effective inhibitor of adherence in that the number inhibited and percentage inhibition were greater than with ursodeoxycholic acid. Bile salts might be useful in the treatment of H. pylori infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Candida antibodies in amniotic fluid.

Amniotic fluid samples were tested for specific immunoglobulins against Candida albicans by indirect immunofluorescence. Nineteen of the 23 samples tested contained specific IgA while specific IgG antibodies were detected in only seven samples (P less than 0.01). None of the samples contained specific anticandidal IgM (P less than 0.001). These 23 samples and a further 30 amniotic fluid samples were tested for Candida mannan antigen by latex agglutination. Mannan was not detected in any of the samples tested. It is concluded that anticandidal IgA in amniotic fluid is naturally occurring.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1991

Detection of Bacteroides infection by counter immunoelectrophoresis test.

The counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) test using sonicated antigens of Bacteroides fragilis NCTC 2553 and a B. asaccharolyticus strain, standardised in the laboratory yielded a negative result in the 50 normal sera tested, while it was positive in 24 of 34 (71%) patients with infection due to black pigmented bacteroides and in 10 of 15 (67%) with B. fragilis infection. The microagglutination test (MAT) done in parallel showed a positivity of only 44 and 40 per cent respectively. The CIE test done with B. asaccharolyticus antigen was negative in 87 per cent of patients with infection due to B. fragilis whereas MAT showed cross reactivity to a greater extent.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1990

Adjuvant antibiotic therapy in duodenal ulcers treated with colloidal bismuth subcitrate.

Persistence of Helicobacter pylori after duodenal ulcer healing is associated with high rates of ulcer relapse. We compared colloidal bismuth subcitrate alone with CBS combined with one of four antibiotic regimens in the treatment of duodenal ulcers. Endoscopy and antral biopsies were performed before treatment and four weeks afterwards. Biopsy specimens were examined for histological evidence of gastritis and by Gram stain and culture for H pylori infection. Altogether 141 patients were allocated to one of five treatment groups. Giving CBS and metronidazole (400 mg tid for 7 days) with and without amoxycillin (500 mg tid) achieved higher clearance rates of H pylori than treatment with CBS alone (p less than 0.01). These two combinations also achieved higher rates of antral gastritis healing than CBS alone (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.05 respectively). Susceptibility to metronidazole was tested in 29 isolates before and in seven isolates after treatment with metronidazole by disc diffusion test and minimum inhibitory concentration assay. Twenty seven (93%) of the isolates were sensitive before treatment while six of seven (86%) were resistant afterwards. Four of the six resistant strains had acquired resistance during treatment and one of these had acquired metronidazole resistance despite concomitant treatment with amoxycillin, to which it remained sensitive. CBS with adjuvant metronidazole at a dose of 400 mg tid for seven days significantly improves the eradication of H pylori compared with CBS alone. Acquired metronidazole resistance, however, seems to be an important cause of failure to eradicate H pylori.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1989

Coagglutination test in the diagnosis of typhoid fever.

Staphylococcal coagglutination (CoA) test for the detection of Salmonella typhi O (factor 9) antigen was evaluated as a diagnostic test in typhoid fever. Supernatants from 106 blood cultures with Gram negative bacilli were subjected to CoA test. The sensitivity of the CoA test for the detection of S. typhi O antigen was 88 per cent and the specificity 97 per cent.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1988

Plasmodium falciparum: inhibition/reversal of cytoadherence of Thai isolates to melanoma cells by local immune sera.

The effect of sera on the cytoadherence in vitro of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes to melanoma cells was examined. Sera from 19 healthy individuals living in endemic malarious areas in Thailand and 24 patients with P. falciparum malaria were tested against four local P. falciparum isolates. Out of 57 sera examined, 12 (21%) showed significant inhibition (greater than 50%) of cytoadherence for at least one isolate. Anti-malarial IgG antibody titres were determined for all 57 sera and although 11 of the 12 inhibitory sera had relatively high titres, 36 out of 47 sera with similarly high titres showed no significant inhibitory activity. Convalescent sera were no more effective than corresponding acute sera in inhibiting the cytoadherence of erythrocytes infected with any of the four heterologous isolates examined. Sera which significantly inhibited cytoadherence were also capable of reversing cytoadherence, and pooled plasma, from healthy individuals living in malarious areas, was effective in significantly reversing the in vitro cytoadherence of all the five parasite isolates examined. The results confirm the antibody mediated strain-specific nature of the inhibition of cytoadherence and stress the difficulty in selecting immune sera potentially useful for the immunotherapy of cerebral malaria patients in Thailand.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Antimicrobial activity of amniotic fluid in South Indian women.

Samples of amniotic fluid obtained from 48 South Indian women in the third trimester of pregnancy were studied for antimicrobial activity. The growth of Staphylococcus albus, Candida albicans and Clostridium perfringens was inhibited by nearly all samples studied while the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis was inhibited by 50%, 42% and 18% of samples respectively. The growth of Streptococcus faecalis was not inhibited. Using radial immunodiffusion, IgG was measurable in all 10 samples studied (mean 23 mg/dl), whereas IgA was measurable in only three of these samples (mean 1.32 mg/dl). However, while specific IgA against C. albicans was detected by indirect immunofluorescence in 93% of samples, specific IgG against C. albicans was detected in only 26% of samples (P less than 0.001). Amniotic fluid obtained from parous women had greater inhibitory activity against E. coli (P less than 0.05) than did the amniotic fluid obtained from nulliparae.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Case reports: scrub typhus during pregnancy in India.

Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is a rural zoonosis endemic in the Asian Pacific region. Doxycycline and chloramphenicol, the recommended drugs for treating this infection, may not be safe during pregnancy. We report on 5 patients with scrub typhus during pregnancy who were seen in India between October 2001 and February 2002. Four of the 5 women were treated initially with ciprofloxacin. Three women had stillbirths, 1 an abortion and 1 a low birthweight baby, which suggests that ciprofloxacin should not be used for treating pregnant women and that scrub typhus leads to severe adverse effects during pregnancy. Randomized controlled trials are urgently needed to ascertain the optimal drug choice, given that currently recommended drugs are contraindicated in pregnant women.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antibody response to a single tetanus toxoid booster in young women in rural south India.

BACKGROUND: Tetanus toxoid immunization is an integral part of the maternal and child health programme in developing countries. It is likely that many women may have had childhood immunization and so already have antitetanus antibodies at the time of their first antenatal visit. A single dose of tetanus toxoid injection can boost the levels of antitetanus antibodies in these women. This study was undertaken to assess the previous immunization status by verbal history and assess the effect of a single tetanus toxoid injection in young women. METHODS: Ninety-nine unmarried women between 18 and 22 years of age were enrolled for the study. The history of childhood immunization was obtained from their mothers. Blood samples were collected to measure IgG antibody levels to tetanus using ELISA. Antibody levels were also measured on day 14 after a dose of tetanus toxoid injection. RESULTS: Of the 99 women studied, 81 had a history of childhood immunization while 18 did not. Overall, 92% of the women had protective levels of antibodies at the time of first testing and 99% of the women were protected with a single dose of tetanus toxoid. CONCLUSION: In areas with good maternal and child health services, a single booster dose of tetanus toxoid can be considered adequate for primigravidae with a history of childhood immunization.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Audit of management of pregnant women with positive VDRL tests.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis is a preventable cause of foetal loss and congenital disease. Although the VDRL test is an integral part of routine antenatal care in India, little is known about the disease burden in pregnancy in India. Therefore, we carried out a study to determine the prevalence of VDRL positivity and syphilis among pregnant women in Vellore and to audit the management and outcome of VDRL-positive pregnancies. METHODS: A retrospective review of case records. RESULTS: Only 0.98% of pregnant women were positive by the VDRL test. However, foetal loss occurred in 16 (32%) of the 50 seropositive women; 15 of these did not receive antenatal care. Seventeen of the 34 seropositive multiparous women had had previous foetal losses. Only 16 women had received penicillin. CONCLUSION: Although the seroprevalence of syphilis in pregnancy is low, it is an unrecognized cause of foetal loss in Vellore. An audit of the testing and management of VDRL positivity in pregnancy provides valuable information on the quality of antenatal care in an area.

Cardiolipins↗