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Biomedical subjects

M L Das

Publications and source records attributed to M L Das.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Epidemiological study of kala-azar by direct agglutination test in two rural communities of eastern Nepal.

We conducted a sero-epidemiological study of kala-azar in two endemic communities (Kasaini and Gidhaniya) situated in the Terai (plain) of eastern Nepal. Direct agglutination test (DAT) was used as a serological test for screening. Capillary blood samples were collected by filter paper method from 601 (96%) people of a total population of 628 in Kasaini and from 482 (94%) people of 515 in Gidhaniya. Positive DAT titres (1:2000) were found in 66 (6.09%) of 1083 sera tested. The male-female sero-prevalence ratio was 1.44:1 and the age group of 15 years and above was most affected. Among the bone marrow aspirates collected from 66 DAT seropositive cases, only 19 were positive for Leishmania donovani (LD bodies). Of the 47 DAT seropositive but LD bodies' negative cases, three were clinically active cases of kala-azar. Another nine developed clinical symptoms of kala-azar during 6 months follow-up and 23 were cases that had received prior treatment for kala-azar (within 1 year). The results of this study show the potential of the DAT on filter paper as a screening test for the surveillance of kala-azar at a community level.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Prospective evaluation and comparison of the direct agglutination test and an rK39-antigen-based dipstick test for the diagnosis of suspected kala-azar in Nepal.

The diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) remains difficult in rural endemic areas and practical and reliable tests are badly needed. Two serological tests, the Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) and an rK39-antigen-based dipstick test, were compared to parasitological diagnosis in a group of 184 patients presenting at a tertiary care centre in south-eastern Nepal with a history of fever > or = 14 days and splenomegaly; 139 patients had a parasitologically proven kala-azar and 45 patients had a negative parasitological work-up. The rK39 dipstick showed a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 71%. The DAT was up to 99% sensitive with a low cut-off titre (1:400) but its specificity did not exceed 82% even with a high cut-off titre (1:51 200). Both tests could be used for screening suspect patients in endemic areas. However, their use as confirmatory tests should be restricted to situations where the proportion of kala-azar among clinical suspect patients is high. The rK39 dipstick is cheaper and easier to use than the DAT and could be used widely provided that both its performance and production remain stable.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL): a first case report from Nepal.

Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a non-ulcerative lesion of the skin caused by Leishmania donovani, which is usually seen after completion of treatment of the kala-azar. The condition is yet to be reported from Nepal. We document and report for the first time a case of PKDL in Nepal.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis in Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) manifests as a skin eruption after healing of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), either spontaneously or as a result of treatment. This study was undertaken to describe the demographic, clinical, and histopathologic features of PKDL in Nepal. METHODS: Demographic, clinical, microbiologic, and histopathologic features and response to treatment were studied in 22 patients with PKDL from April 1998 to March 2000. RESULTS: PKDL accounted for 0.13% of all new dermatologic cases. There were 13 (59.1%) males and nine (40.9%) females. A past history of kala-azar was present in all but one patient. A family history of kala-azar was noted in eight (36.4%) patients. All patients presented with multiple types of lesion, except for two in whom only macular lesions were seen. Oral lesions in the form of nodules and plaques were seen in four patients. Generalized lymphadenopathy was present in five patients. Slit skin smears revealed Leishman-Donovan bodies (LDBs) in nine (40.9%) patients. In macular lesions, there was a sparse infiltrate of plasma cells, lymphocytes, or histiocytes in the upper dermis. There was a dense chronic inflammatory infiltrate comprising plasma cells, lymphocytes, histiocytes, and epithelioid cells in the entire dermis from papules, plaques, or nodules. Giemsa staining of biopsy specimens revealed LDBs in seven (38.9%) patients only. Fine needle aspiration from epitrochlear lymph nodes in two patients demonstrated LDBs. All patients responded well to treatment with minimal side-effects. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the need to be aware of the possibility of cases of PKDL in endemic regions of leprosy, as the conditions may be difficult to distinguish clinically and histopathologically.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Lymphatic leishmaniasis--first case report from Nepal.

We report a case of exclusive involvement of lymph node in leishmaniasis presenting as generalized lymphadenopathy. The diagnosis of lymphatic leishmaniasis was confirmed by the presence of Leishmania donovani body in fine needle aspiration cytology, positive direct agglutination test and anti-rK39 antibodies. The bone marrow aspiration was negative for Leishmania donovani body. This is the first case of lymphatic leishmaniasis reported from Nepal.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

A thirty day course of sodium stibogluconate for treatment of Kala-azar in Nepal.

Twenty-seven cases of Kala-azar were treated with sodium stibogluconate at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day for 20 days (group A) and an equal number of cases were treated with the same dose but for a longer duration of 30 days (group B). Clinical and laboratory evaluation of these cases were carried out before and after therapy, during a follow up of cases every month, upto 6 months. Renal and liver function tests and electrocardiography were carried out of monitor any toxic effect of the drug during therapy. The cure rates of patients were 77.78% and 92.59% in group A and B cases respectively. Six and two patients in group A and B respectively were unresponsive to the treatment and showed relapse. Results of the study show that treatment of cases of Kala-azar with sodium stibogluconate in a dosage of 20 mg/kg/day for a longer period of 30 days is effective with a higher cure rate and minimum side effects, for treatment of cases of Kala-azar in this eastern part of Nepal, endemic for the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices about kala-azar and its sandfly vector in rural communities of Nepal.

Reported are the results of a study of the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) about kala-azar of the inhabitants of two villages (Titaria and Haraincha) situated in terai (plain) areas of Nepal. The villagers had poor knowledge about the transmission of kala-azar, with most villagers perceiving that mosquitos, instead of sandflies, were responsible for transmission of the infection. Most also failed to recognize the common symptoms of kala-azar. The majority of the respondents, 78.9% in Titaria and 48.4% in Haraincha, were aware that the condition can be treated, while fewer than 2% believed that it cannot be treated at all. More than 58% of villagers in Titaria and 36.8% in Haraincha used bednets. The residents of both villages were highly responsive to a programme to spray houses with insecticides. Fewer than 5% of respondents slept outdoors in farm outhouses and these individuals did not take any personal vector control measures. The results of this study show the importance of understanding the beliefs and practices of communities in the successful planning and implementation of kala-azar control activities in Nepal.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Model biological microemulsions: Part I--Phase behaviour and physicochemical properties of cholesteryl benzoate and sodium deoxycholate contained microemulsions.

Phase behaviour and some physicochemical properties of cholesteryl benzoate-contained microemulsions of xylene and heptane with water using sodium deoxycholate and butan-1-ol as surfactant and co-surfactant respectively have been studied. While the microemulsion area of xylene depends insignificantly on the surfactant/co-surfactant ratio, that of heptane shows appreciable dependence. At surfactant + co-surfactant percentage of 50 or above, both the systems become oil continuous. With respect to time and temperature, the microemulsion systems have been found to be very stable. At low percentage of water, the xylene system is considerably viscous; that of heptane is less viscous but shows viscosity maximum at 45% water. Cholesterol in xylene has given greater viscosity than cholesteryl benzoate. The equivalent conductance of both the systems increase with increasing water content and the values are comparable. Unlike normal electrolyte solutions, the products of equivalent conductance and viscosity (the Walden product) sharply rise with increased water content, which suggests a special mechanism of conduction via 'channel' formation. The overall rigidity of the microemulsions is suggested by their lower specific volumes and compressibilities at all compositions. The excess specific volumes and excess compressibilities at different percentages of water are presented.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1967

Urinary excretion of foreign antigens and RNA following primary and secondary injections of antigens.

Two soluble antigens, BSA and KLH labeled with sulfanilate-(35)S, when injected intravenously into normal animals, were excreted in the urine to over 70% in 24 hr. Over the next 6 days, 25% more was excreted after which time only a trace could be detected. Much of the antigen remaining from the primary injection appeared in the urine following a secondary injection of the unlabeled protein carrier at 7 days after primary injection. The antigen material found in the urine was quite heterogeneous with respect to physical properties and much of it was associated with RNA material as shown by chromatographic analyses. The main difference between the labeled material released following the primary and secondary injection was the higher degree of association of antigen material with nucleotide material after secondary injection as compared with primary injection. Further study is needed to distinguish qualitative from quantitative changes of the components, antigen and nucleic acid, and also the nature of their association. Possible similarities were found for the RNA-antigen material released from tissue after secondary injection of unlabeled antigen, and the material that was isolated previously from liver.

Animals↗