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Biomedical subjects

Renu Bharadwaj

Publications and source records attributed to Renu Bharadwaj.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Concurrent outbreak of leptospirosis and dengue in Mumbai, India, 2002.

This prospective study was undertaken to investigate the possibility of a concurrent outbreak of leptospirosis and dengue and to describe the clinical illnesses. From 20 June to 14 November 2002, children who presented to our hospital with a suspected diagnosis of leptospirosis or dengue were admitted. In every child with suspected leptospirosis, a screening latex agglutination test was carried out to detect anti-Leptospira antibodies. The diagnosis of leptospirosis was confirmed by a positive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test or microagglutination test. The diagnosis of dengue was confirmed by a positive IgM antibody capture ELISA test. Clinical features in the leptospirosis and leptospirosis-negative groups, and dengue and dengue-negative groups were analysed. Of 90 children screened, 15 (16.7 per cent) had leptospirosis. Two children with Weil's disease died and the remaining 13 responded well to intravenous penicillin. Five clinical features were significantly associated with leptospirosis, namely conjunctival suffusion (p=0.007), haemorrhage (p=0.020), abdominal pain (p=0.011), hepatosplenomegaly (p=0.044), and oedema (p=0.007). As the number of these five features concomitantly present increased, the chances of the child having leptospirosis also increased significantly (p<0.0001). Of 90 children screened, 16 (17.8 per cent) had dengue. All responded well to the treatment and went home. Two clinical features were significantly associated with dengue, namely arthralgia (p=0.020) and thrombocytopenia (p=0.001). If both these features were present, the chances of the child having dengue increased significantly (p=0.001). Our study shows that a concurrent outbreak of leptospirosis and dengue had occurred in the slums of Mumbai city.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2005

Leptospiral pneumonia.

Severe leptospirosis rarely presents with primary pulmonary manifestations, without any associated jaundice or renal dysfunction. The authors report a nine-year-old boy who presented with complaints of abrupt onset of high fever; with myalgia, headache, and pain in right chest region, productive cough with hemoptysis and vomiting developing over the past 72 hours. Chest radiograph showed consolidation in the right upper lobe with air bronchogram. A history of contact with sewage water and presence of conjunctival suffusion in a child with pneumonia made us suspect leptospirosis. Following prompt initiation of parenteral penicillin therapy the child's complaints resolved over the next five days. Dri-Dot test to detect anti-Leptospira antibodies was positive. The diagnosis of leptospirosis was confirmed by a positive microagglutination test to Leptospira interrogans serovar Australis by a fourfold rise in antibody titer in paired sera collected during convalescence. Leptospirosis presenting with pulmonary hemorrhage has been associated with significant mortality but it can be successfully treated with early clinical suspicion of alveolar hemorrhage and prompt therapy.

Child↗
PubMed2002

Whole genome fingerprinting and genotyping of multiple drug resistant (MDR) isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from endophthalmitis patients in India.

Genome sequence-based fluorescent amplified-fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) analysis was investigated for fingerprinting and subtyping 42 multiple drug resistant (MDR) isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from post-surgical endophthalmitis. The FAFLP profiles derived from EcoRI/MseI restricted fragments differentiated clinical isolates and were found to be extremely reproducible. Seventeen different amplification patterns (amplitypes) were observed for all the 42 isolates from 11 different patients. Also, we were able to genotype the isolates based on the differential amplification of a total of 31 FAFLP markers representing genomic fragments from the P. aeruginosa chromosome. This data appears to provide clues to the genetic diversity of endopthalmitis associated strains and could be converted into digitised fingerprints suitable for electronic manipulations and archiving.

DNA Fingerprinting↗
PubMed2002

Role of IgM specific indirect immunofluorescence assay in diagnosing an outbreak of leptospirosis.

The study was conducted during a suspected epidemic of leptospirosis in Maharashtra. A total of 13 acute phase blood samples, collected at 5-6 days from the onset of symptoms, and 10 convalescent phase samples, colected at around 20 days from the onset of symptoms were obtained from 13 patients. Sera were separated and the samples were subjected to Microagglutination Test (MAT) and IgM-Indirect Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) to detect antibodies against leptospira. In the acute phase sera, only one sample was positive by MAT while seven were positive by IFA. In the convalescent samples, six were positive by MAT and seven were positive by IFA. IFA is a rapid test and can be used for early diagnosis of leptospirosis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

An urban outbreak of leptospirosis in Mumbai, India.

An outbreak of leptospirosis occurred during the rainy season in the city of Mumbai, India. Out of 169 suspected cases, 74 (43.7%) were determined serologically positive by microagglutination test (MAT) carried out with a battery of eight pathogenic serovars, while 78 (46.1%) were shown positive for IgM antibodies to leptospira by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. On the basis of MAT, serovar Copenhageni accounted for 66 (89.1%) out of the 74 cases admitted during the period of the outbreak. Myalgia, conjunctival suffusion, cough with hemoptysis, icterus, and oliguria were significantly more common in patients whose samples were determined positive by MAT. The presence of pulmonary signs and symptoms and renal failure were significantly associated with mortality in patients presumed to be suffering from leptospirosis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors associated with drug resistance in pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Drug-resistant tuberculosis is becoming a formidable foe for the mankind as it is difficult to manage. The present study was aimed at studying the factors associated with drug resistance in tuberculosis. METHODS: One-hundred and nine patients from whom mycobacterial growth was obtained on culture were studied. RESULTS: Treatment default was found to be the most important factor associated with drug resistance. Forty-five of the 48 isolates from patients with history of default showed drug resistance. Travel to a different place was the reason for default in 19 of 45 patients with drug resistance. Symptom relief in 12, cost of treament in two and adverse drug effect in 12 patients were the other commonly observed reasons for default. A history of relapse was also found to be associated with drug resistance. Nineteen of the 34 isolates obtained from these patients showed drug resistance. In contrast, drug resistance was seen in only four of the 27 new, untreated patients with mycobacterial growth. CONCLUSIONS: Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a major problem in the control of tuberculosis. Its resurgence should be controlled by scrupulously monitoring and ensuring patient compliance.

Drug Resistance, Bacterial↗