Low incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis in Indian children.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to V Mittal.
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A total of 2075 women in child bearing age and with past bad obstetrical history were serologically examined by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test for Toxoplasma antibodies. 160 (7.72%) serum samples were positive with a titre of 1:64 or more. Maximum prevalence as well as highest titres of antibodies were seen in women aged 36 years and above indicating repeated infections. No association between seropositivity and contact with animals was observed. The low overall prevalence is due to infrequent and uncommon practices of ingesting undercooked or uncooked food especially meat.
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We have sequenced the extrachromsomal ribosomal DNA (rDNA) circle of the human protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica HM-1:IMSS and present here the complete sequence organisation of the 24.5-kb molecule. Each circle contains two 5.9-kb rDNA transcription units organised as inverted repeats. The regions downstream (3543 bp) and upstream (9216 bp) of the rDNAs contain various families of short tandem repeats. Some of the upstream repeats share extensive sequence homology with the downstream repeats. In addition to the rDNAs themselves, the rDNA circle appears to code for only one other transcript which is 0.7 kb in size as seen in Northern blots. From DNA sequence analysis, no open reading frame could be assigned to the transcript. Extrachromosomal rDNA circles also exist in other E. histolytica strains. Restriction enzyme maps of rDNA circles were constructed from E. histolytica strains 200:NIH, HK-9 and Rahman; and Entamoeba moshkovskii strain Laredo. Striking differences were observed in the organisation of some of them, e.g. the HK-9, Rahman and Laredo circles contained only one rDNA unit and lacked the 0.7-kb transcript sequence. The short repeat sequences upstream and downstream of rDNAs were present in HK-9 and Rahman but absent in Laredo. Circles with one rDNA unit may be derived from those with two units by homologous recombination at direct repeat sequences located upstream and downstream of the two rDNAs.
A genomic library of Entamoeba histolytica (pathogenic strain HM-1:IMSS) was screened to detect repetitive DNA clones other than those from the highly abundant ribosomal DNA (rDNA). One such clone (HMc) had a 2.3 kb insert which hybridized with the main genome and not the rDNA circle. Southern hybridization of E. histolytica genomic DNA, digested with EcoR I and probed with HMc, showed multiple bands. The banding pattern was identical in all axenic pathogenic strains tested. Differences, however, existed when the banding pattern of a pathogenic strain was compared with that of a non-pathogenic strain. HMc was present in about 25-30 copies per genome in strain HM-1:IMSS. Nucleotide sequence analysis of HMc revealed a partial open reading frame which hybridized with a 1.35 kb poly A+ transcript in Northern blots. The deduced amino acid sequence did not, however, show significant homology with known proteins. The HMc sequence was found only in E. histolytica as it hybridized with 5 different axenic strains of E. histolytica but did not recognize other closely related species of Entamoeba. It has thus the potential to be used as a species-specific DNA probe.
Primary repair, or resection and anastomosis, should be considered for treatment of all civilian patients with penetrating colon injuries. During the past six years, 154 patients with colon injuries (excluding rectal injuries) were treated in an urban trauma center. Primary repair, including resection and anastomosis, was performed in 102 patients (66%) and diversion in 52 patients (34%). Injuries were graded according to the Penetrating Abdominal Trauma Index (PATI) and Colon Organ Injury Scale (CIS). The average PATI score for the primary repair group was 22.1; the diversion group was 25.3. The majority of injuries as graded by CIS for the primary repair group were grades 2 (27%) and 3 (38%); the diversion group grades were 3 (31%) and 4 (46%). There was no significant difference between the two groups. There were 11 septic-related complications in the diversion group and 10 septic-related complications in the primary repair group. Independent risk factors for adverse outcomes were compared in each group and used to calculate the probability for adverse outcomes. The probability for adverse outcome was significantly greater in the diversion group. Associated risk factors were not useful in predicting an increase in morbidity and mortality in either group. However, PATI had greater predictive value for determining morbidity and mortality than did CIS. Primary repair or resection and anastomosis should be considered for treatment of all penetrating colon injuries excluding rectal injuries.
OBJECTIVE: We studied delayed or residual manifestations of penetrating cardiac injury in patients to determine the incidence, type, management, and outcome. BACKGROUND: Penetrating cardiac injury is associated with a high mortality despite improvement in management in recent years. Secondary lesions that are usually not looked for at the time of initial surgery are diagnosed and repaired postoperatively. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: The study was conducted at a major urban trauma center. PATIENTS: Forty-eight survivors of 71 penetrating cardiac injuries were treated during a 10-year period from 1980 to 1990. RESULTS: Delayed sequelae were diagnosed in 11 patients (23%) during the postoperative period. There were five ventricular septal defects, two aortic valvular injuries, one atrial septal defect, two conduction defects, and one tricuspid valvular lesion. All lesions were repaired electively with 100% survival. CONCLUSION: We found residual or delayed sequelae in 23% of our patients. Close follow-up and utilization of diagnostic studies, including two-dimensional echocardiography during the early postoperative period, can identify late sequelae and allow elective repair.
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The E. histolytica rDNA episome consists of a 3.7 kb HindIII fragment located downstream of the rDNA inverted repeats. We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence of this fragment and have shown that it is comprised of two families of short tandem repeats, the 170 bp DraI repeat and the 144 bp ScaI repeat. Each DraI repeat unit consists of 12-mer sequences with near complete homology to yeast consensus autonomously replicating sequence. In addition, a 21-mer subrepeat structure is also present in each unit. The sequence of the ScaI repeat is about 90% homologous with the sequence of another family of 145 bp tandem repeats, the PvuI repeats reported to be present upstream of the rRNA genes (3). Compared with most other parts of the rDNA episome, the downstream region showed frequent restriction fragment length polymorphism. This was due to changes in the number of tandem DraI repeat units. The loss of these repeats might explain how rDNA length heterogeneity observed in the clones of HM1:IMSS could have arisen. On the other hand, the number of ScaI repeat units in these clones remained unchanged. The repeat units found in the 3.7 kb HindIII fragment show superficial resemblance to equivalent regions of the intergenic spacers of higher eukaryotes. Moreover, these repeated sequences seem to be specific for the pathogenic strain of E. histolytica.
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The sensitivity and specificity of three serological tests viz. indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) for the diagnosis of Indian kala-azar were evaluated. Of the 209 patients in whom Leishmania donovani parasite could be demonstrated in bone marrow, 207 (99.04 per cent) could be diagnosed with IFAT, 203 (96.6 per cent) with CIEP and 208 (99.5 per cent) with ELISA. None of these serological tests was positive in 40 healthy individuals and 10 patients each with tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis and malaria. In only one out of 10 patients with malaria ELISA alone gave false positive result. Of the 119 patients who had clinical features simulating kala-azar but were negative for Leishmania donovani in bone marrow and responded to treatment other than that for Indian Kala-azar, IFAT, CIEP and ELISA were false positive in three (2.5 per cent), nil and three (2.5 per cent) cases, respectively. The use of serodiagnostic tests like ELISA for mass screening and CIEP in less well equipped peripheral laboratories is suggested.
Comparative evaluation of indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and Weil-Felix test (WFT) was carried out for detecting rickettsial antibodies in 102 patients with pyrexia of unknown origin (P.U.O.), 20 brucellosis cases and 20 normal healthy controls (N.H.C.). Of 102 sera of cases with P.U.O., antibodies against rickettsia could be detected in 11 (10.7 per cent) cases by IFAT and in 10 (9.8 per cent) cases by WFT, but amongst these 10 sera, antibodies could be detected only in six by IFAT. All 20 brucella positive sera were negative for rickettsia by IFAT but by WFT in 6 sera antibodies against rickettsia could be detected and 20 N.H.C. sera were negative by both the tests. Thus the advantages of IFAT over WFT in detecting antibodies against rickettsia in terms of sensitivity and specificity make it a more reliable test.
One thousand and thirty-six serum samples obtained from women with bad obstetric history (BOH) were subjected to detection of toxoplasma antibody by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) using whole promastigotes of Rh strain of Toxoplasma gondii as antigen. Thirtyone (2.99 per cent) samples were found to be positive (titre greater than or equal to 1:64). Of these 31 patients' sera 27 (87.09 per cent) showed rising titre of antibody when second samples were drawn after 4 weeks. Two hundred serum samples from general population were also assayed and only 2 (1 per cent) were found to be having toxoplasma antibodies in titre of 1:64. The observations suggest low prevalence of toxoplasmosis in and around Delhi which is in consonance with the food habits of local people and their infrequent contact/association with cats.
An 11-month-old male infant was admitted to hospital with fever, pallor and hepatosplenomegaly, and was diagnosed as having kala-azar. The mother also suffered from kala-azar while carrying this baby. As the baby and the mother did not leave Delhi either during or after delivery, and the vector found in Delhi is not competent to transmit leishmaniasis, the infant could not have been infected by the bite of a sandfly. It therefore seems most likely that he was infected in utero--a rare route.
Search for livelihood makes many people move from kala azar endemic areas to metropolitans like Delhi from where indigenous cases have not been reported. During 1986-1989, 211 laboratory confirmed kala azar cases were detected in Delhi. Of these 202 (95.73 per cent) were from Bihar and remaining nine (4.27 per cent) belonged to Uttar Pradesh. Younger age groups were affected more and maximum cases (54.02 per cent) were in the age group of 5-15 years. Male:female ratio was 2:1. Fever (100 per cent) along with mass in abdomen (99.05 per cent) were the major presenting complaints. Splenomegaly was seen in all the patients whereas hepatomegaly was a feature in 184 (87.20 per cent) cases. Response to sodium antimony gluconate (SAG) was variable and number of injections administered reached upto 80 in some (23) cases. All 37 patients responded to pentamidine after two full courses of SAG failed to bring about any clinical and parasitological cure.
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