Prevalence of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C in patients attending STI/RTI clinic of a tertiary care teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Patients attending Sexually transmitted infection/ Reproductive tract infection (STI/RTI) clinics are investigated for HIV and syphilis under the National AIDS Control Program (NACP). Although sexual contact is one of the modes of transmission of hepatitis B and C, they are not investigated under NACP. This study was planned to find the prevalence of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and C in patients attending STI/RTI clinics and to identify the predictive risk factors. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out over 5 years on 500 consenting adults. 10 ml blood was collected and tests were performed as per standard protocol for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and C. Risk factors for the sexually transmitted diseases were queried. RESULTS: 500 samples were tested, 117(23.4%) men and 383 (76.6%) women. 26(22.2%), 20(17.1%), 11(9.4%) and 01(0.9%) men and 8(2.1%), 36(9.4%), 01(0.3%) and 0(0%) women were positive for HIV, RPR, hepatitis B and C respectively. Dual infection for HIV and syphilis was detected in four (0.8%) men and HIV and hepatitis B in three (0.6%) men. CONCLUSION: To investigate all patients attending STI/RTI clinics for Hepatitis B and to integrate Hepatitis B testing into the National AIDS Control Program.

Arginolipid: A membrane-active antifungal agent and its synergistic potential to combat drug resistance in clinical Candida isolates.

Antifungal drug resistance exhibits a major clinical challenge for treating nosocomial fungal infections. To find a possible solution, we synthesized and studied the antifungal activities of three different arginolipids (Nα -acyl-arginine ethyl ester) against clinical drug-resistant isolates of Candida. The most active arginolipid, oleoyl arginine ethyl ester (OAEE) consisting of a long unsaturated hydrophobic chain, was tested for its mode of action, which revealed that it altered ergosterol biosynthesis and compromised the fungal cell membrane. Also, OAEE was found to exhibit synergistic interactions with fluconazole (FLU) or amphotericin B (AmB) against planktonic Candida cells, wherein it reduced the inhibitory concentrations of these drugs to their in vitro susceptible range. Studies conducted against the C. tropicalis biofilm revealed that the OAEE+AmB combination synergistically reduced the metabolic activity and hyphal density in biofilms, whereas OAEE+FLU was found to be additive against most cases. Finally, the evaluated selective toxicity of OAEE toward fungal cells over mammalian cells could establish it as an alternative treatment for combating drug-resistant Candida infections.

Primary cutaneous aspergillosis, mimicking malignancy, a rare presentation in an immunocompetent patient.

Aspergillus species are ubiquitous opportunistic molds that cause both allergic and invasive syndromes. A 65-year-old female, farmer by occupation, presented with left upper limb and trunk swelling for one year, associated with pain, tightening of skin, and vesicles with watery discharge. Local examination showed a diffuse swelling extending from left arm to forearm and lateral chest wall associated with edema, induration, and raised temperature. The swelling was firm to hard with superficial skin ulcers and black eschar. Hematological investigations of the patient showed raised total WBC count and peripheral blood eosinophilia. Patient had no history suggesting immunosuppression. Clinico-radiological impression was left breast carcinoma with secondary skin involvement. fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) from the swelling showed inflammatory cells, necrosis, epitheloid cell granulomas, and giant cells along with branching hyphae of variable thickness, confirmed on Gomori Methenamine Silver stain as fungal hyphae. Culture was advised which identified the species as Aspergillius fumigatus. Primary cutaneous infection by A. fumigatus in an immunocompetent patient is unheard of. FNAC has an important role in resolving diagnostic dilemma in primary cutaneous aspergillosis, which may mimic malignancy as in our case.

Caspofungin MIC Distribution amongst Commonly Isolated Candida Species in a Tertiary Care Centre - An Indian Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Emergence of Candida species resistant to Amphotericin B and triazole has led to use of echinocandins, mostly caspofungin in the management of invasive candidiasis. There are some published reports of caspofungin resistance in Candida species yet no studies on caspofungin susceptibility pattern of Candida species exist in Indian setup. AIM: To carry out the antifungal susceptibility of Candida isolates against caspofungin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a retrospective study at a tertiary care teaching hospital, 60 preserved Candida isolates from inpatients of invasive candidiasis obtained over a period of 6 months from January 2015 to June 2015 were subjected to antifungal susceptibility to caspofungin and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) of Candida species to caspofungin were determined by Epsilometer test (E-test). RESULTS: Thirty Candida albicans and 30 Non albicansCandida mainly Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis were tested for caspofungin susceptibitity by E-test. Caspofungin resistance was detected in 6.67% Candida albicans isolates. Caspofungin resistance was not observed in Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis. This shows that caspofungin resistance is still rare. Further elaborate studies with clinical correlation data are needed to detect prevalence of caspofungin resistance. CONCLUSION: Emergence of resistance in our study warrants need of elaborate studies with clinical correlation data to detect prevalence of resistance to caspofungin. E-test method proved to be an easy and simple technique for testing susceptibility of Candida to caspofungin.

Subcutaneous hyalohyphomycosis caused by Fusarium in a kidney transplant recipient.

Fusarium is a filamentous opportunistic pathogenic fungus responsible for superficial as well as invasive infection in immunocompromized hosts. Net state of immunosuppression and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection appear to predispose to this disease which is life-threatening when disseminated. Though infections with Fusarium have been widely described in hematological malignancies and hematopoietic stem cell transplant cases, they have been reported to be rare in solid organ transplant recipients, are often localized and carry a favorable prognosis. We here describe a rare case of subcutaneous non-invasive infection with Fusarium in a renal allograft recipient two and half years after transplantation. Patient had a previous history of CMV infection along with multiple other recurrent co-infections. Diagnosis was based on culture of tissue specimens yielding Fusarium species. The infection had a protracted course with persistence of lesions after treatment with voriconazole alone, requiring a combination of complete surgical excision and therapy with the anti-fungal drug.

18F-FDG PET as a monitoring tool to assess treatment response in bilateral adrenal histoplasmosis.

A 60-year-old woman with clinical and biochemical features suggestive of adrenal insufficiency was found to have bilateral adrenal masses on CT scan and was subjected to F-FDG PET scan. The scan showed hypermetabolic mediastinal nodes in addition to intense tracer uptake in bilateral adrenal masses. CT-guided adrenal biopsy grew Histoplasma capsulatum on Sabouraud dextrose agar culture. A second F-FDG PET scan after 6 months of appropriate antifungal therapy showed a significant decrease in intensity of uptake consistent with the clinical outcome.

Identification and speciation of malassezia in patients clinically suspected of having pityriasis versicolor.

BACKGROUND: Malassezia is a lipid-dependent yeast known to cause Pityriasis versicolor, a chronic, recurrent superficial infection of skin and present as hypopigmented or hyperpigmented lesions on areas of skin. If not diagnosed and treated, it may lead to disfigurement of the areas involved and also result in deep invasive infections. AIM: The aim of the present study was to identify and speciate Malassezia in patients clinically suspected of having Pityriasis versicolor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total 139 patients suspected of having Pityriasis versicolor were evaluated clinically and diagnosis was done by Wood's lamp examination, confirmed mycologically by using KOH, cultivation on Sabouraud's dextrose agar and modified Dixon agar at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. The total duration of study was 12 months. RESULTS: Majority of the patients were males (59.71%) in the age group of 21-30 years (33.81%) who were students (30.21%) by profession. The incidence of Malassezia in Pityriasis versicolor was 50.35%. The most common isolate was M. globosa (48.57%), followed by M. furfur (34.28%). Majority of the patients had hypopigmented lesions, with M. globosa as the predominant isolate. Neck was the most common site affected; 88.48% were Wood's lamp positive of which 56.91% of Malassezia isolates grew on culture. KOH mount was positive in 82.01% of which 61.40% Malassezia isolates grew on culture. CONCLUSIONS: The procedure of culture and antifungal testing is required to be performed as different species of Malassezia are involved in Pityriasis versicolor and susceptibility is different among different species. Thus, it would help to prevent recurrences and any systemic complications.