Micrometastasis detection using modified papanicolaou stain in nodal tissues of oral squamous cell carcinoma - A histological study.

CONTEXT: Cervical lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck (SCCHN). Detection and evaluation of micro-metastasis forms the basis for diagnosis, staging, treatment options and prognosis. Lymph node prognostic factors are extremely important for the survival and recurrence in the patient. Assessing lymph node metastasis in the absence of clinical enlargement is challenging. AIM: To evaluate micrometastasis and individual tumor cells (ITC) in regional lymph nodes of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by modified papanicolaou (PAP) stain and re-evaluate the tumor staging. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The retrospective study was executed at MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The current study constituted a total of 40 lymph nodes from OSCC patients, metastatic (n=20) and non-metastatic lymph nodes (n=20). All sections were stained with H & E followed by modified PAP stain. Modified PAP was used for identification of micrometastasis deposits. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The Chi square test was employed to analyze significance. RESULTS: Modified PAP stain proved to be more accurate (p = 0.006) than H and E stain in detecting micrometastasis which accounted for 15% of non-metastatic lymph node sections used in our study. CONCLUSION: Special stain like modified PAP stain is valuable and sensitive in detecting micro-metastasis over H and E stain. Detection of micrometastasis in OSCC patients is advantageous for the patient as it influences staging, it modifies the treatment plan in terms of both radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Disseminated Mycobacterium abscessus infection in a patient on haemodialysis.

We report a 46-year-old woman with disseminated Mycobacterium abscessus infection who was on maintenance haemodialysis for chronic glomerulonephritis. Prolonged blood cultures yielded growth of a rapid-growing nontubercular Mycobacterium. Diagnosis to a species level guided empirical therapy while we awaited antimicrobial susceptibility results. The patient was treated successfully with a multidrug regimen.

Cystic Neutrophilic Granulomatous Mastitis: A Clinicopathological Study With 16s rRNA Sequencing for the Detection of Corynebacteria in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissue.

Cystic neutrophilic granulomatous mastitis (CNGM) is a histologically characterized variant of granulomatous lobular mastitis that is associated with lipophilic Corynebacterium species. It remains a largely underrecognized entity in India. Our aim was to study CNGM in the Asian Indian population and explore if 16s rRNA sequencing could be used on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue to identify the causative organism. We studied 24 cases with histological features of CNGM with hematoxylin and eosin, Gram, Ziehl-Neelsen, and Periodic acid-Schiff stains. Tuberculosis-polymerase chain reaction and 16s rRNA gene sequencing on DNA extracted from FFPE was attempted (N = 23). Gram-positive bacilli were seen in 20/24 cases. Routine culture with prolonged incubation yielded Corynebacterium species in 8 cases; 7 of these cases were evaluated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for species identification. C matruchotti was identified in one case by BD Phoenix. MALDI-TOF MS identified the remaining 7 cases as C kroppenstedtii (N = 4) and C tuberculostearicum (N = 2), with no identification in one. Corynebacteria were identified by 16s rRNA sequencing on DNA extracted from FFPE in 12/23 cases using a primer targeting the V5-V6 region that was found to be more conserved in Corynebacterium species. All cases were negative for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. CNGM can be identified by routine stains. Culture using routine media with prolonged incubation is often adequate to isolate the organism. 16s rRNA sequencing on DNA extracted from FFPE tissue can help make an etiological diagnosis in some cases where only paraffin blocks are available.

Toxoplasma Appendicitis: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Diagnosis!

Toxoplasmosis is generally asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, but it can be life-threatening in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 62-year-old man with clinical features of acute appendicitis. Histology showed a transmural infiltrate of eosinophils. In addition, there were reactive lymphoid follicles with histiocytes in the submucosa and tachyzoites in the muscularis propria. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of toxoplasma appendicitis. Serological evaluation yielded negative results. Retrospective review of the history revealed that the patient was on long-term immunosuppressive therapy with methotrexate. The patient was treated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and is asymptomatic at 7-month follow-up. Toxoplasma appendicitis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of appendicitis in immunosuppressed patients.

Reserve drug indent form and its impact on antimicrobial consumption and sensitivity pattern in the medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital.

OBJECTIVES: A world without effective antibiotics is a terrifying but a real prospect. Overuse or misuse especially of newer and higher antimicrobials (AM) is of particular concern, as this contributes to development of resistance among microorganisms. To check this trend, the Reserve Drug Indent Form (RDIF) was introduced in our hospital and its impact on AM consumption, cost of therapy and the sensitivity pattern was studied in the medical intensive care unit (MICU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study in the medical ICU of a tertiary care hospital from July 2012 to August 2013. From March 2013, RDIF was made mandatory to be filled up prior to prescribing reserve antimicrobials. AM consumption (expressed as DDD/100 bed days) and sensitivity pattern (expressed in percentage) six months prior to and six months after implementation of the form were analysed. RESULTS: The total Reserve AM consumption was 125.79 per 100 bed days during the study period. Average occupancy index was 0.50 and length of ICU stay was 6 days. The total consumption reduced from 85.55/100 to 40.24/100 bed days after the introduction of the RDIF. However, Imipenem usage increased from 11.35/100 to 23.94/100 bed days, which can be attributed to sensitivity profile to Imipenem (82.1%) compared to Meropenem (65.7%). Cost of therapy reduced from Rs 6,27,951 to 4,20,469. CONCLUSION: Reserve AM consumption showed a declining trend after introduction of the RDIF. Hence, the RDIF served as an important tool to combat inappropriate use, reducing the cost burden and also helped to improve the sensitivity to reserve drugs.

The Microbiological Profiles of Infected Prosthetic Implants with an Emphasis on the Organisms which Form Biofilms.

BACKGROUND: In spite of the decreasing incidence of orthopaedic device related infections to 1%, nowadays, device-related infections still remain a diagnostic, therapeutic and cost -related problem. AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: To record the common causative organisms and the contributing risk factors for orthopaedic device-related infections in a tertiary care teaching hospital. METHODS: In a prospective study, fifty patients who underwent orthopaedic device implantation from Jan 2009 - June 2010 were enrolled; among them, 42 patients were complicated with infections. The demography, microbiological data, treatment and the outcome of each patient were recorded. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data was analyzed in terms of frequency and percentage. RESULTS: Of the 50 samples, 42(84%) were culture positive, while 8(16%) were cultures negative. The femur was the most commonly affected bone in both males (median age-37.1yrs) and females (median age-41.3 yrs). Staphylococcus aureus was the organism which was most commonly isolated and which caused biofilms, followed by non-fermenting, gram negative bacilli and Klebsiella spp. We reported the first case till date in the literature of Candida krusei PJI, to the best of our knowledge. No anaerobes were isolated. Tissue trauma, open fractures, post-operative surgical site infections and Diabetes mellitus were found to be the important risk factors. The biofilm forming organisms were commonly associated with polymicrobial infections and even an aggressive antibiotic therapy was often inadequate to eliminate the infections. A conservative surgical treatment was associated with treatment failures. Implant removal or replacement was required in most of the cases to eradicate the infection. CONCLUSION: The most common bacteria which were isolated included Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella. A majority of them are resistant to the commonly used antibiotics, leading to treatment failures which necessitated an implant removal.

Case series: elizabethkingia meningosepticum.

Elizabethkingia meningosepticum is a saprophyte which exists in hospital water systems and it can be a potential source for nosocomial infections. Though the infection with these bacteria is rare, one should be aware that it is resistant to most of the antibiotics and that it has the ability to cause nosocomial infections. We are reporting here, a series of cases which were caused by E. meningosepticum.