Usefulness of dark field microscopy after differential centrifugation in the early diagnosis of leptospirosis in dog and its human contacts.

1. We found leptospira in the blood of two out of three police dogs by dark field microscopic examination after high speed centrifugation. One dog had fever and the other was asymptomatic. Leptospira could not be seen in the urine of one police dog which died of jaundice. 11 out of 21 human contacts were found to be positive for leptospira after low speed centrifugation and 5 after high speed centrifugation. One child had jaundice and an another child had fever. Others had mild symptoms of headache to none. Dark field microscopy after differential centrifugation is useful in the early diagnosis of leptospirosis and thereby could prevent later complications like jaundice.

Studies on the incidence of leptospirosis and possible transmission of Leptospira during leptospiraemia.

During the year 1991 and in the first half year of 1992 a total of 179 cases and 288 cases respectively were tested for the presence of Leptospira by dark ground microscopy and 86 cases (48%) and 157 cases (54.5%) were found to be positive for Leptospira in their blood samples only. The disease was endemic and more prevalent in the age group of 5 to 14 years and 15 to 54 years and affected both sexes. Clinical categorisation of 169 cases in 1991 and 266 cases in the first half of the year 1992 along with the dark ground microscopy results showed that there was no strict correlation between the concentration of Leptospira in the blood and the severity of infection. Epidemiological data regarding the occupation and the contacts indicated that students and medical staff accounted for more than fifty percent of leptospiral infection and there was the possibility of transmission of Leptospira during leptospiraemia. Dark ground microscopy studies on blood samples from 20 cases who came for repeat testing showed the presence of Leptospira in blood up to 43 days and suggested that the convalescent carrier may have a role in the transmission of Leptospira during Leptospiraemia.

Actinomadura Pelle171eri Causing White Grain Mycetoma.

Actinomadura pelletieri causing white grain mycetoma pedis in a 32 year old farmer is reported. The right foot was swollen, firm painless, non tender and had a number of small nodules breaking down to form sinuses. The seropurulent discharge contained dirty white grains measuring 0.5 to 1 mm, composed of unfragmented filaments of bacterial width. Histologic examination of the biopsy material revealed the characteristic granule of A. Pelletieri and culture yielded typical coral red colonies.

Actinomycetoma Due To Nocardia Brasiliensis in Tamil Nadu.

Two cases of actinomycetoma caused by Nocardia Brasiliensis in Tamilians are reported. Both presented with multiple sinuses discharging serosanguinous material without any granules. In the first case, the lesion was located in the thigh and leg and the specific diagnosis was made by histopathology and isolation of N. brasiliensis. In the other, in addition to thigh and leg, the foot was also affected and the causative agent was isolated in pure culture. The geographic distribution of the organism and its incidence and prevalence are discussed.

Streptomyces Somalinesiscausing Mycetomas in South India.

Biopsy specimens from 102 patients with mycetoma were examined histologically; Streptomyces somaliensis was found in 5 cases. The clinical features, radiology and histology of actinomycotic mycetoma due to S. somaliensis ar ' e described. The geographic distribution of the organism, its incidence and prevalence in India and the importance of histological examination in the diagnosis of the infection are discussed.

Nocardia species from bronchopulmonary infections and mycetomas.

350 specimens comprising sputum, bronchial aspirate, pleural fluid, pus and biopsy material were investigated for the presence of Nocardia spp. by the paraffin bait technique. Nocardia spp. were isolated in 15 of them. The physiological and morphological characteristics of the organisms and the use of paraffin baiting, a selective technique for isolating Nocardia spp. from clinical specimens, are discussed.

Leptosphaeria Senegalensis Causing Mycetoma Pedis in Madras.

Two cases of eumycetoma pedis caused by Leptosphaeria senegalensis in Twnilians are reported. Both presented with swelling of the foot and multiple sinuses discharging serosanguinous material which contained black granules. In the first case, the specific diagnosis was made by histopathology and isolation of, L. senegalensis. In the other, the eristic granules were tissue section.

Trichosporon Beigelli Infection in Tamilnadu.

White piedra occurring on pubic hairs is reported in a patient from Tamil Nadu. The patient complained of hard brown nodules along the shafts of the pubic hairs. These were shown to be composed of transparent, greenish tinged, mycelial mass extending along the hair as a sheath and hyphae segmenting into round, oval or rectangular cells. Trichosporon beigelli was isolated in pure culture. The other cases previously reported from India are reviewed.

Mycetomas caused by Streptomyces pelletieri in Madras, India.

Biopsy specimens from 93 patients with mycetoma were examined histologically; Streptomyces pelletieri was found in 12 cases. In addition, two cases of actinomycetoma pedis in which S pelletieri has been isolated in culture are described. In both, the characteristic red granules were seen.