ABSTRACT
Stool samples collected from the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Hooghly and Calcutta in West Bengal were examined for hookworm and associated parasites. It was found that maximum prevalence of hookworm was in Hooghly district (24.8%). N. americanus appeared to be more prevalent species in all the districts studied. The load ofhookworm infection appeared to be mostly in the mild range. Ascaris lumbricoides appeared to the most common accompanying infection. In the affected population, the degree of anaemia was mostly mild.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Anemia/etiology , Animals , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Hookworm Infections/complications , Humans , India/epidemiology , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Necator americanus , Necatoriasis/complicationsABSTRACT
Campylobacteriosis is a leading cause of zoonotic diarrhoea in the developed as well as developing countries. Domestic animals particularly the poultry act as a source of human infections. Domestic animal rearing is a very common practice in India particularly in rural areas. The present study of KAP of Zoonosis showed 68.2 % of 500 families interviewed did not have knowledge about zoonotic diseases in rural Bengal and not a single family had any idea of Campylobacter infections.
Subject(s)
Animals , Animals, Domestic/microbiology , Campylobacter Infections/transmission , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , India , Rural Health , Zoonoses/microbiologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: An attempt was made to isolate and characterize Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) from animals handlers, animal products and admitted diarrhoeic children in and around Kolkata. METHODS: A total of 415 samples were processed for detection of STEC by PCR and colony hybridization techniques. RESULTS: 0 (4.81%) samples were found to be positive for STEC. Diarrhoeic cattle accounted for maximum (22.1 %) isolation. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed PCR to be more sensitive than hybridization technique for detection of STEC.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Bacteria, Anaerobic/classification , Bacteroides/isolation & purification , Child , Colony Count, Microbial , Dental Pulp Cavity/microbiology , Enterococcus faecalis/isolation & purification , Humans , Peptostreptococcus/isolation & purification , Prevotella melaninogenica/isolation & purification , Staphylococcus epidermidis/isolation & purification , Tooth, Nonvital/microbiology , Viridans Streptococci/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
With the turn of the new millennium, a new kind of warfare has evolved--bioterrorism. After the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, every country in the world is now living under the shadow of an unknown yet deadly enemy--biological weapons. Every individual has suddenly become very vulnerable to this new weapon, which can strike anybody at any time without any warning. It is, therefore, important that we take a close look at this new weapon, so that we can take appropriate measures to shield ourselves from this deadly enemy.
Subject(s)
Bacillus anthracis , Biological Warfare/methods , Bioterrorism/history , Clostridium botulinum , History, 20th Century , History, Ancient , History, MedievalABSTRACT
Suspected cases of Japanese Encephalitis (J.E.) were recorded in the hospitals of Arunachal Pradesh from 1986 to 1995. 162 cases were diagnosed as J.E. with predominance in male sex and lower age group. Maximum cases were recorded between June to October. 11.3% pig sera showed J.E. antibodies when tested by ELISA test.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Animals , Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Child , Child, Preschool , Encephalitis Virus, Japanese/immunology , Encephalitis, Japanese/epidemiology , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , India , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Seasons , Sex Factors , Swine/immunology , Swine Diseases/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Isolation of diarrhoea causing Aeromonas was carried out in the division of Active Surveillance, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Kolkata for a period of 12 months from January 1999 to December 1999. Out of 602 stool samples collected from patients with acute diarrhoea admitted in Infectious Diseases (ID) Hospital, Kolkata, 64 (10.6%) samples were identified positive for Aeromonas as the pathogen. The different isolated and identified species from patients with acute diarrhoea were A. hydrophila (60%), A. caviae (20%), A. veronii (10%), A. schubertii (4%), A. jandaei (3%), and A. trota (3%). Most of the isolated Aeromonas strains showed resistance to commonly employed antibiotics. All the clinical isolates of Aeromonas possessed virulence genes encoding for aerolysin and cytotonic enterotoxin genes. Except A. schubertii and A. jandaei, all the other species possessed the gene for haemolysis.
ABSTRACT
Presterilized (disposable) syringes and needles were subjected to sterility testing for aerobic cultures. It was found that 56.3% of the samples were contaminated indicating failure of the sterilisation process. The implications of this could be far reaching and is discussed alongwith.
Subject(s)
Bacteria, Aerobic/isolation & purification , Disease Transmission, Infectious , Disposable Equipment/microbiology , Equipment Contamination , Humans , India , Needles/microbiology , Sterilization , Syringes/microbiology , Urban HealthABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Nosocomial infection is a major problem in hospitalized patients, particularly those who are debilitated. These infections may manifest as diarrhea. The spectrum of infections agents causing nosocomial diarrhea in our country is not known. METHODS: Thirty-two patients, admitted to the hospital with various complaints, who developed diarrhea during their hospital stay, were studied to identify the causative agents of diarrhea. Hospital food samples were also processed for pathogens. RESULTS: The bacteria isolated from patients included established enteropathogens like Salmonella, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter species and organisms with low pathogenicity like Serratia marsescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Morganella morganii. The bacterial pathogens isolated were resistant to most antibiotics, suggesting their nosocomial character. Hospital food samples contained Salmonella typhimurium, Campylobacter jejuni (biotype 1) and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, suggesting that food might have been the vehicle for these infections. CONCLUSION: Nosocomial infection was found to be an important cause of diarrhea (34%), EPEC and Salmonell being the predominant pathogens. Water, egg and milk were the source of infection in these cases. Special measures to obtain uneffected items will prevent occurrence of nosocomial diarrhea in our hospitals.
Subject(s)
Adult , Animals , Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , Cross Infection/epidemiology , Diarrhea/epidemiology , Eggs/microbiology , Female , Humans , India/epidemiology , Male , Milk/microbiology , Water MicrobiologyABSTRACT
Root-canal infection is very common in India. Both aerobic and anaerobic organisms have been claimed for its aetiology. However, isolation of Capnocytophaga species from non-vital anterior teeth is sparse. In this study a solitary case of Capnocytophagal root canal infection is reported.
Subject(s)
Bacteria, Aerobic/isolation & purification , Bacteria, Anaerobic/isolation & purification , Bacteriological Techniques , Capnocytophaga/isolation & purification , Dental Pulp Cavity/microbiology , HumansABSTRACT
From the stool samples collected from diarrhoeic and healthy handlers of domestic animals different Campylobacter species were isolated in 16.6 and 21.1 per cent respectively. Both biotypes 1 and 2 were identified. All the 10 strains of C. jejuni were found to be enterotoxigenic or potentially enterotoxigenic in the ligated ileal loop of albino rats.
Subject(s)
Animal Husbandry , Animals , Animals, Domestic , Campylobacter/isolation & purification , Campylobacter Infections/epidemiology , Diarrhea/microbiology , Enterotoxins/biosynthesis , Humans , Incidence , Occupational Diseases/epidemiology , RatsABSTRACT
The prevalence of different types of hepatitis virus was estimated in 185 hospitalized jaundiced patients. It was found that 41.08% were positive for HBs Ag by ELISA method. The jaundiced group was also tested for IgM antibody and for total antibodies (IgG and IgM) to HAV infection by ELISA method and 5.40% were found to be positive. All patients in the jaundiced group had serum bilirubin above normal values. It was, therefore, assumed that the rest 52.92% were suffering from Non A Non B virus infection.