ABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2) Seroprevalence studies are being conducted all over theworld to identify the level of exposure to the virus, in different groups of population. These include laboratory basedserological tests to detect the presence of antibodies in response to an exposure/infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The aimof the study was to know the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibodies in Health Care Workers (HCWs) of our hospital. Across-sectional serological study was conducted in a tertiary care center for Nephrourology in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. TheHCWs of the hospital, of age group 20 to 60 were included in the study and were tested for the presence ofSARS-CoV-2–specific IgG antibodies by Luminescence Immuo Assay method (CLIA). Prevalence was calculated,significance among the subgroups was analyzed using chi-square test and p value. 95 HCWs underwent testing, 6 werepositive for IgG antibodies, with a Sero-prevalence rate of 6.3%. There was no significant difference in prevalence ratebetween male and female, and also between different age groups. It was concluded that serological studies to detectSARS-CoV-2–specific antibodies in HCWs might be helpful to detect the immune status of HCWs. Routine application ofthese tests in HCWs would aid in work stratification of HCWs in managing the covid 19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Background: Cellular glycosylation changes are associatedwith different types of neoplastic transformation. Fucose is adeoxyhexose sugar that the body requires for optimal functionsof cell to cell communications and which plays a role in severalbiological events. Fucose has been considered to play asignificant role in cancer and its spread. Alpha L Fucosidase(ALF) is an exoglycosidase involved in the hydrolyticdegradation of fucose containing components of glycoproteins,glycolipids and oligosaccharides. The significance of thisenzyme in human catabolism is implied by geneticneurovisceral storage disease. Altered levels of ALF has beenreported in the plasma/serum of patients with oral cancer.Aims: To investigate the clinical usefulness of serum fucoseand α-L-fucosidase in diagnosing oral pre-cancer and cancerand study the variations of the levels of both metabolites innormal, precancerous and cancerous conditions (Squamouscell carcinoma).Methodology: The study group comprised of 87 samples of(age range: 20-70 years): control samples – healthy individualswithout any systemic illness (n =20), clinically andhistopathologically diagnosed cases of leukoplakia (n=16) andoral submucous fibrosis (n=16) and oral squamous cellcarcinoma (n=35) respectively. 2ml blood was collected byvenipuncture from every subject after informed consent, serumwas separated and checked for fucose and fucosidase byspectrophotometric analysis.Results: The Normal value range of fucose is 8.3 to 9.5 mg/ dland that of fucosidase is 22.8 ± 7.1 U/L. There is an increasein the value range of fucose and fucosidase in the tissues ofpotentially malignant disorders and Squamous cell Carcinoma.