Comparison of treatment adherence among TB patients with and without COVID-19 in South India.

AIM: The present study aimed to compare the adherence to anti-TB treatment among post-COVID-19 pulmonary TB cases and TB patients without a history of COVID-19 in South India. METHODS: A prospective, cross sectional study was conducted in all drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in National TB Elimination Program. The research investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB management, considering both subjective and objective measures of adherence. Data were collected using a validated instrument for subjective assessment and urine metabolite testing for objective evaluation. RESULTS: The results reveal significant differences (p < 0.05) between subjective and objective adherence measures, emphasizing the need for accurate and comprehensive assessment methods. However, there is no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in adherence to anti-TB treatment among post-COVID-19 pulmonary TB cases and TB patients without a history of COVID-19 in South India. The reason for non-adherence in both groups were ATT side effects, loss of daily wages, forgetting to take medication and lazy to take medications. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that there is no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in adherence to anti-TB treatment among post-COVID-19 pulmonary TB cases and TB patients without a history of COVID-19.

Genotypic Detection of Epstein Barr Virus in Pediatric Transplant Recipients From India.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of occurrence and genotypes of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) among pediatric renal and liver transplants recipients. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Vision Research Foundation referral center and Institute of Liver Disease and Transplantation, Chennai, India. PARTICIPANTS: 70 pediatric solid organ transplant recipients and 60 voluntary healthy donors. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection and genotyping of EBV were carried out using genes targeting Viral capsid antigen, Nuclear antigen 1, 2 and 3, followed by real time PCR for viral load determination and further confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: EBV was detected in 35 (51.4%) samples (32 liver and 4 renal transplants) with high viral load. Type A was detected in 33 samples, Type B in 2 liver transplant patients, and co-infection in one liver transplant patient who developed Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD). Real time PCR results correlated with conventional PCR. The mean viral load for patients who did not develop PTLD was 50,424 copies/mL. Overall EBV load in patient with PTLD ranged from 1,40,392 copies/mL prior to PTLD diagnosis to 62,124 copies /mL post treatment. CONCLUSION: EBV infection is the high risk factor for PTLD after liver transplantation. PCR targeting of EBV can be applied to diagnose EBV infections and monitor treatment for EBV in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.

Acantholytic Variant of Bowen's Disease with Micro-invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report of a Unique Variant.

Bowen's disease is generally regarded as premalignant dermatoses. The disease affects both skin and the mucosa and has the potential to progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. There are descriptions of several histological variants of Bowen's disease like psoriasiform, atrophic, pagetoid, etc. Acantholysis of anaplastic keratinocytes with bullae/cleft formation is described in premalignant condition like actinic keratosis and adenoid variant of squamous cell carcinoma, but there is lack of report describing this phenomena in Bowen's disease. We present a case of unusual acantholytic variant of Bowen's disease with focus of micro-invasive carcinoma.

Malignant ovarian tumor co-existing with pregnancy: a case report.

Ovarian tumors have occasionally been reported in pregnant women, the incidence as per literature being 1 in 81 to 1 in 2000 pregnancies. Out of this, about 2-5% are malignant, thus contributing to the rarity of malignant ovarian tumors in pregnant women. One such occurrence in a 24-year old female patient is reported here considering its extreme rarity.