ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Ground water is the ultimate and most suitable fresh water resource for human consumption in the urban areas of India. Studies regarding ground water quality have shown that the higher rate of exploration as compared to the rate of recharging, inappropriate dumping of solid, as well as liquid waste, lack of strict enforcement of law has led to the deterioration of ground water quality. The present study was thus, carried out to evaluate physicochemical, as well as a microbiological profile of tap water, and filtered water in urban areas of Patiala, Punjab. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The three zones under Municipal Corporation and two areas under Public Health Department were chosen according to the simple random sampling from Patiala city. From each area, 10 houses were chosen according to the systematic random sampling technique (n = 50). Water was taken from two sources, tap water, and from the water filter. Two samples were taken from each source one for the physicochemical analysis and another for bacteriological analysis. The samples which were sent for bacteriological assessment were collected in a sterile container. RESULTS: The number of water samples found to be within desirable limits with respect to physicochemical parameters were significantly more with the filter water sample than the tap water samples. Suspicious/unsatisfactory microbiological quality of water was observed in 28% and 4% of tap and filter water samples, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that certain chemical parameters such as hardness, chloride, and fluoride levels were beyond the permissible limits. Therefore, we recommend that home filters should be installed, serviced appropriately, and their water quality should be checked routinely. Also, any leak from sewage pipes should be promptly repaired to prevent contamination of drinking water.
ABSTRACT
To assess the pattern of antibiotic utilisation and outcome of patients with bacteraemia in the hospital. All positive blood cultures (BC) over a 12-month period from January 2011 to December 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Positive BC were recorded in 54 patients. 51.9% of the patients received antibiotics before or soon after obtaining the BC, and ceftriaxone was the most frequently-prescribed antibiotic (42.9%), either alone or in combination with other antibiotics. The bacteraemia was due to gram-negative rods in 84.9% and gram-positive cocci in 15.1% of cases. Most common gram-negative bacilli were E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella species while most common gram-positive cocci was Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics regimen was changed in 37% cases after BC results became available. Most frequent change was addition of meropenem in case of gram-negative bacilli (29.6%) and vancomycin in gram-positive cocci (12.5%).Ten (18.5%) patients developed serious sepsis or septic shock; 3 (30.0%) improved and 7(70.0%) had fatal outcome. Antibiotic selection needs tobe tailor made for each patient. However, most bacteraemia necessitating hospital admission are due to gram-negative bacilli and it should be considered in antibiotic selection prior to BC.