Geo-environmental factors and the effectiveness of mulberry leaf extract in managing malaria.

Malaria prevalence has become medically important and a socioeconomic impediment for the endemic regions, including Purulia, West Bengal. Geo-environmental variables, humidity, altitude, and land use patterns are responsible for malaria. For surveillance of the endemic nature of Purulia's blocks, statistical and spatiotemporal factors analysis have been done here. Also, a novel approach for the Pf malaria treatment using methanolic leaf extract of Morus alba S1 has significantly reduced the parasite load. The EC50 value (1.852) of the methanolic extract of M. alba S1 with P. falciparum 3D7 strain is close to the EC50 value (0.998) of the standard drug chloroquine with the same chloroquine-sensitive strain. Further studies with an in-silico model have shown successful interaction between DHFR and the phytochemicals. Both 1-octadecyne and oxirane interacted favourably, which was depicted through GC-MS analysis. The predicted binary logistic regression model will help the policy makers for epidemiological surveillance in malaria-prone areas worldwide when substantial climate variables create a circumstance favourable for malaria. From the in vitro and in silico studies, it can be concluded that the methanolic extract of M. alba S1 leaves were proven to have promising antiplasmodial activity. Thus, there is a scope for policy-driven approach for discovering and developing these lead compounds and undermining the rising resistance to the frontline anti-malarial drugs in the world.

Study of epidemiological behaviour of malaria and its control in the Purulia district of West Bengal, India (2016-2020).

Purulia is a malaria-prone district in West Bengal, India, with approximately half of the blocks defined as malaria endemic. We analyzed the malaria case in each block of the Purulia district from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. As per the API, 20 blocks of Purulia were assigned to four different categories (0-3) and mapped using ArcGIS software. An exponential decay model was fitted to forecast the trend of malaria cases for each block of Purulia (2021-2025). There was a sharp decrease in total malaria cases and API from 2016 to 2020 due to the mass distribution of LLINs. The majority of cases (72.63%) were found in ≥ 15-year age group. Males were more prone to malaria (60.09%). Malaria was highly prevalent among Scheduled Tribes (48.44%). Six blocks were reported in Category 3 (high risk) and none in Category 0 (no risk) in 2016, while no blocks were determined to be in Category 3, and three blocks were in Category 0 in 2020. The exponential decay model prediction is oriented towards gaining malaria-free status in thirteen blocks of Purulia by 2025. This study will incite the government to uphold and strengthen the current efforts to meet the malaria elimination goals.

Conidiobolomycosis: An Unusual Fungal Disease-Our Experience.

Conidiobolomycosis is a rare mycotic disease caused by Conidiobolus coronatus. Very few cases have been reported in English literature. Often it is clinically misdiagnosed as soft tissue tumour. A prospective case study was done from 2006 to 2015 in a tertiary care hospital of West Bengal, India. The objectives of our study were to describe the epidemiological and clinical features and treatment of Conidiobolomycosis to prevent disfigurement. Patients clinically suspected to be suffering from Conidiobolomycosis were subjected to biopsy followed by histopathological and mycological examinations. Then they were treated with oral saturated solution of potassium iodide along with other drugs. Total six cases were histopathologically proved to be suffering from Conidiobolomycosis. Fungus was isolated and identified in one case. Complete resolution was seen in five patients. Conidiobolomycosis should be brought into mind as differential diagnosis of subcutaneous swelling in the rhinofacial region.

Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic patients in an industrial belt of India.

The present study is done to study different aspects of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) such as its prevalence, association with upper gastrointestinal pathology, diagnosis and treatment outcome. Gastric antral biopsy and serology for H. pylori was done for all dyspeptic patients. Histopathology, gram stain and biopsy urease test was done from the gastric biopsy specimen. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 58.8%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value for histopathology was 96.9%, 100%, 100% and 95.8%, respectively; for biopsy urease test 80.4%, 100%, 100% and 78.2%, respectively; for gram stain 85.6%, 97.1%, 97.6% and 82.5%, respectively, and for serology 94.8%, 77.9%, 86% and 91.4%, respectively. Mostly peptic ulcer and duodenitis cases followed by chronic active gastritis were associated with H. pylori infection. Repeat biopsy revealed eradication of H. pylori in 90.7% cases. In dyspeptic patients, endoscopic biopsy not only detects H. pylori infection, but also reveals different gastric pathologies.

An unusual presentation of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is extremely uncommon having varied presentations & their prognosis is not exactly known; but as MTC is an aggressive tumor hence it needs to be documented in literature to help to know the behaviour of this variant. We report a rare presentation of medullary carcinoma of thyroid in a 48 years old man who presented with huge swelling at left side of neck extending from parotid to supraclavicular region with normal-sized thyroid gland of long duration. FNAC & incision HPE of this swelling was inconclusive so we had operated this swelling. Immunohistochemistry reported it as metastatic Medullary carcinoma of thyroid; tumor cells express Cytokeratin, Calcitonin, EMA, Synaptophysin, Chromogranin-A. The stroma shows deposits of Amyloid, which have been confirmed by Congo red staining. Post-operatively FNAC from thyroid gland supported the diagnosis of Medullary carcinoma. Post-operatively the residual mass was regressed with chemotherapy & radiotherapy. The calcitonin level also decreased following this treatment. There was no recurrence at 11 months but ultimately patient died with metastasis.