Incidence of malaria--three years prospective study.

Malaria continues to be one of the major health problems in India. The India has witnessed a spectacular achievement in 1960's (1964) but a comeback lateron. A continued rise of Plasmodium falciparum was observed in many areas. The study was undertaken to analyze the incidence of malaria and compare the rapid diagnostic test--Immunochromatographic technique (ICT-Malaria) with conventional Giemsa staining. A total of 14,092 peripheral blood smears were screened for malaria. Plasmodium falciparum (57.82%) was major species followed by Plasmodium vivax (42.18%). More cases were found in males (54.56%) and in younger age group (1-12 yrs) and (21-30 yrs). We found the ICT Malaria test sensitivity (99.03%) and specificity (99.9%) as compared to blood smear positivity. The ICT Malaria test found to be easy, less time consuming and with diagnostic accuracy as equivalent to gold standard that is conventional Giemsa staining.

Shewanelia putrefaciens: a rare microbial agent associated with a non-healing ulcer in a leprosy patient.

Female aged 55 years presented with signs and symptoms of borderline lepromatous leprosy and presence of a non-healing ulcer and multiple haemorrhagic blisters over dorsum of both feet. Discharge from the various lesions was subjected to microbiological examination and an unusual organism Shewanella purtefaciens was isolated which was sensitive to most routine antibiotics. Patient responded well to cephadroxil therapy with uneventful and complete healing of ulcer and blisters.