Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Deb

Publications and source records attributed to A Deb.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Recombinant derivative of a naturally occurring non-toxinogenic Vibrio cholerae 01 expressing the B subunit of cholera toxin: a potential oral vaccine strain.

A clinical isolate of Vibrio cholerae 01 was identified which did not possess the heat-labile (CT), the heat-stable (ST) or the zonula occludens (Zot) toxin genes. Rabbit ileal loop assays showed that no other CT-like toxin was produced by this strain. The partly deleted cholera toxin gene which carries the intact gene for the B subunit was cloned and the recombinant plasmid, pURD110, was introduced into this non-toxinogenic natural human isolate. The transformed cells (strain URD2) secreted the B subunit gene product which competed with the holotoxin secreted by the hypertoxinogenic strain 569B of V. cholerae for the GM1 ganglioside binding sites in vivo. This strain can colonize the rabbit intestine as detected by the removable intestinal tie adult rabbit diarrhoea (RITARD) model. This construct has an advantage over other live oral attenuated V. cholerae strains used as vaccines in that the latter strains were made non-toxinogenic by only deleting part of the gene coding for the A subunit of cholera toxin while the strain described here is naturally non-toxinogenic.

Administration, Oral↗

Epidemic of Vibrio cholerae 0139 in Calcutta.

As one of large outbreaks of cholera-like illness in the Indian subcontinent, Calcutta and its neighbouring areas experienced an unprecedented epidemic due to a new strain of V. cholerae non-01, designated as V. cholerae 0139 Bengal, since January 1993. This epidemic predominantly affected the adult population of Calcutta as evidenced by the hospitalization of more adults at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Calcutta (IDH), which bore the main brunt of the epidemic in and around Calcutta. During the peak of the epidemic about 180 to 300 diarrhoea patients were admitted daily at the IDH. Of the 807 patients screened, 407 were positive for V. cholerae 0139 and majority (82.8%) of the cases were > 10 yr of age. Severe dehydration was recorded in 85.5 per cent of the cases.

Adult↗

Clinical profile of acute diarrhoea cases infected with the new epidemic strain of Vibrio cholerae O139: designation of the disease as cholera.

A total of 113 patients suffering from acute watery diarrhoea caused by the novel epidemic strain of Vibrio cholerae non-O1, currently assigned to a new serogroup O139, were investigated in order to determine the clinical presentation of the new epidemic strain causing outbreaks of cholera-like infection in the Indian subcontinent. Estimations of electrolyte concentration in serum and stool were also performed in a representative number of the above cases. The clinical features and blood and stool biochemical parameters of V. cholerae serogroup O139 diarrhoeal patients were indistinguishable from those in typical cholera, except for 44.3% cases infected by O139 had abdominal cramps. In view of the above, we propose to designate the disease caused by V. cholerae O139 as cholera.

Acute Disease↗

Eating epilepsy: a study of twenty cases.

Twenty cases of eating epilepsy have been studied over a period of 5 years (1985-1989). Males outnumbered females (4:1). Heavy meal comprising conventional Indian diet (viz, rice, vegetables, etc), was found to be the most important provocating factor (14 out of 20 cases). The attacks occurred at lunch time in most cases (15). Thirteen cases had generalised seizures. Electro-encephalogram showed focal changes in 10 cases, generalised changes in 6 cases, while 4 cases had normal electro-encephalogram. Computerised tomography scan was normal in all the cases (7) when it was done.

Adolescent↗

Incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection amongst clinically diagnosed acute viral hepatitis cases and relative risk of development of HBV infection in high risk groups in Calcutta.

The present study revealed that 30.5% of acute infective hepatitis were due to the infection of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) however, 8% controls also showed HBV positivity. The possible route of infection of HBV in our country were Parenteral in 51.9%, Sexual in 24% and Unidentified in 24.1% cases. HBV marker positivity was 45.5% amongst health care workers 33.3% in recipients of multiple blood and blood product transfusion, 25% in sexual partners and their children, 20% in S.T.D. clinic attendants and 10% in patients on haemodialysis.

Acute Disease↗