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Biomedical subjects

C Vaishnavi

Publications and source records attributed to C Vaishnavi.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Detection of Clostridium difficile toxin by an indigenously developed latex agglutination assay.

An indigenously developed latex agglutination assay using C. sordelli antitoxin was used to screen 211 stool samples received from hospitalized patients. Of 126 samples from patients receiving single to multiple antibiotics for various ailments, 38 (30%) were positive by the toxin assay, whereas only 6/85 (7%) of samples of patients not receiving antibiotics were also positive. Thus, of 211 samples a total of 44 (20.8%) were positive by our toxin assay, giving titers ranging from 1 in 5 to 1 in 320. The test developed by us is simple, rapid, easy and reliable and can be easily adapted to all microbiology laboratories.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates in paediatric diarrhoea.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) are known to cause infantile enteritis. We studied the prevalence of EPEC in paediatric patients with acute and persistent diarrhoea. A total of 56 stool samples from paediatric patients were studied. There were 28 significant bacterial isolates. Of these 21 were untypable E. coli, 5 were typable E. coli, four of which belonged to members considered to be enteropathogenic. Non E. coli isolates grown in pure culture were one each of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Citrobacter freundi. The study reveals the definitive role of EPEC in childhood diarrhoea at all age groups and emphasizes the need for characterisation of all significant E. coli isolates in this age group.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Indigenous rapid diagnostic method for Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Rapid methods for detection of Escherichia coli O157: H7 diarrhoea are preferred to limit differential diagnostic evaluation including invasive procedures. Fifty stool samples from children and adult patients having diarrhoea and ten control samples from volunteers without diarrhoea were collected. Each sample was inoculated into two tubes containing peptone water and one containing MacConkey broth. They were incubated for 5 hours or longer till growth occurred. The first tube of peptone water with growth was tested for production of indole. All samples were tested for enzyme beta-glucuronidase in the pellet of the second peptone water growth. The MacConkey broth growth was tested with latex beads sensitized separately with antisera to E. coli O157 and E. coli H7. All indole positive and beta glucuronidase negative samples with positive agglutination with E. coli O157 and H7 coated latex beads were taken as E. coli O157: H7 positive samples. Three out of 50 diarrhoeic samples were found to be positive for E. coli O157:H7. Confirmation of the results of our rapid assay was done by parallel conventional culture of faecal specimens on sorbitol MacConkey agar. Our rapid assay required only 7-10 hours compared to the conventional technique where the report is available only on the third day. It can therefore be used routinely for initial screening of faecal specimens for E. coli O157: H7.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bacterial profile of dairy products sold in Chandigarh.

Gastrointestinal infections are known to occur due to bacterial contamination of dairy products. A total of 141 dairy products viz. kulfi, ice cream and softy samples were investigated bacteriologically. Staphylococcus was the predominant organism isolated followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Campylobacter. Two of the samples also yielded Yersinia. The total bacterial counts obtained ranged from 2 x 10(1) to 5.2 x 10(11) colony forming units per ml (CFU/ml) for kulfi, 4 x 10(1) to 9 x 10(9) CFU/ml for ice cream and 2 x 10(1) to 2 x 10(10) CFU/ml for softy samples. The high degree of bacterial contamination seen indicates poor hygienic conditions and faults in manufacturing/handling of dairy products during and after processing and production.

Bacteria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prostaglandin F2 alpha in leprosy--a preliminary study.

Prostaglandin F2 alpha was estimated in the sera of fifty patients in the leprosy spectrum to find out the status of prostaglandins in response to Mycobacterium leprae. Contrary to expectation, PGF2 alpha could be detected in only twenty-eight percent of leprosy patients. This preliminary finding is discussed in detail in the paper.

Dinoprost↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Renal involvement in Mycobacterium leprae infected mice. Histopathological, bacteriological and immunofluorescence study.

Swiss albino mice were inoculated in the footpads with Mycobacterium leprae obtained from untreated lepromatous patient. The kidneys obtained from the animals sacrificed during different periods were processed for histopathology, presence of AFB and immunofluorescence studies. Renal lesions, AFB and immune complex deposits were seen in the infected animals. Such findings have not been studied in great detail in experimental leprosy earlier.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Role of immune complexes in alteration of lymphocyte subpopulation numbers and functions in experimental leprosy.

Swiss albino mice (normal as well as thymectomised and irradiated were inoculated into the footpads with Mycobacterium leprae and divided into two main phases of study. Phase I comprised of animals not given preformed immune complexes (IC). Uninfected controls were however included. Phase II consisted of animals given in vitro prepared IC at zero day period (OdIC), three month period (3mIC) or six month period (6mIC) to both uninfected and infected groups. Splenic lymphocytes were isolated to quantify T and B cells and their responses to M. leprae antigen and four different mitogens. Significant decrease in T cell counts and blast transformation was seen in the M. leprae infected animals which were also administered with immune complexes. Immunosuppression by IC was therefore seen to be enhanced in the presence of M. leprae infection.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sciatic nerve in experimental leprosy.

Swiss albino mice were inoculated with Mycobacterium leprae obtained from untreated lepromatous patients. Histopathological study of sciatic nerves showed no abnormality. However a few free acid fast bacilli (AFB) were detected in the sciatic nerves taken from the inoculated limbs during the early stages of infection, suggesting the nerve-fibre route of travel as seen in humans in experimental leprosy, too.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

ADCC function in Mycobacterium leprae inoculated normal and immunosuppressed mice.

Normal and immunosuppressed mice were inoculated with Mycobacterium leprae obtained from untreated lepromatous patients. Besides monitoring the AFB counts in the footpads at 3,6 and 9 months post inoculation, antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) function was studied. The ADCC function seen to be largely unaltered in the M. leprae infected animals, comparable to the observation made in human leprosy.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Circulating immune complexes in normal and immunosuppressed mice infected with Mycobacterium leprae.

Mycobacterium leprae infection was produced through the footpads in normal and immunosuppressed mice. Circulating immune complexes were detected by specific binding test and by conglutinin binding assay for specific and total immune complexes respectively in the sera of these mice during different periods of infection. Out of the total 30 samples tested from the infected groups, 3 were positive by specific binding test and 5 by conglutinin binding ELISA. The implications of the findings in relation to human leprosy are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of levamisole on lymphocytes and M. leprae in mice.

Normal uninfected (N) and M. leprae infected mice (NI) were given levamisole in the dose of 2.5 mg/kg body weight. The animals were observed over a period of nine months for bacillary load, T and B cell counts and blast transformation with PHA. Significant increase in B cell counts was observed in the levamisole treated normal (NL) compared to normal control (N) group. T cell counts and blast transformation, however, remained unaffected. However, T-cell counts and blast transformation improved significantly in the infected and levamisole treated (NIL) as compared to the infected group (NI) not given levamisole. Bacillary loads remained unaltered in both, the infected (NI) and levamisole treated (NIL) group.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Primary dapsone resistance in leprosy.

20 carefully selected untreated patients of bacilliferous leprosy were investigated for primary dapsone resistance by foot pad inoculation. Mice were fed on 0.001 g% and 0.01 g% of dapsone during the period of study. Mice in the control group were given normal rodent feed only. Animals were sacrificed from 6 month onwards at 6 week intervals upto 9 months. In two animals the growth of M. leprae was not inhibited by 0.001 g% concentration of dapsone in diet, but was completely inhibited by 0.01 g% of dapsone.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trophic changes and extensive dissemination in normal mice infected with human Mycobacterium leprae.

Closely bred Swiss albino normal mice (Lecca Strain) were inoculated in the footpad with M. leprae, at room temperature. The animals were harvested at 3, 6 and 9 months post inoculation, and bacillary counts were made. Trophic changes were observed in the tail-tips, ears, footpads and forepaws 12-14 months post inoculation in a group which was allowed to survive. The histopathological changes and bacillary infiltration was found in many tissues/organs. The possibility of studying this normal strain of mice as an experimental model for human leprosy has been discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bacillaemia and Mycobacterium leprae cell wall antigen in paucibacillary leprosy.

A study was undertaken to estimate bacillaemia and M. leprae antigen detection in 54 paucibacillary leprosy patients (TT, BT). Acid-fast bacilli were detected in the blood of 14.8% patients of borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy. M. leprae antigen was demonstrated in 48.2% patients of BT leprosy. Slit-skin smears were negative in all these patients. At the end of treatment (6 months of WHO-MDT) all the follow-up blood samples were negative for both bacillaemia and M. leprae antigen in the serum.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antibiotic associated diarrhoea and enterocolitis.

C. difficile is the major aetiological agent of AAD and PMC and results from overgrowth of C. difficile already present endogenously or of newly acquired exogenous organisms after suppression of competing gut flora. C. difficile produces two kinds of toxins A and B. These toxins attack the colonic mucosa which becomes necrotic with the formation in fulminating cases of an exudative pseudomembrane. Toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains of C. difficile may be present together in an individual suffering from AAD. There is substantial variation among strains with respect to the quantity of lethal toxin produced. There are several strategies available for the investigation of C. difficile associated disease. Detection of toxins by neutralization with C. sordelli antitoxin is an easy, simple and sensitive method. Methods to deal effectively with silent carriers are not known because the routine administration of antibiotic treatment in an attempt to eradicate the carrier state would in fact boomerang by promoting C. difficile associated enteric disease rather than eliminating C. difficile.

Adult↗