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Biomedical subjects

J Mahanta

Publications and source records attributed to J Mahanta.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Japanese encephalitis virus antibody among normal individuals of Dibrugarh area, upper Assam.

In a hospital based study in Dibrugarh upper Assam carried out over a period of one year, 250 normal individuals, were screened for antibody to Japanese encephalitis Virus. 44 individuals (17.6%) showed antibody to JE virus. The highest numbers were found in July and August, each 40%, and lowest in January (4%). The ratio of apparent to inapparent infection in this study was found to be 9.1 : 100, which is lower than reported in Assam earlier, but slightly higher than predicted for India as a whole.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Effect of arteether alpha/beta on uncomplicated falciparum malaria cases in Upper Assam.

Thirty patients of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria completed a clinical trial of arteether alpha/beta conducted in a malaria endemic tea garden of district Dibrugarh, Assam. Arteether was given intramuscularly in once a day dose of 150 mg for three consecutive days. The cure rate was 100 per cent with mean fever and parasite clearance time of 42.4 +/- 17.5 and 37.6 +/- 13.6 h respectively. Recrudescence/reinfection rate was 6.7 per cent. Palpable spleens of twenty out of twenty one cases on day 0 became non palpable within 28 days. Following the treatment, percentage of hemoglobin improved marginally with no remarkable change in total and differential leucocyte count. Arteether alpha/beta, besides being a potent and fast acting schizontocidal drug, also exhibited gametocytocidal action on P. falciparum.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Profile of heroin addicts in Nagaland, India.

A total of 395 drug addicts from Nagaland, India during 1992-1993 were studied. Of these, 331 (83.8%) were primary abusers of heroin. Mean age of the group was 21.8 years +/- SD 3.84. Of these 5.2% were females. The majority were unmarried (92.1%) and 52% had completed 10 years of schooling. Drug-related school dropout rate was 72.8%. Unemployment was predominant (90.3%) in the group, of which most were never employed. Christianity was the main religion (90.9%) of the group. The mean age at first use of heroin was 17.6 years +/- SD 3.68. The mean duration of dependence on heroin was 4.4 years +/- SD 2.8. Heroin was injected by 80.9% subjects. Friends were the main source of introduction. Concurrent use of tranquilizers and codeine containing cough syrups was prevalent in the event of a short supply of heroin. The involvement of young, unemployed, unmarried persons in heroin addiction; widespread prevalence of the injection route and needle sharing; chronicity of heroin dependence; paucity of specialized treatment avenues and proximity to the Golden Triangle facilitating illicit traffic, have contributed to emergence of heroin addiction as a major public health problem in Nagaland.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Feeding patterns of Anopheles dirus, the major vector of forest malaria in north east India.

The feeding behavior of Anopheles dirus, the forest breeding, major malaria vector in northeast India was studied. The analysis of blood meals collected from this mosquito revealed that the species was highly anthropophilic in nature, the anthropophilic index being 90.5. The results of bait collection on human and cattle bait also confirmed its biting preference for human hosts. The species was observed to land on human bait throughout the night, showing prominent biting time at 20.00-21.00, 23.00-24.00 and 02.00-03.00 hours during the study period.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Role of some environmental factors in modulating seasonal abundance of potential Japanese encephalitis vectors in Assam, India.

Temporal changes in the abundance of host-seeking, potential Japanese encephalitis (JE) vector mosquitos and the role of some ecological factors that are modulating the abundance of vector mosquitos were studied. Vector surveillance was conducted for one year in 4 JE prone villages of Dibrugarh, Assam. Among potential JE vectors, the most abundant mosquito was Culex vishnui s.s. comprising about 22.32%. Maximum density of the mosquito was found during the month of April and another peak was observed in the month of September. The influence of meteorological factors on the abundance of JE vectors was found to vary from species to species. The final multiple regression equations (after variables were selected using STEPWISE procedure) consisted of a combination of linear, quadratic, cubic and interactive ecological variables and accounted for 25-98% of the variations in the abundance of JE vector mosquitos. Complex interactions among environmental factors, such as minimum and maximum temperature, rainfall and flood level are involved in modulating the seasonal abundance of mosquitos. A time lag is involved before a cause and effect relationship is established between environmental parameters (independent variables) and entomological variables (dependent variables). Inundation caused by flooding is favorable for mansonioid mosquito species whereas it has an adverse effect on non-mansonioid mosquito species.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

HIV infection among the high risk groups of Upper Assam.

Serum samples of 9350 individuals belonging to different high risk groups were tested for HIV Infection by ELISA and western blot technique. 9 samples were found to be positive. Two of them belonged to indigenous people of Assam and the infection was transfusion/transplant associated and acquired outside the state during the course of medical treatment. Two were IDUs from Nagaland requiring treatment in a local hospital at Dibrugarh, Assam. Five were from floating population temporarily residing in Assam with history of heterosexual promiscuity. Overall seropositivity rate was 0.97/1000. It is felt that HIV infection in Upper Assam has not penetrated deeply and is at a manageable level and the spread of infection can be prevented through IEC programmes.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Filariasis in the labour population of a tea estate in Upper Assam.

Preliminary random and mass blood surveys undertaken between 2000-0100 h in a tea garden of Upper Assam revealed more than 8 per cent positivity for microfilaria (mf) of Wuchereria bancrofti. The mf carriers were considerably high among males (73) as compared to females (48). Culex quinquefasciatus was incriminated as a vector with man hour density of 68.5 in human dwellings (indoors). The detection of mf in children who had never moved from the area and filaria larvae in vector mosquitoes collected from human dwellings indicate that indigenous transmission is going on in the garden and that filariasis has become a local health problem.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Heterophyid eggs in human stool samples in Assam: first report for India.

Two cases from a Muslim family in upper Assam were found to pass trematode eggs morphologically similar to the members of the family Heterophyidae Odhner, 1914. The eggs characteristically yellowish brown in colour, ovoid, have a thick shell and are operculate. They measured 31.5 +/- 2.0 um SD x 22.4 +/- 1.9 um SD with well developed miracidium. This is the first record of human heterophyid infection from India.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Host feeding patterns of Culex vishnui sub group of mosquitoes in Dibrugarh district of Assam.

The host feeding patterns of three species of mosquitoes belonging to vishnui sub group, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culex vishnui and Culex pseudovishnui, the most prevalent species in Dibrugarh district were determined by analysing their blood meals. All 3 species were found be essentially zoophilic. High percentage of pig feeding was observed in Culex tritaeniorhynchus (40 per cent) and Culex vishnui (35.3 per cent) in comparison to other prevalent species in this area. In contrast Culex pseudovishnui another member of this group was not attracted to pigs (0.4 per cent). Few human feeds were recorded for Culex tritaeniorhynchus (0.4 per cent), Culex vishnui (0.4 per cent) and Culex pseudovishnui (0.8 per cent), indicating their occasional contact with human hosts. Considering the importance of this group as proven vectors of Japanese encephalitis the relevance of these results to JE transmission in this area are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Paddy field dermatitis in Assam: a cercarial dermatitis.

Rice field dermatitis is an occupational health problem in Assam. The afflicted paddy field workers develop exanthema on the exposed parts of their skin mainly legs and arms when they come in contact with water in rice fields. Itching sensations start after 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours after initial exposure. After 6-12 hours there is intensely pruritic macular eruption and in a few cases secondary skin infection may also develop. The clinical course of the disease is suggestive of cercarial dermatitis. Numerous gastropod snails belonging to families Lymnaeidae, Bulinidae and Planorbidae were collected from paddy fields and were investigated for cercarial infection. It was found that planorbid snails were infected with animal schistosome cercariae. These cercariae were able to invade human skin and caused dermatitis in human volunteers after repeated exposure.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗