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Biomedical subjects

J Mahanta

Publications and source records attributed to J Mahanta.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Drug resistance in Salmonellae isolated at Chandigarh (India) during 1972-1978.

A total of 1316 strains of Salmonella belonging to 20 serotypes isolated at P.G.I. Chandigarh (India) were tested for drug resistance. Drug resistance was noticed in 494 (38.3%) of the strains; 194 (14.8%) of these strains were resistant to one drug, while 300 (23.5%) had multiple drug resistance. All isolated strains were sensitive to gentamicin, furazolidone and nalidixic acid. Resistance to streptomycin was observed in 233 (17.7%), chloramphenicol 197 (14,9%), tetracycline 293 (22.3%), ampicillin 428 (32.5%), kanamycin 206 (15.7%), neomycin 206 (15.7%) and sulphadiazine 215 (19.9%). Multiple drug resistance was most common in S. bareilly, S. typhimurium and S. anatum serotypes. Increase in incidence of drug resistance in Salmonellae has been noticed during 1972-1978.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Orchioblastoma.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Bancroftian filariasis in Namrup tea estate, district Dibrugarh, Assam.

Filariasis survey in a randomly selected tea estate of district Dibrugrah revealed 6.7% infection of Wuchereria bancrofti in labour population with microfilaria (mf) rate of 7.6% in males and 5.9% in females. The mf rate increased progressively with the age which however, dropped in 31-40 age group of males and in 41-50 age group of females. Chronic filariasis diseases rate was 2.7%. The involvement of genitals in manifesting chronic filariasis was significantly higher than of the lower extremities. Infection and infectivity rates in the vector mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus were 6.1% and 4.6% respectively with mean L3 load per infective mosquito of 8.5. Drains, land, peridomestic ditches were chief breeding habitats of Cules quinquefasciatus in the tea estate.

Adolescent↗

Risk factors for cancer nasopharynx: a case-control study from Nagaland, India.

BACKGROUND: A high incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma has been reported from Nagaland, though it is considered to be a rare neoplasm in India. No case-control study to identify the risk factors of cancer nasopharynx has been conducted in this region. This study was undertaken to identify dietary and environmental risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma relevant to this region. METHODS: A matched case-control study using neighbourhood controls was conducted. For each of the 47 cases identified, 2 apparently healthy neighbourhood controls were matched for age, sex and ethnicity. All information on dietary, environmental, social and demographic factors was collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis using maximum likelihood method was used to analyse data. RESULTS: Consumption of smoked meat was found to be the risk factor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (adjusted odds ratio = 10.8; 95% CI 3.0-39.0). History of using herbal nasal medicine was also found to be associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (OR = 21.9, CI = 6.8-71.4). However, exposure to a smoky atmosphere, betel-nut chewing, use of smokeless tobacco products, smoking and drinking habits were not found to be associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. CONCLUSION: This study reveals an association of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with consumption of smoked meat in Nagaland. The use of herbal nasal medicine seems to be an additional risk factor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Nagaland and needs further assessment.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Risk factors of malaria in the fringes of an evergreen monsoon forest of Arunachal Pradesh.

BACKGROUND: The forested hilly and foothill regions of north-east India are highly endemic for malaria and have a distinct epidemiological pattern. Nearly half the reported cases of malaria are from these areas. A knowledge of the risk factors in this eco-geographic entity may be helpful in formulating a specific control strategy. Hence, we conducted a community-based epidemiological study in a hilly, forested terrain of Arunachal Pradesh and examined different socio-demographic factors to identify those predisposing to the occurrence of malaria, especially Plasmodium falciparum infection, in such areas. METHODS: Four epidemiological surveys were carried out during 1997 in 7 villages located at the fringes of a forest (total population: 1177) under Nompong Primary Health Centre of Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh. Blood slides were collected randomly from the inhabitants, irrespective of their fever status, ensuring at least 50% coverage. One hundred and thirty-four microscopically confirmed Plasmodium falciparum cases were identified and 536 controls were randomly selected from the list of uninfected inhabitants. Relevant socio-demographic information was obtained from both cases and controls. The data were analysed by simple and multiple logistic regression using the unconditional maximum likelihood method. RESULTS: Factors which were found to be strongly associated with Plasmodium falciparum malaria on univariate analysis were age, ethnicity, village of residence and accessibility to the nearest health care facility. However, in multiple regression analysis, after controlling for the effects of confounding variables, the only risk factor identified was accessibility to the nearest health care facility (adjusted odds ratio: 4.5; 95% CI: 1.8-11.3; p < 0.0001 for those at a distance of 2-8 km and adjusted odds ratio: 11.1; 95% CI: 4.1-30.0; p < 0.0001 for those > 8 km away). CONCLUSION: Distance, particularly non-motorable distance, from the place of residence to the nearest health care facility was a major risk factor for malaria in this hilly forested terrain. This indicates the need for special efforts to detect cases early and institute treatment promptly in such areas of the north-eastern region, so as to reduce the morbidity and mortality of malaria.

Adolescent↗

Mosquito fauna and malaria vectors in Jairampur, district Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh.

In an entomological study, covering three biotopes like village, panikheti (wet rice cultivated land) and urban agglomeration, a total of 35 species of mosquitoes in eight genera were recorded in Jairampur area of Arunachal Pradesh. Two mosquito species--Orthopodomyia anopheloides and Tripteroides indicus were recorded for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh. Anopheles dirus and An. minimus, the two well-known malaria vectors were encountered in the study along with several potential vector species like An. annularis, An. culicifacies, An. maculatus group and An. philippinensis/nivipes. The diversity of mosquito species as well as the man-vector contact was maximum in the panikheti and minimum in the village biotope.

Animals↗

Hypertension and its risk factors in tea garden workers of Assam.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is emerging as a major public health problem in India. The diversity and heterogeneity of distribution of the population makes it difficult to arrive at the precise prevalence. In Assam, reports from hospitals in tea gardens reveal a high prevalence of hypertension among workers in tea gardens. However, no systematic study has been carried out in this population. METHODS: We selected, by systematic sampling, 1015 individuals (512 men and 503 women) 30 years or more in age, who were interviewed and clinically examined for hypertension. Blood pressure of all the study participants was measured using a standardized technique. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were estimated by unconditional simple and multiple logistic regression analyses. Mantel-Haenszel chi2 analysis was also used to test for the association of potential risk factors with hypertension after controlling for co-variables in a stratified analysis. Risk factors considered for hypertension included age, gender, marital status, occupation, alcohol consumption (locally prepared), extra salt intake, smoking history, khaini (a form of tobacco quid containing a mixture of tobacco and lime) intake, body mass index and waist-hip ratio. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hypertension was 60.8%. Increasing age, consumption of locally prepared alcohol, intake of extra salt in food and beverages and the habit of taking khaini were found to increase the risk of hypertension. Multivariate logistic regression models showed that the independent determinants of hypertension were age, gender, consumption of locally prepared alcohol and intake of extra salt. Gender-specific and age-stratified analyses showed the association of increased risk with intake of khaini in women only, while consumption of locally prepared alcohol was an important risk factor for hypertension in both men and women. CONCLUSION: The disease burden of hypertension among workers in tea gardens is large, despite the community not being obese. Interventions directed at these workers as well as studies to determine the reasons for the high prevalence of hypertension are required.

Adult↗

Demonstration of Epstein-Barr virus antibodies in serum of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

A total of eighty six blood samples (17, 19 & 50 of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, oesophageal cancer and normal healthy control respectively) were collected from Naga Hospital, Kohima, Nagaland and B. Barooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati, Assam and were processed for the detection of EBV-IgG antibody using Elisa test. The results showed that EBV positivity is higher among NPC patients as compared to oesophageal carcinoma patients and/or healthy control. The data also indicated that EBV antibody titre is significantly higher among NPC cases as compared to control.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Malaria control in a forest camp in an oil exploration area of Upper Assam.

BACKGROUND: Assam, in north-east India, is extremely rich in hydrocarbon deposits and the oil industry is the major contributor to its economy. A large number of oil fields and related installations in Assam are located in forest areas or on their fringes where malaria is a serious problem among field staff and security personnel, adversely affecting oil production. We carried out an operational research study for one year in a forest-based industrial security camp of Dibrugarh district and developed an effective malaria control strategy for such areas. METHODS: The specific strategy was formulated and implemented after taking into account the local epidemiology of malaria, vector's ecology and malaria risk behaviour of the camp inmates. The strategy was based on reducing the man-vector contact, using deltamethrin-treated mosquito nets in conjunction with mosquito repellent cream and weekly chemoprophylaxis with 300 mg chloroquine. The impact of the strategy was monitored entomologically and epidemiologically for one year after implementation. RESULTS: The mean landing rate of Anopheles dirus, the vector mosquito in the camp area, was 5.03 per person per night during the monitoring. In spite of such a high density of the vector, the man-vector contact was effectively checked by the intervention measures adopted. As a result, the incidence of malaria in the camp was reduced by > 90% as compared to previous years and the number of malaria cases came down from 6.7 per 1000 man-nights in 1998-99 to 0.06 in 2000-01. Mortality due to malaria was completely eliminated. CONCLUSION: Control of malaria should be based on the local determinants of transmission. The use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in conjunction with a mosquito repellent cream is a good intervention for controlling Anopheles dirus-transmitted malaria in the forests of north-east India. The control module developed on the principle of reducing man-mosquito contact is easy to implement, cost-effective and replicable in similar forest-based locations.

Animals↗