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Biomedical subjects

K N Panicker

Publications and source records attributed to K N Panicker.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
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Observation on the host parasitoid interaction between Periplaneta americana, the American cockroach and Tetrastichus hagenowii, an oothecal parasitoid.

Investigations were carried out on the host parasitoid interaction between Periplaneta americana, the American cockroach and Tetrastichus hagenowii, an oothecal parasitoid. This gregarious female parasitoid infected and or oviposited in only one host and caused 100% mortality of the infected host. However, increase in parasitoid density decreased the progeny production and influenced the sex ratio. The progenies produced were male biased. When host preference was tested by offering oothecae of different species of cockroaches. T. hagenowii showed a predilection towards the oothecae of P. americana, suggesting its host specificity.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Daily diethylcarbamazine for the treatment of Brugia malayi microfilaria carriers.

BACKGROUND: Diethylcarbamazine is effective for the treatment of brugian filaria carriers. However, the 12-day course with a daily dose of 6 mg per kg body weight is rarely completed. The World Health Organization has indicated the need for better regimes to control filariasis. METHODS: We evaluated the long term effects of three different dosage regimes of diethylcarbamazine--6, 9 and 12 mg per kg body weight--to a total of 72 mg on 93 microfilaria carriers of Brugia malayi. RESULTS: All cases treated with the 6 mg daily dose showed complete clearance of microfilaria immediately after the treatment. However, at the 9 and 12 mg daily doses only 91% and 85% of cases respectively showed complete clearance. There was a close association between the daily dose and the proportion of cases developing side-effects. The mean initial microfilaria counts were significantly higher in those who had side-effects than in those who did not. An 11-month follow up showed that with the 6 mg daily dose the recurrence rate of microfilaraemia was 29% while with the 12 mg daily dose it was 67%. Four per cent of patients on a daily dose of 6 and 9 mg discontinued treatment while 21% of those on the 12 mg daily dose did so. CONCLUSION: The 6 mg daily dose of diethylcarbamazine was the most effective and best accepted regime.

Adolescent↗
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Efficacy of diethylcarbamazine-medicated salt for microfilaraemia of Brugia malayi.

BACKGROUND: Pilot studies in India and abroad have demonstrated the benefit of cooking salt fortified with diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) for the control of lymphatic filariasis. In India, DEC-medicated salt has been introduced on a commercial basis in the Cherthala region of Kerala, which is endemic for Brugia malayi (B. malayi). We studied the efficacy of DEC-medicated salt in the clearance of microfilaraemia of B. malayi. METHODS: Eighteen cases of microfilaraemia (11 men; 7 women) were selected; 14 in the experimental group (i.e. treated with 0.2% w/w DEC-medicated salt) and the rest as the control group who were given a placebo. The consumption of salt and the status of parasitaemia were monitored till all the microfilaria carriers became negative. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in the density of microfilariae (intensity) among the treated individuals over a period of time. The duration required for the clearance of microfilariae ranged from 9 to 30 [mean (SD) 19.4 (1.7)] weeks. All microfilaraemics except one reported side-effects which were mild-to-moderate and persisted for a maximum period of one month. CONCLUSION: DEC-medicated salt effectively clears microfilariae within 30 weeks in parasitaemic individuals. No 'endemic normals' reported any side-effects, though these were common among the microfilaria carriers.

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