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Biomedical subjects

S Kumari

Publications and source records attributed to S Kumari.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Evaluation of different commercial kits for HIV/HTLV-III EIA.

Choice of an ideal, cost-effective and rapid diagnostic test for HIV infection is of immense value in developing countries like India where resources are limited. A number of commercial HIV antibody testing kits are now available with varying sensitivities and specificities. Six different commercial HIV kits namely, Wellcozyme, Flow HIV-TEKG, Abbott HIV EIA, Abbott VIA, Dip-stick EIA and Abbott env/core recombinant EIA were evaluated. Du-Pont Western blot (W.B.) kit was used as gold standard to compare the results. Of the 376 sera from various high-risk individuals screened, Wellcozyme kit yielded 100 per cent concordant results with W.B. Abbott VIA and Abbott env/core also yielded results in confirmation with W.B., excepting the fact that both detected one extra sample positive, which was negative in W.B. Abbott EIA yielded 4 false positive results. Dip-stick kit yielded the maximum number of false positives. The study indicated that 3 kits, namely Wellcozyme, Abbott VIA and Abbott EIA could be used to achieve optimum and acceptable results.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

Triceps skinfold thickness in adolescents.

The triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) was measured in 1000 healthy adolescents aged 11 to 18 yr. Measurements were made with the Standard Harpenden skinfold caliper. Females at all ages studied had thicker skinfolds than their male counterparts. Significant differences in skinfold fat were observed between the high and low socio-economic groups, in both sexes. TSF thickness among girls showed a steady gain throughout adolescence. In boys however, there was a dip in TSF followed by a slow rise, the final thickness being somewhat lower than the prepubertal value. TSF was found to have no correlation with height but good positive correlation with weight and wt/ht2 (body mass index). Hence it may be regarded as a reliable indicator of obesity in this age group, where variable pubertal growth makes nutritional assessment difficult.

Adolescent↗

Liver dysfunction in severe birth asphyxia.

A total of 46 full term, appropriate for gestational age neonates were included in this study. Out of this, 31 infants had suffered severe birth asphyxia, while 15 normal babies formed the control group. The liver function tests of the asphyxiated group was deranged in 64.52% babies. There was 60% mortality in asphyxiated babies with deranged liver function. The serum levels of transaminases (SGOT, SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase in non-survivors were significantly higher than those of survivors.

Asphyxia Neonatorum↗

Incidence of different types of viral hepatitis in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan areas.

A total of 428 sera samples from patients of acute sporadic viral hepatitis collected from Delhi (172), Uttar Pradesh (192) and Rajasthan (64) were tested for Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) markers. Non A non B was diagnosed by exclusion. The prevalence of HAV, HBV and non A non B in such cases was almost comparable at three places. The prevalence of HAV ranged between 15.7 and 20.3 per cent, HBV between 41.3 and 51.6 per cent while non A non B ranged between 28.1 and 43 per cent. The study signifies the role of non A non B in non-epidemic situations.

Adolescent↗

Nasopharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in general population and meningococcal disease.

Nasopharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis was determined in the normal healthy population in Delhi at monthly intervals for a period of 2 years from January, 1986 to December, 1987. Of a total of 6513 individuals screened only 107 (1.64 per cent) were found to carry Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A. There was no age and sex difference in carriage. During the same period, data of laboratory confirmed cases of meningitis due to N. meningitidis serogroup A was obtained from 6 hospitals of Delhi which acted as sentinel centres. Of the total 11,870 pyogenic C.S.F. samples processed, only 557 (4.69 per cent) were due to N. meningitidis serogroup A. There was no correlation observed between the nasopharyngeal meningococcal carriage in the healthy population with the disease prevalence. There was no seasonal variation in nasopharyngeal carriage though upsurge in the number of meningococcal meningitis cases was noticed from January to April.

Adolescent↗

Neonatal outcome following cesarean birth: a prospective study.

Neonatal morbidity and mortality in 573 singleton cesarean born infants was recorded. In 70% of women, it was a primary cesarean section. The neonatal mortality was 3.6% in babies born to primigravida mothers and 9.8% in infants of multigravida. Mortality in male and female infants was 5.73 and 9.65%, respectively. Preterm infants registered more than 7 times higher mortality than term infants. Birth weight below 2000 g and above 3500 g were associated with higher asphyxia rate and neonatal death. Neonatal morbidity frequently encountered was birth asphyxia (19.19%), septicemia (13.43%), jaundice (15.70%) and respiratory problems (23.0%).

Birth Weight↗

Cholera outbreak in Delhi--1988.

Delhi experienced an outbreak of cholera during July-August 1988 which affected residents from all walks of life. A total of 1824 laboratory confirmed cholera cases were detected in two months period at I.D. Hospital, Delhi alone. The number of cholera cases in July-August 1988 was 5-10 times that of the same period during the previous years in the Capital. The outbreak was caused by Vibrio cholerae Ogawa biotype ElTor. Majority of the laboratory confirmed cases (about 74 per cent) were seen in children under the age of 15 years. Though the cases were spread all over Delhi, almost three-fourths of total cases were reported from two specific zones (Shahdara and Civil Lines). Most of the isolates were sensitive to all antibiotics tested. The proportion of isolates resistant to furazolidone during this outbreak was substantially higher than in previous years suggesting that the outbreak may have been caused by the introduction of a new strain rather than proliferation of endemic strain. The salient features of the outbreak are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Delayed cesarean section: neonatal outcome.

One hundred and twenty one consecutive cesarean sections producing single term, appropriate for gestational age neonates, out of which 85% were emergency cesareans, were included in this study. Fetal distress, nonprogress of labour, and cephalopelvic disproportion were major indications for surgery. The waiting period varied from less than 30 minutes to greater than 4 hours. More than 50% of neonates studied suffered from some problem. The morbidity increased significantly if cesarean section was delayed for more than two hours.

Cesarean Section↗

Sero-epidemiology of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in Delhi.

Between 1986 and early 1989, 47 patients of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) were referred to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi from different hospitals of Delhi. They were 40 (87%) males and 7 (13%) females. The age at onset of illness ranged from 4 to 18 yr. Thirty (63.9%) patients gave history of measles attack in the first two years of life. All but one patient gave a past history of measles attack. Only one patient gave history of measles immunization. The titres of haemagglutination inhibiting antibodies to measles virus in serum in SSPE patients ranged from 1:8 to 1:2048 and in CSF from 1:4 to 1:256, while in control group, it ranged from 1:2 to 1:128 in serum and nil to 1:2 in CSF. The geometric means of haemagglutination inhibiting antibodies in serum and CSF of SSPE patients were 10 and 15 times higher than in the control group.

Adolescent↗

Breast feeding practices and maternal employment.

Little information exists about the relationship between maternal employment and breast feeding practices and knowledge about lactation. The study was conducted on 318 employed and 299 non-employed women prospectively. Lactational practices were significantly influenced by employment status, with 81.9% non-employed vs. only 49.7% employed going in for exclusive breast feeds in the first 3 months (p less than .001). Correspondingly, 46.8% employed women started combined breast and bottle feeds from birth (p less than .001). Within the employed group, parity and social class did not significantly alter the infant feeding practices. Employed women were better informed about feeding and weaning as compared to their non-employed counterparts (36.8% vs. 18.4% p less than .001). Women from higher social class also tended to be more aware (59.8% vs. 7.2%: p less than .001). Multiparas had an edge over primiparas with respect to knowledge about lactation (36.1% vs. 20.1% p less than .01).

Breast Feeding↗

Poliomyelitis in vaccinated children.

Fifty-two children who had received at least 3 properly spaced doses of oral polio-vaccine and had developed acute poliomyelitis inspite of vaccination were studied clinically and serologically. This group (A) was compared with 28 children with poliomyelitis who had not received any vaccination (Group B). A much higher incidence of provocative injection and a better muscle power on presentation was seen in Group A as compared to Group B. Polio-virus type 2 was the commonest etiological agent in Group A (42.3%) whereas type I virus was most commonly seen in Group B (78.6%). A total 53.8% of cases of Group A had protective antibody titres to at least one poliovirus type in the acute phase sera, compared to only 4% from Group B. Six per cent from Group A had protective antibodies to all three virus types, disease in these cases was caused by non-polio agents. Two cases in Group A were possibly vaccine induced paralysis. Recovery, after 60 days, was much better in Group A as compared to Group B. Mortality in the two groups was comparable.

Child↗

Factitious haematuria. A report of two cases.

Two patients who presented with recurrent gross haematuria are described. Both underwent extensive invasive investigations including renal biopsies before it was discovered that they had factitious haematuria produced by contaminating urine with blood from self inflicted skin wounds.

Adolescent↗

Immune status following measles vaccination in infants and evaluation for the need of revaccination.

In this prospective study, immune status of children vaccinated in infancy was determined at age 12-18 months. In 200 children, preimmunization protective measles hemagglutination (HI) antibody titres (greater than or equal to 1:8) were present in 38.5% of children of 6-8 months, the frequency decreased to 17.6 and 14.3% in age groups 9-11 and 12-18 months, respectively followed by an increasing incidence of 52.5% in those more than 18 months of age. Paired measles HI titre was estimated in 56 children, the post vaccination sample was taken at age 12-18 months, 3-9 months after measles vaccination. Most of the children (98.0%), with no detectable antibody titre, had a protective titre. Again a significant number (p less than 0.001) of children aged 12-18 months had protective HI titres compared to non-vaccinated. These findings suggest that when vaccinated at 9-11 months in our country, there is no need for revaccination later.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Efficacy of oral water soluble vitamin K in neonates.

Effect of oral water soluble synthetic Vitamin K on prothrombin time was evaluated in 120 full term exclusively breast fed babies. Group A (n = 30) received 1 mg vitamin K (menadione sodium disulphite) intramuscularly at birth, Group B (n = 30) received 0.5 mg intramuscularly, Group C (n = 30) 1 mg orally and Group D (n = 30) did not receive any vitamin K. Prothrombin time (PT) was measured in all between 36-72 hours of age. The PT values in the four Groups A, B, C and D were 17.1 +/- 2.68 seconds, 17.2 +/- 4.42 seconds, 17.0 +/- 2.86 seconds, and 33.1 +/- 12.2 seconds, respectively; the control being 17.0 seconds. The differences between Groups A, B and C were insignificant. Group D babies had a significant prolongation of prothrombin time (p less than 0.001) as compared to the other groups. It is concluded that oral water soluble vitamin K at birth is as good as injectable vitamin K. It is a much simpler form of prophylaxis and avoids intramuscular injection.

Administration, Oral↗

Bacteriological study of drinking water during epidemic of cholera in Delhi.

Sixty drinking water samples collected from various sources in different areas of Delhi during epidemic of cholera and gastroenteritis were analysed for bacteriological standards. Only 27 (45 per cent) samples were found to be satisfactory for human consumption. Remaining thirty-three (55 per cent) samples showed presence of coliform organisms with MPN value ranging from 10 to 1800+ per 100 ml. Among these positive samples, 31 (93.9 per cent) samples contained faecal coli. Twenty out of thirty (66.6 per cent) Hand pump, 9 out of 21 (42.8 per cent) Taps 2 out of 4 (50 per cent) Tube well and 2 out of 5 (40 per cent) of miscellaneous sources showed contamination with coliform organisms.

Bacteriological Techniques↗