Sunayana M Jangla

Abstract

Pandemics are well-established outbreaks of infectious disease which can increase mortality and morbidity and have a great impact on economic, social and political facet. They wipe out major portions of a nation’s procurements in these aspects. Health-care workers who are at the forefront in the anti-pandemic war are significantly affected and their family is also not spared. We present a case of a family comprising of a doctor couple with their ten-year old daughter and their joint fight against COVID-19 as they all got infected by this virus at the same time. Keywords: COVID19, Family, Health care worker.

Open full article page

Abstract

An outbreak of respiratory illnesses of unknown etiology which was later identified as novel coronavirus (nCov) contagion with its axis in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China rapidly emerged as a public health emergency of global concern. This started as a cluster of cases in December 2019 and there have been large numbers of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) ever-since worldwide including India. Because of its encyclopaedic quandary, COVID-19 was labelled as a pandemic by World Health Organisation (WHO). Thus, it became important to strengthen the health care delivery system at the public as well as private sector. Here we describe the challenges faced in private practice by a clinician in patient management during this pandemic in India and measures taken to overcome them with the help of WHO and national guidelines, clinician’s professional expertise and optimum infection prevention and control practices. Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Novel, Pandemic, Private Practice.

Open full article page

Abstract

Serratia marcescens commonly causes infections of the respiratory tract, urinary tract, septicaemia and wound infections. It is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen causing infections commonly in the immunocompromised patients. However, skin infections caused by Serratia marcescens are unusual. Moreover, infection by non-pigmented strains are less common as compared to those by pigmented strains. We describe a case of an elderly immunocompromised female presenting with abscess formation at the site of insulin injection caused by non-pigment producing Serratia marcescens. She responded to treatment with antibiotics. Keywords: Abscess, immunocompromised, non-pigmented, Serratia marcescens.

Open full article page

Abstract

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) causes severe morbidity and mortality in millions of people every year, worldwide and India in particular. Hence this study was undertaken to find out the role of the widely used GeneXpertMTB/Rif test in tuberculosis detection. Materials and Methods: A total of 155 samples (pulmonary and extrapulmonary) from patients clinically suspected to have tuberculosis were received for testing by ZN (Ziehl-Neelsen) stain and GeneXpert/MTB Rif. These samples were also processed for histopathology or cytology and mycobacterial culture on request of clinician. The results were studied and compared. Result: Out of the total samples received, lymph node aspirates were 23%,pleural fluid 20%,sputum 19%,pus 10%,tissue 8%,ascitic fluid 8%,cerebrospinal fluid 7%,endometrial tissue 3%,synovial fluid 1% and urine 1%.Nine sputum samples (31%) were positive by GeneXpertMTB/Rif of which two were negative on smear, two positive on culture and there was no culture request for the remaining seven samples.29 (23%) extrapulmonary samples were positive by GeneXpertMTB/Rif out of which there was no culture request for 16 samples. One sample which was negative by GeneXpert MTB/Rif grew Atypical Mycobacteria on culture. Four isolates were detected as rifampicin resistant by GeneXpertMTB/Rif but none of them were sent for Drug Susceptibility Test (DST). Conclusion: GeneXpertMTB/Rif should be used in combination with other tests for diagnosing tuberculosis. Keywords: Drug resistant tuberculosis, GeneXpert/MTB Rif, Nucleic-acid amplification test.

Open full article page