Assessment for practical skills in medical education needs improvement from subjective methods to... more Assessment for practical skills in medical education needs improvement from subjective methods to objective ones. An Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) has been considered as one such method. This study is an attempt to evaluate the feasibility of using OSPE as a tool for the formative assessment of undergraduate medical education in pharmacology. Students of second year MBBS, at the end of the first term, were assessed by both the conventional practical examination and the Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE). A five-station OSPE was conducted one week after the conventional examination. The scores obtained in both were compared and a Bland Altman plot was also used for comparison of the two methods. Perceptions of students regarding the new method were obtained using a questionnaire. There was no significant difference in the mean scores between the two methods (P = 0.44) using the unpaired t test. The Bland Altman plot comparing the CPE (conventional p...
Journal of evolution of medical and dental sciences, Jul 30, 2016
BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance pattern of CSOM has been changing according to geographical vari... more BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance pattern of CSOM has been changing according to geographical variation and differences in patient population. Increased and irrational use of broad spectrum antibiotics, as well as resistance in bacterial isolates, has become very common. Staphylococcus is one of the most important bacteria in CSOM and MRSA is a common pathogen in otologic diseases. Continuous and periodic surveillance of MRSA is necessary to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistant pathogens in CSOM cases. OBJECTIVES To identify the bacteria causing CSOM, to determine the antibiotic resistance of the isolates from CSOM samples and also to determine the methicillin resistance of the isolates. MATERIALS AND METHODS Prospective study of 30 samples from clinically suspected cases of CSOM was performed over a period of two months. Samples were processed by microscopy and culture and the culture isolates were identified by standard biochemical reactions. Antibiotic susceptibility test of the isolates was performed as per CLSI guidelines. RESULTS 73.33% of the isolates were Staphylococcus aureus. 26.66% of the isolates were Enterococcus. 100% resistance to Cotrimoxazole, Ampicillin sulbactam, Azithromycin, Cefuroxime, Cefazolin, Doxycycline, Tetracycline and Cefepime was observed followed by 50% resistance to Amikacin and 43.3% resistance to Amoxiclav and Ceftazidime. MRSA constituted 50% of the total isolates. CONCLUSION Cotrimoxazole, Ampicillin sulbactam, Azithromycin, Cefuroxime, Cefazolin, Doxycycline, Tetracycline and Cefepime should not be considered for treatment of CSOM in our hospital area. There is an over use of Cefepime and Ceftazidime in our hospital area. Increased isolation of MRSA warrants potential interventions to reduce the prevalence of MRSA in our hospital area.
International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2014
Cladophialophora bantiana belongs to the order Chaetothyrales, family Phaeohyphomycetes and genus... more Cladophialophora bantiana belongs to the order Chaetothyrales, family Phaeohyphomycetes and genus Xylohypha. 3 Cladophialophora bantiana was formerly called by the names 'Cladosporium trichoides', 'Cladosporium bantianum', 'Xylohypha bantiana' and 'Xylohypha emmonsii'. 4 MORPHOLOGY AND IDENTIFICATION The necrotic material with pus-like caseous material from the brain abscess is often the sample sent to the laboratory. Microscopic examination of the KOH preparation reveals numerous septate and darkly pigmented fungal hyphae. Gram and Ziehl-Neelsen smears will not reveal any bacteria or acid fast structures. Sample can be cultured on sabouroud dextrose agar (SDA) plain, SDA with gentamicin, SDA with actidione 1 (Figure 2). Other more commonly used media are potato dextrose agar, oatmeal agar and malt agar. The tubes are incubated at 35°C and 25°C. After 72 hours of incubation, colonies with an olive gray velvety ABSTRACT Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the few neurotropic fungi which causes CNS infections in immunocompetant hosts. Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by this fungus is one of the most difficult conditions to treat due to its poor prognosis and difficulty in management. Thermo-tolerance and multiple functions of melanin produced by this fungus is responsible for its role as pathogen in immunocompetent hosts. Early recognition and excision of lesion with antifungal therapy are required in the management of this condition. Culture and histopathology aid in the diagnosis. Research to find out a novel cost effective fungicidal agent against C. bantiana is the need of the day.
Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences, 2016
BACKGROUND Many students are not attentive and active during lecture classes in a Medical College... more BACKGROUND Many students are not attentive and active during lecture classes in a Medical College. There are a variety of ways to engage students in the classroom that complement the lecture material by initiating, supplementing and/or reinforcing the content of the day. One such method is Fish Bowl discussion. The present study was conducted to analyse the use of fish bowl technique of teaching along with lecture in a medical college. MATERIALS AND METHODS A teacher conducted a 20-minute lecture class followed by a Fish Bowl discussion for 30 minutes. For Fish Bowl, the students in the class were divided into two groups. Group I were given a topic for discussion based on the teachers' lecture. Group II were asked to observe the Group I. Later the task given to Group I and Group II were reversed. During the discussion, the teacher guided the participants when needed and moderated the discussion. The two group discussions were followed by plenary presentation. The total time allotted for Fish Bowl was for 30 minutes. At the end of the two sessions, feedback was taken from the students about their views on Fish Bowl teaching technique. RESULTS Lecture with Fish Bowl discussions stimulated interest in the class in 95% of the students; 90% of the students were able to retain information better with 'Lecture with Fish Bowl' and 10% students felt that lecture alone was better; 95% of the students were more satisfied with 'Lecture along with Fish Bowl' when compared to lecture alone. Combination of teaching methods (Lecture with Fish Bowl) was liked by 90% of our students rather than a single method of teaching (Lecture alone) which was liked by only 10% of the students. CONCLUSION Lecture with Fish Bowl is more effective than lecture alone. Combination of lecture and Fish Bowl is a better satisfying teaching technique for the students when compared to lecture alone.
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Research, Mar 31, 2017
The treatment of staphylococcal infections has become problematic due to the the emergence of res... more The treatment of staphylococcal infections has become problematic due to the the emergence of resistance to methicillin, vancomycin and other antibiotics. Growing prevalence of MRSA has led to increased use of vancomycin which led to decreased susceptibility to vancomycin. Hence the present study was undertaken to determine methicillin and vancomycin resistance in staphylococci and to know whether vancomycin resistance is associated with methicillin resistance in staphylococcal isolates in Medchal, A.P, India. Prospective study of 100 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from various clinical samples were studied for a period of one year. Screening for methicillin resistance and vancomycin resistance in these isolates was done as per CLSI guidelines. Vancomycin MIC ‘s of the isolates was determined. Vancomycin resistance in MRSA and non MRSA isolates was determined. 15 % of the isolates were found to be methicillin resistant by cefoxitin discdiffusion method, 14 % by oxacillin agar method and 12 % by oxacillin disc diffusion method . Both Vancomycin agar screen and agar dilution method revealed 11 % isolation of VISA . 50 % of the isolates showed vancomycin MIC’s of 1 -2 mic.g/ml . The non MRSA isolated showed higher percentage of VISA when compared to MRSA. Increased vancomycin MIC’s in staphylococcal isolates calls for limiting use of vancomycin only in situations where it is deemed appropriate by current CDC guidelines. Raised vancomycin MIC’s in all staphylococcal isolates and increased vancomycin resistance in non MRSA isolates when compared to MRSA isolates isolates suggests misuse of this antibiotic not only in the treatment of MRSA isolates but in all staphylococcal infections. Keywords: Staphylococcus, Methicillin resistance , Vancomycin resistance .
A B S T R A C T Although antibiotics have saved millions of lives since their discovery, loss of ... more A B S T R A C T Although antibiotics have saved millions of lives since their discovery, loss of effectiveness of these miracle drugs is an impending danger in the near future. In the search for alternatives to antibiotics, use of bacteriophages for the treatment of infections could be an effective alternative. The knowledge of phages and their use in the treatment of infections is known since long. these phages being the most abundant forms of nature and with the advantage of no side effects and not affecting the normal flora and being capable of self replication with a single administration ,can be used prophylactically as well as for well established infections. They can be used as a whole phage or any phage product or lysine can be used for treatment. Studies reveal their effective use in a wide variety of infections. Although some problems remain to be solved, phage therapy has potential to find a place in modern medicine in the future. K e y w o r d s Bacteriophage, phage therapy
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Research, 2017
Typhoid is a common illness in developing countries like India . The significant titres of antity... more Typhoid is a common illness in developing countries like India . The significant titres of antityphoid antibodies vary with time . Hence the present study was conducted to know the seroprevalence of typhoid fever antibodies in clinically suspected cases and to know the most common significant titres of TO and TH antibodies in our hospital . Prospective study of 250 serum samples from clinically suspected cases of typhoid were collected over a period of 6 months from June 2012 to November 2012 . The samples were screened for anti typhoid antibodies by Rapid slide test. All these samples were then subjected to the Tube agglutination test. Among 250 clinically suspected cases analysed , 91 (36.4%) were seropositive by Widal slide agglutination test and 40 (16%) were seropositive by Widal tube agglutination test. Among the seropositives, 22 (55%) were Males and 18 (45%) were Females and most of them belonged to 10 – 20 yrs of age. Among the seropositives, majority had a TO titre of 1:80...
Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the few neurotropic fungi which causes CNS infections in immu... more Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the few neurotropic fungi which causes CNS infections in immunocompetant hosts. Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by this fungus is one of the most difficult conditions to treat due to its poor prognosis and difficulty in management. Thermo-tolerance and multiple functions of melanin produced by this fungus is responsible for its role as pathogen in immunocompetent hosts. Early recognition and excision of lesion with antifungal therapy are required in the management of this condition. Culture and histopathology aid in the diagnosis. Research to find out a novel cost effective fungicidal agent against C. bantiana is the need of the day.
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Research, 2017
Teaching is not an easy job when it comes to teaching medical students . Given that student’s att... more Teaching is not an easy job when it comes to teaching medical students . Given that student’s attention span is around 15 to 20 minutes only and classes in a medical college last for an hour, you need to do something to control students attention. Further, to break the monotony of instruction in medical colleges, introduction of new methods of teaching are required . Many instructors report that when they intersperse short lectures with active engagement of students for a brief time , students seem to become interested in the lecture. Microteaching is something which incorporates all this in its methodology. Present study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of microteaching in a medical college setting . Two microteaching sessions were conducted in a span of one week . The students gave constructive feedback regarding the teachers presentation after both the microteaching sessions. Comparative opinion of the students about the teachers regular lecture sessions and the microteac...
National journal of integrated research in medicine, 2016
Background and Aim: CSOM causing deafness is seen in more than one third of the population in dev... more Background and Aim: CSOM causing deafness is seen in more than one third of the population in developing countries and is responsible for more than two thirds of deafness in children thereby causing intellectual and educational problems which have a profound impact on the society. Knowledge of the pathogens responsible for CSOM and their antibiotic sensitivity can assist in the selection of the appropriate treatment regimen in these cases. Objective: To identify the bacteria causing CSOM in our hospital area and to determine their antibiotic sensitivity. Methodology: Prospective study of 20 samples from clinically suspected cases of CSOM was performed over a period of two months. Samples were subjected to culture and the isolates were identified by standard biochemical tests. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed by modified Kirby-bauer disc diffusion technique as per CLSI guidelines. Results: The predominant organism isolated was Staphylococcus aureus. No other organism was ...
The clinical microbiology laboratory works with the primary goal of providing an aetiological dia... more The clinical microbiology laboratory works with the primary goal of providing an aetiological diagnosis for patients suffering from infections and guiding the management of infections. The conventional culture based method continues to be mainstay procedures in achievement of its goal. The major limitation of these techniques is a long turnaround time. Time is required for processing of specimens, in vitro growth of microbes, their identification by biochemical tests and performing antibiotic susceptibility tests. All these procedures are labour intensive and require highly trained laboratory staff. In recent years other nonculture methods of microbial identification, automated instrumentations and molecular techniques are available nowa days. However these tests are not widely available and turnaround time is again a limitation because of the need to transport specimens to the laboratory, time required for processing of specimens and infrequent testing. Hence the smaller and more e...
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Research, 2017
Enterobacteriaceae are the common isolates among clinical samples of any hospital. Empiric antibi... more Enterobacteriaceae are the common isolates among clinical samples of any hospital. Empiric antibiotic treatment is not effective in elimination of these pathogens many a time in clinical practice . Resistance forms of Enterobacteriaceae pose a therapeutic challenge in healthcare settings. Hence the present study was conducted to identify the various bacteria belonging Enterobacteriaceae in our clinical samples and also to study their antibiotic susceptibility and resistance patterns in our hospital area. Prospective study of 200 clinical samples was performed for a period of 6 months. All the samples were plated on Mac Conkey agar and incubated overnight. The isolates were subjected to standard biochemical reactions and antibiotic susceptibility of test . ESBL and CRE detection was done as per CLSI guidelines. In the present study, 86% of the gramnegative isolates were Enterobacteriaceae . Escherichia coli was the predominant isolate. Enterobacteriaceae showed maximum susceptibility...
International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2014
Cladophialophora bantiana belongs to the order Chaetothyrales, family Phaeohyphomycetes and genus... more Cladophialophora bantiana belongs to the order Chaetothyrales, family Phaeohyphomycetes and genus Xylohypha. 3 Cladophialophora bantiana was formerly called by the names 'Cladosporium trichoides', 'Cladosporium bantianum', 'Xylohypha bantiana' and 'Xylohypha emmonsii'. 4 MORPHOLOGY AND IDENTIFICATION The necrotic material with pus-like caseous material from the brain abscess is often the sample sent to the laboratory. Microscopic examination of the KOH preparation reveals numerous septate and darkly pigmented fungal hyphae. Gram and Ziehl-Neelsen smears will not reveal any bacteria or acid fast structures. Sample can be cultured on sabouroud dextrose agar (SDA) plain, SDA with gentamicin, SDA with actidione 1 (Figure 2). Other more commonly used media are potato dextrose agar, oatmeal agar and malt agar. The tubes are incubated at 35°C and 25°C. After 72 hours of incubation, colonies with an olive gray velvety ABSTRACT Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the few neurotropic fungi which causes CNS infections in immunocompetant hosts. Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by this fungus is one of the most difficult conditions to treat due to its poor prognosis and difficulty in management. Thermo-tolerance and multiple functions of melanin produced by this fungus is responsible for its role as pathogen in immunocompetent hosts. Early recognition and excision of lesion with antifungal therapy are required in the management of this condition. Culture and histopathology aid in the diagnosis. Research to find out a novel cost effective fungicidal agent against C. bantiana is the need of the day.
MDR Acinetobacter is defined as Acinetobacter isolate resistant to at least three classes of anti... more MDR Acinetobacter is defined as Acinetobacter isolate resistant to at least three classes of antimicrobial agents all penicillins and cephalosporins including inhibitor com binations, fluroquinolones, and aminoglycosides. Management of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. infections is a great challenge for physicians and clinical microbiologists. Its ability to survive in a hospital milieu and its ability to persist for extended periods of time on surfaces makes it a frequent cause for healthcare-associated infections (Fournier et al., 2006). MDR A.baumannii has recently been established as a leading Nosocomial pathogen. The organism can survive on environmental surfaces for months, making nosocomial transmission extremely difficult to prevent and control.(Hawkey et al, 1996 ).The incidence of MDR A. baumannii isolation had doubled compared to the previous years, and the organism became endemic in many wards ( Aharon et al ,2005 ). The increasing recovery of multidrug-resistant A...
Assessment for practical skills in medical education needs improvement from subjective methods to... more Assessment for practical skills in medical education needs improvement from subjective methods to objective ones. An Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) has been considered as one such method. This study is an attempt to evaluate the feasibility of using OSPE as a tool for the formative assessment of undergraduate medical education in pharmacology. Students of second year MBBS, at the end of the first term, were assessed by both the conventional practical examination and the Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE). A five-station OSPE was conducted one week after the conventional examination. The scores obtained in both were compared and a Bland Altman plot was also used for comparison of the two methods. Perceptions of students regarding the new method were obtained using a questionnaire. There was no significant difference in the mean scores between the two methods (P = 0.44) using the unpaired t test. The Bland Altman plot comparing the CPE (conventional p...
Journal of evolution of medical and dental sciences, Jul 30, 2016
BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance pattern of CSOM has been changing according to geographical vari... more BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance pattern of CSOM has been changing according to geographical variation and differences in patient population. Increased and irrational use of broad spectrum antibiotics, as well as resistance in bacterial isolates, has become very common. Staphylococcus is one of the most important bacteria in CSOM and MRSA is a common pathogen in otologic diseases. Continuous and periodic surveillance of MRSA is necessary to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistant pathogens in CSOM cases. OBJECTIVES To identify the bacteria causing CSOM, to determine the antibiotic resistance of the isolates from CSOM samples and also to determine the methicillin resistance of the isolates. MATERIALS AND METHODS Prospective study of 30 samples from clinically suspected cases of CSOM was performed over a period of two months. Samples were processed by microscopy and culture and the culture isolates were identified by standard biochemical reactions. Antibiotic susceptibility test of the isolates was performed as per CLSI guidelines. RESULTS 73.33% of the isolates were Staphylococcus aureus. 26.66% of the isolates were Enterococcus. 100% resistance to Cotrimoxazole, Ampicillin sulbactam, Azithromycin, Cefuroxime, Cefazolin, Doxycycline, Tetracycline and Cefepime was observed followed by 50% resistance to Amikacin and 43.3% resistance to Amoxiclav and Ceftazidime. MRSA constituted 50% of the total isolates. CONCLUSION Cotrimoxazole, Ampicillin sulbactam, Azithromycin, Cefuroxime, Cefazolin, Doxycycline, Tetracycline and Cefepime should not be considered for treatment of CSOM in our hospital area. There is an over use of Cefepime and Ceftazidime in our hospital area. Increased isolation of MRSA warrants potential interventions to reduce the prevalence of MRSA in our hospital area.
International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2014
Cladophialophora bantiana belongs to the order Chaetothyrales, family Phaeohyphomycetes and genus... more Cladophialophora bantiana belongs to the order Chaetothyrales, family Phaeohyphomycetes and genus Xylohypha. 3 Cladophialophora bantiana was formerly called by the names 'Cladosporium trichoides', 'Cladosporium bantianum', 'Xylohypha bantiana' and 'Xylohypha emmonsii'. 4 MORPHOLOGY AND IDENTIFICATION The necrotic material with pus-like caseous material from the brain abscess is often the sample sent to the laboratory. Microscopic examination of the KOH preparation reveals numerous septate and darkly pigmented fungal hyphae. Gram and Ziehl-Neelsen smears will not reveal any bacteria or acid fast structures. Sample can be cultured on sabouroud dextrose agar (SDA) plain, SDA with gentamicin, SDA with actidione 1 (Figure 2). Other more commonly used media are potato dextrose agar, oatmeal agar and malt agar. The tubes are incubated at 35°C and 25°C. After 72 hours of incubation, colonies with an olive gray velvety ABSTRACT Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the few neurotropic fungi which causes CNS infections in immunocompetant hosts. Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by this fungus is one of the most difficult conditions to treat due to its poor prognosis and difficulty in management. Thermo-tolerance and multiple functions of melanin produced by this fungus is responsible for its role as pathogen in immunocompetent hosts. Early recognition and excision of lesion with antifungal therapy are required in the management of this condition. Culture and histopathology aid in the diagnosis. Research to find out a novel cost effective fungicidal agent against C. bantiana is the need of the day.
Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences, 2016
BACKGROUND Many students are not attentive and active during lecture classes in a Medical College... more BACKGROUND Many students are not attentive and active during lecture classes in a Medical College. There are a variety of ways to engage students in the classroom that complement the lecture material by initiating, supplementing and/or reinforcing the content of the day. One such method is Fish Bowl discussion. The present study was conducted to analyse the use of fish bowl technique of teaching along with lecture in a medical college. MATERIALS AND METHODS A teacher conducted a 20-minute lecture class followed by a Fish Bowl discussion for 30 minutes. For Fish Bowl, the students in the class were divided into two groups. Group I were given a topic for discussion based on the teachers' lecture. Group II were asked to observe the Group I. Later the task given to Group I and Group II were reversed. During the discussion, the teacher guided the participants when needed and moderated the discussion. The two group discussions were followed by plenary presentation. The total time allotted for Fish Bowl was for 30 minutes. At the end of the two sessions, feedback was taken from the students about their views on Fish Bowl teaching technique. RESULTS Lecture with Fish Bowl discussions stimulated interest in the class in 95% of the students; 90% of the students were able to retain information better with 'Lecture with Fish Bowl' and 10% students felt that lecture alone was better; 95% of the students were more satisfied with 'Lecture along with Fish Bowl' when compared to lecture alone. Combination of teaching methods (Lecture with Fish Bowl) was liked by 90% of our students rather than a single method of teaching (Lecture alone) which was liked by only 10% of the students. CONCLUSION Lecture with Fish Bowl is more effective than lecture alone. Combination of lecture and Fish Bowl is a better satisfying teaching technique for the students when compared to lecture alone.
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Research, Mar 31, 2017
The treatment of staphylococcal infections has become problematic due to the the emergence of res... more The treatment of staphylococcal infections has become problematic due to the the emergence of resistance to methicillin, vancomycin and other antibiotics. Growing prevalence of MRSA has led to increased use of vancomycin which led to decreased susceptibility to vancomycin. Hence the present study was undertaken to determine methicillin and vancomycin resistance in staphylococci and to know whether vancomycin resistance is associated with methicillin resistance in staphylococcal isolates in Medchal, A.P, India. Prospective study of 100 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from various clinical samples were studied for a period of one year. Screening for methicillin resistance and vancomycin resistance in these isolates was done as per CLSI guidelines. Vancomycin MIC ‘s of the isolates was determined. Vancomycin resistance in MRSA and non MRSA isolates was determined. 15 % of the isolates were found to be methicillin resistant by cefoxitin discdiffusion method, 14 % by oxacillin agar method and 12 % by oxacillin disc diffusion method . Both Vancomycin agar screen and agar dilution method revealed 11 % isolation of VISA . 50 % of the isolates showed vancomycin MIC’s of 1 -2 mic.g/ml . The non MRSA isolated showed higher percentage of VISA when compared to MRSA. Increased vancomycin MIC’s in staphylococcal isolates calls for limiting use of vancomycin only in situations where it is deemed appropriate by current CDC guidelines. Raised vancomycin MIC’s in all staphylococcal isolates and increased vancomycin resistance in non MRSA isolates when compared to MRSA isolates isolates suggests misuse of this antibiotic not only in the treatment of MRSA isolates but in all staphylococcal infections. Keywords: Staphylococcus, Methicillin resistance , Vancomycin resistance .
A B S T R A C T Although antibiotics have saved millions of lives since their discovery, loss of ... more A B S T R A C T Although antibiotics have saved millions of lives since their discovery, loss of effectiveness of these miracle drugs is an impending danger in the near future. In the search for alternatives to antibiotics, use of bacteriophages for the treatment of infections could be an effective alternative. The knowledge of phages and their use in the treatment of infections is known since long. these phages being the most abundant forms of nature and with the advantage of no side effects and not affecting the normal flora and being capable of self replication with a single administration ,can be used prophylactically as well as for well established infections. They can be used as a whole phage or any phage product or lysine can be used for treatment. Studies reveal their effective use in a wide variety of infections. Although some problems remain to be solved, phage therapy has potential to find a place in modern medicine in the future. K e y w o r d s Bacteriophage, phage therapy
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Research, 2017
Typhoid is a common illness in developing countries like India . The significant titres of antity... more Typhoid is a common illness in developing countries like India . The significant titres of antityphoid antibodies vary with time . Hence the present study was conducted to know the seroprevalence of typhoid fever antibodies in clinically suspected cases and to know the most common significant titres of TO and TH antibodies in our hospital . Prospective study of 250 serum samples from clinically suspected cases of typhoid were collected over a period of 6 months from June 2012 to November 2012 . The samples were screened for anti typhoid antibodies by Rapid slide test. All these samples were then subjected to the Tube agglutination test. Among 250 clinically suspected cases analysed , 91 (36.4%) were seropositive by Widal slide agglutination test and 40 (16%) were seropositive by Widal tube agglutination test. Among the seropositives, 22 (55%) were Males and 18 (45%) were Females and most of them belonged to 10 – 20 yrs of age. Among the seropositives, majority had a TO titre of 1:80...
Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the few neurotropic fungi which causes CNS infections in immu... more Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the few neurotropic fungi which causes CNS infections in immunocompetant hosts. Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by this fungus is one of the most difficult conditions to treat due to its poor prognosis and difficulty in management. Thermo-tolerance and multiple functions of melanin produced by this fungus is responsible for its role as pathogen in immunocompetent hosts. Early recognition and excision of lesion with antifungal therapy are required in the management of this condition. Culture and histopathology aid in the diagnosis. Research to find out a novel cost effective fungicidal agent against C. bantiana is the need of the day.
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Research, 2017
Teaching is not an easy job when it comes to teaching medical students . Given that student’s att... more Teaching is not an easy job when it comes to teaching medical students . Given that student’s attention span is around 15 to 20 minutes only and classes in a medical college last for an hour, you need to do something to control students attention. Further, to break the monotony of instruction in medical colleges, introduction of new methods of teaching are required . Many instructors report that when they intersperse short lectures with active engagement of students for a brief time , students seem to become interested in the lecture. Microteaching is something which incorporates all this in its methodology. Present study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of microteaching in a medical college setting . Two microteaching sessions were conducted in a span of one week . The students gave constructive feedback regarding the teachers presentation after both the microteaching sessions. Comparative opinion of the students about the teachers regular lecture sessions and the microteac...
National journal of integrated research in medicine, 2016
Background and Aim: CSOM causing deafness is seen in more than one third of the population in dev... more Background and Aim: CSOM causing deafness is seen in more than one third of the population in developing countries and is responsible for more than two thirds of deafness in children thereby causing intellectual and educational problems which have a profound impact on the society. Knowledge of the pathogens responsible for CSOM and their antibiotic sensitivity can assist in the selection of the appropriate treatment regimen in these cases. Objective: To identify the bacteria causing CSOM in our hospital area and to determine their antibiotic sensitivity. Methodology: Prospective study of 20 samples from clinically suspected cases of CSOM was performed over a period of two months. Samples were subjected to culture and the isolates were identified by standard biochemical tests. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed by modified Kirby-bauer disc diffusion technique as per CLSI guidelines. Results: The predominant organism isolated was Staphylococcus aureus. No other organism was ...
The clinical microbiology laboratory works with the primary goal of providing an aetiological dia... more The clinical microbiology laboratory works with the primary goal of providing an aetiological diagnosis for patients suffering from infections and guiding the management of infections. The conventional culture based method continues to be mainstay procedures in achievement of its goal. The major limitation of these techniques is a long turnaround time. Time is required for processing of specimens, in vitro growth of microbes, their identification by biochemical tests and performing antibiotic susceptibility tests. All these procedures are labour intensive and require highly trained laboratory staff. In recent years other nonculture methods of microbial identification, automated instrumentations and molecular techniques are available nowa days. However these tests are not widely available and turnaround time is again a limitation because of the need to transport specimens to the laboratory, time required for processing of specimens and infrequent testing. Hence the smaller and more e...
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Research, 2017
Enterobacteriaceae are the common isolates among clinical samples of any hospital. Empiric antibi... more Enterobacteriaceae are the common isolates among clinical samples of any hospital. Empiric antibiotic treatment is not effective in elimination of these pathogens many a time in clinical practice . Resistance forms of Enterobacteriaceae pose a therapeutic challenge in healthcare settings. Hence the present study was conducted to identify the various bacteria belonging Enterobacteriaceae in our clinical samples and also to study their antibiotic susceptibility and resistance patterns in our hospital area. Prospective study of 200 clinical samples was performed for a period of 6 months. All the samples were plated on Mac Conkey agar and incubated overnight. The isolates were subjected to standard biochemical reactions and antibiotic susceptibility of test . ESBL and CRE detection was done as per CLSI guidelines. In the present study, 86% of the gramnegative isolates were Enterobacteriaceae . Escherichia coli was the predominant isolate. Enterobacteriaceae showed maximum susceptibility...
International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2014
Cladophialophora bantiana belongs to the order Chaetothyrales, family Phaeohyphomycetes and genus... more Cladophialophora bantiana belongs to the order Chaetothyrales, family Phaeohyphomycetes and genus Xylohypha. 3 Cladophialophora bantiana was formerly called by the names 'Cladosporium trichoides', 'Cladosporium bantianum', 'Xylohypha bantiana' and 'Xylohypha emmonsii'. 4 MORPHOLOGY AND IDENTIFICATION The necrotic material with pus-like caseous material from the brain abscess is often the sample sent to the laboratory. Microscopic examination of the KOH preparation reveals numerous septate and darkly pigmented fungal hyphae. Gram and Ziehl-Neelsen smears will not reveal any bacteria or acid fast structures. Sample can be cultured on sabouroud dextrose agar (SDA) plain, SDA with gentamicin, SDA with actidione 1 (Figure 2). Other more commonly used media are potato dextrose agar, oatmeal agar and malt agar. The tubes are incubated at 35°C and 25°C. After 72 hours of incubation, colonies with an olive gray velvety ABSTRACT Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the few neurotropic fungi which causes CNS infections in immunocompetant hosts. Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by this fungus is one of the most difficult conditions to treat due to its poor prognosis and difficulty in management. Thermo-tolerance and multiple functions of melanin produced by this fungus is responsible for its role as pathogen in immunocompetent hosts. Early recognition and excision of lesion with antifungal therapy are required in the management of this condition. Culture and histopathology aid in the diagnosis. Research to find out a novel cost effective fungicidal agent against C. bantiana is the need of the day.
MDR Acinetobacter is defined as Acinetobacter isolate resistant to at least three classes of anti... more MDR Acinetobacter is defined as Acinetobacter isolate resistant to at least three classes of antimicrobial agents all penicillins and cephalosporins including inhibitor com binations, fluroquinolones, and aminoglycosides. Management of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. infections is a great challenge for physicians and clinical microbiologists. Its ability to survive in a hospital milieu and its ability to persist for extended periods of time on surfaces makes it a frequent cause for healthcare-associated infections (Fournier et al., 2006). MDR A.baumannii has recently been established as a leading Nosocomial pathogen. The organism can survive on environmental surfaces for months, making nosocomial transmission extremely difficult to prevent and control.(Hawkey et al, 1996 ).The incidence of MDR A. baumannii isolation had doubled compared to the previous years, and the organism became endemic in many wards ( Aharon et al ,2005 ). The increasing recovery of multidrug-resistant A...
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