Secondary bacterial flora in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis - a preliminary report

Sputum samples from 100 smear positive or skiagram positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients were cultured for superinfecting or co-injecting bacteria. These patients were equally divided into five groups. This included Croup-I who are not treated; Group-II who are treated up to three months; Group-III who are treated for more than three but less than six months; Group-IV treated more than six months and lastly Group-V who have completed the prescribed treatment schedule of varying durations. Neisseria catarrhalis and Strep. viridans predominated in all patients irrespective of group, other organisms isolated, were Micrococci, E.Coli, Serratia, Proteus and Pseudomonas. There was no significant difference in the pattern of organisms isolated from different group of patients. The antibiogram showed the usual susceptibility pattern

Histone Deacetylase in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

&lt;i&gt;Background:&lt;/i&gt; Elevated histone deacetylase (HDAC) isoenzyme levels have been described in patients with carcinomas and leukemias. HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) have shown promise in the treatment of carcinomas and are currently under intense research. To make better use of HDACi in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), HDAC isoenzyme levels were studied. &lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt; Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for HDAC isoenzyme was measured in 32 patients with CLL and compared with 17 normal volunteer controls. ZAP-70, CD38 and CD44 were also assayed and correlated to HDAC isoenzyme levels. &lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt; The results showed: (1) HDAC isoenzyme levels in CLL were significantly increased in class I including HDAC1 and HDAC3, in class II including HADC6, HDAC7, HDAC9 and HDAC10, and in class III including SIRT1 and SIRT6; (2) higher expression of HDAC isoenzyme levels was found in ZAP-70+ compared to ZAP-70– patients, and CD44 expression levels were correlated with HDAC isoenzyme expression levels in the majority of HDAC classes. &lt;i&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/i&gt; These results suggest: (1) in CLL, elevated HDAC isoenzyme activity is not restricted to one class, and therefore, HDACi therapy may need to be directed to more than one specific class of HDAC; (2) higher HDAC expression activity may indicate a poor prognosis and more advanced disease stage (through indirect evidence), since higher values were found in patients with ZAP-70+ and higher CD44 expression levels.</jats:p