Clinico-mycological study of dermatophytosis in a tertiary care centre in North Eastern India

Background: The dermatophytosis constitutes a group of superficial fungal infections of keratinized tissues, namely, the epidermis, hair, and nails. The present study was undertaken to find out the clinical profile of dermatophytosis and to identify the causative fungal species in the various clinical presentations. Materials & Methods: This was a hospital‐based observational study. One hundred clinically suspected patients attending OPD of M. G. M. Medical College and Lion Seva Kendra Hospital were included in the study. History was taken, general physical and cutaneous examination was done and details of skin lesions noted. Direct microscopy in 10% KOH (40% KOH for nail) and fungal culture on SDA with 0.05% chloramphenicol and 0.5% cycloheximide was done in every case. Chi‐square test and contingency coefficient test were used as significant tests for analysis. Results: In the present study, tinea accounted for 22.68 % of the total Dermatology OPD cases of which male constituted 59 % and 41 % females. The mean age was 38.4 ± 16.98 years. Majority were of age group 21-30 years followed by age group 31-40 years.Out of all the samples 68 cases were KOH positive as compared to 61 cases which were culture positive. Two KOH negative cases were culture positive and 9 culture negative cases came out to be KOH positive. Out of 81 skin scrapping samples 54 were KOH positive and 47 were culture positive, 11 nail clipping samples 8 were KOH as well as culture positive and out of 8 hair pluck samples 6 were KOH as well as culture positive.In 61 culture positive cases there were 7 non-dermatophytic growth which included 4 aspergillus spp. and 3 candida spp. Conclusion: Dermatophytosis is one of the most common if not the commonest dermatological condition we come across the Dermatology OPD. It most commonly affects the young age group rather than extremes of age

Kinetic analysis of low concentration CO detection by Au-loaded cerium oxide sensors

Owing to its high toxicity, even at very low concentration, early detection of carbon monoxide (CO) is imperative. We have fabricated sensors comprising gold nanoparticle-loaded cerium oxide (Au-CeO2). The morphology and elemental composition of the sensing material have been characterized using XRD, FESEM, TEM and XPS. The performance of the Au-CeO2 sensors has been studied for the detection of CO in the concentration range of 10-30 ppm in air. The response and recovery transients of conductance have been modeled using two-site Langmuir adsorption kinetics. In the presence of 30 ppm CO, the calculated response times for two energetically different adsorption sites, CeO2 surface and Au/CeO2 interface are 9 s and 7 s, respectively. Finally, an exponential correlation between the gas concentration and the time constants has been derived

A study of onychomycosis at a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Bihar

Background: Onychomycosis (OM) is a major public health problem which is increasing worldwide. It is associated with high morbidity and causes physical, psychological, and occupational problems in patients. Aims: This study aims to study the pattern of etiological agents, clinical features, and severity assessment of OM in this part of India. Materials and Methods: Sixty eight clinically suspected patients with positive potassium hydroxide and fungal culture were studied. Results: Males were infected more often than females (1.61:1). The most common age group affected was 21–40 years. Finger nails were affected more frequently than toe nails. Distal and lateral subungual OM was the most common (48 cases, 70.59%) clinical pattern. For most of the patients (66.18%), nail involvement was severe. Discoloration was the most common (67 cases, 98.53%) change, followed by subungual hyperkeratosis (51 cases, 75%). Principal causative agents were dermatophytes (55 cases, 80.88%) with Trichophyton rubrum being the most common one (35 cases, 51.47%). In 9 (13.23%) cases, Candida albicans, in 6 (8.82%) Aspergillus niger and in 1 (1.47%) case Acremonium sp. (AC) have been isolated as the sole causative agent. In 2 (2.94%) cases, mixed infection with dermatophyte and Aspergillus and in 1 (1.47%) case dermatophyte and Candida were noted. Conclusion: Although dermatophytes were the most common causative agent of OM, nondermatophytic molds, and yeasts were also encountered. The genus and species identification helps in the proper diagnosis and management. Morphological changes in nail may help in presumptive diagnosis of OM

Treatment patterns for cervical carcinoma in situ in Michigan, 1998-2003.

ObjectiveTo characterize population-level surgical treatment patterns for cervical carcinoma in situ (CIS) reported to the Michigan Cancer Surveillance Program (MCSP), and to inform data collection strategies.MethodsAll cases of cervical carcinoma in situ (CIS) (including cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 and adenocarcinoma in situ [AIS]) reported to the MCSP during 1998-2003 were identified. First course of treatment (ablative procedure, cone biopsy, loop electrosurgical excisional procedure [LEEP], hysterectomy, unspecified surgical treatment, no surgical treatment, unknown if surgically treated) was described by histology, race, and age at diagnosis.ResultsOf 17,022 cases of cervical CIS, 82.8 percent were squamous CIS, 3 percent AIS/adenosquamous CIS, and 14.2 percent unspecified/other CIS. Over half (54.7 percent) of cases were diagnosed in women under age 30. Excisional treatments (LEEP, 32.3 percent and cone biopsy, 17.3 percent) were most common, though substantial proportions had no reported treatment (17.8 percent) or unknown treatment (21.1 percent). Less common were hysterectomy (7.2 percent) and ablative procedures (2.6 percent). LEEP was the most common treatment for squamous cases, while hysterectomy was the most treatment for AIS/adenosquamous CIS cases. Across histologic types, a sizeable proportion of women diagnosed ≤30 years of age underwent excision, either LEEP (20 percent-38.7 percent) or cone biopsy (13.7 percent-44 percent).ConclusionDespite evidence suggesting it may be safer and equally effective as excision, ablation was rarely used for treating cervical squamous CIS. These population-based data indicate some notable differences in treatment by histology and age at diagnosis, with observed patterns appearing consistent with consensus guidelines in place at the time of study, but favoring more aggressive procedures. Future data collection strategies may need to validate treatment information, including the large proportion of no or unknown treatment

Longitudinal Analysis of Electronic Health Information to Identify Possible COVID-19 Sequelae

Ongoing symptoms might follow acute COVID-19. Using electronic health information, we compared pre‒ and post‒COVID-19 diagnostic codes to identify symptoms that had higher encounter incidence in the post‒COVID-19 period as sequelae. This method can be used for hypothesis generation and ongoing monitoring of sequelae of COVID-19 and future emerging diseases

Case Series of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection - United Kingdom and United States, March-August 2020

During the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, reports of a new multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have been increasing in Europe and the United States (1-3). Clinical features in children have varied but predominantly include shock, cardiac dysfunction, abdominal pain, and elevated inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, D-dimer, and interleukin-6 (1). Since June 2020, several case reports have described a similar syndrome in adults; this review describes in detail nine patients reported to CDC, seven from published case reports, and summarizes the findings in 11 patients described in three case series in peer-reviewed journals (4-6). These 27 patients had cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and neurologic symptoms without severe respiratory illness and concurrently received positive test results for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or antibody assays indicating recent infection. Reports of these patients highlight the recognition of an illness referred to here as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A), the heterogeneity of clinical signs and symptoms, and the role for antibody testing in identifying similar cases among adults. Clinicians and health departments should consider MIS-A in adults with compatible signs and symptoms. These patients might not have positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR or antigen test results, and antibody testing might be needed to confirm previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Because of the temporal association between MIS-A and SARS-CoV-2 infections, interventions that prevent COVID-19 might prevent MIS-A. Further research is needed to understand the pathogenesis and long-term effects of this newly described condition