Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction using primer MPB 64 for diagnosis of clinically suspected cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis can be easily diagnosed by simple techniques such as microscopy. However, extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) often presents a diagnostic dilemma. Microscopy and culture have proved to be insensitive techniques for diagnosis of EPTB. There is an urgent need for rapid and sensitive diagnostic methods. Aim: The present study was conducted to evaluate the role of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the early diagnosis of clinically suspected cases of EPTB. Materials and Methods: A total of 80 clinical specimens comprising pleural fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, ascitic fluid, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, and pus and biopsy from clinically suspected EPTB cases were processed and followed up by conventional methods and PCR using MPB64 primer. Results: Tuberculous pleural effusion (71%) was found to be the most common clinical presentation of EPTB. Overall, PCR could detect EPTB in 61.2% cases. Microscopy and culture could detect 18.7% and 22.5% EPTB cases, respectively. PCR was positive in all tissue samples suggestive of tuberculosis on histopathological examination. Of the 62 EPTB patients who responded to antituberculosis treatment (ATT), 49 patients were PCR positive. Conclusion: PCR using MPB64 had a significant advantage over the conventional methods to detect the presence of M. tuberculosis in specimens of clinically suspected EPTB patients for early diagnosis of tuberculosis

Comparison between phytoplankton bio-diversity and various indices for winter monsoon and inter monsoon periods in north-eastern Arabian Sea

1513-1518<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">Phytoplankton samples of north-eastern Arabian Sea were collected during ocean colour satellite validation cruises from 2003-2007. Phytoplankton community organization and distribution was analyzed using various diversity indices like Shannon Diversity Index, Simpson Diversity Index, Margalef Diversity Index, McIntosh Diversity Index, Pielou Evenness Index and dominance index. Results showed that Navicula, Thalasiothrix and Rhizosolenia were most abundant among the diatoms. Trichodesmium, a cyanobacteria, dominated the shallow coastal waters. Resultant indices were correlated with phytoplankton cell counts and it was found that Shannons index better represents the diversity than other indices. Cell counts were also correlated with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">in situ chlorophyll-a values, which showed that this correlation does not stand good for the bloom conditions.</span