Directly observed treatment short course in immunocompetent patients of tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy treated in revised national tuberculosis control programme

Background: Prospective observation analysis to evaluate the cure in tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy with directly observed treatment short course category III (DOTS CAT III) treatment as per revised national tuberculosis control program (RNTCP) at a tertiary care hospital in AP, India, from October 2007 to September 2009. These cases were followed up for period of 22 months. Materials and Methods: Total 1521 tuberculous cases were screened in KIMS both pulmonary and extra pulmonary cases out of which 146 cases were tuberculous lymphadenitis. Fifty cases of tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy were included after diagnostic and treatment algorithm and fine needle biopsy or excision biopsy. Patients below 5 yrs, immunocompromised, having diabetes mellitus, pulmonary tuberculosis and with other co-morbid conditions were excluded from the study. All patients were put on DOTS CAT III as per RNTCP guidelines. Follow-up was done every 2 months till 6 months for 1) Constitution symptoms 2) Weight gain or loss 3) Appetite gain or loss 4) Regression of lymph nodes or increase 5) Compliance 6) Side effects 7) Failures by demonstration of organism by direct smear, culture or histopathological examination. Results: In this study, lymph node regression was found in 78% at the end of 2 months, 94% at the end of 4 months and 96% at the end of 6 months, 9 patients had regression in size though the nodes were palpable, 2 had no regression but fresh lymph nodes appeared on the same side and sinus discharge was present, culture was negative in these cases. Two cases had immune reconstitution syndrome, constitutional symptoms disappeared and showed clinical improvement. Four cases were subjected for surgical intervention. Conclusion: DOTS CAT III is effective in the treatment of tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy. Compliance was good with minimal, minor side effects, only two had immune reconstitution syndrome and two had sinus formation; they were referred for surgical intervention, and follow-up of 22 months did not show any relapses

Identification of Subtype C Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 by Subtype-Specific PCR and Its Use in the Characterization of Viruses Circulating in the Southern Parts of India

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C viruses are associated with nearly half of worldwide HIV-1 infections and are most predominant in India and the southern and eastern parts of Africa. Earlier reports from India identified the preponderance of subtype C and a small proportion of subtype A viruses. Subsequent reports identifying multiple subtypes suggest new introductions and/or their detection due to extended screening. The southern parts of India constitute emerging areas of the epidemic, but it is not known whether HIV-1 infection in these areas is associated with subtype C viruses or is due to the potential new introduction of non-subtype C viruses. Here, we describe the development of a specific and sensitive PCR-based strategy to identify subtype C-viruses (C-PCR). The strategy is based on amplifying a region encompassing a long terminal repeat and gag in the first round, followed by two sets of nested primers; one amplifies multiple subtypes, while the other is specific to subtype C. The common HIV and subtype C-specific fragments are distinguishable by length differences in agarose gels and by the difference in the numbers of NF-κB sites encoded in the subtype C-specific fragment. We implemented this method to screen 256 HIV-1-infected individuals from 35 towns and cities in four states in the south and a city in the east. With the exception of single samples of subtypes A and B and a B/C recombinant, we found all to be infected with subtype C viruses, and the subtype assignments were confirmed in a subset by using heteroduplex mobility assays and phylogenetic analysis of sequences. We propose the use of C-PCR to facilitate rapid molecular epidemiologic characterization to aid vaccine and therapeutic strategies