Giant intrathoracic mycotic aneurysm of left subclavian artery

Fungal infections are serious and important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Angioinvasive aspergillosis causing mycotic aneurysm of major blood vessels is very rare and only a few cases are reported in literature. We hereby report one case of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia presenting with this fatal complication.

Radiological features of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome

This report describes the radiological features of a case of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome. Barium meal follow through with pneumocolon, used as a single radiological test, revealed diffuse polyposis involving the stomach and both the small and large intestines, as well as findings of gastric rugal thickening, whiskering, crypts and ulcerated polyps.

Barium meal follow through with pneumocolon: Screening test for chronic bowel pain

AIM: To study the sensitivity, specificity and cost effectiveness of barium meal follow through with pneumocolon (BMFTP) used as a screening modality for patients with chronic abdominal pain of luminal origin in developing countries.

METHODS: Fifty patients attending the Gastroenterology Unit, SMS Hospital, whose clinical evaluation revealed chronic abdominal pain of bowel origin were included in the study. After routine testing, BMFT, BMFTP, contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the abdomen, barium enema and colonoscopy were performed. The sensitivity, specificity and cost effectiveness of these imaging modalities in the detection of small and/or large bowel lesions were compared.

RESULTS: Out of fifty patients, structural pathology was found in ten. Nine out of these ten patients had small bowel involvement while seven had colonic involvement alone or in combination with small bowel involvement. The sensitivity of BMFTP was 100% compared to 88.89% with BMFT when detecting small bowel involvement (BMFTP detected one additional patient with ileocecal involvement). The sensitivity and specificity of BMFTP for the detection of colonic pathology were 85.71% and 95.35% (41/43), respectively. Screening a patient with chronic abdominal pain (bowel origin) using a combination of BMFT and barium enema cost significantly more than BMFTP while their sensitivity was almost comparable.

CONCLUSION: BMFTP should be included in the investigative workup of patients with chronic abdominal pain of luminal origin, where either multiple sites (small and large intestine) of involvement are suspected or the site is unclear on clinical grounds. BMFTP is an economical, quick and comfortable procedure which obviates the need for colonoscopy in the majority of patients.

Bioactivities of the leaf essential oil of Curcuma longa (var. ch-66) on three species of stored-product beetles (Coleoptera)

Essential oil extracted from the leaves of turmeric, Curcuma longa L., was investigated for contact and fumigant toxicity and its effect on progeny production in three stored-product beetles, Rhyzopertha dominica F. (lesser grain borer), Sitophilus oryzae L. (rice weevil), and Tribolium castaneum Herbst (red flour beetle). Oviposition-deterrent and ovicidal actions of C. longa leaf oil were also evaluated against T. castaneum. The oil was insecticidal in both contact and fumigant toxicity assays. The adults of R. dominica were highly susceptible to contact action of C. longa leaf oil, with LD50 value of 36.71 microg/mg weight of insect, whereas in the fumigant assay, adults of S. oryzae were highly susceptible with LC50 value of 11.36 mg/liter air. Further, in T. castaneum, the C. longa oil reduced oviposition and egg hatching by 72 and 80%, respectively at the concentration of 5.2 mg/cm2. At the concentration of 40.5 mg/g food, the oil totally suppressed progeny production of all the three test insects. Nutritional indices indicate >81% antifeedant action of the oil against R. dominica, S. oryzae and T castaneum at the highest concentration tested.

Wide spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activities in the seeds of some coprophilous plants of north Indian plains

In a survey at Lucknow, India, the seedlings of plant species which are prescribed in the Indian traditional system of medicine for a variety of infectious diseases were found to predominate on fresh or decomposing cattle dung, a harsh medium for plant growth due to high microbial load and other abiotic factors. Plants of most of the common species did not occur on the cattle dung heaps. It was hypothesized that plant species which are able to grow on cattle dung may have antimicrobial compounds in their seeds to protect them from microbial attack. In confirmation, the seeds of 15 of the coprophilous (kopros--dung, philein--to love) plant species, identified as occurring most frequently on fresh/decomposing cattle dung were directly tested against eight bacterial and three fungal strains. Interestingly, seeds of all the examined species exhibited antimicrobial activity. The seeds of the species found more frequently on the cattle dung heaps possessed higher levels of antimicrobial activities.

Circulating immune complexes in rabbits surviving rinderpest virus infection

Circulating immune complexes (CICs) precipitated from the sera of rabbits recovered from infection with rabbit virulent (lapinized) rinderpest virus (RPV) were found to contain RPV antigen and rabbit IgG. The CICs persisted for at least 77 days post infection. The CICs and the antigen isolated from them by chromatography on Sepharose-6B were found to be non-infectious. RPV-specific antibodies could be detected in the antisera raised in rabbits against the CICs and the isolated antigen. Furthermore, the antigenic content of CICs competed with the attenuated strain and the virulent isolate Hisar of RPV in competition ELISA. Identical CICs were not detected in the sera of calves vaccinated with RBOK strain.

Detection of anti-DNA antibody responses in rabbits infected with rinderpest virus by ELISA

ELISA was standardized to detect anti-DNA antibodies (ADAbs) in sera of rabbits infected with rinderpest virus (RPV). These antibodies were found in late (28th and 36th day post inoculation (dpi)) sera of rabbits infected with rabbit virulent lapinized RPV, but not in early (7th dpi) sera of the same rabbits. ADAbs were not found either in early or late sera of rabbits infected with attenuated RBOK strain of RPV. Rabbit anti-RPV hyperimmune serum was also found to be positive for ADAbs. Detection of these antibodies by ELISA proved DNA to be one of the target antigens for antinuclear antibodies induced in RPV infection.

Detection of rinderpest antigen by latex agglutination test

A slightly modified latex agglutination test was applied for detection of rinderpest antigen. The antigen was added to sensitized latex particles in the presence of hyperimmune antiserum to facilitate agglutination. Out of 129 samples tested by latex agglutination (LA), solid phase aggregation of coated erythrocytes (SPACE), reverse phase passive haemagglutination (RPHA) and counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) test, 86.0, 86.8, 84.4 and 79.8 per cent, respectively, were found positive.

Application of solid phase aggregation of coated erythrocytes technique for detection of rinderpest antigen

A solid phase aggregation of coated erythrocytes (SPACE) technique was standardized and used for the detection of rinderpest antigen in 129 samples of 9 visceral organs; from 50 clinical samples such as gum scraping, tongue scraping, faeces, urine, nasal swabs; blood from 18 rinderpest infected cattle and 2 field samples. The comparative sensitivity of SPACE, reverse phase passive haemagglutination and counter-immuno-electrophoresis tests was found to be 86.8, 84.5 and 79.8%, respectively.

Reverse phase passive haemagglutination test for the detection of rinderpest antigen

Reverse phase passive haemagglutination [RPHA] test was applied for the detection of rinderpest antigen in various organs of rinderpest infected cattle. The results of RPHA were compared with counter immunoelectrophoresis [CIE] and single radial haemolysis [SRH] test. RPHA was as sensitive as CIE and SRH in detecting rinderpest antigen.

Single radial hemolysis test for the detection of rinderpest antibody

The single radial hemolysis [SRH] test was employed for detection of rinderpest antibodies in post-vaccinated serum samples as also in serum samples from animals recovered from rinderpest infection. The results were compared with counterimmunoelectrophoresis [CIE] and serum neutralisation [SN] tests. The CIE test was found to be more sensitive than SRH but because of ease and simplicity SRH can also be used for monitoring antibody development after vaccination.

Antibody response of cattle to rinderpest vaccine

Antibody production was studied in cattle infected with rinderpest vaccine virus. Vaccinated cattle produced both IgM and IgG serum antibodies. The IgG antibodies were mainly those of IgG2 subclass. No IgA antibody response was detected in vaccinated animals.

Detection of rinderpest antibodies

Rinderpest antibodies were detected by employing the fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and the immunoperoxidase test (IPT) and the results were compared with the counterimmuno electrophoresis test (CIE). FAT was found to be the most sensitive in detecting post-vaccinal antibodies followed by IPT and CIE tests.