A study of rotavirus infection in acute diarrhoea in children less than 5 years of age

: Diarrhoeal diseases account for an estimated 1.5 million deaths globally every year making it the second leading cause of childhood mortality. In India 1 out of every 250 children die of rotavirus diarrhea each year.: To find out the incidence of rotavirus infection in acute diarrhoeal cases in children under 5 years of age.: A prospective study was conducted on 100 non repetetive stool samples of Children under 5 years of age, presenting with acute diarrhea and hospitalized in the pediatric ward, during December 2015 to November 2016. Stool samples were processed according to premier rotaclone enzyme immunoassay protocol for the detection of rotavirus antigen, adhering to standard laboratory precautions.: The incidence of acute diarrhoeal diseases was 5.86% in our setting. was detected in 29% cases by ELISA method.The antigen detection by EIA is a reliable test, as it is quantitative and also has high sensitivity and specificity. Hence, can be routinely employed to prevent major morbidity and mortality among children, especially less than 5 years of age.</jats:p

Speciation and Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida Isolated from Various Clinical Specimens at a Tertiary Care Centre: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Candida species are a normal commensal flora of the human body, colonising the skin, mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tract. However, they may also be associated with superficial and deep-seated fungal infections. In recent years, Non albicans Candida (NAC) species have emerged as significant pathogens causing severe infections in humans. Commonly used antifungal drugs show significant variation in susceptibility patterns among different Candida species. The incidence of drug resistance has been increasing over the last few decades due to the random use of antifungal agents. Therefore, the introduction of newer antifungal agents and changes in drug susceptibility patterns of Candida species have made in-vitro susceptibility testing of antifungal agents increasingly relevant for selecting sensitive drugs. Aim: To identify species of Candida isolated from various clinical samples and to perform Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (AFST) using the disc diffusion method. Materials and Methods: This study was a single-centre cross-sectional investigation involving 100 consecutive, non duplicate Candida isolates from various clinical samples obtained from patients at the diagnostic Microbiology laboratory of Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute, Hubballi, Karnataka, India from January 2023 to December 2023. One hundred consecutive clinical specimens (blood, urine, stool, sputum, oropharyngeal swabs, vaginal swabs, wound swabs, pus, Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), skin and nail samples, and other body fluids) that yielded Candida species were included in the study. Candida species were identified by the type and colour of colonies on HiCrome Candida differential agar as per the manufacturer’s instructions. All isolates were subjected to AFST and interpretation was performed using the disc diffusion method. The data collected were entered into MS Excel and analysis was conducted using statistical software called Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28.0. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to compare differences and to find associations between variables. Results: Out of 100 Candida isolates, 38 (38%) were identified as Candida albicans, while 62 (62%) were NAC species. The most affected age group was from 1 to 10 years, with 27 (27%) cases. The male to female ratio was 1:1.08. Intensive Care Units (ICUs) reported Candida species more frequently, with 51 (51%) cases compared to other areas in the hospital. The predominant source of infection was found to be urine samples, accounting for about 60 (60%). A total of five different Candida species were recorded. Among these, Candida albicans was the most predominant species, with 38 (38%), followed by Candida tropicalis (32, 32%), Candida krusei (16, 16%), Candida parapsilosis (13, 13%), and Candida glabrata (1, 1%). Major resistance was observed to fluconazole (25, 25%) and clotrimazole (6, 6%), while major susceptibility was reported for nystatin (97, 97%). Conclusion: The emergence of different Candida species and the data regarding their resistance patterns may assist clinicians in selecting appropriate antifungal therapy to treat invasive and systemic Candida infections