The UV response of marginal melanocytes in vitiliginous skin was studied using a whole skin organ culture technique. This method assesses the plasticity of melanocytes in response to UV. It is observed that there is a sequential increase in catecholoxidase production and in the volume and dendricity of the melanocytes on exposure to a single pulse of UV, reaching a peak at 3 1/2 h. From this study it is evident that the melanocyte shows a prominent structural and functional plasticity in response to UV. Implicit is the utilisation and transduction of UV energy by the melanocyte, for transcriptional and translational activity, enhancing catecholoxidase and cell structural protein production.

To define the prevalence of bacterial prostatitis and urinary tract infection (U.T.I) among benign prostatic hyperplasia patients (B.H.P) undergoing prostatectomy trans urethral resection of prostate (T.U.R.P.), 100 consecutive patient has their preoperative and post-operative urine cultures along with tissue culture of the resected prostatic tissue. Our data suggests that significant incidence (42%) of bacterial growth in prostatic tissue-occurs in patients with B.H.P. Pre-existing U.T.I. is not a reliable indicator by which this group could be identified pre-operatively and prostatic infection could be treated.

The anaerobic and aerobic bacterial flora in pouch of Douglas (POD) aspirate and high vaginal swabs (HVS) was studied in 43 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) using standard techniques. High vaginal swabs from 20 healthy women were included as controls. Anaerobic and aerobic bacteria were isolated from 37 (86%) HVS and 31 (72%) POD aspirates from these 43 women. A total of 100 aerobic and 10 anaerobic bacterial strains were recovered from both the sites. Coagulase negative staphylococci (28), Escherichia coli (23) and Streptococcus faecalis (14) were predominant aerobic bacteria. Of the anaerobes, peptostreptococci species and Bacteroides species were more common, polymicrobial flora (more than one type of organism) was present in a total of 27 specimens. However mixture of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria were seen in only 5 specimens. Of the 20 control specimens, ten were positive for organisms. Ten aerobic and 3 anaerobic bacterial strains were recovered.

A total of 174 samples of acute diarrhoeal stools received over a period of seven months, yielded 101 isolated morphologically and biochemically resembling Vibro cholerae. Serologically, 57(56.4 per cent) of the 101 isolates were identified as V. cholerae 01 and remaining 44 (43.6 per cent) as V. cholerae 0139. Keeping in mind the unique potential of 0139 among non 01 vibrio to cause epidemics, we decided to undertake the study of biochemical characters and physiological behaviour of all the 44 V. cholerae 0139 isolates. All the stains were Voges Proskauer's test positive' haemagglutinating and grew in the presence of 6 per cent sodium chloride. 13 (29.5 per cent) strains showed haemolytic activity. Nine (20.5 per cent) were polymyxin-B sensitive and 4 (9.0 per cent) fermented lactose. All the isolates showed considerable degree of homogeneity in their biochemical and physiological properties, some characters define them to be closer to El Tor biotype.

A total of 165 strains of coagulase positive staphylococci (CPS) and 39 strains of coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS) isolated from various clinical specimens studied for biochemical and enzyme profile showed overlapping of the key characters of pathogenicity. Anaerobic mannitol fermentation (69.20%), phosphatase (58.97%) and penicillinase (58.97%) production was remarkable amongst CNS. Both CPS and CNS showed increased resistance to penicillin and other antimicrobials. Besides increased frequency of isolation of CNS from pathological specimens, they elaborate singly or in combination, the recognized virulence factors.

A study was undertaken to determine the prevalence rate of atypical mycobacteria in indolent fibrocavitary pulmonary diseases. 450 sputum specimens were examined and cultured, of which 15 were identified as atypical mycobacteria on repeated culture. No previous study was recorded from Calcutta. Compared to the results of previous workers from different regions of India, the prevalence rate seems high in this part of the country.

A total of 1074 sera obtained from clinically suspected cases of Syphilis and various risk groups were screened for antitreponemal antibodies by Treponema pallidum Haemagglutination (TPHA) test and cardiolipin antibodies by the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) tests. The TPHA test was positive in 291 (27.09) per cent. The TPHA was positive in 53.31 per cent (161 out of 302) patients of primary syphilis, 54.17 per cent (26 out of 48) of secondary, 32.76 per cent (19 out of 58) of tertiary syphilis, 17.12 per cent (19 out of 111) of other Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) patients, 25.32 per cent (60 out of 237) pregnant women and 1.89 per cent (6 out of 318) healthy individuals. TPHA was found to be superior to VDRL test in all the study groups. Almost a total agreement was seen between the TPHA test and VDRL test with a titre of 1 in 16 & above; while in as many as 32.39 per cent sera with VDRL titre of 1 in 8 TPHA was negative indicating that the VDRL titres above 1 in 8 should be considered as true reactives to minimize the biological false positive reactions.

Screening of HIV Infection was made mandatory for every unit of blood collected for transfusion in Delhi, India since 1989. Ten Zonal Blood Testing Centres have been identified which test all the blood collected for HIV by 29 blood blanks for the city. Reports from these testing centres have been analysed yearwise to find out the magnitude and trends of HIV infection in different groups of blood donors. Although initially there was no difference in HIV Sero-reactivity in different blood donors categories (between 1 & 2 per 1000 blood donors samples tested) but subsequently there is significant increase (5.24/1000 in 1992 & 7.48/1000 in 1993) in the HIV sero-reactivity in replacement donor category possibly because professional donors donate blood in the guise of being replacement donors. The fact which comes out clearly is that HIV infection is present in all sections of the population in Delhi and mandatory HIV Screening of all blood collected for transfusion is justified.

Intramyocardial sinusoid--coronary artery fistulous communications are well established channels in pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum. Angiographically flow can be demonstrated from the right ventricular cavity into the coronary arteries. We have histologically demonstrated such a communication in a case of pulmonary atresia with intact septum.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, though usually systemic, has been known to cause localised involvement of organs like lung, liver, testis and gastrointestinal tract. We report a case of cytomegaloviral infection involving the epididymis without systemic manifestations in an young male one month after renal transplantation. The diagnosis was made on histopathologic examination of the epididymo-orchidectomy specimen. Clinical improvement occurred after the emergency epididymo-orchidectomy. To the best of our knowledge, only three cases of CMV epididymitis have been described in the world literature--two in transplant patients and one in an AIDS patient.

Among 217 cases of male breast lesions subjected to fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) over a period of nine years, three cases were found to be having neurilemomas, The review of literature reveals the first case of neurilemoma of male breast diagnosed by FNAC was reported in 1992. Very scanty literature is available on this rare tumour of male breast. The aspirates yielded cellular smears composed of clusters of spindle shaped cells and Verocay bodies. Histopathological examination of the excised masses confirmed the cytological diagnosis.