This study was conducted on 160 females of childbearing age and 40 girls of prefertility age group. The rubella immunity status was analysed according to their age, social class, geographical distribution and previous obstetric history. History of previous rubella infection was obtained in 12% cases only. The over all incidence of rubella immunity was found to be 55%. There was a gradual increase in the immunity status, with peak incidence of 66% between 30 to 34 years of age. Females of low socioeconomic status showed higher incidence of immunity (63%) compared to social class I (40%). Rubella immunity was higher in urban female population (57%), where-as only 49% of rural females were immune to rubella virus infection. The immunity status of women with previous BOH was higher (61%) as compared to those with normal obstetric performance (54.6%). From the above observations, it was concluded that a substantial number of women enter child bearing without immunity to rubella. A simple HAI test for rubella antibody (IgG) can be a good pointer to pick up susceptible female population and the seronegative females should be immunised against rubella before they contemplate pregnancy.

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A total of 2075 women in child bearing age and with past bad obstetrical history were serologically examined by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test for Toxoplasma antibodies. 160 (7.72%) serum samples were positive with a titre of 1:64 or more. Maximum prevalence as well as highest titres of antibodies were seen in women aged 36 years and above indicating repeated infections. No association between seropositivity and contact with animals was observed. The low overall prevalence is due to infrequent and uncommon practices of ingesting undercooked or uncooked food especially meat.

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The prevalence of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection and some epidemiologic factors associated with it were studied in 273 pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) patients attending Gynaecologic clinic, Government Medical College, Nagpur. For detection of chlamydial antigen Pharmacia Diagnostics Chlamydia EIA test was used. This study revealed an overall positivity rate of 33% for C. trachomatis infection in PID patients. Of the hypothesised risk factors low socioeconomic status, history of sexual contacts with multiple partners and use of intrauterine devices (IUD) were significantly associated with C. trachomatis infections. However, use of oral contraceptives, barrier contraceptives and increasing age were found to be protective factors for C. trachomatis infection. Thus considering the significant contribution of C. trachomatis in etiology of PID and its independent association with some epidemiologic risk factors, extensive epidemiologic measures are recommended for prevention of these infections.

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Sixty six strains (1.9%) of Aeromonas species and 7 strains (0.2%) of Plesiomonas shigelloides were isolated from 3484 stool/rectal swabs from cases of diarrhoea during the study period of four years from August 1986 to July 1990 in Goa. Although the selective medium (Ampicillin sheep blood agar) was not used for the isolation of Aeromonas, an increase in the rate of isolation of Aeromonas from 0.2% in the year 1986 to 6.0% in 1990 was observed. Stool samples from 100 controls (patients without diarrhoea) examined in the year 1989 did not yield either of the pathogens.

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During the year 1991 and in the first half year of 1992 a total of 179 cases and 288 cases respectively were tested for the presence of Leptospira by dark ground microscopy and 86 cases (48%) and 157 cases (54.5%) were found to be positive for Leptospira in their blood samples only. The disease was endemic and more prevalent in the age group of 5 to 14 years and 15 to 54 years and affected both sexes. Clinical categorisation of 169 cases in 1991 and 266 cases in the first half of the year 1992 along with the dark ground microscopy results showed that there was no strict correlation between the concentration of Leptospira in the blood and the severity of infection. Epidemiological data regarding the occupation and the contacts indicated that students and medical staff accounted for more than fifty percent of leptospiral infection and there was the possibility of transmission of Leptospira during leptospiraemia. Dark ground microscopy studies on blood samples from 20 cases who came for repeat testing showed the presence of Leptospira in blood up to 43 days and suggested that the convalescent carrier may have a role in the transmission of Leptospira during Leptospiraemia.

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Coagulase negative Staphylococci are now being increasingly recognised as pathogens. Some strains produce a viscous extracellular material or slime. These strains are uniquely adapted for adherence to even smooth surfaces. Present study is a preliminary report of 101 isolates of coagulase negative Staphylococci from different clinical specimens. Forty three of these 101 isolates (42.5%) were slime producers. The percentage of slime producing Staphylococci ranged from 20% in peritoneal fluid to 66.6% in Cerebrospinal fluid. The test for slime production may have an important application in deciding the pathogenecity of the strains of coagulase negative Staphylococci and should be done routinely in a diagnostic laboratory.

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The localization of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in malignant epithelial ovarian tumours was studied using immunohistochemistry. The tissue included in the study consisted of 38 ovarian cancers : 14 mucinous adenocarcinomas, 23 serous adenocarcinomas and 1 endometroid carcinoma. Peroxidase-antiperoxidase staining technique using monoclonal antibodies to CEA was used on routinely fixed paraffin embedded tissues. CEA positivity was observed in all (100%) mucinous adenocarcinomas whereas only one case of serous cyst a denocarcinoma (4.3%) was weakly positive. The only case endometroid carcinoma encountered showed patchy CEA positivity.

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During a 6 month period from March 1990 to August 1990, a total of 159 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus subsp. anitratus were isolated from various samples and studied for antibiotic resistance pattern to 12 drugs by Kirby-Bauer method. Ceftazidime and Netilmycin were the most sensitive drugs followed by Cefotaxime, Norfloxacin and Augmentin. All the strains were resistant to Chloramphenicol and Tetracycline. Commonest pattern of resistance was ACGKSTSu. Forty eight isolates were tested for R-plasmids by conjugation experiments using Nalidixic acid resistant E. coli K12F-Lac+ as the recipient strain. The incidence of R-plasmids was 81.25%.

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HIV screening of all donated blood is mandatory in India. The program instituted has many inherent lacunac like arbitrary identification of centres, absence of a guardian quality control program, criterion for test kit selection and absence of standard guidelines. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of frequent change of testing laboratory, change of testing staff, change of reagent kits and time of blood donation. All the donations at blood bank Safdarjang Hospital, during the year 1993, were taken for study. HBsAg and VDRL positivity were used as control/check value for similarity of donor population. Tests done during this period in three different laboratories show that the change of laboratory, change of reagent kit and the experience and training of the testing laboratory staff affect the test results, causing an increase in the number of false positive tests. This leads to destruction of donated blood which would have been otherwise fit for transfusion. It is suggested that a proper policy plan may be made and implemented in order to make the blood screening more effective.

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To evaluate the supportive role of image cytometry and DNA ploidy analysis in the precancerous and cancerous lesions of the uterine cervix, the present study was performed on 45 cervical smears, initially diagnosed as dysplasia and malignant. Twenty normal and inflammatory smears were taken as a control for the study. Morphometric parameters and microphotometric DNA measurements were performed on 50 cells in each case. On the basis of nuclear area dysplastic lesions were categorised into two groups i.e. low grade lesions having nuclear area upto 85 sq. mu m and high grade lesions having nuclear area above 85 sq. mu m. The results were compared with DNA ploidy analysis. It is revealed from the study that 85.7% low grade lesions with diploid and polyploid DNA, value mostly regressed to inflammation and 78.5% high grade lesion with aneuploid DNA value progressed to malignancy. However, initial malignant cases having aneuploid DNA value exhibit invasive cancer during their follow up. It indicates that combination of morphometry and DNA cytometry can be used as an adjunct to cytologic diagnosis to predict the biologic outcome of the lesions.

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Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli are still important cause of diarrhoea in children as well as in adults population. In this study 550 cases of diarrhoea were studied for prevalence of enteropathogenic E. coli using culture and serological methods and final confirmation of strain was done from Central Research Institute, Kasauli. Out of 550 cases 385 strains of E. coli were isolated with isolation rate of typable strain being 70 percent. Common serotypes were 086, 055,0111, 028, 020, and rare strains like 0132, 0114, 0152, 0116, 088 were also reported from faecal specimen of diarrhoeal origin. Strains reported for the first time in central India were 0114, and 068.

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Two hundred and fifty enteric bacteria isolated from cases of secretory diarrhoea of all age groups were studied for their enterotoxigenicity and prevalence of drug resistance. The principal pathogens were Escherichia coli 44.4%, Vibrio cholerae 28.8%, Salmonella typhimurium 19.2% and Campylobacter jejuni 2.4%. 104 (42.6%) strains were enterotoxigenic; V. cholerae (100%), Escherichia coli (25.2%) and Non-E. coli enterobacteria (6.5%). While 89.3% and 100% Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium strains were multi drug resistant, 40% and 100% respectively showed transfer of R-plasmids to standard receipt strains. In V. cholerae multi drug resistance was observed in only 5.5% strains.

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A total of 447 Shigella strains were isolated from stool samples during 1989-1991. Of these 270 (60%) were from children. Among the different species and serotypes Sh. flexneri 60 (13.4%) and Sh. sonnei Phage 139 (65%) were the most frequently isolated strains. 154 (34.4%) strains were resistant to three and 179 (40%) to more than three antibiotics. Some strains of Shigella were found to be resistant to furazolidine and neomycin.

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Forty six cases of meningiomas were studied by utilizing oestrogen and progesterone hormone bound to fluroscent-iso-thiocynate (FITC) for the presence of oestrogen and progesterone receptors. Oestrogen receptors were present in 33% cases and only one fourth of these showed strong positivity. Progesterone receptors were positive in 41% cases, and more than half of these showed strong positivity. Thus this study revealed higher positivity rate for progesterone receptors than oestrogen receptors.

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A total of two hundred blood samples collected from patients presenting with febrile illness were followed by culture using traditional and biphasic culture methods. Use of biphasic medium was observed to be of dual advantage as it grew pathogens earlier (28.5 percent in 18 hours, 63 percent in 36 hours of incubation) as well as in more number of cultures i.e. higher isolation rate (78 percent) when compared to traditional method.

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