A prospective study was carried out on patients with diabetic foot lesions to determine their clinical characteristics, the spectrum of aerobic microbial flora and to assess their comparative in vitro susceptibility to the commonly used antibiotics. A total of 157 organisms (143 bacteria and 14 fungi) were isolated and an average of 1.52 isolates per case was reported. Polymicrobial infection was found in 35% of the patients. In this study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa among the gram-negative (22%) and Staphylococcus aureus among the gram-positive (19%) were the predominantly isolated organisms, while Candida was the most predominantly isolated fungus. Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of the isolates is discussed in detail. There was a linear increase in the prevalence of organisms with increase in Wagner's grade. Neuropathy (76%) and peripheral vascular disease (57.28%) was a common feature among the patients. Poor glycemic control was found in 67% of the patients. Awareness about lower limb complications of diabetes was very low (23%) among the patients

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We report a study of a manual liquid-based cytology (MLBC) method. Slides are prepared by using a polymer solution and allowing it to dry, forming a membrane. The aims of the study were to prepare cervical cytology smears using the manual method, observe morphology, compare with direct scrape smears and correlate with histopathology wherever possible. Out of 105 cases, the membrane was intact, indicating a good MLBC preparation, in 97 cases. Simultaneous conventional smears were taken in 81 patients. There was an 88.8% agreement in the diagnoses of general category in both groups. The diagnosis of negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM) in both groups was made in 70 cases. The MLBC preparation was unsatisfactory in two cases which showed high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, respectively, on the conventional smear. One MLBC smear diagnosed as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance was reported as NILM on conventional smear. Cytohistologic correlation was done in nine cases, all of which showed cervicitis on histopathology. The MLBC method was found to be comparable to the conventional scrape smear. Further study of this method as a cost-effective alternative to the mechanized methods would be worthwhile.

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Renal oncocytoma, conventional RCC (granular cell type) and chromophobe RCC have different prognosis. Sometimes differentiation between them is difficult in HandE slides. In a 5-year study of 128 renal tumors, we selected 76 cases [30 conventional RCC (CRCC), 16 papillary RCC, 21 chromophobe RCC (ChRCC), 8 oncocytoma, 1 collecting duct carcinoma (cdc)] and staining with Hale's colloidal iron, CK7, CK8, CK18, CK19, CK20, Vimentin, EMA, CD10 and RCC marker were done. No significant difference was seen between renal tumor subtypes with CK8, CK18, CK19, CK20 and EMA. The most useful markers were Vimentin, CK7, CD10, RCC marker and Hale's colloidal iron. Hale's colloidal iron staining with diffuse reticular fine cytoplasmic pattern was present in ChRCCs, but was absent in other subtypes and oncocytomas. Vimentin, CK7, CD10, RCC marker and Hale's colloidal iron can be used for the differential diagnosis of problematic epithelial tumors of kidney (CRCC, ChRCC and oncocytoma) - i.e. ChRCC: Vimentin, CD10 and RCC marker - negative, CK7 - positive and positive diffuse fine reticular cytoplasmic pattern of Hale's colloidal iron; oncocytoma: Vimentin, CK7, RCC marker and CD10 - negative and Hale's colloidal iron - negative; CRCC: CK7 - negative, Vimentin, CD10 and RCC marker - positive and Hale's colloidal iron - negative.

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We report an unusual case of a 10-year-old female with complaints of pain and swelling of the right knee for the last 4 years along with the limitation of movement for last 1 year. Repeated fine needle aspirations yielded blood and a provisional diagnosis of hemarthrosis was suggested. Coagulation profile subsequently carried out was found to be within normal limits. Arthroscopic biopsy was performed and tissue was sent for histopathological examination. A diagnosis of synovial hemangioma was made. Subtotal synovectomy was performed and the lesion was completely excised. The patient is completely asymptomatic and shows no signs of recurrence at 1 year.

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Several techniques are available for the diagnosis of leptospirosis and microscopic agglutination test is considered as gold standard, but these require sophisticated techniques and instruments. This study was conducted to know the sensitivity and specificity of dark field microscopy (DFM) as compared to IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in correlation with clinical diagnosis. It is a prospective study of 297 samples received from clinically suspected cases of leptospirosis for DFM and IgM ELISA. We tried to evaluate the easily available technique, DFM. We got promising results with DFM. Specificity and sensitivity were observed to be 61% and 60%, respectively, alone and 95.8% efficacy when combined with IgM ELISA. Thus, DFM should be tried for where other diagnostic tools are not easily available. It is an easy and rapid technique, which can help in the early diagnosis and management of patients

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Tuberculous involvement of liver as a part of disseminated tuberculosis is seen in up to 50-80% cases, but localized hepatobiliary tuberculosis (HBTB) is uncommonly described. During 6 years, a total of 280 consecutive patients with TB were evaluated prospectively for the presence and etiology of liver involvement. Cases with miliary TB or immunosuppression and cases receiving anti-tuberculosis drugs prior to presentation to our unit were excluded (38 cases). Details of clinical, biochemical and imaging findings and histology/microbiology were noted. Of 242 included cases, 38 patients (15.7%; age 38.1 ± 12.5 years; sex ratio 2.5:1) had HBTB, whereas 20 patients (9%; age 39.3 ± 16.3 years; sex ratio 2.1:1) had other liver diseases. Diagnosis of HBTB was based on caseating granuloma on histology (18/23 procedures), positive smear/culture for acid-fast bacilli (21/39 procedures) and positive polymerase chain reaction for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (28/29 procedures) when diagnostic procedures were guided by imaging results. Thirty-eight cases with HBTB were classified as follows [patients (n), (%)]: (A) hepatic TB [20 (52.6%)]: (1) granulomatous hepatitis - 10 (26.3%), (2) liver abscesses or pseudotumors - 10 (26.3%) and (3) calcified hepatic granuloma - 0 (0%); (B) biliary TB [15 (39.4%)]: (1) biliary strictures - 2 (5.2%), (2) gall bladder involvement - 1 (2.6%) and (3) biliary obstruction due to lymph node masses - 12 (31.5%); (C) mixed variety [3 (7.8%)]: (1) simultaneous granulomatous hepatitis and biliary stricture - 1 (2.6%) and (2) simultaneous lymph node involvement and calcified hepatic granuloma - 2 (5.2%). All the cases responded well to standard anti-tuberculosis therapy. HBTB forms an important subgroup in TB cases. It requires a combination of imaging, histological and microbiological procedures to define the diagnosis. HBTB responds well to treatment.

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Purpose: The present study was designed to detect the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and to evaluate the susceptibility pattern. Materials and Methods: One hundred forty-eight isolates of P. aeruginosa were analyzed for the presence of ESBL enzyme by double disc synergy test. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of ESBL-positive P. aeruginosa was determined. Results: Of the 148 isolates tested, 30 (20.27%) were found to be positive. Maximum ESBL production was found in sputum and tracheostomy swabs (28.57%), followed by pus (24.13%), urine (19.04%), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and other sterile body fluids (15.38%) and blood (7.14%). All the ESBL-producing P. aeruginosa isolates were multi-drug-resistant. Isolates were 100% sensitive to imipenem. Ofloxacin was the second most (70%) effective drug. Conclusion: From this study, we conclude the presence of ESBL-positive P. aeruginosa in our hospital. This has important implications as carbapenems remain the only choice of treatment for infections caused by these organisms. The control measures include judicious use of antibiotics and implementation of appropriate infection control measures to control the spread of these strains in the hospital

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Background: Immunophenotyping of hematolymphoid neoplasms is being done in many laboratories in India. The first national meeting on "Guidelines for Immunophenotyping of Hematolymphoid Neoplasms by Flow Cytometry" was held on 14 March 2008 in Mumbai, India. Aim: To achieve uniformity in the laboratory practice regarding antibody panel selection in diagnosing hematolymphoid neoplasms. Settings and Design: Members of the Inter-Laboratory Comparison Program (ILCP) group in Mumbai prepared a draft regarding immunophenotypic panel selection for acute leukemias (ALs) and chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLPDs), which was further circulated among national and international cytometrists, hematopathologists, and oncologists for their written inputs, suggestions, proposed modifications; as well as their indications, if any, of the recommendations not being acceptable. Practice-based questionnaire was circulated among all the participants. Results: Consensus was attained, and the panel recommended the use of a minimal screening panel, followed by a secondary directed panel. The aim of the minimal screening panel would be to provide a diagnosis of all commonly occurring hematolymphoid neoplasms without the need of additional antibodies in most cases. Conclusion: Thus we could attain a consensus for our guidelines in selecting panels for ALs and CLPDs. The guideline is an attempt to formulate a minimal panel for immunophenotyping of hematolymphoid neoplasms. Laboratories are encouraged to add additional antibodies to the above panel to increase the sensitivity; however, they should refrain from immunophenotyping with fewer antibodies. This national guideline hopefully brings about uniformity and comparability in reporting of leukemia and lymphoma and bridges the divide between low-cost reporting and an accurate diagnosis.

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Candida lipolytica is weakly pathogenic yeast, which is rarely isolated from the blood. We recovered this species from repeated blood samples and in the central venous catheter in a debilitated pediatric patient of tubercular meningitis. Identity was established on the basis of colony morphology and sugar assimilation tests (ID 32C assimilation profile). The fungemia and associated fever subsided after the removal of catheter and amphotericin B therapy. The data suggest that though of low virulence and usually a contaminant, C. lipolytica is emerging yeast pathogen in cases of catheter-related candidemia. Pathogenicity is indicated by isolation from repeated samples as in our case. Intensive therapy is recommended in cases not resolving spontaneously or responding to removal of catheter alone.

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Amyloidosis is a heterogeneous group of disorders affecting a single-or multiple-organ system and presents as generalized or localized disease. Both generalized amyloidosis and localized amyloidosis can be primary or secondary. Localized amyloidosis affects organs like urinary bladder, lung, larynx, skin, tongue and the region around the eye, producing detectable nodular masses which are clinically suspected as malignancy. We present six cases of localized urinary bladder amyloidosis that were clinically and cystoscopically suspected as bladder tumor or cystitis, which occurred over a period of last 10 years. Histology in all cases revealed diagnosis of primary amyloidosis. None of them had any stigmata of secondary disease. The cases were treated by simple transurethral resection of bladder. Two out of the six cases recurred after 3 to 5 years of initial presentation and were asymptomatic thereafter. Amyloidosis of the bladder is a rare condition which often mimics bladder neoplasm clinically and cystoscopically and histological examination is a must for definite diagnosis and proper management.

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Few cases of empyema thoracis due to Candida species have been reported from the world and India. A 46-year-old male with esophageal carcinoma, who had taken radiotherapy, presented with fever and dyspnea. The chest X-ray showed findings suggestive of empyema. The diagnosis was confirmed by culturing Candida albicans from aspirated fluid and blood culture. The patient responded to antifungal treatment. High index of suspicion is required to diagnose such rare cases.

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Aggressive angiomyxoma is a rare, locally aggressive soft tissue tumor that has high propensity for local recurrence. It involves mainly the pelvis, vulva, perineum, vagina and urinary bladder in adult women in the reproductive age. Considering its locally aggressive nature, appropriate management and long-term follow-up is necessary. We describe a case of a 22-year-old young pregnant patient presenting with a large pedunculated swelling on the left labia majora.

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Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas is considered to be a rare pancreatic tumor. These tumors are typically present in women in their third decade of life. The tumors have a low malignant potential. We report a case of 22-year-old female who presented with intermittent abdominal pain of 3 years duration. Distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy was done as a definitive treatment. The importance of accurate diagnosis and treatment is emphasized.

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Primary squamous cell carcinoma of endometrium is a rare entity. Only 64 cases have been documented in the literature. We report a case of 60-year-old postmenopausal woman who presented with abdominal distention and blood-stained vaginal discharge for 6-7 months. Clinically, chronic pyometra was considered. Total abdominal hysterectomy was performed and histopathologically, it was diagnosed as a case of primary squamous cell carcinoma of endometrium with extensive squamous metaplasia and dysplasia.

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Limb body wall complex (LBWC) is a rare clinicopathological entity, representing a compound anomaly pattern in ventral body wall defects. The authors report a case of LBWC diagnosed in early antenatal period. The pregnancy was terminated following the diagnosis. Fetal autopsy findings were typical of LBWC.

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Trichoadenoma of Nikolowski is a rare benign cutaneous tumor, which is usually solitary, nodular and occurs on the face or buttocks any time during adult life. The morphological differentiation of trichoadenoma is situated between a trichofolliculoma and a trichoepithelioma with hair follicle-like direction of differentiation. We report this case of trichoadenoma in a 28-year-old man who presented with a solitary nodular and ulcerated swelling in the gluteal region, gradually increasing in size. Excision biopsy revealed characteristic features consistent with trichoadenoma. We report this case in view of its rarity.

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Bone marrow may be the initial or rarely the only site of involvement in Hodgkin's lymphoma. A high index of suspicion is required to pick up the histopathological changes of Hodgkin's lesions in the bone marrow like necrosis, presence of Reed-Sternberg cell or its variant in a polymorphic background infiltrate, focal fibrosis and myxoid change especially in the absence of classical clinical picture. Bone marrow with immunohistochemistry has a valuable role in the staging and in the diagnosis of primary medullary Hodgkin's lymphoma. B-symptoms may easily masquerade as an infectious process as in all our cases the patients had fever as a presenting feature, in four of them tuberculosis was suspected clinically and two had received antitubercular therapy elsewhere. We report six human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients diagnosed over a period of 5 years in which the initial diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma was suggested from bone marrow histology.

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Inflammatory lesions of the hypophysis account for 0.5% of all symptomatic diseases of the pituitary, which include lymphocytic hypophysitis, granulomatous hypophysitis with or without specific etiology and pituitary abscess. Sellar tuberculoma is a rare type of granulomatous hypophysitis. We document a case of a postmenopausal lady who presented with galactorrhea, headache and blurring of vision. Based on preliminary investigations, a clinical diagnosis of pituitary adenoma was made and the pituitary gland was surgically excised. Histopathological examination showed caseating granulomas, along with normal areas of preserved pituitary gland and a final diagnosis of tuberculous hypophysitis was made. This case is being documented due to the extremely rare involvement of the pituitary gland by granulomatous lesions such as tuberculosis and to emphasize the role of intraoperative consultation to obviate the need for radical surgery in such lesions.

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Background: Fine needle aspiration is a simple technique to obtain material for early diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis. Objective: To assess the value of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 43 aspirates from patients who were clinically suspected to have tuberculous lymphadenitis were included in the study. Apart from FNAC, aspirates were smeared for Ziehl Neelsen stain and cultured on Middlebrook 7H9 and 7H10 media. Culture was considered the gold standard. Positive and negative predictive values and agreement between the gold standard and five diagnostic criteria were assessed. Kappa value was used to calculate the agreement. Results: The presence of epithelioid cells either with caseation or positive Ziehl Neelsen had the highest agreement (kappa value 0.84), with high positive and negative predictive values (85.71% and 96.55%). Positive Ziehl Neelsen alone and presence of epithelioid cells with positive Ziehl Neelsen had 100% positive predictive values, but the kappa values were lower (0.62 and 0.52) with lower negative predictive values (83.33% and 81.08%). Epithelioid cells alone had a high negative predictive value (93.35%), but the positive predictive value was lower (84.62%). When epithelioid cells were taken together with caseation, the positive predictive value reduced further (83.33%). Conclusion: The presence of epithelioid cells either with caseation or positive Ziehl Neelsen stain appears to be the best diagnostic criteria, with a very good agreement with the gold standard and high positive and negative predictive values.

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Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is a rare gestational trophoblastic tumor and often poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the involved clinicians. We report a case of epithelioid trophoblastic tumor in a young woman which involved the uterus, parametrium and the right ovary. Misdiagnosis as a choriocarcinoma led to improper treatment and progressive disease. Microscopically it revealed a relatively monotonous population of epithelioid cells arranged in nests with hyaline-like matrix surrounding the tumor cells. Differential diagnosis between placental site trophoblastic tumor and carcinoma was ruled out based on histology and immunohistochemistry. The patient developed lung and brain metastasis after 10 months and is alive with disease 1½ years thereafter and is taking palliative chemotherapy. The patient had β-HCG level of 85.1 mIU/mL at the time of diagnosis; but just before metastasis, the levels rose. Awareness of the histological features of ETT is essential to avoid misdiagnosis, as it represents a tumor which is primarily treated by surgery rather than with chemotherapy.

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The most common group of ESBLs not belonging to the bla _TEM or bla _SHV families were termed bla _CTX-M , to highlight their ESBLs' greater activity against cefotaxime than against ceftazidime. The presence of nosocomial bla _CTX-M-28 -producing Enterobacteriaceae strains has not been reported earlier in Indian hospitals. The sequences of bla _CTX-M-28 gene from cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were analyzed. The structural gene encodes a 290 amino-acid protein, which is most related to the bla _CTX-M β-lactamases. The conserved K-T-G was identified in the bla _CTX-M-28 protein sequence, but significantly, two point mutations (N→T) and (F→S) were identified in the Y-G-N- and S-T-F-K-conserved motifs respectively. These point mutations were seen in all the three sequenced isolates

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Sickle cell hepatopathy is a well-documented entity that ranges from the self-limiting hepatic right upper quadrant syndrome to the potentially lethal intrahepatic cholestasis and acute hepatic sequestration syndromes. We describe a 26-year-male with homozygous sickle cell disease who had this unique hepatic presentation and was documented to have characteristic findings of cholestasis, portal inflammation and sinusoidal dilatation on histopathology.

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Metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains have been reported to be an important cause of nosocomial infections. There is not enough information from India regarding their prevalence in diabetic and cancer patients. The present study was undertaken over a period of one year from January to December 2006 to study the incidence of MBL P. aeruginosa and the clinical outcome in diabetes and cancer patients admitted to S.L. Raheja Hospital, Mumbai. Two hundred and thirty isolates of P. aeruginosa were obtained from different samples of patients. These isolates were subjected to susceptibility testing to anti-pseudomonal drugs as per CLSI guidelines. They were further screened for the production of MBL by disc potentiation testing using EDTA-impregnated imipenem and meropenem discs. Of the 230 isolates of P. aeruginosa, 60 (26%) isolates were found resistant to carbapenems (both imipenem and meropenem) and 33 (14.3%) were found to be MBL producers. Of the 33 MBL-producing isolates, 24 (72.7%) were diabetic patients, six (18.1%) were cancer patients and three (9%) patients had both diabetes and cancer. Five (15.1%) patients responded to the combination therapy of colistin, piperacillin with tazobactam and amikacin, while 28 (84.8%) patients responded to the combination therapy of amikacin, piperacillin with tazobactam and gatifloxacin. Thus, the rapid dissemination of MBL producers is worrisome and necessitates the implementation of not just surveillance studies but also proper and judicious selection of antibiotics, especially carbapenems.

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Fraser syndrome or cryptophthalmos is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by major features such as cryptophthalmos, syndactyly and abnormal genitalia. The diagnosis of this syndrome can be made on clinical examination and perinatal autopsy. We present the autopsy findings of a rare case of Fraser syndrome in a male infant.

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Adrenocortical oncocytoma is very rare. Less than five functioning types of them are reported and most of the reported cases are incidentally found. We herein report a case of functioning adrenocortical oncocytoma of the left adrenal cortex in a young woman.

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Matrix-producing carcinoma of the breast is a unique subclass of metaplastic carcinoma which is characterized by the existence of a ductal carcinomatous component with direct transition to areas showing cartilagenous or osseous differentiation, lacking an interspersed spindle cell component. This article reports one such rare case in a 50-year-old woman who had a right breast mass. f0 ine needle aspiration (FNA) smears showed abundant chondromyxoid extracellular matrix to which were variably admixed carcinomatous cells. Histological examination revealed a neoplasm composed of invave ductal carcinoma with a direct transition to chondrosarcomatous areas. The case is reported not only for its peculiar microscopic characteristics but also to highlight its better prognostic features and hence, the need for its recognition.

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The specialized mesenchyme of the breast is the seat of neoplasms with distinct morphology, though with considerable overlap due to the ever increasing number of variants. This article seeks to describe the morphologic features of one such rare neoplasm. A 35-year-old female patient presented with a breast lump that was subsequently excised. Morphological assessment and immunohistochemistry were performed and a diagnosis of periductal stromal sarcoma with lipoblast-like cells (pseudolipoblasts), was made. Being an unusual finding in a rare entity of intermediate grade, it has to be considered, before rendering a diagnosis of a malignant, higher-grade neoplasm.

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Relapsing fever is an acute febrile illness caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia. The high fevers of presenting patients spontaneously abate and then recur. Here we report a 50-year-old woman having relapsing fever associated with thrombocytopenia. Giemsa staining of peripheral blood smear revealed spiral organisms morphologically resembling Borrelia. A rare case of relapsing fever which was successfully treated with doxycycline is discussed.

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Plexiform fibrohistiocytic tumor is an uncommon mesenchymal tumor that can cause difficulty in diagnosis and surgical management. On clinical and histologic examination, these tumors can potentially be misdiagnosed as sebaceous/epidermal cysts. We report a case of plexiform fibrohistiocytic tumor in a young female, which on initial clinical evaluation was diagnosed as sebaceous cyst. The tumor was deeply invasive, with positive margins on two excisional biopsy specimens. The importance of recognition of this entity, potential pitfalls and prognosis are discussed and the literature is reviewed.

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Context: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to be the most important risk factor for the development of central nervous system (CNS) cryptococcosis, which in turn is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients. Early diagnosis of such patients is the key to their therapeutic success. Aims: This study was undertaken to find out the prevalence of CNS cryptococcosis and to assess the role of microbiological parameters for its specific diagnosis in HIV-reactive hospitalized patients admitted with meningeal signs in a tertiary care setting. Materials and Methods: A total of 104 patients suspected to be suffering from meningitis/meningoencephalitis were subjected to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis (including India ink preparation, culture by conventional methods and Bactec MGIT 960 system, antigen detection) and tests for HIV antibodies by standard laboratory operating procedures. Results: The prevalence of HIV infection in our study group was 12.5% (13/104), while the prevalence of cryptococcal CNS infection in HIV-reactive cohort was 46% (6/13). Additionally, 15.3% (2/13) of the patients from this cohort were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Conclusions: High prevalence of cryptococcal CNS infections in HIV-infected patients underscores the importance of precise and early microbiological diagnosis for better management of such patients

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Spindle cell lipoma, which usually arises in the soft tissues, is rare in breast and is difficult to differentiate from primary mammary spindle cell tumor. Here, we present the case of a 48-year-old woman with a 3-cm, solitary, well-circumscribed and nontethered mass lying deep within the tissue of left breast, incidentally detected on routine mammography. The spindle cells proved to be immunoreactive to CD 34, but nonreactive to desmin and smooth muscle actin.

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Clostridium perfringens type A is associated with 5-20% cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) even though Clostridium difficile is implicated in the most severe cases. Fecal specimens from one hundred hospitalized patients, who developed diarrhea regardless of antibiotic intake and who were negative for C. difficile toxin assay, were investigated for C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE). Simultaneously, cultures were set up for other possible aetiological factors. Ten healthy controls were also similarly investigated. CPE was positive in 2/100 (2%) of the patients and the samples were also positive for the organism in culture. Other organisms isolated were non-toxigenic C. difficile (4%), staphylococci (6%), Candida (18%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (1%). Stool samples from healthy controls grew mixed growth of no significance and CPE was negative in all of them. Detection of CPE is not part of routine laboratory investigation due to resource implication. Criteria for initiating investigations have to be therefore established by understanding the true burden of C. perfringens-associated AAD by further research

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To find out the prevalence and epidemiological features of keratomycosis in Chandigarh, the present study was carried out jointly by the Departments of Microbiology and Ophthalmology, Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh, over a period of 5 years from January 1999 to December 2003. Corneal scrapings were collected from a total of 154 suspected patients of keratomycosis and were processed and identified by standard laboratory techniques. The study revealed that a total of 64 cases (41.55%) were positive for fungal agents. Direct microscopy was positive in 52 cases (76.47%) and culture in 34 cases (53.12%). Most common fungal isolates were Aspergillus species 14 (41.18%), Fusarium species 8 (23.53%), Candida species 3 (8.82%), Curvularia species 2 (5.88%) and Bipolaris species 2 (5.88%). Thus, hyaline filamentous fungi were the most common etiological agents and mechanical trauma with vegetative matter was the most common predisposing factor. Males in age group of 21-50 years were more commonly affected

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Villous adenomas are extremely rare tumors in the vagina and are indistinguishable from their colonic counterparts. These are considered as enteric type neoplasms of lower female genital tract arising from cloacal remnants. The significance of this lesion lies in the fact that it has to be distinguished from metastatic adenocarcinoma from other sites. We present a case of villous adenoma of vaginal vault, a rare site of presentation in a 30-year-old female.

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Kidney disease frequently complicates malignancy and its treatment. Although many solid and hematologic cancers may involve the renal parenchyma, clinical sequelae are usually not prominent. Published reports cite membranous nephropathy as the most common malignancy-associated glomerulopathy, occurring with many carcinomas and occasionally with leukemia and lymphoma followed by minimal change disease. Rarely membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) has been reported in patients with malignancy. The mechanism by which malignancy induces disease remains unproved, but may involve deposition of tumor antigen in the subepithelial space with in situ immune complex formation and subsequent complement activation. Treatment of the underlying malignancy may lead to resolution of nephrotic syndrome, lending indirect support to this theory. We report a rare autopsy case of a patient with metastatic carcinoma (with unknown primary) associated with MPGN. The association between MPGN and metastatic carcinoma with unknown primary is uncommon and has not been previously reported in the literature.

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Heterotopic gastric mucosa is an extremely rare occurrence in the anorectal region, with 41 reported cases till date. Of these, in only nine cases the heterotopic tissue has been found to be located within 2 cm of the dentate line. We report two cases of gastric heterotopia in the anus - one, in a 55-year-old man; and the other, in a 35-year-old woman. Sigmoidoscopy showed presence of a single sessile anal polyp in the first patient and hemorrhoid in the other. Pathologic examination of the biopsy specimens revealed fundic-type gastric mucosa in both the cases. Both the patients had complete resolution of symptoms after the excision. We present these cases to highlight the significance of recognizing this unusual histologic entity. To the best of our knowledge, the second case represents the first reported description of gastric heterotopia in association with hemorrhoid.

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Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma is a soft-tissue sarcoma which has a predilection for the head and neck area, genitourinary tract and the extremities. We report a rare case of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the chest wall in an 8-year-old girl, presenting as a destructive tumor in the rib and clinically and radiologically mimicking Ewing's sarcoma. Histopathological examination showed a small round cell tumor. Immunohistochemically, the positivity for muscle markers desmin and myogenin in the tumor cells proved to be useful for making a definitive diagnosis of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a high level of aneuploidy in the tumor cells, with double-minutes and additional chromosomal structural aberrations. The patient is responding well to chemotherapy.

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Finding of increased numbers of eosinophils in the muscle in cases of acute appendicitis has led to the hypothesis that it may have an allergic origin. This study aimed to measure the eosinophil degranulation resulting in a rise in the serum of eosinophil granule proteins that would be expected in such cases. The levels of serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) measured by chemiluminescence assay in acute appendicitis were compared, with those of appropriate controls. Mean (95% CI) serum ECP (µg/L) levels were: acute appendicitis 45.3 (27.7-63.0); normal appendix 22.7 (16.0-29.3); asthma 24.2 (4.6-43.8); and healthy volunteers 13.2 (8.3-18.1). In cases of acute appendicitis, there is an inverse relationship between duration of symptoms and serum ECP. However, this was not statistically significant. Significant local eosinophil activation and degranulation occurs in acute appendicitis, enough to cause a rise in serum levels of eosinophil chemotactic protein

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A 40-year-old male patient presented with enlarging mass over left leg region. Incisional biopsy report revealed an undifferentiated malignant round cell sarcoma, for which above-knee amputation was done. One year later, the same patient presented with left testicular swelling which appeared to be malignant. A left high orchiedectomy was done. Biopsy report showed metastatic round cell tumor, which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry as primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Metastasis to testis is very uncommon.

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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease in patients on hemodialysis. As no useful noninvasive predictors of disease activity and fibrosis have been found, liver biopsy is essential in these patients to accurately assess the severity of disease and thus the prognosis and plan management. The present study was undertaken to assess the degree of severity of necroinflammatory changes and fibrosis in liver biopsies of patients on hemodialysis with chronic HCV infection. Liver biopsies obtained from 45 patients on hemodialysis with serological evidence of chronic hepatitis C were studied. The grading of necroinflammatory activity and staging of fibrosis were histologically assessed. The majority of patients (30, i.e. 66.7%) had mild disease with mild inflammatory activity and stage 0, 1 or 2 fibrosis. There was no significant correlation between the degree of fibrosis and the age of the patients (rs = 0.015), the duration of hemodialysis (rs = 0.047) or the presence of steatosis (rs = 0.064). There was a positive correlation between the presence of bile ductular proliferation and the severity of fibrosis (rs = 0.612). It was concluded that chronic HCV infection in hemodialysis patients is relatively mild early in its course. However, serial follow-up liver biopsies are mandatory to plan appropriate intervention strategies.

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About 300 cases of congenital tuberculosis have been reported in the world literature, nevertheless rarely with nonspecific clinical manifestations. Here, we report the case of a premature infant with congenital tuberculosis and septicemia due to Candida krusei, who was treated successfully.

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Fungal infection is a major health concern as the clinical features are not very distinctive. Lack of rapid diagnostic techniques results in delay in diagnosis, which may even culminate in a fatal outcome. The fact that many pathogenic fungal organisms autofluoresce in hematoxylin and eosin (H and E)-stained sections under ultraviolet illumination led us to evaluate the role of autofluorescence as a rapid screening technique for fungal infections. The aim of the present study was to assess the value of autofluorescence as a screening method for detecting fungi on tissue sections and to compare the results of autofluorescence with conventional histochemical stains for fungi. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides of mycotic lesions were examined under fluorescent microscope and the findings were compared with results of Gomori's methenamine silver and periodic acid-Schiff stains. We found fungal autofluorescence in 63 out of 64 cases studied, with a sensitivity of 97.8% and specificity of 100% in comparison with fungal stains. This was statistically significant (P < 0.05). We conclude that autofluorescence can be used as a rapid screening method for identification of fungi in tissue sections as it does not require any other specialized staining procedure

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We report an unusual observation of Cryptococcal neoformans profiles engulfed by neutrophils on a routine peripheral blood smear examination in an HIV-negative young female patient who presented with perforation of large bowel following a pregnancy termination procedure by an untrained midwife.

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P aeruginosa) is one of the most common nosocomial pathogens. We report our experience of a device-related outbreak of postoperative ventriculitis caused by P aeruginosa thus initiating investigation of the unusual occurrence. Five neurosurgical patients were affected, postoperatively. The investigations entailed extensive screening of the common sources of contamination for colonization of P aeruginosa. Sterilized instruments used for surgery, including the ultrasonic aspirator (USA) sets and other hollow devices, were randomly sampled and cultured. Conventional culture methods yielded P aeruginosa, with almost similar antibiotic sensitivity pattern in all the patients and the ultrasonic aspirator, clinching the source of contamination. Routine surveillance, identification of unusual patterns, molecular epidemiological typing would be helpful in quick control of outbreaks of postoperative infections

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An autopsy report of pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is described in a two-and-a-half-year-old male child who died within a few days of starting chemotherapy. Autopsy revealed a large tumor almost occupying the whole of left hemithorax with widespread extension to pleura. The diagnosis was confirmed to be PPB, type III on autopsy.

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Clear cell sarcoma of soft parts is a rare tumor in children and it requires a high index of suspicion for accurate diagnosis. Early diagnosis leads to radical surgical excision and limits the aggressive behavior of this tumor. We report a case of a 12-year-old boy with a recurrent soft-tissue tumor in the scalp, misdiagnosed on three occasions as epitheloid sarcoma owing to the poorly differentiated appearance of cells. In spite of focal S-100 expression, this tumor was not recognized as a tumor of melanocytic origin till melanosomes were demonstrated on electron microscopy (EM). Detection of melanosomes on electron microscopy helped in clinching the histology diagnosis, reiterating the definite role of EM in diagnosing these tumors. Failure to accurately diagnose this tumor resulted in institution of preoperative chemotherapy, delayed surgical excision, tumor progression and death of patient within a year and half of presentation.

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Solid organ transplantation is becoming increasingly common in the treatment of end-stage organ failure. However, despite improvements in patient and allograft survival, immunosuppression-induced compromised cell-mediated immunity predisposes transplant recipients to opportunistic infections. We describe a case of mixed opportunistic lung infection in the form of cytomegalovirus pneumonia and mucormycosis in a renal transplant recipient. Prompt recognition and treatment of infection is imperative for successful transplantation.

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Primary adenocarcinoma of Fallopian tube is a rare gynecological malignancy affecting women in the fifth and sixth decades of their lives. The rarity of this type of carcinoma has prompted reports of individual cases rather than publication of a large series. One such case is reported in a 50-year-old nulliparous post-menopausal female. The age, low fertility index and presentation of the disease are in accordance with previous reports in the literature. The present case also fulfills the diagnostic criteria's applied to this tumor.

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