ABSTRACT Invasive aspergillosis is an uncommon infection, which is mainly seen among immunocompromised patients. In recent years, cases of aspergillosis involving immunocompetent hosts are increasingly being reported. Herein, we report the case of a 27-year-old man with fever, productive cough, shortness of breath, and left hemiparesis. He had suffered trauma to his head 25 days prior. Imaging of the chest showed bilateral cavitary lesions in the lungs, and neuroimaging revealed a space-occupying lesion in the right frontoparietal cerebrum. He was suspected of having an abscess or metastasis. He died on day 3 of hospitalization, and an autopsy was performed. The autopsy revealed the cause of death to be invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, with brain dissemination. Invasive aspergillosis is uncommon in apparently immunocompetent individuals, and we discuss the autopsy findings in detail.

ABSTRACT Paraquat is a potent herbicide widely used in the Indian agriculture industry. Human fatality due to paraquat poisoning is not uncommon in this country. The primary effect of paraquat is on the lungs, and the resultant pulmonary damage leads to the patient's demise. There is a high mortality rate in paraquat poisoning as the treatment is usually supportive with no known antidote. There are limited human studies that have observed the histopathological changes in lungs in paraquat poisoning. The authors have discussed the time-related histopathological changes in lungs in paraquat poisoning on autopsy subjects. The role of anticoagulants and fibrinolytic agents in the treatment of this poisoning has also been discussed.

ABSTRACT Blunt chest trauma (BCT) is one of the rarest causes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This paper reports the case of a young married man who suffered from AMI due to BCT sustained in a fight with his wife. The histopathology examination revealed a rupture of atherosclerotic plaque with superimposed thrombus in the proximal left anterior descending artery. This report also reviews previously reported BCT-induced AMI cases in the literature.

Pharmacovigilance has not progressed well in India and the concept is still in its infancy. India rates below 1% in pharmacovigilance as against the world rate of 5%. Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate the knowledge, perception and practice of pharmacovigilance among registered community pharmacists in Hyderabad, India. Methods: This was a prospective study to find out the knowledge, perception and practice of adverse drug reaction reporting among community pharmacists. It was conducted by a face to face questionnaire and the convenience factor of the pharmacist was taken into consideration. Results: From the 650 questionnaire administered to community pharmacists, 347 (53.3%) were returned completely filled questionnaires. A number of 120 (34.6%) pharmacists could define the term -pharmacovigilance' to an acceptable extent and 119 (34.3%) knew about the National Pharmacovigilance Programme in India. 96 (27.7%) had good knowledge, 36(10.4%) had fair knowledge and 215(61.9%) had poor knowledge about pharmacovigilance. We have found that 196 (56.5%) had good perception, 94(27.1%) had fair perception and 57(16.4%) had poor perception. Only 41(11.8%) pharmacists ever reported an ADR and the other never reported ADR. The majority of pharmacists 223(64.3%) felt that the AE is very simple and non-serious and hence did not report. Pharmacists have poor knowledge, good perception and negligibly low reporting rates. Conclusions: Incorporation of ADR reporting concepts in education curriculum, training of pharmacists and voluntary participation of pharmacists in ADR reporting is very crucial in achieving the safety goals and safeguarding public health.

La farmacovigilancia no ha progresado adecuadamente en India y el concepto esta aun en su niñez. El 1% de farmacovigilancia en India se sitúa por debajo del 5% mundial. Objetivos: El objetivo de nuestro estudio es evaluar el conocimiento, percepción y práctica de farmacovigilancia entre los farmacéuticos comunitarios registrados en Hyderabad, India. Métodos: Este fue un estudio prospectivo para identificar el conocimiento, percepción y práctica de las comunicaciones de reacciones adversas entre farmacéuticos comunitarios. Se realizó un cuestionario presencial y se tuvieron en cuenta los factores de conveniencia del farmacéutico. Resultados: De los 650 cuestionarios administrados a farmacéuticos, 347 (53,3%) retornaron completamente cumplimentados. 120 (34,6%) farmacéuticos podían definir aceptablemente el término -farmacovigilancia' y 119 (34,3%) sabia de la existencia del Programa Nacional de Farmacovigilancia en India. 96 (27,7%) tenía un buen conocimiento, 36 (10,4%) tenía un conocimiento medio y 215 (61,9%) tenía un conocimiento pobre sobre farmacovigilancia. Encontramos que 196 (56,5%) tenían buenas percepciones, 94 (27,1%) tenían percepciones medias, y 57 (16,4%) tenían percepciones malas. Sólo 41 (11,8%) farmacéuticos habían comunicado alguna vez una RAM. La mayoría de los farmacéuticos, 23 (64,3%), entendía que los eventos adversos eran muy simples, no graves y por tanto no tenían que comunicarlos. Los farmacéuticos tuvieron pocos conocimientos, buenas percepciones y tasas de comunicación despreciables, Conclusiones: La incorporación de los conceptos de comunicación e RAM en el currículo educativo, la formación de farmacéuticos y la participación de farmacéuticos en la comunicación de RAM es crucial para alcanzar las metas de seguridad y salvaguardar la salud pública.

INTRODUCTION: General surgeons dealing with laparoscopic herniorrhaphy should be aware of the aberrant obturator artery that crosses the superior pubic ramus and is susceptible to injuries during dissection of the Bogros space and mesh stapling onto Cooper's ligament. The obturator artery is usually described as a branch of the anterior division of the internal iliac artery, although variations have been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted on 98 pelvic halves of embalmed cadavers, and the origin and course of the obturator artery were traced and noted. RESULTS: In 79% of the specimens, the obturator artery was a branch of the internal iliac artery. It branched off at different levels either from the anterior division or posterior division, individually or with other named branches. In 19% of the cases, the obturator artery branched off from the external iliac artery as a separate branch or with the inferior epigastric artery. However, in the remaining 2% of the specimens, both the internal and the external iliac arteries branched to form an anastomotic structure within the pelvic cavity. CONCLUSION: The data obtained in this study show that it is more common to find an abnormal obturator artery than was reported previously, and this observation has implications for pelvic surgeons and is of academic interest to anatomists. Surgeons dealing with direct, indirect, femoral, or obturator hernias need to be aware of these variations and their close proximity to the femoral ring.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out a comparative study of the safety and immunogenicity of Vi polysaccharide vaccine against whole-cell killed (WCK) typhoid vaccine. METHODS: The study was carried out on young adult recruits (aged 18-25 years) of the Malaysian Air Force. A total of 125 subjects received the Vi polyssacharide vaccine and 114 received the WCK vaccine. FINDINGS: The Vi vaccine was significantly less reactogenic than the WCK vaccine with regard to systemic and local reactions. Following administration of the Vi vaccine, seroconversion rates (defined as the percentage of subjects with a 4-fold rise of baseline antibody level) of 75.5% and 67% were observed at 2 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively, after immunization, compared with 25% and 31.3% among recipients of the WCK vaccine. Of the 110 Vi vaccinees with serological data, 21 (19%) had high, seroprotective, pre-immunization levels of anti-Vi antibodies ( > or = 1 mug/ml). The majority of subjects in this group came from a region in Malaysia which is known to have high typhoid endemicity. Interestingly, these antibody levels were boosted considerably following administration of vaccine at a level that was 5- fold higher than in subjects with low pre- immunization levels. In contrast, the seroconversion rates in those receiving the Vi vaccine were higher in subjects with low pre-immunization levels of anti-Vi antibodies (76-84%), compared to those with protective levels of > or = 1 mug/ml prior to immunization (48-57%). CONCLUSIONS: The study reaffirms the safety and efficacy of the Vi polysaccharide vaccine and identifies a hitherto unrecognized advantage in its use, i.e. it is a potent immunogen that boosted considerably the protective antibody levels among a significant number of immunologically sensitized individuals living in typhoid-endemic regions.

OBJETIVO: Realizar un estudio comparativo de la inocuidad e inmunogenicidad de una vacuna antitifoídica de polisacárido Vi y una vacuna antitifoídica muerta de células enteras (WCK). MÉTODOS: El estudio se llevó a cabo con reclutas jóvenes (18-25 años) de la Fuerza Aérea de Malasia. Un total de 125 individuos recibieron la vacuna de polisacárido Vi, y 114 la vacuna WCK. RESULTADOS: La vacuna Vi fue significativamente menos reactogénica que la WCK a nivel tanto sistémico como local. Tras la administración de la vacuna Vi se observaron tasas de seroconversión (porcentaje de individuos en los que el nivel basal de anticuerpos se multiplicó por 4 como mínimo) del 75,5% y el 67% a las dos y seis semanas, respectivamente, de la inmunización, frente al 25% y el 31,3% observados entre los que recibieron la vacuna WCK. De los 110 vacunados con Vi para los que se disponía de datos serológicos, 21 (19%) presentaban niveles preinmunización seroprotectores de anticuerpos anti-Vi ( > o = 1 myg/ml). La mayoría de los individuos de este grupo procedía de una región de Malasia de alta endemicidad de fiebre tifoidea. Un dato interesante es que esos niveles de anticuerpos se vieron estimulados considerablemente por la administración de la vacuna (multiplicación por 5) en comparación con los individuos con bajos niveles preinmunización. Por el contrario, las tasas de seroconversión de quienes recibieron la vacuna WCK fueron mayores en los individuos con niveles bajos de anticuerpos anti-Vi antes de la inmunización (76%-84%), en comparación con quienes presentaban niveles protectores > o = 1 myg/ml antes de la inmunización (48%-57%). CONCLUSIÓN: El estudio confirma la inocuidad y la eficacia de la vacuna de polisacárido Vi y muestra una ventaja hasta ahora desconocida de su uso, a saber, que se trata de un potente inmunógeno que estimula considerablemente los niveles protectores de anticuerpos en una importante proporción de los individuos ya inmunosensibilizados que viven en regiones de fiebre tifoidea endémica.

OBJECTIF: Réaliser une étude comparative de l'innocuité et de l'immunogénicité d'un vaccin antityphoïdique polyosidique Vi et d'un vaccin antityphoïdique tué à germes entiers. MÉTHODES: L'étude a été réalisée chez de jeunes recrues (18-25 ans) de l'armée de l'air malaisienne, dont 125 ont reçu le vaccin polyosidique Vi et 114 le vaccin tué. RÉSULTANTS: Le vaccin Vi était nettement moins réacgène que le vaccin tué du point de vue des réactions locales et générales. Après administration du vaccin Vi, des taux de séroconversion (pourcentage de sujets présentant un quadruplement du taux d'anticorps prévaccinal) de 75,5 % au bout de 2 semaines et de 67 % au bout de 6 semaines ont été observés, contre 25 % et 31,3 % respectivement chez les sujets ayant reçu le vaccin tué. Sur les 110 sujets vaccinés par le vaccin Vi pour lesquels on disposait de données sérologiques, 21 (19 %) avaient déjà des taux séroprotecteurs d'anticorps anti-Vi (>=1 <FONT FACE=Symbol>m</FONT>g/ml) avant la vaccination. La plupart d'entre eux provenaient d'une région de Malaisie où la fièvre typhoïde est fortement endémique. Il est intéressant de noter que la vaccination induisait une élévation considérable de ces taux d'anticorps (multiplication par 5), davantage que chez les sujets qui avaient un faible taux d'anticorps au départ. En revanche, les taux de séroconversion après administration du vaccin Vi étaient plus élevés chez les sujets ayant un faible taux d'anticorps anti-Vi avant la vaccination (76-84 %) que chez ceux qui avaient déjà des taux protecteurs (48-57 %). CONCLUSION: L'étude a permis de réaffirmer l'innocuité et l'efficacité du vaccin antipolyosidique Vi et a mis en évidence un avantage méconnu jusqu'alors, à savoir une forte immunogénicité qui renforce considérablement les taux d'anticorps protecteurs chez une proportion significative de sujets déjà sensibilisés vivant dans des régions où la fièvre typhoïde est endémique.