Apr 16 A Review Article On: Fasciolopsiasis and Fasciolopsis buski
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Abstract:
Fasciolopsiasis is the disease caused by Fasciolopsis buski, the "Giant Intestinal Fluke". About 100 million are infected worldwide. Most of them in endemic areas, i.e. South-east Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It took about 82 years since the discovery of the infectious agent for biologists to demonstrate its complete life cycle. Studies have been continued to reach genomic level.
Modes of transmission of the parasite are either drinking of infected water or eating of metacercaria-encysted aquatic vegetation. A series of developmental stages occurs in the duodenum and jejunum. Pathogenesis is initiated by attachment of suckers to the intestinal mucosa resulting in antibody production and hypersensitivity reactions. Patients are usually asymptomatic. However clinical cases show important symptoms and signs such as fever, epigastric pain, blood-stained diarrhoea, ascites, and generalized oedema. Differential diagnoses consist of trematode infections as metagonimiasis, heterophyiasis, and echinostoma. Severe infections present as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Diagnosis is by detection of ova in the stool during routine microscopy. Positive past medical, travel, or social histories are supportive.
Praziquantel is the drug of choice. Traditional medicine recommends Kubbu fruits for treatment with proven anthelmintic effects. Complications are associated with intestinal mucosa invasion. They are either localized or generalized and of traumatic, obstructive, or toxic nature. Prevention can be achieved best by a combination of methods such as public education, snail management, disinfecting food and water increasing hygiene of pig pens.
Keywords: Fasciolopsiasis, Fasciolopsis buski, Giant Intestinal Fluke, intestinal flukes, trematodes.
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Apr 20 For the patients: Indian or US trained physicians?
Having seen physicians in both of these countries, I often wonder “Do physicians trained in India treat the patients better or do the physicians trained in US treat the patients better?”. In other words, we can also say- which group of physicians are better clinicians?Here I wouldn’t compare just the top notch physicians in their field in either of these countries, but would like to consider the entire group of physicians. As we all know, if you look at the training systems in both of these countries, you observe that they are totally different. So here, I would like to point out the major differences and then summarize as to which system I think produces better physicians.
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Apr 16 Knowledge and Attitude about Breast Cancer and Breast Self Examination among school teachers in an urban area of Coimbatore
Introduction: As per the recent statistics of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) breast is the second most common site for malignant neoplasms after the lung accounting for about 22.4% of cancers in females making it the most common cancer in women. Early detection remains the first priority and regular practice of breast self-examination (BSE) influences treatment, quality of life, survival, and prognosis of breast cancer patients. We aimed to assess the baseline knowledge and attitude among school teachers about breast cancer and breast self examination; impart health education about breast cancer and Breast Self Examination (BSE) and subsequently assess the improvement in knowledge after the interventional health education. Our study population was school teachers from a school that belonged to the field practice area of the department of Community Medicine. This was an interventional study. We assessed the initial knowledge and attitude about breast cancer –etiology and its risk factors and Breast Self Examination (BSE) by a questionnaire. Subsequently, information was given about the risk factors, symptoms and the importance of breast self examination. 34 female teachers between the age group 22-58 years of age, who consented to participate in the study. The questionnaire assessed their knowledge and attitude towards breast cancer before and after the intervention. The pre post test scores obtained were 16.75 and 22.50 respectively showing a 23% increase in the test scores. A paired t test showed that this increase was statistically significant. (p<.05) Conclusion: This study underscores the effectiveness of health education in improvement of knowledge and attitude towards breast cancer and BSE which is crucial in early diagnosis and treatment.
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Apr 20 KVPY shuts down its Basic Science and Medicne/Engineering Scholarships from 2012
KVPY decides to shut down its SP stream scholarships from the year 2012 leaving many a student who were working on their projects in the lurch.
The SP stream includes Basic Sciences, Medicien and Engineering.
We do not know whether this is only for 2012 or this is a permanent move.
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Apr 16 Transient Synovitis of the Hip in an Adult: a Case Report
Transient Synovitis of the hip is a condition commonly seen in the paediatric age groups. 1 However, few cases have been reported in the adult population above the age of 60. 2 It presents in the form of acute, sudden onset hip pain of a sudden onset with no history of trauma. 2 3 Usually it is preceded by a viral infection in both children and adults, and is often labeled idiopathic. 1 Transient synovitis resolves in four to five days with analgesia. 1 2 3 Septic arthritis and gouty arthritis should be ruled out before the diagnosis of transient synovitis is made, mainly because of the fact that septic arthritis can complicate with permanent deformity of the femoral head if the diagnosis is missed. 1 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies have been proven to be a reliable method in ruling out septic arthritis in the paediatric population. 4
We report a case of transient synovitis of the hip in a 51-year old Saudi male.
Key-words: Hip, transient, synovitis, MRI, gadolinium, HLA-B27
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