Indian Journal of Communicable Diseases

 It is generally agreed that tuberculosis of the epididymis is secondary to tuberculosis of the genitourinary tract. We report on a case of isolated tuberculosis of the epididymis in the absence of obvious renal, bladder or prostatic involvement.

Keywords: Epididymo-Orchitis; Tubercular Epididymitis; Biopsy; Histopathological Examination.

 Rabies is a major public health challenge in India with the highest burden globally. Anti rabies vaccine (ARV) and anti rabies serum (ARS) provide safe and effective post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in animal bite cases. However, providing universal PEP to incident animal bite cases is a major challenge in resource constrained settings especially due to the high cost of vaccine and serum. Hence, prevention of vaccine wastage is indispensable for rabies control in the developing world. Guidelines for rabies prophylaxis in incident animal bite cases with previous history of exposure and associated PEP recommend a two dose booster regimen on day 0 and 3. Nevertheless, evidence from some socioepidemiological studies on rabies reported from India suggest that there exist several patient and provider related factors which promote an unwarranted universal repetition of complete course of rabies PEP in re- exposure to animal bite cases. This potentially results in an avoidable wastage of 2 doses of ARV and/or ARS per animal bite case who have previously received full course of rabies PEP. Animal bite victims with low socioeconomic and educational status have greater likelihood of being subject to excess rabies PEP vaccination. This is often due to their inability to produce related medical records and lack of awareness of the treatment received during past animal bite exposure. Lack of knowledge relating to postexposure schedule in previous vaccinated cases among residents and medical graduates may also contribute to rabies vaccine wastage.

Keywords: Rabies; India; PEP; Vaccine Wastage; Vaccination.

 Dengue virus is an acute febrile viral condition, is not transmitted from person to person but through the bite of an infected mosquito and it is caused by Flavivirus.Main symptom of dengue fever is body temperature more than 38ºC, body pain and joint pain. In dengue fever Platelet count will decrease. Prevention of dengue fever is by Insecticide treatment and symptomatically manages the dengue fever.

Keywords: Dengue; Fever; Immunity; Mosquito; Shock; Vaccine.

 The term viral hepatitis refers to primary infection of the liver by any one of a heterogeneous group of hepatitis viruses which is currently consist of types A,B,C,D,E and G. Type A hepatitis (infectious hepatitis)is a sub acute disease of global distribution, affecting mainly children and young adults. The large majority of infectious are asymptomatic. Over illness is seen in only about 5percent of those infected. Natural infection with HAV, clinical or subclinical leads to lifelong immunity. There is no cross immunity between HAV and any of other hepatitis viruses. Treatment is asymptomatic .no specific antiviral drug is available.

Keywords: Hepatitis; Treatment; Vaccination; Infection; Immunity; Viremia.

 Malaria is a major public health problem around the world. The recent trend shows a reduction in incidence and deaths due to malaria. However it is still a major concern in many countries. World Health Organization (WHO) has framed post-2015 global technical strategy on malaria with newer targets and milestones that have to be achieved by 2020, 2025 and 2030. Universal access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment and effective surveillance are some of the pillars. Government of India launched National Vector Borne Control Program (NVBDCP) in 2005 to consolidate the efforts for prevention and control of vector borne diseases in India. Recently, National malaria strategic plan for malaria control in India, 2012-17 has been framed with revised targets and strategies. To ensure success of these plans and strategies, major hurdles like lack of human resource and funds, limited private sector involvement and lack of political leadership has to be overcome.

Keywords: Malaria; Initiatives; Challenges.

 Background: The Caribbean region is the second most affected region in the world in terms of rates of HIV prevalence after sub-Saharan Africa. HIV/AIDS education needs to target at the young age groups. The aim of the study was to investigate the awareness of AIDS amongst high school students in Bonaire. We hypothesized that after a thorough workshop for students (teens) in schools, they will have a better understanding of the transmission of AIDS and its prevention. Methods: Fifty-two students were tested by using Healthy Oakland Teens Survey, two times, initially and after conduction of workshop on AIDS for the students, in order to see efficiency of this education effort to improve knowledge of AIDS. Results: Knowledge of the students about AIDS significantly increased after conduction of the workshop as compared to that before the workshop. There was a decrease in the number of students stating they were uncomfortable having a conversation about the sex, AIDS and its protection with friends, parents and adults from 32% before the workshop to 26% after the workshop. Their openness for conversation about AIDS, its protection, and sex with friends, adults, and others in the social community also significantly increased after workshop as compared to that before the workshop. Conclusion: There is need for creating enhanced knowledge and awareness on HIV/AIDS among adolescents. It is crucial not only for protecting the students from AIDS but also for preventing the spread of HIV infection.

Keywords: AIDS; Awareness; High School Students; Bonaire.

 Background: There is lack of information on staphylococcal contamination of foods in the Dutch Caribbean. The aim of this study was to evaluate retailed ground beef for contamination with Staphylococcus aureus in Bonaire (Dutch Caribbean). Methods: Fifty-one samples of ground beef collected from three different supermarkets in Bonaire were inoculated on Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) for selective isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. Aseptic techniques were used for collection and processing of samples. Results: The isolates tentatively identified as S. aureus on MSA were confirmed by characteristic microscopic morphology in Gram stain and by production of catalase and coagulase. The presence of Staphylococcus aureus in ground beef samples from the three markets varied in quantities from 130 to 300 colony forming units/g. Conclusion: The detection of S. aureus in high quantities in samples of retail ground beef emphasizes the public health importance of this work. The public health authorities in Bonaire should alert the management of the supermarkets of this finding, and urge them to take precautionary measures to avoid or minimize bacterial contamination.

Keywords: Ground Beef; Bonaire; Staphylococcus aureus Count

 Introduction: Staphylococcus Aureus (S. aureus) is a leading cause of gram positive bacterial infections and produces a wide spectrum of diseases. Although S. aureus infections were historically treatable with common antibiotics, emergence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) in 1960 in hospital-associated settings, and later in community settings imposed a great burden on health care resources.  Several reports have documented MRSA outbreaks in hostels, dormitories and military barracks among inmates. Present study was undertaken in April-May 2015 to investigate an outbreak of CA-MRSA among hostel inmates in Mangalore. Material and Methods: Present study was carried in a nursing college hostel in Mangalore, after its first student was admitted on 04 Aril 2015 with severe skin infection caused by MRSA. Subsequently, 291 suspected hostel inmates were examined and their nasal and skin swabs were sent to hospital laboratory for culture and sensitivity. Results: Out of 291 swabs sent for culture, 51(17.52%) were found to be MRSA positive. Out of these, 34 (66.66%) were nasal and 17 (33.34%) were skin swabs. All isolates were found to be resistant to penicillin, ampicillin and erythromycin, but susceptible to ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, doxycycline, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole and vancomycin. These had the drugresistance pattern of CA-MRSA strains. Conclusion:  Community-based surveillance studies are required to understand how MRSA is transmitted in the community. Besides, development of an epidemiologic surveillance system would further identify CA-MRSA prevalence and the associated risk factors.

Keywords: CA-MRSA; Culture; Resistance; Outbreak; Prevention.

 Background: There is no information on the microbiological quality of retailed ground beef in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean. The objective of this study was to determine the total bacterial counts and detect the presence of Escherichia coli in samples of ground beef .sold in three major supermarkets in Bonaire. Methods: A total of 36 samples of raw ground beef comprising 12 from each of the three supermarkets collected over a period of 4 weeks were examined. Dilutions of each sample were inoculated on three plates of nutrient agar by standard procedure. The plates were incubated at 370 C/room temperature for 48 hours to determine the total bacterial count as colony forming units per gram (CFU/g). Additionally, 5 samples were used from each of the supermarket to detect the presence of E. coli. Results: It was found that the mean bacterial count of CFU/g of ground beef samples from supermarket 1 was significantly higher (224,800) than that from the supermarkets 2 (5280) and 3 (4800). The mean E. coli count in the samples from supermarkets 1 and 2 was 52 and 9 CFU/g respectively. Conclusion: This study is the first attempt to assess the overall microbiological quality of raw ground beef retailed in Bonaire by demonstrating significant differences in the means of total bacterial CFU/g, and counts of E. coli in samples from different supermarkets. This information can guide the producers of ground beef and the management of the supermarkets to recognize the good microbial quality of ground beef and to prevent bacterial contamination during handling.

Keywords: Raw Ground Beef; Bonaire; Total Bacterial Count, Escherichia Coli.