Relationship between Ig-E Levels and Lung Function Tests in Children with Asthma

Background: Asthma is the most common chronic disorder in childhood. A high level of Ig E is associated with asthma. Objectives: The present study was carried out to observe the relation of serum IgE level with lung function parameters in asthma children and apparently healthy normal children. Methods: This study was carried out in the out patient department of paediatrics, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka between January 2010 and June 2010. Total sixty children with age range from six to fifteen years of both sexes were included in this study. Thirty children suffering from asthma and thirty apparently healthy children with no systemic disorder were taken as study population. Serum Ig-E levels were measured in all subjects using a standard Immulite assay by ELISA method. Subjects were classified as having high IgE if their total IgE level was greater than or equal to 100 IU /ml .Subjects were classified as having low IgE if their total IgE level was less than 100 IU /ml. Spirometry was conducted on all patients by using Spirolab a new generation spirometer according to American Thoracic Society standards. Data were analyzed by unpaired t test and Chi-squares test. Results: The mean percentage of predicted values of FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC% were significantly lower in high Ig E (>100 IU/ml) level group in comparison with low Ig E(<100 IU/ml) group. Conclusion: Therefore the result of the present study reveals that higher IgE is related with lower lung function and also there were more chance in symptoms based asthma in our study populations.  DOI: 10.3329/jdmc.v19i1.6242 J Dhaka Med Coll. 2010; 19(1) : 3-6.

Clinico-pathological Studies on Natural and Experimental Infectious Bursal Disease in Broiler Chickens

The clinico-pathological studies on infectious bursal disease (IBD) were carried out in naturally occurred outbreaks of 19 to 22-day-old broilers (population 1000) and experimentally produced infection in 40-day-old 23 broiler chickens during the period from November 2002 to January 2003. Each of the experimental birds received 100 µl of 20% bursal homogenates intraocularly with a wild-type field strain (BD-3 Wt) of a Bangladeshi isolate of vvIBDV (BD-3/99). The natural infection caused 29.2% mortality and experimental infection resulted in 26.8% mortality after an incubation period of 48 to 72 hrs. Clinical investigation showed almost similar clinical signs in both the natural and experimental cases. Dullness, depression, anorexia, whitish loose diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea in some chickens, ruffled feathers and severe dehydration were the recorded clinical manifestations. Necropsy examination revealed no significant pathological differences between chickens died of natural and experimental IBDV infection. Oedematous swelling of the bursa with petechial haemorrhages and slimy to gelatinous materials on the inner surface, and petechial haemorrhages on the thigh muscles were the main gross pathological lesions in both cases. Haemorrhages at the junction between proventriculus and gizzard found in chickens of natural infection but not in chickens of experimental infection. The experimentally infected chickens that survived up to the last day of 10 days observation revealed atrophied bursa with creamy or yellowish discolouration at necropsy. Key words: Infectious bursal disease; broiler chickens; clinical signs; pathology doi: 10.3329/bjvm.v2i1.1931 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2004). 2 (1) : 31-35

Topical tazarotene cream (0.1%) in the treatment of facial acne: An open clinical trial

Background: Tazarotene is a new 3rd generation topical acetylenic retinoid. It normalizes keratinocyte differentiation, reduces keratinocyte proliferation and decreases expression of inflammatory markers. Tazarotene was approved by US FDA in 1997 for acne vulgaris.Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical tazarotene 0.1% cream in the treatment of facial acne.Materials and methods: 67 patients with facial acne in the age range of 13-30 years were enrolled in the study. Purposive sampling was done. Patients were treated with topical Tazarotene cream (0.1%) and were instructed to apply the medication as a thin film over the affected area in the evening once daily for 12 weeks. Follow-up was done at 2nd, 4th week, 8th week and at 12th week.Results: Of the 67 patients, 53% got remission, 9% had good response, 34% had poor response and there was no response in 4% of the patients by 12 weeks of treatment. Among the patients, 9 (13.43%) developed mild side effects. Conclusion: Topical tazarotene cream (0.1%) is a effective and safe treatment option for acne vulgaris affecting face. It is mostly effective in grade-1 and grade-2 acne.DOI: 10.3329/bmrcb.v36i2.6985Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2010; 36: 43-46

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MICROFLORA FROM APPARENTLY HEALTHY CAGED PARROTS OF DHAKA ZOO OF BANGLADESH

The research work was conducted to isolate and identify the microflora from apparently healthy caged parrots. A total of 45 samples (oral swabs, cloacal swabs and feces) were collected from five types of caged parrots (Gray cockatiels, Rose ringed parakeet, Alexandriane parakeet, Red breast parakeet and Blossom headed parakeet) of Dhaka Zoo during the period from April to August 2009. The samples were cultured on different bacteriological media and the bacteria were identified by their cultural and biochemical properties. All the isolates were allowed for antibiogram study. The bacteria isolated in this study from different types of caged parrots were E. coli (64.44%), Salmonella spp. (46.67%), Staphylococcus spp. (46.67%), Pasteurella spp. (33.33%), Proteus spp. (6.67%) and some unidentified Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Of these isolates, E. coli was the most frequent isolate. The frequency of Gram-negative bacteria was higher in this study. The percentage of bacterial isolates recovered from each type of parrots was almost similar. Irrespective of types of parrots, the higher percentage of different bacteria was isolated from cloacal swab (77.78%) followed by feces (75.56%). The 68.89% isolates were recovered from oral swab. All the suspected isolates of Salmonella spp. were confirmed by slide agglutination test using Salmonella polyvalent ‘O’ antiserum. Among the 21 Salmonella spp. isolated in this study, 4 (19.05%) isolates were identified as S. Pullorum when tested with specific antisera against S. Pullorum. The results of antibiotic sensitivity tests revealed that ampicillin and amoxicillin were completely resistant to E. coli and Pasteurella spp.; ampicillin to Proteus spp.; and furazolidone to Salmonella spp. and Pasteurella spp. However, the antibiotics of fluoroquinolone group such as ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and enrofloxacin showed moderate to high sensitivity against almost all the bacterial isolates. Of these, ciprofloxacin was found to be consistently highly sensitive to all the bacterial isolates. DOI = 10.3329/bjvm.v8i1.8349 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2010). 8(1): 05-10

Outbreaks of Infectious Bursal Disease in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Commercial Cockerel Farms in Bangladesh

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a contagious viral disease has been reported in young broiler and layer chickens from Bangladesh. This communication report the outbreaks of IBD on two vaccinated (Gumboro D78®, Intervet) and one unvaccinated commercial cockerel farms which were diagnosed on clinico-pathological findings and assessment of ELISA antibody titre. The outbreaks of IBD occurred on two vaccinated farms in cockerels of 29 to 31 days (Farm 1) and 30 to 33 days (Farm 2), whereas 19 to 22 days old in unvaccinated (Farm 3) birds. It caused 39.38% (Farm 1) and 75.0% (Farm 2) mortality in vaccinated and 29.20% (Farm 3) in unvaccinated cockerel farms. Clinical investigation showed rapid onset, dullness, depression, anorexia, whitish loose diarrhoea, soiling and pasting of the vent, ruffled feathers, trembling and finally prostration and death due to dehydration. Necropsy examination revealed dehydrated carcasses, enlargement and oedematous swelling of bursa Fabricius and some cases yellowish, haemorrhagic, yellowish and caseous exudate in the bursa. Skeletal muscles especially thigh muscles showed haemorrhages in some birds. The IBD ELISA antibody titre of both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated moribund cockerels showed at vulnerable state and the mean antibody titre of vaccinated farm 1 had 161 ± 59.22 and vaccinated farm 2 had 57.82 ± 14.85, whereas unvaccinated farms had 194 ± 90.35. The occurrence of IBD outbreaks in both the vaccinated and unvaccinated birds indicate not only vaccination failure but also defective control strategies, which resulted heavy economic loss (85.05%) in the three cockerel farms. Therefore, a sound control strategy requires monitoring of maternal derived antibody with correct vaccination policy as well as good biosecurity principles to control IBD in Bangladesh.Key words: Outbreaks, infectious bursal disease, cockerels, vaccination failure DOI = 10.3329/bjvm.v1i1.1912 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2003). 1 (1) : 21 - 24