Risk factors for TB in Australia and their association with delayed treatment completion

BACKGROUND: Australia has a low incidence of TB and has committed to eliminating the disease. Identification of risk factors associated with TB is critical to achieving this goal.METHODS: We undertook a prospective cohort study involving persons receiving TB treatment in four Australian jurisdictions. Risk factors and their association with delayed treatment completion (treatment delayed by at least 1 month) were analysed using univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression.RESULTS: Baseline surveys were completed for 402 persons with TB. Most (86.1%) were born overseas. Exposure to a person with TB was reported by 19.4%. Diabetes mellitus (10.2%), homelessness (9.2%), cigarette smoking (8.7%), excess alcohol consumption (6.0%) and mental illness (6.2%) were other common risk factors. At follow-up, 24.8% of patients had delayed treatment completion, which was associated with adverse events (34.1%, aOR 6.67, 95% CI 3.36-13.27), excess alcohol consumption (6.0%, aOR 21.94, 95% CI 6.03-79.85) and HIV co-infection (2.7%, aOR 8.10, 95% CI 1.16-56.60).CONCLUSIONS: We identified risk factors for TB and their association with delayed treatment completion, not all of which are routinely collected for surveillance purposes. Recognition of these risk factors should facilitate patient-centred care and assist Australia in reaching TB elimination.

Spawning behaviour of an air-breathing catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)

Spawning behavior of H. fossilis was studied by breeding the fish in laboratory through hypophysation using pituitary glands of the Indian major carps (Catla catla and Labeo rohita) at a dose of about 15 mg/100 g body weight of the recipient. The spawning activity started about 6 to 10 hr after the administration of pituitary injection. The activity lasted 2 to 6 hr in various experiments. During this period, intermittent mating acts were observed, the average rate of mating being once every 2 to 3 min in the initial stages and 5 to 10 min or even longer in the later ones.