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BACKGROUND: Screening of hemoglobin (Hb) before blood donation is one among the vital tests. It is performed to select a blood donor to prevent the collection of blood from an anemic person. However, no accurate, cost-effective, reliable, and standardized method is available to estimate Hb. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to evaluate the efficacy of filter paper cyanmethemoglobin (FPCH) method with the automated hematology analyzer in the estimation of Hb concentration for screening of a suitable donor. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study in which the blood samples of 2000 patients visiting KLE's Dr. Prabhakar Kore Charitable Hospital, Belagavi, were collected in vials and directly estimated for Hb using automated hematology analyzer. To evaluate the efficacy of FPCH, 20 μL of blood sample was transferred onto Whatman filter paper and dried at room temperature. After drying, it was placed in 5 mL of Drabkin's solution for 30 min. Optical density was estimated by measuring the absorbance. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. The correlation coefficient, paired t-test, and difference between the means of both the methods were calculated. RESULTS: The mean Hb estimated by FPCH was 11.25 g/dL and automated hematology analyzer gave 11.35 g/dL. The difference in the means of both the methods was 0.1 g/dL. Paired t-test was done to test the level of significance and the result was 8.151 (95% confidence interval: 0.08–0.13 g/dL, P < 0.001). The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.976 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: FPCH is an efficient method, which is comparable to the automated hematology analyzers for Hb estimation. It could be used as an alternative screening tool for detection of Hb in a blood donation camp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Clinical laboratories serve a critical role in increasing the efficiency of patient care. Choosing the right test, getting trustworthy results and appropriate interpretation are of utmost importance in improving the patient's well-being. Quality management strategies should be applied in routine patient care because laboratory errors have a major impact on the quality of patient care. In sigma metrics, errors identified are quantified as percentage errors or defects per million (DPM). It aims at improving the quality control (QC) process by forming an appropriate strategy., Aim and Objectives: To analyze the internal quality control (IQC) of hematology analytes using the sigma metrics method and to devise the frequency of IQC by the results of six sigma metric analysis., Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in a tertiary care center of western India. Internal quality control (IQC) data sets of five analytes- Red Blood Cell count (RBC), Hemoglobin (Hb), Hematocrit (Hct), White blood cell count (WBC), and Platelet count (PLT) were analyzed retrospectively of six months using Beckman Coulter DXH 800 hematology analyzers., Results: The observed sigma value was >6 for Hb, TLC, and PLT, indicating excellent results and requiring no modification in IQC. The Sigma value was between 3 and 4 for RBC and Hct suggested the need for improvement in quality control (QC) processes. No analytes showed a Sigma value of <3., Conclusion: Sigma metrics provide a quantitative framework that helps to assess analytic methodologies and can serve as an important self-assessment tool for quality assurance in the clinical laboratory., (Copyright © 2023 Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Pathology and Microbiology.)

Introduction. Due to the significant resources involved in creating HSCT programs there is a significant disparity in the availability of this treatment modality between the developed and developing countries. This manuscript details the process and the outcomes of the first HSCT program in East Africa which was started at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Materials and Methods. Information and data were collected on the processes which had been implemented for starting the HSCT program at MNH. The details of the collaborations, training, infrastructure development, and acquisition of the biomedical equipment, as well as the actual process for HSCT, as well as the outcomes of treatment are described. Observations. The project has been detailed in 4 stages for ease of description: Stage 1: Preparatory work which was performed by the Government of Tanzania, as well as the administrators and clinicians from MNH (July 2017-September 2021). Stage 2: Exploratory gap analysis by the teams from MNH and International Haematology Consortium of HCG Hospital, India (HCG-IHC) in October 2021. Stage 3: Activities for closure of gaps (November 2021). Stage 4: Stem Cell Transplantation Camps (November 2021 to March 2022). 11 peripheral blood stem cell transplants were done in two camps, November 2021 (5 patients), and February 2022 (6 patients). 10 patients underwent autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma and 1 for lymphoma. The median duration of hospital stay was 19 ± 6 days. The median time for neutrophil engraftment, it was on 8.8 ± 0.8 days, and for platelet engraftment was 9.6 ± 2.4 days. Progression-free survival was 100%, and there was no mortality. Conclusion. Commonalities in the socioeconomic challenges in developing countries can be leveraged to create robust HSCT programs in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed at the identification, molecular characterization, and risk factor assessment of Theileria infection among sheep of Haryana province, north India. A total of 402 blood samples were collected from three different climatic zones of Haryana from March 2020 to September 2021. Light microscopy of blood smears revealed Theileria spp. infection in 47.26% (n = 190), while 60.94% (n = 245) of blood samples were positive using nested PCR. Extensive molecular characterization of Theileria infection using four pairs of species-specific primers indicated the dominance of T. ovis (29.1%) followed by T. lestoquardi (12.69%), T. luwenshuni (5.97%) and T. annulata (1.49%). Mixed infection was detected in 11.69% of cases. Bidirectional sequencing and phylogeny further confirmed the presence of these four Theileria spp. in the investigated area under study. Hematology indicated a significant (p < 0.01) reduction in various haematological indices of animals infected with T. luwenshuni and T. lestoquardi compared to the healthy control group. Risk factors like age, sex, and zone were significantly associated with Theileria infection in sheep. The present investigation depicts the first comprehensive molecular report of ovine Theileria spp., which warrants further study to develop suitable control strategies against these haemoparasitic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of papers presented at the 36th Annual National Conference of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohematology (ISBTI), held in 2011 in Haryana, on topics including single donor platelets (SDPs), platelet transfusion and auto immune hemolytic anemia (AIHA).

A medical postgraduate course in the field of Laboratory Medicine for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree holders has existed for more than two decades in India, initiated and offered by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, which was created under the special Act of Parliament of India 1956. This course has recently been included in the draft of National Medical Commission's Post Graduate Regulation 2021 list of medical courses, and the foundation guidelines have been laid for other medical colleges and teaching hospitals across the country to start this course. This article, written purely in academic interest, describes the past, present and future of this postgraduate training program in India with an aim to answer several doubts regarding this unique and holistic course with a view to providing a direction to those who are willing to become a laboratory physician through this post-graduation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Final results of Northern Italy Leukemia Group (NILG) Trial 10/07 combining pediatric-type therapy with minimal residual disease study and risk-oriented hematopoietic cell transplantation in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Keywords: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; adolescent and young adult; India; outcomes; survival; treatment abandonment EN acute lymphoblastic leukaemia adolescent and young adult India outcomes survival treatment abandonment e1 e4 4 04/01/21 20210401 NES 210401 Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) have inferior survival when compared to children. Nearly a quarter (336/1383, 24%) of the patients either did not start treatment ( I N i = 242) or abandoned therapy after starting ( I N i = 94), which is one of the major challenges when treating AYA patients in resource-challenged situations. A total of 336/1383 (24%) patients either did not start therapy (N = 242), or abandoned therapy after starting induction (N = 94) (A). [Extracted from the article]

Timely administration of appropriate empirical antibiotics in febrile neutropenia is crucial for favourable patient outcomes. There are guidelines in place recommending such antibiotics. However, regional variations and local epidemiological data must be evaluated to tailor the antibiotics for best possible and rational use. In this study, we audited the clinical and microbiological data of febrile neutropenic episodes occurring at a tertiary care haematology institution. Three hundred and ninety-three febrile neutropenic episodes occurring in 123 patients over a 1-year period were analysed for microbial profile, sensitivity and resistance patterns, and finally clinical outcomes. Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) blood stream infections (46.9%) were more prevalent as compared to gram-positive infections (41.9%). Overall mortality due to complicated neutropenic sepsis was 19.5% (24/123 patients). Increased resistance to carbapenems, beta-lactam beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and cephalosporins were observed. Cefepime and tigecycline resistance were seen in 20% and 15% GNB isolates, respectively. Chest was the most frequent focus of infection, and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was the most common underlying disorder which correlated with the likelihood of death (p < 0.01). Multidrug-resistant GNB (esp. Klebsiella sp.) are still most worrisome isolates in neutropenic patients. Single-agent cefepime or piperacillin-tazobactam/tigecycline combination may be considered empirical agents. Chest infections and AML were independent predictors of poor clinical outcome in neutropenic patients. Regular audit of infections and antibiotic susceptibility data is needed to improve clinical outcomes in patients with febrile neutropenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: There is a need for a simple screening method for the detection of anemia that can be used by public health workers in the field. Aims: The aim of this study was to compare two methods for hemoglobin estimation, i.e., automated hematology analyzer and Digital Hemoglobinometer, and to find out the sensitivity and specificity of Digital Hemoglobinometer for the estimation of hemoglobin. Subjects and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out for 6 months from April to September 2017 in a District Hospital of five High Priority Districts of Madhya Pradesh. Two hundred and sixty antenatal females per district were selected for the study. Results: The mean hemoglobin by autoanalyzer is 10.19, and that by Digital Hemoglobinometer device is 9.89. Overall, sensitivity of Digital Hemoglobinometer for hemoglobin estimation was calculated to be 89.4% and specificity was calculated to be 63.6%. Positive predictive value was found to be 82.6% and negative predictive value was 75.8% compared against AutoAnalyser (gold standard). Conclusions: As the Digital Hemoglobinometer device has high sensitivity and specificity and good diagnostic accuracy, it must be used at the community level in resource-poor setting for hemoglobin estimation. In primary health-care conditions, Digital Hemoglobinometer can significantly reduce misdiagnosis of anemia compared with clinical assessment alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The household is a potentially important but understudied unit of analysis and intervention in chronic disease research. We sought to estimate the association between living with someone with a chronic condition and one's own chronic condition status.Methods and Findings: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of population-based household- and individual-level data collected in 4 socioculturally and geographically diverse settings across rural and urban India in 2013 and 2014. Of 10,703 adults ages 18 years and older with coresiding household members surveyed, data from 7,522 adults (mean age 39 years) in 2,574 households with complete covariate information were analyzed. The main outcome measures were diabetes (fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL or taking medication), common mental disorder (General Health Questionnaire score ≥ 12), hypertension (blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg or taking medication), obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2), and high cholesterol (total blood cholesterol ≥ 240 mg/dL or taking medication). Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to model associations with adjustment for a participant's age, sex, education, marital status, religion, and study site. Inverse probability weighting was applied to account for missing data. We found that 44% of adults had 1 or more of the chronic conditions examined. Irrespective of familial relationship, adults who resided with another adult with any chronic condition had 29% higher adjusted relative odds of having 1 or more chronic conditions themselves (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.29; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.10-1.50). We also observed positive statistically significant associations of diabetes, common mental disorder, and hypertension with any chronic condition (aORs ranging from 1.19 to 1.61) in the analysis of all coresiding household members. Associations, however, were stronger for concordance of certain chronic conditions among coresiding household members. Specifically, we observed positive statistically significant associations between living with another adult with diabetes (aOR = 1.60; 95% CI 1.23-2.07), common mental disorder (aOR = 2.69; 95% CI 2.12-3.42), or obesity (aOR = 1.82; 95% CI 1.33-2.50) and having the same condition. Among separate analyses of dyads of parents and their adult children and dyads of spouses, the concordance between the chronic disease status was striking. The associations between common mental disorder, hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol in parents and those same conditions in their adult children were aOR = 2.20 (95% CI 1.28-3.77), 1.58 (95% CI 1.15-2.16), 4.99 (95% CI 2.71-9.20), and 2.57 (95% CI 1.15-5.73), respectively. The associations between diabetes and common mental disorder in husbands and those same conditions in their wives were aORs = 2.28 (95% CI 1.52-3.42) and 3.01 (95% CI 2.01-4.52), respectively. Relative odds were raised even across different chronic condition phenotypes; specifically, we observed positive statistically significant associations between hypertension and obesity in the total sample of all coresiding adults (aOR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.02-1.52), high cholesterol and diabetes in the adult-parent sample (aOR = 2.02; 95% CI 1.08-3.78), and hypertension and diabetes in the spousal sample (aOR = 1.51; 95% CI 1.05-2.17). Of all associations examined, only the relationship between hypertension and diabetes in the adult-parent dyads was statistically significantly negative (aOR = 0.62; 95% CI 0.40-0.94). Relatively small samples in the dyadic analysis and site-specific analysis call for caution in interpreting qualitative differences between associations among different dyad types and geographical locations. Because of the cross-sectional nature of the analysis, the findings do not provide information on the etiology of incident chronic conditions among household members.Conclusions: We observed strong concordance of chronic conditions within coresiding adults across diverse settings in India. These data provide early evidence that a household-based approach to chronic disease research may advance public health strategies to prevent and control chronic conditions.Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Registry India CTRI/2013/10/004049; http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/login.php. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The concept of Umbilical Cord blood (UCB) stem cells is emerging as a non-invasive, efficacious alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells to treat a variety of blood and bone marrow diseases, blood cancers, metabolic disorders and immune deficiencies. Aim of the present study was to determine the level of awareness about banking UCB among pregnant women in India. We also assessed patient perception for banking of UCB and explored the patient expectations of banking UCB in future. This is the first study to assess current attitudes, in a sample population of potential donors from one of the largest potential UCB repository (India). Obtaining this information may help optimize recruitment efforts and improve patient education. Material and Method: Present explorative questionnaire based survey included 254 pregnant women in the final analysis. Results: We established only 26.5% pregnant women in our study population knew what exactly is meant by UCB. A large proportion (55.1%) was undecided on whether they want to bank UCB or not. Women were more aware of the more advertised private cord blood banking compared to public banking. More than half of the pregnant women expected their obstetrician to inform them regarding UCB. One-third of the women in our population had undue expectations from banking of the UCB. Conclusion: Obstetricians should play a more active role in explaining the patients regarding pros and cons of UCB banking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a major public health problem in India and especially harmful in early childhood due to its impact on cognitive development and increased all-cause mortality. We estimate the cost-effectiveness of price subsidies on fortified packaged infant cereals (F-PICs) in reducing IDA in 6-23-monthold children in urban India. Materials and Methods: Cost-effectiveness is estimated by comparing the net social cost of price subsidies with the disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) averted with price subsidies. The net social costs correspond to the cost of the subsidy minus the monetary costs saved by reducing IDA. The estimation proceeds in three steps: 1) the current lifetime costs of IDA are assessed with a health economic model combining the prevalence of anemia, derived from a large population survey, with information on the health consequences of IDA and their costs in terms of mortality, morbidity, and DALYs. 2) The effects of price subsidies on the demand for F-PICs are assessed with a market survey among 4801 households in 12 large Indian cities. 3) The cost-effectiveness is calculated by combining the findings of the first two steps with the results of a systematic review on the effectiveness of F-PICs in reducing IDA. We compare the cost-effectiveness of interventions that differ in the level of the subsidy and in the socio-economic strata (SES) eligible for the subsidy. Results: The lifetime social costs of IDA in 6-23-month-old children in large Indian cities amount to production losses of 3222 USD and to 726,000 DALYs. Poor households incur the highest costs, yet even wealthier households suffer substantial losses. The market survey reveals that few households currently buy F-PICs, with the share ranging from 14% to 36%. Wealthier households are generally more likely to buy FPICs. The costs of the subsidies per DALY averted range from 909 to 3649 USD. Interventions targeted at poorer households are most effective. Almost all interventions are cost saving from a societal perspective when taking into account the reduction of future production losses. Return per DALY averted ranges between gains of 1655 USD to a cost of 411 USD. Conclusion: Price subsidies on F-PICs are a cost-effective way to reduce the social costs of IDA in 6-23-month-old children in large Indian cities. Interventions targeting poorer households are especially cost-effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major health burden in India. The objective of the study was to establish a neonatal screening program and to understand the clinical course of children with SCD in central India. Methods and Findings: Pregnant mothers were screened for sickle hemoglobin using the solubility test. Babies were screened by high performance liquid chromatography if the mother was positive for sickle hemoglobin. The diagnosis was confirmed by molecular analysis. They received early prophylactic treatment and vaccination. Of 2134 newborns screened, 104 were sickle homozygous (SS), seven had sickle β-thalassemia (S-β thal) and 978 were sickle heterozygous (AS). The other hemoglobin abnormalities detected included HbS -δβ thalassemia-1, HbSD disease-2, HbE traits-5, β-thalassemia traits-4, alpha chain variants-3 and HbH disease-1.These babies were followed up regularly for hematological and clinical evaluation. Pain, severe anemia requiring blood transfusions and acute febrile illness were the major complications with 59.7, 45.1 and 42.6 cases per 100 person years. Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels were inversely associated with vaso-oclussive crisis (VOC) and severe anemia while presence of alpha thalassemia increased the rate of painful events and sepsis. Six early deaths occurred among the SS babies. Conclusion: A systematic follow up of this first newborn SCD cohort in central India showed that 47% of babies presented within 1 year of age. In spite of the presence of the Arab-Indian haplotype many babies had severe manifestations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Though rare in occurrence, patients with rare bleeding disorders (RBDs) are highly heterogeneous and may manifest with severe bleeding diathesis. Due to the high rate of consanguinity in many caste groups, these autosomal recessive bleeding disorders which are of rare occurrence in populations across the world, may not be as rare in India. Objectives: To comprehensively analyze the frequency and nature of mutations in Indian patients with RBDs. Methods: Pubmed search was used () to explore the published literature from India on RBDs using the key words “rare bleeding disorders”, “mutations”, “India”, “fibrinogen”, “afibrinogenemia”, “factor II deficiency”, “prothrombin” “factor VII deficiency”, “factor V deficiency”, “factor X deficiency”, “factor XI deficiency”, “combined factor V and VIII deficiency”, “factor XIII deficiency”, “Bernard Soulier syndrome” and “Glanzmanns thrombasthenia” in different combinations. A total of 60 relevant articles could be retrieved. The distribution of mutations from India was compared with that of the world literature by referring to the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) (). Results: Taken together, 181 mutations in 270 patients with different RBDs have been reported from India. Though the types of mutations reported from India and their percentage distribution with respect to the world data are largely similar, yet much higher percentage of small deletions, duplication mutations, insertions, indels were observed in this analysis. Besides the identification of novel mutations and polymorphisms, several common mutations have also been reported, which will allow to develop a strategy for mutation screening in Indian patients with RBDs. Conclusion: There is a need for a consortium of Institutions working on the molecular pathology of RBDs in India. This will facilitate a quicker and cheaper diagnosis of RBDs besides its utility in first trimester prenatal diagnosis of the affected families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lead is found in small but appreciable quantities in air, soil, drinking water, and food. Exposure to such amounts of lead does not lead to acute lead toxicity but produces subtle effects particularly in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of blood lead level on biochemical and hematological parameters in children with neurological diseases in Western Maharashtra, India, and to estimate the blood lead level by liver and kidney function tests and hematological parameters in children with neurological disorders admitted to the pediatric ward and compare them with healthy controls. Methods: In this study, 30 children with various neurological disorders admitted to the pediatric ward of Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India, were compared with 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Four milliliters of venous blood was collected for estimation of blood lead level, and biochemical and hematological parameters were determined using standard methods. Results: Blood lead level was significantly increased in the study group (p<0.01, 65.38%) compared to that in the control group. When different neurological conditions were grouped into three groups according to blood lead levels, there was a significant difference between the groups. All other biochemical and hematological parameters were not significantly altered in the study group as compared to the control group. Conclusions: Neurologically challenged children are more vulnerable to lead intoxication. It is imperative for the parents to take extra care of their children's food habits and limit hand-to-mouth activities to prevent lead intoxication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thw. var. pendula (Annonaceae), a tall evergreen tree, is cultivated all over India. The plant is used in traditional systems of medicine for the treatment of fever, skin diseases, and hypertension. Objective: The present study evaluated the acute oral toxicity of Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula leaf extract in Wistar albino rats. Material and methods: The parameters evaluated daily after oral drug administration of the extract (540, 1080, 2160 and 3240 mg/kg body weight) were mortality, signs of toxicity, feed and water consumption and body weight changes up to 14 days. The effect of different doses of the extract on organ weight, biochemical and hematological parameters were evaluated on the 15th day. Results and conclusion: Methanol extract of Polyalthia longifolia leaf up to the dose level 3240 mg/kg body weight did not produce any toxic effects or deaths; the extract was well tolerated by the rats. It did not alter body weight, feed and water consumption. The organ weight, biochemical and hematological analysis did not show any dose- dependant changes in any of the parameters examined in animals of both sexes. The acute oral administration of the methanol extract of Polyalthia longifolia leaf was not toxic and safe in a single dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological disorder characterized by the loss of ability of the hematopoietic progenitor cells to differentiate and proliferate normally leading to an accumulation of immature myeloid cells in the bone marrow. Several novel molecular genetic aberrations in FLT3 and NPM1 have been shown to have a prognostic impact in AML, particularly in those having normal karyotype. Though there is substantial amount of data on these mutations from western literature, there is surprisingly little data from Indian subcontinent on the frequency of this mutation in AML patients from India. The present study screens a large cohort of non-acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) AML patients (207 patients) for the presence of FLT3 and NPM1 mutations and further correlates with cytogenetics, immunophenotypic characteristics and with follow-up data wherever available. During the course of study, 56 APL patients were also studied. Briefly, both FLT3 (internal tandem duplication (ITD) in 19.4 % and tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) in 9 %) and NPM1 mutations were detected in 28.4 % of the total non-APL AML patients screened showing distinct correlations with hematologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetics characteristics and follow-up. With regards to adult APL patients, 22.2 and 32.6 % of the patients showed FLT3 and NPM1 mutation, respectively. In the pediatrics age group (<15 years), 23 and16 % of patients with APL showed FLT3 and NPM1 mutation, respectively, while in non-APL patient is this age group, 23 % of patients showed both FLT3 and NPM1 mutation. NPM1 mutation was distinctly uncommon in younger age group of patients. In contrast to report elsewhere, most of our FLT3 mutation was in exon 11 rather than in exon 12. FLT3mutation due to ITD or TKD mutation was detected in 2:1 ratio in our patients and a new TKD mutation was also detected S840G in an M5 patient who did not go into remission and had a short survival of 3 months from diagnosis. Generally, patients with NPM1 mutation had a very high white cell count but they went into remission more often than those with wild (Wt)-type allele (written as NPM1− and FLT3−, respectively) and FLT3 mutation. These patients also tended to have significantly lower expression of CD34 antigen on flowcytometry. Distinct prognostic subclasses of adult AML patients were identified based on the presence of NPM1 and FLT3 mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We assessed the health effects of hexavalent chromium groundwater contamination (from tanneries and chrome sulfate manufacturing) in Kanpur, India. Methods: The health status of residents living in areas with high Cr (VI) groundwater contamination (N = 186) were compared to residents with similar social and demographic features living in communities having no elevated Cr (VI) levels (N = 230). Subjects were recruited at health camps in both the areas. Health status was evaluated with health questionnaires, spirometry and blood hematology measures. Cr (VI) was measured in groundwater samples by diphenylcarbazide reagent method. Results: Residents from communities with known Cr (VI) contamination had more self-reports of digestive and dermatological disorders and hematological abnormalities. GI distress was reported in 39.2% vs. 17.2% males (AOR = 3.1) and 39.3% vs. 21% females (AOR = 2.44); skin abnormalities in 24.5% vs. 9.2% males (AOR = 3.48) and 25% vs. 4.9% females (AOR = 6.57). Residents from affected communities had greater RBCs (among 30.7% males and 46.1% females), lower MCVs (among 62.8% males) and less platelets (among 68% males and 72% females) than matched controls. There were no differences in leucocytes count and spirometry parameters. Conclusions: Living in communities with Cr (VI) groundwater is associated with gastrointestinal and dermatological complaints and abnormal hematological function. Limitations of this study include small sample size and the lack of long term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood is an indicator of physiological condition of an animal. Therefore, a field study was conducted to investigate the hematological parameters of wild population of rohu, Labeo rohita (Ham). The following aspects were evaluated in blood: hemoglobin content, red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) count, packed cell volume (PCV), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values, and in plasma: cholesterol, protein, and glucose levels. For this purpose, rohu fish of varying sizes and weights were sampled from Hebbal (receiving a storm water drain) and Chowkalli lake (received domestic sewage and industrial effluents from various sources and was more polluted than Hebbal lake). It revealed noticeable differences in hemoglobin content, RBC and WBC count, and PCV and MCHC values. Severe anemia can be marked by a significant decrease in RBC count ( p < 0.5), hemoglobin content, and PCV and MCHC values, whereas an increase in leukocyte count and MCV values were observed in fish from Chowkalli lake. Fish from lake B had fewer RBC and low concentration of serum protein and cholesterol. Serum concentration of glucose showed initial higher levels and then low concentration (900–1,500 g) in fish from lake B when compared to lake A. The variation in values of different parameters can be attributed to exposure of fish to various types of pollutants present mainly in the Chowkalli lake which receives heavy metals, synthetic detergents, petroleum products, and other acid and alkali substances from the nearby local industries. Other observations of these fish include dark body color and aggressive nature of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavobacterium columnare is an important pathogen of freshwater fishes often causing high mortality. Seven strains of F. columnare have been isolated from gill necrosis, skin lesions and internal organs of Catla catla, Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala, Carassius auratus, Anabas testudineus and Clarias batrachus and characterized by biochemical reactions and serological tests viz indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Dot-ELISA, agglutination test. All the strains showed binding to Congo red dye as well as hemolysis. All the seven strains were susceptible to amikacin, gentamycin and ofloxacin. In vivo LD50 dose of virulent strain MS2 was found to be 6 × 104 CFU/mL after experimental infection to L. rohita. Serologically all the seven strains showed a positive result to agglutination, Dot-ELISA and indirect ELISA. The agglutination titer was found to be in the range of 256-131,072. The lysozyme activity of hyperimmune sera was found to be 39.37 ± 0.80 units/mL. This is the first extensive study that report about the various strains of F. columnare from freshwater fishes of Eastern India and their differentiation by biochemical and serological methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that evaluated the effect of sublethal concentrations of monocrotophos on erythropoietic activity and hematology of Anabas testudineus. Anabas testudineus were collected from a swamp in Pondicherry, India. Bioassays were conducted using the technique described by the American Public Health Association. Feeding was stopped for one day before each sampling interval. Six fish from each experimental and control aquarium were removed during fixed exposure intervals. Results of the study showed varying anomalies in the blood of Anabas testudineus at the time of prolonged exposure to monocrotophos while no changes were observed in the measured variables of fish maintained in uncontaminated water.

The effect of canine intestinal helminths on the haematological profile of 200 dogs, of both sexes and variable age, visiting university veterinary clinics for routine examination was investigated. The dogs were assigned to parasitized (n = 39) and non-parasitized (n = 161) groups of animals. Coprological examination revealed a 19.5% prevalence of different species of the helminths. Of these animals, 10.25% had mixed infections with Ancylostoma caninum, Toxascaris spp. and Dipylidium caninum. The intensity of A. caninum infection was the highest, with mean egg counts of 951.43 (standard error 88.66), followed by Toxascaris 283.33 (standard error 116.81) and D. caninum. The parasitized animals had significantly lower levels of haemoglobin, packed cell volume and total erythrocyte counts than non-parasitized animals (P < 0.01). Values of other parameters, except for lymphocytes and eosinophils, were not different between the two groups. Analyses of the haematological profile revealed normocytic hypochromic anaemia in the parasitized group of animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral blood smear analysis is a gold-standard method used in laboratories to diagnose many hematological disorders. Leukocyte analysis helps in monitoring and identifying health status of a person. Segmentation is an important step in the process of automation of analysis which would reduce the burden on hematologists and make the process simpler. The segmentation of leukocytes is a challenging task due to variations in appearance of cells across the slide. In the proposed study, an automated method to detect nuclei and to extract leukocytes from peripheral blood smear images with color and illumination variations is presented. Arithmetic and morphological operations are used for nuclei detection and active contours method is for leukocyte detection. The results demonstrate that the proposed method detects nuclei and leukocytes with Dice score of 0.97 and 0.96 respectively. The overall sensitivity of the method is around 96%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]