Journal Issue: No 2, Issue 2, APRIL-JUN, 2003
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Volume
1
Number
2
Issue Date
2003-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
1812-2027
Journal Volume
Volume: 1
(1)
Articles
Seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among injecting drug users from Kathmandu
(Kathmandu University, 2003) I L, Shrestha
Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among injecting drug users (IDU)
from Kathmandu. Design: Retrospective cohort study from January 1997 to December 2002. Setting: Pathology
Lab, Siddhi Polyclinic, Dillibazaar, Kathmandu. Materials and methods: Blood samples were collected from 400
injecting drug users and 400 healthy young adults. Serum samples were examined in duplicate along with negative
and positive controls for the presence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus using third-generation enzyme-linked
immunoassay (EIA 3.0) kit in fully automated, USA FDA approved, Bio-Rad EIA analyzer. Samples positive for
anti HCV were re-examined for confirmation. Results: 342 out of 400 (85.5%) serum samples from IDU were
found to be positive for anti HCV compared to 3 out of 400 (0.75%) serum samples from young adults without the
history of IDU.
Conclusions:
1. Injecting drug use is an important risk factor in the spread of hepatitis C virus.
2. Sharing of needles should be stopped.
3. Education and health counselling should be given to the people at risk to bring about behavioural change.
Keywords: antibodies to Hepatitis C virus, seroprevalence study, EIA third generation, Injecting drug users.
A study of endometrium of patients with abnormal uterine bleeding at Chitwan valley
(Kathmandu University, 2003) G, Dangal
Objective: To know the causes for the abnormal uterine bleeding in Women at Chitwan Valley and to compare
the histopathological findings between the pre-menopausal and postmenopausal women. Design: A descriptive
study of patients who have had vaginal bleeding during the period from January 2000 to July 2002. Setting:
Department of Gynaecological Oncology of BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (BPKMCH), Chitwan, Nepal.
Subjects: Eighty-four women (aged 45 year and above) having abnormal vaginal bleeding managed at BPKMCH.
Main Outcome Measured: Various characteristics of the patients including age, menopausal status,
histopathological findings. Results: A total of eighty-four patients were studied. Majority (53.5%) of them were
postmenopausal ladies presenting with abnormal vaginal bleeding. The age range was 45 to 81 years, with an
average of 63. Only 37% had pathological bleeding including malignancy and about 16.6% of all had
malignancies. Malignant diseases were found in 7.7% cases in the pre-menopausal ladies whereas it was 24.3%,
three times higher, in the post-menopausal ladies. Conclusion: Carcinoma of the cervix and of the endometrium
occurred with increasing frequency with increasing age in this study. So, a thorough work-up is needed for the
perimenopausal/postmenopausal women presenting with an abnormal vaginal bleeding especially to rule out
malignancies.
Keywords: curettage, endometrial biopsy, endometrial cancer, post- menopausal bleeding.
Clinical Profile of Neonatal Sepsis
(Kathmandu university, 2003) NK, Jain; VM,Jain; S, Maheshwari
Introduction: Neonatal Sepsis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in newborns both in developed and
developing countries. Objective: This study was to analyse the symptoms and sign of Neonatal Sepsis. Materials
and Methods: Retrospective hospital based study the date was collected from patient record files of two years (Jan.
2001–Dec.2002). Result: 106 Neonates with suspected sepsis were studied out of which 30 were culture positive.
The most common organism was E. coli and the most common clinical presentation was the respiratory distress and
letharginess. Conclusion: Infection in Neonate is an important cause of mortality & morbidity especially in low
birth babies.
Key Words: Neonate, Sepsis and Mortality.