Microbiology

Highlights of year gone by

Year 2005 highlights

Research activities undertaken

Bacteriology

• Nosocomial Pneumonias in Medical intensive care unit
• Prevalence and characterization of Enterococci in a tertiary care centre
• Bacteriology of Burns
• Characterization of Metallo beta Lactamases in Gram negative isolates
• Microbiological aspects of otologic infections
• Phage types , detection methods and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of MRSA

Mycobacteriology

• Rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing of M.tuberculosis- its utility in resource poor settings
• Value of culture in persistent smear positive patients on antituberculosis treatment

Mycology

• Candidemia & Candiduria in paediatric patients on broad spectrum antibiotics and its correlation with gastrointestinal colonization
• Sino-nasal fungal infections: Clinico-pathologic study of their various patterns & mycologic correlation
• Laboratory diagnosis of fungal keratitis

Parasitology

• Prevalence and Frequency of Opportunistic pathogens in Stool samples of HIV seropositive patients with diarrhoea
  

Serology

• Comparative study of different microbiological tests for the diagnosis of leptospirosis infection in patients attending a tertiary level hospital in Mumbai - A pilot study.

VCTC & Immunology

• Improved Partner Counselling & Testing - A Road Map to Good VCTC
• Comprehensive Laboratory services - A need of the hour.
• Client Satisfaction Survey - A base to review VCTC Services
• Redefining the cut off for CD4 counts in HIV Disease staging - Experience from western India.
• Total Lymphocyte count - an alternative for monitoring HIV disease progression?
• HIV Sentinel Surveillance activity for low and high risk group population

Infection Control
The impact of a novel waste monitoring programme on biomedical waste management at a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Activities organized

• Pre conference workshop on 'Good Laboratory Practices' conducted at Seth G S Medical College and KEM Hospital during the International Conference on Quality Health Care on 4th February 2005.
• National Consultation on Drug Resistance in Malaria, Tuberculosis & HIV/AIDS. (19th -21st September 2005)
• Exposure visits of other VCTCs in Maharashtra
• Refresher Training Workshop for Laboratory Technicians (9th May 2005)
• External Quality Assessment Scheme
• Demonstration of HIV Testing methods and record keeping - PPTCT training for sub-district hospitals of Maharashtra organized by UNICEF/MSACS -

Papers presented

• Rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing of M.tuberculosis- its utility in resource poor settings Dr. Aruna Poojary, Dr. Gita Nataraj, Dr. Swapna Kanade, Dr. Preeti Mehta, Dr. Sujata Baveja presented at the Maharashtra State Chapter conference of Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists held at Solapur September-2005, National Conference of Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists held at SR Medical College, Chennai, October-2005 and National Consultation on Drug Resistance in Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, Sept 2005, Mumbai
• Value of culture in persistent smear positive patients on antituberculosis treatment Dr. Swapna Kanade, Dr. Gita Nataraj, Dr. Anita Ramachandran, Dr. Preeti Mehta, Dr. Sujata Baveja The poster was awarded the first prize in the tuberculosis section at the National Consultation on Drug Resistance in Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, Sept 2005, Mumbai
• Drug resistance in previously treated patients of tuberculosis - trends over a five year period at a tertiary care speciality hospital for tuberculosis Dr. Gita Nataraj, Dr. Swapna Kanade, Dr. Padhi, Dr. Preeti Mehta, National Consultation on Drug Resistance in Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, Sept 2005, Mumbai
• The impact of a novel waste monitoring programme on biomedical waste management at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Dr. Gita Nataraj, Dr. Sujata Baveja, Dr. Sunil Kuyare, Dr. Aruna Poojary, Dr. Shweta Sharma, Dr. Preeti Mehta National Conference of Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists held at SR Medical College, Chennai, October-2005
• 'Prevalence of Candida species in various clinical specimens' CV Patankar, C.Kumar, PR Mehta at Maharashtra State Chapter Conference of Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists held at Solapur September-2005
• ' Prospective study of Candidal colonisation in very low birth weight infants' A.Sarathi, CV Patankar, C.Kumar, PR Mehta, T.Parikh, R.Nanavati at the National Conference of Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists held at SR Medical College, Chennai, October-2005
• Fluconazole prophylaxis against fungal colonisation & invasive infection in very low birth weight infants T.Parikh, R.Nanavati, CV Patankar, SN Rao, K.Bisure, RH Udani, PR Mehta At the 8th National Conference of IAP Paediatric Infectious Diseases Chapter held at Mumbai,October-2005

Highlights for: "2002 and earlier"