Plasmodium knowlesi (P. knowlesi) has been detected to be the fifth malarial parasite that can cause malaria in human beings. The parasite is known to commonly infect macaque monkeys. The infection is highly prevalent in South-East Asia. It has morphologic similarities to Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium falciparum. P. knowlesi is known to replicate every 24 h in the human host and hence, causes “quotidian malaria.” It causes a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations and sometimes can cause fatal illness. Chloroquine is effective in the treatment of uncomplicated P. knowlesi infection. Severe and complicated P. knowlesi malaria can be managed with artemisinin combination therapy.

We report a 16-year-old boy who presented with weakness of lower limbs. He was diagnosed to have Wilson's disease, renal tubular acidosis and osteoporosis. Screening of siblings showed that his younger sister was also affected by the disease.

IntroductionNephrin is a podocyte-specific protein that may serve as a urinary biomarker in patients with diabetic nephropathy. The objectives of the study were to determine urinary nephrin levels in patients with and without type 2 diabetic nephropathy and to assess the correlation between urinary nephrin and albuminuria. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional comparative study that was carried out at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry over 18 months. Diabetic study subjects were divided into three groups-normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria, and macroalbuminuria. Urinary albumin was detected by the dipstick method in a spot urine sample for all study subjects. In subjects with trace or no albuminuria, nephelometry was used to quantify urinary albumin levels. Urinary nephrin was estimated by the ELISA technique for all study subjects. ResultsSubjects in the microalbuminuria group had higher urinary nephrin levels than those in the normoalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria groups. There was a weak positive correlation between urinary albumin and nephrin levels among the study subjects (p < 0.001). ConclusionUrinary nephrin levels are increased in patients with diabetic nephropathy. There was a weak positive correlation between urinary albumin and nephrin levels among these patients.

No abstract

No abstract