Rotavirus is responsible for acute severe watery diarrhoea in young children. Early and rapid detection of rotavirus infection can help to reduce inappropriate administration of antibiotics and has future positive impact on prevention of drug resistance. This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the role of rotaviral antigen detection by ICT from stool sample of acute diarrhoeal children below five years admitted in Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet and was carried out in the department of microbiology in collaboration with the department of paediatrics during the period from 1st January  to 31st December, 2018. Total 184 children of under five years of age with acute watery diarrhoea were enrolled in this study. Rotaviral antigen was detected by ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) and ICT (Immunochromatographic test) from stool samples. Out of 184 stool samples, rotaviral antigen was found positive in 84 and 86 cases by ICT and ELISA methods, respectively. ICT showed sensitivity of 90.70% and specificity of 93.88% when compared with ELISA. The rotavirus infection was found highest in male children (61.90%) and in age group of 7 to 12 months (51.89%). Considering the importance of rotaviral diarrhoea, rapid detection of rotavirus infection by ICT is essentially needed and should be practiced routinely as it is relatively reliable, easy to perform and cost-effective. It is particularly important in Bangladesh, where diarrhoea is still contributing a significant proportion of mortality and morbidity in under five children. Bangladesh Med J. 2020 Jan; 49 (1): 14-18

No abstract

Retrovirus is the major cause of acute severe diarrhea in under five children and contributing 10,000 to 27000 deaths each year in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the risk factors associated with Rotaviral among under five children admitted in the Department of Paediatrics, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet and was carried out in the Department of Microbiology during the period from 1st January to 31st December, 2018. Total 184 under five children with acute watery diarrhoea were enrolled in this study by convenient sampling. Stool samples were obtained and assayed for rotavirus antigens by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Rotaviral antigen was found positive in 86 cases.The Rotavirus infection was found highest in age group of 7 to 12 months (50.56%) and in male (59.30%) children. It was found significantly higher in patients from lower socio-economic condition (64.00%), those who were from rural area (48.75%) and children who were not exclusively breastfed (83.87%). Bottle feeding, lower educational level of mother and overweight of children may serve as predisposing factors of rotavirus disease in these children. Bangladesh Med J. 2019 May; 48 (2): 32-37

This study was designed to identify the microbial agents causing infective corneal ulcer and to carry out the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolated bacteria causing infective corneal ulcer. Out of 80 samples, 67 (83.75%) cases were positive by microscopy and culture. This study showed pure fungal growth in 39 (48.75%) cases, pure bacterial growth in 8 (10%) cases, mixed microbial growth (both fungi and bacteria) in 20 (25%) cases and no growth was observed in 13 (16.25%) cases. Among the fungal isolates, Aspergillus species was the leading agent detected in 37(46.3%) cases followed by Penicillium species in 7 (8.8%) instances. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common bacterial pathogen found in 11 (13.8%) cases followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis present in 9 (11.3%) cases. Gentamicin, Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin were found to be better efficacious drugs against most of the bacterial pathogens noted in antimicrobial susceptibility test. This study showed that infective corneal ulcers are caused by both bacterial and fungal agents but fungal agents are more common. The findings of this study would help the ophthal- mologists in evidence based management of their patients of infective corneal ulcer. Bangladesh Med J. 2018 May; 47 (2): 1-6

Campylobacter species is the main etiology of gastroenteritis due to bacteria.  To determine prevalence of Campylobacter species in stool of children less than five years of age with acute diarrhoea, this observational study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, Sylhet M A G Osmani Medical College, Sylhet from January to December, 2017. Stool samples were collected from 162 under-five children with acute diarrhoea admitted in the Department of Paediatrics. Isolation of Campylobacter species were done by stool culture. About two third of the children were male (65.4%) and more than one fourth of the affected children (26.65%) were in age group 6-12 months. Campylobacter species was isolated in 24 (15%) sample and among them, Campylobacter jejuni were 22 (91.7%) and Campylobacter coli were 2 (8.3%). Isolation rate of Campylobacter species did not differ significantly between age group of 6-12 months and  above 12 months (p=0.211) of age;  male and female children (p=0.288); among socioeconomic status (p=0.673) and between residential status (p=0.108). Isolation rate of Campylobacter species are frequent among under five children with acute diarrhea and most of the children came from low socioeconomic background and were male. However, a large multicenter study needs to be conducted to generate more evidence regarding the issue. Bangladesh Med J. 2020 Sept; 49(3) : 11-16