Introduction. COVID-19 is an infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) which may be associated with a wide range of bacterial and fungal co-infections. Mucormycosis is an opportunistic fungal infection occurring in post COVID-19 patients. Objectives. To study the role of histopathology in mucormycosis and the predisposing factors associated in development of mucormycosis in post COVID-19 patients. Materials and methods. A prospective observational study was conducted in our hospital in the pathology department over a period of 3 months on 200 patients with mucormycosis who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus. Results. Out of the 200 patients with mucormycosis studied in post COVID-19 patients, age ranged from 21–80 years, of which 132 were men and 68 were women. Sites involved by mucormycosis were sinuses, orbit, cranium, and cutaneous. Ethmoid sinus was most involved, followed by maxillary sinus. Diabetes was present in 162 patients and hypertension in 92 patients. On histopathological examination, fungal load was severe in 49 patients, angioinvasion was present in 48 patients, perineural invasion was present in 32 patients, and necrosis was present in 121 patients. The number of patients discharged after surgery was 169, whereas 31 died. Conclusion. Histopathological features of mucormycosis like angioinvasion, perineural invasion, severe fungal load, and large areas of necrosis were directly proportional to the mortality rate. Thus, histopathologists can help in assessing prognosis at the time of tissue diagnosis, so that clinicians can optimize treatment accordingly. Diabetes and history of corticosteroid intake for treatment of COVID-19 were the two commonest predisposing factors for development of mucormycosis.

BACKGROUNDTuberculosis and Malaria are among the leading causes of infectious disease-related deaths worldwide. Plasmodium falciparum is almost always responsible for the most severe cases of malaria, leading to multi organ failure and higher mortality rates among the plasmodium species. India has the highest burden of TB in the world, an estimated 2 million cases annually, and accounting for approximately one fifth of the global incidence. Despite the availability of effective treatment for most cases, tuberculosis is still a cause of death in our environment; as in some cases, the diagnosis of tuberculosis may not be established until after the patient had died and an autopsy has been performed.

BACKGROUND The causes of discordant diagnoses achieved at squash cytology of intracranial and spinal cord tumours were ascertained. Lesions having the advantage of diagnostic accuracy by squash cytology of intracranial and spinal cord lesions was also determined. METHODS Squash preparations of 72 patients suspected to have neoplasia were made and stained with rapid haematoxylin and eosin stain and toluidine blue stain. The smears were classified according to the cytomorphological criteria and the squash cytodiagnoses were compared. RESULTS Total 72 cases were studied, 93.9% were neoplastic and 6.1% non-neoplastic on histopathology. Amongst neoplasms, Astrocytic tumours constituted 26.3% of cases followed by Meningiomas comprising 20.8%. Amongst the benign lesions, Tuberculoma was seen most frequently (6.95%). Overall diagnostic accuracy of squash was 98.65%. On statistical analysis, Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive value (PPV) and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of squash cytology were 98.6%, 100%, 100% and 80% respectively. CONCLUSION Intraoperative Squash is reliable, accurate, cost effective diagnostic modality when combined with histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques.

BACKGROUND Jaw bones are exceptional developmentally in having embryonal neuroectodermal cells on one hand and tooth germs on other. They cause destruction of the jaw bones and pose diagnostic challenge. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients attending Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Osmania General Hospital during the period January 2013-May 2016 presenting with complaints of gradually progressive of jaw swelling, toothache and with radiological evaluation showing osteolytic, sclerotic, and cystic change were subjected to surgical excision. Representative tissue samples were processed routinely and stained by haematoxylin and eosin. RESULTS A total of 55 cases of lesions involving jaw bones were studied out of which 21 cases occurred in females and 34 cases in males. 47 lesions were encountered in mandible and 7 lesions in maxilla. A single case of firm-to-hard submandibular swelling was also included in the study. The lesions were categorised into cysts, odontogenic tumours, reactive bone lesions, giant cell lesions, and primary bone tumours. Ameloblastoma was the most common odontogenic tumour type, 15/55; one ameloblastoma case was recurrent followed by radicular cyst 7/55 and dentigerous cyst accounting for six cases and variety of other lesions. CONCLUSION A whole gamut of lesions occurred in the jaws presented with a considerable overlap in clinical, histological, and radiological features. The present study revealed mostly cystic and benign neoplastic lesions.