Background:As milk is an excellent medium for growth of microorganisms, milk gets contaminated very easily leading to its early spoilage and to milk-borne diseases.Objectives:To compare the quality of pasteurized milk with milk cooker-treated milk and to compare the quality of fresh ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk with that of UHT milk close to expiry date.Materials and Methods:Samples of pasteurized milk, milk heated in milk cooker, fresh UHT milk, and UHT milk nearing expiry date were tested by methylene blue reduction test, coliform test, and colony count test. The results were analyzed statistically using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5.Results:All milk samples passed the methylene blue test and UHT-treated milk passed the coliform test also. Out of the 30 fresh pasteurized milk samples, seven (23.3%) passed the coliform test; but the same after milk cooker treatment, 16 (53.3%) passed the coliform test (P < 0.05). Fourteen (46.6%) out of 30 fresh pasteurized milk samples failed the colony count test, but the same after milk cooker treatment only eight (26.6%) failed the test (P = 0.583). Only seven out of the 60 UHT milk samples failed the colony count test and out of these six (20%) were close to expiry date (P < 0.05).Conclusions:Milk cooker-treated milk appears to be safer than the fresh pasteurized milk. Fresh UHT-treated milk is safer then UHT milk close to expiry date.
India currently ranks the highest in the world with over 3.86 lakhs new COVID-19 cases per day. With a spike in the number of cases in the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021 compared to the first wave of the outbreak in 2020, there have been varied clinical manifestations among masses. This study aimed to determine the changing trends in prevalence of COVID-19 symptoms during the pandemic. A cross-sectional study among 166 individuals was carried out using a self-designed survey-based questionnaire. Two groups were made on the basis of symptoms and compared: Group A- patients who tested COVID-19 positive in 2020 and Group B- patients who tested COVID-19 positive in 2021. 130 participants (78.31%) had tested positive for COVID-19, out of which 110 (84.62%) were symptomatic and 20 (15.38%) were asymptomatic. Fever was the most common presenting symptom (27.69%) followed by difficulty in breathing (24.62%). Group A individuals (n = 37), reported fever as the most common presenting symptom (45.95%), followed by body ache (13.51%); while those in Group B (n = 93) reported difficulty in breathing (33.33%) followed by fever (20.43%). The most common general symptoms were fever and difficulty in breathing while sore throat, cough and anosmia were the most common ENT symptoms. 57.83% had been vaccinated out of which 38.55% experienced symptoms post-vaccination. The prevalence of symptoms in the first and second wave of the pandemic can help in better understanding of the changing symptomatology of SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Introduction Patients with a history of or active COVID-19 infection are predisposed to the development of opportunist bacterial and fungal infections. A rising incidence of a rare occurring fungal infection earlier, called mucormycosis, has been reported in abundance across the globe since March 2021, especially in India just as the second wave of COVID-19 began, caused by the trifecta of hyperglycemia (new-onset or exacerbation of pre-existing diabetes), oxygen therapy (invasive or noninvasive ventilation), and prolonged intake of steroids. Objective The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence of post-COVID mucormycosis in males of younger age group and spread of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM). Methods A case-control study was performed over a period of 3 months among 60 male patients with confirmed diagnosis of mucormycosis. Individuals < 40 years old were included in the case group (n = 30), while those > 40 years old were included as controls (n = 30). Disease spread was assessed in three types of ROCM, that is, rhinomaxillary, rhino-orbital, and rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis. Results In the control group, the mean age was 48.47 years old, the mean HbA1c was 10.62 ± 1.88%, with most of them suffering from rhino-orbital mucormycosis. In the case group, the mean age was 31.57 years old, with a mean HbA1c of 10.11 ± 2.46%, and most patients had rhinomaxillary mucormycosis. The duration of steroid intake and mode of oxygen therapy were found to be significant in the severity of ROCM. Conclusion Rising cases of post-COVID mucormycosis have brought to light the fatal consequences of prolonged use of steroids and oxygen therapy towards the development and spread of ROCM among young and middle-aged males.
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