Human dirofilariasis is an uncommon zoonotic infection having a widespread geographical distribution. World over 800 cases of Dirofilaria are on record with highest numbers from Italy, Sri Lanka and republics of the ex-Soviet Union. Dirofilaria repens belongs to the subgenus Nochtiella and is the most common species identified in India. Topographically, the orbital/periorbital regions are the most common regions involved by Dirofilaria. We present a brief review of cases from India including two received in our own institute. This review focuses on the epidemiology of the disease including its geographical distribution and the probable causation of the recent increase in its incidence in Indian subcontinent.

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Background: Fine Needle Aspiration cytology (FNAC) is an essential diagnostic method used to evaluate salivary gland lesions. However, at times, diverse morphological patterns and overlapping features between benign and malignant lesions becomes challenging and difficult to give a definitive diagnosis.Aim are to compare the findings of preoperative FNAC with their histopathological types and to discuss the causes for discordancy and identify the potential pitfalls in cytological diagnosis. Materials and Methods:An observational analytical study was carried out over a 4 year period to review the cases of patients with salivary gland lesions who underwent FNAC in a medical college, hospital. Taking histopathological diagnosis as gold standard, the cytological diagnosis of the cases was compared and the causes of discrepancies were evaluated. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value was calculated. Results:In the present study, out of 137 cases, cyto-histological correlation was available in 46 cases. Pleomorphic adenoma was the commonest lesion in the study. The diagnostic value of FNAC was: Sensitivity 66.7%, Specificity 97.4%, Positive Predictive Value 80%, Negative Predictive Value 95% and Diagnostic Accuracy 93.3%. False positive diagnosis was rendered in warthin's tumor whereas false negative diagnosis was given in mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Conclusion:FNAC is useful in the preoperative diagnosis of salivary gland lesions. Pitfalls in cytologic diagnosis were due to errors in sampling, cystic lesions and interpretation of smears .

Malaria is a major public health problem in India. Changes in blood cell counts are a wellknown feature of malaria. Hence an attempt has been made to assess the role of leucocyte ratios in malaria as predictors of malaria infection and its clinical severity. Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study was carried out in a tertiary care teaching hospital over a period of 2 months. A total of 171 samples and 48 controls were included in the study. All the absolute and differential white blood cell counts were done. The neutrophillymphocyte count ratio (NLCR), monocyte-lymphocyte count ratio (MLCR) and monocyteneutrophil count ratio (MNCR) were calculated by using the absolute neutrophil, lymphocyte and monocyte count respectively. The results were analyzed statistically using SPSS software for windows. Results: Among 171 cases 145(84.8%), 19(11.1%), 7(4.1%) were Pl. vivax, Pl. falciparum and mixed malaria respectively. 52 cases were severe and 119 were non-severe. 52, 45, 47, 27 were parasitemia grade 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively. NLCR, MLCR and MNCR showed a sensitivity of 60.8%, 71.7%, 70.8% and specificity of 43.8%, 60.4%, and 56.3% respectively in malaria diagnosis. There was no association of NLCR, MLCR, MNCR with the type and severity of malaria. NLCR, MNCR correlated with varying grade of parasitemia. Conclusion: The results show the ratios NLCR, MLCR and MNCR have a better sensitivity but less specificity. The sensitivity and specificity for MLCR are the highest and can be used as a supportive to a screening test. The ratios can be used to show the presence of malaria parasite but there is no association with the type and severity of malaria. MLCR is a good predictor of malarial presence. NLCR and MNCR are associated with parasitemia.

Introduction: Mast cells have an important role in innate and adaptive immunity. There role in tumour pathology is under investigation due to studies linking them to angiogenesis, tissue remodeling and stromal immunomodulation. Reports suggest that they can exert both pro or anti tumour effects. The role of mast cells may be influenced by its location in the lesion. In the present study, the number and distribution of mast cells in both benign and malignant prostatic lesions were recorded. Methodology: Fifty seven patients of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 43 patients of adenocarcinoma (Ca) were the subjects of the study. Inflammatory conditions of prostate like prostatitis and other malignancies of prostate like sarcoma, transitional cell carcinoma etc were excluded from the study. This was a descriptive study with purposive sampling. Histological diagnosis was made by examining sections stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin. Additional sections from the same block were stained for mast cells using Giemsa stains as per standard protocol. Mast cell count was done in minimum 6 random high power microscopy field in four different regions viz., intraglandular, periglandular, stromal and perivascular regions for BPH and intratumoral, peritumoral, stromal and perivascular regions for Ca. Results were analysed statistically. Results: BPH cases showed significantly higher number of mast cells in stromal as well as periglandular areas followed by perivascular area. Only few mast cells were observed in intraglandular area. Similar was the observations in adenocarcinoma cases where the maximum number of mast cells were concentrated in the stromal and perilesional area. The number of mast cells in stroma of BPH was higher as compared to that of adenocarcinoma. In rest of the areas, the numbers were comparable. Conclusion: This study showed no remarkable difference in the number and distribution of mast cells in benign and malignant prostatic lesions. There is paucity of such studies in the literature and the possible utility of mast cell count to differentiate malignant from benign and atypical conditions needs further evaluation.