Acinetobacter spp are ubiquitous aerobic Gram negative coccobacillus, that are now increasingly responsible for a large number of nosocomial infections. In our study, over a period of six months (Jan-Jun 2000) at a tertiary care hospital, 152 (12.9%) isolates of Acinetobacter spp were obtained from a total of 1175 isolates grown from all clinical specimens. Most of the isolates 126 (82.9%) were from hospitalised patients in the spinal cord injury centre, intensive care units and those on prior antibiotic therapy. Community acquired infections were also seen in 26 (17.1%) out patient department (OPD) cases. Isolates were from urine, respiratory exudates, blood and pus/burn wound swabs predominantly. They were resistant to commonly used antibiotics while being sensitive to amikacin, augmentin, piperacillin, netilmicin and cefotaxime. 69.2% isolates exhibited resistance to two or more antibiotics. Clinical co-relation must be under taken to exclude commensal contaminants, before considering it to be a pathogen and prescribing antibiotics to the patient. MJAFI 2004; 60 : 7-10Key Words : Acinetobacter spp; Antibiotic resistance; Nosocomial infectionIn the protocol followed, all the clinical samples were inoculated on MacConkey agar and 5% sheep blood agar at 37°C for 24 hours. Urine samples were inoculated into CLED agar. Growth on MacConkey medium showed a pinkish tint, while no pigmentation was seen on blood agar. Gram stain of direct smear from sample showed tiny diplococci. Gram stain, oxidase, catalase and motility tests were undertaken from the growth on various media. They were Gram negative cocco bacilli, strictly aerobic, oxidase negative, nonmotile and catalase positive [7,8]. Colonies of Acinetobacter spp were white/cream coloured, smooth, circular with entire edges. Some of the strains showed haemolysis. Rapid utilisation of 10% glucose was seen with O-F medium. Isolates of Acinetobacter spp were differentiated from other oxidase negative, non-motile, non-fermenting bacilli like CDC group I and Bordetella holmesii by the nitrate reduction test and production of brown soluble pigments.Species differentiation was done on basis of glucose oxidation, gelatin liquefaction, haemolysis, growth at 37°C and 44°C, susceptibility to penicillin and chloramphenicol discs. Acinetobacter bauamanii complex (Acb complex) showed predominance amongst the isolated species. Other species identified were A haemolyticus and lowffii.Antimicrobial susceptibility tests using modified Stokes disc diffusion method was carried out with amikacin, gentamicin, netilmicin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, piperacillin, norfloxacin, co-amoxyclav, nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin.

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Background: Hepatitis B e antigen negative chronic hepatitis (e -CHB) with detectable levels of hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) in serum has been reported in cases from Asia. This study was undertaken to find out prevalence e -CHB and to correlate its presence with the clinical status and severity of the illness in cases of chronic liver disease in India.

Sputum from 105 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were studied. Direct and post concentration smears were stained by Ziehl - Neelsen (ZN) and cold staining methods. The cold staining method is simple, because it eliminates heatingof stain. For direct smear, the correlations of cold staining procedure with conventional ZN method was 93% and for post concentration smear it was 100%.