BackgroundThree rounds of a repeated cross-sectional serosurvey to estimate the seroprevalence and trends of SARS-CoV-2 were conducted from August-October’ 2020 in the state of Delhi in India in the general population aged ≥5 years.MethodsThe selection of participants was through a multi-stage sampling design from all the 11 districts and 280 wards of the city-state, with two-stage allocation proportional to population- size. Household selected was via systematic random sampling, and individual participant selection through the age-order procedure. The blood samples were screened using the IgG ELISA COVID-Kawach kit (August Round), and the ERBALISA COVID-19 IgG (September and October) rounds. The seroprevalence was estimated by applying the sampling weights based on age and sex with further adjustment for the assay-kit characteristics.ResultsA total of 4267 (n=15046), 4311 (n=17409), and 3829 (n=15015) positive tests indicative of the presence of IgG antibody to SARS-CoV-2 were observed during the August, September, and October 2020 serosurvey rounds, respectively. The adjusted seroprevalence declined from 28.39% (95% CI 27.65-29.14) (August) to 24.08% (95% CI 23.43-24.74) (September), and 24.71% (95% CI 24.01, 25.42%) (October). The antibody positivity was highest in the ≥50 and female age-group during all rounds of the serosurvey, while the decline was maximum among the younger age-group (5-17 years). On adjusted analysis, participants with lower per capita income, living in slums or overcrowded households, and those with diabetes comorbidity had significantly higher statistical odds of antibody positivity.ConclusionsDespite high IgG seroprevalence, there was evidence for waning of antibody positivity with the progression of the COVID-19 epidemic, implying a potential reduction in population immunity, especially if also associated with the lack of trained T cell immunity.

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Background To compare the efficacy and safety of bioavailable turmeric extract versus paracetamol in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods In this randomized, non-inferiority, controlled clinical study, patients of knee OA were randomized to receive bioavailable turmeric extract (BCM-95®) 500 mg capsule two times daily or paracetamol 650 mg tablet three times daily for 6 weeks. The primary outcome measure was Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale. The secondary outcome measures were WOMAC total, WOMAC stiffness, and WOMAC physical function scores. Responder analysis of individual patients at different levels (≥ 20%, ≥ 50%, and ≥ 70%) for WOMAC score was calculated. TNF alpha and CRP levels were evaluated and adverse events (AE) were also recorded. Results Seventy-one and seventy-three knee OA patients, respectively in bioavailable turmeric extract and paracetamol groups, completed the study. Non-inferiority (equivalence) test showed that WOMAC scores were equivalent in both the groups (p value < 0.05) in all the domains within the equivalence limit defined by effect size (Cohen’s d) of 0.5 whereas CRP and TNF-α were better reduced with turmeric extract than paracetamol. After 6 weeks of treatment, WOMAC total score, pain, stiffness, and function scores got a significant improvement of 23.59, 32.09, 28.5, and 20.25% respectively with turmeric extract. In the turmeric extract group, 18% of patients got more than 50% improvement and 3% of patients got more than 70% improvement in WOMAC pain and function/stiffness score and none of the patients in the paracetamol group met the criteria. CRP and TNF-α got significantly reduced (37.21 and 74.81% respectively) in the turmeric extract group. Adverse events reported were mild and comparatively less in the turmeric extract group (5.48%) than in the paracetamol group (12.68%). Conclusion The results of the study suggest that bioavailable turmeric extract is as effective as paracetamol in reducing pain and other symptoms of knee osteoarthritis and found to be safe and more effective in reducing CRP and TNF-α. Trial registration Clinical Trials Registry – India CTRI/2017/02/007962. Registered on 27 February 2017

Although Nugent's criterion is considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV), the method requires an experienced slide reader and considerable time and skill. In this study, we compared the method of Hay and Ison with Nugent's scoring criteria. Vaginal specimens were collected from a total of 213 women, presenting with or without the symptoms of vaginitis. Diagnosis of BV was done using Nugent' and Hay's method. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for positive and negative test were calculated for Hay's method using Nugent's method as the gold standard. We diagnosed 70 cases (32.86%) of BV by Nugent's method and 87 (40.85%) cases by the Hay's method. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of positive result, predictive value of negative result, and Kappa value when evaluating Hay's criteria using Nugent's criteria as the gold standard were ≥97.2%, ≥88.1%, ≥80.4%, ≥97.1%, and ≥0.830, respectively, when Hay's grade II and/or Nugent's intermediate score were considered either as negative or positive or excluded. Using Nugent score for the intermediate group is the most difficult. Hay's method shows good agreement with the gold standard method of Nugent et al. and can be used as an alternative to Nugent's criteria in busy tertiary care hospitals.