West Bengal University of Health Sciences

ABSTRACT Background Cervical cancer is a major cause of death among Indian women, even though the HPV vaccine and routine screening can prevent it. Himachal Pradesh launched a state-funded HPV vaccination drive in early 2026. This study looks at what adolescent schoolgirls know about cervical cancer, whether they understand the vaccine, and what influences their choices. Methods We surveyed 516 female students across seven schools (five government and two private) in Bilaspur and Shimla districts of Himachal Pradesh between May and July 2026 (93.8% response rate). The survey covered knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV, vaccine benefits, vaccination status, fears about infertility, and willingness to get vaccinated if advised by a doctor. Results While 71.9% (371/516) of girls had heard of cervical cancer, only 47.3% (244/516) knew it begins in the cervix or lower uterus, 76.0% (392/516) knew no symptoms, and only 27.5% (142/516) recognized that it can be prevented ( p < 0.001). Similarly, 61.6% (318/516) had heard of the HPV vaccine, but only 41.9% (216/516) had heard of HPV itself ( p < 0.001), and only 50.0% (258/516) knew the vaccine prevents infection. Only 12.8% (66/516) had received at least one dose, and just two girls (0.4%) had finished all required doses. When asked if they would get vaccinated on a doctor’s advice, 45.3% (234/516) wanted more information first, 34.1% (176/516) refused, and 20.5% (106/516) agreed. Three out of four girls (75.6%, 390/516) were concerned or uncertain about whether the vaccine causes infertility. Only 3.5% (18/516) had heard of a Pap smear. Conclusion The findings demonstrate a pronounced decoupling between nominal awareness and actionable prevention literacy among adolescent schoolgirls in Himachal Pradesh. The predominant driver of vaccine hesitation was an unmet informational requirement rather than active ideological refusal. School-based immunization campaigns must incorporate structured, age-appropriate educational curriculum addressing the need of vaccination and infertility misconceptions prior to injection sessions.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with significant morbidity. Recognising the need for region-specific guidance, the Skin Allergy Research Society and Society for Eczema Studies have collaborated to develop updated, evidence-based guidelines tailored to the Indian context. These guidelines address AD management across all age groups, special populations while considering local epidemiology, healthcare infrastructure, and treatment accessibility. A structured Delphi consensus process was conducted among 23 dermatology experts over 3 months through virtual and in-person meetings. Literature from MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Google Scholar was systematically reviewed, and the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) approach was used to assess evidence quality. Clinical recommendations were refined through multiple voting rounds, leading to consensus statements. Recommendations are based on an extensive literature review up to December 2024. This document updates the 2019 Skin Allergy Society guidelines, reinforcing global recommendations while allowing local adaptability. These guidelines provide updated recommendations for topical, systemic, phototherapy, and biologic therapies in AD. Key advancements include the introduction of topical crisaborole and JAK inhibitors for mild to moderate AD, along with a focus on emerging systemic therapies, such as biologics and systemic JAK inhibitors. In the Indian context, the guidelines define the roles of dupilumab and abrocitinib while also addressing the off-label use of tofacitinib and baricitinib in resource-limited settings. Specific recommendations are provided for children, elderly patients, and pregnant women, emphasising safety considerations for systemic and biologic therapies. These guidelines align with global AD management while incorporating India-specific adaptations based on epidemiology, accessibility, and affordability. They serve as a key reference for dermatologists, pediatricians, and general practitioners in India and other resource-limited settings. Though tailored for India, they are also relevant to dermatologists in developing countries, guiding treatment selection based on disease patterns, environmental factors, and medication availability.

Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder in which oxidative stress has been implicated as a key pathogenic mechanism. Imbalance between free radical generation and antioxidant defense may contribute to neuronal damage. This study aimed to evaluate oxidative stress and antioxidant status in schizophrenia by estimating serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) respectively, and to examine their interrelationship. Methods: This analytical case–control study included 50 participants aged 18–40 years, comprising 25 patients with schizophrenia (diagnosed according to ICD-10 criteria) and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Serum MDA levels were estimated using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances method, while plasma SOD activity was measured spectrophotometrically using the PMS–NBT method. Data were analyzed using independent samples Student’s t-test and Pearson’s correlation. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Mean serum MDA levels were significantly higher in cases compared to controls (5.61 ± 0.36 vs 2.84 ± 0.61 nmol/mL; p < 0.001). Plasma SOD activity did not differ significantly between cases and controls (9.40 ± 1.62 vs 9.04 ± 1.87 U/mL; p = 0.470). Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed no significant association between MDA and SOD in cases (r = 0.058, p = 0.784), whereas a moderate positive correlation was observed in controls (r = 0.597, p = 0.002). Conclusion: The findings indicate increased lipid peroxidation in schizophrenia, reflecting enhanced oxidative stress, without a proportional antioxidant response. The absence of correlation between MDA and SOD in patients suggests disrupted oxidative–antioxidant balance. These results support the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and highlight the potential relevance of redox biomarkers in future research. Keywords: Schizophrenia; Oxidative Stress; Malondialdehyde; Superoxide Dismutase; Lipid Peroxidation; Antioxidants

Kawasaki disease in children is the commonest acquired heart disease inchildren. It still remains an enigma and poses a diagnostic dilemma especially in incomplete oratypical cases and in critically ill children.This study was done to evaluate the clinico-epidemiological spectrum, inflammatory markers, and outcomes of children with Kawasaki Disease (KD) admitted in PICU, identify the factors associated with severity and outcome of of these children and compare clinical and Lab parameters of children with KD in PICU and those in ward and didn’t require ICU care. Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted over 18 months in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India. Children diagnosed with KD were divided into two groups: those requiring PICU admission and those managed in wards. Demographic data, clinical features, laboratory parameters, echocardiographic findings, treatment, and outcomes were analyzed. Results: A total of 45 KD patients were studied, of whom 15 required PICU admission and 30 were managed in wards. Mean age was comparable (3.66 ± 3.51 vs. 2.99 ± 2.50 years, p = NS). PICU patients had significantly higher leukocyte counts (20,663 vs. 16,080/mm³, p = 0.004), lower platelet counts (2.47 vs. 3.03 lakh/mm³, p = 0.009), and significantly elevated inflammatory markers—CRP (91.4 vs. 30.7 mg/dL, p < 0.0001), ESR (64.9 vs. 32.2 mm/hr, p < 0.0001), ferritin (1044 vs. 333 ng/mL, p < 0.0001), LDH (1352 vs. 457 U/mL, p < 0.0001), NT-proBNP (25,293 vs. 2580 pg/mL, p < 0.0001). Echocardiography revealed coronary dilatation in all PICU patients, with left ventricular dysfunction in 73.3% and pericardial effusion in 20%. Two patients (13%) died, both with markedly elevated NT-proBNP and LDH levels. (diagnosed as KD followed by HLHS progressing to multiorgan dysfunction) 7(47%) were diagnosed as KD shock syndrome (KDSS), 6 (40%) with myocarditis (of which one had SVT). Conclusion: Elevated CRP, ESR, ferritin, LDH, and NT-proBNP are associated with severe KD requiring PICU care. NT-proBNP and LDH levels also correlated with mortality. Early recognition of these markers may guide timely interventions in resource-limited settings. Key words: Kawasaki disease, pediatric intensive care, NT-proBNP, inflammatory markers, coronary dilatation

Fermented plant-based foods are dynamic microbial ecosystems that enhance nutrition and sustainable food processing. The complex carbohydrates and the phytochemical bioactive compounds present in pulses, such as Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney bean), Cicer arietinum (Bengal gram), Vigna radiata (green gram), and Pisum sativum (yellow pea), promote microbial colonization. However, there is a lack of detailed characterization of the bacterial community associated with these pulses. In the present study, bacteria isolated from the spontaneous fermentation of these four pulse varieties were comparatively studied after 10 days of fermentation under controlled laboratory conditions. An integrated approach of phenotypic and biochemical characterization, environmental stress tolerance, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity assays, and 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis was employed to characterize bacterial isolates. This research paper represents a comparative environmental assessment of bacterial diversity in different naturally fermented pulse substrates, unlike previous studies that mainly concentrated on individual fermented legumes or specific groups of probiotic bacteria. The dominant isolates obtained by molecular characterization were Acetobacter persici, Acetobacter orientalis, Pseudomonas cedrina and Pseudomonas sp. The isolates recovered not only possessed tolerance to various pH, temperature, and salinity levels; they also showed measurable antimicrobial and antioxidant activity under the conditions used, indicating functional characteristics of the microbes involved in the spontaneous fermentation process. While several functional characteristics were identified with probiotics, these isolates need to be fully validated for safety, antibiotic susceptibility profiles, adhesion, and in vivo testing before they can be considered confirmed probiotics. In conclusion, the results offer a comparative approach for understanding bacterial diversity associated with naturally fermented pulses and a scientific basis for further studies on microbial ecology and sustainable fermentation technologies.