Index Of Familiarity Research Articles

A Robust Neural Index of High Face Familiarity

Humans are remarkably accurate at recognizing familiar faces, whereas their ability to recognize, or even match, unfamiliar faces is much poorer. However, previous research has failed to identify neural correlates of this striking behavioral difference. Here, we found a clear difference in brain potentials elicited by highly familiar faces versus unfamiliar faces. This effect starts 200 ms after stimulus onset and reaches its maximum at 400 to 600 ms. This sustained-familiarity effect was substantially larger than previous candidates for a neural familiarity marker and was detected in almost all participants, representing a reliable index of high familiarity. Whereas its scalp distribution was consistent with a generator in the ventral visual pathway, its modulation by repetition and degree of familiarity suggests an integration of affective and visual information.

The challenge of assessing financial literacy: alternative data analysis methods within the Italian context

BackgroundAssessing individuals’ financial literacy levels is currently widely recognized as being necessary to design effective financial education programs and also to evaluate their actual impact. To address the lack of a consensus regarding an appropriate instrument to measure financial literacy, the OECD and its International Network on Financial Education (INFE) developed a core questionnaire in 2011, to be administered across a wide range of countries. Italy participated in the study with a survey promoted by the financial consortium ABI–PattiChiari. A tailored version of the OECD/INFE questionnaire was used in the survey, with three indicators of financial literacy taken from the OECD survey (financial behavior index, financial attitude index, financial knowledge index) and two new indicators (financial familiarity index and financial planning).PurposeThe present paper focuses on data analysis methods used to evaluate financial literacy among the Italian adult population. It reviews data analysis approaches used to evaluate financial literacy and proposes a new method to gauge this latent construct in order to obtain a valid and reliable index that is able to capture educational needs in a manner that is as accurate and targeted as possible.MethodsThe sample used for the survey consisted of 1247 Italian residents of at least 18 years of age who were reached via CATI. The sample was obtained by appropriate stratification across several dimensions (gender, age, geographical area, and municipality size). We propose alternative data analysis methods to treat the survey data: item response theory (IRT) and classification and regression tree analysis.ResultsThe analysis highlighted the crucial role that data analysis methods play in assessing financial literacy. Comparing the results for classical test theory and IRT, this paper suggests that financial literacy research should be open to alternative and multiple approaches to obtain reliable measures of financial literacy that are able to capture the educational needs of different population groups and can help to design effective financial education programs.

Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic diseases in Lusaka, Zambia

Despite the use of ethnobotanical remedies to manage human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), there is paucity of empirical data on the specific plant species used by traditional healers to manage HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections in Zambia. Therefore, this study documented putative plant species used to manage HIV and AIDS-related opportunistic diseases in Lusaka, Zambia. Exploratory, semi-structured interviews and detailed descriptive studies of 40 traditional healers were conducted. The following ethnobotanical data were recorded: plant species, parts used, modes of preparation, administration, and diseases treated. Data were analyzed by calculating percentage frequencies, familiarity index (Fi), and informant consensus factor (FIC). A total of 84 plant species from 38 families, mostly the Fabaceae, were used as ethnomedicines. Roots, leaves and stem bark were mostly harvested for the treatment of STIs including HIV, skin infections, diarrhea, malaria, tuberculosis, persistent cough, erectile dysfunction, oral infections, cancer and weight loss. Thirteen plants were used to manage three different diseases: Abrus precatorius, Albizia anthelmintica, Carica papaya, Cassia abbreviata, Combretum elaeagnoides, Flueggea virosa, Mimosa pigra, Mundulea sericea, Musa acuminata, Piliostigma thonningii, Ricinus communis, Securidaca longepedunculata, and Syzygium guineense. Garcinia livingstonei, Kigelia africana, Peltophorum africanum and Ziziphus mucronata were individually used to manage four different disease conditions. Only Plumbago zeylanica was used to manage five different disease conditions. These multi-use plants may have broad antimicrobial activities but risk over-exploitation. The results of this study urge a fundamental rethink of how patients and public health authorities view traditional plant medicines for HIV/AIDS management in Lusaka, Zambia.

Medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes in karo ethnic, north sumatra, indonesia

Medicinal plants derived from traditional medicines have played an important role in managing a variety of healthcare and diseases in Karo ethnic in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The study aimed to document the ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants used by traditional healers of Karo ethnic in the treatment of diabetes and to assess the crude extract of phytochemical constituents qualitatively from medicinal plant organ. The study was conducted on two Karo sub-ethnic living at the highland (Karo Gugung) in Karo Regency and the lowland (Karo Jahe) in Langkat Regency with the length of the study was eight months of observation. The survey was conducted using open-ended interviews among four traditional healers those who were selected by snowball sampling method; quantitative analysis of ethnobotanical data was performed by calculating the familiarity index (Fi). Fresh plant samples which were used for phytochemical analysis were collected using participatory method. The results showed that 15 plants were used to treat diabetes by Karo traditional healers. The plants are Blumea balsamifera, Nypa fruticans, Bischofia javanica, Eleutherine americana, Allium cepa, A. sativum, Eugenia polyantha, Piper betle, P. nigrum, Citrus aurantiifolia, Boesenbergia pandurata, Curcuma longa, Kaempferia galanga, Zingiber montanum, and Z. officinale. Familiarity index (Fi) value of each plant was 25 which explained that each of medicinal plant was used by only one traditional healer. The phytochemical screening showed that the crude plant extracts contained phenolic, terpenoid, steroid, and saponin.

Congenital Shunts of the Portal Venous System: Case-series of Uncommon Shunts

Background and aimsCongenital shunts of the portal venous system are rare entities that can present in children with clinical heterogeneity. To evaluate the clinical course of children with uncommon shunts presenting to our institution and examine the available literature on this topic. Medical records of children with rare forms of congenital shunts were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, symptoms, management, and outcome between 2003 and 2016. ResultsThree female patients with congenital shunts, including a congenital mesenterico-portal Rex shunt (n = 1) and congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) (n = 2), were referred for surgical evaluation between ages 4 and 9. Median follow-up was 8 years (range, 6-13 years). One asymptomatic patient did not require treatment and remained disease-free during long-term follow-up. The other 2 patients with CPSS and unusual symptoms, including liver focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) in infancy (n = 1) and bleeding from esophageal varices (n = 1), showed subsequent progression to liver nodules that were managed by endovascular shunt occlusion. One patient showed symptom resolution and the other showed stable lesions at last follow-up. Literature yielded descriptions of two cases of congenital mesenterico-portal Rex shunt, one case of coincident CPSS and FNH in infancy, but zero reports of bleeding from esophageal varices. ConclusionsThis case series examines each distinct patient's presentation, discusses the diagnosis, management and outcome and compares findings while discussing literature on this topic. A high index of suspicion and familiarity with unusual forms and treatment options is required to allow timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Statin use decreases the risk of pancreatic cancer occurrence: a meta-analysis

Congenital shunts of the portal venous system are rare entities that can present in children with clinical heterogeneity. To evaluate the clinical course of children with uncommon shunts presenting to our institution and examine the available literature on this topic. Medical records of children with rare forms of congenital shunts were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, symptoms, management, and outcome between 2003 and 2016.Three female patients with congenital shunts, including a congenital mesenterico-portal Rex shunt (n = 1) and congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) (n = 2), were referred for surgical evaluation between ages 4 and 9. Median follow-up was 8 years (range, 6-13 years). One asymptomatic patient did not require treatment and remained disease-free during long-term follow-up. The other 2 patients with CPSS and unusual symptoms, including liver focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) in infancy (n = 1) and bleeding from esophageal varices (n = 1), showed subsequent progression to liver nodules that were managed by endovascular shunt occlusion. One patient showed symptom resolution and the other showed stable lesions at last follow-up. Literature yielded descriptions of two cases of congenital mesenterico-portal Rex shunt, one case of coincident CPSS and FNH in infancy, but zero reports of bleeding from esophageal varices.This case series examines each distinct patient's presentation, discusses the diagnosis, management and outcome and compares findings while discussing literature on this topic. A high index of suspicion and familiarity with unusual forms and treatment options is required to allow timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

The Fruits of Disaggregation: The Engineering Industry, Tariff Protection, and the Industrial Investment Cycle in Italy, 1861-1913

All the extant interpretations of united Italy’s early industrial development focus on the long swing in industrial investment evident in the familiar indices of the engineering industry’s aggregate product. Disaggregated production series for that industry have now been compiled. The evidence they incorporate establishes that the long swing that dominates the aggregate was actually in the production of hardware, tied to investment in infrastructure. The production of machinery followed a different path: against the extant literature it shows that tariff hikes were influential, and above all that industry’s purchases of (domestic and foreign) equipment grew very steadily decade after decade. Industrial investment did not grow faster than before in the 1880s or over the belle epoque, it did not follow the long swing at all: the disaggregation of the engineering-industry product series has undercut the empirical premise of sixty years of scholarship.

Anomalies of the entanglement entropy in chiral theories

We study entanglement entropy in theories with gravitational or mixed U(1) gauge-gravitational anomalies in two, four and six dimensions. In such theories there is an anomaly in the entanglement entropy: it depends on the choice of reference frame in which the theory is regulated. We discuss subtleties regarding regulators and entanglement entropies in anomalous theories. We then study the entanglement entropy of free chiral fermions and self-dual bosons and show that in sufficiently symmetric situations this entanglement anomaly comes from an imbalance in the flux of modes flowing through the boundary, controlled by familiar index theorems. In two and four dimensions we use anomalous Ward identities to find general expressions for the transformation of the entanglement entropy under a diffeomorphism. (In the case of a mixed anomaly there is an alternative presentation of the theory in which the entanglement entropy is not invariant under a U(1) gauge transformation. The free-field manifestation of this phenomenon involves a novel kind of fermion zero mode on a gravitational background with a twist in the normal bundle to the entangling surface.) We also study d-dimensional anomalous systems as the boundaries of d + 1 dimensional gapped Hall phases. Here the full system is non-anomalous, but the boundary anomaly manifests itself in a change in the entanglement entropy when the boundary metric is sheared relative to the bulk.

Teppanyaki/Hibachi Pneumonitis: An Exotic Cause of Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia.

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is a rare type of inflammatory lung disease caused by aspiration and/or inhalation of fatty substances and characterized by a chronic foreign body-type reaction to intra-alveolar lipid deposits. The usual clinical presentation occurs with insidious onset of nonspecific respiratory symptoms and radiographic findings that can mimic other pulmonary diseases. Diagnosis of ELP is often missed or delayed as it requires a high index of suspicion and familiarity with the constellation of appropriate history and radiologic and pathologic features. We herein report a case of occupational exposure to tabletop “Teppanyaki” entertainment cooking as a cause of ELP, confirmed by surgical lung biopsies in a 63-year-old Asian woman who worked as a Hibachi-Teppanyaki chef for 25 years.

Infrequent Reservoir-Related Complications of Urologic Prosthetics: A Case Series and Literature Review.

Introduction and AimComplications related to inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) and artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) reservoirs are rare, potentially life threatening, and poorly described in the literature. As more devices are implanted, the incidence of reservoir‐related complications may increase, and it will be important to recognize the relevant signs and symptoms.Methods and Main Outcome MeasuresWe present a case series of reservoir‐related complications presenting to our institution for treatment. We also reviewed all accounts of reservoir‐related complications within the urologic literatureResultsThree cases of reservoir‐related complications are presented. Case 1 involves erosion of an intact AUS reservoir into the cecum of a patient with a history of myelomeningocele and bladder augmentation. Case 2 involves an IPP reservoir causing vascular compression, resulting in open exploration and repositioning of the reservoir. Case 3 involves intraperitoneal migration of a retained IPP reservoir to a subhepatic area, which was then removed laparoscopically. Literature review yielded descriptions of eight cases of intestinal complications, five cases of vascular complications, but zero reports of migration to a subhepatic area. Other notable complications include 20 reported cases of reservoir erosion into the bladder and inguinal herniation of the reservoir.ConclusionComplications involving urologic prosthesis reservoirs, although rare, can have serious implications for patients. A high index of suspicion and familiarity with treatment options is required in order to allow timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Patients with prior major abdominal surgeries seem to be more prone to intestinal complications of reservoirs and warrant special concern. Cui T, Terlecki R, and Mirzazadeh M. Infrequent reservoir‐related complications of urologic prosthetics: A case series and literature review. Sex Med 2015;3:334–338.

Using Technology in Learning Integral Calculus

The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perceptions towards integral calculus difficulty and their readiness towards using technology in learning integral calculus. A total of 191 students were selected at random from two lecture groups of Technical Mathematics 1. The students were given a set of questionnaire with two parts. The first part was used to measure students’ perceptions on integral calculus difficulty. The second part was used to measure students’ computer readiness in learning. Three main contributing factors of students’ readiness towards computers were adapted from The Computer Aversion, Attitudes, and Familiarity Index (CAAFI).For measuring computer readiness using CAAFI, Pearson correlations and the mean values were determined. The inter-correlations between factors in this instrument were statistically significant. More than three quarters of the students with school calculus background perceived integral calculus as difficult or a very difficult topic. The students were found to have positive attitudes towards computers, a low computers aversion level and an average level of computers familiarity. These findings allow for an enhancement of teaching and implementation of learning calculus using computers. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s1p144

Traditional preference of Wild Edible Fruits (WEFs) for digestive disorders (DDs) among the indigenous communities of Swat Valley-Pakistan

Ethnopharmacological relevanceDigestive disorders (DDs) causes indisposition and lead to death, especially in the underdeveloped world where hygienic conditions are scarce. A major proportion of the human populace depends on the use of traditional knowledge about the consumption of medicinal plants for many diseases, including DDs. The contemporary study summarizes the indigenous uses of Wild Edible Fruits (WEFs) of Swat Valley used for DDs and to evaluate the bio-efficacy of these pharmacologically essential fruit species from the available literature. Material and methodsAn ethnomedicinal study was conducted in Swat valley, Northern Pakistan. Data was collected through field assessment as well as from traditional healers and local people by means of personal interviews and semi-structured questionnaires, giving value to both rural and urban communities. The ethnomedicinal knowledge was quantitatively analysed using various indices like Familiarity Index (FI), Consensus index (CI), Informant consensus factor (ICF) and the present data was compared with previous studies in the neighbouring areas using Jaccard similarity coefficient (JI). ResultsThe present study recorded use reports on 53 WEFs of ethnomedicinal prominence in the treatment of DDs, belonging to 23 families. The recurrent growth forms were trees (51%) shrubs (38%) and herbs (11%). High consumption of fruits (50%), leaves (27%) and flowers (12%) was recorded. The traditional preparations were mostly in the form of unprocessed dried/fresh, powder, Juice and decoction and were usually taken orally. Almost 20–30% of the plants occurred in synanthropic vegetation while more than 75% were found in natural woodland and grassland vegetation. Family Berberidaceae dominated with highest FIV (41) followed by Punicaceae (38), Oxalidaceae (36) and Moraceae (35). ICF values for carminative (0.6) showed high consensus factor followed by anthelmintic, gastroenteritis and intestinal disorders (0.5). FI value is high for Berberis lycium (0.5), Morus alba (0.5), Morus nigra (0.5) followed by Olea ferruginea (0.45). B. lycium had the high consensus index, whereas, a study conducted on Lesser Himalayas Pakistan showed high value of Jaccard similarity coefficient. ConclusionWEFs are predominantly used in the treatment of various diseases in the valley and traditional knowledge about the use of these species against DDs is still prevailing. Multiple uses of these WEFs suggest further investigation into its phytochemical, toxicological and pharmaceutical potential. This study will serve as a baseline data for future pharmacological studies.

Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic diseases in Rundu, Kavango East Region, Namibia

Since human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected persons seek treatment from traditional healers, there is an urgent need to document plants used by traditional healers to manage acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) opportunistic diseases. This study documented plants used to manage AIDS-related opportunistic diseases in Rundu, Kavango East Region, Namibia. Primary, secondary and tertiary samplings of traditional healers were conducted. During the interviews, the following ethnobotanical data were recorded: plant species, parts used, modes of preparation, administration, and diseases treated. Data were analysed by calculating percentage frequencies, familiarity index (Fi), and factor of informant consensus (FIC). Seventy plant species from 54 genera and 28 families, mostly the Fabaceae, Anacardiaceae, and Combretaceae were used as ethnomedicines. Leaves, followed by roots and bark, were mostly harvested for the treatment of skin diseases, diarrhoea, STIs, TB, coughs, oral infections, malaria, meningitis, headache, hair loss, weight loss, cancer, liver, jaundice, and vomiting. Fourteen plants were used to treat four or more disease conditions: Peltophorum africanum, Cucumis africanus, Kigelia africana, Aloe esculenta, Ficus burkei, Securidaca longepedunculata, Diospyros lycioides, Diospyros mespiliformis, Terminalia sericea, Acanthosicyos naudinianus, Combretum hereroense, Dichrostachys cinerea, Ximenia caffra, and Xylopia tomentosa. These multi-use plant species may have broad antimicrobial activities but also risk over-exploitation. Further work is needed to screen plant extracts for in vitro anti-HIV activity and cytotoxicity.

Fuel value indices of selected woodfuel species used in Masindi and Nebbi districts of Uganda

Biomass currently meets more than 97% of the total energy requirements in Uganda. However, contrary to this heavy reliance on biomass, there is paucity of information regarding the fuel value indices (FVIs) of woodfuel species used in different locations of the country such as Masindi and Nebbi districts. This study therefore sought to identify ten woodfuel species commonly used by the communities in these two districts and examine their FVIs from basic properties, namely; moisture content, density and gross calorific value. A semi-structured interview using a checklist of guiding questionnaire was conducted to generate a woodfuel species list. The familiarity index (FI) was calculated for each species and then used to rank ten commonly used species for further analysis. The moisture content, density and gross calorific value of the selected species were determined in triplicate. The FVI of each species was then determined from these basic properties. One-way ANOVA, Pearson product moment correlation, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient analyses were performed in SPSS ver.16.0 to examine the variation and relationship of variables. Ten woodfuel species belonging to seven families and eight genera were identified as commonly used species. Combretum collinum was mentioned by every respondent as a suitable woodfuel species. A significant variation in moisture content and density was recorded among the species (F ( df = 9) = 92.927, p = 0.0001) unlike in gross calorific value (F ( df = 9) = 1.400, p = 0.253). There was a positive correlation between density and gross calorific value (r = 0.895, n = 30, p = 0.0001) and a negative correlation between moisture content and gross calorific value (r = −0.518, n = 30, p = 0.003). The FVIs obtained ranged from 1.10 in Ficus natalensis to 13.09 in Albizia grandibracteata. There was also a positive relationship (rho = 0.62) between FVIs and FIs using Pearson rank correlation coefficient. Moisture content and density are important properties in the selection of woodfuel species than gross calorific value. On the proposition of the FVIs, A. grandibracteata is a suitable woodfuel species than F. natalensis. These findings fit well into the ongoing efforts by Government and Civil Society Organizations to encourage woodlot management to ensure the sustainability of woodfuel in the country.

Limitations of a habituation task to demonstrate discrimination of natural signals in songbirds

The habituation–dishabituation (HDH) paradigm is a common method used to examine animal cognition. Recent studies reported that spontaneous vocalizations could be used as an index of song familiarity and novelty in songbirds. However, these studies assigned only a few stimulus sets for all subjects, which might cause pseudoreplication. Therefore, we examined universality and general applicability of this method in Bengalese finches using a variety of stimulus sets. Seven unfamiliar conspecific songs were collected as a stimulus pool and a habituation song was randomly chosen for each subject. The subject was exposed to the habituation song repeatedly over 2h. During the test phase, the habituation song and a novel song randomly chosen from the stimulus pool were presented. We compared the degree of increase in call production during playback of those two songs. Although the degree was greater for the novel song compared with the habituation song in some birds, the trend was not consistent across all stimulus sets tested in these birds. Our results show that the HDH paradigm is not suitable to test song discrimination in songbirds unless precautions are taken to increase external validity by utilizing a variety of stimulus sets for each subject.

Development of neural responsivity to vocal sounds in higher level auditory cortex of songbirds.

Like humans, songbirds learn vocal sounds from "tutors" during a sensitive period of development. Vocal learning in songbirds therefore provides a powerful model system for investigating neural mechanisms by which memories of learned vocal sounds are stored. This study examined whether NCM (caudo-medial nidopallium), a region of higher level auditory cortex in songbirds, serves as a locus where a neural memory of tutor sounds is acquired during early stages of vocal learning. NCM neurons respond well to complex auditory stimuli, and evoked activity in many NCM neurons habituates such that the response to a stimulus that is heard repeatedly decreases to approximately one-half its original level (stimulus-specific adaptation). The rate of neural habituation serves as an index of familiarity, being low for familiar sounds, but high for novel sounds. We found that response strength across different song stimuli was higher in NCM neurons of adult zebra finches than in juveniles, and that only adult NCM responded selectively to tutor song. The rate of habituation across both tutor song and novel conspecific songs was lower in adult than in juvenile NCM, indicating higher familiarity and a more persistent response to song stimuli in adults. In juvenile birds that have memorized tutor vocal sounds, neural habituation was higher for tutor song than for a familiar conspecific song. This unexpected result suggests that the response to tutor song in NCM at this age may be subject to top-down influences that maintain the tutor song as a salient stimulus, despite its high level of familiarity.

Using criterio voice familiarity to augment the accuracy of speaker identification in voice lineups

Voice familiarity is a principal factor underlying the apparent superiority of human-based vs machine-based speaker identification. Our study evaluates the effects of voice familiarity on speaker identification in voice lineups by using a Familiarity Index that considers (1) recency (the time of last spoken contact), (2) duration of spoken contact, and (3) frequency of spoken contact. Three separate voice-lineups were designed each containing ten male voices with one target voice that was more or less familiar to individual listeners (13 per lineup, n = 39 listeners in all). The stimuli consisted in several verbal expressions varying in length, all of which reflected a similar dialect and the voices presented a similar speaking fundamental frequency to within one semitone. The main results showed high rates of correct target voice identification across lineups (>99%) when listeners were presented with voices that were highly familiar in terms of all three indices of recency, duration of contact, and frequency of contact. Secondary results showed that the length of the verbal stimuli had little impact on identification rates beyond a four-syllable string.

FN400 Effect: Conceptual Processing in Explicit Memory Test

Conceptual priming and familiarity are hot spots of researches on neuro-mechanisms of implicit and explicit memory.Supporters of dual-process theories put forward that brain potentials at pre-frontal areas between 300 and 500ms(FN400) are associated with familiarity.However,supporters of singleprocess theories think that studies supporting FN400 as index of familiarity did not take into account the contamination of conceptual priming on explicit memory.Through a series of studies,Paller and his colleagues proved that FN400 is associated with conceptual priming but not familiarity and that familiarity is indexed by brain potentials at parietal areas between 500 and 800ms(LPC).So far,there are still debates on the nero-mechanism of familiarity and conceptual priming.Further researches should explore new methods to dissociate familiarity and conceptual priming.The neuro-mechanism of effects of fluency on familiarity should also be investigated.

Spectral modulation of frontal EEG during motor skill acquisition: A mobile EEG study

This study investigates the modulation of frontal EEG dynamics with respect to progress in motor skill acquisition using a wireless EEG system with a single dry sensor. Participants were required to complete repeated trials of a computerized visual-motor task similar to mirror drawing while the EEG was collected. In each trial, task performance of the participants was summarized with a familiarity index which took into account the performance accuracy, completion rate and time. Our findings demonstrated that certain EEG power spectra decreased with an increase in motor task familiarity. In particular, frontal EEG activities in delta and theta bands of the whole trial and in gamma band in the middle of the trial are having a significant negative relationship with the overall familiarity level of the task. The findings suggest that frontal EEG spectra are significantly modulated during motor skill acquisition. Results of this study shed light on the possibility of simultaneous monitoring of brain activity during an unconstrained natural task with a single dry sensor mobile EEG in an everyday environment.

Tropical Pyomyositis in Children: 10 Years Experience of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern India

Tropical pyomyositis (TP) is characterized by suppuration within skeletal muscles, manifesting as single or multiple abscesses. It has been reported frequently from Africa and Latin America. However, there are only a few cases reported in children from India. Between January 2002 and December 2011, 40 children with TP were admitted to our hospital, and their retrospective review formed the study material. TP is not an uncommon disease in children in Northern India, especially during rainy seasons. Most of the patients were admitted with short history of fever, pain and localized swelling. Pus drainage was done in 87.5% cases, with the amount of pus varying from 5 to 2000 ml. The pus grew methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) in 42.5% cases, whereas initial blood cultures were sterile. All received antibiotics along with surgical drainage, and recovered. It is important for health professionals to have a high index of suspicion and familiarity with this imminently treatable disease entity.