Blue Peter Public Health & Research Centre (BPHRC)

 

Clinical & Epidemiology division

Clinical division leprosy activities like registration of new leprosy cases, deformity prevention, categorising deformity grades, smear collection, biopsy collection, ulcer care, management of type I and II reactions and treatment though thalidomide.

Under Tuberculosis activities like diagnostic services through sputum examination, categorisation of treatment regime (CAT I, II, III or IV). Putting them on treatment by providing DOTS, treating TB/HIV co-infection cases.

Under HIV/AIDS centre provides clinical services where in treatment for Opportunistic infections is given, diagnostic services like CD4 count, suspected cases serological tests are done other necessary tests to patients registered in the centre. The centre also provides support to the field projects, where in the cases are referred for CD4 testing.

ICTC centre at BPHRC was inaugurated by Mr. Terry Vasey, CEO, LEPRA UK, and the ICTC laboratory was inaugurated by Dr U Ramakrishna (APSACS) and Dr Ramesh Reddy (AP AIDSCON) on 7th April 2010.
   
 
Research activities
 

Multicase family study in leprosy: A full proposal titled “The susceptibility genes "expression through general proteomics approach” submitted to ICMR for funding. This project will give us an idea what are the genes responsible for an individual to develop leprosy.

Neuropathic Pain Study: To know the prevalence of neuropathic pain in treated leprosy patients for the year 2007-08.

Thalidomide is re-introduced in the treatment ENL and about 118 patients are enrolled for thalidomide treatment till April’ 2010. Several patients who were steroid dependent one completely weaned from steroids and has been economically independent after returning to their avocation.

Pattern of relapse in leprosy in an out patient clinic in Hyderabad: Patients reporting with re-activation of lesion are clinically and bacteriologically investigated for relapse and appropriate treatment for relapse is instituted 46 relapse cases were enrolled in our centre from 2003 to March’ 2010. Median age of relapse in patient’s receiving monotherapy: 20 years; PBMDT: 4 years; MBMDT: 14 years. Localized relapse was seen in patients treated in monotherapy era. Clinical and histological classification correlated in 69.7 % of cases. Molecular tools will help us to confirm relapse due to reinfection / reactivation or drug resistance.