A world-first Australian trial has found that a simple fingerstick test for hepatitis B DNA is as accurate as standard lab testing, paving the way for wider access in remote and resource-limited settings. Published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, the study showed that the point-of-care test can deliver results within an hour and be performed in decentralised clinics, Xinhua news agency reported. The fingerstick test can help overcome delays caused by laboratory-based testing, according to a statement from the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales in Australia. "The results of our trial found that the fingerstick point-of-care test is highly accurate, closely matching the accuracy of traditional tests," said Professor Gail Matthews, who led the research at the Kirby Institute. The finding has the potential to "expand access to testing and treatment globally," especially where access to testing is limited, Matthews said. Hepatitis B, a viral infection that attacks the liver, affects an estimated 254 million people worldwide and causes over 1 million deaths annually, as per global statistics. Though preventable by vaccine, only about 8 per cent of those living with chronic hepatitis B receive treatment, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, hepatitis B DNA testing, for both diagnosis and monitoring, requires collecting a venous blood sample to be processed in centralised laboratories, meaning patients can need to travel long distances to take the test, and then often wait days or weeks for results. This delay and the multiple clinic visits involved can hinder timely treatment and care. In comparison, the new point-of-care test can be done in small health clinics using a finger stick blood sample, which can be performed by a broader range of health care workers, and provides a result within 60 minutes. It is an effective alternative to laboratory testing for many infectious diseases, including hepatitis C, but until now, its efficacy for hepatitis B DNA using finger stick blood has been unknown. The new test could also support global efforts to meet the WHO target of eliminating hepatitis B as a public health threat by 2030, the researchers said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 February,2026 10:30 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSResearchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have developed a simpler and more efficient method to recover immune cells grown in the lab for T-cell–based cancer therapies. In immunotherapies such as CAR T-cell, T-cells (a type of immune cell) are taken from a patient’s blood and modified in large numbers in the laboratory and infused back into the patient’s bloodstream to help fight cancer. These cells, grown outside the body, must be collected gently so that they remain alive and functional when returned to the patient. Finding safe and efficient ways to grow T-cells and retrieve them is therefore an important part of making these therapies work. “Cell recovery sounds simple on paper, but in practice it turns out to be one of the biggest challenges,” said Prof. Prakriti Tayalia, from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at the IIT Bombay “Without enough healthy cells, you cannot test them properly or use them for therapy,” she added. To better mimic the body’s natural environment, Tayalia’s team worked with a specific type of scaffold made using a process called electrospinning. These electrospun scaffolds look like thin mats made of very fine fibres, similar to a dense fishing net. The team grew Jurkat T-cells (a human cell line grown and used in the laboratory to study T-cell biology, cancer, and HIV) inside electrospun scaffolds made from a material called polycaprolactone. Under a microscope, the researchers observed that the cells actively moved into the scaffold and became tightly lodged between the fibres. Further, the research showed that collecting the cells using trypsin, an enzyme, led to higher cell death. In contrast, cells recovered with accutase, a milder enzyme, survived in greater numbers and behaved more like healthy T-cells. They formed clusters, an essential step before T-cells divide, and continued to grow well after recovery. “Harsh treatments to cells, using enzymes such as trypsin, can damage key surface proteins needed for immune signalling and activation, reducing the cell’s therapeutic usefulness. Accutase appears mild enough to avoid this problem,” Tayalia said. The study's findings, published in the journal Biomaterials Science, could help laboratories use such scaffolds when preparing cells for therapies such as CAR T-cell treatment. “If we want these advanced therapies to reach patients, every step matters. How we grow cells, and how we retrieve them, can make a real difference,” Tayalia said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 February,2026 10:08 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSDoctors at AII India Institute of Medical Sciences successfully performed a complex medical procedure to save the life of a 14-month-old girl who had swallowed a two-inch-long metal spring, it said on Thursday, February 5. The metal spring stuck in the oesophagus, also known as the food pipe, was successfully removed after an endoscopic surgery, AIIMS said in an official statement. The child, a resident of Yamunanagar, was brought to the hospital after suffering from continuous vomiting for about a week and not eating for two days. “During the examination, an X-ray revealed a large metal spring lodged in the upper part of the child's oesophagus,” AIIMS said, "with ulcerations extending along the mucosa". “The spring was stuck on the upper part of the food pipe. And the thickness of the spring was much more than the normal spring, which we see in our pens. It was approximately half an inch wide and at least 1.5 to 2 inches long,” Professor Dr. Vishesh Jain, from the Paediatric Surgery Department, told IANS. He noted that an attempt was made to remove it endoscopically at a private hospital in Dehradun, but due to swelling and lesions in the oesophagus, the procedure was deemed risky, and the child was immediately referred to AIIMS. Jain and his team used advanced endoscopic techniques in the operating room. The spring was carefully rotated and removed, preventing any perforation, the statement said. “After the surgery, the child's condition improved rapidly, and she was started on oral feeding the next day,” AIIMS said. Jain advised parents to keep items such as springs, batteries, coins, and small toy parts out of reach of young children, as swallowing them can be fatal. He also said that if parents see a baby swallow something, they should take the baby to a doctor immediately so the doctor can assess the size of the object and decide on the proper treatment.
05 February,2026 10:03 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSA team of researchers in Japan has announced a clinical trial to confirm a vaccine's efficacy against the deadly Nipah virus in humans. The vaccine candidate developed at the University of Tokyo is set to start clinical trials in Belgium in April, Nikkei Asia, a Japan-based English-language news magazine, reported. The new vaccine offers a potential breakthrough against a disease whose fatality rate is estimated to be between 40 per cent and 75 per cent. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Nipah virus infection. The latest development comes even as India reported two confirmed cases of Nipah virus from West Bengal in January. The new vaccine is reportedly being developed by inserting a portion of the Nipah virus's genetic information into the measles virus. “When the vaccine is introduced in humans, antigen proteins similar to those of the Nipah virus are produced. The immune system's response is seen strengthening the body's defenses, helping to prevent the onset of symptoms,” the report said. “The modified measles virus, widely used globally for measles vaccines,” it added. The team has already established the vaccine's efficacy and safety in animal trials with hamsters. To confirm the vaccine's safety in humans, the Phase 1 clinical trial will involve 60 subjects. Separately, a team from Oxford University began Phase 2 clinical trials with a Nipah vaccine candidate in Bangladesh in December. About 300 people aged 18 to 55 are expected to participate. Nipah virus infection has also been designated as a priority disease under the World Health Organization's (WHO) Research and Development Blueprint. Nipah is a zoonotic disease that is primarily transmitted from bats to humans, either directly or through contaminated food. It can also spread from animals such as pigs to humans, and in some cases between people through close and prolonged contact, particularly in health-care settings. In humans, Nipah virus infection can range from asymptomatic illness to severe respiratory disease and fatal encephalitis. Globally, the case fatality rate is estimated to be between 40 per cent and 75 per cent, depending on early detection and quality of clinical care. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 February,2026 10:13 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSScientists in Australia have mapped the "neighbourhoods" of lung cancer cells and found that cell metabolism plays a key role in determining how patients respond to immunotherapy. Researchers from the University of Queensland's (UQ) Frazer Institute studied cell interactions at cellular resolution in non-small cell lung carcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, to better understand why some patients don't respond to immunotherapy treatment, Xinhua news agency reported. Using machine-learning algorithms and computational approaches, the team examined how cells interact and metabolise glucose, which cancer cells thrive on, said Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe from UQ's Frazer Institute. "We were able to dive deep into the complex nature of cells, basically looking at the cells' personal lives in the complex composition of a tumour, and found certain metabolic neighbourhoods were associated with response and resistance to immunotherapy," Kulasinghe said. Immunotherapy is costly and benefits only a minority of patients, he said. The researchers added that "it's important to understand how to identify these patients, and those that might need combination or alternative therapies." Lead author James Monkman from UQ's Frazer Institute said higher glucose uptake in cancer cells was associated with poorer outcomes. "We know cancer cells love sugar, and we analysed where glucose was being processed in the cells and where it wasn't," Monkman said. "You could have a region of a tumour processing glucose in a completely different way to another area of the tumour." The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications. The next step is to develop targeted treatments, such as with metabolic inhibitors, to make immunotherapy more effective, and eventually enable precision medicine tailored to each patient's tumour, with plans to extend the approach to other cancers, the researchers said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
04 February,2026 03:18 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSUp to four in 10 or 7.1 million cancer cases worldwide could be prevented, according to a new global analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) on Wednesday. The study, released on World Cancer Day on February 4, identified tobacco as the leading preventable cause of cancer globally, responsible for 15 per cent of all new cancer cases. It also found, for the first time, that nine cancer-causing infections are responsible for about 10 per cent of cancer cases. Other reasons include alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity, air pollution, and ultraviolet radiation. The analysis, based on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types, estimated that 37 per cent of all new cancer cases in 2022, around 7.1 million cases, were linked to preventable causes. Three cancer types - lung, stomach and cervical cancer- accounted for nearly half of all preventable cancer cases in both men and women, globally. Lung cancer was primarily linked to smoking and air pollution, stomach cancer was largely attributable to Helicobacter pylori infection, and cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). "This is the first global analysis to show how much cancer risk comes from causes we can prevent," said Dr Ilbawi, WHO Team Lead for Cancer Control, and author of the study. "By examining patterns across countries and population groups, we can provide governments and individuals with more specific information to help prevent many cancer cases before they start," he added. The burden of preventable cancer was substantially higher in men than in women, with 45 per cent of new cancer cases in men compared with 30 per cent in women. In men, smoking accounted for an estimated 23 per cent of all new cancer cases, followed by infections at 9 per cent and alcohol at 4 per cent. Among women globally, infections accounted for 11 per cent of all new cancer cases, followed by smoking at 6 per cent and high body mass index at 3 per cent, the report said. The findings underscore the need for context-specific prevention strategies that include strong tobacco control measures, alcohol regulation, vaccination against cancer-causing infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B, improved air quality, safer workplaces, and healthier food and physical activity environments. Addressing preventable risk factors not only reduces cancer incidence but also lowers long-term health care costs and improves population health and well-being, the study said.
04 February,2026 03:00 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSHighlighting the growing financial strain in cancer care across India, a new analysis claims data reveal that cancer treatment is prolonged and costs a significant amount that can push patients and families. Every year, World Cancer Day 2026 is observed on February 4 to raise awareness about the disease that has adverse effects on human life, encouraging not only its prevention but also its detection and treatment. The claims analysis by Care Health Insurance shows that cancer treatment costs are rising sharply, with early-stage treatment typically costing Rs 5–7 lakh per case, while high-complexity and advanced cancers can push expenses to ₹20–30 lakh per treatment, depending on disease progression, care intensity, treatment protocol and period of treatment. This is particularly relevant in the context of the Union Budget 2026, which reinforces a renewed focus on affordable cancer care and reduced financial burden on patients. Commenting on the emerging trends, Manish Dodeja, who is the chief operating officer, Care Health Insurance, said, “Cancer treatment is not only medically complex but also involves prolonged and multi-stage care pathways, often extending over several months.” The findings show that cancer treatment journeys are long and multi-phased, often extending over several months. Patients typically file multiple claims across different stages of care. While chemotherapy and radiotherapy are largely covered as day-care procedures, hospitalisation requirements vary based on treatment complexity, with lengths of stay ranging from three days to as long as twenty days. The analysis also indicates that financial exposure may differ for different cancer types. Claims related to breast cancer, oral cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer and blood cancers, along with advanced pancreatic and liver cancers and among others consistently record varying claim values and have incidences of coverage limit breaches where the sum insured was low, resulting in increased out-of-pocket expenses. Based on observed claims experience, health coverage adequacy is emerging as a critical gap, with the analysis indicating that a minimum sum insured of Rs 15-25 lakh is increasingly required to adequately cover comprehensive cancer treatment, particularly in cases involving advanced-stage disease or prolonged care pathways. Moreover, having comprehensive coverage plays a key role in reducing financial stress during cancer treatment. Higher sum insured, no-claim bonus benefits, absence of sub-limits, access to a comprehensive, cashless healthcare provider network, and critical illness specific covers significantly help in lowering out-of-pocket expenses and supporting continuity of care. Manish further added, “This sustained and multi-stage care often translates into prolonged financial pressure for patients and their families. As treatment approaches evolve, and become more accessible over time, it is important for consumers to periodically reassess their health insurance coverage to ensure it provides adequate financial security through the course of care."
04 February,2026 02:52 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTamil Nadu has crossed a critical public health threshold, registering more than one lakh new cancer cases in a single year for the first time. The latest figures for 2025, according to data submitted in Parliament by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, show 1,00,097 fresh cases in the state, underscoring a sharp and sustained rise in incidence and raising concerns among health authorities about prevention, early detection, and treatment capacity. Experts caution that without stronger screening programmes and lifestyle interventions, the numbers could continue to climb in the coming years. The upward trend has been consistent over the past five years. Annual registrations rose from 68,750 cases in 2020 to 76,968 in 2021; 89,265 in 2022; 92,816 in 2023, and 96,486 in 2024, before breaching the one-lakh mark this year. The steady escalation highlights the growing disease burden and the urgent need for coordinated public health measures across districts. Of the newly recorded cases in 2025, women accounted for 53,542 patients, while men comprised 46,555. The total number of people currently living with cancer in Tamil Nadu has reached 1,09,097, reflecting both increased incidence and improved survival that requires sustained medical support. Chennai continues to carry the heaviest caseload, reporting 8,505 new cases this year. Kancheepuram followed with 7,295 cases and Vellore with 6,525. Health professionals attribute higher numbers in urban areas to lifestyle-related risk factors, pollution exposure, stress, and delayed diagnosis. Cancer patterns also vary by gender. Among men, mouth cancer remains the most common, largely linked to tobacco consumption, followed by colorectal and stomach cancers. Among women, breast cancer leads, with cervical and ovarian cancers accounting for a significant share, indicating the need for stronger awareness and routine community screening initiatives. Medical experts note that nearly half of cancer cases are detected at advanced stages, reducing survival chances and increasing treatment costs. Preventive steps such as regular exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and undergoing periodic screenings are considered essential to lowering risk. Persistent lumps, unexplained weight loss, prolonged pain, or unusual symptoms require immediate medical attention. Meanwhile, data submitted in Parliament by the Health and Family Welfare Department revealed that 10,821 deaths in 2025 were linked to ovarian, breast, and cervical cancers alone. Public health specialists say the figures serve as a wake-up call for both policymakers and the public to prioritise awareness, screening, and early diagnosis to curb Tamil Nadu’s rising cancer burden. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
04 February,2026 11:30 AM IST | Chennai | IANSAmid a rapidly ageing population in India, experts on Tuesday, February 3, stressed the need for a home-based, community-led and integrated elder care model to boost geriatric care in the country. Speaking at an event held in the national capital, the health experts also discussed the growing challenges confronting the country’s elderly population and the urgent need for more responsive and inclusive approaches to geriatric care. The experts highlighted that the challenges for geriatric care are multi-dimensional in nature. These include rising disabilities and age-related health conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, significant gaps in geriatric healthcare infrastructure coupled with a sharp urban–rural divide in access to medical services, and mounting economic pressures driven by inadequate social security and rising healthcare costs. “Ageing is not just about adding years to life, but adding life to those years. Geriatric care must be coordinated, continuous, community-based, and compassionate. Mental and emotional well-being are as critical as physical health, especially in an era of nuclear families and increasing social isolation. Geriatric care is not a luxury -- it is a necessity,” said Dr. Rajinder K. Dhamija, Director, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS). According to government data, India's senior citizen population is projected to surge to around 230 million by 2036, making up about 15 per cent of the total population. “Geriatric care cannot remain confined to a few tertiary hospitals or centres of excellence. In a country as large and demographically diverse as India, care must begin at home and be strengthened through district-level systems. Many elderly health needs do not require hospitalisation but can be effectively managed through trained caregivers, home-based services, and coordinated community support. The real challenge is scale, integration, and last-mile delivery,” added Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, during the event organised by Illness to Wellness. Bhushan also highlighted the need to repurpose and upskill general physicians, integrate social care with medical services, and draw lessons from countries such as Japan and South Korea to create unified, one-stop elder care models that combine healthcare, rehabilitation, and social support. The experts also pointed to a widening digital divide, with many seniors struggling to adopt technology due to limited access and lack of age-friendly training, as well as physical infrastructure -- public spaces, transport systems, and emergency response mechanisms -- that remain largely ill-equipped to support the safety, mobility, and independence of older persons. Prof. Nirmal Kumar Ganguly, Former Director General, ICMR, noted that ageing outcomes are deeply influenced by social engagement, mental stimulation, and timely management of chronic conditions. “Age is truly just a number. Mental engagement, social interaction, and proactive management of vision, hearing, balance, and chronic diseases can dramatically improve quality of life. While challenges such as dementia, diabetes, and hypertension are rising, advances in technology and medical science offer real solutions -- provided they are made accessible and equitable,” he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 03:48 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSSlashing global aid, particularly by the US and European countries, will reverse decades of progress in fighting diseases, and lead to 22.6 million additional deaths in people of all age groups, including children under five years of age, by 2030, warned a new study published in The Lancet Global Health on Tuesday. The peer-reviewed study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), in Spain, showed that the additional deaths will be across 93 low- and middle- income countries, including India. The figures also include 5.4 million children under the age of five. Severe cuts to official development assistance (ODA) will affect Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 38 of the 93 countries analysed, the most. In Asia, 21 countries, including India, are at risk, followed by 12 countries each in Latin America, the Middle East, and North Africa. Ten countries in Europe, including Ukraine, will also be affected. “Withdrawing this support now would not only reverse hard-won progress but would translate directly into millions of preventable adult and child deaths in the coming years. Budget decisions made today in donor countries will have irreversible consequences for millions of people for years to come,” said Davide Rasella, Coordinator of the study, ICREA Research Professor at ISGlobal, and at the Brazilian Institute of Collective Health. The research also reveals that between 2002 and 2021, the ODA helped reduce global child mortality by 39 per cent; prevented HIV/AIDS deaths by 70 per cent, with a 56 per cent reduction in deaths from both malaria and nutritional deficiencies. It also increased additional global health outcomes in these 93 countries, which are home to 75 per cent of the world’s population. The international aid fell for the first time in six years in 2024. The US, UK, France, and Germany significantly reduced their ODA contributions for the first time in nearly 30 years. To understand the impact of the fund cuts, the study modelled two scenarios from 2025 through 2030. In case of a mild defunding scenario with a 10.6 per cent yearly reduction (corresponding to the average reduction of the last two years, 2024–2025), the cuts could result in 9.4 million preventable deaths, including 2.5 million children younger than five years. However, a severe defunding scenario, based on $32 billion (15.1 per cent) in ODA cuts from 2024 to 2025, could cause 5.4 million children younger than age five years to die as part of more than 22.6 million additional deaths of all ages. “These findings are a warning of the profound moral cost of the zero-sum approach many political leaders are taking -- and they are an urgent call to action to all of us to prevent this human suffering,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, who supported the study. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 12:04 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSMumbai doctors have successfully resolved a complex neurological case involving a 35-year-old nurse diagnosed with myasthenia gravis based on a positive antibody test and started on long-term medication. Expert reassessment and advanced neurophysiological testing overturned the diagnosis, safeguarding the patient from unnecessary immunosuppressive therapy. The patient from Navi Mumbai presented with drooping of her left eyelid (ptosis) that had persisted for several months. With a prior diagnosis of hyperthyroidism already complicating her plans for pregnancy, she initially consulted a neuro-ophthalmologist and later a neurologist at a healthcare facility in Mumbai. A blood test for acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies returned positive, leading to a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis. She was started on steroids and pyridostigmine, medications that carry significant long-term implications, especially for young women. Already dealing with the emotional and physical burden of hyperthyroidism, the patient experienced growing anxiety after learning about myasthenia gravis and the possibility of lifelong immunosuppressive therapy. On the advice of a close friend, she sought a second opinion at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, where she consulted Dr Vinaya Bhandari, Consultant Neurology & Neuromuscular Disorder Specialist. At the hospital, a thorough re-evaluation was undertaken. An MRI of the brain ruled out a central nervous system cause for the eyelid drooping. Advanced nerve and muscle testing was then performed. Both repetitive nerve stimulation and, critically, single-fibre electromyography (SFEMG), the most sensitive diagnostic test for myasthenia gravis, were found to be completely normal. “Single-fiber EMG is the most sensitive test available for diagnosing myasthenia gravis, in patients presenting with isolated eye symptoms such as ptosis, double vision, difficulty swallowing, chewing, change in voice/speech, fatigue. A normal SFEMG in a clinically affected muscle makes myasthenia gravis extremely unlikely,” explained Dr Vinaya Bhandari, consultant Neurology & Neuromuscular Disorder Specialist, at the hospital. Based on these findings, myasthenia medications were discontinued. A detailed clinical history revealed that the patient had been frequently rubbing her left eyelid due to persistent itching. This led to a diagnosis of traumatic aponeurotic ptosis, a mechanical eyelid condition unrelated to nerve or muscle disease. The patient was reassured that while AChR antibodies are strongly associated with myasthenia gravis, false-positive results may occur, particularly in the presence of other autoimmune conditions such as thyroid disease. Antibody testing alone should not determine long-term treatment decisions. In situations where the clinical diagnosis is uncertain, electrophysiological confirmation with repetitive nerve stimulation and/or single-fibre EMG is recommended prior to initiating immunosuppressive therapy, to ensure diagnostic accuracy and avoid unnecessary exposure to treatment-related risks. Speaking about the case, Dr Bhandari, stated, “While a positive AChR antibody test supports the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, it should not be interpreted in isolation. The diagnosis must be established through correlation with clinical features and objective neurophysiological evidence. In situations where the diagnosis is uncertain, electrophysiological testing such as repetitive nerve stimulation and particularly single-fibre EMG should be performed whenever feasible before initiating immunosuppressive therapy.” Adding to this, Dr Milind Khadke, chief medical officer with the hospital, emphasised, “This case reinforces the importance of evidence-based diagnosis and multidisciplinary evaluation.” The case serves as an important reminder for clinicians and patients alike: accurate diagnosis, supported by advanced neurophysiological testing, is essential before labelling a patient with a chronic neurological disorder and initiating lifelong treatment.
03 February,2026 10:16 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
