Bacteremia due to Rhodococcus equi--a case report

Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) primarily causes zoonotic infections affecting grazing animals and is an unusual cause of infection in immunocompetent human beings. We report a case of bacteremia due to R. equi a rare isolate in a child suffering from protein energy malnutrition     

High Prevalence of Biofilm-Forming MRSA in the Conjunctival Flora in Chronic Dacryocystitis

Objectives: To report the microbiological spectrum of conjunctival flora and prevalence of biofilm-forming Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in conjunctival flora in chronic dacryocystitis.

Design: Prospective, case-control study.

Methods: We included patients with unilateral chronic dacryocystitis, and their unaffected eyes as control. Microbiological profile and antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was determined by standard microbiological procedures. S. aureus isolates were further evaluated for Methicillin resistance by Oxacillin resistance screening agar method and mecA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for biofilm synthesis by Congo red agar method, Microtitre plate (MTP) assay, and ica A and ica D PCR.

Results: We found 95 patients with unilateral chronic dacryocystitis. Aerobic Gram-positive isolates (74.2%, n = 72) were more than Gram-negative (25.7%, n = 25) or anaerobic isolates (20.5%, n = 25). S. aureus was most common (46.4%, n = 45), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10.3%, n = 10). Gram-positive isolates showed highest sensitivity to Linezolid (100%) and higher generation fluoroquinolones. Gram-negative isolates showed good sensitivity (>90%) to all tested antibiotics. S. aureus isolates showed MRSA prevalence as 93.5% and 96.9% by Oxacillin resistance screening agar method and mecA PCR, respectively. Biofilm formation was found in 71.8% MRSA isolates by MTP assay and 58.1% MRSA isolates were resistant to ≥3 classes of antibiotics.

Conclusions: Gram-positive organisms, specifically S. aureus, are the major etiological agent in chronic dacryocystitis. There is high prevalence of MRSA in these isolates and concurrent biofilm formation.     

Emergence of tetracycline-resistant Vibrio cholerae O1 serotype Inaba, in Kolkata, India

Out of 2,235 diarrheal stool samples collected from patients admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Kolkata, 343 cases were positive for Vibrio cholerae (341, V. cholerae O1 and 2, O139). During the year 2004, infections caused by V. cholerae serotype Ogawa and Inaba were 93 and 7%, respectively, while in 2005, the Inaba isolation rate rose to 88% as compared to 12% for Ogawa. Susceptibility to antimicrobial agents revealed that the O1 strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics (ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, furazolidone, nalidixic acid and streptomycin) with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. Increased isolation of tetracycline-resistant strains (27.3% for Ogawa and 15% for Inaba) was noted in 2005. It appears that the population might be at risk of infection by the Inaba serotype and that tetracycline may not be useful for the treatment.     

Bioremediation and Biomass Production with the Green Microalga Chlorococcum humicola and Textile Mill Effluent (TE)

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences - The study aimed at possible bioremediation of textile mill effluent (TE) and simultaneous production of...     

Reproductive,Maternal, Newborn,and Child Health in the Community: Task-sharing Between Male and Female Health Workers in an Indian Rural Context

Background:

Male community health workers (CHWs) have rarely been studied as an addition to the female community health workforce to improve access and care for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH).

Objective:

To examine how male health activists (MHAs) coordinated RMNCH responsibilities with existing female health workers in an Indian context.

Materials and Methods:

Interviews from male and female CHWs were coded around community-based engagement, outreach services, and links to facility-based care.

Results:

Community-based engagement: MHAs completed tasks both dependent and independent of their gender, such as informing couples on safe RMNCH care in the antenatal and postnatal periods. MHAs motivated males on appropriate family planning methods, demonstrating clear gendered responsibility. Outreach services: MHAs were most valuable traveling to remote areas to inform about and bring mothers and children to community health events, with this division of labor appreciated by female health workers. Link to facility-based services: MHAs were recognized as a welcome addition accompanying women to health facilities for delivery, particularly in nighttime.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates the importance of gendered CHW roles and male-female task-sharing to improve access to community health events, outreach services, and facility-based RMNCH care.     

Antibacterial and Antitoxin Responses in the Serum and Milk of Cholera Patients

Antibacterial and antitoxin responses in the acute and convalescent (7 to 10 days) sera of 14 cholera patients were determined by various serological techniques. Similar studies were also carried out with corresponding milk samples of six of these patients who were lactating women. A significant rise in antibacterial titers was observed in all convalescent serum and milk samples. A similar rise in antitoxin titers was observable in all serum and four milk samples. Specificity of the antibacterial titers was further evaluated by the indirect hemagglutination test using lipopolysaccharide antigen, and close correlations were noted between these titers and vibrio agglutination (P<0.001) and vibriocidal (P<0.001) titers of sera. Serum and milk convalescent cholera patients could effectively neutralize cholera toxin action in vivo, although the neutralizing activity of serum was higher than that of milk. Determination of antibody titers by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay demonstrated that anti-lipopolysaccharide activity in sera belonged predominantly to immunoglobulin M (IgM) and, to a lesser extent, to IgG and IgA, whereas such activity in milk was mostly contributed by secretory IgA, although some IgM antibodies also could be detected. On the other hand, antitoxic activity in convalescent sera primarily belonged to IgG, whereas such activity in milk was almost exclusively contributed by secretory IgA. These results demonstrate that an antibody response in the mammary gland was stimulated due to the antigen exposure in the gut and are consistent with the idea of a common homing pattern of immunocytes within the secretory immune system. Moreover, some differences in the antibody production mechanism between the systemic and secretory immune systems are indicated.     

A New Two-Pulse Synthesis Model for Digital Volume Pulse Signal Analysis

Analysis of digital volume pulse (DVP) signal measured by photoplethysmograph (PPG) technique is a low cost non-invasive method of obtaining vital information related to arterial conditions. In this paper, we present a new two-pulse synthesis (TPS) model for deriving arterial parameters, useful for noninvasive assessment of human vascular health. The model is based on the use of Rayleigh function. Relevance of the proposed model is established by applying it on a sample set of 113 PPG signals, obtained form healthy and treated hypertensive subjects. The TPS model compares well with the conventional methods in determining parameters such as pulse transit time or foot-to-foot delay (D), reflection index (RI), stiffness index (SI) and pulse wave velocity (PWV). A new parameter, viz. differential pulse spread (DPS) has also been introduced for DVP signals using the model. The differential pulse spread provides a new dimension to estimate the process of arterial degeneration.