Publications by authors named "Devika Pillai"

Background: Candida species, especially , cause oral candidiasis, also known as oral thrush. It affects the elderly, newborns, patients under antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, and patients with weaker immune systems. Although successful, traditional antifungal medications are available, they may have negative effects and do not prevent recurrence.

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The progressive overgrowth of the gingiva is the hallmark of idiopathic gingival fibromatosis (IGF). Excess gingival tissue can obscure the crown of a tooth, resulting in spaces between teeth, displacement, retention of primary or permanent teeth, and difficulties with feeding, speaking, and appearance. The diagnosis and management of inherited gingival fibromatosis are the focus of this case report.

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Nanoplastics (NPs) are one of the most hazardous marine litters, having the potential to cause far-reaching impacts on the environment and humankind. The effect of NPs on fish health has been studied, but their impact on the subcellular organelles remains unexplored. The present investigation studied the possible implications of polystyrene-nanoplastics (PS-NPs) on the hematology, tissue organization, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related proteins in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

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The objective of this study is to provide information on the reproductive biology of tomato hind grouper, Cephalopholis sonnerati (Valenciennes, 1828) for conservation and management purposes. Fish caught by artisanal fishermen from September 2019 to August 2021 were analysed. A total of 280 females, 31 males, and 4 transitional and 178 sex-undetermined fish were analysed.

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The present study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance, underlying mechanisms, antibiotic residues, and virulence genes involved in 32 multi-drug-resistant isolates from freshwater fishes in Andhra Pradesh, India. Antibiogram studies revealed that all isolates were multi-drug-resistant, harbored (96.8%), (59.

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The present study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence, underlying resistance mechanism, and virulence involved in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 35) isolated from freshwater fishes in Andhra Pradesh, India. Antibiogram studies revealed that 68.5, 62.

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Aim: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its association with diabetes might lead to mucormycosis, and studies have reported an association between them. This study aims to find the correlation between COVID-19 and diabetic status in patients with mucormycosis and its role in disease progression and prognosis. The objectives of the study are to analyze the clinical range of mucormycosis in those with diabetes and COVID-19 and to correlate the clinical and radiographic findings.

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The emergence of microorganisms with resistance toward antibiotics has been widely recognized as a growing hazard to public health. Here, we report the whole genome sequence of strain THK which was isolated from an aquaculture farm in Kerala, India. Standard disc diffusion and strip methods were used for antibiotic susceptibility testing and minimum inhibitory concentration detection.

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Article Synopsis
  • Deltamethrin (DM) is a commonly used insecticide that is highly toxic to fish, impacting their cardiovascular and nervous systems by targeting sodium channels.
  • This study explored the protective effects of Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) against DM-induced heart damage in Nile tilapia, showing that varying concentrations of its extract helped reduce harmful blood markers and restore electrolyte balance.
  • The results indicated that Shatavari not only mitigated oxidative stress and apoptosis caused by DM but also improved heart tissue health and gene expression related to heart function in the treated fish.
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A new class of environmental pollutants that have become a significant concern for the entire world's population over the last few decades are pharmaceutical contaminants due to the potential risks they pose to the environment and human health. An investigation on the photocatalytic degradation of four different model pharmaceutical contaminants: Tetracycline (TCT), Sulfamethoxazole (SMX), Chloroquine (CLQ), and Diclofenac (DCF) has been carried out using ZnO nanoparticles as the photocatalyst, and sunlight as the source of energy in a batch photocatalytic reactor. This process resulted in the degradation of about 51% for TCT, 65% for SMX, 61% for CLQ, and 55% for DCF within 30 min of solar irradiation.

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This study assesses the accumulation and toxic effects of environmentally relevant concentrations (0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg/L) of polystyrene MPs (1 µm) in Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) for 14 days.

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Streptococcus agalactiae is one of the main aetiological agents in large-scale mortalities of tilapia, having caused major economic losses to the aquaculture industry in recent years. This study describes the isolation and identification of the bacteria from cage-cultured Etroplus suratensis that experienced moderate to severe mortalities in Kerala, India. Gram-positive, catalase-negative S.

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  • The study investigates the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae in water bodies in Kerala, India, particularly those receiving hospital waste.
  • About 69.8% of Enterobacteriaceae isolates were found to be multi-drug resistant, with a significant percentage (49.2% for E. coli and 46.8% for K. pneumoniae) producing ESBL, indicating widespread antibiotic resistance.
  • The research highlights that improper treatment of hospital effluents contributes to the environmental spread of these resistant bacteria, posing serious public health risks due to contamination of aquatic sources.
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  • The study investigates the potential of coriander essential oil as a dietary supplement in tilapia feed to improve fish health and resistance against bacterial infections.
  • Fish were fed diets with varying levels of coriander oil (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) for 60 days, leading to significant improvements in blood parameters and immune responses in higher oil inclusion groups.
  • The results showed that tilapia fed 1.5% and 2% coriander oil achieved 100% survival rates after exposure to a bacterial pathogen, compared to only 39% survival in the control group, indicating a strong protective effect of the oil.
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Deltamethrin (DM) is one of the most toxic but widely used pyrethroid insecticides. Even though a non-target animal, fish are at high risk as they are deficient in the enzyme system that hydrolyses pyrethroids. Enhancing the immune system is a potential method in preventing fish diseases.

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Rapidly rising temperatures and increasing organic load in the inland and coastal waters has led to a significant increase in parasite population. The isopod infestation on fish in these waters have become more frequent, causing mortalities in both wild and cultured fishes. The present study was aimed to investigate the infestation on different fish hosts, mean intensity, prevalence, environmental influences on the parasite abundance and the histopathological changes it causes in the host.

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Article Synopsis
  • β-Defensin (BD) is an essential antimicrobial molecule in fish that helps defend against infections while also playing a role in immune regulation.
  • It has a unique structure featuring a net positive charge, disulfide bonds, and shows variability in its peptide regions, allowing for strong antimicrobial activity and a response to various pathogens.
  • BD enhances immune responses, influences inflammation, and has roles in reproduction, making it a key player in fish health and potential therapeutic applications.
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Antibiotic resistance has become a major threat to human health around the world, but its spread through the aquatic environment has been often overlooked. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in hospital wastewaters and their transmission into public water bodies in Kerala, India. A total of 113 S.

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is a crustacean parasite, which is increasingly becoming a menace to aquafarmers. In our previous study, a novel microbial consortium comprising of three exoskeleton degrading bacterial strains (, and ) had shown promising results as a biocontrol agent for . The present investigation reports the changes in proximate and elemental composition associated with the application of microbial consortium on the isopod .

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  • Large-scale fish deaths in Kerala occurred in 2018 and 2019 due to heavy rainfall, leading to conditions favorable for epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS), a disease caused by the water mould Aphanomyces invadans.
  • The outbreak primarily affected freshwater snakeheads and brackish water mullet and pearl spot, with EUS being recorded in four new freshwater fish species for the first time.
  • Histological and molecular tests confirmed EUS as the cause of mortality, linked to sudden changes in water quality during the floods, including lower temperatures and decreases in pH and hardness.
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Parasitic infestations on cultured fish due to the crustacean isopod Alitropus typus has been on the rise in recent years, causing large scale mortality, leading to significant economic loss to the farmer. Crustaceans are encased by an exoskeleton composed of chitin, protein and lipid microfibril frameworks, in which calcium carbonate is deposited. A strategy focused on the degradation of the exoskeletal framework utilizing nonpathogenic microorganisms that produce a wide variety of hydrolytic enzymes may be an environment-friendly and safe alternative to control these pests.

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  • The global nitrogen cycle is crucial for processes like primary productivity and decomposition, with nitrification being a key step in converting ammonia to nitrate.
  • Recent discoveries, such as the complete ammonia oxidation (comammox) process, have revolutionized the understanding of nitrification, especially with the identification of the comammox Nitrospira genus that can perform both ammonia and nitrite oxidation in a single step.
  • The review explores Nitrospira's taxonomy, ecophysiology, and metabolic diversity, highlighting its significance and how it differs from traditional nitrifying bacteria.
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Titanium dioxide nanoparticle (TNP) has been suggested for use in fish farms to prevent or alleviate bacterial diseases owing to its bactericidal property. Unfortunately, the interaction of TNP with cells impaired the host defenses of fish resulting in increased mortality during bacterial challenges. The present study evaluated the efficacy of the ethanolic extract of Tinospora cordifolia (TCE) as a dietary supplement in ameliorating TNP induced toxicity in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

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Quinolones are one of the most important classes of antibacterials available for the treatment of infectious diseases in humans. However, there is a growing concern about bacterial resistance to antimicrobials including quinolones. The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the aquatic environment has been recognized as a growing threat to public health and hospitals appear to be a major contributor to this.

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The prevalence of carbapenem resistance among bacterial isolates from selected water bodies receiving hospital effluents and adjoining aquaculture farms in Kerala, India, was studied. Klebsiella pneumoniae followed by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes and Acinetobacter baumannii were the predominant isolates. Antibiotic sensitivity of these isolates was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.

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