Risk factors for childhood illness and death in rural Uttar Pradesh, India: perspectives from the community, community health workers and facility staff.

Background: Uttar Pradesh (UP), India continues to have a high burden of mortality among young children despite recent improvement. Therefore, it is vital to understand the risk factors associated with under-five (U5) deaths and episodes of severe illness in order to deliver programs targeted at decreasing mortality among U5 children in UP. However, in rural UP, almost every child has one or more commonly described risk factors, such as low socioeconomic status or undernutrition.

Readiness to provide child health services in rural Uttar Pradesh, India: mapping, monitoring and ongoing supportive supervision.

Background: In 2018, 875 000 under-five children died in India with children from poor families and rural communities disproportionately affected. Community health centres are positioned to improve access to quality child health services but capacity is often low and the systems for improvements are weak.

Methods: Secondary analysis of child health program data from the Uttar Pradesh Technical Support Unit was used to delineate how program activities were temporally related to public facility readiness to provide child health services including inpatient admissions.

Mycobacterial origin protein Rv0674 localizes into mitochondria, interacts with D-loop and regulates OXPHOS for intracellular persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) employs diverse strategies to survive inside the host macrophages. In this study, we have identified a conserved hypothetical protein of Mtb; Rv0674, which is present in the mitochondria of the host cell. The genetic knock-out of rv0674 (Mtb-KO) showed increased growth of Mtb.

Clinical, demographic and radiological profile of smoker COPD versus nonsmoker COPD patients at a tertiary care center in North India.

Introduction: Cigarette smoking is the most predominant risk factor for development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, a considerable amount of patients do develop COPD without exposure to cigarette smoking. We aimed to analyze the incidence, demographic and clinical profile of nonsmoker COPD subjects at a tertiary care center.

Association of Nat2 Gene Polymorphism with Antitubercular Drug-induced Hepatotoxicity in the Eastern Uttar Pradesh Population.

Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There are more than 20 drugs available for TB treatment. Hepatotoxicity is the most serious adverse drug reaction of anti-TB drugs.

Exploration of some new secretory proteins to be employed for companion diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease and its early and precise diagnosis is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality of patients. Since the routine diagnostic tests (like Monteux, AFB smear microscopy, chest X-Ray) do not give infallible results, additional tests are always recommended. Therefore to address the concerns about non-specificity of the present battery of diagnostic tests, we have attempted to analyze some unique secretory antigens which could be able to identify the stage specific infection of MTB.

Biophysical and immunological characterization of the ESX-4 system ESAT-6 family proteins Rv3444c and Rv3445c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv.

The ESAT-6 family proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are regarded as the key mediators in mycobacterial virulence and are largely considered as antigens that can improve TB vaccines and diagnostics. We have characterized Rv3444c and Rv3445c proteins of the ESX-4 system of ESAT-6 family of M. tuberculosis H37Rv, and have experimentally established that these two proteins interact to form a heterodimeric complex.

Peroxiredoxin-1 of macrophage is critical for mycobacterial infection and is controlled by early secretory antigenic target protein through the activation of p38 MAPK.

Early secretory antigenic target protein (ESAT-6) is an important virulent factor which plays a crucial role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) pathogenesis. Here, we demonstrate the role of ESAT-6 in phagocytosis and intracellular survival of mycobacteria through a mechanism mediated by regulation of a host protein; Peroxiredoxin-1 (Prdx-1). Prdx-1 is an anti-apoptotic and stress response protein which protects cells from damage by ROS and HO.

A study on Beijing genotype in the clinical isolates of pulmonary drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) Beijing strains are spread worldwide and are responsible for major outbreaks of tuberculosis (TB), sometimes spreading multidrug resistance (MDR).

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore clinical features associated with the infection with Beijing strains among MDR patients of pulmonary TB in Lucknow and surrounding areas.

Materials And Methods: It was a hospital-based epidemiological study.

Assess drug resistance pattern and genetic profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates by molecular typing methods using direct repeats and in pulmonary tuberculosis cases.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB), a highly contagious disease that sees no gender, age, or race is mainly a disease of lungs. According to World Health Organization, a TB patient can be completely cured with 6-9 months of anti-TB treatment under directly observed treatment short course.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to check the mono, multi- and triple-drug resistance to first line drugs (FLDs) among TB patients and to access their genetic profile using DR 3074, DR 0270, DR 0642, DR 2068, and DR 4110 using molecular techniques.

Characterization of culture filtrate proteins Rv1197 and Rv1198 of ESAT-6 family from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv.

Background: We have characterized two immunogenic proteins, Rv1197 and Rv1198, of the Esx-5 system of the ESAT-6 family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv.

Methods: The complex formation between Rv1197 and Rv1198 was characterized by biophysical techniques. The reactivity of serum from TB patients towards these proteins was characterized by ELISA.

The M. tuberculosis HAD phosphatase (Rv3042c) interacts with host proteins and is inhibited by Clofazimine.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis codes for a HAD-phosphatase, Rv3042c (MtSerB2), that has earlier been characterized as a metabolic enzyme. Here we demonstrate that MtSerB2 is secreted into the cytosol of infected macrophages and is found in bronchoalveolar lavage samples of tuberculosis patients. MtSerB2 induces significant cytoskeleton rearrangements through cofilin activation and affects the expression of genes that regulate actin dynamics.

Pattern of drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates to first-line antituberculosis drugs in pulmonary cases.

Context: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the human pathogen causes Tuberculosis (TB). It is a highly infectious and globally pandemic disease. The severity increases when the MTB becomes resistant to antituberculosis drugs.

Familial Behcet's disease.

There are very few reports of Behetaet's disease from India. Familial aggregation of Behetaet's disease has been reported with restricted geographical distribution. We report here familial Behcet's disease from India in two brothers aged 30 and 32 years.