Dual cross-linked honey coupled 3D antimicrobial alginate hydrogels for cutaneous wound healing.

We report potentiation of healing efficacy of alginate by value addition at its structural level. Dual crosslinked (ionically and covalently) sodium alginate hydrogel coupled with honey (HSAG) brings about an intermediate stiffness in the fabric, confers consistent swelling property and limits erratic degradation of the polymer which ultimately provides conducive milieu to cellular growth and proliferation. In this work honey concentrations in HSAGs are varied from 2% to 10%.

Performance of SNAPPE-II score in neonatal sepsis: an experience from a tertiary care center.

Background And Objectives: The Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology II with Perinatal Extension (SNAPPE-II) is a vital tool for prognostication in newborns. The study was conducted with the hypothesis that the performance of the SNAPPE-II score might be affected by the presence of sepsis in newborns admitted with possible early onset septicemia and whether score performance varies between culture positive and culture negative sepsis.

Methods: The prospective observational study was conducted over a period of 1 year (January 2014 to January 2015) in neonates presenting with clinical suspicion of sepsis to the Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India.

Indigenous Probiotic Lactobacillus Isolates Presenting Antibiotic like Activity against Human Pathogenic Bacteria.

Background: Indigenous lactic acid bacteria are well known probiotics having antibacterial activity against potentially pathogenic bacteria. This study aims to characterize the curd lactobacilli for their probiotic potentiality and antagonistic activity against clinical bacteria.

Methods: Four curd samples were processed microbiologically for the isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB).

Molecular characterization and evaluation of the emerging antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes from eastern India.

Background: Group A Streptococcus strains causing wide variety of diseases, recently became noticeable in eastern India, are not amenable to standard treatment protocol thus enhancing the possibility of disease morbidity by becoming antibiotic resistance.

Methods: The association of Lancefield group A Streptococcal variation with degree of vir architectural diversity was evaluated using emm typing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses. The antibiotic sensitivity patterns were examined by modified Kirby-Bauer method of disk diffusion.

Correlates of treatment outcomes and drug resistance among pulmonary tuberculosis patients attending tertiary care hospitals of Kolkata, India.

Background: Worldwide highest number of new pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases, was reported from India in 2012. Adverse treatment outcomes and emergence of drug resistance further complicated the prevailing scenario owing to increased duration, cost and toxicity associated with the treatment of drug-resistant cases. Hence to reinforce India's fight against TB, identification of the correlates of adverse treatment outcomes and drug resistance, seemed critical.

Alteration of serum inflammatory cytokines in active pulmonary tuberculosis following anti-tuberculosis drug therapy.

Active pulmonary tuberculosis (APTB) is associated with a failure of the host immune system to control the invading Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The objective of this study was to quantify and assess the role of serum inflammatory cytokines in active pulmonary tuberculosis patients following anti-tuberculosis drug (ATD) therapy. Blood samples were collected from APTB patients and normal healthy subjects (NHS) (total n=204) at baseline and 2, 4 and 6 months post-therapy and the abundance of serum inflammatory cytokines were measured by cytokine specific ELISA.

Antibacterial potential of hydroalcoholic extracts of triphala components against multidrug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria--a preliminary report.

"Triphala", the Ayurvedic wonder is used traditionally for the treatment of different types of diseases since antiquity. The hydroalcoholic extracts of the three components of Triphala powder demonstrated varying degrees of strain specific antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria. Terminalia chebula fruit extract was active against all the test isolates followed by Terminalia belerica and Emblica officinalis.

Anti-inflammatory, anti-lipid peroxidative, antioxidant and membrane stabilizing activities of hydroalcoholic extract of Terminalia chebula fruits.

Context: Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae) fruit is mentioned in Ayurveda as useful in treating arthritic disorders.

Antibiotic resistance of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi in Kolkata, India, and in vitro experiments on effect of combined chemotherapy.

This communication states the changing patterns of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) isolates causing enteric fever in and around Kolkata, India. Among the isolates resistance to ampicillin (A), chloramphenicol (C), cotrimoxazole (Co) and tetracycline (T) were plasmid mediated; the plasmid was unstable in S.

A molecular approach to identification and profiling of first-line-drug-resistant mycobacteria from sputum of pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Conventional and molecular techniques were applied to detect and characterize drug resistance of mycobacteria in the sputum samples of clinically confirmed tuberculosis. The sensitivities of mycobacterium detection by ZN staining, culture, multiplex PCR, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were 27.7%, 19.

In vitro antibacterial potential of Eugenia jambolana seed extracts against multidrug-resistant human bacterial pathogens.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the possible in vitro antibacterial potential of extracts of Eugenia jambolana seeds against multidrug-resistant human bacterial pathogens. Agar well diffusion and microbroth dilution assay methods were used for antibacterial susceptibility testing. Kill-kinetics study was done to know the rate and extent of bacterial killing.

Enhancing chloramphenicol and trimethoprim in vitro activity by Ocimum sanctum Linn. (Lamiaceae) leaf extract against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial activity of Ocimum sanctum (O. sanctum) leaf extract, alone, and in combination with chloramphenicol (C) and trimethoprim (Tm) against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. typhi).

In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of three Indian Spices Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Objective: To explore the in vitro antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum; CIN), clove (Syzygium aromaticum, CLV) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum, CMN) against clinical isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), from Kolkata, India.

Methods: The CIN, CLV and CMN were tested for their antibacterial activity against MRSA by in vitro methods. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the three extracts were determined, and time-kill studies were performed in order to investigate the bactericidal activity of the extracts (at the MIC level) for the isolates.

Serologic evidence of human leptospirosis in and around Kolkata, India: a clinico-epidemiological study.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of leptospirosis among patients from within and outside Kolkata, India, attending the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, for treatment during August 2002 to August 2008.

Methods: The leptospirosis cases were determined on the basis of clinical, epidemiological, and biochemical factors, and were tested for leptospiral antibodies using IgM ELISA. Serum samples with absorbance ratio ≥ 1.

Inhibition of the emergence of multi drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Withania somnifera root extracts.

Objective: To search systematically for an alternative therapy with compounds particularly from plant origin.

Methods: Efficacy test of different root extracts of Withania somnifera (W. somnifera) (L) Dunal against multi drug resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus (S.

Cholera: a great global concern.

Cholera, caused by the infection of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) to humans, is a life threatening diarrheal disease with epidemic and pandemic potential. The V.

Bacteriological study of aerobic isolates from plantar ulcers of paucibacillary leprosy patients.

Background: Plantar ulcers commonly occur in leprosy patients, which usually recur and cause morbidity in such cases.

Aims: The aim of the study is to find out the bacteriological profile of these ulcers and to find out the antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates so that appropriate drugs may be chosen for treatment and for prevention of recurrence.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-six samples from recurrent plantar ulcers of paucibacillary leprosy patients (attending the outpatient department of Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine) were studied for the purpose.

Plasmid-mediated dimethoate degradation by Bacillus licheniformis isolated from a fresh water fish Labeo rohita.

The Bacillus licheniformis strain isolated from the intestine of Labeo rohita by an enrichment technique showed capability of utilizing dimethoate as the sole source of carbon. The bacterium rapidly utilized dimethoate beyond 0.6 mg/mL and showed prolific growth in a mineral salts medium containing 0.

Scattergram analysis to explore the emerging problem related to in vitro susceptibility test for Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi to ciprofloxacin.

Ciprofloxacin susceptibility using a disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value determination for 421 S. Typhi isolates showed comparable results for 296 (70%) isolates with an MIC View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Synergism of ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim against Salmonella enterica serovar typhi isolates showing reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin.

The activity of the combination of ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim against 16 Salmonella enterica serovar typhi isolates from blood cultures were tested by agar dilution checkerboard technique. When used in combination, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim ranged from 0.5 to 1.

Ofloxacin minimum inhibitory concentration versus disk diffusion zone diameter for Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi isolates: problems in the detection of ofloxacin resistance.

Using the guidelines of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS), a total of 421 blood culture isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi obtained during 1991-2001 were tested for susceptibility to ofloxacin (OFX) by the disc diffusion method, and for the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of OFX by the agar dilution method. Among 421 isolates, 248 were fully OFX-sensitive showing MICs of 0.0125-0.

Combination effect of ciprofloxacin and gentamicin against clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar typhi with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin.

The present study evaluated the in vitro efficacy of ciprofloxacin (CPFX) in combination with gentamicin (GM) using agar dilution checkerboard method against six blood culture isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi with CPFX minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.75 - 1.25 microg/ml and GM MIC values of 0.

R-Factor in Salmonella enterica serovar typhi: transfer to and acquisition from Escherichia coli.

Blood culture isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi showing high degrees of resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole and tetracycline (ACCoT-resistance) transferred their full resistance phenotype to antibiotic-sensitive S. enterica serovar Typhi strains through the primary recipient Escherichia coli C600. Transfer frequencies were 0.