Viremia and clinical manifestations in acute febrile patients of Chikungunya infection during the 2016 CHIKV outbreak in Delhi, India.

Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an infectious agent that caused several outbreaks among different countries and affected approximately 1.3 million Indian populations. It is transmitted by mosquito-either or .

Genotypic characterization of vancomycin-resistant causing urinary tract infection in northern India.

Background & Objectives: Infections caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococci are difficult to treat given the limited therapeutic alternatives. Different gene clusters are known to confer vancomycin resistance. vanA and vanB genes are transferable and are clinically relevant.

High-level gentamicin resistance mediated by gene in species isolated from clinical samples in Northern India.

Context: Enterococci are known to cause life-threatening infections which are difficult to treat as the organism harbors innate resistance to many antibiotics and can amass resistance toward many others through plasmid-mediated genetic exchange.

Aims: The study evaluates the drug susceptibility profile of various Enterococcus species isolated from various patient specimens submitted for bacteriological analysis and check the incidence of aac(6') Ie-aph(2") Ia gene.

Setting And Design: This in vitro cross-sectional study was executed at bacteriology laboratory of a 470 bedded hospital in New Delhi.

Comparative kinetic analysis of ascorbate (Vitamin-C) recycling dehydroascorbate reductases from plants and humans.

Ascorbate is an important cellular antioxidant that gets readily oxidized to dehydroascorbate (DHA). Recycling of DHA is therefore paramount in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and preventing oxidative stress. Dehydroascorbate reductases (DHARs), in conjunction with glutathione (GSH), carry out this vital process in eukaryotes, among which plant DHARs have garnered considerable attention.

Phylogenetic analysis of VP7 and VP4 genes of the most predominant human group A rotavirus G12 identified in children with acute gastroenteritis in Himachal Pradesh, India during 2013-2016.

G12 strains are now considered to be the sixth most prevalent human rotaviruses globally. India has introduced rotavirus vaccine Rotavac® into the national immunization program in 2016 and Himachal Pradesh (HP) is the first state to launch it. During epidemiological rotavirus surveillance in HP, predominance of G12 rotaviruses was observed.

Chikungunya-specific IgG and neutralizing antibody responses in natural infection of Chikungunya virus in children from India.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection is endemic in many different countries. CHIKV outbreaks are emerging in new areas and re-emerging in previously exposed geographical regions, thus making it a significant public health concern. CHIKV infections are often clinically inapparent, especially in children, which poses a challenge to testing and evaluating any vaccine.

Exploring rotavirus proteome to identify potential B- and T-cell epitope using computational immunoinformatics.

Rotavirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants and children worldwide. The functional correlation of B- and T-cells to long-lasting immunity against rotavirus infection in the literature is limited. In this work, a series of computational immuno-informatics approaches were applied and identified 28 linear B-cells, 26 conformational B-cell, 44 T cell and 40 T cell binding epitopes for structural and non-structural proteins of rotavirus.

Genetic diversity of G9 rotavirus strains circulating among diarrheic children in North India: A comparison with 116E rotavirus vaccine strain.

The parental rotavirus strain 116E (G9P[11]) used to generate Rotavac® vaccine was isolated in 1986 in New Delhi. Thenceforward, there is no comprehensive report on diversity of G9 rotavirus strains from 116E; therefore, the present study evaluates the VP7 gene sequence diversity of G9 strains (retrieved from GenBank) from different geographical regions (1987-2016). Additionally, 22 recently collected G9 strains from Himachal Pradesh and Delhi (2013-2016) were included in the phylogenetic analysis.

Epidemiology and molecular characterization of chikungunya virus from human cases in North India, 2016.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arthropod-borne Alphavirus is responsible for chikungunya disease. Arthralgia and arthritis are the major symptom. Some patients recover early while others for a very long time.

Epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea among children less than 5 years hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis prior to rotavirus vaccine introduction in India.

Background: Rotavirus is an important cause of severe diarrhea requiring hospitalization, accounting for approximately 78,000 deaths annually in Indian children below 5 years of age. We present epidemiological data on severe rotavirus disease collected during hospital-based surveillance in India before the introduction of the oral rotavirus vaccine into the national immunization schedule.

Methods: The National Rotavirus Surveillance Network was created involving 28 hospital sites and 11 laboratories across the four geographical regions of India.

Diversity of rotavirus genotypes circulating in children < 5 years of age hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in India from 2005 to 2016: analysis of temporal and regional genotype variation.

Background: From 2016, the Government of India introduced the oral rotavirus vaccine into the national immunization schedule. Currently, two indigenously developed vaccines (ROTAVAC, Bharat Biotech; ROTASIIL, Serum Institute of India) are included in the Indian immunization program. We report the rotavirus disease burden and the diversity of rotavirus genotypes from 2005 to 2016 in a multi-centric surveillance study before the introduction of vaccines.

Biofilm synthesis and other virulence factors in multidrug-resistant uropathogenic enterococci isolated in Northern India.

Purpose: Enterococci express high degree of resistance towards wide range of antibiotics. Production of biofilm and many virulence factors along with drug resistance makes it difficult to eradicate the infection from urinary tract. The present study detected the expression of such factors including biofilm production by multidrug-resistant (MDR) enterococci.

Antibody response patterns in chikungunya febrile phase predict protection versus progression to chronic arthritis.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection causes acute febrile illness in humans, and some of these individuals develop a debilitating chronic arthritis that can persist for months to years for reasons that remain poorly understood. In this study from India, we characterized antibody response patterns in febrile chikungunya patients and further assessed the association of these initial febrile-phase antibody response patterns with protection versus progression to developing chronic arthritis. We found 5 distinct patterns of the antibody responses in the febrile phase: no CHIKV binding or neutralizing (NT) antibodies but PCR positive, IgM alone with no NT activity, IgM alone with NT activity, IgM and IgG without NT activity, and IgM and IgG with NT activity.

Discovery of small molecule inhibitors of chikungunya virus proteins (nsP2 and E1) using approaches.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has emerged as a major viral threat, affecting over a million people worldwide per year. It is a vector borne disease transmitted to the human by mosquitoes and primarily affect people by causing viral fever, severe joint pain and other symptoms, like rash, joint swelling, muscle pain and in rare cases can be fatal. CHIKV is a deadly virus, with its mutation rate found to be significantly higher as compared to other viruses.

Epidemiology and clinical features of rotavirus, adenovirus, and astrovirus infections and coinfections in children with acute gastroenteritis prior to rotavirus vaccine introduction in Meerut, North India.

There are limited reports on the etiology of multiple enteric viruses causing acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in North India. In the present study we have determined the prevalence of three enteric viruses, namely rotavirus, astrovirus (AstV) and adenovirus (AdV) in a total of 312 diarrheic children (<5 years) hospitalized at Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh from August 2014 to July 2016; and results were compared with data from Delhi. The fecal samples were individually screened for group A rotavirus (RVA), AdV, and AstV using enzyme immunoassay kits.

Production, characterization and application of thermostable, alkaline α-amylase (AA11) from Bacillus cereus strain SP-CH11 isolated from Chilika Lake.

An alkaliphile bacterial strain designated as CH11 was isolated from the sediments of Chilika Lake, Odisha. The isolate showed stupendous growth and production of α-amylase at pH 10.0.

Exploration of detergent-stable alkaline α-amylase AA7 from Bacillus sp strain SP-CH7 isolated from Chilika Lake.

An alkali-tolerant bacterial isolate CH7 was isolated from Chilika Lake sediments that produced α-amylase at high pH. It showed >15 mm zone diameter at pH 11.0 on agar plate containing 1% starch hence considered for study.

Epidemiology and genetic diversity of group A rotavirus in acute diarrhea patients in pre-vaccination era in Himachal Pradesh, India.

Acute gastroenteritis due to Group A rotaviruses remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children in developing countries. India introduced its indigenous rotavirus vaccine Rotavac® in 2016 and Himachal Pradesh (HP) the first state to launch it. The present study aimed to evaluate rotavirus strain diversity associated with AGE prior to vaccine introduction in HP.

Evaluation of medicinal herbs for Anti-CHIKV activity.

Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease is now a global public health problem. In tropical countries such as India, periodic chikungunya outbreaks can occur due the high prevalence of the mosquito vector, circulation of virus and the high population density. To curtail the virus in outbreak situation, a ready to use drug for chikungunya is necessary.

Virus load and clinical features during the acute phase of Chikungunya infection in children.

Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection is a long known mosquito-borne disease that is associated with severe morbidity, characterized by fever, headache, rashes, joint pain, and myalgia. It is believed that virus load has relation with severity of clinical features.

Objectives: We performed this study to assess the relationship between virus load and clinical features in children during the acute phase of CHIKV infection, in order to draw insights for better-informed treatment.

Analysis of dengue specific memory B cells, neutralizing antibodies and binding antibodies in healthy adults from India.

Background: The Indian population is facing highest dengue burden worldwide supporting an urgent need for vaccines. For vaccine introduction, evaluation and interpretation it is important to gain a critical understanding of immune memory induced by natural exposure. However, immune memory to dengue remains poorly characterized in this region.

In vitro evaluation of adherence and anti-infective property of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum DM 69 against Salmonella enterica.

Gastrointestinal infections are a global health problem, and the potential use of probiotic Lactobacillus species to control such infections represents a promising approach. To exert the health benefits on the host, studying the colonization and adherence properties of probiotic bacteria in vitro is crucial. In this context, investigation was carried out to evaluate adhesion, aggregation and anti-infective effect of an indigenous probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum DM 69 against an enteric pathogen Salmonella enterica subsp.

Surveillance and genetic characterization of rotavirus strains circulating in four states of North Indian children.

Acute gastroenteritis due to Rotavirus (RV) infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children worldwide. In India, around 0.1 million death reported annually due to RV illness.

Changing pattern of prevalence, genetic diversity, and mixed infections of viruses associated with acute gastroenteritis in pediatric patients in New Delhi, India.

There are very few studies that have assessed multiple viral agents causing Acute-Gastroenteritis (AGE) in India. The present study compared the changing pattern of prevalence and genetic diversity of five enteric viruses associated with acute-diarrhea in Delhi children within a gap of 5 years. Fecal samples were collected from diarrheal children (<4 years) during two winter seasons: year 2009-2010 (n = 59) and year 2014-2015 (n = 85).

First study conducted in Northern India that identifies group C rotavirus as the etiological agent of severe diarrhea in children in Delhi.

Background: Group C Rotavirus (RVC) is an enteric pathogen responsible for acute gastroenteritis in children and adults globally. At present there are no surveillance studies on group C Rotaviruses in India and therefore their prevalence in India remains unknown. The present study aimed to evaluate group C rotavirus infection among <5 years old children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in New Delhi.