Molecular detection of potentially zoonotic protozoa in the Chandigarh region, India.

Context: The contamination of soil by pathogenic protozoan parasites from both human and animal feces, is an important factor in the spread of parasitic infections globally. This contamination also serves as a crucial reservoir for zoonotic diseases, facilitating their transmission. In many developing nations, including India, there's limited documentation on the extent of soil contamination, which poses challenges for implementing effective One Health strategies aimed at controlling these infections.

Rapid Detection of Amoebic Liver Abscess Using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay in Resource-Limited Settings.

Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is a significant public health concern in tropical countries. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as microscopy, have low sensitivity, and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) has lengthy turnaround times. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for detecting Entamoeba histolytica in amoebic liver pus samples.

Multiplex PCR for gastrointestinal parasites in stool: Benchmarking against direct microscopy and simplex PCR.

Purpose: To develop and validate a multiplex conventional PCR assay to simultaneously detect Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia lamblia in diarrheal samples as a rapid, cost-effective, and sensitive diagnostic tool for prevalent co-infections for improved diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in resource-limited settings.

Methods: Stool samples collected from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms after taking written consent, processed via wet mount, iodine mount, and PCR assays.

Safeguarding health on every plate: Intestinal parasitic infection survey of food handlers in a tertiary care centre.

Food borne infections pose significant public health problem, especially in developing countries of the world. A continuous surveillance to ensure the health of the personnel involved in preparation of the hospital food is important as they can be a source of spreading the infections and possible outbreaks. We analysed the data of the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in food handlers in our tertiary care centre from 2018 to 2022 and 6.

Modified trichrome stain for faster and improved detection of intestinal protozoan parasites.

Permanent stains such as trichrome have better sensitivity but are time-consuming and the fixative includes toxic mercuric chloride. Thus, a newer modification was tested and found to be a superior, faster and safer staining technique for intestinal parasitic detection. Our study lasted 9 months and a single stool sample was collected from each enrolled patient.

Novel diagnostic approach for amoebic liver abscess using cell free (cf) DNA: a prospective study.

Background: Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is commonly seen in tropical countries and diagnosis of ALA relies mainly on non-specific serological and imaging techniques as well as PCR from pus.

Objective: This study evaluated the potential of using cell free DNA (cfDNA) from serum and urine for diagnosing ALA.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated quantitative PCR (qPCR) for detection of cf DNA in serum and urine sample in all liver abscess patients.

Comparison of B1 and RE 529 gene targets by real time PCR and LAMP assay for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant females.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to accurately diagnose the presence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. In this study we evaluated two gene targets B1 and RE-529 using two different molecular methods i.e.

Molecular Diagnosis of Encephalitis/Meningoencephalitis Caused by Free-Living Amoebae from a Tertiary Center in India.

Background: Pathogenic free-living amoeba (FLA) such as spp., , and are causative agents of fatal amoebic encephalitis/meningoencephalitis. The diagnosis of such infections is challenging due to a lack of clinical suspicion and expertise in microscopic identification.

Bilateral Pulmonary Hydatid Cyst in a Young Child: A Rare Case Report from North India.

Echinococcosis or hydatid disease is caused by the larval stage of the dog tapeworm, that is, , , , or . causes cystic echinococcosis, which has a worldwide distribution. Liver is the most common site, affecting approximately two-third of the patients, whereas lung involvement is seen in approximately 25% of cases.

Cyclosporiasis in an immunocompromised patient who had undergone renal allograft transplant-A rare case report.

Cyclospora spp. is an important cause of traveler's diarrhea or water and food-borne diarrhoeal diseases. We present an interesting but rare case report of cyclosporiasis in a 51-year-old male who had undergone renal allograft transplant six years ago.

A Prospective Study to Assess the Optimal Incubation Times for Culture and Aerobic Bacterial Profile in Prosthetic Joint Infections.

With an increase in the number of total joint arthroplasties, the count of prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) is also increasing and has become a nightmare for an orthopaedic surgeon. Microbiological diagnosis is important for administering definitive antimicrobial treatment. Negative culture reports hamper patient management and prolonged incubation periods have increased the culture yield but at the risk of culture contamination in conventional microbiology settings.

Bacteriological Surveillance of Ambulance Vehicles from a Tertiary Care Hospital of North India.

An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which is used in case of any medical emergency for the transport of patients to treatment facilities. The ambulances help in the transportation of thousands of patients per year, and such patients may carry infectious microorganisms which pose a major threat to the treatment of such patients. In this study, we analyzed the extent of bacterial contamination in our ambulance vehicles and measured the degree of antimicrobial resistance among isolated pathogens.

Clinical and laboratory profile of trichinellosis from a non-endemic country.

Trichinellosis is a zoonotic parasitic infection caused by nematodes of the genus Trichinella. Humans mostly get infected by eating raw/under-cooked pork. In India, it has been reported mostly as sporadic cases especially from North Eastern and Eastern part of country.

Epidemiology and clinical outcome of ventilator-associated events at a tertiary care hospital from North India.

The aim of our study was to determine the incidence, microbiological profile, risk factors and outcomes of patients diagnosed with ventilator-associated events in our tertiary care hospital. In this prospective study, intensive care patients put on mechanical ventilation for >48 h were enrolled and monitored daily for ventilator-associated event according to Disease Centre Control guidelines. A ventilator-associated event developed in 33/250 (13.

Increasing Resistance to Reserve Antibiotics: The Experience of a Tertiary Level Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Blood stream infections are considered as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates. Recent trend shows increasing resistance to commonly used antibiotics.

Aims And Objectives: The aim of this study is to find the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of various bacteria from blood samples in neonates and associated risk factors.

Detection of various beta-Lactamases in and sp.: A study from Tertiary Care Centre of North India.

Objective: The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species is a global threat. We aimed to compare two phenotypic methods and evaluate the genotypic method for the detection of beta-lactamases produced by E. coli and Klebsiella spp.

Characterization of Bacteriological Isolates from Patients and Environment Samples of Burn Ward: A Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital of India.

Objective: Source of infection in a burn patient is from the patient's flora, contaminated environmental surfaces and transmitted from health care workers. Insufficiently disinfected hospital environmental surface provides a niche for multidrug resistant bacteria. This study was carried out to assess the bacteriological profile of the pathogens from burn wounds and the surrounding environmental areas.

Corynebacterium Striatum, an Emerging Nosocomial Pathogen: Case Reports.

Corynebacterium striatum is an emerging nosocomial pathogen, capable of causing a variety of infections in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. ; Case Presentation: We describe three cases of infection by C. striatum that were initially considered as contamination.

Next-generation strategy for treating drug resistant bacteria: Antibiotic hybrids.

Resistance against nearly all antibiotics used clinically have been documented in bacteria. There is an ever-increasing danger caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in both hospital and community settings. In Gram-negative bacteria, intrinsic resistance to currently available antibiotics is mainly due to overexpressed efflux pumps which are constitutively present and also presence of protective outer membrane.

Evaluation of various risk factors associated with multidrug-resistant organisms isolated from diabetic foot ulcer patients.

Aims: Diabetic foot ulcer is a dreaded complication of diabetes. Diabetic foot ulcer patients are often infected with multidrug resistant organism (MDRO) due to chronic course of the wound, inappropriate antibiotics treatment, frequent hospital admission, neuropathy, nephropathy, and peripheral vascular disease.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study was conducted in our 750 bedded hospital for a period of 6 months.

Post-Traumatic Endophthalmitis Due to Acinetobacter radioresistens: Virulence Potential of Commensal Bacteria.

Acinetobacter species are widely distributed in soil, water and hospital environment. In addition to A. calcoaceticus-baumannii complex, the clinically most relevant species, there are other genomospecies which are less frequently identified, mostly due to lack of accurate methods for routine identification.

Characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from clinical samples.

Purpose: This study has been done to speciate coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and also study their antibiotic susceptibility pattern isolated from clinical samples.

Materials And Methods: A total of 120 consecutive CoNS were isolated from various clinical samples such as blood, pus, wound swab, drain fluid, tracheal aspirate, peritoneal fluid, and pleural fluid over a period of 6 months. CoNS were identified by characteristic growth on media such as Blood agar and MacConkey agar.

Stethoscope, "the friendly foe" - A study to evaluate bacterial contamination of stethoscopes and disinfection practices.

Introduction: Stethoscope is used to assess the health of patients but can also act as a potential source of disease transmission. The study was aimed to find out the contamination rate of stethoscopes, evaluate awareness and attitude of healthcare workers (HCWs) about stethoscope cleaning, and determine the efficacy of 70% alcohol as cleaning agent.

Methodology: This hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in October 2015 among healthcare workers.

Burkholderia Cepacia Complex Causing Pneumonia in an Immunocompetent Non-Cystic Fibrosis Patient: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Background: Burkholderia cepacia complex is widespread in the environment and has been recognized as a cause of opportunistic pulmonary infections, particularly in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). The natural ecology of the bacteria as part of plant growth-promoting rhizosphere provides stark contrast to its infectious potential. Its preponderance as a nosocomial pathogen may be due to its ability to survive in antiseptic solutions, contaminate equipments and intrinsic antimicrobial resistance.