Publications by authors named "Rajeshkumar M"

The decline in dengue incidence and/or prevalence during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-22) appears to be attributed to reduced treatment-seeking rates, under-reporting, misdiagnosis, disrupted health services and reduced exposure to mosquito vectors due to prevailing lockdowns. There is limited scientific data on dengue virus (DENV) disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we conducted a community-based, cross-sectional, cluster-randomized survey to assess anti-DENV and anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, and also estimated the spatial distribution of DENV-positive aedine mosquito vectors during the COVID-19 pandemic across all the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu, India.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In December 2023, we observed a notable shift in the COVID-19 landscape, when JN.1 omicron emerged as the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant with a 95% incidence. We characterized the clinical profile, and genetic changes in JN.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Dengue is a vector-borne viral disease impacting millions across the globe. Nevertheless, akin to many other diseases, reports indicated a decline in dengue incidence and seroprevalence during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-22). This presumably could be attributed to reduced treatment-seeking rates, under-reporting, misdiagnosis, disrupted health services and reduced exposure to vectors due to lockdowns.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In December 2023, we observed a notable shift in the COVID-19 landscape, when the JN.1 emerged as a predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant with a 95% incidence. We characterized the clinical profile, and genetic changes in JN.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigated the role and mutations of the XBB omicron variant in COVID-19 cases among hospitalized patients in Tamil Nadu, India, particularly in the context of increased breakthrough infections despite vaccination efforts.
  • - Researchers analyzed nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs from 98 patients using real-time PCR and Next Generation Sequencing, identifying 43 mutations in the S gene, including two new mutations, A27S and T747I, which had not been previously reported.
  • - The findings suggested that factors such as age and underlying health conditions were more critical in susceptibility to infection than vaccination status, with XBB.3 being the main variant identified among vaccinated individuals experiencing breakthrough infections.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Early detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is critical to TB elimination in the current WHO vision of End Tuberculosis Strategy. The study investigates whether detecting plasma cytokines could aid in diagnosing LTBI across household contacts (HHCs) positive for IGRA, HHCs negative for IGRA, and healthy controls. The plasma cytokines were measured using a commercial Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine 17-plex assay.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Early detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is critical to TB elimination in the current WHO vision of .

Methods: We investigated whether detecting plasma cytokines could aid in diagnosing LTBI across household contacts (HHCs) positive for IGRA, HHCs negative for IGRA, and healthy controls. We also measured the plasma cytokines using a commercial assay.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants in the global population is indicative of the development of selective advantages in emerging virus strains. Here, we performed a case-control investigation of the clinical and demographic characteristics, clinical history, and virological markers to predict disease progression in hospitalized adults for COVID-19 between December 2021 and January 2022 in Chennai, India. COVID-19 diagnosis was made by a commercial TaqPath COVID-19 RT-PCR, and WGS was performed with the Ion Torrent Next Generation Sequencing System.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The magnitude of protection conferred following recovery from COVID-19 or by vaccine administration, and the duration of protective immunity developed, remains ambiguous.

Methods: We investigated the factors associated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1 IgG decay in 519 individuals who recovered from COVID-19 illness or received COVID-19 vaccination with two commercial vaccines, viz., an adenoviral vector-based (AZD1222) and a whole-virion-based inactivated (BBV152) vaccine in Chennai, India from March to December 2021.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The present work reveals zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) obtained via green synthesis approach utilizing phytochemicals present in the Leea asiatica plant. The synthesized ZnO NRs was confirmed by various characterization methods like X-ray diffraction, FTIR, SEM-EDX, UV-vis, TEM and Raman spectra analysis. The obtained nanorods show less particle size with a distinctive high surface area.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dietary measures and plant-based therapies as prescribed by native systems of medicine have gained attraction among diabetics with claims of efficacy. The present study investigated the effects of S-Allylcysteine (SAC) on body weight gain, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and nitric oxide synthase in plasma and argininosuccinate synthase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (ASL), lipid peroxides and antioxidant enzymes in aorta of control and streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA)-induced diabetic rats. Changes in body weight, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and antioxidant profiles of aorta and mRNA expressions of nitric oxide synthase, AS, and ASL were observed in experimental rats.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The relationship between the two age-related diseases namely, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), is gaining much attention in research because of the alarming forecast on both increasing incidence and economic burden. Recent research studies have identified some of the existing links, between AD and T2DM, such as the dysfunctional glucose metabolism and insulin signaling, stress and inflammation, defective protein processing and the role of advanced glycation end products. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms to identify the common linking mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of both AD and T2DM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF