In-vitro anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis effect of essential oil of Ocimum sanctum L. (Tulsi/Basil) leaves.

Background/objectives: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis has developed resistance to most of the available antimicrobials. Consequently, it is difficult to cure all the patients with tuberculosis and in future, the incidence of tuberculosis by drug resistant M. tuberculosis is likely to increase, worldwide.

Scrub typhus in Puducherry, India: Application of nested PCR targeting three different genes - 56 kDa, 47 kDa and groEL of and comparison with ST IgM ELISA.

Background & Objectives: Scrub typhus (ST), an important zoonosis caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is now prevalent throughout India. While demonstration of IgM antibody by Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA) is the gold standard serological test, IgM ELISA is an alternative. Demonstration of O.

Application of immunofluorescence assay and nested polymerase chain reaction for query fever diagnosis in animal handlers of Puducherry, South India, and phylogenetic analysis based on IS1111 repetitive gene element.

Background And Aim: Diagnosis of query fever (QF) is mostly done on the basis of serological/molecular tests, due to the stringent requirement of biosafety level-3 containment facilities for isolating in culture. QF is an important zoonosis and is considered to be an occupational hazard to livestock handlers. This report describes our study on the serological as well as molecular evidence of QF in animal handlers from Puducherry and surrounding Tamil Nadu, from where, to the best of our knowledge, no such reports are available so far.

Serological evidence of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in and around Puducherry, south India-A three years study.

Background & Objectives: Rickettsial diseases are important re-emerging infections that mostly go unnoticed or are misdiagnosed. Though few case reports of Indian tick typhus have been reported in Indian literature in the past 10 yr, prevalence surveys are few and far between. The objective of this research was to study the seroprevalence of spotted fever (SF) group rickettsiosis and its coinfection with scrub typhus (ST) in Puducherry region of south India, as these two diseases may show similar clinical presentations.

A study of virulence and antimicrobial resistance pattern in diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli isolated from diarrhoeal stool specimens from children and adults in a tertiary hospital, Puducherry, India.

Background: Emergence of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and hybrid E. coli (harboring genes of more than one DEC pathotypes) strains have complicated the issue of growing antibiotic resistance in diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC). This ongoing evolution occurs in nature predominantly via horizontal gene transfers involving the mobile genetic elements like integrons notably class 1 integron.

Unreliability of three commercial phase II IgM ELISA kits for the seroscreening of acute Q fever in human cases.

Background & Objectives: Seroprevalence of Q fever (QF) caused by Coxiella burnetii has been reported from different parts of India. Usually serological/molecular tests are employed for detection of infection. The present study was undertaken to verify the validity of three different QF phase II IgM ELISA kits for acute QF diagnosis by comparing with the gold standard indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA).

Diagnosis of Acute Q Fever by Detection of DNA using Real-Time PCR, Employing a Commercial Genesig Easy Kit.

Introduction: Query (Q) fever is an important zoonosis and a cause of concern for humans, due to the potential bioterrorism threat posed by the causative agent, . Because of the danger of contracting the illness, isolation attempts are seldom made. Serological and molecular diagnostic tests are the main option.

Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in voluntary blood donors of Puducherry and surrounding districts of Tamil Nadu.

Our objective is to study the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in the voluntary blood donors of Puducherry and surrounding districts of Tamil Nadu. A total of 275 healthy blood donors were screened for the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies to by ELISA test. Donor samples positive for IgM and/or IgG antibodies to were subjected to IgG avidity ELISA.

Validation of Geno-Sen's Scrub Typhus Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Kit by its Comparison with a Serological ELISA Test.

Background: In the recent past, scrub typhus (ST) has been reported from different parts of India, based on Weil-Felix/enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)/indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Molecular tests are applied only by a few researchers.

Aims: Evaluation of a new commercial real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit for molecular diagnosis of ST by comparing it with the commonly used IgM ELISA is our aim.

Coxiellosis in domestic livestock of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu: Detection of DNA by polymerase chain reaction in slaughtered ruminants.

Background And Aim: In the course of our Indian Council of Medical Research project on coxiellosis in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, 5.64% goat, 1.85% sheep, 1.

Evaluation of a new rapid kit, BD MGIT TBc identification test for confirmation of complex.

At present, three rapid kits are available globally for the confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in cultures by MPT64 antigen (MPT64 Ag) detection. These include Capilia TB, SD Bioline, and BD MGIT TBc Identification (TBcID). The third kit is yet to be validated in India.

Serological Diagnosis of Acute Scrub Typhus in Southern India: Evaluation of InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM Rapid Test and Comparison with other Serological Tests.

Introduction: Scrub Typhus (ST) is being reported from different parts of India in the recent past. However, the diagnosis and confirmation of ST cases require specific serological and molecular diagnostic tests. Both rapid and conventional ELISA tests need to be properly evaluated.

Clinical Evaluation of Rapid Diagnostic Test Kit for Scrub Typhus with Improved Performance.

Diagnosis of scrub typhus is challenging due to its more than twenty serotypes and the similar clinical symptoms with other acute febrile illnesses including leptospirosis, murine typhus and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Accuracy and rapidity of a diagnostic test to Orientia tsutsugamushi is an important step to diagnose this disease. To discriminate scrub typhus from other diseases, the improved ImmuneMed Scrub Typhus Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) was evaluated in Korea and Sri Lanka.

Outbreak of scrub typhus in Puducherry & Tamil Nadu during cooler months.

Background & Objectives: The southern part of India has witnessed an increase in scrub typhus (ST) during the past ten years. ST outbreaks occurred during winter months but at intervals of one to three years. With only a few reports of ST in Puducherry, this study was undertaken to look for the persistence of ST cases in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu in the winter months.

Scrub Typhus Co-infection in an Adolescent Girl with Varicella.

Background: Co-infections with scrub typhus have been described quite frequently in adults but less frequently in children.

Case Characteristics: An adolescent girl with varicella infection who had persistent fever. Associated clinical features like pain abdomen, vomiting, and features of third space losses made us suspect a co-infection.

Laboratory evaluation of phenotypic detection methods of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Although conventional antibiotic susceptibility tests are most commonly performed for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the results of these phenotypic tests are dependent on the standardization of the culture conditions. The aim of the study was to evaluate the conventional phenotypic screening tests in comparison to the mecA gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One hundred and two clinical isolates of MRSA identified by the oxacillin disk diffusion were subjected to PCR for the mecA gene and by the cefoxitin disk diffusion test and culture on oxacillin screen agar, mannitol salt agar, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Agar (MeReSA) selective medium, for MRSA.

Early dengue diagnosis by nonstructural protein 1 antigen detection: rapid immunochromotography versus two the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.

Dengue is known for its serious life-threatening complications. New rapid kits available recently in India target circulating non-structural protein (NS1) antigen from day one onwards. The sensitivity and specificity of a newly introduced rapid combo kit against two conventional ELISA kits is assessed.

Bacteriophage types of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a tertiary care hospital.

Background: Phage typing had been utilised extensively to characterise methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreak strains in the past. It is an invaluable tool even today to monitor emergence and dissemination of MRSA strains.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalent phage types of MRSA in south India and the association between phage types, antibiotic resistance pattern and risk factors.

Changing Trends in Resistance Pattern of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Background: Methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is associated with multidrug resistance, an aggressive course, increased mortality and morbidity in both community and health care facilities. Monitoring of newly emerging and prevalent Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains for their resistance patterns to conventional as well as novel drugs, are essential for infection control.

Aims: To study the changing trends in resistance patterns of MRSA at our hospital.