The microbiome diversifies -acyl lipid pools - including short-chain fatty acid-derived compounds.

-acyl lipids are important mediators of several biological processes including immune function and stress response. To enhance the detection of -acyl lipids with untargeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, we created a reference spectral library retrieving -acyl lipid patterns from 2,700 public datasets, identifying 851 -acyl lipids that were detected 356,542 times. 777 are not documented in lipid structural databases, with 18% of these derived from short-chain fatty acids and found in the digestive tract and other organs.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiography practice: findings from a UK radiography workforce survey.

Objectives: Radiographers are key patient-facing healthcare professionals involved in many aspects of patient care. The working patterns and professional practice of the radiography workforce (RW) has been altered during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on radiography practice in the United Kingdom (UK).

Evaluation of Multiplex PCR for Rapid Diagnosis of Female Genital Tuberculosis.

Background: Female genital tract tuberculosis (FGTB) is a very common disease in developing countries. Rapid and specific diagnosis is of paramount importance.

Purpose: To evaluate Multiplex PCR using MPB 64 and IS6110 primers directed against M.

An Assessment of a Public Health Initiative of Homeopathy for Primary Teething.

Background:  During primary teething, children suffer from running nose, mild fever, diarrhoea and other mild irritations and inflammations. A public health programme, 'Homoeopathy for the Healthy Child', was undertaken on a pilot basis focusing on promotion of healthy teething by provision of home-based care through six pre-identified homeopathic medicines for complaints commonly observed during primary teething. This article assesses the feasibility of this programme and reports the impact of this initiative on teething profile in children and episodes of diarrhoea and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI).

Initial disease severity and quality of care of emergency department sepsis patients who are older or younger than 70 years of age.

Objective: Due to atypical symptom presentation older patients are more prone to delayed sepsis recognition. We investigated whether initial disease severity before emergency department (ED) treatment (including treatable acute organ dysfunction), quality of ED sepsis care and the impact on mortality was different between patients older and younger than 70 years. If differences exist, improvements are needed for ED management of older patients at risk for sepsis.

Enhanced resistance to fluoroquinolones in laboratory-grown mutants & clinical isolates of Shigella due to synergism between efflux pump expression & mutations in quinolone resistance determining region.

Background & Objectives: There is a worldwide emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance in Shigella species. To understand the molecular mechanisms associated with fluoroquinolone resistance, naturally occurring fluoroquinolone-resistant strains and laboratory-induced spontaneous mutants of Shigella spp. were used and the relative contributions of acrAB-tolC efflux pumps, gyrase and topoisomerase target gene mutations towards fluoroquinolone resistance were determined.

Characterization of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from cases of diarrhoea & haemolytic uremic syndrome in north India.

Background & Objectives: Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important zoonotic foodborne pathogen, capable of causing haemorrhagic colitis (HC) and haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). As data from India on human infections caused by STEC are limited, this study was carried out for hospital based surveillance for STEC as a causative agent of diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea and HUS at a tertiary care centre and to study the virulence gene profile and strain relatedness by multi locus variable tandem repeat analysis (MLVA).

Methods: A total of 600 stool samples were studied.

Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among adults in a north Indian district.

Background: Recent population prevalence estimates of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) are not available for several areas in India. We conducted a field-based population survey at a north Indian district to estimate point prevalence of bacteriologically positive PTB.

Methods: A stratified cluster sampling design was used to conduct the survey in both urban and rural areas within the district.

An epidemiological and environmental study of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in India.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are foodborne pathogens of worldwide importance, but a shortage of data exists for STEC isolation from India. Therefore, an epidemiological and environmental study that covers a large geographic area in north India was conducted. Ruminant stool samples (n=650) were collected from 59 dairies.

Role of 30 kDa antigen of enteric bacterial pathogens as a possible arthritogenic factor in post-dysenteric reactive arthritis.

Background: Reactive arthritis (ReA)/Reiter's syndrome (RS) may be caused as a sequel of infections caused by enteric bacterial pathogens, although the mechanisms through, which different pathogens cause similar disease are not clear.

Aim: This study was done to look for the presence and role of any common bacterial antigen among the pathogens isolated from such patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 51 patients of ReA and 75 controls (three groups of 25 subjects each: Group 1: Patients who did not develop arthritic complications within 3 months after bacillary dysentery/diarrhea; Group 2: Patients with other arthritic diseases and Group 3: Normal healthy subjects) were included.

Serotype profile and molecular characterization of antimicrobial resistance in non-typhoidal Salmonella isolated from gastroenteritis cases over nine years.

Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins in non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is emerging worldwide. We report the occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) phenotypes in 53.4 % of NTS isolated over a period of nine years from gastroenteritis cases.

Multiplex PCR for rapid diagnosis of gastrointestinal tuberculosis.

Background: Rapid and specific diagnosis of gastrointestinal tuberculosis (GITB) is of utmost importance.

Aim: To evaluate Multiplex PCR (MPCR) using MPB64 and IS6110 primers specific for M. tuberculosis for rapid diagnosis of GITB.

Evaluation of in-house loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid diagnosis of M. tuberculosis in pulmonary specimens.

Background: Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay has come forward as a rapid, cost-effective molecular technique for diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in developing countries. This study evaluated Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific in-house LAMP assay targeting 16s rRNA and compared it with other conventional tests and nucleic acid amplification assay (IS6110 PCR).

Methods: A total of 133 sputum specimens (103 from suspected pulmonary TB cases and 30 from non-TB controls) were subjected to conventional tests, IS6110 PCR and 16s rRNA LAMP assay.

Evolution of bacterial flora in burn wounds: key role of environmental disinfection in control of infection.

Bacterial flora in burn patients undergoes change over period of time and is dependent upon many factors. Study of burn flora is not only helpful in locating entry of multidrug resistant bacterial strains into the unit's usual flora but also in determining current antibiotic susceptibilities. Since no studies are available from India that have studied sequential emergence of different microorganisms in burn wound, present study was carried out to study evolution of bacterial flora in burn wounds and its correlation with invasive wound infection.

Development and evaluation of multiplex PCR in rapid diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis.

The clinical features of abdominal tuberculosis (TB) are non-specific and establishing a diagnosis remains a challenge. A delay in diagnosis is likely to increase the morbidity in these patients. We developed a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using 16SrRNA, IS6110, and devR, and evaluated it in comparison with other conventional tests in clinical suspects of abdominal TB.

Novel multi-targeted polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of presumed tubercular uveitis.

Background: The objective of this study was to report the use of multi-targeted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the diagnosis of presumed tubercular uveitis. Multi-targeted PCR using three targets specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, i.e.

Genetic polymorphisms among Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in northern India.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) based on IS6110 is considered the gold standard for Mycobacterium tuberculosis molecular typing. It is useful to discriminate among M. tuberculosis strains, investigate outbreaks and distinguish between reactivation and re-infection.

Mycoplasma genitalium: an emerging sexually transmitted pathogen.

Mycoplasma genitalium is a member of genital mycoplasmas, which is emerging as an important causative agent of sexually transmitted infections both in males and females. The advent of polymerase chain reaction and other molecular methods have made studies on M. genitalium more feasible, which is otherwise a difficult organism to isolate.

Fecal contamination of drinking water supplies in and around Chandigarh and correlation with acute gastroenteritis.

Acute gastroenteritis due to Vibrio cholerae and Enterotoxigenic E. coli is a common problem faced in the hot and humid summer months in north India. The study was undertaken to evaluate drinking water supplies for fecal coliforms, V.

Comparative efficacy evaluation of disinfectants routinely used in hospital practice: India.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare practically achieved disinfection efficacy of some locally available disinfectants on surfaces and infectious microbiological hospital waste.

Materials And Methods: Seven disinfectants were tested at concentrations recommended by manufacturers on rough and smooth surfaces that were contaminated experimentally by locally circulating isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, standard isolate of Salmonella typhi and Candida albicans. Reduction in microbial counts before and after surface disinfection was expressed as log reduction.