Genome Informatics and Machine Learning-Based Identification of Antimicrobial Resistance-Encoding Features and Virulence Attributes in Escherichia coli Genomes Representing Globally Prevalent Lineages, Including High-Risk Clonal Complexes.

Escherichia coli, a ubiquitous commensal/pathogenic member from the family, accounts for high infection burden, morbidity, and mortality throughout the world. With emerging multidrug resistance (MDR) on a massive scale, E. coli has been listed as one of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) priority pathogens.

Genome Dynamics and Evolution of Multiple-Drug-Resistant Bacteria: Implications for Global Infection Control Priorities.

Genomics-driven molecular epidemiology of pathogenic bacteria has largely been carried out through functionally neutral/inert sequences, mostly entailing polymorphic gene loci or repetitive tracts. However, it is very important to harness phenotypically relevant markers to assign a valid functional epidemiological context to tracking of pathogens. These should include microbial acumen to acquire multiple drug resistance (MDR), their physiological coordinates with reference to clinical or community-level dynamics of incidence/transmission, and their response or refractoriness to the activated immune system.

Evolutionary Dynamics Based on Comparative Genomics of Pathogenic Escherichia coli Lineages Harboring Polyketide Synthase () Island.

The genotoxin colibactin is a secondary metabolite produced by the polyketide synthase () island harbored by extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) and other members of the that has been increasingly reported to have critical implications in human health. The present study entails a high-throughput whole-genome comparison and phylogenetic analysis of such pathogenic isolates to gain insights into the patterns of distribution, horizontal transmission, and evolution of the island. For the current study, 23 -positive ExPEC genomes were newly sequenced, and their virulome and resistome profiles indicated a preponderance of virulence encoding genes and a reduced number of genes for antimicrobial resistance.

Survey to assess knowledge, attitude and practices for safe and efficient vein-to-vein transfusion practices and effect of educational intervention in a hospital setting.

Objectives: The primary aim was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of employees (medical, paramedical and other hospital staff) towards blood donation and transfusion practices in a tertiary care hospital. A secondary objective was to assess and interpret the effect of an educational module on improvement in the KAP of employees in a hospital setting.

Background: For satisfactory practices, it is essential to initiate KAP studies.

Genomic and Functional Characterization of Poultry From India Revealed Diverse Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Lineages With Shared Virulence Profiles.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) form the most important resistance determinants prevalent worldwide. Data on ESBL-producing from poultry and livestock are scarce in India. We present data on the functional and genomic characterization of ESBL-producing obtained from poultry in India.

Molecular Genetic and Functional Analysis of -Harboring, Extra-Intestinal Pathogenic From India.

Colibactin, a genotoxin, encoded by the pathogenicity island of belonging to the B2 phylogroup has been reported as a determinant of bacterial pathogenicity. The present study was carried out to detect the pathogenicity island in extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) isolated from a tertiary hospital in Pune, India. Of 462 isolates analyzed, the genomic island was detected in 35 (7.

Chimeric HIV-1 and HIV-2 lentiviral vectors with added safety insurance.

Lentiviruses are unique in their ability to infect both dividing and non-dividing cells. This makes the vectors derived from them particularly useful for gene transfer into non-dividing cells, including stem cells. Lentiviral vectors are becoming the vectors of choice for si/shRNA delivery.

DermaVir: a novel topical vaccine for HIV/AIDS.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccines have the potential to improve antiretroviral drug treatment by inducing cytotoxic killing of HIV-infected cells. Prophylactic vaccines utilize new antigens to initiate immunity; however, in HIV-infected individuals the load of viral antigen is not the limiting factor for the restoration of immune responses. Here we describe a novel immunization strategy with DermaVir that improves viral antigen presentation using dendritic cells (DC).

Control of viral rebound through therapeutic immunization with DermaVir.

Objective: To reconstitute immune responses capable of eliminating infected cells and suppressing viral load during chronic retroviral infection.

Design: : A topical, DNA-based therapeutic immunization (DermaVir) was designed to express most of the regulatory and structural viral genes in dendritic cells.

Methods: DermaVir alone and in combination with antiretroviral drugs was tested in chronically SIV-infected macaques.

HIV-2 derived lentiviral vectors: gene transfer in Parkinson's and Fabry disease models in vitro.

Lentiviral vectors are prime candidate vectors for gene transfer into dividing and non-dividing cells, including neuronal cells and stem cells. For safety, HIV-2 lentiviral vectors may be better suited for gene transfer in humans than HIV-1 lentiviral vectors. HIV-2 vectors cross-packaged in HIV-1 cores may be even safer.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 lentiviral vectors: packaging signal and splice donor in expression and encapsidation.

Retroviral vectors provide the means for gene transfer with long-term expression. The lentivirus subgroup of retroviruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2), possesses a number of regulatory and accessory genes and other special elements. These features can be exploited to design vectors for transducing non-dividing as well as dividing cells with the potential for regulated transgene expression.