Two case reports of biliary stent infections by extensively drug-resistant Escherichia coli carrying bla at a tertiary-care hospital in West Bengal, India.

Background: Rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an acute public health emergency impeding the clinical efficacy of surgical interventions. Biliary stent placement is one of the routine surgical procedures that rarely lead to infections that are empirically managed by broad-spectrum β-lactams and fluoroquinolones. Critical priority pathogens, such as carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli challenge treatment outcomes and infection prevention.

Utilising snake rescue data to understand snake-human conflict in Hooghly, West Bengal, India.

Background: Snakebite envenoming, classified as a neglected tropical disease, poses a significant threat to life in India, where it is estimated to cause 58 000 fatalities as well as 140 000 morbidities annually. To reduce the occurrence of snakebite, we need a comprehensive understanding of human-snake conflict ecology. Snake rescue networks represent a vital resource for gathering such ecological data.

Situation Report on mcr-Carrying Colistin-Resistant Clones of Enterobacterales: A Global Update Through Human-Animal-Environment Interfaces.

In the twenty-first century, antibiotic resistance (ABR) is one of the acute medical emergencies around the globe, overwhelming human-animal-environmental interfaces. Hit-or-mis use of antibiotics exacerbates the crisis of ABR, dispersing transferable resistance traits and challenging treatment regimens based on life-saving drugs such as colistin. Colistin is the highest priority critically important antimicrobials for human medicine, but its long use as a growth promoter in animal husbandry reduces clinical efficacy.

The emergence of clonally diverse carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae complex in West Bengal, India: a dockyard of β-lactamases periling nosocomial infections.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae complex (CRECC) constitutes a global public health threat challenging clinical treatment and infection control, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as India. We analyzed the antimicrobial susceptibility, major β-lactamase genes, plasmid profiles, and genetic relatedness to understand the molecular epidemiology of CRECC clinical isolates (n = 44) in West Bengal, India, during 2021-2022. The majority (> 55%) of the isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and co-trimoxazole, even > 20% for tigecycline and > 35% were extensively drug-resistant.

Customized molecular diagnostics of bacterial bloodstream infections for carbapenem resistance: A convenient and affordable approach.

The acute crisis of carbapenem resistance impedes the empirical use of carbapenems in medical emergencies, especially, bloodstream infections. Carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-resistant organisms (CP-CROs) attribute high case-fatality, necessitating rapid diagnostics to initiate early targeted antibiotics. Expensive diagnostics are the major driver of antibiotic misuse, neglecting evidence-based treatment in India.

The crisis of carbapenemase-mediated carbapenem resistance across the human-animal-environmental interface in India.

Carbapenems are the decision-making antimicrobials used to combat severe Gram-negative bacterial infections in humans. Carbapenem resistance poses a potential public health emergency, especially in developing countries such as India, accounting for high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare cost. Emergence and transmission of plasmid-mediated "big five" carbapenemase genes including KPC, NDM, IMP, VIM and OXA-48-type among Gram-negative bacteria is spiralling the issue.

Changes in antimicrobial resistance and molecular attributes of Salmonellae causing enteric fever in Kolkata, India, 2014-2018.

Globally, enteric fever caused by Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi, ST) and S. Paratyphi A (SPA) remain one of the major diseases of public health importance.

Colistin susceptibility testing of gram-negative bacilli: Better performance of vitek2 system than E-test compared to broth microdilution method as the gold standard test.

Introduction: Unavailability of optimal susceptibility testing (ST) challenges the clinical use of colistin. Broth microdilution (BMD), which is the reference for colistin ST, is inconvenient for diagnostics. Vitek2 and E-test although technically easier, are no longer recommended.

Report of Relapse Typhoid Fever Cases from Kolkata, India: Recrudescence or Reinfection?

Three relapse cases were reported out of 107 hospital-attending typhoid cases within a period of 2 years (2014-2016) from Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, Kolkata, India. During the first episode of typhoid fever, 2 of the 3 cases were treated with ceftriaxone (CRO) for 7 days, and 1 was treated for 14 days. Six Salmonella Typhi (S.

In silico identification and characterization of stress and virulence associated repeats in Salmonella.

So much genomic similarities yet causing different diseases, is like a paradox in Salmonella biology. Repeat is one of the probes that can explain such differences. Here, a comparative genomics approach is followed to identify and characterize repeats that might play role in adaptation and pathogenesis.

Antimicrobial resistance and molecular subtypes of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi isolates from Kolkata, India over a 15 years period 1998-2012.

Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi), remains an unresolved public health problem in India. Emergence of antimicrobial resistant strains poses a great concern for typhoid treatment and influences reshaping of current S.

Evaluation of fliC-d based direct blood PCR assays for typhoid diagnosis.

Background: Typhoid cases need to be diagnosed accurately for early antibiotic therapy and reducing mortality. Identification of Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi) in blood culture is conclusive, but has poor sensitivity.

Revisit of fluoroquinolone and azithromycin susceptibility breakpoints for Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

In recent years, increase in occurrence of fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant S almonella Typhi isolates has caused considerable inconvenience in selecting appropriate antimicrobials for treatment of typhoid. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends azithromycin for the empirical treatment option of uncomplicated typhoid. The CLSI updated the breakpoints of disc diffusion (DD) and MIC results of FQs and azithromycin for Salmonella Typhi in 2015, but DD breakpoints of ofloxacin and levofloxacin were not included.

Work-exposure to PM and aromatic volatile organic compounds, excretion of urinary biomarkers and effect on the pulmonary function and heme-metabolism: A study of petrol pump workers and traffic police personnel in Kolkata City, India.

This study focused work-exposure to particulate matter ≤ 10 µm (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and biological monitoring of major VOCs (BTEX) to observe the significant effects of traffic related pollutants on respiratory and hematological systems of workers engaged in two occupational settings, petrol pumps and traffic areas of Kolkata metropolitan city, India. PM was assessed by personal sampling and particle size distribution by 8-stage Cascade Impactor. VOCs were analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and five urinary metabolites, trans trans- mercapturic acid (tt-MA), S-phenyl mercapturic acid (SPMA), hippuric acid (HA), mandelic acid (MA) and methyl hippuric acid (MHA) of VOCs, benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes (BTEX) by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Antimicrobial resistance, virulence profiles and molecular subtypes of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A blood isolates from Kolkata, India during 2009-2013.

Enteric fever, caused by Salmonella enterica, remains an unresolved public health problem in India and antimicrobial therapy is the main mode of treatment. The objective of this study was to characterize the Salmonella enterica isolates from Kolkata with respect to their antimicrobial resistance (AMR), virulence profiles and molecular subtypes. Salmonella enterica blood isolates were collected from clinically suspected enteric fever patients attending various hospitals in Kolkata, India from January 2009 to June 2013 and were tested for AMR profiles by standard protocols; for resistance gene transfer by conjugation; for resistance and virulence genes profiles by PCR; and for molecular subtypes by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE).

Validation of a new serology-based dipstick test for rapid diagnosis of typhoid fever.

Currently, no reliable diagnostic test is available for typhoid fever. One serology-based dipstick test, developed indigenously, was validated in this study. Preserved sera from 336 fever patients with known culture results for Salmonella Typhi were blindly tested by the Widal test and the new assay.