Seasonal variation of sand fly populations in Kala-azar endemic areas of the Malda district, West Bengal, India.

Vector control is one of the main aspects to reach the target of eliminating visceral leishmaniasis from Indian sub-continent as set by the World Health Organisation. Data on different aspects of vector like ecology, behaviour, population dynamics and their association with environmental factors are very important for formulating an effective vector control strategy. The present work was designed to study the species abundance and impact of environmental factors on population dynamics of vector P.

Characterization and Bio-Typing of Multidrug Resistance Plasmids From Uropathogenic Isolated From Clinical Setting.

Urinary tract infection is primarily caused by . Multidrug resistance and their rapid dissemination in this pathogenic microbe complicate therapeutic strategies and threaten public health. Conjugation systems responsible for interbacterial transmission of antibiotic resistance are plasmid-encoded and can be classified as the P, F, and I types.

Re-emergence of Chikungunya virus infection in Eastern India.

Chikungunya fever is a major public health issue in India. Re-emergence of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in West Bengal was detected after 32 years in 2006. After 2010, this infection was in apparent decline, but in 2016 a massive outbreak affected the country.

Quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS attending antiretroviral clinic in the center of excellence in HIV care in India.

Introduction: HIV/AIDS is a serious challenge globally. A plethora of morbidities due to crippling immune system reduces quality of life (QOL). The advent of highly active antiretroviral treatment has changed this deadly disease to a chronic manageable illness with focus shifting from fighting virus to ensuring a good QOL.

4-Chloromercuribenzoic acid enhances carbapenem sensitivity among pathogenic Gram negative bacteria by altering bla, adeB and ompC expression.

Background: Rapid global dissemination of carbapenem resistant Gram negative bacteria (CRGNB) is supposed to be clinically most alarming. Since, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (pCMB) is a well known metallo-beta-lactamase inhibitor; evaluation of its bactericidal and carbapenem resistance reversing potential would be important.

Methods: In this study, bactericidal and meropenem resistance reversing potential of pCMB was investigated against CRGNB by MIC determination, checkerboard assay, time-kill assay and cellular viability assay.

Quercetin inhibits carbapenemase and efflux pump activities among carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

Rapid dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CRGNB) is a global threat. Quercetin is known for its antimicrobial activity. In this study, carbapenemase and efflux pump inhibitory activities of quercetin were demonstrated against carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii.

Cinnamaldehyde: a compound with antimicrobial and synergistic activity against ESBL-producing quinolone-resistant pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae.

Usage of cephalosporin and quinolone antibiotics has aggravated the development of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing quinolone-resistant (QR) pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae. The present study aims to determine antimicrobial activity of cinnamaldehyde alone or in combination with cefotaxime/ciprofloxacin to reverse the drug resistance and evaluations of efficacy, and possible molecular mechanism of action of the combination was also evaluated using in vitro assays. Broth microdilution assay was used to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of cinnamaldehyde and antibiotics against ESBL-QR Enterobacteriaceae.

Contribution of Toll like receptor polymorphisms to dengue susceptibility and clinical outcome among eastern Indian patients.

Dengue infection has been one of the major public health concerns in India causing simple dengue fever (DF) to severe dengue infection. In the present study, contribution of TLR3, 7 and 8 polymorphisms towards dengue disease susceptibility and severity among Eastern Indian patients was analysed. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood of 201 dengue infected patients and 157 healthy individuals, followed by genotyping of eight polymorphisms of TLR3 (rs3775290), TLR7 (rs5741880, rs3853839, rs179008 and rs179010) and TLR8 (rs3764879, rs3764880 and rs5744080) genes by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

Contribution of upregulation & OmpC/Ompk36 loss over the presence of towards carbapenem resistance development among pathogenic spp.

Background & Objectives: The global spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is an emerging clinical problem. Hence, in this study, the plausible role of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs)/carbapenemases, OmpC/Ompk36, acrB and their combinations was explored among CRE.

Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of meropenem, enzyme-phenotypes (ESBLs/IR and metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)/non-MBL carbapenemase), genotypes (bla bla and bla; bla and bla bla and bla-like variants), acrB and outer membrane protein (OMP) expressions were analyzed with a total of 101 non-duplicate clinical isolates, obtained from various samples of patients visiting two tertiary care units of Eastern India during May 2013 - October 2016.

Quercetin potentiates meropenem activity among pathogenic carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii.

Aims: Global spread of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPsA) and Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) is an emerging clinical problem. Since, quercetin is a well-known antibacterial agent; it would be relevant to demonstrate synergy between quercetin and meropenem and elucidate molecular basis of effective bactericidal activity of quercetin-meropenem against CRPsA and CRAB.

Methods And Results: Hence, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), checkerboard, time-kill and Baclight assays were performed to determine the antibacterial and synergistic activity of quercetin with meropenem against CRPsA and CRAB.

High titres of IgM-bound circulating immune complexes and erythrocytic oxidative damage are indicators of dengue severity.

Global incidence of dengue has drastically increased in the last few years. Despite the global morbidity and mortality associated with dengue infection, mechanisms of immune control and viral pathogenesis are poorly explored. Pancytopenias, along with increased oxidative stress, are salient clinical findings in severe dengue patients.

"Without antibiotics, I cannot treat": A qualitative study of antibiotic use in Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India.

Background: Misuse of antibiotics is a well-known driver of antibiotic resistance. Given the decentralized model of the Indian health system and the shortage of allopathic doctors in rural areas, a wide variety of healthcare providers cater to the needs of patients in urban and rural settings. This qualitative study explores the drivers of antibiotic use among formal and informal healthcare providers as well as patients accessing care at primary health centers across Paschim Bardhaman district in West Bengal.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic use in Paschim Bardhaman District: A survey of healthcare providers in West Bengal, India.

Introduction: Antibiotic misuse is widespread and contributes to antibiotic resistance, especially in less regulated health systems such as India. Although informal providers are involved with substantial segments of primary healthcare, their level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices is not well documented in the literature.

Objectives: This quantitative study systematically examines the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of informal and formal providers with respect to antibiotic use.

Conjugal transfer of PMQR from uropathogenic E.coli under high ciprofloxacin selection pressure generates gyrA mutation.

Incidence of high fluoroquinolone resistance has been rising rapidly worldwide. Resistance against fluoroquinolones can be either chromosomal or plasmid mediated. Plasmid mediated quinolone resistant(PMQR) genes impart low level of resistance against fluoroquinolones but provides favorable background for selection of additional chromosomally encoded resistance mechanisms.

Dermatological Implications of Galectin-3 in Circulation: An Evaluation From the Perspective of Patients With Differential Manifestations of Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis.

Galectin-3, a β-galactoside-binding lectin, has been implicated in vast repertoire of inflammatory and immunomodulatory processes including skin diseases. However, galectin-3 has not been comprehensively studied in infectious diseases. This study emphasizes on fascinating aspects of galectin-3 expression in dermal infection by studying post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL), an intracellular infection caused by Leishmania donovani.

Prevalence of kdr mutations and insecticide susceptibility among natural population of Aedes aegypti in West Bengal.

Background: Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti are the major vectors of arboviral diseases. As effective vaccines are not available for most of the arboviral diseases, vector control by using insecticides play the key role to reduce the disease transmission. The emergence and spread of resistance to different classes of insecticides by the vectors is a major obstacle to control the disease transmission.

Systemic Redox Imbalance Along with Increased Serum Sialic Acid is Prevalent in Patients with Active Vitiligo: A Study from a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of Eastern India.

Background: Vitiligo is one of the common depigmenting disorders causing disfigurement and affecting the quality of life. Redox imbalance is known to play a contributory role in melanocyte destruction. Serum sialic acid (SA) is an important marker of the acute-phase response and is associated with oxidative protein damage.

Simultaneous Determination and Quantitation of Diosmetin and Hesperetin in Human Plasma by Liquid Chromatographic Mass Spectrometry With an Application to Pharmacokinetic Studies.

Among the secondary metabolites which are widely distributed in plants and foods in plant origin flavonoids is important one. Flavonoids have antioxidant activities as free radical scavenging action. They also have anti-inflammatory, antiulcer and anti-carcinogenic activities.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome related alterations of MAPK signaling in the bone marrow of experimental mice including stem/progenitor compartment.

Myelodysplastic syndrome is considered globally as heterogenous group of neoplasm which often proclaims leukemic progression. The heterogeneity is reflected not only in clinical manifestations of the disease but also in salient causes of disease development. In spite of multiple therapeutic modalities, shortfall towards treatment of this disorder still persists.

Drug susceptibility testing methods of antimalarial agents.

Resistance to almost all available antimalarial agents, particularly for , is an important issue throughout all malaria endemic countries. Recently, also showed resistance to chloroquine in some part of the World. Monitoring efficacy of used antimalarial drugs plays an important role to determine the emergence of resistant power by the prevailing parasite population of a geographical area if any.

Genomic insult oriented mitochondrial instability and proliferative hindrance in the bone marrow of aplastic mice including stem/progenitor population.

Aplastic anemia is the bone marrow failure condition characterized by the development of hypocellularity in both marrow and peripheral blood compartments. Anti-tumor chemotherapeutic agents often exert secondary effect on hematopoietic system leading to aplastic anemia by marrow failure. The precise mechanisms behind the marrow ablative effects of the drugs remain yet to be established.

Novel pfkelch13 Gene Polymorphism Associates With Artemisinin Resistance in Eastern India.

Background: Artesunate-sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (ASSP) is the frontline artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) in India. Random, irrational, subtherapeutic artemisinin doses and self-medication with ACT along with predominance of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance parasite invoked a strong possibility of emerging artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites.

Methods: This study involved 226 patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infection who had successfully completed the 42 days follow-up after ASSP combination therapy from April 2014 to January 2016.