Search

The present study was conducted to detect the occurrence of beta-lactamase and biofilm-producing Escherchia coli and Salmonella in apparently healthy broiler birds reared in household and contract poultry farms. In total, 150 cloacal swabs were collected from apparently healthy broiler birds of various age groups reared in backyard (n = 100) and contract farms (n = 50) in West Bengal (India). The isolation rate of ESBL producers was significantly more (P < 0·05) reared in contract poultry farms than those reared in backyard. Majority of the E. coli isolates possessed blaCTX-M followed by blaSHV and blaTEM . Majority of the Salmonella strains possessed blaTEM followed by blaCTX-M , and no blaSHV was detected. The selected sequences of the PCR products were found cognate with blaCTX-M-1 , blaCTX-M-2 , blaCTX-M-9 , blaCTX-M-14 , blaCTX-M-15 , blaSHV-12 and blaTEM-52 . The study detected 46·8% of E. coli and 42·5% of Salmonella strains as biofilm producers. Beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae strains showed resistance against tetracycline, chloramphenicol, doxycycline, co-trimoxazole and ampicillin and sensitivity to imipenem-EDTA, colistin and gentamicin. The study revealed the partial clonal relationship of ESBL sequences possessed by the poultry isolates of the present study and local clinical isolates available in the database. The study made consumer awareness about careful handling of live birds or poultry meat to avoid the zoonotic transmission of antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Background: Escherichia coli is one of the intestinal microbiota in wildlife as in domestic animals and humans. The prevalent serogroups, pathogenic strains like STEC, EPEC and antimicrobial resistance is less frequently studied in captive wildlife of India. The present study was aimed to study the prevalence of STEC, EPEC and antimicrobial resistant E. coli from captive wild animals in a zoo in Kolkata, India. Methods: This study was done during March 2019 to June 2019 for E. coli from faecal samples of captive wild birds and mammals. The pathotypes STEC and EPEC were detected for the presence of stx1, stx2 and eae virulence genes, respectively. Extended spectrum beta- lactamases, ampC beta-lactamases production and antimicrobial susceptibility were detected by standard phenotypic methods. Result: In this study, some E.coli isolates were found harbouring genes for ETEC and EPEC. Extended spectrum beta- lactamases and ampC beta-lactamases were produced by some isolates. Most E. coli isolates were detected multidrug-resistant but were mostly sensitive to gentamicin and amikacin. This study demonstrated that captive wild animals harbour potentially pathogenic E. coli that were resistant for many antimicrobials.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global emergency which needs one health approach to address. The present study was conducted to detect the prevalence of beta-lactamase and biofilm-producing Klebsiella strains in rectal swabs (n = 624) collected from healthy dogs, cats, sheep and goats reared as companion or household animals in India. The dogs and cats were frequently exposed to third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins for therapy. The sheep and goats were occasionally exposed to antibiotics and had environmental exposure. Phenotypical ESBL (n = 93) and ACBL (n = 88)-producing Klebsiella were isolated significantly more (P < 0·05) from companion animals than household animals. Majority of the Klebsiella possessed blaCTX-M-15 . The sequences blaCTX-M-15.2 , blaCTX-M-197 and blaCTX-M-225 are reported first time from the companion animals. All ACBL-producing isolates possessed blaAmpC . The present study detected 65·8% of Klebsiella strains as biofilm producers possessing the studied biofilm associated genes. The isolates showed phenotypical resistance against chloramphenicol, tetracycline, doxycycline, co-trimoxazole, ampicillin, cefotaxime/clavulanic acid. The present study showed that companion and household animals (dogs, cats, sheep, goats) may act as a carrier of ESBL/biofilm-producing, multi-drug resistant, high-risk clonal lineage of Klebsiella.

Introduction. Published literature on type 1 diabetes (T1DM) patients from India suggests that a substantial number of them are negative to GAD 65 and IA-2 an­tibodies. Antibody positivity rates have been linked to dietary and socio-economic factors and more recently, to changes in the enterobiome. Our anecdotal evidence indicated that antibody positivity rates among newly diagnosed T1DM children were rising. In this presen­tation we have formally collated our data on these antibodies, a first, we believe, in the Indian pediatric population. Material and methods. T1DM was diagnosed by stand­ard clinical criteria advocated by American Diabetes Association including in all patients, the presence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). We used plasma blood glucose rather than A1C to diagnose the acute onset of type 1 diabetes in individuals with symptoms of hy­perglycemia. All patients with this diagnosis had GAD (glutamic acid decarboxylase) and IA-2 (insulinoma antigen 2) antibodies measured as a routine procedure from 2007. Data on patients between the ages of 1 and 16 years as on 31 st August 2016 were collected for this study. The antibodies were measured by standard RIA kits from the same manufacturer and performed in the endocrinology laboratory of one of the institutions. Results. We included 694 T1DM cases from 2007 till 2016, out of which 296 were antibody positive. A total of 172 were GAD antibody positive, 62 were IA-2 anti­body positive and 90 exhibited dual antibody positivity (GAD positive + IA-2 positive). The chi-square test for trend analysis showed a significant rising trend for IA-2 antibody alone positive (p < 0.001, chi-square for trend = 17.437, df = 1) and either antibody positive percentages (p < 0.001, chi-square for trend = 22.71, df = 1), but not in the GAD antibody positivity (p = 0.059, chi-square for trend = 3.567, df = 1) and in dual antibody positive percentages (p = 0.486, chi-square for trend = 0.485, df = 1) over a period of 9 years i.e. from 2007 to 2016. Conclusion. Antibody positivity rates in recently di­agnosed T1DM children have changed fairly rapidly over the last nine years. This surge in autoimmunity may also be a significant contributing factor towards the recent increased incidence of T1DM in India.

Background Cryptococcuria has not been reported in dogs although few cases have been described in humans and cats. Cryptococcuria is often seen as a manifestation of systemic or disseminated cryptococcosis. Early diagnosis and treatment is crucial as systemic infections are usually fatal. To the best of author’s knowledge, this is the first reported case of cryptococcuria in a bitch from India. Case presentation An 8-month-old bitch was presented with anorexia, urinary incontinence and dysuria for the last 10 days. Urinalysis showed the presence of yeast cells, and Cryptococcus neoformans was confirmed by both fungal culture and gene sequencing. Antifungal susceptibility testing revealed resistance against ketoconazole, fluconazole and amphotericin B, while sensitivity towards itraconazole, voriconazole and terbinafine. Unfortunately, the bitch expired before the antifungal results were made available. Histopathological changes were observed in lungs which revealed several budding and encapsulated C. neoformans cells. Conclusion This report highlights the importance to conduct routine urine cultures for yeast infections along with antifungal susceptibility testing to identify and initiate proper antifungal therapy to improve clinical outcome.

Background: Milk is considered as complete food and an important part of human diet throughout the world including India. Bacterial contamination of milk such as Escherichia coli due to unhygienic condition and poor udder health can cause infections, especially in infants and elders or in immunocompromised persons. Possession of antimicrobial resistance genes by commensal bacteria present in milk makes the issue more serious. Aim: The study was aimed to isolate and characterize extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli from milk samples collected from different parts of West Bengal, India, to assess the potential risk associated with the food. Materials and Methods: Around 182 milk samples were collected from apparently healthy cows reared by organized dairy farms in West Bengal. E. coli was isolated from collected samples as per standard methods followed by serotyping. The detection of ESBL-producing E. coli was done both phenotypically and genotypically by detecting the presence of blaCTX-M gene. Antibiogram of the ESBL-positive isolates was done using common 12 antibiotics by disc diffusion method. Results: A total of 22 (12.1%) samples were found to be positive for E. coli in this study. Different serotypes such as O11, O20, O22, O34, O35, O128, O149, and UT were isolated from the collected samples. 12 (54.5%) E. coli strains showed the capability of producing ESBL, both phenotypically and genotypically with the presence of blaCTX-M gene. Antibiogram of these ESBL-positive isolates revealed the drugs such as colistin (100%), levofloxacin (83.33%), and imipenem (66.67%) to be highly sensitive against this pathogen but drugs such as cefotaxime (100%), ceftazidime (91.67%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (83.33%), tetracycline (75.00%), and gentamicin (58.33%) to be very much resistant. Conclusion: More than 50% of the E. coli strains prevalent in the bovine milk samples were positive for ESBL production and are resistant to most of the common antimicrobials which may be alarming for human health.

Aim: Subclinical mastitis in bovines is mainly responsible for the huge economic loss of the dairy farmers, of which Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the causative agents. The study was aimed at a screening of suspected milk samples from different cattle farms of West Bengal for detection and confirmation of P. aeruginosa strains followed by their characterization. Materials and Methods: Around 422 milk samples were screened from different dairy farms primarily by on-spot bromothymol blue (BTB) test and then in the lab by somatic cell counts (SCC) to finally consider 352 samples for detection of P. aeruginosa. Selective isolation and confirmation of the isolates were done using selective media, viz., cetrimide and Pseudomonas agar followed by confirmation by fluorescent technique. Molecular characterization of the strains was done by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of toxA (enterotoxin A, 352 bp) and exoS (exoenzyme S, 504 bp) genes. Results: Approximately, 371 (87.9%) samples were positive in on-spot BTB test among which 352 (94.8%) samples revealed high SCC values (more than 3 lakh cells/ml) showing infection when screened. Among these, 23 (6.5%) samples yielded typical Pseudomonas sp. isolates out of which only 19 (5.4%) isolates were confirmed to be P. aeruginosa which showed characteristic blue-green fluorescence due to the presence of pigment pyoverdin under ultraviolet light. Out of these 19 isolates, 11 isolates were positive for toxA, 6 isolates for exoS, and 2 for both these pathogenic genes. Conclusion: Approximately, 5.4% cases of bovine subclinical mastitis infections in South Bengal were associated with P. aeruginosa which possess pathogenic genes such as toxA (63.2%) and exoS (36.8%).

Cryptococcus neoformans acts as a major etiology of human infections in immunocompromised, cancer and transplant patients. The present study was conducted to detect the occurrence and antifungal resistance of C. neoformans in domestic and feral pigeons in and around Kolkata, a metropolitan city in India with considerable size of pigeon population. Weathered droppings of domestic and feral pigeons (n=917) were collected from different pet bird shelters, different buildings and other places. Isolation and identification of C. neoformans was performed based on cultural, biochemical properties. Antifungal sensitivity of the confirmed isolates were performed according to standard CLSI protocols with seven antifungals and caspofungin. A total of 153(16.68%) samples were found positive for Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans. All the isolates possessed CNLAC1 outer gene in PCR. Antifungal sensitivity revealed marked resistance to amphotericin-B (33.33%), fluconazole (20.91%), flucytosine (11.11%), and ketoconazole (8.49%). This is of great concern as the study area (Kolkata) is a densely populated city and the birds are in close proximity to the people.

Aim: This study was carried out to assess the presence of anti-bluetongue (BT) antibodies in sheep, goat and cattle of different agro-climatic zones of Jharkhand. Materials and Methods: Serum samples were collected from apparently healthy as well as suspected sheep, goat and cattle from different districts of Jharkhand covering different agro-climatic zones. Serum samples were screened by indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) for detecting anti-BT antibodies. Results: Out of a total of 480 animal serum samples (sheep-190, goats-210 and cattle-80) screened, 83 (43.68%) of sheep, 91 (43.33%) of goat and 46 (57.50%) of cattle sera were found positive. The % positivity ranged between 41% and 51% in different agro-climatic zones. The results showed slight higher seroprevalence, although not significantly, in cattle than sheep and goats in different agro-climatic zones of Jharkhand. Conclusions: The above data indicate widespread prevalence of BT virus antibodies in studied areas. The incidence of BT is not detected officially, so far. The present seroprevalence status of BT in Jharkhand indicates presence of BT infection in the state for the first time.

Sub-clinical Mastitis is one of the major problems in India which is among the largest milk producing countries in the world, hampering national economy. Among 422 bovine milk samples screened from different cattle farms of West Bengal with history of infection and drop in milk yield by on-spot bromothymol blue (BTB) test, 371 samples were considered for collection and secondary screening by somatic cell count study. The collected milk samples showed significantly high average SCC value of 3.26-4.88 lakh cells/ml of milk which was indicative of infection. Samples (23, 6.53%) were found to be positive for Pseudomonas sp. showing distinct bluish-green pigmentation on cetrimide agar, typical results on morphological and in biochemical characterization. Presence of 19 (5.39%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were confirmed by fluorescent technique for detection of characteristic blue-green fluorescence by the pigment pyoverdin. PCR of these positive isolates revealed that 11 isolates were positive for toxA and 6 isolates for exoS genes with 2 isolates possessing both the genes. In Mice pathogenicity test, highest fatality (100%) was shown by the isolates with both the genes followed by isolates with toxA (66.67%) and exoS (41.67%) respectively with successful re-isolation of P. aeruginosa from the dead mice. Post-mortem examination of the dead mice showed marked haemorrhages on liver, blackish discoloration of intestines and haemorrhages on lungs. Antibiogram revealed that the isolates were highly sensitive to drugs like amikacin (89.47%), imipenem (84.21%), meropenem (78.95%) and cefoperazone-sulbactam (84.21%) but resistant to tetracycline (68.42%), piperacillin (63.16%), oxacillin (52.63%), mecilinam (47.37%) and others.