ABSTRACT
Introduction: Diarrhoea caused by contaminated water is among the most prevalent waterborne diseases in the developing countries like India. In the interest of public health, water supplies should be tested regularly to confirm their freedom from contamination. Objective: The objectives of the study were to screen different water sources for bacterial contamination, to know the antibiotic susceptibility of the common bacterial isolates and typing of the bacterial isolates by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Place and Duration of the Study: Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Microbiology Laboratory, Mangalore, Karnataka, India between August 2007 and August 2009. Methodology: Water samples (n=324) were analyzed by standard microbiological techniques for bacterial contamination. Isolates were identified biochemically and antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by disc diffusion method. Escherichia coli isolates were typed by RAPD technique. Results: Among the water samples tested, 246 were excellent and 78 were contaminated. Contaminated samples showed the growth of commensal bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae along with pathogens like Salmonella spp. and Vibrio spp. Many of the isolates were found to be sensitive and a few were found to be resistant to the antibiotics tested. RAPD typing showed genetic similarity and differences among the E. coli isolates from different water sources. Conclusion: Genetic similarity among isolates of E. coli indicates a common ancestral origin or a common source. Bacterial contamination of water samples with pathogens like, Salmonella spp. and Vibrio spp. as well as the faecal coliform is a concern, as water quality is an index of health and well - being of the society. Degree of contamination observed in this study suggests a need to be vigilant to monitor water quality, in order to prevent enteric diseases.
ABSTRACT
Enterobacter sakazakii is a rare but important cause of necrotizing enterocolitis, bloodstream infection and central nervous system infections in humans, with mortality rates of 40-80%. It has not been reported to cause urinary tract infection. We report a case of urinary tract infection due to E. sakazakii in a 63-year-old lady with chronic renal failure.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Glycoprotein B (gB), involved in cell-to-cell transmission of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), is a critical factor in tissue tropism and viral pathogenesis. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of PCR-based RFLP and multiplex nested PCR for gB gene of HCMV to determine their genotype in clinical specimens from patients with HCMV. METHODS: The PCR based RFLP and the multiplex nested PCR were applied on standard strain of HCMV AD169, 4 clinical HCMV isolates and 70 clinical specimens positive for HCMV by pp65 antigenaemia assay or nested PCR for mtr II region or both. RESULTS: Three of the four clinical isolates were genotyped as gB1 and the other as gB3 by both the methods. HCMV genome in all the 70 clinical specimens were genotyped by multiplex nested PCR whereas only 65 were genotyped by PCR-based RFLP. Forty one of 65 clinical specimens, gave concordant results by both methods. In the remaining 24, mixed infection with multiple genotypes was identified by multiplex nested PCR whereas single genotypes were identified by PCR-based RFLP. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Multiplex nested PCR provided a rapid, sensitive and cost-effective assay for gB genotyping of HCMV and allowed detection of multiple gB genotypes of HCMV in clinical samples compared to PCR-based RFLP.