Variability in Colletotrichum infecting chilli plants of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Aim: The aim of the present study was to understand the basic pathogen dynamics of Colletotrichum species infecting chilli crop in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for disease management practices. Methodology: Twenty fungal isolates associated with chilli (Capsicum annuum) anthracnose disease from diverse locations of tropical Andaman, India were characterized using polyphasic approaches. Results: Upon morphological studies, out of twenty isolates, fourteen isolates were found chromogenic and eleven showed concentric ring pattern of mycelial growth. Based on conidial morphology, the isolates were grouped into two species (C. capsici and C. gloesporioides). The pathogenicity tests on three chilli varieties revealed difference in the pathogenic potential among the collected isolates. The sequence analysis using internal transcriber spacer (ITS) region revealed the presence of two other species C. siamense and C. plurivorum, in addition to C. gloesporioides and C. capsici. Interpretation: The present study revealed the presence of high level of genetic and pathogenic variability among the Colletotrichum isolates infecting chilli in Andaman Islands.

Genomic profile of antibiotic resistant, classical ctxB positive Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor isolated in 2003 and 2005 from Puri, India: A retrospective study.

Objectives: To examine eight strains of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolated in 2003 and 2005 from Puri, India, for antibiotic susceptibility, presence of virulence and regulatory genes, cholera toxin (CT) production, CTX arrangement and genomic profiles. Materials and Methods: Bacterial strains were tested for antibiotic susceptibility using disc diffusion assay. Polymerase chain reaction determined the presence of antibiotic resistance, virulence and regulatory genes. To determine the type of cholera toxin subunit B (ctxB), nucleotide sequencing was performed. Southern hybridisation determined the number and arrangement of CTXΦ. Ribotyping and pulsed‑field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were used to determine the genomic profile of isolates. Results: All the eight strains, except one strain, showed resistant to nalidixic acid, sulphamethoxazole, streptomycin and trimethoprim and possessed the sullI, strB, dfrA1 and intSXT genes. All the strains carried the toxin‑co‑regulated pilus pathogenicity island, the CTX genetic element, the repeat in toxin and produced CT. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis showed that V. cholerae O1 possess a single copy of the CTX element flanked by tandemly arranged RS element. Nucleotide sequencing of the ctxB gene showed the presence of classical ctxB. RFLP analysis of conserved rRNA gene showed two ribotype patterns. PFGE analysis also showed at least three PFGE patterns, irrespective of year of isolations, indicating the genomic relatedness among them. Conclusion: Overall, these data suggest that classical ctxB‑positive V. cholerae O1 El Tor strains that appeared in 2003 continue to cause infection in 2005 in Puri, India, and belong to identical ribotype(s) and/or pulsotype(s). There is need to continuous monitor the emergence of variant of El Tor because it will improve our understanding of the evolution of new clones of variant of V. cholerae.

Growth in the first year in children following IAP Policy on Infant Feeding.

OBJECTIVE:To study the growth pattern in the first year in children fed according to recommendations of IAP Policy on Infant Feeding. DESIGN: Longitudinal. SETTING: Department of Pediatrics, S.C.B. Medical College Hospital, Cuttack, Orissa. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 114 infants (68 boys and 46 girls) with birth weight greater than or equal to 2500g from upper and middle S-E status were regularly followed up from birth to 12 mo of age and fed according to recommendations of IAP Policy on Infant Feeding. Mean and standard deviations of weight for age (W/A) and length for age (L/A) and mean Z scores for W/A, L/A and W/L (weight for length) were calculated separately for boys and girls with reference to NCHS-WHO and BFDS data. OBSERVATIONS: Mean Z scores for W/A with reference to NCHS-WHO data showed a positive trend from birth upto the age of 3 to 4 months, subsequently declining upto one year. The Z scores for L/A showed only a minimal downward trend. The W/L Z score remained above the baseline value up to 3 months in boys and 7 months in girls. When BFDS was taken as the reference, W/A Z scores showed consistent positive increments, from birth in girls and 1 mo in boys. L/A Z scores increased from 3 months in boys and 11 months in girls. Using NCHS data as the reference, the percentage of infants below -2SD for weight was 0 to 7% during first 6 months and 14% at 12 months. Ten% were below -2SD for length at 12 months. With BFDS as the reference, the percentage of infants below -2SD for weight was 25% at birth, 5% at 6 months and 12% at 1 yr. For length, it was 12% at birth and 8% at 1 year. The increments in weight and length closely followed BFDS upto 12 mo age. CONCLUSION: The IAP Policy on Infant Feeding results in adequate growth of non low birth weight infants in the first year of life.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology in diagnosis of salivary gland tumours.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology of salivary gland tumours was performed in 97 patients. Histological confirmation was available in all cases except 9 cases of sialo-adenitis which responded to antibiotics. Accuracy of cytological diagnosis in exact categorisation of benign and malignant tumours was 93.7% and 91.1% respectively. False negative was 4.1%. The overall accuracy was 95.8%. There was no false positive report. Exact classification of tumour was made in 94.1% cases, ie, 80 out of 85 tumours. No complication was encountered in this procedure.