Low levels of anti TB drug resistance in Rayagada district of Odisha, India

A study was conducted at Rayagada district of Odisha, India, among smear-positive tuberculosis [TB] patients to determine the resistance pattern to first-line drugs. Sputum samples were collected from 405 new and 37 previously treated patients and were tested at Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar. Resistance to any anti-tubercular drug was observed to be 5.2% among new cases and 16.1% among previously treated patients, while multidrug-resistant tuberculosis [MDR-TB] was found to be 0% in new and 8.1% in previously treated cases. Such a low level of resistance may be due to the limited use of TB drugs outside the ongoing program.

Decontamination of sputum for longer time in sodium hydroxide for isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Decontamination by modified Petroff s method is being practiced in many laboratories carrying out Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture and drug susceptibility testing. The method exposes mycobacteria to 4% sodium hydroxide for 30 min. However, laboratories in developing countries with limited resources might be using a type of centrifuge that does not open during power failures and exposes the mycobacteria to alkali for longer periods. Out of 28 smear-positive specimens processed, 85.7%, 85.7% and 60.7% of specimens showed a positive culture after exposure to alkali for 0.5, 1.0 and 72 h. Laboratories compelled to expose the mycobacteria for a longer duration of time can still attempt isolation for culture as only a small amount of bacteria are needed for culture positivity

Immunoprophylactic potential of filarial glutathione-s-transferase in lymphatic filariaisis

OBJECTIVE@#To elucidates the immunoprophylactic potential of glutathion-s-transferase (GST) from cattle filarial parasite Setaria digitata (S. digitata) against lymphatic filariasis.@*METHODS@#GST was purified through affinity chromatography (SdGST) and chacterized by SDS-PAGE and Nano-LC MS/MS analysis. Antibody isotypes to SdGST were measured by ELISA. Antibody dependant cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) was performed in vitro using sera from immunized animals and immune individuals. T-cell proliferation and cytokine response to SdGST in different groups of filariasis were measured. Immunoprophylactic potential of SdGST was evaluate in animal model.@*RESULTS@#SdGST exhibited 30-fold enhancement of enzyme activity over crude parasitic extract. It was found to be 26 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Nano LC-MS/MS analysis followed by blast search showed 100% homology with Dirofilaria immitis (D. immitis) and only 43% with Homo sapiens (H. sapiens). Immunoblotting analysis showed putatively immune individuals carry significant level of antibodies to SdGST as compared with microfilaraemics. Immunized sera and sera endemic normal could neutralize the enzymatic activity of SdGST and inducing in vitro cytotoxicity of microfilariae. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from endemic normals upon stimulation with SdGST showed a mixed type of Th1/Th2 response. SdGST immunization clear microfilariae from circulation in S. digitata implanted mastomys.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The heterologous GST could be potentially developed as a vaccine candidate against lymphatic filarial parasite.