Traumatic implantation keratitis caused by Schizophyllum commune in Central India.

We present two cases with a history of trauma to the cornea and after a few days patients developed symptoms of corneal ulcers with one showing hypopyon as well. Due to strong suspicion of fungal keratitis both cases were treated with topical and intravenously voriconazole. Fungal culture showed white fluffy growth which was identified as Schizophyllum commune by conventional and molecular methods. In both cases surgical intervention was essential. Therapeutic keratoplasty was done in both cases but failed. Unfortunately, both patients lost vision in the affected eyes.

Recent Advancement in Bioactive Chalcone Hybrids as Potential Antimicrobial Agents in Medicinal Chemistry.

Chalcones are flavonoid-related aromatic ketones and enones generated from plants. The chalcones have a wide range of biological activities, such as anti-tumor, calming, and antimicrobial activities. In the present review, we have focused on the recently published original research articles on chalcones as a unique antibacterial framework in medicinal chemistry. Chalcones are structurally diverse moieties and can be split into simple and hybrid chalcones, with both having core pharmacophore 1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-one. Chalcones are isolated from natural sources and also synthesized by using various methods. Their structure-activity relationship, mechanisms, and list of patents are also summarized in this paper. This review article outlines the currently published antimicrobial chalcone hybrids and suggests that chalcone derivatives may be potential antimicrobial agents in the future.

tRNA-Cys gene clusters exhibit high variability in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Although most of the genes encoding tRNAs in plants are dispersed throughout the genome, a fraction of them form tRNA gene clusters. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the smallest of tRNA clusters on chromosome 5 consists of four tRNA-Cys-GCA genes placed within repeating units of 0.4 kbp. A systematic analysis of the genomic sequences of syntenic regions from various ecotypes of A. thaliana showed that the general structure of the cluster, consisting of a tRNA-Cys pseudogene followed by repeating units containing tRNA-Cys genes, is well conserved. However, there is significant heterogeneity in the number of repeating units between different ecotypes. A unique feature of this cluster is the presence of putative transposable elements (Helitron). In addition, two further tRNA-Cys gene mini-clusters (gene pairs) in A. thaliana were identified. RNA-seq-based evaluation of expression of tRNA-Cys-GCA genes showed a positive signal for 11 out of 13 unique transcripts. An analysis of the conservation of the tRNA-Cys clusters from A. thaliana with the corresponding regions from four other Arabidopsis species suggests a sequence of events that led to the divergence of these regions.

A Psittacine bite and subcutaneous basidiobolomycosis: A case with a therapeutic challenge.

Basidiobolus ranarum is a saprophyte that can be found in soil, rotting vegetables, and frogs' digestive tracts. Clinically, basidiobolomycosis presents as a persistent infection of subcutaneous tissue affecting the trunk and extremities in an immunocompetent host. We describe a case of subcutaneous basidiobolomycosis in a 56-year-old immunocompetent woman farmer by occupation residing at remote part of central India. This study highlights the traumatic implantation and zoonotic potential of fungal species. Clinical suspicion of fungal etiology and timely mycology laboratory diagnostic support is key to address such cases. This case is documented to emphasize the problems of compliance to treatment specially in remote and poor patients challenging the treatment with complete cure. 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Xpert MTB/RIF Assay on Stool Samples for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis among the Pediatric Population.

Objective Microbiological confirmation of tuberculosis (TB) in pediatric cases is challenging due to its paucibacillary nature and difficulty in specimen collection. This study aimed to validate stool as an alternative sample for the diagnosis of pediatric pulmonary TB via Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study included 75 pediatric patients up to 10 years of age with signs and symptoms suggestive of TB. From each recruited patient, pulmonary and stool samples were collected in a sterile container. The collected samples were subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen staining, BACTEC MGIT 960 culture (MGIT), Xpert, and in-house multiplex polymerase chain reaction for TB diagnosis. Results About 13.33% (10/75) of the pulmonary samples and, of them, 50% (5/75) of the stool samples were positive by Xpert assay. The sensitivity and specificity of Xpert assay with stool and pulmonary samples were 50 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.71-81.29%) and 100% (95% CI: 94.48-100%), respectively. Conclusion The Xpert assay on stool samples showed limited sensitivity and good specificity in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB. Therefore, it can be proposed as an alternative screening sample to diagnose TB in pediatric cases for which getting a respiratory sample is extremely difficult. However, further studies with greater number of samples and multiple baseline variables are required to support our findings. Strategies to optimize stool Xpert assay should be performed to enhance the sensitivity of this method to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis in children.

Molecular Identification of Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria in Suspected Tuberculosis Cases in Central India.

Introduction Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), the primary cause of tuberculosis (TB), must be accurately identified to implement effective patient management and control strategies. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in suspected TB cases can result in erroneous diagnoses and needless treatment. Objective The study aimed to identify NTM in patients suspected of TB at a tertiary care hospital in central India using molecular methods. Methods This prospective study enrolled 400 suspected pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB patients. Patients between the age of two to 90 years, of either gender, new and previously treated cases, Culture positive, patients with immune-compromised status, patients not responding to ATT, HIV positive and negative, and willing to give consent were included in the study. Liquid culture via the Mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) system was used to culture mycobacteria from clinical samples. The SD Bioline Ag MPT64 Test (Standard Diagnostics, South Korea) and in-house multiplex-PCR (mPCR) were used to differentiate between Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and NTM species for the molecular identification of NTM GenoType® Mycobacterium Common Mycobacteria (CM) assay kit (HAIN Life Science, Nehren, Germany) was used following the manufacturer's protocol. Results Only 59/400 (14.7%) of the samples produced a positive result in MGIT culture, indicating the presence of mycobacteria, and 85.25% of the remaining 341 samples were negative for mycobacterial growth. Further investigation of these 59 cultures with mPCR and SD Bioline Ag MPT64 test showed that 12 (20.33%) cultures were determined to be NTM, while the remaining 47 (79.67%) were identified as MTBC. Genotype characterization with GenoType® mycobacterium CM assay kit revealed that five of the 12 NTM isolates (41.67%) showed patterns that were consistent with Mycobacterium (M.) fortuitum, three (25%) showed patterns that were consistent with M. abscessus, and four (33.33%) showed patterns that were consistent with M. tuberculosis. Conclusion These results emphasize the value of molecular methods for precisely identifying mycobacterial species, particularly in suspected TB cases. The high prevalence of NTM in positive cultures emphasizes the significance of differentiating between MTBC and NTM to prevent misdiagnosis and ensure proper care. Understanding the epidemiology and clinical significance of these organisms in central India is made possible by the identification of particular NTM species.

Diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion in a tertiary care hospital of central India: The role of xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicin.

Background: In India, 15%-20% of tuberculosis (TB) cases are categorized as extra-pulmonary TB, and tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) is the second-most common type after tuberculous lymphadenitis. However, the paucibacillary nature of TPE makes its diagnosis challenging. As a result, relying on empirical anti-TB treatment (ATT) based on clinical diagnosis becomes necessary for achieving the best possible diagnostic outcome. The study aims to determine the diagnostic utility of Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicin (MTB/RIF) for the detection of TB in TPE in high incidence setting of Central India. Methods: The study enrolled 321 patients who had exudative pleural effusion detected through radiological testing and were suspected of having TB. The medical procedure of thoracentesis was conducted to collect the pleural fluid, which was then subjected to both the Ziehl-Neelsen staining and Xpert MTB/RIF test. The patients who showed improvement after receiving anti-tuberculosis treatment (ATT) were considered the composite reference standard. Results: The sensitivity of smear microscopy was found to be 10.19%, while that of the Xpert MTB/RIF method was 25.93% when compared to the composite reference standard. The accuracy of clinical diagnosis was measured using receiver operating characteristics based on clinical symptoms, and it was found to be 0.858 (area under the curve). Conclusions: The study shows that Xpert MTB/RIF has significant value in diagnosing TPE, despite its low sensitivity of 25.93%. Clinical diagnosis based on symptoms was relatively accurate, but relying on symptoms alone is not enough. Using multiple diagnostic tools, including Xpert MTB/RIF, is crucial for accurate diagnosis. Xpert MTB/RIF has excellent specificity and can detect RIF resistance. Its quick results make it useful in situations where a rapid diagnosis is necessary. While it should not be the only diagnostic tool, it has a valuable role in diagnosing TPE.

Disseminated tuberculosis in rare association with hemophagocytic lymphocytosis - A case report from central India.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is an uncommon, diverse and rare genetic hyper-inflammatory syndrome. HLH associated with tuberculosis (TB-HLH) has been described as a clinical and diagnostic quandary. The co-existence leads to significantly higher morbidity and mortality. Our case highlights the presence of disseminated tuberculosis and worsening of the case due to underlying hemophagocytic syndrome leading to rapid deterioration of patient prognosis. Prompt diagnosis and treatment remains help to improve patient management.

Assessment of the Diagnostic Utility of GeneXpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Assay in the Suspected Cases of Tuberculous Meningitis.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a manifestation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). The central nervous system is involved in about 1%-2% of all current tuberculosis (TB) cases and about 7%-8% of all EPTB. if not treated early, TBM leads to a high rate of neurological sequelae and mortality. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of the GeneXpert MTB/rifampicin (RIF) assay in patients with TBM. METHODS: A total of 100 suspected TBM cases were enrolled from various departments at tertiary care hospital, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, and classified as definite, possible, or probable TBM. The clinical samples were tested for microbiological and other cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing. RESULTS: Out of 100 cases, 14 (14%) were classified as definite TBM, 15 (15%) were having probable TBM, and 71 (71%) were having possible TBM. Out of a total of 100 participants, all were negative for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) staining. Of the 100 cases, 11 (11%) were positive by mycobacterium growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture, of which only four (36.36%) were positive by GeneXpert MTB/RIF. GeneXpert MTB/RIF detected three (3%) cases that were negative by MGIT culture. Ten (90.9%) of the 11 MGIT-positive culture isolates were found to be RIF sensitive while one (9.1%) was found to be RIF resistant. Three cases tested positive/sensitive by the GeneXpert MTB/RIF but negative by MGIT culture. Six (85%) of the seven GeneXpert MTB/RIF positive cases were RIF sensitive while one (15%) was RIF resistant. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy were 36.36% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) (10.93% to 69.21%)), 96.63% (95% CI (90.46% to 99.30%)), 57.14% (95% CI (25.50% to 83.85%)), 92.47% (95% CI (88.70% to 95.06%)) and 90% (95% CI (82.38% to 95.10%)) for GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay, compared with MGIT culture as the reference standard. CONCLUSION: Our study found that the sensitivity is lower when compared to culture, so using GeneXpert MTB/RIF alone is not recommended. Overall performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay is noteworthy. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay is a potentially accepted test for obtaining an earlier diagnosis, and if it tested positive, the treatment should begin immediately. However, culture must be performed in GeneXpert MTB/RIF negative cases.

Rhino sinusitis caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae in a diabetic patient.

We report an uncommon instance of rhinosinusitis by Lasiodiplodia theobromae in a known diabetic patient. A melanized fungus called Lasiodiplodia theobromae causes a typical plant disease that rots fruits and plants. Infections in humans are currently limited. Mostly from tropical and subtropical regions, there have been few reported occurrences. The fungus has been associated with clinical manifestations such as onychomycosis, corneal ulcers, and phaeohyphomycosis. Identification by phenotype was inconclusive. DNA sequencing was used for final identification. Amphotericin B and surgical debridement were effective treatments for the patient.

Iteron control of oriV function in IncP-1 plasmid RK2.

Replication control of many plasmids is mediated by the balance between the positive and negative effects of Rep protein binding repeated sequences (iterons) associated with the replication origin, oriV. Negative control is thought to be mediated by dimeric Rep protein linking iterons in a process termed "handcuffing". The well-studied oriV region of RK2 contains 9 iterons arranged as a singleton (iteron 1), a group of 3 (iterons 2-4) and a group of 5 (iterons 5-9), but only iterons 5 to 9 are essential for replication. An additional iteron (iteron 10), oriented in the opposite direction, is also involved and reduces copy-number nearly two-fold. Since iterons 1 and 10 share an identical upstream hexamer (5' TTTCAT 3') it has been hypothesised that they form a TrfA-mediated loop facilitated by their inverted orientation. Here we report that contrary to the hypothesis, flipping one or other so they are in direct orientation results in marginally lower rather than higher copy-number. In addition, following mutagenesis of the hexamer upstream of iteron 10, we report that the Logo for the hexamer "upstream" of the regulatory iterons (1 to 4 and 10) differs from that of the essential iterons, suggesting functional differences in their interaction with TrfA.

Nanovaccine: A Hope to Triumph the Battle Against Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection has caused the global emergence of coronavirus in humans during the last 12 months. Till May 11, 2021, the confirmed global COVID-19 cases and deaths reached 158551526 and 3296855, respectively. METHODS: Goblet cells and ciliated cells in the nose act as the initial infection site of SARS-CoV-2. Thus, mucus immunity is important to protect from infection. The outburst of SARS-CoV-2 infection can be halted only when an effective vaccine will be developed. RESULTS: Globally, over 100 different vaccines are under investigation, including DNA vaccines, RNA vaccines, inactivated virus vaccines, adenovirus-based vaccines, recombinant/subunit protein vaccines, peptide vaccines, virus-like particles, etc. Inactivated virus vaccines and mRNA, and adenovirus-based vaccines have moved fast into patent clinical trials. CONCLUSION: Vaccines containing spike protein of SARS-CoV as subunit could effectively prevent binding of coronavirus to the host cell and membrane fusion. Thus, spike protein can be used as a major target for subunit vaccine preparation.

Diagnostic Performance of Multiplex PCR for Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex in Presumptive Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients and Its Utility in Smear Negative Specimens.

Objective The primary objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in presumptive pulmonary TB patients, in the setting of a tertiary level teaching hospital in central India, in comparison to liquid culture using BACTEC mycobacteria growth indicator tubes (MGIT) 960 TB system as the gold standard. The secondary objective was to assess the performance of mPCR for Ziehl Neelsen smear negative samples and ascertain the utility of this assay in smear negative samples. Materials and Methods Sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage samples were collected from patients who were adults, aged 18 years or older, presenting with presumptive pulmonary TB, and subjected to three microbiological investigations, that is, Ziehl Neelsen staining, mycobacterial culture using mycobacterial growth indicator tubes in the BD BACTEC MGIT 960 instrument, and the mPCR. Statistical Analysis For statistical analysis, 2 × 2 contingency tables were prepared and analyzed separately for all samples and for smear-negative samples using GraphPad and MedCalc tools. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value (NPV) of mPCR were calculated by taking MGIT culture as the reference standard. Results For all samples ( n = 114), sensitivity of mPCR for the detection of (MTBC) was 93.48% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 82.10-98.63%), specificity was 95.59% (95% CI: 87.64-99.08%), positive predictive value (PPV) was 93.48% (95% CI: 82.54-97.75%), and NPV was 95.59% (95% CI: 87.87-98.48%). For smear negative samples ( n = 80), sensitivity was 80.00% (95% CI: 51.91-95.67%), specificity was 98.46% (95% CI: 91.72-99.96%), PPV was 92.31% (95% CI: 62.80-98.84%), and NPV was 95.52% (95% CI: 88.57-98.33%). Conclusion In this study, we were able to demonstrate the good performance characteristics of the mPCR for the detection of MTBC from clinical samples of patients with presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis, with MGIT liquid culture as the reference standard. It may be concluded that mPCR can be considered equivalent to MGIT culture in terms of clinical decision making and yield of positivity, owing to the good sensitivity and specificity for the detection of MTBC.

Ciprofloxacin-Tethered 1,2,3-Triazole Conjugates: New Quinolone Family Compounds to Upgrade Our Antiquated Approach against Bacterial Infections.

A newer ciprofloxacin series containing 1,2,3-triazole conjugates of ciprofloxacin was designed, synthesized, and well characterized using modern analytical techniques by reacting diversified anilines with ciprofloxacin obtained from ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. The newer conjugates were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against various strains, viz. Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC25923), Enterococcus faecalis (clinical isolate), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC3594), Escherichia coli (ATCC25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC27853), Salmonella typhi (clinical isolate), Salmonella typhimurium (clinical isolate), Acinetobacter baumannii (ATCC19606), Aeromonas hydrophila (ATCC7966), Plesiomonas shigelloides (ATCC14029), and Sphingo biumpaucimobilis (MTCC6362) in vitro. Interestingly, some of the conjugates showed superior antimicrobial activity as compared to the control drug ciprofloxacin. The three compounds 4i, 4j, and 4n showed strong activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 0.78 µM, while the compound 4g showed MIC 1.56 µM against S. typhi (clinical). The compound 4a showed good efficacy against S. aureus (ATCC25923) and S. typhi (clinical) with MIC 3.12 µM, while the compound 4b exhibited efficacy with MIC 3.12 µM against S. aureus (ATCC25923) and the control drug ciprofloxacin showed MIC 6.25 µM. Among all of the synthesized compounds, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4p, 4q, 4t, and 4u displayed less than 20% hemolysis, while the rest of the compounds showed hemolysis in the range of 21-48%. Moreover, the structure of compound 4b was also established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.

Challenges and Recent Advances of Novel Chemical Inhibitors in Medulloblastoma Therapy.

Medulloblastoma is a common term used for the juvenile malignant brain tumor, and its treatment is exciting due to different genetic origins, improper transportation of drug across the blood-brain barrier, and chemo-resistance with various side effects. Currently, medulloblastoma divided into four significant subsections (Wnt, Shh, Group 3, and Group 4) is based on their hereditary modulation and histopathological advancement. In this chapter, we tried to combine several novel chemical therapeutic agents active toward medulloblastoma therapy. All these compounds have potent activity to inhibit the medulloblastoma.

ARA: a flexible pipeline for automated exploration of NCBI SRA datasets.

BACKGROUND: One of the most effective and useful methods to explore the content of biological databases is searching with nucleotide or protein sequences as a query. However, especially in the case of nucleic acids, due to the large volume of data generated by the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, this approach is often not available. The hierarchical organization of the NGS records is primarily designed for browsing or text-based searches of the information provided in metadata-related keywords, limiting the efficiency of database exploration. FINDINGS: We developed an automated pipeline that incorporates the well-established NGS data-processing tools and procedures to allow easy and effective sampling of the NCBI SRA database records. Given a file with query nucleotide sequences, our tool estimates the matching content of SRA accessions by probing only a user-defined fraction of a record's sequences. Based on the selected parameters, it allows performing a full mapping experiment with records that meet the required criteria. The pipeline is designed to be easy to operate-it offers a fully automatic setup procedure and is fixed on tested supporting tools. The modular design and implemented usage modes allow a user to scale up the analyses into complex computational infrastructure. CONCLUSIONS: We present an easy-to-operate and automated tool that expands the way a user can access and explore the information contained within the records deposited in the NCBI SRA database.

Analysis of Blood Culture Data Influences Future Epidemiology of Bloodstream Infections: A 5-year Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in India.

BACKGROUND: Blood cultures are the most significant samples received in a microbiology laboratory. Good quality control of pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic stages can have a significant impact on patient outcomes. Here, we present the improvements brought about by reviewing blood culture data with clinicians at a tertiary care institute in India. METHODS: Four-year blood culture data (phase I-February 2014-February 2018) were shared with clinicians in the clinical grand round. Several take-home messages were discussed in a quiz format, and a number of holistic quality control measures were implemented at different levels. Based on observable changes in blood culture reports, another dataset was analyzed and compared in phase II (April 2018-April 2019). RESULTS: In phase II, the blood culture contamination rate improved from 6 to 2% along with four times reduction in ICU isolates and three times increased isolation of salmonellae and pneumococci. The development of resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae to carbapenems and piperacillin-tazobactam was reduced. Colistin resistance in ICU isolates hovered around 15%. Vaccine-preventable pneumococcal serotypes were predominant in the under-five age-group. Typhoidal salmonellae were more commonly isolated from adults with 50% showing sensitivity to pefloxacin and 97% to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and cotrimoxazole. Candida parapsilosis was the leading non-albicans Candida (NAC). Fluconazole resistance was observed in 50% of NAC. CONCLUSION: Reviewing blood culture data with clinicians mutually helped us to improve the overall quality of blood culture reports. It had a major impact on epidemiological trends and thus, found to be superior to just sharing an antibiogram with the clinicians. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Sharma A, Samaddar A, Maurya A, Hada V, Narula H, Shrimali T, et al. Analysis of Blood Culture Data Influences Future Epidemiology of Bloodstream Infections: A 5-year Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in India. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(11):1258-1262.

Therapeutic Potential of Phytoconstituents in Management of Alzheimer's Disease.

Since primitive times, herbs have been extensively used in conventional remedies for boosting cognitive impairment and age-associated memory loss. It is mentioned that medicinal plants have a variety of dynamic components, and they have become a prominent choice for synthetic medications for the care of cognitive and associated disorders. Herbal remedies have played a major role in the progression of medicine, and many advanced drugs have already been developed. Many studies have endorsed practicing herbal remedies with phytoconstituents, for healing Alzheimer's disease (AD). All the information in this article was collated from selected research papers from online scientific databases, such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. The aim of this article is to convey the potential of herbal remedies for the prospect management of Alzheimer's and related diseases. Herbal remedies may be useful in the discovery and advancement of drugs, thus extending new leads for neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. Nanocarriers play a significant role in delivering herbal medicaments to a specific target. Therefore, many drugs have been described for the management of age-linked complaints such as dementia, AD, and the like. Several phytochemicals are capable of managing AD, but their therapeutic claims are restricted due to their lower solubility and metabolism. These limitations of natural therapeutics can be overcome by using a targeted nanocarrier system. This article will provide the primitive remedies as well as the development of herbal remedies for AD management.

Heterogeneous patterns of COVID-19 transmission in an Urban set up - sero-epidemiological survey data from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh (a central Indian city).

In the wake of rising number of SARS-CoV-2 cases, the Government of India had placed mass-quarantine measures, termed as "lockdown" measures from end-March 2020. The subsequent phase-wise relaxation from July 2020 led to a surge in the number of cases. This necessitated an understanding of the true burden of SARS-CoV-2 in the community. Consequently, a sero-epidemiological survey was carried out in the central Indian city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. This article details the processes of data acquisition, compilation, handling, and information derivation from the survey. Information on socio-demographic and serological variables were collected from 4,883 participants using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. Appropriate weightage was calculated for each participant as sampling fraction derived from Primary Sampling Unit (PSU), Secondary Sampling Unit (SSU) and Tertiary Sampling Unit (TSU). The weightage was then applied to the data to adjust the findings at population level. The comprehensive and robust methodology employed here may act as a model for similar future endeavours. At the same time, the dataset can also be relevant for researchers in fields such as data science, epidemiology, virology and earth modelling.

Enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in polyaromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated soils: a major challenge for environmental health.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widely spread ecological contaminants. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are present with mobile genetic elements (MGE) in the bacteria. There are molecular evidences that PAHs may induce the development of ARGs in contaminated soils. Also, the abundance of ARGs related to tetracycline, sulfonamides, aminoglycosides, ampicillin, and fluoroquinolones is high in PAH-contaminated environments. Genes encoding the efflux pump are located in the MGE and, along with class 1 integrons, have a significant role as a connecting link between PAH contamination and enrichment of ARGs. The horizontal gene transfer mechanisms further make this interaction more dynamic. Therefore, necessary steps to control ARGs into the environment and risk management plan of PAHs should be enforced. In this review, influence of PAH on evolution of ARGs in the contaminated soil, and its spread in the environment, has been described. The co-occurrence of antibiotic resistance and PAH degradation abilities in bacterial isolates has raised the concerns. Also, presence of ARGs in the microbiome of PAH-contaminated soil has been discussed as environmental hotspots for ARG spread. In addition to this, the possible links of molecular interactions between ARGs and PAHs, and their effect on environmental health has been explored.