High-Resolution Genomic Profiling of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates: A Multicentric Retrospective Indian Study.

BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is a threat to public health in India because of its high dissemination, mortality, and limited treatment options. Its genomic variability is reflected in the diversity of sequence types, virulence factors, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mechanisms. This study aims to characterize the clonal relationships and genetic mechanisms of resistance and virulence in CRKP isolates in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We characterized 344 retrospective K. pneumoniae clinical isolates collected from 8 centers across India collected in 2013-2019. Susceptibility to antibiotics was tested with VITEK 2. Capsular types, multilocus sequence type, virulence genes, AMR determinants, plasmid replicon types, and a single-nucleotide polymorphism phylogeny were inferred from their whole genome sequences. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis of the 325 Klebsiella isolates that passed quality control revealed 3 groups: K. pneumoniae sensu stricto (n = 307), K. quasipneumoniae (n = 17), and K. variicola (n = 1). Sequencing and capsular diversity analysis of the 307 K. pneumoniae sensu stricto isolates revealed 28 sequence types, 26 K-locus types, and 11 O-locus types, with ST231, KL51, and O1V2 being predominant. blaOXA-48-like and blaNDM-1/5 were present in 73.2% and 24.4% of isolates, respectively. The major plasmid replicon types associated with carbapenase genes were IncF (51.0%) and Col group (35.0%). CONCLUSION: Our study documents for the first time the genetic diversity of K and O antigens circulating in India. The results demonstrate the practical applicability of genomic surveillance and its utility in tracking the population dynamics of CRKP. It alerts us to the urgency for longitudinal surveillance of these transmissible lineages.

Streptococcus pneumoniae genomic datasets from an Indian population describing pre-vaccine evolutionary epidemiology using a whole genome sequencing approach.

Globally, India has a high burden of pneumococcal disease, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) has been rolled out in different phases across the country since May 2017 in the national infant immunization programme (NIP). To provide a baseline for assessing the impact of the vaccine on circulating pneumococci in India, genetic characterization of pneumococcal isolates detected prior to introduction of PCV would be helpful. Here we present a population genomic study of 480 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates collected across India and from all age groups before vaccine introduction (2009-2017), including 294 isolates from pneumococcal disease and 186 collected through nasopharyngeal surveys. Population genetic structure, serotype and antimicrobial susceptibility profile were characterized and predicted from whole-genome sequencing data. Our findings revealed high levels of genetic diversity represented by 110 Global Pneumococcal Sequence Clusters (GPSCs) and 54 serotypes. Serotype 19F and GPSC1 (CC320) was the most common serotype and pneumococcal lineage, respectively. Coverage of PCV13 (Pfizer) and 10-valent Pneumosil (Serum Institute of India) serotypes in age groups of ≤2 and 3-5 years were 63-75 % and 60-69 %, respectively. Coverage of PPV23 (Merck) serotypes in age groups of ≥50 years was 62 % (98/158). Among the top five lineages causing disease, GPSC10 (CC230), which ranked second, is the only lineage that expressed both PCV13 (serotypes 3, 6A, 14, 19A and 19F) and non-PCV13 (7B, 13, 10A, 11A, 13, 15B/C, 22F, 24F) serotypes. It exhibited multidrug resistance and was the largest contributor (17 %, 18/103) of NVTs in the disease-causing population. Overall, 42 % (202/480) of isolates were penicillin-resistant (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥0.12 µg ml-1) and 45 % (217/480) were multidrug-resistant. Nine GPSCs (GPSC1, 6, 9, 10, 13, 16, 43, 91, 376) were penicillin-resistant and among them six were multidrug-resistant. Pneumococci expressing PCV13 serotypes had a higher prevalence of antibiotic resistance. Sequencing of pneumococcal genomes has significantly improved our understanding of the biology of these bacteria. This study, describing the pneumococcal disease and carriage epidemiology pre-PCV introduction, demonstrates that 60-75 % of pneumococcal serotypes in children ≤5 years are covered by PCV13 and Pneumosil. Vaccination against pneumococci is very likely to reduce antibiotic resistance. A multidrug-resistant pneumococcal lineage, GPSC10 (CC230), is a high-risk clone that could mediate serotype replacement.

COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN LATERAL FLOW, ELISA AND ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE IMMUNOASSAYS FOR THE DETECTION OF SARS-COV-2 ANTIBODIES AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS

BackgroundMedical professionals and researchers have been urging the need for wide and rapid testing of citizens in order to plan measures that can contain the spread of the virus. Antibody tests play an important role throughout the patient care pathway and are vital for the management and surveillance of the virus. Although RT-PCR is considered as the gold standard, serological tests based on antibodies are helpful for on-time detection. We performed one to one assessment of point-of-care lateral flow assay (POCTs), enzyme immunoassay (EIAs), electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA), to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) IgG antibody. Materials and Methods611 healthcare workers were recruited between November and December 2020 at Central Research Laboratory, KIMS. Collected serum samples were analysed according to manufacturers protocol. The Standard Q IgG/IgM combo assay, Anti-SARS CoV-2 Human IgG ELISA, and the Elecsys(R) to measure the IgG titer of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). ResultsThe kits displayed a sensitivity of 61.2%,79.5%, 91.8% and specificity of 61.7%,64.1%,80.2% for the Standard Q IgG/IgM combo assay, Anti-SARS CoV-2 Human IgG ELISA, and the Elecsys(R) in order. ConclusionOur results indicate high sensitivity and specificity for the Elecsys(R) assay compared to Anti-SARS CoV-2 Human IgG ELISA, the Standard Q IgG/IgM combo assay.

Escalation of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Younger People by Comparison of Two Autopsy Studies Conducted a Decade Apart.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death worldwide which includes coronary heart disease (CHD) as the major contributor. The foremost cause of CHD is atherosclerosis of coronary arteries leading to angina to sudden deaths which is sharply increasing in India; sadly more in the younger people. In this study, results were compared to an autopsy result performed a decade earlier. AIMS: Both autopsy studies were conducted to assess the frequency of coronary atherosclerosis, morphological types of lesions and the degree of stenosis in three major coronary arteries. The association of the disease to age, sex, socio-economic status, diet and obesity were studied along with correlating the severity with major risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia and smoking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 hearts in the 1st study and 120 in the 2nd study were studied after collecting from Forensic department with details of the deceased. Hearts were dissected by Virchow's method and three major coronary arteries were studied by making serial sectioning. The atherosclerotic lesions were examined histopathologically and typed according to American Heart Association classification along with grading of the luminal stenosis. RESULTS: The second study showed an alarmingly higher incidence of atherosclerosis (90.83%), especially in younger age. Compared to the older study in which 68.33% had coronary atherosclerosis. In both studies coronary atherosclerosis was more in males, severity increased with age and proximal segment of left anterior descending coronary artery was the most commonly affected part with higher grade lesions. CONCLUSION: The frequency of occurrence of coronary atherosclerosis has definitely increased steeply in the past two decades and alarmingly more in the younger people, with the severity being common in the fourth decade of life itself. There is strong positive correlation with major risk factors reiterating the importance of clinical screening and preventive programs.