The effect of vacuum packaging technique on the shelflife of eviscerated pabda catfish (Ompok pabda) during chill storage at 4 ± 2 °C was studied. The shelflife of pabda fish was predicted based on the cumulative observations of biochemical, microbiological and sensory parameters. There was no significant difference in the lipid quality parameters studied between the samples during the chill storage period, whereas, vacuum packaging significantly improved the sensory and microbiological quality. Based on microbiological parameters such as Total Viable Count, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Salmonella Spp, total Vibrios, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, faecal Streptococcus and anaerobic sulphite reducers, the shelflife of chilled gutted pabda catfish was estimated to be 14-16 and 18-20 days for air packed and vacuum packed samples, respectively. The sensory parameters showed extended shelflife by four more days for both the samples.

Introduction: Staphylococcal biofilms are prominent cause for acute and chronic infection both in hospital and community settings across the world. Current study explores biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus isolates from clinical samples by different methods. Methodology: Standard techniques used for the characterization of S.aureus. Qualitative and quantitative biofilm formation was assessed by Congo red Agar, Tube and Microtiter plate methods. Results: A total of 188 clinical isolates of S.aureus were screened for biofilm formation and 72 (38.29%) of them were found to be biofilm producers, 34 (18.08%) strong, 38 (20.21%) moderate. The remaining 116 (61.7%) were weak/ non biofilm producers. Maximum biofilm formers were recorded in pus samples (39.06%), followed by isolates from blood (38.23%) and urine (34.61%). Statistical analysis for the formation of biofilm indicated that Microtiter plate method is the most sensitive and specific method for screening biofilm production. Conclusions: Biofilm formation is one of the influential virulence factor in staphylococcal pathogenesis and persistence. Microtiter plate and Congo red agar remain as reliable methods for the qualitative and quantitative estimation of biofilm formation. Monitoring of biofilm formation in various etiological agents will help in determining the severity of infection.

ABSTRACT

Objective: The continuous rise in the prevalence of multidrug resistance pathogens globally is threatening the treatment and management of infectious diseases. Ethnomedicine plays a key role in the exploration for novel bioactive compounds. The present study evaluates the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of the crude extracts of Lawsonia inermis against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Methods: Shade dried and finely powdered leaves of the plant were extracted by maceration method using six solvents: Methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform, petroleum ether, and n-hexane. Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of the extracts against multidrug-resistant (MDR) MRSA by agar cup diffusion and tube method, respectively. Results:Methanol extract showed the highest antibacterial activity of 18 mm compared to other extracts. Similarly, petroleum ether extract showed the highest biofilm inhibition of 84.7%. Other solvent extracts also exhibited significant biofilm inhibition [n-hexane-83.6%, ethyl acetate-79.5%, chloroform-79.2%, acetone-77%, and methanol-77%]. Conclusion:The leaf extracts of L. inermis have shown promising biofilm inhibitory activity and good antibacterial activity, which can be explored for the development of new drugs for the MDR pathogens.

Objective: Prevalence of drug resistance in Staphylococcal infections is steadily increasing in global health care systems. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of MRSA and VRSA in Kalaburagi region. Materials and methods: S.aureus were isolated from 120 clinical samples collected from primary health care and diagnostic centers of Kalaburagi region and were identified by standard microbiological techniques. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines. Results: A total of 120 clinical samples were screened, of which 62 (51.6%) were confirmed for S.aureus. Antibiotic susceptibility test indicated highest resistance for penicillin (96.8%) and least for chloramphenicol (3.8%). The prevalence of MRSA was 38.7% and that of VRSA showed 4.8%. Conclusion: Prevalence of MRSA is predominantly observed in the developed countries. Unfortunately, the spread of drug resistance is affecting developing countries also. Strategies to control the spread of MRSA and emergence VRSA are the top priorities in the community and hospital settings.