Curcumin bioconjugates, viz. di-O-tryptophanylphenylalanine curcumin (2), di-O-decanoyl curcumin (3), di-O-pamitoyl curcumin (4), di-O-bis-(gamma,gamma)folyl curcumin (6), C(4)-ethyl-O-gamma-folyl curcumin (8) and 4-O-ethyl-O-gamma-folyl curcumin (10) have been synthesized and tested for their antibacterial and antiviral activities. The conjugates 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 have shown very promising antibacterial activity with MIC ranging between 0.09 and 0.67 microM against Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative bacilli. Further, the conjugates 2, 3, 6, 8 and 10 have been screened for their antiviral activities against HSV, VSV, FIPV, PIV-3, RSV and FHV and the molecules 2 and 3 have shown good results with EC(50) 0.011 microM and 0.029 microM against VSV and FIPV/FHV, respectively. However, the molecules did not show expected results against HIV-1 III(B) and ROD strains in MTT assay.

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The number of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases is increasing in India. This study looks upon the geographic distribution of the virus clades and variants circulating in different parts of India between January and August 2020. The NPS/OPS from representative positive cases from different states and union territories in India were collected every month through the VRDLs in the country and analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Epidemiological analysis of the 689 SARS-CoV-2 clinical samples revealed GH and GR to be the predominant clades circulating in different states in India. The northern part of India largely reported the ‘GH’ clade, whereas the southern part reported the ‘GR’, with a few exceptions. These sequences also revealed the presence of single independent mutations—E484Q and N440K—from Maharashtra (first observed in March 2020) and Southern Indian States (first observed in May 2020), respectively. Furthermore, this study indicates that the SARS-CoV-2 variant (VOC, VUI, variant of high consequence and double mutant) was not observed during the early phase of virus transmission (January–August). This increased number of variations observed within a short timeframe across the globe suggests virus evolution, which can be a step towards enhanced host adaptation.

Background An appropriate specimen is of paramount importance in Real Time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) based diagnosis of novel coronavirus (nCoV) disease (COVID-19). Thus, it’s pertinent to evaluate various diversified clinical specimens’ diagnostic utility in both diagnosis and follow-up of COVID-19. Methods A total of 924 initial specimens from 130 COVID-19 symptomatic cases before initiation of treatment and 665 follow up specimens from 15 randomly selected cases comprising of equal number of nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), oropharyngeal swab (OPS), combined NPS and OPS (Combined swab), sputum, plasma, serum and urine were evaluated by rRT-PCR. Results Demographic analysis showed males (86) twice more affected by COVID-19 than females (44) (p = 0.00001). Combined swabs showed a positivity rate of 100% followed by NPS (91.5%), OPS (72.3%), sputum (63%), while nCoV was found undetected in urine, plasma and serum specimens. The lowest cycle threshold (Ct) values of targeted genes E, ORF1b and RdRP are 10.56, 10.14 and 12.26 respectively and their lowest average Ct values were found in combined swab which indicates high viral load in combined swab among all other specimen types. Analysis of 665 follow-up multi-varied specimens also showed combined swab as the last specimen among all specimen types to become negative, after an average 6.6 (range 4–10) days post-treatment, having lowest (15.48) and average (29.96) Ct values of ORF1b respectively indicating posterior nasopharyngeal tract as primary nCoV afflicted site with high viral load. Conclusion The combined swab may be recommended as a more appropriate specimen for both diagnosis and monitoring of COVID-19 treatment by rRT-PCR for assessing virus clearance to help physicians in taking evidence-based decision before discharging patients. Implementing combined swabs globally will definitely help in management and control of the pandemic, as it is the need of the hour.

Aims and Objectives:To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients. Prevalence of MetS was compared in patients who were not on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to patients who were on HAART.Materials and Methods:Seventy HIV positive cases were studied. Pregnant and lactating women, patients on drugs other than HAART known to cause metabolic abnormalities and those having diabetes or hypertension were excluded. Cases were evaluated for MetS by using National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel-III.Results:47 cases were on HAART and 23 cases were not on HAART. Fasting Blood Glucose ≥100 mg/dl was present in 28.6% cases, out of whom 27.7% were on HAART and 30.4% were not on HAART (P = 0.8089). 12.9% cases had BP ≥130/≥85 mm Hg, out of whom 14.9% were on HAART and 8.7% were not on HAART (P = 0.4666). 42.9% cases had TG ≥150 mg/dl, out of whom 44.7% were on HAART and 39.1% were not on HAART (P = 0.6894). HDL cholesterol was low (males <40 mg/dl, females <50 mg/dl) in 50% cases, out of whom 55.3% were on HAART and 39.1% were not on HAART (P = 0.2035).Conclusions:Prevalence of MetS was 20%. Majority of patients had only one component of MetS (32.9%). Low HDL was present in 50%, followed by raised triglycerides in 42.9%. Waist circumference was not increased in any of the patients. There was no statistically significant difference between those on HAART and those not on HAART in distribution of risk factors and individual components of MetS.

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We report two cases of multidrug-resistant Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia genomovar I) and Burkholderia multivorans causing multiple liver abscesses in a patient with bronchial asthma (case 1) and peritonitis in a patient with cirrhosis and hepatitis C virus disease (case 2), respectively. Both patients were treated successfully. CASE REPORTS Case 1.A 56-year-old man was admitted in the gastrosurgery department with a high-grade fever with chills and hiccoughs for 8 days. He was a cigarette smoker and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and had been using a nebulizer for asthmatic attacks constantly for the past 4 years. He was conscious, oriented, febrile, anicteric, and pale with mildly tender hepatomegaly. Ultrasonography showed multiple echodense lesions suggestive of liver abscesses. The ultrasoundguided aspiration revealed thick brownish pus containing many polymorphonuclear leukocytes (10 to 15 polymorphonuclear leukocytes per oil immersion field) and gram-negative bacilli, both intra-and extracellularly. The specimen was negative for Entamoeba histolytica and Echinococcus granulosus. Culture grew non-lactose-fermenting, mucoid, smooth colonies with a diameter of approximately 2 mm. The colonies were made up of gram-negative rods. The gram-negative rods were motile, catalase and oxidase positive, and nitrate reduction test positive. The rods oxidized glucose, lactose, mannitol, and maltose. The rods were lysine decarboxylation positive, arginine hydrolysis negative, and resistant to polymyxin B. The polymyxin B-resistant organism was identified as Burkholderia cepacia by the API 20NE (Bio-Mérieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France) and RapID NF Plus systems (Innovative Diagnostics). The kits have accuracy of 70 to 95%, and the RapID NF Plus system is more sensitive for B. cepacia than API 20NE (5). The isolate was later confirmed to be B. cepacia genomovar I by the reference laboratory (SRL Ranbaxy Ltd., Mumbai, India) by molecular typing, using restriction fragment length polymorphism-mediated analysis of the 16S ribosomal DNA locus and DNA amplification fingerprinting. We have performed surveillance for the probable source of infection and to determine whether it was a hospital contaminant. The betadine (10% povidone iodine) used as a skin disinfectant, needle, cotton pack, instrument tray used during the ultrasound-guided aspiration procedure, swabs from bed linen and other materials in the patient's cubicle, and skin swabs from the patient were subjected to culture and found sterile.The sensitivity of B. cepacia isolated from the liver pus sample was tested by broth microdilution according to the 2001 National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) guidelines for aerobically growing bacteria (control strains were Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Escherichia coli ATCC 35218 for ␤-lactam/␤-lactamase inhibitor combinations) using cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth (9). In vitro, the organism was sensitive only to ciprofloxacin (1 g/ml) and meropenem (1 g/ml). The patient was given...

Although there are ever increasing reports of extraintestinal human infections caused by Aeromonads, in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients, respiratory tract infections remain uncommon. We describe a case of aspiration pneumonia in an immunocompetent patient with multiple sclerosis, caused by a community acquired, multidrug resistant strain of Aeromonas hydrophila sensitive only to meropenem. The case highlights the clinical significance of Aeromonas hydrophila as a respiratory pathogen, as well as the community origin of multidrug resistance and the utility of newer carbapenems in such cases.