The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Shigella strains has impaired the efficacy of first-line antimicrobials and exacerbated diarrhea-associated morbidity and mortality worldwide. We report the draft genome sequences of 11 MDR Shigella strains isolated from the stool specimens of diarrheal patients in Bangladesh.

Shigella can frequently transform into a superbug due to uncontrolled and rogue administration of antibiotics and the emergence of HGT of antimicrobial resistance factors. The advent of AZM resistance in Shigella has become a serious concern in the treatment of shigellosis.

Complement activation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a debilitating immune-mediated neuropathy. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a complement activation factor of lectin pathway which as genetic host factor may influence the susceptibility or severity of GBS. We investigated the frequency of MBL2 promoter (− 550H/L and − 221X/Y) and functional region (exon 1 A/O) polymorphisms and their association with disease susceptibility, clinical features and serum MBL among GBS patients (n = 300) and healthy controls (n = 300) in Bangladesh. The median patient age was 30 years (IQR: 18–42; males, 68%). MBL2 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with GBS susceptibility compared to healthy controls. HL heterozygosity in GBS patients was significantly associated with mild functional disability at enrolment (P = 0.0145, OR, 95% CI 2.1, 1.17–3.82). The HY, YA, HA and HYA heterozygous haplotypes were more common among mildly affected (P = 0.0067, P = 0.0086, P = 0.0075, P = 0.0032, respectively) than severely affected patients with GBS. Reduced serum MBL was significantly associated with the LL, OO and no HYA variants and GBS disease severity. No significant association was observed between MBL2 polymorphisms and electrophysiological variants, recent Campylobacter jejuni infection or anti-ganglioside (GM1) antibody responses in GBS. In conclusion, MBL2 gene polymorphisms are related to reduced serum MBL and associated with the severity of GBS.

Four Campylobacter jejuni strains (Z191005RS, Z191005SS, Z201020RS, and Z201020SS) isolated from the axonal variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) were sequenced using Illumina technology. The average genome size was from 1.61 to 1.63 gb, with a very high coverage ranging from 654× to 758×, which facilitates the possibility of rare variant calling.

Background: Currently, the present world is facing a new deadly challenge against a pandemic disease called COVID-19, which is caused by a coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2. To date, there is no drug or vaccine that can treat COVID-19 completely, but some drugs have been used primarily, and they are in different stages of clinical trials. This review article discussed and compared those drugs which are running ahead in COVID-19 treatments. Methods: We have explored PUBMED, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, as well as press release of WHO, NIH and FDA for articles about COVID-19, and reviewed them. Results: Drugs like favipiravir, remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, ivermectin, corticosteroids and interferons have been found effective in some extents, and partially approved by FDA and WHO to treat COVID-19 at different phases of pandemic. However, some of these drugs have been disapproved later, although clinical trials are going on. In parallel, plasma therapy has been found fruitful in some extents too, and a number of vaccine trails are going on. Conclusions: This review article discussed the epidemiologic and mechanistic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, and how drugs could act on this virus with the comparative discussion on progress and backwards of major drugs used till date, which might be beneficial for choosing therapies against COVID-19 in different countries.

Objective: Now a days, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the treatment of choice for retrieval of renal and proximal ureteral calculi. The primary goal of PCNL is to achieve stone free status while minimizing morbidity and complications. In recent years, the instruments used have been miniaturized in an effort to decrease morbidity associated with standard PCNL as well as increase the efficacy of stone removal. The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of PCNL using different tract size. Patients and Methods: This hospital based prospective interventional study was conducted on patients with 1 to 4 cm renal stones who underwent PCNL either by Mini or by Standard PCNL technique in Chattogram Medical College Hospital and different private hospitals in Chattogram from July 2016 to October 2018. Patients aged above 12 years of age, irrespective of gender with normal renal function were evaluated to compare stone clearance, access time, fluoroscopy time for access, total operative time, need for blood transfusion, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative pain, fever, urinary leakage and other complications between two groups. Those who had previous history of open renal surgery, active urinary tract infection, renal malformation, uncorrected coagulopathy and morbid obesity were excluded. Results: A total of 78 patients were enrolled consecutively for PCNL who were divided equally into two groups randomly for minimally invasive PCNL (Mini-PCNL) and Standard PCNL. The average stone size in mini-PCNL group was 2.59±0.89 cm, and 2.66±0.97 cm in standard-PCNL group (p=0.7). Mean tract size was 18.53 ± 1.29 F (16-20) and 26.11 ± 4.61 F (24-30) respectively with P value <0.001. In mini-PCNL operative time was significantly longer than that of standard PCNL with 112.11 ± 20.29 vs. 98.68± 19.75 minutes respectively with p=.004. Conversely, there was an advantage of mini-PCNL over the standard one in terms of a significantly reduced hemoglobin drop (0.5 ± 0.26 vs. 0.83 ± 0.32 gm%, p value 0.001) and hospital stay (2.18 ± 0.77 vs. 3.39 ± 1.10 days, p value= 0.001), respectively though there was no statistical difference in terms of stone clearance rates between two groups (86.84% vs. 92.11%, p=0.45). There was no statistical difference in terms of visual analogue scale (VAS) score (5.55±1.54 vs. 6.24±1.6) for pain perception. The complication rate of mini-PCNL had no significant difference with that of standard PCNL (10.52% vs 12.50%, p=0.72). No statistical difference was recorded in terms of postoperative fever (eŠ38C) between two groups (2 in each group, 5.2%, p=1 Blood transfusion requirement was much less in mini PCNL group (10.52% vs. 34.2%, p=0.01). Conclusion: In addition to minimal bleeding and excellent stone clearance, mini- PCNL has several features for which it should be considered as an alternative or adjunct tostandard PCNL, URS, and ESWL. These include safe supra-costal puncture, excellent access to nearly all calyces and upper ureter, less hospital stay and suitable for large stones also. Future studies should continue to refine methods to assess complexity and safety and to determine consensus on the use of mini- PCNL. Bangladesh Journal of Urology, Vol. 23, No. 1, January 2020 p.11-16

Campylobacter jejuni is the pathogen most commonly associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). The present work describes the draft genome sequences of 3 C. jejuni strains, BD39, BD67, and BD75, isolated from stool specimens of patients with C. jejuni-triggered GBS using Illumina technologies.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a post-infection sequela of Campylobacter jejuni-induced enteritis. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and associated genes (CRISPR-Cas) confers adaptive immunity and plays role in virulence in many bacteria. We investigated C. jejuni CRISPR type (CT) to explore association of CRISPR-Cas with risk of developing GBS. We analysed CRISPR-Cas in C. jejuni isolated from 30 patients with GBS, 60 patients with enteritis and 52 healthy controls from Bangladesh. CRISPR types were determined by PCR followed by CRISPR array sequencing. Statistical and genomic analyses were performed using SPSS and multiple web-based software respectively. We found preserved CRISPR array was significantly more frequent in GBS-related strains than healthy control-related strains (P = 0.02, OR = 2.95). Increased CRISPR array length was significantly associated with GBS compared to healthy control- (P = 0.003, AUC = 0.7) and enteritis-related strains (P = 0.02, AUC = 0.65). We reported 38 new CT found among 70 CRISPR-preserving strains. CT of GBS-related strains were unique from enteritis- and healthy control-related strains. Eighty spacers, including 20 novel spacers, were identified among the CRISPR-preserving strains. CRISPR typing had more discriminatory power than PCR-based subtyping in enteritis- and healthy control-related strains. Further genomic analyses are warranted to elucidate role of the C. jejuni CRISPR array in GBS pathogenesis.