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Aims:  The aim of the study was to characterize 16S rDNA of Aeromonas spp. to rapidly identify clinically important species of these bacteria. Methods and Results:  Sequence analysis of published 16S rDNA for unique restriction sites revealed prospect of species identification. Extraction of genomic DNA followed by amplification and step‐by‐step restriction endonuclease digestion of 16S rDNA was able to identify Aeromonas spp. of medical significance. Validation of the method was performed by subjecting 53 Aeromonas strains of multiple origin to similar treatment. Results of the study were in agreement with corresponding species of the isolates. Conclusions:  The method developed offers an easily interpretable tool for the identification of Aeromonas spp. of clinical relevance. Significance and Impact of the Study:  The developed methodology should facilitate routine laboratory diagnosis of Aeromonas spp. from clinical cases to species level.

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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pattern and virulence genes of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli from foods of animal origin were evaluated. Based on combination disc method and ESBL E test, 42 of the 213 E. coli isolates were confirmed as ESBL producers where a high presence was observed in raw foods (60.62%), environmental samples (46.73%) and ready to eat foods (42.99%) of which 31(26.49%), 3(6.97%) and 7(15.21%) samples harbored ESBL E. coli, respectively. Higher contamination rates were observed in samples collected from meat vendors (54.36%), milk vendors (48.88%) and egg vendors (45.20%) of which 16.1%, 11.11% and 2.05%, respectively were ESBL E. coli. Among the 42 ESBL isolates, 85.71% (36/42) were multidrug-resistant. On polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, expression of beta-lactamase genes viz., blaCTXM was noted in 69.04% (29/42) ESBL isolates, blaTEM in 66.66% (28/42) and blaOXA-1 in 19.04% (8/42) isolates, while blaSHV was not detected in any of the isolates. Other AMR genes viz., blaAmpC, sul1, sul2, tet(A), tet(B), catI, dhfrI, aac(3)-IIa(aacC2), aph(3 0 )-Ia(aphA1), qnrB, qnrS were detected by PCR in 39,

Group A rotaviruses can infect both humans and animals and have been recognized as an important cause of diarrhea in porcine. In this study, we report the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of rotaviruses detected in piglets in different regions of India. A total 275 fecal samples (180 diarrheal and 95 non-diarrheal) from piglets were collected from the western (135), southern (60), northern (20), and North-Eastern Hill (NEH) (60) regions of India and tested for rotaviruses. All the samples were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Rotaviruses were detected in 10.18 % of samples by SDS-PAGE and/or RT-PCR with a maximum of 30 % from the NEH region followed by 7.4 % from the western region. Samples from the southern and northern regions were found to be negative. Only 10 isolates were subjected to genotypic characterization using amplification of VP7 and VP4 genes followed by two separate multiplex PCR assays for G genotyping and another two for P genotyping using genotype-specific primers. Of these, three isolates could be typed as G4 specificity, one with G9, and three as P[6] leading to identification of an uncommon strain, G4P[6]. One isolate was further confirmed by nucleotide sequencing. The data demonstrate genetic diversity of porcine rotavirus strains and suggest that pig farms may serve as potential reservoirs for human infections.

A study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of Clostridium perfringens in meat and to characterize the isolates obtained in the study for virulence factors. A total of 211 meat samples of different animals (70 each of buffalo and goat and 71 of poultry) were screened and the highest occurrence of C. perfringens was observed in goat (91.4%) followed by poultry (70.4%) and buffalo (65.7%). Among the 116 isolates (buffalo-32, goat-37 and poultry-45) of C. perfringens screened for the presence of enterotoxin gene by PCR, 9.3, 32.4 and 15.5% isolates of buffalo, goat and poultry, respectively, were found to possess enterotoxin gene. Screening of 15 enterotoxin gene possessing isolates for verocytotoxicity revealed that 12 isolates exhibited cytopathic effect while 3 isolates did not show any cytopathic effect in spite of the presence of enterotoxin gene. A total of 115 C. perfringens isolates were screened for other virulence markers, i.e., lecithinase and hemolysin. The results revealed that the majority of the isolates expressed these activities. Antibiogram studies of C. perfringens isolates using 16 antibiotics displayed multidrug resistance. The isolates showed resistance to streptomycin, ceftazidime, colistin sulfate, cephalothin, ampicillin and gentamicin. Whereas 100% sensitivity to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and nitrofurantoin was seen, moderate sensitivity was observed with tetracycline and sulfatriad.