ABSTRACTVermicomposting is a non-thermophilic biological oxidation process of composting where certain species of earthworm are used to enhance the process of conversion of organic waste to compost. Earthworm helps in influencing the growth of certain microbial species, and also improves the physical and chemical properties of the soil. The microbial population present in vermicompost play an important role in increasing the productivity of crop as well as maintain the structural stability of the soil. Different types of bacteria found in vermicompost and is depends on the environmental condition and the raw materials used in vermicomposting. Owing to this, a study was carried out to identify the bacteria exist in vermicompost produced from cow dungs, straw, neem leafs and vegetable wastes. The phenotypic studies such as colony morphology, microscopic studies, and biochemical characterization have identified eight bacterial species namely Actinomyces israelli, Azotobacter, Micrococus luteus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtillis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter in the vermicompost. All these bacteria were present in the gut of Eesenia Foetida and found beneficial for the soil and crop plants.

Background: Thousands of people over the world are suffering from Urinary tract infection (UTI) each day. Side effects associated with the most preferred allopathic treatment for UTI and antibiotic resistance shown by the pathogens has evolved as major challenge. Owing to this, the present study was carried out to identify the bacterial UTI pathogens among indigenous people of Bolangir district, Odisha, India vis-a-vis determine the alternative source of natural therapeutics. Methods: Bacterial pathogens causing the UTIs were identified using the colony morphology, Grams staining and biochemical characterization techniques. Microbial inhibitory test of antibiotics and leaf extracts were performed using the disc diffusion and well diffusion techniques respectively. MIC and MLC were determined by broth dilution method. Binary probit model was used to determine the prevalence of UTI across people of different age group and gender. Results: Four bacterial strains namely Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were identified as the causative agents of UTI among the people. The E. coli was identified as most infectious while S. aureus as the least infectious pathogen. Females in the age group of 16-30 years and male within 61-75 years were more susceptible to UTI. Among the tested leaf extracts, Tamarindus indica and Clitoria ternatea were more effective to treat UTI as compared to the tested antibiotics Ceftriaxone and Piperacillin. Conclusions: The leaves of T. indica and C. ternatea may be characterized to elucidate the exact compound(s) effective against the pathogens and utilized for herbal drug development for treatment of UTI.