Introduction:Dermatophytosis is defined as the fungal infection of the skin, hair and nails by a group of keratinophillic fungi known as dermatophytes.Aims and Objectives:This study is an attempt to find out various species of dermatophytes in clinically suspected cases of dermatophytosis.Materials and Methods:One hundred samples were subjected to direct microscopy by potassium hydroxide wet mount (KOH) and isolation on culture with Sabourauds dextrose agar.Results:Out of these 80 (80%) samples were KOH positive while 20 (20%) were KOH negative. Overall culture positivity rate was 68%. Dermatophytosis was more common in males, the M:F ratio was 4:1.Conclusion:Total seven species were isolated on culture. Trichophyton rubrum (66.17%) was the commonest isolate followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes (19.11%), Trichophyton violaceum (7.35%), Trichophyton tonsurans (2.94%) and one isolate each of Epidermophyton floccosum and Microsporum gypseum (1.47%).

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Background: The present study was done to assess the bacteriological quality of drinking water in and around Shimla in the event of an outbreak of hepatitis E in Shimla city, January 2016. Methods: Total 1098 water samples from different sources were received from January to July 2016. The bacteriological analysis of water was done by the multiple tube technique. Results were interpreted after 48 hours of incubation of the water sample in MacConkey bile broth medium in accordance with Mc Crady probability table. Results: A total of 1098 water samples were received in the Microbiology laboratory of which 129 (11.74%) were unsatisfactory, 25 (2.27%) satisfactory and rest 925 (84.24%) were excellent. Nearly 9.21% samples from water tanks, 2.3% from public taps were unsatisfactory but water samples from all the water ATM s were excellent. Escherichia coli were the commonest isolate 35.6%, Klebsiella pneumoniae 31.6%, Klebsiella oxytoca 19.3%, Enterobacter sps 8% and Citrobacter sps 2%. In the corresponding period 477 patients had come to the health facilities for clinical symptoms of jaundice. The serum samples from clinically suspected cases were subject to antibody testing for IgM HAV and IgM HEV and it revealed that 109 (23%) were positive for HAV while 253 (53%) were positive for HEV. During the above period 75 (15%) patients had co-infection with both HAV and HEV. Conclusions: Bacteriological assessment of drinking water is essential and should be carried out on regular basis so as to prevent outbreaks of Hepatitis A and E and other water borne diseases.

Background: During the last two decades, increased resistance to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin has become a cause of global concern. The present study was undertaken to ascertain nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin resistance in Salmonella isolates from our region. To know the true pattern of ciprofloxacin resistance by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) through E-test.Methods: All the Salmonella isolates recovered from blood cultures were screened for nalidixic acid resistance using 30µg disc by the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. Ciprofloxacin susceptibility was done both by disc diffusion and MIC using CLSI breakpoints.Results: We analysed a total of 80 Salmonella isolates during the last three years. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi was the predominant serovar in 51 (64.8%) isolates, followed by Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A comprising 28 (36.2%) isolates. Amongst the total isolates 78 (97.5%) were nalidixic acid resistant. Of these 54 (67.5%) showed intermediate susceptibility and 9 (11.2%) were ciprofloxacin resistant by the disc diffusion technique. On the contrary 29 (36.2%) had decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin; while a larger number 38 (47.5%) were detected resistant to ciprofloxacin on determination of MIC by the E-test.Conclusions: Screening for nalidixic acid acts as a surrogate marker to detect ciprofloxacin resistance. However, the true pattern of ciprofloxacin resistance can be determined by calculating the MIC by the E-test.