Isolation and Characterization of Sphingomonas telluris, Sphingomonas caseinilyticus Isolated from Wet Land Soil.

Two novel bacterial strains, designated as SM33T and NSE70-1T, were isolated from wet soil in South Korea. To get the taxonomic positions, the strains were characterized. The genomic information (both 16S rRNA gene and draft genome sequence analysis) show that both novel isolates (SM33T and NSE70-1T) belong to the genus Sphingomonas. SM33T share the highest 16s rRNA gene similarity (98.2%) with Sphingomonas sediminicola Dae20T. In addition, NSE70-1T show 96.4% 16s rRNA gene similarity with Sphingomonas flava THG-MM5T. The draft genome of strains SM33T and NSE70-1T consist of a circular chromosome of 3,033,485 and 2,778,408 base pairs with DNA G+C content of 63.9, and 62.5%, respectively. Strains SM33T and NSE70-1T possessed the ubiquinone Q-10 as the major quinone, and a fatty acid profile with C16:0, C18:1 2-OH, C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c (summed feature 3) and C18:1 ω7c/C18:1 ω6c (summed feature 8) as major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of SM33T and NSE70-1T were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingoglycolipid and phosphatidylcholine, respectively. Moreover, genomic, physiological, and biochemical results allowed the phenotypic and genotypic differentiation of strains SM33T and NSE70-1T from their closest and other species of the genus Sphingomonas with validly published names. Therefore, the SM33T and NSE70-1T represent novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas telluris sp. nov. (type strain SM33T = KACC 22222T = LMG 32193T), and Sphingomonas caseinilyticus (type strain NSE70-1T = KACC 22411T = LMG 32495T).

Clinical and serological characteristics of systemic sclerosis: Experience of a tertiary care center in Pakistan.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the clinical and serological characteristics of systemic sclerosis (SSc) in Pakistani population. Patients and methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study included a total of 38 patients (6 males, 32 females; mean age: 34.5±1.5 years; range, 16 to 60 years) with SSc who were admitted to our rheumatology clinic between November 2019 and January 2020. We evaluated the clinical, serological, and radiological features of SSc patients. Results: Thirty-four (89.5%) patients developed Raynaud phenomenon at the time of disease onset, while sclerodactyly was found in 34 (89.5%), digital ulcers in 25 (65.8%), and tendon friction rub in 12 (31.6%) patients. Interstitial lung disease was present in 30 (78.9%) patients with a higher prevalence in diffuse scleroderma (100%) than in limited scleroderma (70%) (p=0.01). Pulmonary hypertension was present in 18 patients with a significantly higher prevalence in diffuse disease (57.1%) than limited disease (11.8%) (p<0.01). Thirty (78.9%) patients had impaired pulmonary function tests. Fibromyalgia was present in seven (18.4%) patients, and depression was present in 10 (26.3%) patients. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was positive in 30 (78.9%) patients. Anti-Scl-70 antibodies were present in 24 (63.2%) patients with a significant association with diffuse disease (85% vs. 35.3%, respectively; p<0.01). The anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) were present in 20 (52.6%) patients with a significantly higher rate in limited disease (94.2% vs. 19.0%, respectively; p<0.01). Conclusion: Scleroderma has a female preponderance. Raynaud phenomenon is the most initial clinical feature followed by other manifestations of a variable course and disease severity.

Spectrum Of Ocular Manifestations Of Rheumatic Autoimmune Diseases: A Tertiary Care Experience In Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Eye involvement is a common and potentially devastating complication of various immune related rheumatic diseases. We aimed to determine the spectrum, associations and the impact of ocular manifestations among well characterised autoimmune rheumatic disease patients presenting to ophthalmology and rheumatology clinics in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study performed in Rheumatology department of Fatima memorial hospital. Only those rheumatic disease patients were included who have been attending ophthalmology department for their ophthalmic conditions. The patients with ophthalmic symptoms who have not attended an ophthalmologist were not included in this study. Proforma was designed and the studied parameters were recorded prospectively from patient's interview and also by reviewing patient's medical and ophthalmologic medical records. Parameters assessed were demographics, symptoms and the diagnosis of eye disease, unilateral or bilateral presentation, duration of eye symptoms along with the duration of the primary rheumatologic disease, and the complications of the eye disease whether due to the eye diagnosis or its treatment. RESULTS: Eighty-three consecutive patients with mean age 33±11 years, 67.5% being female were recruited. Spondyloarthritis (SpA) comprised 38.6% (n=32) of patients followed by 21.7% (n=18) of Behcet's disease. Majority of patients (68.7%) had bilateral eye symptoms. In our cohort, 70% (n=58) of the patients had uveitis and almost all of these patients had either SpA or Behcet's disease as their primary rheumatologic diagnosis. Scleritis in 15.7% (n=13) patients followed by retinal vasculitis in 9.6% (n=8) patients, while glaucoma and keratopathy were present in 2.4% (n=2) patients each comprised other manifestations. Reassuringly our uveitis patients had no long-term eye related complications either due to the disease or its treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Uveitis represented the most common ophthalmologic manifestation associated with underlying rheumatologic diseases in our cohort, and it was associated with underlying Behcet's disease and SpA. Uveitis associated with connective tissue diseases has good prognosis with low-risk of significant long-term complications. Moreover, uveitis associated with SpA was noted to present much earlier in its disease course.

Prevalence of inflammatory back pain and radiographic axial spondyloarthritis in a semi-urban community of Lahore, Pakistan.

AIMS: To determine the prevalence of inflammatory back pain (IBP) and radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) in a semi-urban community of Lahore, Pakistan. METHODS: This cross-sectional household survey was designed as per the Community Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) model. In Phase 1, the subjects were interviewed for musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in the last 7 days by clinical assistants. In Phase 2, physiotherapists identified subjects with spinal/back pain and interviewed for Assessment in Spondyloarthritis International Working Group (ASAS) criteria for IBP. In Phase 3 subjects having IBP or chronic back pain (CBP) with an age at onset ≤45 years, were assessed and further investigated. RESULTS: A total of 4922 subjects with a mean age of 35.3 ± 14.5 years, including 2770 (56%) women were surveyed in Phase 1. MSK pain in last 7 days was reported by 1407 (28.6%) of whom 1034 (21%) had spinal pain. The ASAS criteria for IBP were met in 329 (6.7%, 95% CI 6.0-7.0). In Phase 3, 222 with IBP and 83 having CBP with age at onset ≤45 years were evaluated. Out of this total of 305, 144 (2.9%) were confirmed to have IBP by rheumatologists as per at least 1 of the 3 criteria. ASAS criteria were met in 107 (2.2%, 95% CI 1.8-2.6). ASAS criteria for radiographic axial SpA were met in 47 (1%, 95% CI 0.7-1.3) of the surveyed population. CONCLUSION: Inflammatory back pain was reported in 6.7% by physiotherapists, confirmed in 3% by rheumatologists. The prevalence of radiographic axial SpA was 1%.