Diagnostic value of galactomannan antigen test in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid sample from suspected patients of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is mainly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus and other Aspergillus species. Galactomannan (GM) is a polysaccharide antigen that exists primarily in the cell walls of Aspergillus species. GM may be released into the blood and other body fluids even in the early stages of Aspergillus invasion; therefore, detection of the GM antigen level can be useful in making an early diagnosis of IPA.

Insights of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic: a current review.

COVID-19, a pandemic of the 21st century caused by novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was originated from China and shallowed world economy and human resource. The medical cures via herbal treatments, antiviral drugs, and vaccines still in progress, and studying rigorously. SARS-CoV-2 is more virulent than its ancestors due to evolution in the spike protein(s), mediates viral attachment to the host's membranes. The SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding spike domain associates itself with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors. It causes respiratory ailments with irregularities in the hepatic, nervous, and gastrointestinal systems, as reported in humans suffering from COVID-19 and reviewed in the present article. There are several approaches, have been put forward by many countries under the world health organization (WHO) recommendations and some trial drugs were introduced for possible treatment of COVID-19, such as Lopinavir or Ritonavir, Arbidol, Chloroquine (CQ), Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and most important Remdesivir including other like Tocilizumab, Oritavancin, Chlorpromazine, Azithromycin, Baricitinib, etc. RT-PCR is the only and early detection test available besides the rapid test kit (serodiagnosis) used by a few countries due to unreasonable causes. Development of vaccine by several leader of pharmaceutical groups still under trial or waiting for approval for mass inoculation. Management strategies have been evolved by the recommendations of WHO, specifically important to control COVID-19 situations, in the pandemic era. This review will provide a comprehensive collection of studies to support future research and enhancement in our wisdom to combat COVID-19 pandemic and to serve humanity.

Isolation and preliminary characterization of a bacteriocin-producer Bacillus strain inhibiting methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

In a multivalent approach to discover new antimicrobial substance, a total of 160 Bacilli were isolated from termitarium soil, characterized on the basis of their morphological and physiological characters and screened for their antimicrobial activity by agar well diffusion method against certain drug resistant pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and common food contaminating bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. After preliminary screening, sixteen isolates showed inhibitory activity against test pathogens. Among them Bacillus isolate TSH58 exhibited maximum inhibitory activity against MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Based on morphological, physiological, biochemical and 16S rDNA characteristics isolate TSH58 was identified as a member of the Bacillus cereus species group. Various nutrient sources and culture conditions were optimized, the partially purified antimicrobial metabolite was subjected to various treatments such as heat, pH and proteolytic enzymes. Complete loss in the activity observed when the crude metabolite was treated with proteolytic enzymes suggesting its proteinaceous nature and termed as bacteriocin like inhibitory substance (BLIS). Minimal inhibitory concentration of the partially purified bacteriocin determined by microtiter plate assay was 80 µg/ml for MRSA and 40 µg/ml for L. monocytogenes. Tricine SDS PAGE analysis revealed that the partially purified bacteriocin produced by the Bacillus strain TSH58 had an apparent molecular weight of about 4.0 KDa.

Termitarium-Inhabiting Bacillus spp. Enhanced Plant Growth and Bioactive Component in Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.).

Curcumin (diferuloyl methane) is the main bioactive component of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) having remarkable multipotent medicinal and therapeutic applications. Two Bacilli isolated from termitarium soil and identified as Bacillus endophyticus TSH42 and Bacillus cereus TSH77 were used for bacterization of rhizome for raising C. longa ver. suguna for growth and enhancement. Both the strains showed remarkable PGP activities and also chemotactic in nature with high chemotactic index. Turmeric plants bacterized with strains B. endophyticus TSH42 and B. cereus TSH77 individually and in combination increased plant growth and turmeric production up to 18% in field trial in comparison to non-bacterized plants. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed to determine the content of curcumin, which showed concentration of curcumin in un-inoculated turmeric as 3.66 g which increased by 13.6% (4.16 g) when combination of TSH42 and TSH77 was used.

Termitarium-inhabiting Bacillus endophyticus TSH42 and Bacillus cereus TSH77 colonizing Curcuma longa L.: isolation, characterization, and evaluation of their biocontrol and plant-growth-promoting activities.

Bacillus strains were isolated from termitarium soil and screened for their antifungal activity through the production of diffusible and volatile metabolites. Further, the bacterial strains that showed antifungal activity were evaluated for their biocontrol potential on the basis of their plant-growth-promoting attributes. Termitarium-inhabiting Bacillus strains TSH42 and TSH77 significantly reduced the growth of pathogenic fungus Fusarium solani, controlled the symptoms of rhizome rot in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), and demonstrated various plant-growth-promoting traits in different in vitro assays. On the basis of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and 16S rDNA characteristics, isolates TSH42 and TSH77 were identified as Bacillus endophyticus (KT379993) and Bacillus cereus (KT379994), respectively. Through liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry analysis, acidified cell-free culture filtrate (CFCF) of B. cereus TSH77 was shown to contain surfactin and fengycin, while CFCF of B. endophyticus TSH42 contained iturin in addition to surfactin and fengycin. Treatment of the turmeric (C. longa L.) plants with TSH42 and TSH77 significantly reduced the percentage incidence of rhizome rot disease caused by F. solani. The same treatment also increased the fresh rhizome biomass and plant growth in greenhouse conditions.