The emerging roles of nitric oxide and its associated scavengers-phytoglobins-in plant symbiotic interactions.

A key feature in the establishment of symbiosis between plants and microbes is the maintenance of the balance between the production of the small redox-related molecule, nitric oxide (NO), and its cognate scavenging pathways. During the establishment of symbiosis, a transition from a normoxic to a microoxic environment often takes place, triggering the production of NO from nitrite via a reductive production pathway. Plant hemoglobins [phytoglobins (Phytogbs)] are a central tenant of NO scavenging, with NO homeostasis maintained via the Phytogb-NO cycle. While the first plant hemoglobin (leghemoglobin), associated with the symbiotic relationship between leguminous plants and bacterial Rhizobium species, was discovered in 1939, most other plant hemoglobins, identified only in the 1990s, were considered as non-symbiotic. From recent studies, it is becoming evident that the role of Phytogbs1 in the establishment and maintenance of plant-bacterial and plant-fungal symbiosis is also essential in roots. Consequently, the division of plant hemoglobins into symbiotic and non-symbiotic groups becomes less justified. While the main function of Phytogbs1 is related to the regulation of NO levels, participation of these proteins in the establishment of symbiotic relationships between plants and microorganisms represents another important dimension among the other processes in which these key redox-regulatory proteins play a central role.

Intravitam Diagnosis of Rabies in Patients with Acute Encephalitis: A Study of Two Cases.

Rabies is one of the oldest known zoonotic diseases. Rhabdovirus, an RNA virus belonging to the genus Lyssavirus and family Rhabdoviridae, causes rabies. Rabies diagnosis is challenging as the rabies virus remains confined to neurons after the initial animal bite. It largely remains immune-evasive until the infection reaches the central nervous system. The bottleneck in rabies diagnosis remains the non-availability of technical expertise and failure to collect an appropriate sample. The laboratory confirmation of rabies in both antemortem and postmortem samples is important. The samples were tested for anti-rabies antibodies using quantitative ELISA. In this report, two case studies are presented to demonstrate the suitability of ELISA for the intra vitam diagnosis of rabies using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as a diagnostic sample. The interpretation of serology results for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals has been discussed in detail, which has helped to confirm the antemortem diagnosis of rabies. In this report, we observed that ELISA can be a viable alternative for anti-rabies antibody detection in CSF and can be used as a viable alternative to more technically challenging tests, such as Rapid Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test (RFFFIT) and Immunofluorescence Assays (IFA).

Rabies Outbreak in the Urban Area of Delhi: An Investigation Report and One Health Perspective for Outbreak Management.

Rabies is a global problem and is endemic in India. Rabies cases occur throughout the year, and the majority of cases are associated with dog bites. We report a rabies outbreak investigation in an urban area of Delhi conducted by our multidisciplinary team, and its role in proactively controlling a rabies outbreak by concerted efforts and timely advice to various stakeholders using a "One Health Approach." A veterinary care NGO from Delhi picked up a suspected rabid stray dog and submitted a brain sample for diagnosis of rabies, as they had received information from a resident of the locality about an unprovoked animal bite incident involving a girl (category III bite) and close contact of two more stray dogs living in the vicinity of the suspected rabid dog. The laboratory diagnosis of rabies in the suspected dog brain sample was confirmed by using Fluorescence Antibody Test (FAT). A multi-expert investigation team with expertise in medicine, microbiology, veterinary sciences, laboratory diagnosis, and public health was constituted to investigate the outbreak. The timely, adequate, and appropriate anti-rabies management initiated for the animal bite victims in this incident could prevent rabies. Proactive involvement of multiple stakeholders and knowledge attributes and practice of local residents could prevent human rabies. As there were no further reports of dog bites from the area, the chain of rabies transmission in that area could be controlled. The presented work is a classical case scenario where concerted efforts of all stakeholders achieved effective control and prevention of rabies by adopting the "One Health approach".

Rabies can be a disease of puppyhood.

This brief report documents an interesting and a rare case of 10 week old male puppy who suddenly showed a change in his behavior (irritable, agitated, anorexic, and refusing feeds), bitten six humans, and was laboratory-confirmed as died due to rabies (Rapid antigen test and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction positive for rabies at the National Rabies Reference Laboratory, WHO collaborating Centre for Rabies Epidemiology, Centre for Arboviral and Zoonotic Diseases, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi). All animal bite victims were timely provided postexposure prophylaxis for rabies who had shown sufficient seroconversion by IgG antirabies antibody using enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA) and have been reported healthy. This case report reinforces the role of veterinarians/primary care physicians for strong suspicion of rabies encephalitis in puppies with behavioral or neurologic abnormalities and timely/appropriate rabies immunization of the animal bite victims. Shreds of evidence also focus that rabies in puppies younger than 3 months of age is grave and the risk of human beings contracting rabies from young puppies is of public health importance because of fatal consequences. Continuing medical education for primary care physicians and veterinarians, and outreach community public awareness campaigns should be regularly done to promote knowledge of pre-exposure/post-exposure prophylaxis, preventive measures, and animal bite management.