Molecular profiling of mucosal tissue associated microbiota in patients manifesting acute exacerbations and remission stage of ulcerative colitis.

Dysbiosis of intestinal microflora has been postulated in ulcerative colitis (UC), which is characterized by imbalance of mucosal tissue associated bacterial communities. However, the specific changes in mucosal microflora during different stages of UC are still unknown. The aim of the current study was to investigate the changes in mucosal tissue associated microbiota during acute exacerbations and remission stages of UC. The mucosal microbiota associated with colon biopsy of 12 patients suffering from UC (exacerbated stage) and the follow-up samples from the same patients (remission stage) as well as non-IBD subjects was studied using 16S rRNA gene-based sequencing and quantitative PCR. The total bacterial count in patients suffering from exacerbated phase of UC was observed to be two fold lower compared to that of the non-IBD subjects (p = 0.0049, Wilcox on matched-pairs signed rank tests). Bacterial genera including Stenotrophomonas, Parabacteroides, Elizabethkingia, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Ochrobactrum and Achromobacter were significantly higher in abundance during exacerbated phase of UC as compared to remission phase. The alterations in bacterial diversity with an increase in the abnormal microbial communities signify the extent of dysbiosis in mucosal microbiota in patients suffering from UC. Our study helps in identifying the specific genera dominating the microbiota during the disease and thus lays a basis for further investigation of the possible role of these bacteria in pathogenesis of UC.

Bacteriological Study Among Influenza-like Illness Cases in a Community Setting in Pune, India.

Influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) are common presentations during winter, and indiscriminate antibiotic use contributes significantly to the emerging post-antibiotic era. Although viral agents causing ILI are predominant, they are indistinguishable from the bacterial agents based on the clinical features alone. The present study was aimed at determining the bacterial agents associated with ILI and their susceptibility pattern during a study done in a community setting in Pune during a surveillance of ILI between March 2013 to November 2016. Throat swabs from 512 suspected ILI cases were processed, and organisms were identified by the standard conventional method. An antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done as per the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The patients comprised 238 males and 274 females with the majority (38.7%) in the age group of ≤10 years. Bacteria could be isolated from 9.8 % of the patients. The predominant bacteria included beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (42%) followed by group G Streptococcus (30%) and group A Streptococcus (20%). All organisms were sensitive to Penicillin except two isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (50%). Tetracycline (98.8%) and ciprofloxacin (87%) were the next most effective drugs. Overall resistance was observed for erythromycin (37%) and co-trimoxazole (32%).

Guillain-Barre syndrome in a pediatric patient following infection due to Leptospira.

Leptospirosis is a disease with protean manifestations. We report a case of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in a pediatric patient following infection with Leptospira. Infecting Leptospira presumably belonged to serovar Copenhageni. The patient recovered completely. The possibility of GBS developing as a result of antecedent leptospiral infection should be kept in mind.

Characterization of bacterial community shift in human Ulcerative Colitis patients revealed by Illumina based 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

BACKGROUND: The healthy human intestine is represented by the presence of bacterial communities predominantly belonging to obligate anaerobes; however disparity and dysanaerobiosis in intestinal microflora may lead to the progression of ulcerative colitis (UC). The foremost aim of this study is to consider and compare the gut microbiota composition in patients suffering from different stages of UC. METHODS: This study represents data from the biopsy samples of six individuals suffering from UC. The samples were collected by colonoscopy and were processed immediately for isolation of DNA. Mucosal microbiota was analyzed by means of 16S rRNA gene-based Illumina high throughput sequencing. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was performed to determine total bacterial abundances. RESULTS: Analysis of 23,927 OTUs demonstrated a significant reduction of bacterial diversity consistently from phylum to species level (p < 0.05) for individuals suffering from severe stage of UC. Significant increase in abundance of unusual aerobes and facultative anaerobes, including members from the phylum Proteobacteria (p- = 0.031) was also observed. A 10 fold increase in the total bacterial count was detected in patients suffering from severe inflammatory stage (2.98 +/-0.49 E + 09/ml) when compared with patients with moderate (1.03+/-0.29 E + 08/ml) and mild (1.76 +/-0.34 E + 08/ml) stages of inflammation. CONCLUSION: The reduction of bacterial diversity with an increase in the total bacterial count indicates a shift of bacterial communities which signifies dysbiosis and dysanaerobiosis at the mucosal level for patients suffering from UC.

Tubercular brain abscess--case report.

Central Nervous System (CNS) tuberculosis is a serious form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. CNS tuberculosis can present as meningitis, arachnoiditis, tuberculoma and brain abscess. Tubercular Brain Abscess (TBA) is a rare manifestation of central nervous system tuberculosis. With the advent of AIDS, more cases are being diagnosed, but very few have been reported in immunocompetent HIV negative patients. We present a case of TBA in a 23-year-old immunocompetent patient. The patient was given anti-tubercular treatment along with surgical excision. He showed significant improvement in all symptoms after weeks.