Clinical and Genomic Perspective of SARS CoV-2 Infection in Liver Disease Patients: A Single-Centre Retrospective Study.

The limited literature on the clinical course of COVID-19 among patients with underlying liver disease (LD) is available from India. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical and mutational profile of SARS-CoV-2 among LD cases. This was a retrospective study including admitted LD cases in whom SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing was performed. Complete demographic and clinical details were retrieved from Hospital Information System. Detailed mutational analysis was performed by comparing LD COVID-19 positive study group, i.e. LD-CoV(+) with COVID-19 positive outpatients without any underlying LD as control, i.e. NLD-CoV(+). Out of 232 enrolled LD cases, 137 (59.1%) were LD-CoV(+). LD cases with existing co-morbidities were affected more (P = 0.002) and had 2.29 times (OR 2.29, CI 95%, 1.25-4.29) higher odds of succumbing to COVID-19 (P = 0.006). On multivariate regression analysis, ascites (P = 0.05), severe COVID-19 pneumonia (P = 0.046), and an increased levels of bilirubin (P = 0.005) and alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.003) were found to be associated with adverse outcome in LD-CoV(+).On mutational analysis, we found certain differences between LD- and NLD-CoV(+) infected with Delta [LD- and NLD-CoV (+ /D)] and Omicron [LD- and NLD-CoV(+/O)]. More mutations were shared between LD- and NLD-CoV(+/O) compared to LD- and NLD-CoV(+/D). There were differences in prevalence of indel mutations specific to LD-CoV ( +) for both Delta and Omicron. Moreover, we also reported an interesting genic bias between LD- and NLD-CoV( +) in harbouring deleterious/tolerated mutations. To conclude, LD cases with comorbidities were affected more and had higher odds of mortality due to COVID-19. The definite difference between LD- and NLD-CoV(+) groups with respect to frequency of harboured mutations and an inherent genic bias between them is of noteworthy importance.

Characterization and genome sequencing of three Aeromonas hydrophila-specific phages, CF8, PS1, and PS2.

Aeromonas hydrophila is an important finfish pathogen, besides being an opportunistic human pathogen. In the present study, the genomes of three A. hydrophila-specific phages, CF8, PS1, and PS2, were isolated, characterized and sequenced. Transmission electron microscopy showed that all three phages had typical Myoviridae morphology. The linear dsDNA genomes of CF8, PS1, and PS2 were 238,150 bp, 237,367 bp, and 240,447 bp in length, with a GC content of 42.2%, 38.8%, and 38.8%, respectively. The low sequence similarity (67.6% - 69.8% identity with 27.0% - 29.0% query coverage) to other phage genomes in the NCBI database indicated the novel nature of the CF8, PS1, and PS2 genomes. A total of 244, 247, and 250 open reading frames (ORFs) were predicted in the CF8, PS1, and PS2 genome, respectively. During the annotation process, functional predictions were made for 28-31 ORFs, while the rest were classified as "hypothetical proteins" with yet unknown functions. Genes for tRNAs were also detected in all phage genomes. As all three phages in the present study had a very narrow host range with lytic activity against only one strain of A. hydrophila, these phages could be good candidates for phage typing applications. Moreover, the endolysin- and lytic-transglycosylase-encoding genes could be used for recombinant cloning and expression of anti-microbial proteins.

Correction to: Characterization and genome sequencing of three Aeromonas hydrophila-specific phages, CF8, PS1, and PS2.

Authors would like to correct the incorrect version.

Association of genetic polymorphism of interleukin 1-alpha and interleukin 1-beta with external apical root resorption in orthodontic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the allele rs 1143634 in IL-1ß and rs1800587 in IL-1α in patients for orthodontically induced external apical root resorption (EARR). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Intra-oral periapical radiograph (IOPA) of maxillary incisors of 142 Patients were evaluated for resorption at two time points; before the start of fixed mechanotherapy (T1) and after one year of treatment (T2). The individuals with root resorption<2mm were categorized as a control group (group 1; n=90), and resorption>2mm were categorized as case group (group 2; n=52). Buccal swabs of all patients were taken and DNA could be isolated in 95 out of 142 samples (group 1 {n=58}, group 2 {n=37}), which were then screened for the selected two polymorphic targets to determine the nucleotide status of these targets. Tetra-primer ARMS PCR reactions were carried out using all 4 primers for each polymorphism. RESULTS: rs11800587 was not associated with risk of EARR in any inheritance model. Chi-square test for association of alleles with EARR revealed that rs1143634 was associated with the risk of EARR in an allelic model in such a way that A allele of this SNP increased the risk of EARR 4 folds [OR=4.375; P=0.016]. However, the adjusted level of significance using the Holm-Bonferroni method for rs1143634 was P<0.010 for A and G comparison rendering the results non-significant. CONCLUSION: SNP rs1143634 and SNP rs11800587 were not associated with risk of EARR in any inheritance model.