Subtype diversity and emergence of drug resistance in HIV-1 in solapur district of Maharashtra, India.

Background and Objectives: Even after four decades, HIV infection remains a global challenge and a leading cause of mortality in adults across the world. Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) that controls HIV viremia, is now available through public health facilities in India but drug resistance, which is likely to develop among these individuals remains poorly studied in India. The objectives of present study are to find out the HIV-1 virus subtypes, drug resistance mutations and HIV-1 drug resistance to NRTI, NNRTI and protease inhibitors in the Solapur district, India. Materials and Methods: In a cross sectional study, forty two ART-experienced HIV-1-infected patients with CD4+ count < 200 cells ml-1 and viral load (VL) > 3, 000 copies ml-1 were recruited. All patients belonged to Maharashtra State of India near Barshi Solapur and had been on ART treatment for over 5 years. EDTA whole blood from HIV-1-infected patients was centrifuged and the viral nucleic acid was purified from the plasma. Viral nucleic acid was amplified by PCR using protease and reverse transcriptase specific primers. The resulting amplicons were sequenced and studied for mutations. The tools from Stanford University website were used for subtyping of HIV-1 and identification of mutations conferring drug resistance. Results: In present investigation, HIV-1 subtypes were subtype C in 37 (88.09%), subtype CRF01_AE in 2 (4.76%), and subtype A in 3 patients (7.14%). Drug resistance mutations of NRTI, NNRTI and protease were observed in 15 (37.71%) of 42 patients tested. Drug resistance for NRTI was observed in 12 (28.57%) and for NNRTI in 13 (30.95%) patients. No drug resistance was observed for protease inhibitors. Conclusion: Considerable HIV-1 drug resistance exists among patients receiving ART from a rural areas of India, suggesting more studies from rural region are required to prevent development of resistance to ART.

Molecular characterization of a multidrug-resistant/pandrug-resistant nosocomial polymicrobial infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae, Providencia rettgeri, and Acinetobacter baumannii from Rural Maharashtra, India.

The emergence of resistance against commonly used antibiotics has become a serious global concern. The rapid development of antibiotic resistance exhibited by Enterobacteriaceae has caused an increasing concern regarding untreatable bacterial infections. Here, we isolated four pathogens from a geriatric female patient who was hospitalized for a month with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and fever. The organisms isolated from the tracheal aspirates and urine included Klebsiella pneumoniae, pandrug-resistant Providencia rettgeri, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Resistome analysis indicated that the bacterial isolates from the polymicrobial infection were multiple-drug resitnat and pandrug resistant clones. Molecular characterization revealed presence of blaTEM-1 in K. pneumonaie, P. rettgeri and A. baumannii. The blaTEM-1 and blaNDM-1 genes were present in P. rettgeri and A. baumannii, whereas the blaTEM-1, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-23 traits were present in A. baumannii isolates. The patient has died due to the unavailability of effective antimicrobial treatment for this drug-resistant polymicrobial infection.

Consortium inoculum of five thermo-tolerant phosphate solubilizing Actinomycetes for multipurpose biofertilizer preparation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Alkaline pH of the soil facilitates the conversion of phosphate present in phosphate fertilizer applied in the field to insoluble phosphate which is not available to plants. Problem of soluble phosphate deficiency arises, primarily due to needless use of phosphate fertilizer. We sought to biofertilizer with the thermo-tolerant phosphate solubilizing actinomycetes consortium that could convert insoluble phosphate to soluble phosphate at wider temperature range. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present investigation consortium of five thermo-tolerant phosphate solubilizing actinomycetes was applied for preparation of inoculum to produce multipurpose bio-fertilizer. Phosphates solubilizing thermo-tolerant 32 actinomycetes strains were processed for identification with the use of PIBWIN software and were screened for phosphate solubilizing activity. RESULTS: Amongst these five actinomycetes were selected on the basis of their ability to produce cellulase, chitinase, pectinase, protease, lipase, amylase and phosphate solubilizing enzymes. Ability to produce these enzymes at 28°C and 50°C were examined. Biofertilizer was prepared by using agricultural waste as a raw material. While preparation of bio-fertilizer the pH decreased from 7.5 to 4.3 and temperature increased up to 74°C maximum at the end of 4th week and in subsequent week it started to decline gradually till it reached around 50°C, which was found to be stable up to eighth week. This thermo-tolerant actinomycetes consortium released soluble phosphate of up to 46.7 µg ml-1. CONCLUSION: As the mesophilic organisms die out at high temperature of composting hence thormo-tolerant actinomycetes would be the better substitute for preparation of phosphate solubilizing bio-fertilizer with added potential to degrade complex macromolecules in composting.