Limosilactobacillus fermentum IKP 111 reduces pathogen load and improves immunity of broilers when challenged with Salmonella enteritidis.

In this study, we checked the effectiveness of L. fermentum IKP 111 in treating S. enteritidis infection in an in vivo study. Its oral administration to broiler chicks significantly reduced the colonization of S. enteritidis in the gut and there was a lower bacterial count of S. enteritidis in the droppings after infection. The administration of the probiotic L. fermentum IKP 111 also led to increase in weight gain in the broiler chicks as well as their immunomodulation against avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as compared to the chicks challenged only with S. enteritidis. Our study provides evidence that the probiotic strain L. fermentum IKP 111 could be an alternate for controlling S. enteritidis infection while enhancing the gut health as well as the immune response of broiler chickens against viral infections.

Comparative immunocompetence and interspecies transmission of avian orthoavulavirus-1 in feral birds originating from rural and urban settings.

Feral birds residing close to urban settings exhibit higher immunocompetence against environmental pathogens than their counterparts in rural areas. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated the immunocompetence of five specific feral bird species and investigated the potential for interspecies transmission and pathogenicity of Avian orthoavulavirus-1 (AOAV-1) originating from the Anseriformes order. The immunocompetence assessment involved administering the phytohemagglutinin (PHA) test to individual groups of birds from rural and urban settings, measuring patagium thickness at specific time intervals (12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 h) following the administration of 0.1 mL (1 mg/mL) of PHA. Urban birds displayed significantly enhanced mean swelling responses, particularly urban pigeons, which exhibited a significant difference in patagium thickness at all-time intervals except for 24 h (p = 0.000, p = 0.12). Similarly, rural and urban quails and crows showed substantial differences in patagium thickness at all-time intervals except for 12 h (p = 0.542, p = 0.29). For the assessment of interspecies transmission potential and pathogenicity, each feral bird group was separately housed with naive broiler birds (n = 10 each) and challenged with a velogenic strain of AOAV-1 isolate (Mallard-II/UVAS/Pak/2016) at a dose of 1 mL (108 EID50/mL). Urban birds demonstrated higher resistance to the virus compared to their rural counterparts. These findings highlight the specific immunocompetence of feral bird species and their potential contributions to AOAV-1 transmission and pathogenicity. Continuous monitoring, surveillance, and strict implementation of biosafety and biosecurity measures are crucial for effectively controlling AOAV-1 spillover to the environment and wild bird populations in resource-limited settings, particularly Pakistan.

Genomic Diversity and Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Lineages in Pakistan.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has posed a challenge to disease control efforts worldwide. This study explored the genomic diversity and phylogenetic relationship of SARS-CoV-2 variants reported in Pakistan. Our objective was to understand the transmission dynamics of different lineages within the country. We retrieved and analyzed spike protein sequences from Pakistan and compared them with reference sequences reported worldwide. Our analysis revealed the clustering of Pakistan-origin isolates in nine different clades representing different regions worldwide, suggesting the transmission of multiple lineages within the country. We found 96 PANGO lineages of SARS-CoV-2 in Pakistan, and 64 of these corresponded to 4 WHO-designated variants: Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron. The most dominant variants in Pakistan were Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Delta (B.1.617.2, AY.108), and Omicron (BA.2.75, BA.5.2), and the N-terminal domain and receptor binding regions were the most hypervariable regions of the spike gene. Compared to the reference strain, characteristic substitutions were found in dominant variants. Our findings emphasize the importance of continuously monitoring and assessing nucleotide and residue substitutions over time to understand virus evolutionary trends better and devise effective disease control interventions.

Transcriptional Response of Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Clinical Isolates to Ciprofloxacin Stress.

BACKGROUND: The term "persisters" refers to a small bacterial population that persists during treatment with high antibiotic concentration or dose in the absence of genetic resistance. The present study was designed to investigate the transcriptional response in indigenous Klebsiella pneumoniae under the ciprofloxacin stress. METHODS: Isolation and identification of K. pneumoniae were carried out through standard microbiological protocols. The characterization of quinolone resistance was performed by estimating the quinolone susceptibility testing, MIC estimation, and detecting the QRDR and PMQR. Transcriptional response of the isolates to ciprofloxacin was determined using qPCR. RESULTS: Among 34 isolates, 23 (67%) were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Both QRDR (gyrA and gyrB) and PMQR (qnrA, qnrB, and qnrS) were detected in the isolates, and all were found resistant to ciprofloxacin. The mRNA levels of both mutS and euTu under the influence of ciprofloxacin were significantly increased. On ciprofloxacin exposure, the mRNA levels of the DNA damage response element (mutS) were raised in a time-dependent fashion. K. pneumoniae showed high-level resistance to ciprofloxacin in the presence of mutations in QRDR and PMQR genes. CONCLUSION: The transcriptional response revealed the upregulation of DNA repair and protein folding elements (mutS and euTu) in ciprofloxacin stress and delayed cell division. The ciprofloxacin was found to trigger various stress responses in a time- and concentration-dependent manner.

Pattern of clinical drug resistance and occurrence of Gram negative bacterial neonatal sepsis at a tertiary care hospital.

Sepsis is a leading cause of neonatal deaths across the world. Gram-negative rods such as Klebsiella and E. coli are major cause of sepsis in neonates. With a mortality rate of 1-4 deaths per thousand live births, sepsis is the second most important cause of neonatal deaths in the developing countries. The present study was designed to determine the occurrence of Gram-negative bacteria in neonatal sepsis and to find antibiotic susceptibility of isolated microbes. Blood samples of 100 neonates (1-89 days old) were sub cultured on MacConkey's and Blood agar for isolation of Gram-negative bacteria. A total of four bacterial species were isolated including Klebsiella (35.71%), E. coli (28.57%), Acinetobacter (21.42%) and Proteus (14.28%). Gram-negative bacteria were isolated more commonly from EOS (early onset sepsis) as compared to LOS (late onset sepsis). Klebsiella isolates from neonates showed sensitivity to imipenem (70%) followed by ceftazidime (40%) and cefotaxime (40%) and high resistance was shown by sulfamethoxazole (80%) and amikacin (70%). E. coli associated with neonatal sepsis were sensitive to imipenem (63%) while highly resistant to cefotaxime (75%) and ciprofloxacin (62%). For Acinetobacter high sensitivity was found for ceftazidime (50%) and resistance was shown to ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole (100%). Proteus showed high sensitivity to amikacin (75%) and high resistance to imipenem and ciprofloxacin (75%). In conclusion, Gram-negative associated neonatal sepsis was found in the studied subjects and drug resistance was observed to clinically used antibiotics.

Linking Abusive Supervision to Psychological Distress and Turnover Intentions Among Police Personnel: The Moderating Role of Continuance Commitment.

In this study, we examine the linkages between abusive supervision, psychological distress, and turnover intentions. In addition, we aim to investigate whether continuance commitment moderates the effects of abusive supervision and psychological distress on turnover intentions. The sample of the study comprised 250 police personnel from one of the largest cities of Pakistan. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and hypotheses were tested with linear regressions using the PROCESS macro. We found that abusive supervision positively predicts psychological distress that, in turn, positively predicts turnover intentions. Furthermore, continuance commitment attenuates the impacts of abusive supervision and psychological distress on turnover intentions. We contribute to the literature by demonstrating that sustained exposure to abusive supervision affects subordinates' turnover intentions directly as well as indirectly through psychological distress, and that the positive impacts of abusive supervision and associated psychological distress on turnover intentions are weaker among individuals who are high in continuance commitment compared with those who are low. A number of practical implications are also discussed.