Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology

1-4

Authors: Ritika Goyal

The presence of one STI increases the risk of having concomitant and co-transmission of other STI. An evolving trend of Candida infections in STI patients, showing a transition from harmless colonizers to unrelenting pathogens, is a fine line attributable to extensive repertoire of virulence determinants. The present study was carried out to identify the genital Candida flora prevalent in patients attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) Clinic and to determine the haemolysin and phospholipase activity amongst these isolates. Further, correlation of species of infecting/ prevalent Candida with the co-existing STI was done. A total of 75 consecutive male and female patients, presenting with one or more of the complaints as enunciated by World Health Organization (WHO) in the Syndromic Approach for the diagnosis of STIs, were included in the study. Candida was isolated in significantly higher numbers from patients presenting with discharge (47%) followed by balanitis (30%), and genital ulcer (23%). C. albicans (73%) was predominant isolate in various STIs. Hemolysin index and phospholipase activity of C. albicans was found significantly higher enhancing their pathogenic potential. The study suggests the role of genital inflammation by Candida as a significant cofactor in STI acquisition and existence of genital Candida as colonizer or pathogen. The study provides a rational basis for empirical therapy in STI patients.

1-4

Authors: Sapna Rai

Clinical fungi were isolated from the blood samples of immunocompromised patients from Subhash Chandra Medical College Jabalpur in SDA with chloramphenicol @ 30μg/ml.the common isolates were Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. glaucus, A.terreus, A. niger, A. flavus, Penicillium sps. and Curvularia sps. The isolates were then subjected to in vitro susceptibility testing against different antifungals viz Amphotericin B, Ketocaonazole, itraconazole, clotrimazoleand fluconazole and also against natural herbs like neem, tulsi, garlic ginger, aloevra, turmeric etc by DDM method. Ketocaonazole was found to be highly effective amongst all antifungals and garlic was most effective amongst all natural antifungals.

1-8

Authors: Tapan Majumdar

β-lactam antibiotics are the most widely used chemotherapeutic agents. Commonest cause of resistance towards β-lactam antibiotics is the production of β-lactamases. Isolation, identification and antibiogram of the members of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonaceae from the clinical samples. Detection of Extended spectrum β-Lactamase and AmpC β-Lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae by phenotypic method. Culture isolation, identification and antibiogram of the isolates were performed followed by detection of Extended spectrum β-Lactamase by Double Disc Synergy Test and Phenotypic disc confirmatory test, whereas AmpC β-Lactamase was detected by Disc Antagonism Test and Double Disc Synergy Test. Out of 200 isolates, 54% are Extended spectrum β-Lactamase producers, 48.5% are AmpC β-Lactamase producers. Predominant ESBLs producers are Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli. In case of Pseudomonadaceae, 88% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 100% of Pseudomonas fluorescens has shown presence of AmpC β-Lactamase and 66% of Providencia alcalifaciens produced combined Extended spectrum β-Lactamase and AmpC β-Lactamase. Out of the 97AmpC β-Lactamase producers, 45.4% and 54.6% are inducible and plasmid mediated AmpC β-Lactamase producers respectively. This study shows high rate of circulating extended spectrum β-Lactamase and AmpC β-Lactamase producers in our hospital setup. Development of antimicrobial stewardship program based on the local epidemiological data and national guidelines is the need of the hour.

1-9

Authors: Femi Kayode Agboola

Textile dye waste-water presents an enormous task in its disposal. This present study aims to identify fungus capable of producing extracellular laccases that under optimized conditions can decolourize textile dyes. Auerobasidium pullulans and Cladosporium werneckii isolated from soil and decayed wood respectively were identified as laccase producing fungi. Physiological conditions for maximal laccase production were investigated. The fungal biomass was determined to correlate laccase production and its growth. The optimized culture broth was used in decolourization of several textile dyes. A. pullulans had maximum laccase activity of 19.18 U/ml on the ninth day of incubation; it utilized glucose, maximum laccase activity was observed at 37 ˚C and pH 6.0 whereas C. werneckii preferred galactose, produced maximum activity of 1.53 U/ml on the twelfth day, had optimum activity at 30 ˚C and pH 5.0. Both fungal isolates preferred tryptophan as nitrogen source and utilized inoculum size of 24 mm and 0.3 mM of CuSO4 for optimal laccase production. A. pullulans laccase is constitutive whereas C. werneckii is inducible. The increase or decrease in laccase activity is in direct proportion to the rate of fungal growth. Optimized culture broth from A. pullulans and C. werneckii had 1.25 and 2.03 fold increase in laccase activity respectively and they were both able to decolourize malachite green specifically i. e 73% and 35% and had least decolourizing abilities on methylene blue in the absence of inducers and after three hours of incubation. The ability of these newly isolated fungal strains to produce laccase extracellularlly and also decolourize dyes would serve as a way to eliminate industrial textile waste water.