This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the growth of six strains of Lentinula edodes (LE1, LE2, LE3, LE4, LE5 and LE6) in five culture media and characterizes strains for enzyme production. The culture medium that provided the best mycelial growth of the strains was used for semi-quantitative tests of ligninase and cellulase activity. Samples for enzyme assays and determination of total proteins were collected at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of incubation to building an enzymatic curve. The strain LE5 is the most aggressive, with higher mycelial growth rate and mycelial mass production in the basic medium added of 0.01% yeast extract. The addition of biotin and thiamine to the culture medium is not sufficient to substitute yeast extract. The performance of the strains with respect to the production of cellulase and ligninase was different. The LE6 strain excelled in the production of laccase, manganese peroxidase and b-glucosidase with 28 days of incubation and endo-b-1,4-glucanase with 14 days of incubation, while strain LE5 excelled in the production of exo-b-1,4-glucanase with 7 days of incubation.

In plant roots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are the most prevalent microsymbionts, and thereby provide many key ecosystem services to natural and agricultural ecosystems. Despite AMF’s significance for the environment and the economy, little is known about the mycorrhizal inoculum potential and diversity of AMF associated with orphan African cereal crops, specially fonio millet (Digitaria exilis stapf.) under field conditions. We hypothesized that the type of fonio millet agroecosystem influences the AMF density and distribution in soils. We therefore, assessed the inoculum potential, density and diversity of AMF spores and soil enzyme activities in five fonio millet agroecosystems belonging to three climatic zones (Sudanian, Sudano-Sahelian and Sudano-Guinean). By combining AMF spore identification from field-collected soils and trap culture, 20 species belonging to 8 genera (Acaulospora, Ambispora, Dendiscutata, Gigaspora, Glomus, Racocetra, Sclerocystis and Scutellospora) were identified. Glomus was the most represented genus with 8 species, followed by Gigaspora (5 species) and Acaulospora (2 species); the remaining genera were each represented by one species. Except for Ambispora which was not found in the Sudanian area, all genera occurred in the three climatic zones. The abundance and diversity of AMF species and FDA-hydrolytic and phosphatase activities varied between fonio millet agroecosystems as well as between climatic zones. Soil pH and soil texture were the variables that best explained the density and distribution of AMF spores. Our results contribute to paving the way towards the development of microbial engineering approaches for agronomic improvement of fonio millet.

The current study outlines an environmentally friendly procedure to synthesis the extracellular secondary metabolite-mediated copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) using Bioinspired green chemistry method with Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from a marine water sample. The in vitro bio-reduction of Copper sulphate to CuONPs in the presence of secondary metabolites was confirmed using various analytical techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In the UV-visible spectroscopy the synthesised nanoparticles was characterized with the maximum absorbance at 570 nm. SEM analysis showed the nanoparticles to be nearly cuboidal in shape with the size range of 108.0 nm to 252.2 nm at the 1,00,000x magnification. X-ray diffraction revealed particle sizes ranging from 4.19 nm to 26.95 nm with diffraction peaks at 38.05° and 31.67°, corresponding to lattice planes [6.56] and [100], indicating a polycrystalline wurtzite structure. The synthesized CuONPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against clinical pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis, as well as fungicidal activity against phytopathogenic fungi including Alternaria solani, Rhizoctonia solani and Colletotrichum capsici. Additionally the photocatalytic activity of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated CuONPs was estimated through the degradation of the triarylmethane dye-malachite Green.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are predominantly caused by bacteria, with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae being predominant causative agents. This retrospective study evaluated the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates obtained from urine culture of patients with UTI symptoms presenting at the Pradyumna Bal Memorial Hospital, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswarr, Odisha. With increasing antibiotic resistance, particularly in bacterial strains that synthesize extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), identifying effective treatment options is crucial. From January to November 2023, 1,798 urine cultures were analyzed using the VITEK 2 Compact System, revealing E. coli 432 (60%) and K. pneumoniae 239 (33.2%) as the predominant pathogens. E. coli isolates exhibited high susceptibility to fosfomycin (98.6%), nitrofurantoin (80%), and amikacin (75.8%). K. pneumoniae showed high susceptibility to fosfomycin (73.9%) and amikacin (50.2%) but significantly lower susceptibility to nitrofurantoin (17.2%). Approximately 307 (58.03%) isolates were ESBL-synthesizing E. coli (57.9%) and K. pneumoniae (42.01%). ESBL synthesizing E. coli and K. pneumoniae were highly susceptible to fosfomycin (71.5%) and amikacin (62.4%). Our results emphasize the need to consider local resistance patterns when choosing empirical antimicrobial treatments for UTIs. Although fosfomycin demonstrated the highest sensitivity, being a reserve drug requires cautious use. Amikacin, with its favorable susceptibility profile is a valuable alternative especially for UTIs caused by ESBL-synthesizing, nitrofurantoin-resistant, and fosfomycin-resistant K. pneumoniae and E. coli, and offers a potential single-dose treatment option. This targeted approach can help preserve last-resort antibiotics in more critical cases.

Staphylococcus aureus is the microbe implicated in the causation of numerous nosocomial and community-acquired ailments. Physicians have been facing enormous challenges day by day while treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) efficiently because it shows extensive resistance to wide number of antibiotics. MRSA is frequently treated using antibiotics like macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B. Clindamycin is a useful alternative drug. Nevertheless, inducible resistance to clindamycin cannot be detected by standard in vitro sensitivity tests. The aim of the study was to identify MRSA isolates from clinical samples from a tertiary care centre in North India that possessed both constitutive as well as inducible clindamycin resistance. This is a one year (July 2023-June 2024) cross-sectional study carried out in the Department of Microbiology of Maharaja Agrasen Medical College, Agroha (Hisar). 1554 pus samples were collected, processed and antibiotic susceptibility was assessed using disk diffusion method. Cefoxitin disk was utilised for identification of the isolates as MRSA and by employing D-test, inducible clindamycin resistance was identified. S. aureus was isolated in 234 samples, of which 182 (78%) were MRSA and 52 (22%) were MSSA. Among MRSA strains, 36.2% showed inducible clindamycin resistance, 6.6% showed constitutive phenotype and 31.9% showed MS phenotype. It should be emphasized that it is possible to successfully cure MRSA infections using clindamycin but only after the simple and affordable D-test is employed in a bid to rule out inducible clindamycin resistance. Therefore, to avert unsuccessful therapy in MRSA infections, D-test should be carried out on a regular basis.

The prevalence of antibiotic resistance among Gram-negative bacteria, particularly Enterobacterales, is rising. Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Enterobacterales demonstrate nonsusceptibility to all except two or fewer classes of antibiotics, where it retains susceptibility to at least one agent. Besides tigecycline, colistin and polymyxin B are often the only available therapeutic options in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine the susceptibility of XDR Enterobacterales to colistin, polymyxin B, and tigecycline by determining the MIC using microbroth dilution and analyzing the treatment outcome. A descriptive study was done at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Pondicherry, from May 2023 to July 2023. The study included non-ICU patients aged 18 years or older, who had infections caused by XDR Enterobacterales isolated from clinical specimens during the study period and provided informed consent. All quantitative measurement values in this study were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Colistin and polymyxin B MIC of 109 clinical isolates of XDR Enterobacterales were tested by microbroth dilution. Tigecycline MIC was determined for 73 of these isolates. Forty-eight patients received colistin or polymyxin B monotherapy and their treatment outcomes were documented. Out of the 109 XDR isolates, 16 (14.7%) were resistant to colistin, while 11 (10.1%) were resistant to polymyxin B. Tigecycline MIC values ranged from 0.06 µg/mL to 4 µg/mL. Successful treatment outcome was observed in 23.5% of patients with colistin and/or polymyxin B resistant isolates, whereas it was 70.9% in patients with colistin and polymyxin B intermediate isolates. The present study revealed that K. pneumoniae emerged as the predominant isolate among XDR Enterobacterales in our healthcare facility. Although only a small proportion of strains exhibited resistance to polymyxin B, colistin, and tigecycline, the treatment outcomes were notably poor in the case of colistin and/or polymyxin B resistant strains, underscoring the grave therapeutic limitations posed by these resistant pathogens.

This study investigated the storage temperature effects on Polygonati Rhizoma probiotics (PRP) activity by establishing storage conditions at different temperatures and regularly detecting the viable bacteria counts and value of pH. To further analyze the metabolic changes, the metabonomics analysis was carried out by using UHPLC-QE-MS/MS. Multivariate analysis used principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. When the storage temperatures were 25 °C and 37 °C, 229 and 307 different metabolites were identified respectively. The levels of most compounds such as glutamine, asparagine, and citrate decreased. This change affected both the flavor and nutritional benefits of PRP. In addition, the count of viable bacteria at 20 °C and 4 °C is very high, and there is no significant difference. Therefore, considering the product quality and energy saving, we recommend 4 °C as the storage temperature. This research provides important information on the storage stability and shelf-life setting of PRP products.

Fluoride contamination in water sources represents a persistent and grave global issue with severe health implications. Microorganisms are known to demonstrate tolerance to various pollutants, enabling their survival in diverse and adverse environments. In this study, we aimed to identify potential bacterial isolates capable of resisting and removing fluoride from contaminated water, and can be used for bioremediation of fluoride contaminated water The unique Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, a mangrove forest, served as a collection site for soil, sludge and water samples due to its distinctive ability to host halotolerant and halophilic bacteria, setting it apart from other plant species in naturally saline conditions. This exceptional microbial community within mangroves established them as a valuable source of fluoride resistant bacteria. A total of 46 bacterial isolated from sludge, soil, and water samples within the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary belonged to the families Bacillaceae, Vibrionaceae, and Enterobacteriaceae. Predominantly, sludge samples yielded the highest number of isolates (41%), followed by soil (33%) and water (26%). All isolates demonstrated varying degrees of fluoride resistance, with 57% tolerating concentrations up to 2000 mg/L. Further screening showed that 22% of isolates tolerated 10,000 mg/L fluoride, while none survived at 20,000 mg/L. Notably, strain MSO5 exhibited growth on 12,500 mg/L fluoride containing medium within 24 hours. Based on 16S rRNA molecular studies identified the fluoride-resistant isolate MSO5 as Bacillus paralicheniformis. This study marks the first report of strain MSO5 belonging to the Bacillus sp. exhibiting tolerance to 10% salt concentration, temperature 55 °C and resistance to fluoride upto 12,500 mg/L concentration. This research lays the foundation for isolating fluoride resistant bacteria capable of removing fluoride, providing valuable prospects for microbial remediation of contaminated water sources.

Bloodstream infections (BSI) belong to the most detrimental healthcare associated infections (HAI) that have an impact on the treatment result of patients hospitalised to intensive care units. Recently incidence of nosocomial fungal BSI is drastically increased in ICU patients. Although Candida BSI are well studied, there is an acute lack of data relevant to other fungi from underdeveloped countries. The present study aimed to evaluate the fungal bloodstream infection (BSI) in patients admitted to an ICU at a tertiary care teaching hospital. A conventional mycological methodology was used to identify the fungal infections isolated from BSI to the species level, and their antifungal susceptibility profile was examined. Risk factors pertaining to fungal BSI were analyzed. The rate of nosocomial BSI was 1.2%. The rate of central line associated blood stream infection (CLABSI)/1000 central line days was 3.9. The rate of fungal BSI was 5.6%. Contributing factors are gender (Male), advancing age, increased hospital stays, and central venous catheterization were significantly associated with the development of nosocomial BSI. Candida spp. was the predominant pathogen. Fluconazole resistance was observed. resistant to fluconazole was found in 61.5% of Candida isolates. Fungal pathogens have emerged as important cause of nosocomial BSI. From this study, it can be concluded that Hitherto, fungal isolates, once rarely encountered like Non-albicans Candida spp., Trichosporon spp. are now common in invasive mycosis. These pathogens often demonstrate less susceptibility to antifungal drugs, hence are associated with poor/no response to therapy and therefore may present as mayhem to patients. Finally, this emerging mayhem necessitates the importance of being vigilant about predisposing factors, strict implementation of infection prevention and control and initiation of antifungal stewardship program.

The study was conducted to observe the bacteriological profile of diabetic foot ulcers in patients at tertiary care hospital. The incidence and pattern of antibiotic resistance of MRSA was studied. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the tertiary care hospital from September 2017 to December 2021. Of a total of 313 DFU cases analysed, 304 cases were infected ulcers accounting for 97.13% of cases and the remaining 09 cases (2.87%) were noninfected. Of the isolates cultured from the infected ulcers, 261 (53.81%) were gram-negative organisms and 224 (46.18%) were gram-positive. Of the gram-positive organisms, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (66.9%) was most common, followed by Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (31.3%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (1.8%). Of the gram-negative organisms, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 67 (25.7%) was predominant, followed by Escherichia coli 53 (20.3%), Klebsiella species (19.2%), Acinetobacter species 50 (19.2%). The drug resistance pattern of MRSA was, Ofloxacin 82.6%, ciprofloxacin (89.3%), levofloxacin (91.3%), cefoxitin (100%) with Benzyl penicillin showing highest resistance of 100%. There was a significant rise of MRSA infections in DFUs.