A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 264 suspected dengue patients in two districts (Dang and Chitwan) of Nepal from June 2013 to November 2013. The anti-dengue IgM positivity was found to be (51/264)19.31% by capture ELISA, of which 21 (41.2%) were male and 30 (58.8%) were female. Symptoms of seropositive cases were fever, anorexia, nausea, headache, retro-orbital pain, skin rashes, and myalgia. Hematological features like thrombocytopenia and leucopenia were found to be significantly associated with the dengue fever (DF). Discarded tires were found as the commonest breeding habitats for the dengue vectors. Higher sero-positivity was recorded from the area having higher Breteau index (BI). The pH, chloride ion concentration and the salinity of the water from breeding habitats were found to be ranging from 6.9±0.82 to 8, 103.33±17.52 mg/L to 140.65 mg/L, and 0.19±0.032 ppt to 0.25 ppt respectively. This study may be helpful for the health authorities and public health workers for early diagnosis of DF and for the improved preventive measures to be adopted in the epidemic and possible epidemic areas.

BackgroundDengue fever, an endemic arboviral disease, represents one of the major public health concerns in Nepal. It is transmitted by bites of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the former being primary vector. The bacterial community plays a significant role in biology of mosquitoes; however, the bacterial communities of primary vector A. aegypti remain unstudied in Nepal. The study was designed to determine the rate of dengue seropositivity and to explore the bacterial diversity of A. aegypti from dengue endemic districts, Kanchanpur and Parsa of Nepal.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2013 and November 2013 at two hospitals of Kanchanpur and Parsa. A total of 221 serum samples were collected from patients (inpatients and outpatients) suspected of suffering from dengue fever and attending Mahakali Zonal Hospital, Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur, and Narayani Zonal Hospital, Birgunj, Parsa. Detection of anti-dengue IgM was performed by using human dengue IgM capture ELISA. The larvae and pupae of mosquitoes (A. aegypti) were collected, reared, and emerged. Then, the bacteria were isolated and identified from the gut of identified mosquitoes by using standard methods.ResultsOut of total 221 serum samples collected from patients suspected of suffering from dengue fever, 34 (15.38%) were positive for anti-dengue IgM. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated in largest proportion (63%) followed by gram-positive cocci (23.27%) and gram-positive rods (13.73%). The most common cultivable bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Acinetobacter spp. The average bacterial load in the vectors was 3.91 × 104 cfu/ml.ConclusionsHigh rate of anti-dengue IgM seropositivity was reported in our study. The environmental bacteria were predominantly isolated and identified in A. aegypti. The paratransgenic approach to control vector might be possible by spreading the genetically modified bacteria in larval habitat or shelter of adult mosquitoes.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the important superbugs distributed throughout the world. It causes minor skin infections to severe complications including nosocomial infections in both hospitals and community settings. These strains have multi-drug resistant property. Hence, they are difficult to manage which increase health-related costs and simultaneously intensifying the need for new antibiotics. The extent of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in children is largely unknown. The study determines the current status of S. aureus and MRSA causing various infections in pediatric patients visiting International Friendship Children’s Hospital (IFCH). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients visiting a hospital. Various clinical specimens were aseptically collected and processed according to standard microbiological procedures. Isolation and identification of S. aureus were done by microscopy, mannitol fermentation, and coagulase positivity. All identified S. aureus isolates subjected to in-vitro antibiogram by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique adopting Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline. Isolates resistant to cefoxitin were considered to be MRSA. Whereas, isolates produced D-shaped inhibition zone around clindamycin when kept near erythromycin were considered to be Inducible Clindamycin Resistant (ICR). Results: 672 various types of clinical samples were processed from the microbiology laboratory from June and November 2015. Out of 300 culture positive samples, 52 (17.3%) were S. aureus isolates, among them 39 (75.0%) were found to be MRSA. The D-test showed that Macrolide-Lincosamide-Streptogramin-B (MLSB) phenotype was 15.4%. Conclusion: The study shows the MRSA occurrence is prevalent in pediatric patients and newer classes’ drugs are found more effective than β-lactam drugs to treat S. aureus infection. However, restriction on the indiscriminate use of such drugs may be an effective strategy to control the drug resistance. Keywords: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Macrolide-Lincosamide-Streptogramin B (MLSB) phenotype, Inducible Clindamycin Resistant (ICR) test or D-zone test, Antibiotic resistance, Nepal

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the aphicidal activity of native Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains. Methods: Soil samples of Provinces 2 and 3 of Nepal were collected randomly for isolation of Bt by acetate selection method. Bt were identified by observing insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs) by Commassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) staining technique. Aphicidal activity of 12 B. thuringiensis isolates was evaluated by two processes. The preliminary screening was done by spraying the suspension containing the spore and ICPs mixture in Phaseolus species heavily infested with black aphids (Aphis fabae) in fi elds. The second process (selective bioassay) was done by counting the number of aphids (nymphs, instar, winged, wingless) before and after spraying 5ml of suspension containing the spore and ICPs mixture on the leaf or on the beans pods surface infested by Aphids. The mortality percentage of Aphids after treatment was calculated on the 4th day, by counting the live aphids and the result was recorded. Results: Preliminary screening for aphicidal activity revealed that 4 isolates ML5(1), CW1(1), SN2(1) and MP2(1) producing spherical crystal protein, showed 100% mortality against nymphs, instar, winged and wingless Aphids. Isolates were effective in controlling the Aphid (Aphis fabae) within 4 days and the part of the plant that was sprayed becomes free of Aphids. Selective bioassay of native isolate MP3(3) was most effective in killing 95.83% of aphids followed by CW2(1), 85.71%, ML5(1), 77.34%, SN3(1), 72.72%, CW1(1), 70.21%. Conclusion: This study revealed that indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis of Terai region of Nepal are effective in controlling Aphids.

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death in Nepal. Failure in early detection anddrug resistance are two most important problems in treatment and cure of thetuberculosis. The objective of the study was to assess the drug resistance pattern inMycobacterium tuberculosis isolated in Tribhuvan University teaching Hospital. Morethan 85% of isolates were sensitive to all the four drugs and 5.5% of isolates weremultidrug resistant. The drug resistant isolates were obtained more frequently frompreviously treated patients. More extensive studies should be carried out by independentorganizations to collect more representative data on drug resistance tuberculosis.Key Words: Tuberculosis, drug resistance and surveillance.