The incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFI) caused by unusual pathogens is on the rise, partly driven by the increased population of immunocompromised patients. The emerging multidrug-resistant yeast pathogen Candida auris (C. auris) has been a source of concern as an agent of healthcare-associated infections. C. auris is emerging multidrug-resistant yeast that causes serious invasive infections with high mortality. It was first discovered in 2009, and since then, individual cases or outbreaks have been reported from over 20 countries on five continents. Controlling C. auris is challenging for several reasons: (1) it is resistant to multiple classes of antifungals, (2) it can be misidentified as other yeasts by commonly available Identification methods, and (3) because of its ability to colonize patients perhaps indefinitely and persist in the healthcare environment, it can spread between patients in healthcare settings. The transmissibility and high levels of antifungal resistance that are characteristic of C. auris set it apart from most other Candida species. A robust response that involves the laboratory, clinicians, and public health agencies is needed to identify and treat infections and prevent transmission. This review highlights epidemiology, pathogenesis, microbiological characteristics, clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges and treatment options of C. auris infections. Infection prevention measures to prevent spread of C. auris and special measures during an outbreak situation have also been reviewed. Rapid emergence of hospital onset C. auris is worrisome. Early diagnosis of C. auris is essential for better outcomes and the implementation of infection prevention measures. Lack of widespread awareness, absence of general availability of diagnostic testing methods, and limited options for treatment of C. auris infections make it a difficult-to-treat pathogen. Further studies are needed for better understanding of this emerging pathogen. Keywords: Fungal infection, Candida, C. auris, Candidemia, Bloodstream infection

Lassa fever is an acute immunosuppressive illness of increasing public health concern causing severe morbidity and significant mortality especially in epidemic cases. Lassa fever is an acute viral zoonotic illness caused by Lassa virus, an arenavirus known to be responsible for a severe haemorrhagic fever characterised by fever, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, chest and abdominal pain. The virus exhibits persistent, asymptomatic infection with profuse urinary virus excretion in the ubiquitous rodent vector, Mastomys natalensis. Lassa fever is endemic in West Africa and has been reported from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and Nigeria. The virus replicates through a strategy known as the Ambisense, where two RNA strands code for genes in both the sense and antisense direction that is rapid and demonstrate temporal control in replication. Different diagnostic tests for the virus are available, which range from viral culture to serological and molecular diagnostic tests. There is an urgent need to develop drugs and vaccines against the virus because the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified Lassa virus as one of the viruses that is likely to cause a future epidemic, although a research is ongoing to evaluate Lassa virus vaccine immunogenicity in the CBA/J-ML29 mouse model. This review gives an overview on the structure, replication cycle, pathogenesis and diagnosis of the virus. Keywords: Lassa fever, Lassa virus, Arenavirus, Replication, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis

Drugs commonly used in modern medicine for suppression of pain and fever provide only symptomatic relief and long-term use of these drugs is associated with serious adverse effects. Recently, some evidences suggest that Nigella sativa inhibit eicosanoid generation in leukocytes and lipid peroxidation. They are reported to inhibit both cycloxygenase and 5-lipooxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism. The present study was aimed to evaluate the analgesic activity of pure compound, thymoquinone the major constituent of Nigella sativa seeds in mice. The analgesic activity was determined by hot plate, tail immersion, tail flick method and acetic acid induced writhing test in mice. Thymoquinone (10, 20, 30 mg/kg, body weight) and Aspirin (20mg/kg) made as suspensions prepared in 1% carboxy methyl cellulose and were fed to mice intraperitoneally. In tail flick method thymoquinone exhibited maximum analgesic effect at a dose of 30mg/kg after 120 min as compared to control and standard. Maximum analgesic effect was noted at a dose of 10 mg/kg after 120 min. the poor analgesic effect of thymoquinone at a dose of (20 and 30 mg/kg) as compared to control and standard drug by hot plate method. However with writhing test the thymoquinone showed maximum protection at a dose of 30 mg/kg (98.23%). The thymoquinone have minimum effect showed at dose of 10 mg/kg (69.72%) and 20 mg/kg (42.26%) as compared to standard and control. But in tail immersion method thymoquinone exhibited maximum activity after 120 min at a dose of 20 mg/kg as compared to control and standard drug while at a dose of 30 mg/kg the compound did not showed any further enhancement in analgesic activity. It is concluded from the present study that thymoquinone the major constituent of Nigella sativa possesses potent analgesic activity in mice. Keywords: Thymoquinone, Nigella sativa, Hot plate, Tail immersion, Tail flick method, Acetic acid induced writhing test

Plants have served human beings as a natural source for treatments and therapies from ancient times, amongst them medicinal herbs have gain attention because of its wide use and less side effects. In the recent years plant research has increased throughout the world and a huge amount of evidences have been collected to show immense potential of medicinal plants used in various traditional systems. The objective of this study was to investigate pharmacognostical, phytochemical features and anthelmintic action of Cassia roxburghii (seeds) and Boerhaavia diffusa (roots). The different pharmacognostical parameters were evaluated as per standard protocols with some modifications. Qualitative analysis of various phytochemical constituents was determined by the well-known test protocol available in the literature.  Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, triterpenoits and carbohydrate. Three different doses (10, 25, & 50 mg/ml) of each extracts were studied, which involves the determination of time of paralysis and time of death of worm. All the extracts showed a dose dependent increase in the anthelmintic action. Out of all the extracts, the methanol extracts showed highest activity in both plants followed by ethyl and aqueous extracts. At the concentration of 50 mg/ml the methanol showed a remarkable anthelmintic activity which was even greater than the standard drug (Albendazole) at the same concentration. Keywords: Cassia roxburghii, Boerhaavia diffusa, Pheretima posthuma, Anthelmintic action, Paralysis, Albendazole.