The syndrome "basses richesses" of sugar beet (SBR) was first observed in 1991 in Burgundy, France. A cixiid planthopper, Pentastiridius beieri, has been proved to be involved in the transmission to sugar beet of a stolbur phytoplasma, which could be detected in some affected plants. In 2000, periwinkle and sugar beet exposed to field-collected cixiids developed symptoms similar to SBR on sugar beet. Use of 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of phytoplasma in some of the plants, which were also positive for this pathogen in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. A phloem-restricted gram-negative bacteria was seen in all other plants with symptoms but PCR-negative for phytoplasma. Three primer pairs reported as diagnostic for phloem-limited bacteria were tested but only primers specific for 'Candidatus Phlomobacter fragariae' gave a positive signal, which related to the presence of DAPI-stained bacteria-like objects in diseased plants. Although phytoplasma and bacterium-like organisms were associated with the same macroscopic symptoms on sugar beet, histochemical analysis of phloem cells showed that phytoplasma were associated with cell necrosis and cell wall lignification, while bacteria were associated with these same abnormalities as well as deposit of phenolic compounds in the lumen of phloem cells.

College, Kottayam, for a period of one year from July 2015. The study design was Analytical Diagnostic Test Evaluation. The study was designed at comparing different phenotypic methods in their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy, keeping mec-A gene detection by PCR as the gold standard. The following six phenotypic methods were performed on Staphylococcus aureus isolates-Cefoxitin Disc Diffusion (CDD), Oxacillin Disc Diffusion (ODD), Oxacillin Screen Agar (OSA), Oxacillin E-Strip (ES), Chromogenic agar medium (ChromID® MRSA SMART-biomerieux) and VITEK-2 system (biomerieux). These were then compared with the gold standard method-mecA gene detection by PCR. RESULTSCefoxitin disc diffusion test and VITEK 2 system showed results in agreement with PCR (Sensitivity and specificity 100%). This was followed by Chrome agar (98.36%, 95.79%), Oxacillin screen agar (95.08%, 98.95%), Oxacillin E-test (95.08%, 97.89%) & Oxacillin disc diffusion test (81.96%, 97.89). CONCLUSIONSCefoxitin disc diffusion test which shows total agreement with PCR is a good surrogate marker for detecting methicillin resistance. However, VITEK-2 system and chromogenic agar media are valuable as they are useful in early detection and screening of MRSA.

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A 62-year-old male presented to the Medicine Department with altered sensorium with a history of fever of unknown origin of 6 weeks duration. Initially, it was low-grade, on and off fever, which later got converted into high-grade fever with chills and rigors. No h/o cough, dysuria, loose stools, vomiting or headache. No h/o any surgeries in the past, bathing in open water bodies or wound which came in contact with soil (as the patient remembers of). He was a known case of diabetes and was on oral hypoglycaemics. He consulted a doctor in a local hospital and was started on oral amoxicillin and later referred to our hospital as he was not improving. On examination, vitals were stable. He was febrile and pale. Abdominal examination revealed mild abdominal tenderness. The examinations of other systems were unremarkable.

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