No abstract

Enterococci, a family of important opportunistic pathogens, exhibits intrinsic resistance to a number of antimicrobial agents in addition to acquired multidrug resistance. The present study was conducted to determine whether enterococci at a tertiary care hospital in India exhibit high-level aminoglycoside resistance and βlactamase production. Enterococci were isolated from various clinical specimens and identified phenotypically. High-level resistance (HLR) to gentamicin, kanamycin, and streptomycin was determined by disc diffusion tests. β-lactamase production was detected using three methods: iodometric, acidometric, and chromogenic β-lactamase assays. Among the 86 enterococci isolated, 34 were found to have HLR to one or more aminoglycosides; HLR to kanamycin was most common. Vancomycin resistance was present in four of the isolates. Only one enterococcus produced β-lactamase, and it was sensitive to ampicillin on routine disc diffusion testing. β-lactamase production among enterococci, though not very common, may be missed on routine susceptibility testing. Frequent occurrence of HLR to kanamycin makes amikacin a poor choice for inclusion in combination therapy with cell wall-active agents.

No abstract

Aims and Objectives: Increase in the incidence of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying New Delhi metallo beta lactamase-1 (NDM-1) gene are called superbugs is of great concern as presence of bla NDM-1 gene makes E.coli and K.pneumoniae highly resistant to most of currently available antibiotics. This study was planned to observe the burden of bla NDM-1 gene carrying E. coli and K.pneumoniae at a tertiary care hospital in northern India. Materials and Methods: A total of 1709 E. coli and 327 K. pneumonia nonrepitive isolates were taken from various clinical samples received in a tertiary care hospital in northern India Lucknow during the period from May 2012 to April 2013. Carbapenemase production was phenotypically detected in all the carbapenem resistant isolates by modifi ed Hodge test. Metallo-β-lactamase production was detected by using meropenem and imipenem discs with and without EDTA and bla NDM-1 gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction. Results: Over all metallo β-lactamase production was found in 82% and 88.89% of carbapenem resistant E.coli and K. pneumonia respectively. Out of 366 carbapenem resistant isolates, 102 were found positive for bla NDM-1 gene out of which 89 were E.coli and 13 were K. pneumoniae. Conclusions: With limited treatment options left for this crisis situation like the pre-antibiotic era; it is an alarm for rational antibiotic therapy usage and intensive education programs.

Background: Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) continue to present major health, social and economic problems all over the world and their complications are the most important causes of morbidity and mortality for women especially in the developing countries. Interest in RTIs and their management has increased tremendously because presence of a RTI in the sexual partner increases the risk of acquisition of HIV. Aim was to evaluate the risk factors in women attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic at a tertiary care centre and prevalence of RTI in our setup.Methods: The present study was conducted on 318 women of reproductive age group (18-45 years) attending the Reproductive tract infection/ sexually transmitted infection (RTI/STI) clinic at our tertiary care centre, they were evaluated for the prevalence of following RTIs: chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and candidiasis; and their correlation with clinical features and associated risk factors.Results: The factors found to be significantly associated with RTI were illiteracy, unemployment, past history of RTI in patient and presence of RTI in their partner. The prevalence of RTI in our setup reported 9.7%. The prevalence of candidiasis was maximum (11.5%) followed by chlamydia (4.1%), syphilis (4.1%), bacterial vaginosis (1.73%) and trichomoniasis (0.57%).Conclusions: None of the women was found positive for gonorrhoea. No coexistence of any two diseases found in any patient. Most common presentation was genital discharge (52.8%) followed by lower abdominal pain (45.2%).