Background. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)- and AmpC-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae have recently emerged as a public threat in the treatment of nosocomial as well as community-acquired infections. Very little information is currently available about its existence in Nepal. We, therefore, aim to determine the prevalence of ESBL and AmpC-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and also to determine their drug resistance pattern. Methods. During a 6-month period (November 2014–April 2015), a total of 190 stool specimens from 190 participants were obtained from different population. Of the total 260 fecal isolates, 152 from outpatient department (OPD) and 108 from healthy volunteer were collected. Stool specimens were cultured and enterobacterial isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests according to the standard microbiologic guidelines. ESBL was screened using ceftazidime (CAZ, 30 μg) and cefotaxime (CTX, 30 μg) disks and confirmed by double-disk synergy test. AmpC-β-lactamase enzyme production was detected by the aminophenylboronic acid inhibitor-based detection method. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed for ESBL-positive isolates as per the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, and interpretation was done according to CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute). Results. The prevalence of ESBL, AmpC-β-lactamases, and coproducer (ESBL + AmpC-β-lactamase) producing Enterobacteriaceae in OPD participants were 30.92%, 18.4%, and 13.81%, respectively, while 25%, 6.4%, and 1.8% in healthy population. ESBL-producing E. coli was 70.2% followed by K. pneumoniae (12.7%), and among AmpC-β-lactamase producer, E. coli were detected in half of the isolates (14/28, 50.0%) among OPD patients. Similarly, E. coli remained the most frequent ESBL producers 21/27 (77.8%) followed by K. pneumoniae 4/27 (14.21%) in healthy participants, and K. pneumoniae 5/7 (71.42%) and C. freundii 2/7 (28.57%) were detected highest among AmpC-β-lactamase-producing isolates. All isolates were highly sensitive (100%) to imipenem in both OPD and healthy participants. Conclusion. Our study revealed a high prevalence of ESBL- and AmpC-β-lactamase-producing enteric pathogen in Nepalese OPD and healthy population. The significant increase of these isolates and increased rate of drug resistance indicates a serious threat that stress the need to implement the surveillance system and a proper control measure so as to limit the spread of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) in both OPD as well as in community. Therefore, healthcare providers need to be aware that ESBL- and AmpC-β-lactamase-producing strains are not only circulating in hospital environments but also in the community and should be dealt with accordingly.

Background. Schistosomiasis, globally, is significant public as well as veterinary health problem as it is associated with a wide range of clinical conditions in humans and animals. Schistosomiasis is mostly caused by the following species of genus Schistosoma: Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma mekongi, Schistosoma intercalatum Schistosoma guineensis, Schistosoma malayensis and Schistosoma mansoni. S. japonicum might be considered as the most pathogenic among these species as the clinical disease caused by this parasite ranges from mild diarrhea, nausea, Katayama fever, portal hypertension, splenomegaly and ascites to liver cirrhosis and fibrosis. S. japonicum has been commonly encountered in China, the Philippines and Indonesia. According to WHO, at least 220.8 million people required preventive treatment for schistosomiasis in 2017 but only 102.3 million people were reported to have been treated. To our knowledge, there are no cases reported from Nepal. Hence, this is the first reported case of S. japonicum in Nepal. Case presentation. A case of acute schistosomiasis due to S. japonicum was identified in CIWEC Hospital and Travel Medicine Center, Kathmandu, Nepal. The patient arrived with gastrointestinal symptoms without any pre-existing chronic illness with no evidence of travel outside of Spain since last August, but had travelled to many other countries 2 years ago. Timely diagnosis by stool routine and microscopic examination and formal-ether concentration technique led to successful treatment of the disease. Conclusion. As the parasite has not been reported to date in Nepal, many people are unaware of its mode of infection and pathogenesis. Many laboratory workers are heedless with the egg of the parasite due to which this parasite might be misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. This case report might help laboratory workers to be sentient about the parasite and further diagnosis in future.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects the liver, causing cirrhosis and cancer. In developed countries, five international guidelines have been used to make a decision for the management of patients with chronic HBV infection. In this review, since the guidelines were established by clinical and epidemiological data of developed countries, we aimed to evaluate whether (1) HBV patient profiles of developing countries are similar to developed countries, and (2) which guideline can be applicable to resource-limited developing countries. First, as an example of the most recent data of HBV infections among developing countries, we evaluated the national HBV viral load study in Nepal, which were compared with the data from other developing countries. In Nepal, the highest number of patients had viral loads of 20–2000 IU/mL (36.7%) and belonged to the age group of 21–30 years; HBV epidemiology in Nepal, based on the viral loads, gender, and age groups was similar to those of not only other developing countries but also developed countries. Next, we reviewed five international HBV treatment guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), and Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL). All guidelines require the viral load and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels for decision making. Although four guidelines recommend elastography to assess liver cirrhosis, the WHO guideline alternatively recommends using the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), which is inexpensive and conducted routinely in most hospitals. Therefore, in resource-limited developing countries like Nepal, we recommend the WHO guideline for HBV treatment based on the viral load, ALT, and APRI information.