ABSTRACT:Aspartame is an odourless white crystalline powder 160-200 times sweeter than sucrose used in beverages. The present study has been planned to observe the biofilm production of Streptococcus mutans over a biosurface and to assess the influence of aspartame on biofilm production over that surface. The lyophilic standard Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 (Hi media lab) was reactivated in Trypiticase Soy Broth incubated at37 0 C with 10% CO2 for 18 hrs. 2.5 ml of this liquid culture was added in two 5ml of Brain Heart Infusion Broths with sucrose, congo red and sterile human tooth one with 0.3% aspartame and other without aspartame and incubated at 37 0 C with 10% CO2 for 18 hrs. Biofilm production was evidenced by blackening of tooth along with black deposits .Blackening appeared less in the broth containing aspartame which was further proved by subculturing from both over Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) agar with sucrose and Congo red.

Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal zoonosis that is mostly occurs in heavy rainfall, ooded and poor sanitisation areas . In west Bengal specially in Kolkata, there is high average rainfall with water holding capacity of soil [9]. As rodents like rats ,livestock and pets are reservoir for leptospires, their urine containing leptospires can contaminate the water by which humans get infected either by direct or indirect exposure to this contaminated water. Rats are main hosts of serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, cattle of Hardjo and Pomona, pigs of Pomona or Tarrossovi, and dogs of Canicola[10]. On the other hand people living in urban slum encirclement with inadequate sanitation are at high risk of rat exposure and leptospiros is .Farmers , Sewage workers , Miners , Veterinarians and individuals who are involved in Water sports, Gardening, Ecotourism are at high risk for leptospirosis [11,33,61]. These occupations involve activities likely to result in exposure of wounds, cuts and to soil and water contaminated with the urine containing leptospire of rodents and animals from which workers get infected .All these above points are crucial reasons for the cases of leptospirosis in Kolkata.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a very infective infection. It's caused by viruses from the Enterovirus genus, among the Enterovirus genus coxsackievirus is most commonly found associated with Hand , Foot and Mouth disease. Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) causes rashes or vesicular lesions in the affected individuals and lesions are found in extremities and upper extremity lesion is more common along with feet and mouth. It is mostly seen in school going children, and causative agents are likely Enterovirus-A (EV-A) species, including Coxsackievirus-A16 (CV-A16) and Enterovirus-71 (EV-71) [1]. Hand , Foot and Mouth Disease is usullay mild and selimiting. In the affected patient's rst identied by a brief prodromal fever, followed by pharyngitis, mouth ulcers and rash on the hands and feet. The disease is caused by numerous members of the Enterovirus genus of the family Picornaviridae e.g. Coxsackievirus type A (CA) and Enterovirus 71 (EV71), and the clinical features are not identiable and distinguishable from virus to virus. [2] . Young children have the highest risk of getting hand, foot, and mouth disease. Risk increases if they attend daycare or school, as viruses can spread quickly in these facilities. Children usually build up immunity to the disease after being exposed to the viruses that cause it. This is why the condition rarely affects people over age 10. However, it's still possible for older children and adults to get the infection, especially if they have weakened immune systems. EV71 is a human enterovirus A species causing infection in clildren[3,4] . Clinically though it is mild symptoms and self limiting initially, such as a fever along with unraised colorless spots, and bumps on the hands, feet, and mouth. In some patients with severe disease several neurological complications (including cephalomeningitis, encephalitis, and neurogenic pneumonedema) and circulatory disorders. Occasionally, it even causes death [5]. Therefore, an early indicator of EV71 infection with neurological involvement is crucial for appropriate management [6]. Hand, foot, and mouth disease by enterovirus infection repots severe complications (such as brain stem encephalitis, neurogenic pulmonary edema, and other fatal complications) and a high mortality due to HFMD are more frequently related to EV71 infection[7,8] .

BACKGROUND: Septicaemia is a life threatening complication of severely burned patients. Among many organisms invading blood stream Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a well-known for its powerful antibiotic resistance mechanisms which increasingly limit the choices for treatment. Among many such resistance mechanisms it is the metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) which confers resistance to Carbapenem group of antibiotics, one of the final resorts to fight them. The present study was undertaken to detect MBL producing P. aeruginosa using phenotypic method from blood samples of burned patients as well as to know their drug sensitivity pattern. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this purpose 67 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from blood samples of admitted burned patients were subjected to susceptibility testing to antipseudomonal drugs by disc diffusion test and those found to be Carbapenem resistant were subjected to Imipenem-EDTA combined disk synergy test for MBL detection. RESULT: Out of 67 isolates of P.aeruginosa, 19 (28.4%) were found to be Carbapenem resistant and 11 (16.4%) were MBL producers. A particularly important feature was that the MBL producers were highly resistant to the antibiotics tested than the non-producers. However all of them were susceptible to Colistin and Polymixin B. CONCLUSION: This study has made us to think that a constant vigil and careful selection of antibiotics are necessary to keep prevalence of MBL producing P.aeruginosa in check. The accurate identification and reporting of MBL producing P. aeruginosa will aid infection control practitioners in preventing the spread of these multidrug-resistant isolates.