A 22 months prospective study of neonatal gram-negative bacteremia was undertaken in a 15 bed NICU to find out the incidence and antibiotic resistance patterns. Clinically suspected 1326 cases of neonatal sepsis were studied during this period. More than 25% of the cases were microbiologically positive for sepsis. Among 230 (67.2%) cases of gram-negative bacteremia, the predominant isolates were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (38.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (30.4%), Escherichia coli (15.6%) and Acinetobacter sp. (7.8%). Fifty-nine per cent of the neonates were born in hospital while 41% were from community and referral cases. Lower respiratory tract infection, umbilical sepsis, central intravenous line infection and infection following invasive procedures were the most commonly identified sources of septicemia. Prematurity and low birth weight were the main underlying conditions in 60% of the neonates. Total mortality was 32%. Increased mortality was mainly associated with neutropenia, nosocomial infection and inappropriate antibiotic therapy. Resistance was increasingly noted against many antibiotics. The isolates were predominantly resistant to extended spectrum cephalosporins (25%-75%), piperacillin (68%-78%), and gentamicin (23%-69%). The commonest microorganisms causing gram-negative bacteremia were Pseudomonas aeruginosa followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. The community-acquired bacteremia was mainly due to E. coli. The proportion of preterm and low birth weight babies was significantly high, and the major contributing factor in total mortality. Sensitivity to different antibiotics conclusively proved that a combination of ampicillin + sulbactam with amikacin or ampicillin + sulbactam with ciprofloxacin is most effective.

Sugarcane (Saccharum hybrid cultivar) ranks among the world's top 10 food crops and annually provides 60À70% of the sugar produced worldwide. Despite its economic importance there has been no large-scale systematics study of genus Saccharum and the existing model of sugarcane origins has remained largely unchallenged for almost 50 years. For the first time, we have assembled the complete plastid genomes of Miscanthus floridulus (first report for this genus), Saccharum spontaneum and Saccharum officinarum allowing us to elucidate the phylogenetic origins of Saccharum s.s. species. We demonstrate that Saccharum s.s. is divided into four species, with S. spontaneum diverging from the remainder of the genus about 1.5 million years ago and S. robustum diverging 750,000 years ago. Two separate lineages, one leading to S. officinarum and the other leading to modern hybrid cultivars diverged from S. robustum 640,000 years ago. These findings overturn all previous hypotheses on sugarcane origins, demonstrating that sugarcane's antecedents could not have arisen by human action. All modern cultivars share a common Polynesian origin, whereas Old World canes, S. barberi and S. sinense, cluster as a distinct S. officinarum lineage. This makes modern cultivars a distinct species of genus Saccharum, and we formally propose the name Saccharum cultum for the ancestor of all lineages currently classified as Saccharum hybrid cultivars.

The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is causing a severe global health emergency owing to its highly infectious nature. Although the symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 are well known but its impact on nasopharyngeal microbiome is poorly studied. The present cross-sectional study was intended to understand the perturbation in the nasopharyngeal microbiome composition within the infected (n=63) and non-infected (n=26) individuals using 16S rRNA gene based targeted amplicon sequencing and their association with host types and the prevalence of opportunistic pathogens at the stage of infection. The results confirmed that number of OTUs were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals in comparison to non-infected individuals. Pairwise Wilcoxon test showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the abundance of Proteobacteria in infected individuals compared to non-infected ones and vice-versa for Fusobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis showed the increment in the abundance of opportunistic pathogens ( Haemophilus , Stenotrophomonas , Acineobacter , Moraxella , Corynebacterium I , Gemella , Ralstonia , and Pseudomonas ) involved in secondary infection. Furthermore, this study highlighted the microbial community structure of individuals within and across the families. Further, we also assessed the microbiome associated with host types (age and genders) and COVID-19 conditions (symptomatic and asymptomatic). The data suggested that the host types/conditions during the COVID-19 infection are potential factors in enrichment of specific bacterial communities in upper respiratory tract.

Background There are few reports of COVID-19 in neonates and most are suspected to be due to postnatal transmission. Vertical transmission has been proven in only a couple of cases so far. Methods We describe early-onset, severe COVID-19 disease in a neonate with very strong evidence of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Results A COVID-19 suspected mother, who tested negative by RT-PCR for COVID, but tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by serology, delivered a term baby. The neonate was kept in strict isolation. Molecular tests for SARS-CoV-2 on umbilical stump, placenta, and nasopharyngeal aspirate of the neonate, collected at birth were positive. On day 2, the neonate developed clinical features of COVID in the form of fever, poor feeding, and hyperbilirubenemia along with elevated inflammatory markers. Antibiotics were started empirically pending cultures. Blood, CSF, and urine cultures were sterile. Baby tested RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2 on two more occasions before testing positive for antibodies and was discharged on day 21 of life. Conclusion This report highlights a very strong possibility of vertical transmission of COVID-19 from a mildly symptomatic, RT-PCR negative but antibody-positive mother with significant symptomatic, early-onset neonatal infection.