Foodborne diseases are increasing at an alarming rate, thereby eliciting constant threat to public health worldwide. Approximately, 200 foodborne cases are caused due to ingestion of contaminated food each year. In developing countries, unhygienic practices are main reasons for foodborne diseases. Precise estimate of population-based data on food borne illnessesare scarce in Pakistan. This review focuses to elucidate etiological cause of foodborne diseases dominant in Pakistan from 1990 to 2018. Various databases were searched, and 88 articles related to foodborne diseases were identified. Around 59 articles were included on quality assessment criteria. We determined dominant pathogens associated with foodborne diseases among all provinces of Pakistan. High numbers of foodborne diseases were reported in Sindh. Whereas, Salmonella was determined asprimary cause of foodborne ailments. Most of the reported data on antibiotic resistance was unavailable. Shagella spp were first reported for antibiotic resistance in 1990, and E. coli was reported for multi-drug resistance in 1998. Nevertheless, S. aureus was reported for Methicillinresistant in 2015-16. This study summarize various sources responsible forfood-borne illness, of which unhygienic conditions, poor sanitation systems, lack of proper infrastructure and continuous influx of refugees plays key role in escalation of morbidity rate in the region. We emphasize need of active surveillance system in reducing foodborne outbreaks in future and enable policy makers to set appropriate goals in food safety area. Keywords AFood control, drug resistance, food safety, Pakistan

Introduction: Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a lethal infectious disease that persists as a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality. The antimicrobial drug resistance in BM pathogens poses a major threat to the community while raising challenges for clinicians. For the first time, we elucidate the incidence rate of BM and its drug resistance among the population of Quetta, Balochistan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted (from January 2018 to March 2021) among meningitis patients admitted to government hospitals in Quetta. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimen was collected and processed for microbiological and cytological analysis. Bacterial isolates were identified and confirmed using phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. Results: We found 35.9% (321/894) confirmed cases of BM among the population of Quetta, Balochistan. The identified bacterial isolates comprised Streptococcus pneumoniae 14.7% (130/894), Staphylococcus aureus 6.9% (61/894), Neisseria meningitidis 5.7% (51/ 894), Haemophilus influenzae 2.5% (22/894), Escherichia coli 4.5% (40/894), and Klebsiella pneumoniae 1.9% (17/894). A high percentage in male patients of 20.8% (186/894) was identified as compared to female patients of 15.1% (135/894). Extreme age groups such as infants (age range: 1 month to 1 year) and adults (age range: 61 years to 99 years) with low immunity were critically affected by BM. Clinical parameters such as abnormal CSF appearance, pH, and high WBCs in BM patients with endocarditis as the underlying disease were significantly at elevated risk of fatal outcome. 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis confirmed the evolutionary similarity of isolated strains with prevailing pathogenic strains in Asia. Furthermore, age was identified as a significant risk factor for clinical outcomes. Conclusion:The majority of the identified BM patients belonged to rural areas with limited health-care facilities and paramedic staff. The high case fatality rate 11% demonstrates increased antibiotic resistance among BM isolates, thereby stimulating its devastation in underdeveloped regions. Timely detection and intensive treatment of BM may improve critical outcomes in patients.

Marine microbes are known for their bioactive compounds in various industries. Similarly, marine bacteria are vital in sustainability of aquaculture around the world. Despite its essential role in synthesis of bioactive compounds, commercial use of marine bacteria as probiotics in aquaculture industry is the neglected sector in the world. Few developed countries are utilizing the probiotics in aquaculture industry while rest of the world has not considered it as an option. Probiotics can target wide spectrum of issues in aquaculture industry from reducing pollutants to a source of disease treatment that can be exploited accordingly. Marine bacteria are selected via rigorous processes to isolate potential probiotic. These probiotics are known for targeting various sites for competition, chemicals present in the environment, produce inhibitory substances to prevent fungal, bacterial, viral infection, augment stress conditions, and boost immunity. In this review we will highlight the importance of marine bacteria as potential source of probiotics in aquaculture industry. We aimed to highlight the challenges faced by aquaculture industry to emphasize the gravity of this issue. Finally, we stress on the advantages on marine probiotics and the methods that can be employed to identify potential probiotics. Marine bacteria are identified via series of processes involving pre-experimental screening in which the marine bacteria are isolated, cultured and tested for its activities in favor of host health. Second is experimental screening in which the microbe is delivered to aquaculture host and the results are observed. If the results are substantially robust in terms of improving health, the probiotic is approved for final screening tests. Finally, in post-experimental screening, the marine bacteria are identified to its strain level and assessed whether it has the potential to be used as probiotics and can be produced as mass culture. Further research is essential to identify promising bacteria and effectively utilize them in the aquaculture culture industry. It is crucial to aware farmers regarding the economic importance of aquaculture at an industrial scale to boost economy but produce quality seafood.

Plants are exposed to a wide variety of microbes in the environment. Owing to the diverse range of microbes, a complex set of molecular mechanisms mediate the plant-microbe interactions. These interactions, consequently, may be presented in the form of benefi cial or harmful effects on plants. On receiving a specifi c stimulation from the host, certain plant-associated microbes improve plant growth and development. They colonize the host plant and either contribute to nitrogen fi xation process or suppress the invasion of pathogenic microbes. Moreover, they also enhance the acquisition of nutrients by the plant based on the mycorrhizal association. Plants also release a variety of secondary metabolites that disturb the microbial growth and availability of nutrition to these pathogenic microbes. The interaction between plants and microbes is mediated by very specifi c signaling molecules that allow only the compatible bacteria to colonize the plant. Albeit the specifi city, a number of pathogens have evolved mechanisms to overtake plant defense resulting in plant diseases. The study of genomics of plant-microbe interaction and the signaling pathways involved in the process offer an interesting avenue for the improvement of biological and agricultural outcomes. Research in this fi eld can help in improving the background knowledge on plant tolerance to various biotic stress factors. Moreover, understanding the genomics of plant interaction may benefi t crop productivity by exploiting the signaling pathways and designing suitable interventional strategies. The current chapter provides an account of the essential microbial genes and pathways involved in plant-microbe interaction.