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Background: The intestinal microbiota, through complex interactions with the gut mucosa, play a key role in the pathogenesis of colon carcinoma and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The disease condition and dietary habits both influence gut microbial diversity. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the gut microbial profile of healthy subjects and patients with colon carcinoma and IBD. Healthy subjects included ‘Indian vegetarians/lactovegetarians’, who eat plant produce, milk and milk products, and ‘Indian non-vegetarians’, who eat plant produce, milk and milk products, certain meats and fish, and the eggs of certain birds and fish. ‘Indian vegetarians’ are different from ‘vegans’, who do not eat any foods derived wholly or partly from animals, including milk products. Design: Stool samples were collected from healthy Indian vegetarians/lactovegetarians and non-vegetarians, and colon cancer and IBD patients. Clonal libraries of 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of bacteria were created from each sample. Clones were sequenced from one representative sample of each group. Approximately 500 white colonies were picked at random from each sample and 100 colonies were sequenced after amplified rDNA restriction analysis. Results: The dominant phylum from the healthy vegetarian was Firmicutes (34%), followed by Bacteroidetes (15%). The balance was reversed in the healthy non-vegetarian (Bacteroidetes 84%, Firmicutes 4%; ratio 21:1). The colon cancer and IBD patients had higher percentages of Bacteroidetes (55% in both) than Firmicutes (26% and 12%, respectively) but lower Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratios (3.8:1 and 2.4:1, respectively) than the healthy non-vegetarian. Bacterial phyla of Verrucomicrobiota and Actinobacteria were detected in 23% and 5% of IBD and colon patients, respectively. Conclusions: Ribosomal Database Project profiling of gut flora in this study population showed remarkable differences, with unique diversity attributed to different diets and disease conditions.

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the caries protective factors, salivary parameters, and microbial counts in high caries risk children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Setting: This study was conducted in a tertiary health care teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. Participants: The study was conducted in 40 children, 20 with CL/P and 20 without aged between 5 and 12 years. Methods: Children with 2 or more caries lesions in both groups were included in this study. Demographic details, dental caries of affected teeth (World Health Organization criteria for Decayed Missing Filled Teeth [WHO-DMFT] and International Caries Detection and Assessment System [ICDAS II]), caries protective factors, salivary parameters, and microbial counts were recorded by one calibrated investigator. Main Outcome Measures: Caries protective factors, salivary parameters, and microbial profile. Results: The Chi-square (χ2) test and Pearson correlation were used for statistical analysis. All the children participating in the study brushed their teeth only once in a day and consumed sweets more than twice a day. None of the children had ever received fluoride varnish. Resting saliva had a low buffering capacity in 80% of children with CL/P and 95% of children without CL/P. Microbial assessment of stimulated saliva showed that with the increases in the numbers (DMFT scores ≥4) and severity (ICDAS codes from 1-2 to 5-6) of caries lesions, both Streptococci and Lactobacilli counts were ≥105 colony-forming units/mL of saliva in the both groups. Conclusions: Children with CL/P showed limited access to caries protective measures and low buffering capacity in resting saliva, along with elevated levels of salivary Streptococci and Lactobacilli in stimulated saliva.

Diagnosing Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) remains a clinical challenge. A monobacterial growth in standard urine culture is diagnostic while polymicrobial growth is usually considered as contaminants. However, in certain cases, true mixed infections may exist making it important to correctly identify the pathogens and streamline the therapy. Communication between the clinician and microbiologist is essential to establish the right diagnosis at right time. Here, we would like to share our experience about a polymicrobial UTI in a paediatric patient in which coordinated discussion between the clinical team and microbiologist was helpful for favourable outcome.

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