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The availability of generic direct acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment has prompted many low-and-middle-income countries to launch HCV elimination programs. Because the efficacy of some of these generic DAAs varies by HCV viral subtype, information on subtype distribution can contribute important information to these elimination programs. We conducted a cross-sectional serosurvey to characterize HCV subtype diversity among HIV positive people who inject drugs (PWID) across 14 cities in India. Of 801 HIV positive PWID sampled, 639 tested HCV antibody positive (78.9%). Among 105 samples sequenced, genotype 3 (58.1%) was the most commonly observed followed by genotype 1 (36.2%) and genotype 6 (5.7%). Of the genotype 3 infections, 65% were subtype 3a and 35% were subtype 3b. Of the genotype 1 infections, 94% were subtype 1a and 6% were subtype 1b. All genotype 6 samples were subtype 6n. There was some variability in genotype diversity depending on geographic region and PWID epidemic stage with greater diversity observed in older PWID epidemics. One sequence, HY018, did not cluster with any known reference sequences in phylogenetic analysis. Nearly 80% of HIV infected PWID across India are co-infected with HCV, and subtype prevalence and genetic diversity varied by region and PWID epidemic stage. HCV elimination programs in India will need to consider HCV subtype.

The study aimed to determine the prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection among HIV-infected persons and to evaluate the use of a pooling strategy to detect occult HBV infection in the setting of HIV infection. Five hundred and two HIV-positive individuals were tested for HBV, occult HBV and hepatitis C and D with serologic and nucleic acid testing (NAT). We also evaluated a pooled NAT strategy for screening occult HBV infection among the HIV-positive individuals. The prevalence of HBV infection among HIV-positive individuals was 32 (6.4%), and occult HBV prevalence was 10%. The pooling HBV NAT had a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 100%, compared to HBV DNA NAT of individual samples. In conclusion, this study found a high prevalence of occult HBV infection among our HIV-infected population. We also demonstrated that pooled HBV NAT is highly specific, moderately sensitive and cost-effective. As conventional HBV viral load assays are expensive in resource-limited settings such as India, pooled HBV DNA NAT might be a good way for detecting occult HBV infection and will reduce HBV-associated complications.

The article discusses the antibiogram studies of Salmonella enterica isolated from samples collected from poultry, poultry environment and poultry related products in India. Topics covered include isolation and identification of the 21 isolates, their 100 % sensitivity to antibiotic Ciprofloxacin, and their lack of sensitivity to Oxytetracycline. It also cites the isolates' sensitivity to other antibiotics like Enrofloxacin and Norfloxacin and the multidrug resistance in 33.1% of the isolates.

Abstract: A 2-year set of profile data from Ovari to Kanyakumari Beach, SE India has been analysed by using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) techniques to identify characteristic patterns of temporal and spatial variation in the sediment volume of the beaches. The results show that variation in the sediment volume of the beach is determined by interaction between the biennial and seasonal exchanges. EOF analysis the pattern of alongshore sediment exchange along the study area. The method facilitated separation of onshore-offshore and alongshore modes of sediment transfer and identification of the patterns of alongshore sediment exchange. The eigenfunction modes confirm the dominance of biennial, annual, and biannual sediment transfers occurring on study area. The sediment movement along the shoreline of study area is mainly governed by the forces associated with the incoming waves and the availability of sediments within the area. The present investigation has been made as an attempt to appreciate the sediment movement in relation to wave activity along the coast. The longshore sediment transport is intensive in the northerly direction as compared to southerly direction. The normal condition is for and to be moved annually or more frequently in the shallows and on the beach. Waves and wave-driven currents cause longshore drift of sand along the beach and offshore. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]