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Background: Management of ever growing multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria becomes one of the biggest threats to public health worldwide. The situation is worsening due to lack of new generation antimicrobials in the arsenal of the clinicians. Development of new alternatives to the conventional antimicrobial agents is the need of the hour to control the menace of AMR. Plants based products are attractive alternatives with proven efficacy but needs scientific investigation to explore their potential antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antiquorum sensing activities against major bacterial pathogens of human and animals. The present study was conducted to explore the antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antiquorum sensing activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of leaf, flower, fruit and stem of the Himalayan yellow raspberry (Rubus ellipticus) against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Methods: E. coli and S. aureus were isolated and identified from diarrhoeic pigs and poultry and mastitic milk of cattle of Mizoram, respectively. Leaf, flower, fruit and stem/bark of R. ellipticus were collected from Mizoram and extracted by methanol and aqueous solvents. The antimicrobial activity and MIC was determined by well diffusion method and 96 wells microtiter plate method, respectively. Antibiofilm activity of plant extracts was determined in 96 well tissue culture plate. Antiquorum sensing activity was determined by disc diffusion method. Result: Methanol leaf extract exhibited antimicrobial activity against S. aureus with 19 mm and 7 mm zone of inhibition at 200 mg/mL and 12.5 mg/mL, respectively. Methanol fruit extract also showed antimicrobial activity against S. aureus only. Highest and lowest activities were observed at 200 mg/mL and 25 mg/mL concentrations with 15 mm and 7 mm zone of inhibition, respectively. No antimicrobial activities by either of the extracts were observed against E. coli isolates. The MIC of R. ellipticus methanol leaf and fruit extracts against S. aureus was 0.203125 mg/mL and 0.8125 mg/mL, respectively. The methanol leaf (86.60%) and stem (85.60%) extracts of R. ellipticus showed significant antibiofilm activity against S. aureus isolates, whereas methanol fruit (89.20%) extracts exhibited antibiofilm activity against E. coli isolates at the concentration of 0.05 mg/mL. Significant antiquorum sensing (QS) activities was exhibited by the methanol leaf extract of R. ellipticus at 200 mg/mL concentration against E. coli. This is the first ever report on antibiofilm and anti QS activities of the R. ellipticus plant extracts against E. coli and S. aureus bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Development and persistence of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria is considered to be one of the biggest threats to public health worldwide. Development of new antimicrobial agents and alternatives to the conventional antimicrobial agents to control the menace of AMR is the need of the hour. Plants based products can be effectively explored as potential antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antiquorum sensing agents against major bacterial pathogens of human and animals. This present study was conducted to explore the antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antiquorum sensing activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of leaf, flower, fruit and stem of Melastoma malabathricum against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Methods: E. coli and S. aureus were isolated and identified from diarrhoeic pigs and poultry and mastitic milk of cattle of Mizoram, respectively. Leaf, flower, fruit and stem of M. malabathricum were collected from Mizoram and extracted by methanol and aqueous solvents. The antimicrobial activity and MIC was determined by using well diffusion method and 96 wells microtiter plate method, respectively. Antibiofilm activity of plant extracts was determined in 96 well tissue culture plate. Antiquorum sensing activity was determined by disc diffusion method. Result: Methanol leaf extract exhibited antimicrobial activity against E. coli but not against S. aureus with 18 mm and 6 mm zone of inhibition at 200 mg/mL and 12.5 mg/mL, respectively. Methanol flower extract showed antimicrobial activity against S. aureus but not against E. coli with 14 mm and 6 mm zone of inhibitions at 200 mg/ml and 12.5 mg/mL, respectively. Similarly, the aqueous leaf extract showed antimicrobial activity against S. aureus but not against E. coli with 12 mm and 6 mm zone of inhibition at 200 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL, respectively. The MIC of M. malabathricum methanol leaf extract against E. coli was 3.125 mg/mL, whereas the MIC value of methanol flower and leaf extracts was 6.25 mg/mL against S. aureus. Antibiofilm activity of M. malabathricum methanol leaf, methanol flower and aqueous leaf extracts was recorded only against S. aureus isolates with maximum inhibition at 0.05 mg/mL concentration. Good antiquorum sensing activities was exhibited by the M. malabathricum methanol leaf, methanol flower and aqueous leaf extracts against S. aureus isolates at 200 mg/mL concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transboundary animal diseases (TADs) are a serious threat to food security and human health. North-East India shares international borders with five countries that include China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan. Geographical locations and climatic conditions of North East India with respect to other parts of India are different. Although this part of the country is well known for its natural beauty, customs and unique cultures but the porous international borders made it highly prone to TADs. The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) in pigs is believed to be entered in Mizoram, India from Myanmar. The recent outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in India are also initiated in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and originated from China. The vulnerability of this region to be a potential entry point for TADs, which might have potential zoonotic value, warrants a critical review of the border situation of NER India. The current review emphasizes on awareness about TADs and the factors responsible for their emergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Illegal migration of pigs/piglets from Myanmar to Mizoram is a common practice to meet the local demands. The migrated animals are suspected as potential carrier of various microbial pathogens. The present study was conducted on isolation, identification and molecular characterization of major bacterial pathogens (Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Haemophilus parasuis, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida) in pigs illegally migrated from Myanmar to Mizoram. Methods: A total of 209 rectal swabs and 209 nasal swabs were collected from apparently healthy migrated pigs during October 2018 to April, 2019. All the samples were processed for PCR based detection of target bacterial species followed by isolation and identification by bacteriological techniques. The bacterial species were further confirmed by BD Phoenix automated bacterial identification system and selected virulence genes of the bacterial species were determined by specific PCR assay. Result: By species specific PCR, 110 samples were found to be positive for selected bacterial species, of which 20 (9.57%), 1 (0.478%), 86 (41.15%), 2 (0.956%) and 1 (0.478%) were A. pleuropneumoniae, B. bronchiseptica, H. parasuis, M. hyopneumoniae and P. multocida, respectively. A total of 52 bacterial strains were isolated and identified, of which 11, 1, 39 and 1 were A. pleuropneumoniae, B. bronchiseptica, H. parasuis, M. hyopneumoniae and P. multocida, respectively. Virulence genes were detected in A. pleuropneumoniae and H. parasuis isolates. Based upon the published literatures, this is the first ever report of isolation and identification of pathogenic A. pleuropneumoniae and H. parasuis in pigs in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black Bengal goats are mainly reared by economically weak farmers under extensive/semi-intensive systems. This breed is very famous for excellent quality meat and high valued skin. At present, phenomenon of gradual shrinkage of grazing land is forcing farmers to adopt goat rearing by intensive management system (IMS). Therefore, assessment of production performance of goats under IMS would help to devise better management for higher profits. Goats managed under IMS revealed that from birth, body weight of animals increased linearly up to 2 ½ years of age, thereafter, body weight did not show any significant changes. Body weight was stabilized between 2-3 years of age. From birth to 3 months age body weight enhanced by 164%, subsequently by 152% from 3 to 6 months age, then by 14 and 28% in next 3 months intervals, which warranted targeting better management during 6-12 months of age to achieve more body mass production. Seasons non-significantly (P>0.05) influenced growth rate (g/day), highest in summer (30.78±5.30) and lowest in rainy (24.15±2.10). Male kids had higher (P<0.01) growth rate (29.72±2.62) than females kids (24.73±2.95). Reproduction showed higher proportions of female birth (60.17%) as compared to male (39.83%). Goats had reproductive efficiency of 50.98% singles, 43.14% twins and 5.88% triplets under IMS. The in-house production environment of IMS was stressful being THI 86-90 in summer and rainy seasons, and 77-80 in winter seasons. The flooring hygiene (1-4 scale) of goat houses in IMS ranged from 3.18±0.08 to 3.72±0.06 in wooden to concrete floors. It was recommended that targeting for higher growth rates during 6-12 months of age and increase in proportions of multiple births might enhance productivity and profitability of Black Bengal goat farming under IMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimum nutritional condition of dairy cows during the different stages of production is highly recommended. Production of high quality milk is the primary goal of every herdsman. However, improper nutrition of dairy cows leads to different unwanted ailments and disease losses. This becomes a burden for dairy owners. Most commonly, dairy cow undergoes negative energy balance (NEBL) condition due to improper dry matter intake (DMI). DMI in proper amount provides good nutrition for the dairy animals. There is a common trend of depressed DMI during the transition and the initial lactation period of high-producing animals. Following which elevated levels of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), undesired body condition stages, lowered production performances, poor milk quality, and inferior udder health status of dairy cows are observed. Both over-conditioned and under-conditioned bodies of the dairy animal are more at risk of NEBL thereby posing a negative impact on behavioral and production performance. This review is framed to discuss the effect of negative energy balance on the behavior and production performance of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]