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Introduction: Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) has an affinity for multiple organs and causes a myriad of clinical diseases depending on the host’s immunological and haematological status. The seroprevalence of human parvovirus B19 has mostly been studied in haematological disorders, but there is still a lack of data on B19V seroprevalence in extra-haematological disorders. Aim: To study the seroprevalence of B19V in haematological and extra-haematological disorders. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at the Microbiology Laboratory of Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Data was collected from September 2017 to September 2020, and data analysis was done from October 2020 to January 2021. A total of 702 serum samples from patients suspected of B19V infection were received over a threeyear duration for parvovirus B19 antibody testing. Of these, 674 serum samples were included in the study as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The prevalence of B19V antibodies in different clinical disorders was investigated by collecting patient details like age, gender, underlying clinical disorder, and B19Vspecific Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies detected by quantitative enzyme immunoassay on all serum samples suspected of B19V infection using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 software. The Chi-square test was used to analyse statistically significant variables. Results: B19V-specific IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in 35.7% (241/674) of the serum samples received over a three-year duration. The positivity rate was 94 (13.9%) for IgG, 108 (16%) for IgM, and 39 (5.8%) for both IgG and IgM. The positivity in adults aged 18 years and over (39.6% or 160/404) was statistically significantly higher compared to children aged 17 years and younger (30% or 81/270) (p=0.0109). Among the 241 B19V-positive patients, 126 (52.3%) had haematological disorders, and 115 (47.7%) had extra-haematological disorders. The total positivity of IgG plus IgM antibodies was highest in musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders (33 (54.1%) and haematological disorders 126 (48.3%). Conclusion: The B19V seroprevalence was relatively low in the present study compared to most serological studies conducted in other regions. The present study provides information on the seroprevalence of B19V in both haematological and extrahaematological disorders simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Achromobacter causes opportunistic nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients with high mortality. It is underreported as it is often misidentified by conventional microbiological methods. Aims: The aim of the study is to access the clinicomicrobiological profile and antibiogram of Achromobacter spp. from clinical isolates. Materials and Methods: It is an observational study done from July 2020 to December 2021 in our hospital. All nonduplicate isolates of Achromobacter from blood and respiratory samples were initially identified with VITEK-2 GN card system and further confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Antibiogram and treatment outcomes were also studied. Results: Achromobacter spp. was isolated from 14 patients. Blood samples yielded most isolates (71.4%; n = 10) followed by tracheal aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Bacteremia followed by pneumonia was the most common clinical manifestation of Achromobacter infection. All the isolates were identified as A. xylosoxidans denitrificans and showed 100% susceptibility to minocycline and piperacillin-tazobactam. Diabetes mellitus and malignancy were the most common underlying condition in these patients. A favorable outcome was seen in 78.6% of the individuals with timely institution of antibiotics and proper diagnosis. Conclusion: Infections due to Achromobacter are on the rise in developing countries like India. Resistance to many classes of antimicrobials makes its treatment more challenging therefore it should always be guided by antibiograms. The present study highlights the significance of this rare bacterium in patients with malignancies in India and advocates greater vigilance toward appropriate identification of this organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Burkholderia cepacia complex consists of 24 species of microorganisms that include B. cepacia, Burkholderia multivorans, Burkholderia cenocepacia, Burkholderia vietnamiensis, Burkholderia ambifaria, and many more. It is a ubiquitous microorganism found in the soil and aquatic milieu. The most common infections caused by these isolates include bacteremia, pneumonia, genital tract infections, and surgical wound infections. Their potential to cause nosocomial outbreaks inward of immunocompromised patients is well known. Case Description: In this case report, we describe two cases of community-acquired Burkholderia vietnamese bacteremia in patients suffering from B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern to guide the treatment of these individuals. Conclusion: The identification of rare opportunistic pathogens like B. vietnamese and adequate treatment in the pandemic-ridden era is the need of the hour due to a rise in immunocompromised conditions owing to the rigorous use of antimicrobials and steroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebrospinal infections are the cause of poor prognosis among post-neurosurgery patients owing to delay in improvement of neurological functions, leading to increased length of hospital stay, proceeding to disability or death. Methods and materials: This retrospective observational study was performed at a tertiary care center in Northern India, where all patients with bacterial cerebrospinal infections from July 2019 to July 2022 were evaluated for post-neurosurgery cerebrospinal shunt infections, and all demographic data and risk factors were extracted from the hospital information system (HIS). Results: The study includes 150 (150/1986, 7.55%) culture-confirmed cases of bacterial meningitis out of 1986 cases of suspected bacterial meningitis patients. Ninety-six (96/150, 64.0%) post-neurosurgery patients with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks were managed using external ventricular drain (EVD) or ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt. Seventy-four (74/96, 77.08%) patients were managed only on EVD, whereas 22 (22/96, 22.92%) patients were managed only on VP shunt. Eighty-two (82/96, 85.4%) multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDROs)were isolated and 70 (70/82, 85.36%) were Gram-negative bacteria, of which 56 (56/74, 75.68%) Gram-negative bacteria showed extended-spectrum betalactamase (ESBL)-producing character in those with an EVD, 14 (14/22, 63.63%) with a VP shunt. Among Gram-negative bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii showed high rates of resistance: 21 (21/23, 91.30%) and 8 (8/8, 100%) were ESBL-producing A. baumannii in patients managed on EVD and VP shunt, respectively. Conclusion: This study determines the risk factors, the spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms, multidrug resistance, and the nature of intracranial lesions isolated among the patients who developed bacterial cerebrospinal infections in post-neurosurgery patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is purely a viral illness which is not affected by the usage of antibiotics, but the risk of development of secondary bacterial infections during the course of respiratory illness or hospitalisation has led to a surge of antibiotic use. Anti-microbial resistance has taken an upward trend to some of the commonly used or over-used antibiotics. The present study was planned to focus on the trends of resistance rates noticed for the common antibiotics, namely, doxycycline, azithromycin, and so on, before and after the advent of this pandemic. Material and Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital of North India with 2000 samples, 1000 samples between March 2019 and March 2020 before the COVID pandemic and 1000 samples between April 2020 and April 2021 after the advent of the pandemic. Identification and zones for doxycycline and erythromycin were interpreted as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Results: Among the various samples, pus/aspirated fluids were in majority (47%), followed by blood (29%), respiratory specimens (18%), and urine (6%). On stratifying the various pathogens associated with the treatment of doxycycline and erythromycin, Staphylococcus species were the predominant ones in almost 82% of the cases, followed by Enterococcus (12%) and Streptococcus (6%) species. For doxycycline, the overall sensitivity was noted to be 46% in the year 2019-20 and 31% in the year 2020-21, whereas for erythromycin, the sensitivity was seen as 39% in 2019-20 and dropped down to 26% in 2020-21. Conclusions: The authors noted a dip in the overall sensitivity towards doxycycline and azithromycin. This finding clearly indicates the increasing rates of antibiotic resistance in a developing country such as India during these COVID times. A proper anti-microbial stewardship programme during these times will help to de-escalate the increasing resistance rates and will prove to be of great help to the primary care physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achromobacter xylosoxidans subspecies denitrificans flourishes in presence of oxygen, commonly isolated from aquatic milieu. It is rarely implicated as the causative agent of endocarditis. It is not known to cause virulent infections in patients but causes severe infections in immunosuppressed patients with underlying co-morbidities. Present report is first case of Achromobacter xylosoxidans prosthetic valve endocarditis from India. This case report accounts for a 47-year-old man, suffering from Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), who presented to the cardiology emergency with chief complaints of remitting type high-grade fever for years years followed by persistent fever for 10 days. On echocardiography and positively flagged BACTEC blood culture reports was diagnosed as a case of Achromobacter xylosoxidans subspecies denitrificans bacteraemia and prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis. Antibiotics were started according to the susceptibility testing but the patient could not complete the course of treatment as he developed dyspnoea and cardiac arrest following which he could not be resuscitated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochrobactrum intermedium (O. intermedium) is a novel emerging gram negative bacillus infecting immunocompromised hosts. It is known for its multidrug resistance and to distinguish it from other species of Ochrobactrum genus by conventional methods, is often difficult. Here, authors report two unusual and interesting cases of bacterial infection due to O. intermedium in a 28-yearold female and 46-year-old male having Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection. Rapid identification by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Time Of Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and patient's treatment guided by antibiotic sensitivity yielded in favourable outcome. Present report describes clinical and microbiological characteristics of this rare pathogen and also highlights the need of automated methods for proper identification of such opportunistic pathogens and their unique antibiotic susceptibility profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]