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Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) serve as the causative agent for fish tuberculosis which is a chronic progressive disease covering a vast range of cultured and wild, freshwater and marine environments in different climatic conditions. Detection of environmental Mycobacteria in a conventional way is generally dependent on the basis of phenotypic, histopathological and biochemical characterization. The present study focused on the distribution and occurrence of mycobacterial pathogens in clinically infected fishes of a variety of species, water and soils from different aquaculture sources in West Bengal, India. Samples were collected from four distinct regions where fishes were examined for granulomatous inflammation. A total of 161 fishes, 127 water and 97 soil samples were examined and 132 (81.98 %), 65 (51.18 %) and 36 (37.11 %) appeared as acid-fast positive respectively. Presences of acid-fast bacteria within necrotic tissue of infected fishes were detected by Zn staining. Morphology, biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing of bacteria were satisfactory to show the acid-fast bacilli belong to the Genus Mycobacteria. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was carried out to analyze the rpoB gene sequencing to confirm Mycobacteria down to the species level. Ten different NTM species were identified using PCR-RFLP analysis. Mycobacterium fortuitum type I was the most abundantly isolated species among all the sample sources. The present study suggests that water play a major role in the epidemiology of environmental Mycobacteria, infecting aquatic organisms and conducting potential public health hazard, especially those who are immune-compromised individual.

Objectives We aimed to evaluate blood pressure (BP) in Indian children who had similar demographic characteristics but hailed from different altitudes. Methods BP of school going children, aged 5 to 12 years, at five different locations varying in altitude (near sea level: n = 425; 2000 feet: n = 244; 4000 feet: n = 248; 6000 feet: n = 242 and 8000 feet: n = 250) was measured in a mountainous district in Himalaya. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were recorded by aneroid sphygmomanometer in the sitting posture using a calibrated instrument and four trained resident doctors. The average of three readings was taken. Results Of the 1229 children whose data were analyzed, 50.4% were boys. SBP showed a progressive rise from 99.5 (4.00) mmHg [mean (standard deviation)] at near sea level to 106.7 (4.17) mmHg at 8000 feet. Similarly, DBP showed a rise from 60.1 (3.67) mmHg to 66.8 (4.58) mmHg over the same altitude range. Analysis of covariance for BP variation with altitude, with age as covariate, indicated a modest but statistically significant rise in both SBP and DBP with altitude. Higher BP values was noted among children residing at higher than at lower altitude (0.8% at sea level to 18.8% at 8000 feet). Correlations between SBP and DBP values and height and weight, though positive and significant at p Conclusions These data will help in correct interpretation of BP readings in children residing at high altitude.

Background and objectives Assessing the co-infections with COVID-19 is crucial to delineate its true clinical impact. Pediatric information in this aspect is limited. Our study aims to analyze the spectrum of co-infections in pediatric COVID-19 patients and determine the clinical as well as laboratory parameters predicting co-infection. Methodology In this prospective observational study conducted from June to December 2020 in a single tertiary care institution, data pertaining to demographic, illness and treatment-related variables were analyzed among two subsets of pediatric patients of age 1 month–12 years with RT–PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection-Group A: those with confirmed co-infection and Group B: moderate to severe disease without co-infection. Among Group A, etiology of co-infection was characterized through relevant microbiological examination within 48 h admission. Result Among our study population, 15.03% and 20.6% had co-infections and moderate to severe disease respectively. Among those with confirmed co-infection, 32.5%, 11.6% and 6.97% recorded blood culture, respiratory secretion and CSF growth, respectively, the picture being dominated by Methicillin resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Serum serology demonstrated Scrub typhus infection to be most prevalent. Concurrent respiratory viral infections were seen in 11.6%. Children with co-infection had significantly higher morbidity and need for supportive therapy. Predictors of co-infection were localization of infection, Neutrophil count ≥10×109, age-specific lymphopenia, CRP > 100 mg/dl and hyperferritinemia. Conclusion Co-infections are an important factor prognosticating pediatric COVID infection. Their early detection, prompt and appropriate treatment is of paramount importance.

The deltaic Sundarbans, also known as the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR), consisting of mangrove ecosystems, are known for their rich taxonomic diversity of flora and fauna. The microbial community of Sundarbans provides multiple services to mankind starting from the production of bioactive substances to the maintenance of biogeochemical cycles. The Indian Sundarban is divided into three sectors depending on salinity, mainly the hyposaline region in the eastern and western parts of the deltaic complex and the central hypersaline sector. In all these sectors, the microbial community has not been studied in detail in terms of salinity and other environmental variables. The microbial community of deltaic Sundarban includes bacteria, fungi, cyanobacteria and phytoplankton in the ambient aquatic phase. A wide spectrum of bacterial strains are found in the detritus/litter of this complex environment and are thought to be associated with the benthic fauna/flora. These microbes vary depending on their niche specificity and form a heterogeneous association within the communities that directly affects the food web. Identified bacterium such as Bacillus spp., Brevibacterium spp., Clostridium spp., Corynebacterium spp. and Kurthia spp. are found to be proteolytic in nature, while Bacillus alvei, Kurthia bessoni and Brevibacterium spp. exhibit chitinolytic, ammonifying and pectinolytic properties, respectively. Analysis of estuarine water during 2017-18 confirms that the total coliform load varied from 620–1700 MPN/100 mL in Kakdwip (western Indian Sundarbans), 490–1300 MPN/100 mL in Canning (central Indian Sundarbans) and 170–600 MPN/100 mL in Bagmara (eastern Indian Sundarbans), respectively. The total coliforms recorded in the sediments of Kakdwip, Canning and Bagmara were 18.5–130 MPN/g, 9.5–90 MPN/g and 5–40 MPN/g, respectively. Industrial discharges from the port-cum-industrial complex of Haldia along with large number of mechanized and non-mechanized boats involved in fishing activities, make this region contaminated with different microbial population. The Canning zone has a high load of heterotrophs due to unorganized fishing, while in the region adjacent to Bangladesh and within the core zone of the mangrove forest (eastern Sundarbans), lowest microbial count is observed, which may be attributed to minimum anthropogenic activity in the region.

Objective: To investigate granuloma associated mycobacteriosis in Pampus argenteus (P. argenteus) (silver pomfrets) and its seasonal prevalence in marine and coastal aquaculture systems of West Bengal, India. Methods: P. argenteus having granulomatous infection were sampled from coastal areas of East Midnapore District of West Bengal from January 2014 to December 2015, encompassing the various seasons. Tissue samples were collected for confirmation by biochemical studies and their prevalence and degree of infection and histopathology was conducted. Results: A total of 197 fishes having haemorrhage like infections in skin and viscera were confirmed for mycobacteria by biochemical analysis, with prevalence of 22.6%. Post-winter season showed higher prevalence (47.97%) followed by winter (35.25%), pre-winter (27.81%), summer (12.5%) and rainy season (2.57%) respectively. Histopathological assessment showed necrotic granuloma in skin, gills and some internal tissues. Ziehl-Neelsen staining of infected tissue samples showed the deposition of acid fast organisms causing swelling and haemorrhages in the tissues. Severity of infection was evaluated by mean cumulative granuloma score (7.89) score. Majority of the acid fast bacilli were recovered from skin, gills and other organs. Biochemical assessment of the acid fast rods confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium spp. Conclusions: The result suggests that the nontuberculous mycobacterial species are responsible for the granulomatous infection in P. argenteus. This infection seems to be influenced by environmental temperature, with the lower temperature favoring the pathogens.

The disease termed as ‘Ulcerative disease’ or ‘Erythematous disease’ is found in fishes and fish handlers and is caused by a group of waterborne Mycobacterium spp. called non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The wounds are frequently invaded by secondary pathogens like Aeromonas spp. which is ubiquitous in nature. NTMs are free-living bacterium inhabiting water bodies, causing skin lesions in fish and fish handlers. The secondary invaders are natural inhabitants and are found in excess due to anthropogenic pollution in aquatic environments affecting the fishes and human subjects as low-level latent infectants in wounds caused by NTM. This study highlights the various aspects mycobacteriosis followed by secondary infection and hemorrhagic septicemia caused by Aeromonas spp. in the state of West Bengal (WB), India. NTM and Aeromonas spp. samples were examined from different districts of WB. In the case of Fish handlers, NTM infection as well as Aeromonas spp. infected wounds were highly significant (correlation coefficient (ρ) 0.859, p