Tackling the COVID-19 pandemic: the Bangladesh perspective

An outbreak of a COVID-19 pandemic disease, caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has posed a serious threat to global human health. Bangladesh has also come under the attack of this viral disease. Here, we aimed to describe the responses of Bangladesh to tackle the COVID-19, particularly on how Bangladesh is dealing with this novel viral disease with its limited resources. The first case of a COVID-19 patient was detected in Bangladesh on March 8, 2020. Since then, a total of 263,503 peoples are officially reported as COVID-19 infected with 3,471 deaths until August 11, 2020. To combat the COVID-19, the government has taken various steps viz. diagnosis of the suspected cases, quarantine of doubted people and isolation of infected patients, local or regional lockdown, closure of all government and private offices, increase public awareness and enforce social distancing, etc. Moreover, to address the socio-economic situations, the government announced several financial stimulus packages of about USD 11.90 billion. However, the government got 3 months since the disease was first reported in China, but the country failed in making proper strategies including contact tracing, introducing antibody/antigen-based rapid detection kit, and also failed to make multi-disciplinary team to combat this disease. Further, limited testing facilities and inadequate treatment service along with public unawareness are the major challenges for Bangladesh to tackle this situation effectively. Along with the government, personal awareness and assistance of non-government organizations, private organizations, researchers, doctors, industrialists, and international organizations are firmly required to mitigate this highly contagious disease

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria promote growth and enhance nutrient uptake by wheat

Phosphorus (P) fixation limits availability of P to plants in tropical soil, which is a major constraint for crop production. The aim of our research was to isolate, screen and characterize phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) from wheat and evaluate their efficacy in P nutrition in wheat. Upon screening, 9 isolates showing varying level of phosphate solubilizing activity in both agar plate and broth assays using Pikovskaya’s medium were obtained. The pH of the culture media was decreased with increased bacterial growth suggesting that they might secrete organic acids to solubilize insoluble phosphorus. In vitro wheat seedling bioassay with two superior PSB isolates (PSB1 and PSB8) and varying sources of P revealed that both isolates significantly enhanced seedling growth (shoot and root length, shoot and root dry weight) and nutrient contents (%N, %P and %K) in plant tissue compared to control (no PSB). The performance of PSB8 was superior to PSB1 in respect of all the parameters studied. The PSB8 was tentatively identified as Pseudomonas sp. through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our results suggest that Pseudomonas sp. PSB8 isolated from wheat might be useful for improving P nutrition in wheat in soils with low available P

The first complete mitogenome of Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans)

The complete mitochondrial genome of Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) was characterized having 16,446 bp nucleotides encoding 37 genes in circular orientation comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes and two rRNA genes. The lengths of 12S and 16S ribosomal RNA were 973 bp and 1600 bp. A non-coding control region (D-Loop) of 966 bp was identified between tRNAPro and tRNAPhe having seven interrupted tandem repeats. A single A + 1 frameshift insertion in the ND3 gene (ND3-174) was also discovered. The complete mitogenome of G. elegans would contribute in deeper understanding of the evolutionary dynamics and conservation effort of vulnerable testudine families

Isolation of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. from sulfonamide-treated diarrheic calves

Background and Aim: The bovine industry is threatened by one of the most serious and deadly enteric diseases, calf diarrhea, particularly in developing nations like Bangladesh. In this context, bacterial resistance to antimicrobial drugs and its detrimental consequences have become a critical public health issue that is difficult to address globally. This study aimed to isolate and identify Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. with their antibiogram and antibiotic resistance gene detection from sulfonamide-treated diarrheic calves. Materials and Methods: Twelve diarrheic calves suffering from calf diarrhea in a dairy farm were selected and a total of 36 fecal samples were aseptically collected directly from rectum before, during, and at the end of treatment for each calf to determine the total viable count, total E. coli count and total Salmonella count. A polymerase chain reaction was used for the specific detection of E. coli and Salmonella genus targeting fliC and invA genes, respectively. Antibiotic sensitivity test of the isolated E. coli and Salmonella spp. were performed by the disk diffusion method for eight commonly used antibiotics. Results: A total of 36 E. coli (100%) and 12 Salmonella spp. (33%) were isolated from the samples and were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Total viable count was found to be ranged from 35 × 107 to 99 × 1010 colony-forming unit (CFU)/g fecal sample before starting sulfonamide treatment, 34 × 105 to 25 × 1010 CFU/g during treatment with sulfonamide, and 48 × 103 to 69 × 1010 CFU/g immediately after completion of sulfonamide treatment. Total E. coli count was found to be ranged from 4 × 104 to 36 × 1010 CFU/g, 24 × 104 to 23 × 108 CFU/g, and 13 × 104 to 85 × 1010 CFU/g, whereas total Salmonella count was found to be ranged from 16 × 106 to 18.5 × 1011 CFU/g, 15 × 104 to 44 × 107 CFU/g, and 13.2 × 105 to 21 × 1010 CFU/g fecal sample before starting sulfonamide treatment, during treatment with sulfonamide immediately after completion of sulfonamide treatment, respectively. The in vitro antibiotic sensitivity test showed that all the E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolated from diarrheic calves (100%) contained multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes. Escherichia coli isolates were found 100% resistant to amoxicillin (AMX), cefuroxime, cephalexin (CN), erythromycin (ERY), and tetracycline (TET); whereas 94.4%, 86.1%, and 77.8% isolates were resistant to doxycycline (DOX), moxifloxacin (MOF), and gentamycin (GEN), respectively. In case of Salmonella isolates, all were found 100% resistant to AMX, CN, and ERY; whereas 91.7% of resistance was observed for DOX, MOF, cefuroxime, GEN, and TET. Based on the molecular screening of the antibiotic resistance genes, tetA gene was present in 83.3% of the isolated E. coli and 75% of the isolated Salmonella strains, whereas 83.3% E. coli and 79.2% Salmonella isolates contained blaTEM gene. Conclusion: These findings suggest that MDR E. coli and Salmonella spp. might be responsible for calf scouring, which is challenging to treat with antibiotics or sulfonamide drugs alone. Therefore, it is important to check the antibiotic sensitivity pattern to select a suitable antibiotic for the treatment of calf scoring. A suitable antibiotic or combination of an antibiotic and sulfonamide could be effective against E. coli and Salmonella spp. responsible for calf scouring

Direct Production of Furfural in One-pot Fashion from Raw Biomass Using Brønsted Acidic Ionic Liquids

The conversion of raw biomass into C5-sugars and furfural was demonstrated with the one-pot method using Brønsted acidic ionic liquids (BAILs) without any mineral acids or metal halides. Various BAILs were synthesized and characterized using NMR, FT-IR, TGA, and CHNS microanalysis and were used as the catalyst for raw biomass conversion. The remarkably high yield (i.e. 88%) of C5 sugars from bagasse can be obtained using 1-methyl-3(3-sulfopropyl)-imidazolium hydrogen sulfate ([C 3 SO 3 HMIM][HSO 4 ]) BAIL catalyst in a water medium. Similarly, the [C 3 SO 3 HMIM][HSO 4 ] BAIL also converts the bagasse into furfural with very high yield (73%) in one-pot method using a water/toluene biphasic solvent system

Molecular detection of Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus from healthy broilers and backyard chickens for the first time in Bangladesh- A preliminary study

Many of the Vibrio spp. are major public health concerns globally. Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus are the etiology of pandemic and epidemic diarrhea and foodborne illness, respectively. Poultry has the potential to harbor pathogenic Vibrio spp., which can have a detrimental impact on public health if they are transmitted to humans. We, therefore, screened 54 cloacal swab samples from healthy chickens (broiler=27, backyard= 27) to detect V. cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus. Vibrio spp. were isolated and identified by culturing, biochemical tests, PCR, and antibiogram profiles were determined by disk diffusion method. By PCR, 29.63% (16/54; 95% CI: 19.14-42.83%) samples were positive for Vibrio spp., where backyard chickens had a significantly higher (p< 0.05) occurrence (44.44%; 27.59-62.69%) than broilers (14.82%; 95% CI: 5.92-32.48%). V. parahaemolyticus was found in 22.22% (6/27; 95% CI: 10.61-40.76%) of backyard chicken samples, which was significantly dominant (p< 0.05) than in broilers (0/27, 0%, 95% CI: 0.00-12.46%). In addition, V. cholerae was positive in 7.41% (2/27; 95% CI: 1.32-23.37%) of broiler, and 14.82% (4/27; 95% CI: 5.92-32.48%) of backyard chicken samples. The toxR gene was found in all V. cholerae isolates, suggesting the presence of other virulence genes, whereas no isolates of V. parahaemolyticus contained the tdh gene. Isolated Vibrio spp. had high to moderate resistance to tetracycline, azithromycin, erythromycin, and streptomycin. The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant V. cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus in broiler and backyard chickens is of public health concern because of the possibility of food chain contaminatio

Effect of knowledge of informal poultry drug prescribers on their attitude and practice toward antimicrobial use, residues, and resistance in Bangladesh

Background and Aim: Informal prescribers (IPs) significantly contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance and in disseminating pathogens from poultry to humans and other animals through the food chain, posing a serious global health threat. Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether the knowledge of IPs has an impact on their attitude and practice toward antimicrobial use, antibiotic residues, and antimicrobial resistance. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we conducted a pre-tested and questionnaire-based survey to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of IPs in selected parts of the Mymensingh division, Bangladesh. Then, we used the linear regression model test with R-squared (R2) to measure the association between the study variables. Results: Our investigation revealed that 70% of the IPs knew about antibiotics and 75% had good knowledge about antibiotic resistance, whereas only 50% were aware of withdrawal periods. Informal prescribers also displayed good attitudes toward the use and sale of antibiotics with withdrawal periods and completion of medication (50%). Analysis of their practice on the sale and prescription of antibiotics showed that 70% and 30% of IPs use antibiotics against bacterial infections and other conditions, respectively. Most of them do not consult a veterinarian before selling or prescribing antibiotics, although 80% claim to do so. This is because 75% of IPs gave other options regarding their consultations. However, 95% of IPs uses antibiotics only for therapeutic purposes. Furthermore, only 10% sell antibiotics based on a veterinarian’s recommendation. Approximately 45% of IPs use single antibiotics at a time, while the rest use multiple antibiotics, individually or combined. Approximately 15% use antibiotics monthly, while 85% use them whenever the need arises. The knowledge and attitude of IPs are significantly affected by their age (p ≤ 0.025). The district of domicile also impacted their knowledge. Surprisingly, IPs from Jamalpur had significantly better knowledge compared to those from Mymensingh and Sherpur (p ≤ 0.01). The attitude of IPs from Jamalpur and Netrokona also differed significantly (p ≤ 0.001) from that of Mymensingh and Sherpur. The knowledge of IPs influenced their attitude up to 80.5% (r2 = 0.628) and their practice up to 75.4% (r2 = 0.545). Conclusion: The knowledge of IPs greatly influenced their attitude and practice, while sociodemographics also influenced their knowledge and attitude toward antimicrobial use, antibiotic residues, and antimicrobial resistance

Chitosan biostimulant controls infection of cucumber by Phytophthora capsici through suppression of asexual reproduction of the pathogen

The biopolymer chitosan is a derivative of chitin, which can promote plant growth and protect plants from phytopathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of chitosan as a biostimulant and a biorational agent to protect cucumber plants from damping-off disease caused by Phytophthora capsici. Cucumber seeds were treated with a range of chitosan concentrations, viz. 0, 125, 250, and 500 ppm, to evaluate effect on seed germination and fresh root and shoot weight of the seedlings. Chitosan significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced seed germination and root and shoot growth of cucumber in a dose-dependent manner up to 500 ppm. Application of in vitro chitosan suspension onto P. capsici mycelial plug suppressed growth of mycelia, formation of sporangia, and release of P. capsici zoospores at 125–500 ppm concentrations. Cucumber seedlings from chitosan-treated seeds showed enhanced resistance to damping-off disease caused by P. capsici compared to untreated control. Cucumber seedlings from 500 ppm chitosan seed treatment showed 100% disease resistance against damping off caused by P. capsici. These results suggest that chitosan could be used as a natural and environmentally safe alternative to a synthetic growth promoter and pesticide for sustainable production of cucumber

An Estimation of Five-decade Long Monkeypox Case Fatality Rate: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

On July 23, 2022 the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the Monkeypox disease (MPXD) as a worldwide public health issue. This study conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the overall case fatality rate (CFR) of MPXD worldwide during 1970–2022. The tenure-tracked MPXD outbreaks associated with CFR were calculated based on available published data from six different periods (i.e., 1970-79, 1980-89, 1990-99, 2000-09, 2010-19, and 2000-2022). A total of 229 peer-reviewed accessible articles were investigated, of which, 17 articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Most of the studies on MPXD CFR were published in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) providing 47% of data for the current meta-analysis. The overall pooled CFR of MPXD was 4.14% (range: 0.62% – 9.51%) during 1970–2022. In this study, total of 379 death cases were found from published MPXV based research articles where the pooled estimate CFR was 1.87%. The pooled CFR was higher during the earlier outbreak of the MPXD such as 10.71% in 1970-1979. With the progress of time, the CFR from MPXD followed a decreasing trend and reached 5.38% in 1980-1999 and 4.45% in 2000-2022. Young male children aged73.0%. This is the first meta-analysis using 52 years of data which indicates that the CFR of MPXV is decreasing from previous years. The findings of this meta-analysis might be paramount for the policymakers to tackle MPXD and minimize the overall CFR of MPXD through strategic actions