An overview of diagnostic criteria for identification of cryptococcal meningitis with special emphasis on AIDS

Fungi are common in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients but HIV predisposes patients to several viral and bacterial infections that can result in meningitis. Understanding the burden of cryptococcal disease is particularly important for public health officials to adequately plan and prioritize needed resources for disease prevention and control. Cryptococcal meningitis, a fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus spp. is the second most common cause of opportunistic fungal infection in patients with  acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is important to define the burden of cryptococcal meningitis, as it relates to other important diseases, and to understand the need for public health attention to this infection. Frequently, HIV infection weakens the body's ability to fight disease. Infections which are rarely seen in those with normal immune systems are life-threatening to those with HIV. It is time to expand this global focus on HIV to include one of its most serious consequences, cryptococcosis. Few, if any, complications of advanced HIV disease have a greater influence on morbidity and mortality. We are likely to see little real progress in the outcome for these patients until there is a global commitment to invest in more drug availability, better access to easily used diagnostics and therapeutic devices, and more innovative clinical researches.Key words: Cryptococcal meningitis, immune system, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), serotrypes

Antimicrobial Analysis of Biosynthesized Lectin-Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles

To enhance the bioactivity of molecules through nanoparticles is being tested which has potential use in sustained-release drug delivery systems and to enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of drugs. Our current investigation s is to conjugate lectin to that of a gold nanoparticle (GNP) surface without disturbing the bioactive properties and enhances the antibacterial activity of lectin. Au-lectin nanoparticles were checked for their hemagglutination activity, characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-visible spectrophotometer. The antibacterial effect of nanoparticle lectin, Au salt nanoparticle, and conjugated Au-lectin was estimated by Kirby-Bauer disc method; MICs were determined by microbroth dilution and compared with ciprofloxacin. These tests were done using known species of bacterial strain of multidrug resistant. The hemagglutination activity of lectin was improved to fourfold after purification. Lectin and Au nanoparticles combined had a significant effect on the inhibition of bacterial growth. No significant differences were observed in the inhibition zone diameters from killed bacteria and its supernatant towards any of the tested organisms. Lectin-conjugated gold particles showed good efficacy as antimicrobial agents and the nanoparticle-killed bacteria to work against the viable population of the same bacterium and/or other bacterial species too