Urinary tract infections at first antenatal check-up: a single centre prospective study

Background: Pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) are more likely to develop acute pyelonephritis, postpartum UTI, hypertensive disease, anemia, prematurity, low birth weight babies and prenatal death if untreated.Methods: Total 780 pregnant women attending for first antenatal check-up in a medical college were enrolled for the study. Those with any symptoms of UTI, like burning micturition, frequency, urgency, dysuria or fever were excluded from the study. All were subjected to undergo urine culture and sensitivity to the commonly used antibiotics in that area, irrespective of period of gestation, age and parity. Prevalence of ASB, most common infecting organism and antibiotic sensitivity pattern were analyzed.Results: The prevalence of ASB in 25 years age group (26.06% versus 18.80%; p = 0.020). Out of the 780 culture samples, 52 had more than 3 type colonies indicating contamination and 22 had budding yeast colonies, thus excluded from the study. No growth was found in 551 samples (78.05%). The prevalence of ASB was 21.95%. The most common organism isolated was ESBL-ve E coli (32.25%), followed by ESBL +ve E coli (21.29%) and Enterococcus (15.48%) respectively. E coli were mostly sensitive to nitrofurantoin, amikacin and cotrimoxazole whereas enteroccocus was sensitive to vancomycin.Conclusions: ASB is more common during pregnancy even in first antenatal check-up. We suggest routine urine culture and sensitivity during first antenatal check-up to detect ASB and treat with proper antibiotic to prevent the complications and development of resistance

Brucella melitensis Lurking Threat in Eastern Part of Odisha - A Case Report

Brucellosis is a rising veterinary and human health problem in India. It may manifest with a varied multisystem clinical presentation. In our case patient was of 72 years male with a complaint of abdominal pain for 2 months following COVID-19 infection. He was a known case of CAD (coronary artery disease) post PTCA status, on regular follow up & treatment. Patient had post COVID pulmonary fibrosis. When the patient admitted in our hospital with above mentioned complaints, necessary investigations along with blood culture by automated method was sent and patient was started on empirical doxycycline along with other symptomatic treatment. As the patient was not very sick and was reluctant to stay in hospital during the COVID-19 situation, he was discharged on request with a treatment and follow up plan. Blood culture was found to be positive for Brucella melitensis. When we got the blood culture report the patient was contacted telephonically and started Rifampicin along with Doxycycline for 6 weeks

Reducing Enteric Methanogenesis through Alternate Hydrogen Sinks in the Rumen

Climate change and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from agriculture has resulted in significant pressure on the livestock industry for advanced practices that are environmentally more sustainable. Livestock is responsible for more than 15% of anthropogenic methane (CH4) emission via enteric fermentation and improved strategies for mitigating enteric CH4 production therefore represents a promising target to reduce the overall GHG contribution from agriculture. Ruminal CH4 is produced by methanogenic archaea, combining CO2 and hydrogen (H2). Removal of H2 is essential, as its accumulation inhibits many biological functions that are essential for maintaining a healthy rumen ecosystem. Although several other pathways occur in the rumen, including reductive acetogenesis, propionogenesis, nitrate, and sulfate reduction, methanogenesis seems to be the dominant pathway for H2 removal. Global warming is not the only problem associated with the release of CH4 from ruminants, but the released GHG also represent valuable metabolic energy that is lost to the animal and that needs to be replenished via its food. Therefore, reduction of enteric CH4 emissions will benefit not only the environment but also be an important step toward the efficient production of high-quality animal-based protein. In recent decades, several approaches, relying on a diverse set of biological and chemical compounds, have been tested for their ability to inhibit rumen methanogenesis reliably and without negative effects for the ruminant animal. Although many of these strategies initially appeared to be promising, they turned out to be less sustainable on the industrial scale and when implemented over an extended period. The development of a long-term solution most likely has been hindered by our still incomplete understanding of microbial processes that are responsible for maintaining and dictating rumen function. Since manipulation of the overall structure of the rumen microbiome is still a significant challenge targeting key intermediates of rumen methanogenesis, such as H2, and population that are responsible for maintaining the H2 equilibrium in the rumen could be a more immediate approach. Addition of microorganisms capable of non-methanogenic H2 sequestration or of reducing equivalents are potential avenues to divert molecular H2 from methanogenesis and therefore for abate enteric CH4. However, in order to achieve the best outcome, a detailed understanding of rumen microbiology is needed. Here we discuss some of the problems and benefits associated with alternate pathways, such as reductive acetogenesis, propionogenesis, and sulfate and nitrate reduction, which would allow us to bypass H2 production and accumulation in the rumen

Reducing Enteric Methanogenesis through Alternate Hydrogen Sinks in the Rumen

Climate change and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from agriculture has resulted in significant pressure on the livestock industry for advanced practices that are environmentally more sustainable. Livestock is responsible for more than 15% of anthropogenic methane (CH4) emission via enteric fermentation and improved strategies for mitigating enteric CH4 production therefore represents a promising target to reduce the overall GHG contribution from agriculture. Ruminal CH4 is produced by methanogenic archaea, combining CO2 and hydrogen (H2). Removal of H2 is essential, as its accumulation inhibits many biological functions that are essential for maintaining a healthy rumen ecosystem. Although several other pathways occur in the rumen, including reductive acetogenesis, propionogenesis, nitrate, and sulfate reduction, methanogenesis seems to be the dominant pathway for H2 removal. Global warming is not the only problem associated with the release of CH4 from ruminants, but the released GHG also represent valuable metabolic energy that is lost to the animal and that needs to be replenished via its food. Therefore, reduction of enteric CH4 emissions will benefit not only the environment but also be an important step toward the efficient production of high-quality animal-based protein. In recent decades, several approaches, relying on a diverse set of biological and chemical compounds, have been tested for their ability to inhibit rumen methanogenesis reliably and without negative effects for the ruminant animal. Although many of these strategies initially appeared to be promising, they turned out to be less sustainable on the industrial scale and when implemented over an extended period. The development of a long-term solution most likely has been hindered by our still incomplete understanding of microbial processes that are responsible for maintaining and dictating rumen function. Since manipulation of the overall structure of the rumen microbiome is still a significant challenge targeting key intermediates of rumen methanogenesis, such as H2, and population that are responsible for maintaining the H2 equilibrium in the rumen could be a more immediate approach. Addition of microorganisms capable of non-methanogenic H2 sequestration or of reducing equivalents are potential avenues to divert molecular H2 from methanogenesis and therefore for abate enteric CH4. However, in order to achieve the best outcome, a detailed understanding of rumen microbiology is needed. Here we discuss some of the problems and benefits associated with alternate pathways, such as reductive acetogenesis, propionogenesis, and sulfate and nitrate reduction, which would allow us to bypass H2 production and accumulation in the rumen