CARBAPENEMASES AND GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA: A REVIEW

ABSTRACTThe emergence of resistance in Gram-negative pathogens has alarmed many clinicians and health-care workers both in community and hospitalsettings. Antibiotics, such as carbapenems, are used as a last resort in the treatment of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens.Carbapenemases are the enzymes that hydrolyze carbapenems. The global spread of these MDR organisms has posed a public health problem due toits difficulty in empirical treatment of hospital and community acquired infections.Keywords: Carbapenems, Carbapenemase, Gram-negative bacteria, Multi-drug resistant organisms

Sandwich composite of aluminum alloy and magnesium alloy through accumulative roll bonding technique

Aluminum and magnesium alloys are lightweight materials with outstanding technical uses. Due to their combined qualities, composites built of aluminum and magnesium alloys have surpassed the utilization of these elements individually. Accumulative Roll Bonding was used to create a three-layered sandwich composite structure made of Al-alloy/Mg-alloy/Al-alloy. The composite structure's microstructure and mechanical characteristics were studied. A fine-grained AZ31 layer was formed, according to the microstructural study. At the Al-alloy/Mg-alloy contact, a diffusion layer was also seen. On the broken surface, fractography exhibited both ductile and brittle failure characteristics

Prevalence of Carbapenemase Producing Escherichia coli Isolates among Various Wards of a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India

ABSTRACT To detect carbapenemases in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and to study its prevalence in various wards of a tertiary care hospital. The study was done from March 2013 to February 2014. A total of 98 E. coli from different clinical samples were taken. Those isolates which showed intermediate or resistant zones to meropenem by disc diffusion were included in the study. These isolates were then subjected to Modified Hodge test antimicrobial susceptibility to those resistant isolates were performed. Out of 98 E. coli isolates, 15 (15.3%) were positive for carbapenemase production by Modified Hodge test. Out of 15 MHT positive E. coli isolates, carbapenemase production was detected in 32%, 18.18%, 12.9% and 5% from ICU, orthopaedics, general medicine and general surgery wards respectively. This study demonstrates the growing prevalence of carbapenemase producing E. coli isolates among various wards in the hospital thereby requiring immediate implementation of nationwide antibiotic policy to limit further spread