Molecular Characterization of Community- and Hospital- Acquired Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolates during COVID-19 Pandemic

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a drug-resistant superbug that causes various types of community- and hospital-acquired infectious diseases. The current study was aimed to see the genetic characteristics and gene expression of MRSA isolates of nosocomial origin. A total of 221 MRSA isolates were identified from 2965 clinical samples. To identify the bacterial isolates, the clinical samples were inoculated on blood agar media plates first and incubated at 37 °C for 18–24 h. For further identification, the Gram staining and various biochemical tests were performed once the colonies appeared on the inoculated agar plates. The phenotypic identification of antibiotic susceptibility patterns was carried out using Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method by following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2019 guidelines. The biofilm-producing potentials of MRSA were checked quantitatively using a spectrophotometric assay. All strains were characterized genotypically by SCCmec and agr typing using the specific gene primers. Furthermore, a total of twelve adhesion genes were amplified in all MRSA isolates. MRSA was a frequently isolated pathogen (44% community acquired (CA)-MRSA and 56% hospital acquired (HA)-MRSA), respectively. Most of the MRSA isolates were weak biofilm producers (78%), followed by moderate (25%) and strong (7%) biofilm producers, respectively. Prominent adhesion genes were clfB (100%), icaAD (91%), fib (91%), sdrC (91%) followed by eno (89%), fnbA (77%), sdrE (67%), icaBC (65%), clfA (65%), fnbB (57%), sdrD (57%), and cna (48%), respectively. The results of the current study will help to understand and manage the spectrum of biofilm-producing MRSA-associated hospital-acquired infections and to provide potential molecular candidates for the identification of biofilm-producing MRSA

Pharmacological treatment and vaccines in monkeypox virus: a narrative review and bibliometric analysis

Mpox (earlier known as monkeypox) virus infection is a recognized public health emergency. There has been little research on the treatment options. This article reviews the specific drugs used to treat mpox virus infection and the vaccines used here. Instead of focusing on the mechanistic basis, this review narrates the practical, real-life experiences of individual patients of mpox virus disease being administered these medicines. We conducted a bibliometric analysis on the treatment of the mpox virus using data from several databases like PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. The research on this topic has grown tremendously recently but it is highly concentrated in a few countries. Cidofovir is the most studied drug. This is because it is indicated and also used off-label for several conditions. The drugs used for mpox virus infection include tecovirimat, cidofovir, brincidofovir, vaccinia immune globulin, and trifluridine. Tecovirimat is used most frequently. It is a promising option in progressive mpox disease in terms of both efficacy and safety. Brincidofovir has been associated with treatment discontinuation due to elevated hepatic enzymes. Cidofovir is also not the preferred drug, often used because of the unavailability of tecovirimat. Trifluridine is used topically as an add-on agent along with tecovirimat for ocular manifestations of mpox virus disease. No study reports individual patient data for vaccinia immune globulin. Though no vaccine is currently approved for mpox virus infection, ACAM 2000 and JYNNEOS are the vaccines being mainly considered. ACAM 2000 is capable of replicating and may cause severe adverse reactions. It is used when JYNNEOS is contraindicated. Several drugs and vaccines are under development and have been discussed alongside pragmatic aspects of mpox virus treatment and prevention. Further studies can provide more insight into the safety and efficacy of Tecovirimat in actively progressing mpox virus disease