RFP Indian Journal of Hospital Infection

COVID 19 is caused by the SARS CoV2 virus and is raging across the length and breadth of all the countries of the world at present. A plethora of clinical manifestations are evident in this infection in man, but animals or wildlife and the environment also play a pivotal role in transmission of the infection and persistence and evolution of the virus. A three pronged One Health approach is hence very important for optimum epidemiological surveillance and management of COVID 19. In this article the authors have tried to explain and address these pertinent issues.

Candida auris has developed as a multidrug-resistant (MDR) fungal pathogen connected to medical care around the world. Due to its outbreak potential, antibiotic resistance, and high mortality, Candida auris infection has arisen as a significant problem in the care of patients admitted to ICUs in India. Candidemia caused by C. auris has been recorded from three continents since the initial report of earcanal infection by this yeast in Japan in 2009, with a substantial number of cases from India. Some C. auris strains have higher minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) than amphotericin B and echinocandin compounds, while some C. auris strains are resistant to all antifungal medication classes. According to a comparison of European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) techniques, C. auris isolates exhibit strikingly comparable fluconazole resistance but a broad range of MICs for the other antifungal drug classes. The goal of this research is to learn more about curcumin's antifungal properties. This polyphenolic chemical has been used for medical, culinary, and other uses throughout Asia for centuries. Although curcumin has been shown to have antifungal properties, a current study reveals that curcumin works by disrupting the fungal cell wall.

Background: Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) are indispensable micronutrients to human nutrition for their infinite role in structural and transduction processes. They are the molecules of central attraction due to their role in health and predicting the severity of different diseases. Aims and objectives: Considering their importance in health and disease, study was aimed to document the normal serum levels of calcium and phosphorus in random population who visited the hospital for consultation during March-May 2021. Methods: A total of 711 subjects were recruited for the analysis of serum Ca and P. samples were analysed on fully automated analyser (Beckman Coulter, AU5800). Both Ca and P levels were measured by kinetic method. Results: The median age of the participants was 50 years. The overall median serum Ca and P levels recorded in the study population were as 8.9(Interquartile range [IQR=1.40]) and 3.4(Interquartile range [IQR]=1.18). About 4.5% of the study population was deficient in both Ca and P. Females had higher median calcium levels than males (p-value<0.05). A statistically significant association was observed between Ca and different age groups:-<20y,20-40 (P-value<0.003) and 20-40y,>40y40 (p-value<0.001). Further, a weak negative relationship was observed between Ca and Age (r=-0.118, p-value<0.002). Both Ca and P levels were low in 32(4.5%) patients(p-value<0.004). Conclusion: Our findings revealed, that our population has calcium and phosphorus levels within the normal reference range, but presence of low Ca and P levels in the small portion of our population may be helpful in efficacious management of serious illnesses including several time and money consuming diseases in future.