The diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the foremost barriers in the control of this disease, as demonstration of the parasite by splenic/bone marrow aspiration is relatively difficult and requires expertise and laboratory support. The aim of the present study was to find a noninvasive diagnostic approach using the existing recombinant kinesine-39 (rK-39) immunochromatographic nitrocellulose strips test (ICT) with a human sweat specimen for the diagnosis of VL. The investigation was carried out on specimens (blood, sweat, and urine) collected from 58 confirmed VL, 50 confirmed post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL), 36 healthy control, and 35 patients from other diseases. The data obtained from this study reveal that 96.6% clinically confirmed active VL participants were found to be positive when tested against a sweat specimen. Interestingly, the scenario was similar when tested against a blood specimen (96.6% positive by rK-39). Moreover, a test of both sweats and blood specimens from 50 PKDL participants resulted in 100% positivity, whereas no healthy control participants were found to be rK-39 positive. The sensitivity of the rK-39 ICT in sweat specimen was 94.7%, whereas the specificity was 100% in healthy controls from endemic, nonendemic, and other infectious diseases, respectively. No difference was observed in sweat specimen of VL and PKDL cases which signifies its reliability. However, further evaluation of this method on a larger scale could enhance the reliability of the proposed model so that it could be used efficiently in VL management and eradication.

Viral pathogens are the main cause of acute gastroenteritis in developed and developing countries. Among viral agents of gastroenteritis, rotavirus is known to be one of the frequent etiologic agents of viral diarrhea. Rotavirus and adenovirus are the two important agents associated with infection in hospitalizeddiarrhealchildrenin worldwide.Diarrheal samples (1153) from Bihar state of India wherethe vaccination against rotavirus has not yet been practiced by regular physicians. Samples weretested for presence of rotavirus and adenovirus by EIA method.Further rotaviruses areclassified into G and P serotypes by using semi-nested reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.11.11% of stool specimen tested positive for rotavirus, 2.7 sample positive for Adenovirus and 1.3% sample found positive for both Adenovirus and Rotavirus. A distinct rotavirus positive peak had found in winter (December 2019 to November 2022). G1 and G2 strains were the most common strains first time identified in Bihar, India.The study emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring of viral enteropathogens for successful treatment and control of diarrhea

AIM: Dengue is an acute systemic viral disease well known globally in both endemic and epidemic transmission cycles. Main aim is to study serotypes/genotypes and lineages of dengue virus (DENV) are associated with more severe outbreaks. Many reports from India have shown an association between change in DENV genotype/lineage and magnitude of the outbreak and disease severity. Study Design. It is a hospital based cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Molecular Biology laboratory in department of Microbiology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science and duration study from January2021 to January 2023. Material and Methods: This cross- sectional study was aimed to investigate the circulating DENV serotypes and genotypes in Bihar during year 2021-2023. For genetic characterization of prevalent serotypes, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay was used. Representative samples were sequenced for the envelope (E) gene. Results: All four prevalent serotypes, DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 were found to be circulating in Bihar with dominance of DENV-2. Mixed infection cases of DENV-2 with DENV-3 and DENV-1 with DENV-2 were also seen. Phylogenetic analysis based on C-prM gene revealed DENV-1 sequences to be 92% similar with Vietnam genotype I (2003) strain, DENV-2 isolates clustered with genotype IV of North India strains, Haryana (1996), Delhi (1996) and Jammu (1993) with 95%, 94% and 94% sequence similarity respectively. DENV-3 isolate was more closely related to genotype III of Indian origin (2003), Gwalior and Delhi with 98% and 99% sequence similarity respectively. Conclusion: With this background data, molecular monitoring of viruses circulating in the locality provides baseline data on the circulating serotypes/ genotypes of dengue virus (DENV). So this monitoring and early detection of changes in the circulation pattern may help in the prediction of DENV outbreaks and can augment disease control efforts.