MICROBIAL QUALITY OF MILK AVAILABLE IN KATHMANDU VALLEY

With an objective to find microbial quality of the market milk available in Kathmandu valley, this studywas conducted in the Microbiology Laboratory, Himalayan College of Agriculture Science and Technology(HICAST). Different milk brands were collected from different outlets in the valley and analyzed formicrobial quality. The samples were cultured using the standard microbiological techniques. Almost all thesamples showed the presence of bacterial growth including coliform bacteria. The bacterial isolates were of7 different genera. E. coli was the most frequently isolated organism (92%) followed by coagulase negativeStaphylococci (CONS) (24%). Other organisms isolated were Bacillus species, Staphylococcus aureus,Streptococcus species, Salmonella species, Shigella species. The culture results were similar to directmicroscopic count results and showed that bacterial contamination in some of the samples was too numerousto be counted. Thus, it was concluded that the market milk available in Kathmandu is contaminated withvarious types of microorganisms and does not meet the required standard. The dairy industries shouldwork seriously to maintain the standards of their products.* Integrated Bioscientific Research Group (BIOINT), Kupondol, Lalitpur, Nepal.** Himalayan College of Agriculture Science and Technology (HICAST), Gatthaghar, Bhaktapur, Nepal.Address for correspondence : Charu ArjyalIntegrated Bioscientific Research Group (BIOINT), Kupondol, Lalitpur, Nepal.Email: charuarjyal@hotmail.comKey Words: Microbiology, Contamination, Milk, Quality, Coliform.

Effect of Maternal Socio-demographic Factors and Child Feeding Practice on Wasting Among Under Five Years Children in Slum Area of Rupandehi District in Nepal

INTRODUCTION

Childhood wasting although well studied elsewhere, it has not been well understood about in slum area of Nepal. This study aimed to assess effect of socio-demographic factors and child feeding practice in the determination of wasting among the children under five years of age in slum area of Nepal.

METHODS

A community based cross-sectional study was performed among 150 children under five years of age from the slum area of Nepal between 1st January and 28th February 2013 using simple random sampling techniques. Multivariate analyses were performed to determine factors associated with wasting controlling the potential confounders.

RESULTS

In a total of 150 under five years children, the prevalence of wasting was 56 (37.33%). The current study demonstrated that children of mothers from dalit Adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) 11.5; 95% CI: 03.1 - 41.3), aadibasi/janajati (AOR 4.6; 95% CI: 1.2 - 17.0), illiterate mothers (AOR 3.6; 95% CI: 1.1 - 13.6), laborer mothers (AOR 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1-9.4), child age group 25-36 months (AOR 2.8; 95% CI: 1.5-5.3), multiple child birth order (AOR 10.0; 95% CI: 2.5-25.0), children who were not fed colostrums (AOR 15.0; 95% CI: 1.25-10.0) were more likely to develop wasting compared to their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

As incremental childhood wasting is associated with maternal socio-demographic factors and child feeding practice, health promotion strategies should focus maternal socio-demographic factors, age of children and early initiation of breast feeding for the improved child nutrition in slum area of Nepal.

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Nepal

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nepal, like other countries, faced emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. To evaluate the circulating variants, 278 samples collected between September 2021 and March 2022 were sequenced in the country. From these, 229 high-quality genomes were obtained (82.97% Omicron and 17.03% Delta) highlighting the genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in Nepal.

Dengue Virus Surveillance in Nepal Yields the First On-Site Whole Genome Sequences of Isolates from the 2022 Outbreak

Background

The 4 serotypes of dengue virus (DENV1-4) can each cause potentially deadly dengue disease, and are spreading globally from tropical and subtropical areas to more temperate ones. Nepal provides a microcosm of this global phenomenon, having met each of these grim benchmarks. To better understand DENV transmission dynamics and spread into new areas, we chose to study dengue in Nepal and, in so doing, to build the onsite infrastructure needed to manage future, larger studies.

Methods and Results

During the 2022 dengue season, we enrolled 384 patients presenting at a hospital in Kathmandu with dengue-like symptoms; 79% of the study participants had active or recent DENV infection (NS1 antigen and IgM). To identify circulating serotypes, we screened serum from 50 of the NS1 + participants by RT-PCR and identified DENV1, 2, and 3 - with DENV1 and 3 codominant. We also performed whole-genome sequencing of DENV, for the first time in Nepal, using our new on-site capacity. Sequencing analysis demonstrated the DENV1 and 3 genomes clustered with sequences reported from India in 2019, and the DENV2 genome clustered with a sequence reported from China in 2018.

Conclusion

These findings highlight DENV's geographic expansion from neighboring countries, identify China and India as the likely origin of the 2022 DENV cases in Nepal, and demonstrate the feasibility of building onsite capacity for more rapid genomic surveillance of circulating DENV. These ongoing efforts promise to protect populations in Nepal and beyond by informing the development and deployment of DENV drugs and vaccines in real time.

Spontaneous Expulsion of Ingested Foreign Bodies: Case Series and Review of Literature

Foreign body ingestion is a commonly seen event in emergencies, usually in children, psychiatric patients, chronic alcoholics, drug abusers and the elderly patients with poor fitting dentures as well as the mentally challenged individuals. While ingestion of foreign bodies into Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) may be accidental (especially in children), or experimental (anal insertion by adults), it may be purely intentional as in smugglers of illicit drugs, jewels and other valuables so as to evade detection by the security. About, 90% of ingested foreign bodies pass through the gastrointestinal tract without complications, 1020% necessitate endoscopic removal, while only 1% of them will finally need surgical intervention. In clinical practice we often face the dilemma of choosing the appropriate treatment modality. We present five cases treated in the emergency ward of B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal, emphasizing in a "waiting and close observation" policy. Among these cases, all expelled the foreign body spontaneously in their stool without any complications.Birat Journal of Health Sciences 2016 1(1): 78-82

Dengue virus surveillance in Nepal yields the first on-site whole genome sequences of isolates from the 2022 outbreak

BACKGROUND

The 4 serotypes of dengue virus (DENV1-4) can each cause potentially deadly dengue disease, and are spreading globally from tropical and subtropical areas to more temperate ones. Nepal provides a microcosm of this global phenomenon, having met each of these grim benchmarks. To better understand DENV transmission dynamics and spread into new areas, we chose to study dengue in Nepal and, in so doing, to build the onsite infrastructure needed to manage future, larger studies.

METHODS AND RESULTS

During the 2022 dengue season, we enrolled 384 patients presenting at a hospital in Kathmandu with dengue-like symptoms; 79% of the study participants had active or recent DENV infection (NS1 antigen and IgM). To identify circulating serotypes, we screened serum from 50 of the NS1+ participants by RT-PCR and identified DENV1, 2, and 3 - with DENV1 and 3 codominant. We also performed whole-genome sequencing of DENV, for the first time in Nepal, using our new on-site capacity. Sequencing analysis demonstrated the DENV1 and 3 genomes clustered with sequences reported from India in 2019, and the DENV2 genome clustered with a sequence reported from China in 2018.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight DENV's geographic expansion from neighboring countries, identify China and India as the likely origin of the 2022 DENV cases in Nepal, and demonstrate the feasibility of building onsite capacity for more rapid genomic surveillance of circulating DENV. These ongoing efforts promise to protect populations in Nepal and beyond by informing the development and deployment of DENV drugs and vaccines in real time.

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 genome from patient with fever, Nepal

A patient with fever presented to the referral infectious disease hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. Metagenomic sequencing of the patient's serum recovered a near-complete genome of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), distinct from previous HIV-1 genomes from Nepal in GenBank. It shared 92.48% nucleotide identity with an HIV-1 subtype C isolate from India.

Study of Left Ventricular Mass in Normal Nepalese Population

Background: A prospective study was conducted to find distribution of the left ventricular mass in normal adult Nepalese population in order to establish the upper reference limit. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 consecutive male and 100 female participants of age 18 years and above visiting for cardiac checkup were enrolled prospectively in this study.  Participants with hypertension, diabetes, obesity and significant cardiovascular disease were excluded. Results: Mean age of study population was 43 years. Mean left ventricular mass in total, male and female population was 127.45±29 gm, 136.48±30.64gm and 118.43±24.24 gm respectively.  Mean left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in total, male and female population was 74.52±15.78 gm/m2, 80.04±16.5 gm/m2 and 69.17±13.05 gm/m2 respectively. Left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index increased with age, Body Mass Index, Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure, and were statistically significant (p-value <0.05). Conclusion: Normal left ventricular mass in Nepalese Population was found to be lesser in female compared to male.  Left ventricular mass increased with increasing Age and Body Mass Index.