Anjan Mondal

Novel bisegmented virus (picobirnavirus) of animals, birds and humans

Picobirnaviruses (PBVs) are novel group of small, nonenveloped, bisegmented and double stranded RNA viruses. PBVs have been identified in the faeces of a broad range of hosts by several international research groups. Since attempts to culture PBV in vitro have not been made to date and no animal model of infection and disease exists. Laboratory diagnosis relies upon electron microscopy, the detection of the double stranded RNA bisegmented genome by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. PBVs have been identified in both normal and diarrheic faeces. Although their pathogenicity is still unclear, their potential needs further investigation.

Association of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. achromogenes in the haemorrhagic blister of cultured carp Cyprinus carpio in West Bengal, India

Abstract Objective To study the association of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. achromogenes in the haemorrhagic blister of cultured exotic carp Cyprinus carpio in West Bengal, India, its cellular fatty acid composition and antibiotic sensitivity. Methods The phenotypic characterization and antibiotic sensitivity of bacterial flora of diseased fish were performed. The whole cellular fatty acid composition of Aeromonas salmonicida ( A. salmonicida ) was determined by MIS Sherlock automatic identification system. Results Aeromonas hydrophila, A. salmonicida and Pseudomonas alcaligenes were isolated from the haemorrhagic blister. The fatty acid methyl esters pattern confirmed the A. salmonicida strain as A. salmonicida subsp. achromogenes . Unsaturated fatty acid 16:1 w7c/16:1 w6c (39.09%), saturated fatty acid 16:0 (26.84%) and the mono-unsaturated fatty acids 18:1 w7c (8.89%) and 16:1 iso I/14:0 3OH (8.49%) were the most common fatty acids, which accounted for 83.31% of the total fatty acids. A. salmonicida subsp. achromogenes was highly susceptible to broad spectrum antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, co-trimoxazole, gentamycin, nitrofurantoin and oxytetracycline. Conclusions The finding on the presence of A. salmonicida in carps necessitates molecular level study on establishing the prevalence of this bacterium in Indian aquaculture systems especially on its free-living viable but non-culturable state.