Indian Journal Watch
26 October 2026
Peer-reviewed microbiology, infectious disease, AMR and infection-control papers from India and South Asia, published or added to PubMed from 24 to 26 October 2026.
Lead articles
AMR · Clinical Infectious Diseases
Cefepime-Zidebactam for Infections Caused by Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria, Including Metallo-β-Lactamase Producers: A Phase 2, Open-Label, Single-Arm, Multicenter Study
Clinical Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1093/cid/ciag665 · PubMed 42925126
- What
- A phase 2 clinical trial of intravenous cefepime-zidebactam in adults with infections caused by carbapenem-resistant (CR) Gram-negative bacteria, including metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) producers. Investigators are based mainly in India (including Christian Medical College, Vellore, and Medanta, Lucknow), with co-authors in Brazil, Lebanon, South Africa and the USA.
- Design
- Prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicentre phase 2 trial. Participants received cefepime-zidebactam for 7-21 days with renal dose adjustment. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed clinical cure at test-of-cure (TOC) in the clinically and microbiologically evaluable (CME) population; outcomes were also reviewed by an external adjudication committee.
- Key findings
- Seventy-two participants received treatment; 68 were in the Micro-ITT population and 60 in the CME population. Of 68 qualifying isolates, 56 (82.4%) were MBL producers, predominantly NDM-β-lactamase producers. Investigator-assessed clinical cure at TOC was 91.7% (95% CI 81.6%-97.2%), and favourable microbiological outcome was 90.0%. Among CME participants with MBL-producing pathogens, clinical cure was 93.9%. External adjudication gave clinical cure of 86.7%. Twenty-eight-day mortality was 2.8%; treatment-related adverse events occurred in 15.3% and serious treatment-related adverse events in 2.8%.
- Limitations
- Single-arm, open-label design with no comparator; 60 evaluable adults, predominantly with complicated urinary tract infection/acute pyelonephritis (58.3%). Adjudicated cure was assessed post hoc.
- Relevance to India
- NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are widespread in Indian hospitals, and this trial reports clinical data for a β-lactam/β-lactam-enhancer combination in a population dominated by MBL producers.
AMR · Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
Evaluation of Ceftriaxone–Sulbactam–EDTA against Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and non-fermenters: correlating in vitro susceptibility with molecular detection of carbapenemase genes by Xpert Carba-R
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease · doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2026.117702 · PubMed 42925659
- What
- In vitro activity of ceftriaxone-sulbactam-disodium EDTA (CSE) against carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB), and its relationship with carbapenemase genotype, at SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka.
- Design
- A total of 208 non-duplicate carbapenem-resistant clinical isolates (Enterobacterales and non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli) from patients admitted to a tertiary care centre. Susceptibility was tested by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion, and blaNDM, blaKPC, blaOXA-48, blaIMP and blaVIM were detected with the Xpert Carba-R assay. Multivariable logistic regression examined genotype and CSE susceptibility.
- Key findings
- Overall, CSE demonstrated 65.9% susceptibility, with a combined susceptible-intermediate rate of 88.5%. Acinetobacter baumannii showed the highest susceptibility (85.5%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa the lowest (23.8%). Carbapenemase genes were detected in 72.6% of isolates, with blaNDM (60.6%) and blaOXA-48 (42.8%) predominating; co-harbouring of blaNDM and blaOXA-48 was the most frequent profile (31.3%). Isolates harbouring blaOXA-48 alone (aOR 5.11; p = 0.008) and blaNDM + blaOXA-48 (aOR 3.24; p = 0.004) were independently associated with CSE susceptibility.
- Limitations
- Isolates came from a single tertiary care centre, susceptibility was determined by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion, and the abstract reports in vitro results without clinical outcomes.
- Relevance to India
- The authors conclude that integrating rapid molecular carbapenemase detection with phenotypic susceptibility testing may improve interpretation of susceptibility results for carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative infections, which are dominated by NDM and OXA-48 in this Indian collection.
More from the journals
Antimicrobial resistance & stewardship
- PGIMER Chandigarh, 726 patients with diabetic foot infection: soft-tissue isolates from patients with CKD had higher XDR rates (21.0% vs 12.4%), and the CKD group had higher mortality (5.0% vs 1.3%).Diabetes Obesity and CardioMetabolic CARE · PubMed 42923418
- Faisalabad: of 176 burn wound samples, 74 (42%) grew P. aeruginosa and 58 isolates were MDR; all MDR isolates formed biofilm, and all isolates remained susceptible to polymyxin B.Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences · PubMed 42925002
- PGIMER Chandigarh case report: first Indian report of urinary tract infection due to Salmonella Kentucky ST198 resistant to fluoroquinolones and extended-spectrum cephalosporins, characterised by whole-genome sequencing.Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology · PubMed 42925990
- Four novel lytic Klebsiella pneumoniae phages (subfamily Studiervirinae) isolated from hospital wastewater in Mumbai, tested against 198 clinical isolates; specific for capsular types KL2, KL22, KL25, KL35 and KL47.Frontiers in Microbiology · PubMed 42921061
- Simulated client study of non-prescription antibiotic dispensing in community pharmacies of Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan.Cureus
IPC & healthcare-associated infection
- Pakistan: review of six outbreaks (2019-2026) including the Khairpur neonatal mpox clade Ib cluster (26 confirmed cases, eight neonates), assessed against WHO minimum IPC requirements and IHR core capacities.IJID Regions · PubMed 42926885
- Narrative review of infection prevention and control in intensive care units in Bangladesh: HAI epidemiology, national IPC policy, stewardship and structural constraints.Bangladesh Critical Care Journal
- Cohort study from Pakistan of infectious complications and microbiological patterns following Versius-assisted robotic surgery.Journal of Robotic Surgery
- Case report, SVIMS Tirupati: endogenous panophthalmitis from MRSA catheter-related bloodstream infection in a patient on maintenance haemodialysis.Tropical Doctor · PubMed 42921785
Sepsis
- BIRDEM, Dhaka, 63 ICU patients with severe sepsis or septic shock: elevated red cell distribution width on days 4 and 7 was significantly associated with ICU mortality.Bangladesh Critical Care Journal
- Dehradun, 50 neonates: adding 6-hour perfusion index to SNAPPE-II did not improve discrimination for mortality (ΔAUC 0.0015); neonates with culture-proven sepsis (n = 6) had lower 6-h perfusion index.Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine · PubMed 42921691
Tuberculosis
Vector-borne disease
- Navi Mumbai, 302 hospitalised dengue patients (2023-2024): 11.9% had severe dengue; elderly age (OR 4.35) and comorbidities (OR 2.79) were associated with severe disease.Journal of Vector Borne Diseases
- Multicentric study of 1,148 dengue patients admitted in India (2012-2017): a cost-sensitive machine-learning model using first-24-hour data correctly identified 18 of 21 non-survivors.Journal of Vector Borne Diseases
- University of Sri Jayewardenepura and Sri Lanka National Dengue Control Unit: systematic review and meta-analysis of seven RCTs (53,593 participants) of the TAK-003 and CYD-TDV dengue vaccines.Journal of Vector Borne Diseases
Mycology
Other
- Case report, Bangladesh: secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis complicating ceftriaxone- and ciprofloxacin-resistant Salmonella Typhi bacteraemia.IDCases · PubMed 42926833
- Case report, Manipal: Edwardsiella tarda bacteraemia at 13 weeks of gestation after freshwater fish consumption, with maternal sepsis and intrauterine fetal demise.Journal of Family and Reproductive Health · PubMed 42923833
- Chitwan, Nepal: 12-week pilot of parent-administered daily diaries for respiratory and diarrhoeal symptoms in 56 children under five; 88.7% of weekly diary periods were fully completed.Public Health in Practice · PubMed 42920850
Items are summaries of published abstracts and are not clinical advice. Readers should consult the original article. Figures are quoted as reported in each abstract.