Exploring AMR Mechanisms in Non-Model Organisms: Many organisms involved in AMR, such as environmental bacteria or pathogens from less-studied ecosystems, are non-model organisms with limited genetic data available. Traditional tools may not cover these species, but getENRICH allows researchers to perform functional enrichment analysis even with incomplete or sparse genetic information, helping uncover potential resistance mechanisms in a broader range of species.

Functional Insights into Resistance Genes: AMR is driven by specific genes and pathways, such as those related to efflux pumps, antibiotic degradation, and target modification. getENRICH helps researchers identify and functionally annotate these genes in non-model organisms, providing insights into how resistance genes are expressed and regulated in various contexts.

Comparative Genomics: AMR often spreads through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) across different organisms. By using getENRICH, researchers can compare gene functions between resistant and non-resistant strains or species, highlighting unique gene sets that may be involved in resistance, especially in non-model organisms. This can help identify genes and pathways that are conserved across species or are novel to specific environments or populations.

Adaptability to Environmental and Clinical Isolates: The ability of getENRICH to work with custom gene sets makes it a powerful tool for analyzing data from environmental samples, clinical isolates, or metagenomics studies, which are often central to AMR research. This flexibility is crucial when studying AMR in diverse ecosystems, where organisms may not fit into the typical mold of well-characterized species.

Integration with AMR Databases: Researchers can integrate the results from getENRICH with existing AMR databases (e.g., CARD, ResFinder) to cross-reference functionally enriched genes with known resistance genes. This can help link the discovered gene sets to specific AMR phenotypes, adding value to AMR surveillance and evolutionary studies.

By enabling functional analysis across underrepresented species and environments, getENRICH broadens the scope of AMR research, allowing scientists to uncover novel resistance mechanisms and track the evolution and spread of AMR in previously inaccessible organisms.

Web server @  https://getenrich.igib.res.in/

The first case of this sickness was reported on November 13, and since then, more people have gotten sick and had to go to the hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) is now asking China for more information about what's going on. This problem is mostly in Beijing, but it's also in other parts of China. One big hospital in Beijing is seeing about 1,200 sick people every day. The sickness shows up as a fever, lung problems without a cough, and lumps on the lungs. Health experts think it's because of a mix of viruses, and it's happening now because it's the first full cold season after they lifted strict Covid rules in December.

China's health authorities say it's not only a new virus causing the sickness but also some common ones like mycoplasma, which is making kids sick with pneumonia. Unlike Covid, mycoplasma is a bacteria that comes back every few years. There are also other viruses like RSV going around, so many countries might face different sicknesses this winter.

Something interesting is happening amidst all these changes. The sickness caused by Covid-19 seems to be getting milder gradually, which means people are not getting as sick as before. This change seems to be connected to the new virus variants. But at the same time, there's something worrying happening with a part of the virus called the spike protein. This part has changed, making it harder for our bodies to fight off the virus, even if we got sick from it before or got vaccinated. Also, because of these changes, the virus is spreading more easily from person to person, which makes us more worried about how fast it's spreading.

Now, let's talk about these two new virus versions. EG.5 is getting a lot of attention because it's different in special ways. People are keeping an eye on it to see what it does. On the other hand, BA 2.86 is being carefully monitored by the World Health Organization (WHO). What makes BA 2.86 special is that it has changed a lot in its genes, not just a little. Because of these changes, it's able to spread more and it's causing new symptoms that we haven't seen before with Covid-19. As of now, EG.5 isn't causing major worries about how severe the illness might be. But it seems like it could spread more easily, as it has become more widespread than XBB.1.16 (or Arcturus), which was another very contagious form of the Omicron variant talked about a few months ago.

In this complicated situation where science and the virus are always changing, it's clear that we need to keep a close watch, learn as much as we can, and come up with new ideas to fight the changes in the virus. The work to understand these changes, predict what the virus might do, and create ways to fight it shows how humans can adapt and stay strong even when facing a virus that keeps changing.

Explanation of the Covid BF.7 Variant

Coronavirus cases have been increasing globally since the beginning of November. India presently has control of the situation, while China is struggling significantly. According to some projections, the current rise will kill over two million people in China. According to one epidemiologist, 60% of the Chinese population might become ill in the following six months. Many countries are concerned about the Chinese current corona pandemic, yet India is not at risk. Covid was restricted in China until recently. As a result of insufficient medical policy, the situation in China is deteriorating. Omicron's bf.7 variant is also having a huge impact. Despite the fact that this version landed in India some months ago, it had no effect here.

How did the new variation receive its name?

Battlefield 7 is abbreviated as BF.7. BA.5.2.1.7 is the full title. This is a sub-variant of Omicron's BA.5 version. The BA.5 variety of Omicron has the most recorded cases across the world. In around 76.2% of all instances. The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, on the other hand, were not widely distributed in India. We have the most BA.2.75 samples here. The corona virus is evolving, and mutations can lead to a slew of varieties and sub-variants. This is referred to as convergent evolution. BA.2.75.2, BF.7, and BQ.1.1 are the sub-variants. Which sub-variant is descended from which variety determines the names.

How risky is the Omicron subvariant?

According to Chinese sources, BF.7 is more lethal than the other Omicron sub-variants. Because it spreads swiftly, it has the highest transmissibility. A person infected with BF.7 has the ability to infect a significant number of others. The remaining Omicron variants can infect four people on average and have a shorter incubation period. The interval between being exposed to the virus and experiencing symptoms is referred to as the incubation period. That is, you can capture BF.7 as soon as you contact it.

Is BF.7 also available in India?

Subvariants of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 were identified in the wave earlier this year. BA.4 and BA.5 were afterwards added. Both, however, caused more damage in European countries. In India, just a few BF.7 instances have been documented. This variation was identified in Gujarat and Odisha, and one instance was documented in July, two in September, and one in November.

BF.7 Variant- Symptoms

This variation's symptoms are identical to those of the other Omicron subvariants. Infected people may have fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhoea. This sub-variant can cause significant disease in persons with impaired immune systems. If a person has been suffering prolonged physical discomfort, the Covid test should be conducted. A sore throat, weariness, phlegm, and a runny nose are some of the other symptoms.

Precautions for Omicron BF.7

There is limited cure for Corona infection, only the vaccination can protect us from its severe symptoms for the time being. To avoid corona infection, avoid going outside and spend as much time as possible indoors, put your mask on and maintain cleanliness. If you haven't yet received your Covid booster dosage, do so right away.

Written by

Dr Jitendra Narayan CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Mall Road, Delhi

The authors are researchers at the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB). All opinions expressed are personal.

Despite the fact that acute unexplained skin rashes along with travel history are sufficient to identify the suspected cases, it is important to note the commonalities and differences between covid-19 and pre-symptomatic phase of monkeypox. The upper limit of the incubation period for monkeypox is 21 days compared to 14 days in case of covid-19, which amounts to increased quarantine period for travellers from at-risk countries. Secondly, monkeypox infection has a prodromal period during which infected patients exhibit symptoms similar to covid-19 and other upper respiratory tract infections. Therefore, extreme caution should be exercised while handling such cases. These subjects are to be screened for both covid-19 and monkeypox. The extent and possibility of mixed infections should also be considered in case the subject turns out to be positive for SARS-CoV-2. Third, the profile of the at-risk population is different between the two diseases. In case of monkeypox, elderly population is less vulnerable  due to the protection offered by smallpox vaccination. With more than 65 percent of the population under the age of 35, the at-risk population in India is significant. The risk of disease spread is exacerbated further by high population density, and poor environmental sanitation. This emphasizes the need for a pre-emptive pandemic response in our country.  

Waste water genome sequencing offers a sensitive method of detecting monkeypox infections in any given area. This method of surveillance could serve as a checkpoint for the success of the pre-emptive pandemic response. Additionally, the disease prevention ring vaccination technique can help immunise those who are at high risk of becoming ill. This procedure is used to vaccinate contacts of confirmed cases as well as people living nearby. In this way, everyone who has been or could have been exposed to a patient receives the vaccination, resulting in a "ring" of protection ‘box’ that can aid in disease prevention. Ring vaccination necessitates close monitoring and rapid epidemiologic case evaluation. This "ring" strategy was used with great success by the Intensified Smallpox Eradication Program to eradicate smallpox in the second half of the twentieth century, and it can be used again this time.

Written by 

Dr Naveen Kumar Bhatraju and Dr Jitendra Narayan  CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Mall Road, Delhi

The authors are researchers at the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB). All opinions expressed are personal.