Enhancing antibiotic stewardship: Physicians' acceptance of AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve)-based microbiology reporting and its impact on judicious antibiotic selection - a cross-sectional study.

Background: Inappropriate and excessive use of antimicrobials contributes to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). To address this, better tools are needed to improve antibiotic prescribing globally. This study evaluates a novel antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) tool - the AWaRe-based microbiology reporting format - developed by the Departments of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the Government Medical College, Trivandrum, Kerala state, India.

Candida-Associated Renal Papillary Necrosis Following Severe COVID-19 Infection.

Candida-associated renal papillary necrosis is rare. The few cases described previously were secondary to candidemia, especially in immunocompromised hosts. We describe two patients who presented with hydroureteronephrosis and were diagnosed with candida-associated renal papillary necrosis.

Pandemic potential of the Nipah virus and public health strategies adopted during outbreaks: Lessons from Kerala, India.

Kerala, a south Indian state witnessed several outbreaks of Nipah encephalitis since 2018, a zoonotic viral disease with significant pandemic potential. This review highlights the relevance of surveillance and health system preparedness, infection control, early diagnosis and treatment with broad-spectrum antivirals, environmental conservation, and community engagement in mitigating Nipah outbreaks. Additionally, it emphasises the importance of developing new biologicals and anti-viral drugs to combat the disease.

Trichosporon infection in chronic kidney disease patients from a tertiary care hospital - a case series or an outbreak? An unanswered question but a well-managed problem.

While the majority of spp. isolated in clinical laboratories are typically associated with episodes of colonization or superficial infections, this fungal species has gained recognition as an opportunistic pathogen, leading to invasive infections worldwide. In this article, we present a case series of spp.

The burden of dengue and force of infection among children in Kerala, India; seroprevalence estimates from Government of Kerala-WHO Dengue study.

Background: Dengue shows high geographic heterogeneity within and across endemic countries. In the context of increasing burden and predicted outbreaks due to climate change, understanding the heterogeneity will enable us to develop region specific targeted interventions, including vaccination. World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests standard methodologies to study the burden and heterogeneity at national and subnational levels.

Immediate cause and the role of multimorbidity in deaths associated with COVID 19 among hospitalized patients in a low resource district in Kerala India: A record-based case-control analysis.

Introduction: Multimorbidity is the coexistence of two or more chronic medical conditions in a person. The study aims to investigate the immediate cause of death and risk factors of mortality including multimorbidity among patients hospitalized with SARS CoV2 infection in Kasaragod district in Kerala, India.

Methods: A record-based case-control study was done using the hospital records and follow-up surveillance system of SARS-COV 2 patients admitted in the Kasaragod district.

Region-specific improvisation on WHO case definition and environmental risk factors associated with dengue: a case-control analysis from Kerala, India.

Background: Region-specific variations may occur in symptomatic manifestations that need to be addressed by dynamic case definitions. Environmental risk factors for dengue also vary widely across geographic settings. Our aim was to study the test positivity rate of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2009 probable dengue case definition and to suggest region-specific improvisations to it.

Mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients: predisposing factors, prevention and management.

India is considered the diabetes capital of the world and has the highest burden of mucormycosis. Bacterial, viral and fungal co-infections are increasingly being reported in severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARSCoV-2) infected patients. India is one of the worst affected countries during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strategies and challenges in Kerala's response to the initial phase of COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study.

Objective: To understand the structures and strategies that helped Kerala in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges faced by the state and how it was tackled.

Design: Qualitative descriptive study using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews.

Setting: State of Kerala, India.

Social, health system and clinical determinants of fever mortality during an outbreak of dengue fever in Kerala, India.

Background And Objectives: The morbidity and mortality spectrum of the south Indian state of Kerala is dominated by chronic non-communicable diseases, yet febrile illnesses because of neglected tropical diseases and emerging viral infections are often reported. As fever deaths are mostly avoidable, understanding the determinants of mortality is essential for implementing preventive measures.

Methods: A case-control study was done during an ongoing dengue outbreak in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala during 2017-18.