New black mildews (Ascomycetes) from Kerala State, India

Black mildews belong to a wide range of leaf inhabiting fungal genera, which causes severe damage to the living leaves, affect photosynthetic efficiency, cause physiological imbalances, and reduces the plants’ aesthetic value. During a survey of foliicolous fungi in Vagamon hills of Kerala state’s Western Ghats region, an endemic medicinal plant Xanthophyllum arnottianum was found infected with an undescribed species of black mildew causing fungal genus Echidnodella. Their mycelia are non-appressoriate and devoid of hypostroma. Thyriothecia are oval, ellipsoidal, X or Y shaped, elongated producing eight uniseptate brown coloured ascospores in each bitunicate asci. Echidnodella was distinguished from the allied genus Echidnodes in the absence of paraphyses and from the genera Lembosia and Morenoella in the lack of appressoria (haustoria). This new species, Echidnodella vagamonensis is described and illustrated in detail to provide the consolidated account of the species known on this host genus.

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The Marriage Squeeze and the Rise of Groomprice in India’s Kerala State

Journal of Comparative Family Studies ◽

10.3138/jcfs.23.2.197 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 197-216 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Michaels. Billig

Keyword(s):

Marriage Squeeze ◽

Kerala State

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Detection of Nipah virus in Pteropus medius in 2019 outbreak from Ernakulam district, Kerala, India

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-021-05865-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

A. B. Sudeep ◽

Pragya D. Yadav ◽

Mangesh D. Gokhale ◽

R. Balasubramanian ◽

Nivedita Gupta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Index Case ◽

Nipah Virus ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Genotype I ◽

Visceral Organs ◽

Distinct Cluster ◽

New Genotype ◽

Kerala State ◽

Set Up

Abstract Background In June 2019, Nipah virus (NiV) infection was detected in a 21-year-old male (index case) of Ernakulum, Kerala, India. This study was undertaken to determine if NiV was in circulation in Pteropus species (spp) in those areas where the index case had visit history in 1 month. Methods Specialized techniques were used to trap the Pteropus medius bats (random sampling) in the vicinity of the index case area. Throat and rectal swabs samples of 141 bats along with visceral organs of 92 bats were collected to detect the presence of NiV by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRTPCR). Serum samples of 52 bats were tested for anti-NiV Immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The complete genome of NiV was sequenced by next-generation sequencing (NGS) from the tissues and swab samples of bats. Results One rectal swab sample and three bats visceral organs were found positive for the NiV. Interestingly, 20.68% (12/58) of Pteropus were positive for anti-NiV IgG antibodies. NiV sequences of 18,172; 17,200 and 15,100 nucleotide bps could be retrieved from three Pteropus bats. Conclusion A distinct cluster of NiV sequences, with significant net-evolutionary nucleotide divergence, was obtained, suggesting the circulation of new genotype (I-India) in South India. NiV Positivity in Pteropus spp. of bats revealed that NiV is circulating in many districts of Kerala state, and active surveillance of NiV should be immediately set up to know the hotspot area for NiV infection.

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Deterioration of cashewnuts in Kerala state of India due to insect infestation along with the fungal incidence

Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection ◽

10.1080/03235400903057704 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 44 (4) ◽

pp. 346-351

Author(s):

Vishnupriya Sharma

Keyword(s):

Insect Infestation ◽

Kerala State

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An Analysis of Leptospirosis Control in a Flood-Affected Region of Kerala and the Role of Accredited Social Health Activists – A Questionnaire Study

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2021.71 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

M.K. Sreelakshmi ◽

Suneesh Kuruvilla ◽

Ramanarayanan Subramaniam ◽

Pooja Latti ◽

Ramanarayanan Venkitachalam

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Knowledge Score ◽

Social Health ◽

Attitude Score ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Maximum Score ◽

South Indian ◽

The Mean ◽

Knowledge And Attitude ◽

Kerala State

Abstract Background: Chengannur, a town in the south Indian state of Kerala, was 1 of the worst affected towns during the floods of 2018. Post-flood, Kerala state was under the threat of many infectious diseases including leptospirosis, but did not report any leptospirosis infections. Objectives: This study was conducted with the following objectives: (1) Assess the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding the prevention of leptospirosis among the flood affected population and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) of Chengannur; and (2) Analyze the factors responsible for and contributing to leptospirosis control in the area post flood. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire based observational study was conducted among 2 groups: the flood affected population, and ASHA. The questionnaire was divided into 3 parts. Part A contained the socio-demographic information. Part B contained questions on assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the prevention, and control of leptospirosis. Part C was only for the ASHA involved. Results: The final sample size was 331 (244 from the general population and 87 ASHAs). With respect to knowledge, attitude, and practice, the responses were dichotomized into correct and wrong responses. The mean knowledge score was 9.01 ± 1.08 (maximum score of 10), mean attitude score was of 3.61 ± 0.55 (maximum score of 4) and the mean practice score was 4.12 ± 1.05 (maximum score of 5). Conclusion: Knowledge and attitude scores did not significantly differ between the general population and ASHA, but the practice score showed a higher score among the ASHA, all of which could have probably contributed to the prevention of a leptospirosis outbreak in the region.

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Two new species of Craterellus (Cantharellaceae) from tropical India

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.346.2.3 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 346 (2) ◽

pp. 157

Author(s):

C. BIJEESH ◽

A. MANOJ KUMAR ◽

K.B. VRINDA ◽

C.K. PRADEEP

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Tropical Forests ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Gene Region ◽

Similar Species ◽

Rdna Gene ◽

Two New Species ◽

Kerala State

Two unusual species of Craterellus have been collected numerous times from the evergreen tropical forests in Kerala State, India. The species Craterellus albostrigosus and Craterellus inusitatus are described as new based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses of nrLSU-rDNA gene region. Complete morphological descriptions, photographs and comparisons with similar species are provided as well as a key to the known species of Craterellus from India.

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