Author: Neel Achary

Dr. Bhupesh Bagga Elected OMIG President at LVPEI’s Bug Busters 5 and AMR Awareness Run

Leadership and learning at LVPEI: Dr Bhupesh Bagga elected OMIG President amid Bug Busters 5 and AMR Awareness Run

Hyderabad, 3rd November, 2025: Dr Bhupesh Bagga, Consultant Ophthalmologist – Cornea & Anterior Segment at L V Prasad Eye Institute was elected as president of the Ocular Microbiology and Immunology Group, (eyeomig.org/Facebook) an international non-profit organization of physicians and scientists who focus on the study of “bugs and drugs” in the eye. 

The group was established in 1990 and is based in Pittsburgh, USA. The group’s core mission is to present new information on ocular infections, the immune system’s response to them, and related treatments. Participation in their annual meeting where they discuss topics like infectious agents, immunity, inflammation, and new data and statistical analysis is much sought after by scientists and clinicians worldwide. 

Dr Bhupesh spearheaded the Bug Busters 5 Conference organized by LVPEI between Oct 31 – Nov 2, 2025. The conference saw in-person and virtual participation of both national and international speakers. Around 120 delegates from across India participated in the three-day conference. Papers and sessions were presented on various aspects of ocular immunology, microbiology, and pharmacology.  

Corneal infections pose significant challenges to eye health, and finding effective solutions requires a multidisciplinary approach. Bug Busters was conceived by LVPEI to explore the latest advancements in corneal infection research and enable multidisciplinary collaboration among ophthalmologists, microbiologists, immunologists, and other professionals working in the domain. It brings together leading experts, researchers, and clinicians from around the world to exchange knowledge, present groundbreaking findings, and discuss cutting-edge strategies in the field of corneal infections. 

Bug Busters 5 enabled engaging discussions, interactive sessions, and thought-provoking presentations that delved into the complex nature of corneal infections and explored innovative approaches to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

As part of Bug Busters 5, a ‘Race Against Resistance AMR Awareness 4K Challenge’ was organized today, starting at L V Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Banjara Hills. The run was organized as a precursor to the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), a global campaign held annually from November 18–24 to raise awareness about Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) and promote best practices to combat it.

On this occasion Dr Shivaranjani Santosh, Paediatrician, Magna Centres for Obesity, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Hyderabad; said, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) arises from the excessive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics. When antibiotics are misused, they lose their effectiveness, failing to work when they are truly needed to fight bacterial infections. Tragically, many lives are being lost because medicines that once saved lives no longer work. We must act responsibly. Avoid buying antibiotics over the counter or using them for every minor illness, many ailments are caused by viruses or other non-bacterial factors where antibiotics offer no benefit. Antibiotics should be used only when bacterial infection is confirmed, strongly suspected, or in high-risk cases where timely intervention is critical. The government must strictly regulate over-the-counter antibiotic sales. Patients should stop self-medicating. Doctors must prescribe antibiotics judiciously, and RMPs should refrain from administering high-dose antibiotics or steroids unnecessarily, such practices can endanger lives.

Dr Prashant Garg, Executive Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI); said, Indiscriminate use of antibiotics poses a serious threat to our community. I urge everyone not to buy medicines over the counter, and never to use antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription. Always ensure that you complete the full course prescribed, stopping midway only fuels resistance. When we use antibiotics responsibly, not just for humans, but also in poultry and animal husbandry, we can collectively overcome this growing menace and safeguard health for generations to come.

Dr Ponnari Gottipati, Associate Director Research, LVPEI & Co-Founder, Super Heroes against Superbugs; said, Antimicrobial resistance is fast emerging as a grave concern for humanity. The very antibiotics that empower us to treat critical ailments, from cancer therapies and organ transplants to cesarean deliveries, are losing their power. These wonder drugs help us fight infections that arise during such treatments, but their overuse and misuse are rendering them ineffective. Today, antibiotics are being consumed excessively, often without need or proper guidance. This alarming trend means that even minor infections, which were once easily curable, could soon become life-threatening. The lack of awareness around this issue is a serious challenge. This run is our collective step towards creating awareness. We aim to educate everyone on the responsible use of antibiotics, understanding when they are necessary, when they are not, and why they should never be taken without a doctor’s prescription. Buying antibiotics over the counter, sharing them between patients, or stopping the course midway, all these practices fuel resistance. Completing the full course as prescribed by a medical professional is vital to ensure antibiotics remain effective for everyone. Together, we can fight this invisible enemy. Through this awareness run, let’s pledge to use antibiotics wisely and safeguard their power for future generations.

Organized in collaboration with Superheroes Against Superbugs initiative, the run included a fun element where runners solved puzzles related to antimicrobial resistance. About 200 enthusiastic clinicians, scientists and the public participated in the run to create awareness on the harmful effects of the misuse and overuse of antibiotics.

Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) is one of the fastest-growing health threats of our time and most people don’t even know they could be contributing to it!  Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been prioritized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.

The latest AMR report by the World Health Organization (WHO) quotes experts describe findings, “as deeply concerning and predict 70% increase in related deaths by 2050.” It also states, “more than 40% of antibiotics losing potency against common blood, gut, urinary tract and sexually transmitted infections between 2018 and 2023.”

India ranks among the top countries globally for age-standardized mortality due to AMR. In 2019, India had approximately 297,000 deaths directly attributable to AMR and over 1,042,500 deaths associated with AMR as a contributing factor. About 66-67% of reported AMR cases were from the productive age group of 15 to 64 years. The high rates of infectious diseases make antibiotic use—and misuse especially important to create awareness about.

Underweight and Unbalanced: Gut Microbial Diversity in Underweight Japanese Women

Researchers link BMI and differences in gut microbiota in young, underweight Japanese women

November 1, 2025: Low body weight in young women has been associated with various health concerns. Rising trends in the proportion of underweight women between the ages of 20 and 39 have been seen in Japan, raising concerns. In a first-of-its-kind study, Dr. Katsumi Iizuka and Dr. Hiroaki Masuyama from Japan have found that underweight Japanese women had a lower gut microbiota diversity and more inflammation-linked microbes. These findings suggest gut health is critical in weight control.

Low body weight in young women has been linked to a range of health concerns, including disrupted menstrual cycles, infertility, weakened immune function, and a long-term decline in bone density. Japan has seen a rising trend in the proportion of underweight women between the ages of 20 and 39, with little to no change over the past two decades. The persistence of this trend raises concerns over the long-term health implications, especially as lean body weight has been correlated with changing dietary habits, diseases like anorexia nervosa, and even imbalances in gut microbiota. While previous research has reported lower alpha gut microbiota diversity in the underweight and overweight categories compared to those with normal weight, the differences in gut microbiota diversity in young, underweight Japanese women remain unclear.

To explore this further, a team of researchers from Japan, led by Dr. Katsumi Iizuka, a Professor at the Department of Clinical Nutrition, Fujita Health University, Japan, and Dr. Hiroaki Masuyama, Symbiosis Solutions Inc., set out to investigate the link between body type, dietary patterns and gut microbiota diversity in young, underweight Japanese women. They focused on understanding whether the gut microbiota diversity differed significantly between women who were underweight and those with normal body mass index (BMI). Their research was published in Volume 17, Issue 20 of the journal Nutrients on October 17, 2025. Prof. Iizuka says, “The differences in the diversity of the gut microbiota of young Japanese women by body weight have not been investigated. If differences in the gut microbiota between thin young women and women of normal weight become clear, I believe that improving eating habits could lead to improvements in the gut microbiota and consequently, body weight.”

The study observed and compared 40 underweight women with 40 age-matched women, between 20 and 39. The underweight group included women who were referred to the Nutrition Clinic at Fujita Health University with a BMI less than 17.5 at their first consultation, while the control group was composed of women with normal BMI (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25) and were selected from a database by Symbiosis Solutions Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan). Stool samples were collected using standardized kits, while food frequency questionnaires were used to assess dietary patterns.

Interestingly, the researchers found no significant differences in dietary patterns between the two groups. However, an analysis of the gut microbiota showed that underweight women had a significantly lower microbiota diversity and an increased presence of species, such as Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Erysipelatoclostridium, which are linked to inflammation. On the other hand, the normal-weight group had a healthier abundance of bacteria like Prevotella and Dorea. Prof. Iizuka mentions, “Among Japanese women aged 20–39, those in the underweight group showed a greater decrease in gut microbiota diversity compared to the normal-weight group, rather than differences in dietary patterns.” He adds, “Underweight women demonstrated reduced gut microbiota diversity and enrichment of taxa associated with inflammatory tendencies.”

These findings suggest that gut health is as important as caloric intake when it comes to addressing low body weight. Prof. Iizuka explains, “Not only the amount of energy or the ratio of protein, fat, carbohydrate, but actively consuming dietary fiber and fermented foods may lead to weight improvement in underweight individuals by causing changes in the gut microbiota.”

When asked about the long-term implications of the study, he said, “By combining the dietary survey data with gut microbiota analysis, it may become possible to evaluate not only the nutrients and energy contained in food, but also the quality of digestion and metabolism within the intestines after eating.”

With gut health gaining global attention, the findings of this study offer new insights into how the gut microbiota could aid in more personalized nutritional care for underweight Japanese women.