Article
Critical Care Medicine
Jordy P. Pijl, Mark Londema, Thomas C. Kwee, Maarten W. N. Nijsten, Riemer H. J. A. Slart, Rudi A. J. O. Dierckx, Peter H. J. van der Voort, Andor W. J. M. Glaudemans, Janesh Pillay
Summary: This study evaluated the diagnostic yield of FDG-PET/CT in intensive care patients with BSI, showing a high sensitivity and specificity for identifying infection foci. Poor image quality was significantly associated with decreased likelihood of finding infection foci.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Zhiyi Jiang, Ning Liu, Luhao Wang, Jianfeng Wu, Xiangdong Guan
Summary: This study found that the fluctuation of PCT could be used as an indicator for screening BSI, with less accuracy for Gram-positive infections. When the fluctuation of PCT is less than 8 ng/ml, BSI should not be considered a rational cause for sepsis exacerbating.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jeong-Hwa Kim, Jae-Woon Oh, Young Lee, Jeong-Ho Yun, Seong-Ho Choi, Dong-Woon Lee
Summary: This study found that detecting 18 bacterial species in mouth-rinse samples can be used to diagnose periodontitis, with Treponema denticola, Prevotella nigrescens, and Streptococcus mitis significantly associated with severe periodontitis. Further research is needed to assess the potential of oral-rinsing solutions in indicating oral infection risk and improving oral hygiene.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Ophthalmology
Satoko Nakano, Yasuhiro Tomaru, Toshiaki Kubota, Hiroshi Takase, Manabu Mochizuki, Norio Shimizu, Sunao Sugita
Summary: The Direct Strip PCR test offers rapid and accurate detection of infectious pathogens causing uveitis. It shows high concordance with qPCR results, even when used by beginners, indicating its reliability for clinical use. Additionally, it can be used for intraoperative diagnosis, improving the prognosis of infectious diseases.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Maria Heredia-Rodriguez, Sara Balbas-Alvarez, Mario Lorenzo-Lopez, Estefania Gomez-Pequera, Pablo Jorge-Monjas, Silvia Rojo-Rello, Laura Sanchez-De Prada, Ivan Sanz-Munoz, Jose Maria Eiros, Pedro Martinez-Paz, Hugo Gonzalo-Benito, Alvaro Tamayo-Velasco, Marta Martin-Fernandez, Pilar Sanchez-Conde, Eduardo Tamayo, Esther Gomez-Sanchez
Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory viruses in nontransplanted postoperative septic patients and investigate their relationship with lymphocyte count and mortality rate. The results showed a high rate of respiratory virus isolation in nontransplanted postoperative septic patients. Lymphopenia was independently associated with a positive virus result, but not with a higher 28-day mortality rate.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sakda Jampasa, Chahya Kreangkaiwal, Kurt Kalcher, Wassa Waiwinya, Teerasit Techawiwattanaboon, Nopporn Songumpai, Passorn Sueyanyongsiri, Kampol Pattanasombatsakul, Malee Techapornroong, Saovanee Benjamanukul, Orawon Chailapakul, Kanitha Patarakul, Sudkate Chaiyo
Summary: This study developed a diagnostic device for leptospiral detection that integrates near-field communication and a portable smartphone. The device offers high specificity, selectivity, simplicity, and requires minimal sample volume, making it suitable for countries with limited medical facilities and resources.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Weidu Song, Chuanhao Zhang, Huichao Lin, Taiyi Zhang, Haixia Liu, Xiaowen Huang
Summary: The proposed real-time rotary PCR reaction system (RRP) meets the requirements of low cost, low-power consumption, potential for miniaturization, and portability. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate its feasibility in the rapid quantitative detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and have broad application prospects in bacteria detection and food safety.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Shaolei Huang, Yiquan An, Bangchao Xi, Xianglian Gong, Zhongfu Chen, Shan Shao, Shengxiang Ge, Jun Zhang, Dongxu Zhang, Ningshao Xia
Summary: Nucleic acid detection is a method that directly identifies the presence of pathogenic microorganisms and has advantages of high sensitivity, commendable specificity, and a short window period. A real-time PCR system based on multiple temperature zones was proposed to solve the time-consuming problem, enabling fast detection speed and high sensitivity under extreme conditions.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Anna Maria Peri, Patrick N. A. Harris, David L. Paterson
Summary: This article reviews currently available emerging assays for the diagnosis of bloodstream infections directly from whole blood, including their performance and the available data about their impact on patient outcome.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ji-Yun Bae, Jiyeon Bae, Min-Kyung So, Hee-Jung Choi, Miae Lee
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of the FilmArray blood culture identification (BCID) panel on the time taken to administer effective antibiotics and the clinical outcomes of bloodstream infections. The results showed that BCID did not significantly affect the 30-day mortality and time to effective antibiotic administration compared to conventional methods. However, it did contribute to the early administration of effective antibiotics in cases of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) bacteremia.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jae Jong Kim, Hyoung-Min Park, A. Young Kyoung, In Kyung Park, Si-Kyu Lim, Byoung Chul Park
Summary: Genetic mutations like SNP are common in genetic disorders and cancers, and PCR methods are widely used for SNP detection. The specifically designed PCR platform STexS can efficiently distinguish small amounts of SNP mixed in normal DNA, aiding in targeting potential SNPs or genetically mutated biomarkers in human clinical samples.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Se Chang Oh, Soo Min Park, Jian Hur, Eun Young Choi, Hyun Jung Jin, Yu Kyung Kim, Jong Ho Lee, Ji Young Ahn, Jae Min Lee
Summary: The study investigated the effectiveness of mPCR for early diagnosis of pertussis, revealing that most patients were diagnosed within two weeks from symptom onset and required hospitalization and antibiotic treatment.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mustafa Altindis, Edmond Puca, Laidon Shapo
Summary: Monkeypox is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus, transmitted through close contact with infected animals, humans, or contaminated objects. Laboratory testing is necessary to confirm cases due to atypical clinical presentation, with nucleic acid amplification testing being the common method. There is a need for a global and effective laboratory network to enhance preparedness for this disease.
TRAVEL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Vanesa Anton-Vazquez, Rafal Dworakowski, Antonio Cannata, George Amin-Youssef, Margaret Gunning, Alexandros Papachristidis, Phil MacCarthy, Max Baghai, Ranjit Deshpande, Habib Khan, Jonathan Byrne, Amanda Fife
Summary: This study assessed the impact of 16S rDNA PCR in the aetiological diagnosis of culture-negative infective endocarditis (IE) patients. The results showed that 16S rDNA PCR significantly improved the detection and identification of bacterial nucleic acid in heart valve tissue compared to valve culture alone. Therefore, 16S rDNA PCR may be a useful diagnostic tool for culture-negative IE, but further studies are needed to evaluate its clinical impact.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hadar Mudrik-Zohar, Michal Chowers, Elizabeth Temkin, Pnina Shitrit
Summary: This study found that detailed department-level investigations of nosocomial bloodstream infections (NBSIs) performed by healthcare providers, along with increased staff awareness and frontline ownership, were associated with a significant decrease in NBSI rates hospitalwide.
INFECTION CONTROL AND HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Corinna Glasner, Matthijs S. Berends, Karsten Becker, Jutta Esser, Jens Gieffers, Annette Jurke, Greetje Kampinga, Stefanie Kampmeier, Rob Klont, Robin Koeck, Lutz von Mueller, Nashwan Al Naemi, Alewijn Ott, Gijs Ruijs, Katja Saris, Adriana Tami, Andreas Voss, Karola Waar, Jan van Zeijl, Alex W. Friedrich
Summary: This first multicenter screening study in a European cross-border region reveals high heterogeneity in the carriage prevalence of MDROs in ICUs in the Netherlands-Germany cross-border region. This indicates that the prevalence is likely influenced by different healthcare structures.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jesper Larsen, Claire L. Raisen, Xiaoliang Ba, Nicholas J. Sadgrove, Guillermo F. Padilla-Gonzalez, Monique S. J. Simmonds, Igor Loncaric, Heidrun Kerschner, Petra Apfalter, Rainer Hartl, Ariane Deplano, Stien Vandendriessche, Barbora Cerna Bolfikova, Pavel Hulva, Maiken C. Arendrup, Rasmus K. Hare, Celine Barnadas, Marc Stegger, Raphael N. Sieber, Robert L. Skov, Andreas Petersen, Oystein Angen, Sophie L. Rasmussen, Carmen Espinosa-Gongora, Frank M. Aarestrup, Laura J. Lindholm, Suvi M. Nykasenoja, Frederic Laurent, Karsten Becker, Birgit Walther, Corinna Kehrenberg, Christiane Cuny, Franziska Layer, Guido Werner, Wolfgang Witte, Ivonne Stamm, Paolo Moroni, Hannah J. Jorgensen, Herminia de Lencastre, Emilia Cercenado, Fernando Garcia-Garrote, Stefan Borjesson, Sara Haeggman, Vincent Perreten, Christopher J. Teale, Andrew S. Waller, Bruno Pichon, Martin D. Curran, Matthew J. Ellington, John J. Welch, Sharon J. Peacock, David J. Seilly, Fiona J. E. Morgan, Julian Parkhill, Nazreen F. Hadjirin, Jodi A. Lindsay, Matthew T. G. Holden, Giles F. Edwards, Geoffrey Foster, Gavin K. Paterson, Xavier Didelot, Mark A. Holmes, Ewan M. Harrison, Anders R. Larsen
Summary: This study reveals that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were present in European hedgehogs before the discovery of antibiotics and have spread among hedgehog populations and between hedgehogs and secondary hosts. The study also shows that the hedgehog dermatophyte Trichophyton erinacei produces two beta-lactam antibiotics that give an advantage to MRSA strains. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding and managing antibiotic resistance in both wild animals and different ecosystems.
Article
Microbiology
Ursula Kaspar, Nina Schleimer, Evgeny A. Idelevich, Sonja Molinaro, Karsten Becker
Summary: Recombinant bacteriophage endolysins PRF-119 and its successor HY-133 have been found to be highly active against various MRSA clonal lineages. However, in vitro re-growth phenomenon was observed, necessitating clarification for the assessment of the agent's stability and activity as well as for methodological aspects of endolysin testing. Factors such as the shape and material of culture vessels and shaking conditions were identified to influence the in vitro stability and activity of HY-133. The findings provide a basis for future standardization and accurate determination of the antimicrobial activities of engineered endolysins.
Article
Pediatrics
Kristin Klar, Dennis Knaack, Stefanie Kampmeier, Anna Katharina Hein, Dennis Goerlich, Siegfried Steltenkamp, Ulrike Weyland, Karsten Becker
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of primary school children about infectious diseases and their prevention measures. The results showed that most children already have some awareness of infections, but their knowledge is not always accurate and adequately supported. The condition of sanitary facilities also has a significant impact on their usage behavior.
Article
Microbiology
Muzaffar Hussain, Christian Kohler, Karsten Becker
Summary: This study demonstrates for the first time a moonlighting function of the enolase protein in S. lugdunensis, which acts as both a metabolic enzyme and an adherence factor. The interaction between SlEno and various extracellular matrix components as well as plasminogen enhances the colonization and invasion ability of S. lugdunensis. These findings suggest that SlEno may serve as a potential vaccine candidate for preventing severe infections caused by this pathogen.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Elias Eger, Michael Schwabe, Lukas Schulig, Nils-Olaf Huebner, Juergen A. Bohnert, Uwe T. Bornscheuer, Stefan E. Heiden, Justus U. Mueller, Fazal Adnan, Karsten Becker, Carlos L. Correa-Martinez, Sebastian Guenther, Evgeny A. Idelevich, Daniel Baecker, Katharina Schaufler
Summary: The ability of extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae to rapidly acquire resistance to novel antibiotics is a global concern. This study investigated the development of resistance against the drug combination ceftazidime-avibactam in a specific strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae and explored the mechanisms of resistance and the resulting fitness and virulence costs. The study reveals the crucial role of a specific porin channel mutation in resistance development and identifies a major metabolic regulator for ameliorating fitness and virulence costs.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David M. Maslove, Benjamin Tang, Manu Shankar-Hari, Patrick R. Lawler, Derek C. Angus, J. Kenneth Baillie, Rebecca M. Baron, Michael Bauer, Timothy G. Buchman, Carolyn S. Calfee, Claudia C. dos Santos, Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Anthony C. Gordon, John A. Kellum, Julian C. Knight, Aleksandra Leligdowicz, Daniel F. McAuley, Anthony S. McLean, David K. Menon, Nuala J. Meyer, Lyle L. Moldawer, Kiran Reddy, John P. Reilly, James A. Russell, Jonathan E. Sevransky, Christopher W. Seymour, Nathan I. Shapiro, Mervyn Singer, Charlotte Summers, Timothy E. Sweeney, B. Taylor Thompson, Tom van der Poll, Balasubramanian Venkatesh, Keith R. Walley, Timothy S. Walsh, Lorraine B. Ware, Hector R. Wong, Zsolt E. Zador, John C. Marshall
Summary: The authors propose a new conceptual model of critical illness that moves away from the current syndrome-based framework and focuses on more precise biological descriptors. They discuss the need to reconsider the current approach based on syndromes and instead emphasize the underlying biological changes that underpin critical illness states. By doing so, they believe it will lead to a better understanding of the pathobiology of critical illness and improved patient outcomes.
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Frieder Schaumburg, Bettina Loefler, Karsten Becker
DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Elvira R. Shaidullina, Michael Schwabe, Thomas Rohde, Valeria V. Shapovalova, Marina S. Dyachkova, Alina D. Matsvay, Yuliya A. Savochkina, Andrey A. Shelenkov, Yulia V. Mikhaylova, Katharina Sydow, Francois Lebreton, Evgeny A. Idelevich, Stefan E. Heiden, Karsten Becker, Roman S. Kozlov, German A. Shipulin, Vasiliy G. Akimkin, Michael Lalk, Sebastian Guenther, Andreas E. Zautner, Juergen A. Bohnert, Ayslu M. Mardanova, Ruth Bouganim, Dror Marchaim, Katharina J. Hoff, Katharina Schaufler, Mikhail V. Edelstein
Summary: This study is the first to investigate a large international collection of K. pneumoniae ST395 genomes, revealing the phylogenetics and detailed genomic characteristics of this emerging high-risk clonal lineage.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Loris Busch, Anna Maria Hanuschik, Yuri Avlasevich, Katrin Darm, Elisa F. F. Hochheiser, Christian Kohler, Evgeny A. A. Idelevich, Karsten Becker, Peter Rotsch, Katharina Landfester, Maxim E. E. Darvin, Martina C. C. Meinke, Cornelia M. M. Keck, Axel Kramer, Paula Zwicker
Summary: Hair follicles are important drug delivery targets for skin antisepsis due to their high concentration of skin microbiome. Nanoparticles can penetrate deeply into hair follicles and can be triggered to release drugs through various mechanisms. The study introduces UV-responsive nanocapsules containing hydroxyethyl starch, which demonstrated efficient release of ethanol and a strong reduction in microbial load on porcine ear skin. The findings suggest the potential for advanced skin antisepsis using UVA-responsive nanocapsules.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jennifer K. Bender, Elsa Baufeld, Karsten Becker, Heike Claus, Anna Dudakova, Achim Doerre, Nikoletta Fila, Carola Fleige, Axel Hamprecht, Armin Hoffmann, Michael Hogardt, Achim J. Kaasch, Axel Kola, Nancy Kriebel, Franziska Layer-Nicolaou, Matthias Marschal, Ernst Molitor, Nico T. Mutters, Jan Liese, Claudia Nelkenbrecher, Bernd Neumann, Holger Rohde, Joerg Steinmann, Michael Soerensen, Philipp Thelen, Michael Weig, Andreas E. Zautner, Guido Werner
Summary: An increasing number of linezolid-resistant enterococci (LRE) has been recognized in Germany. However, there is a lack of reliable and rapid diagnostic methods for screening LRE in epidemiologically linked hospital settings. CHROMAgar™ LIN-R provides a simple and efficient screening tool for LRE in clinical settings. The prevalence of LRE among German hospital patients was estimated to be 1% based on the study results.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Evgeny A. Idelevich, Betty Nedow, Marcus Vollmer, Karsten Becker
Summary: Over the past decade, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) has become a standard method for identifying bacteria and yeasts. However, further optimization of the identification process is necessary to streamline workflows and save resources. This study evaluated the use of a multipurpose benchtop tool, MBT FAST Shuttle IVD, for accelerated drying of liquid assay components on a MALDI target. The results showed that using the MBT FAST Shuttle significantly reduced drying time and improved identification success.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Elisa Heuser, Karsten Becker, Evgeny A. Idelevich
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and time savings of automated colony counting. The results showed that fully automatic counting resulted in low accuracy, especially for plates with very high or very low colony numbers. Visual correction improved the concordance with manual counts, but there was no benefit in counting time.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Karsten Becker
Summary: While modern molecular methods have greatly improved microbiological diagnostics, the detection and identification of phenotypic variants still pose challenges. This is particularly true for the small-colony-variant (SCV) phenotype formed by staphylococci, which is difficult to detect and characterize due to its unstable nature. The physiological and metabolic changes in SCVs make traditional growth-based methods unreliable, requiring prolonged incubation times and confirmation by molecular methods. Standardized protocols for SCV diagnostics are currently lacking, but their detection has significant implications for treatment and should be reported and managed collaboratively with microbiological laboratories and clinicians.
Article
Cell Biology
Puja Kumari, Swathy O. Vasudevan, Ashley J. Russo, Skylar S. Wright, Victor Fraile-Agreda, Dylan Krajewski, Evan R. Jellison, Ignacio Rubio, Michael Bauer, Atsushi Shimoyama, Koichi Fukase, Yuanpeng Zhang, Joel S. Pachter, Sivapriya Kailasan Vanaja, Vijay A. Rathinam
Summary: This study demonstrates that extracellular vesicles can capture systemic bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and transfer it to the cytosol, triggering inflammatory responses and cell death.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)