Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pei-Yun Lin, Shang-Yih Chan, Arnold Stern, Po -Hsiang Chen, Hung -Chi Yang
Summary: This study characterized Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE-fm) isolates obtained from hospitals in northern Taiwan in terms of antimicrobial susceptibility, virulence genes, and biofilm production. Most isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance and carried the virulence genes esp and hyl. Isolates carrying the esp gene had greater biofilm production. Linezolid-resistant VRE-fm isolates carrying hyl were found to be pathogenic in a nematode model. Combining molecular epidemiology studies of pathogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans can guide physicians in limiting opportunistic infections caused by VRE-fm.
Article
Microbiology
Yusuke Hashimoto, Masato Suzuki, Sae Kobayashi, Yuki Hirahara, Jun Kurushima, Hidetada Hirakawa, Takahiro Nomura, Koichi Tanimoto, Haruyoshi Tomita
Summary: Linear plasmids with high self-transmissibility and the ability to acquire and maintain antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, particularly through transposition with IS1216E, have been identified in clinical multidrug-resistant enterococci. These plasmids play a crucial role in the spread and maintenance of AMR genes among enterococci.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Hsih-Yeh Tsai, Yu-Lin Lee, Po-Yu Liu, Min-Chi Lu, Pei-Lan Shao, Po-Liang Lu, Shu-Hsing Cheng, Wen-Chien Ko, Chi-Ying Lin, Ting-Shu Wu, Muh-Yong Yen, Lih-Shinn Wang, Chang-Pan Liu, Wen-Sen Lee, Zhi-Yuan Shi, Yao-Shen Chen, Fu-Der Wang, Shu-Hui Tseng, Yu-Hui Chen, Wang-Huei Sheng, Chun-Ming Lee, Yen-Hsu Chen, Chun-Hsing Liao, Po-Ren Hsueh
Summary: Multicenter surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility was conducted for 235 vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) isolates from 18 Taiwanese hospitals. The study found very low susceptibility rates to teicoplanin, dalbavancin, and telavancin, while tigecycline and eravacycline showed high activity against VREfm isolates in Taiwan. The susceptibility rates of VREfm isolates to oxazolidinone-class antibiotics were much lower compared to other parts of the world.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Kyriaki Xanthopoulou, Julia Wille, Janine Zweigner, Kai Lucassen, Thorsten Wille, Harald Seifert, Paul G. Higgins
Summary: The study characterized two Enterococcus faecium isolates with different resistance phenotypes obtained from the same blood culture. Analysis revealed that they were ST203 and genetically identical. The heterogeneity in resistance phenotypes was attributed to the acquisition or loss of plasmid segments in the enterococcal isolates.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Budi Permana, Patrick N. A. Harris, Naomi Runnegar, Margaret Lindsay, Belinda C. Henderson, E. G. Playford, David L. Paterson, Scott A. Beatson, Brian M. Forde
Summary: An outbreak of vanB-type VREfm ST78 occurred in a large tertiary Australian hospital. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a complex transmission route involving unknown environmental reservoirs. This genomic analysis provided detailed information on the local epidemiology of the outbreak strain and facilitated better targeted control measures for VREfm.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mieko Tokano, Norihito Tarumoto, Jun Sakai, Kazuo Imai, Masahiro Kodana, Toru Kawamura, Takuya Maeda, Shigefumi Maesaki
Summary: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections. Whole-genome sequencing and taxonomic characterization using average nucleotide identity (ANI) values and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) can serve as viable alternatives to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for infection control and outbreak evaluations.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Michael Biggel, Magdalena Nueesch-Inderbinen, Susanne Raschle, Marc J. A. Stevens, Roger Stephan
Summary: The study found the presence of VRE in flowing surface water bodies in Switzerland, with detection mainly near treated wastewater discharge sites. The VRE isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecium ST133 and carried the vanA gene cluster, showing a close phylogenetic relationship to swine fecal VRE samples reported in Switzerland previously.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lucia Malisova, Vladislav Jakubu, Katarina Pomorska, Martin Musilek, Helena Zemlickova
Summary: The main mechanisms of linezolid resistance in linezolid-resistant enterococci in the Czech Republic were found to be the G2576T mutation in the domain V of 23S rRNA and the presence of the optrA gene, with some isolates also showing resistance to tigecycline and vancomycin.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jie Shen, Xiao Long, Qi Jiang, Hao Xu, Qinming Wei, Qingmiao Shi, Yi Liu, Shanshan Xu, Xiaolu Ma, Lanjuan Li
Summary: In China, the occurrence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) is not common, and research on the genetic context and transmission mechanism of vanA plasmid is scarce. This study aims to characterize a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolate from a bloodstream infection and determine the genetic environment and delivery pattern of the plasmid carrying the vancomycin-resistant gene.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Johanna Kessel, Jennifer Bender, Guido Werner, Matas Griskaitis, Eva Herrmann, Annette Lehn, Hubert Serve, Kai Zacharowski, Stefan Zeuzem, Maria J. G. T. Vehreschild, Thomas A. Wichelhaus, Volkhard A. J. Kempf, Michael Hogardt
Summary: The study identified tigecycline exposure as the main risk factor for TVRE carriage, which was associated with a higher rate of bloodstream infections and increased mortality. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed the transmission of TVRE, even across different wards.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Khaled A. Abd El-Razik, Eman S. Ibrahim, Amany A. Arafa, Riham H. Hedia, Abdelgayed M. Younes, Mahmoud H. Hasanain
Summary: This study found that healthy dogs can carry vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in their feces, potentially serving as a source of VRE infection. The isolates from the fecal samples were found to harbor antibiotic resistance genes and virulence determinants. These findings suggest that dogs may impact public health in Egypt, highlighting the need for a One Health task force approach to restrict their spread.
Article
Microbiology
Weiwei Li, Jiamin Hu, Ling Li, Mengge Zhang, Qingyu Cui, Yanan Ma, Hainan Su, Xuhua Zhang, Hai Xu, Mingyu Wang
Summary: This study identified a multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecium strain EF332 that is resistant to both daptomycin and vancomycin, and discovered new genetic mutations that confer daptomycin resistance.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Paola Lisotto, Natacha Couto, Sigrid Rosema, Mariette Lokate, Xuewei Zhou, Erik Bathoorn, Hermie J. M. Harmsen, Alexander W. Friedrich, John W. A. Rossen, Monika A. Chlebowicz-Fliss
Summary: Genomic analysis of VREfm and VSEfm isolates revealed close relationships, with detailed analysis of MGEs and plasmid content enhancing discriminatory power and enabling identification of epidemiological links.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Daniel Echeverria-Esnal, Luisa Sorli, Maria Eugenia Navarrete-Rouco, Nuria Prim, Jaime Barcelo-Vidal, David Conde-Estevez, Maria Milagro Montero, Clara Martin-Ontiyuelo, Juan Pablo Horcajada, Santiago Grau
Summary: This article reviews the relevant aspects of ampicillin-resistant and vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium (EfARSV) bacteremia, including microbiology, gastrointestinal tract colonization and invasion, antibiotic resistance, epidemiology, risk factors, mortality, and treatment. However, the most appropriate treatment for this infection remains uncertain due to limited data.
EXPERT REVIEW OF ANTI-INFECTIVE THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Theresa Maria Wagner, Jessin Janice, Mark Schulz, Susan A. Ballard, Anders Goncalves da Silva, Geoffrey W. Coombs, Denise A. Daley, Stanley Pang, Shakeel Mowlaboccus, Tim Stinear, Kristin Hegstad, Benjamin P. Howden, Arnfinn Sundsfjord
Summary: This study identified eight potential vancomycin variable enterococci (VVE) isolates through whole-genome sequencing of Australian Enterococcus faecium (Efm) isolates. It was found that VVE could convert to a resistant phenotype under vancomycin selection, which was associated with a 44-bp deletion in the vanHAX promoter region and an increased vanA plasmid copy number.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Ran Jing, Wen-Hang Yang, Meng Xiao, Ying Li, Gui-Ling Zou, Cheng-Ying Wang, Xiu-Wen Li, Ying-Chun Xu, Po-Ren Hsueh
Summary: This study provides valuable insights on the species distribution and susceptibility of Aspergillus strains isolated from otomycosis patients in China. The findings highlight the prevalence of A. welwitschiae and the existence of azole-resistance, which can guide clinical medication for otomycosis.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Tsai-Wen Wan, Yu-Jung Liu, Yu-Ting Wang, Yu-Tzu Lin, Jia-Chuan Hsu, Jui-Chang Tsai, Hao-Chieh Chiu, Po -Ren Hsueh, Wei-Chun Hung, Lee-Jene Teng
Summary: This study provides detailed genetic characterization of Tn6636, a multidrug-resistant mobile element, in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. The prevalence of Tn6636 in methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) is higher than that in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The presence of this mobile element with various sequence types suggests its broad dissemination and the potential for continued spread of resistant plasmids.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Yu-Te Tsai, Yu-Lin Lee, Min-Chi Lu, Pei-Lan Shao, Po-Liang Lu, Shu-Hsing Cheng, Wen-Chien Ko, Chi-Ying Lin, Ting-Shu Wu, Muh-Yong Yen, Lih-Shinn Wang, Chang-Pan Liu, Wen-Sen Lee, Zhi-Yuan Shi, Yao-Shen Chen, Fu-Der Wang, Shu-Hui Tseng, Chao-Nan Lin, Yu-Hui Chen, Wang-Huei Sheng, Chun-Ming Lee, Hung-Jen Tang, Chun-Yu Lin, Yen-Hsu Chen, Po-Ren Hsueh
Summary: The study suggests that empirical treatment with ceftriaxone monotherapy for pneumococcal meningitis should be carefully monitored due to its high non-susceptibility rate. However, the high susceptibility rates of most isolates to other antibiotics such as penicillin, carbapenems, respiratory quinolones, vancomycin, and linezolid indicate their potential in treating pneumococcal diseases in Taiwan.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yu-Lin Lee, Wen-Chien Ko, Po-Ren Hsueh
Summary: This study investigated the resistance patterns and mechanisms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Asia-Pacific region from 2015 to 2019. The results showed significant variations in resistance patterns and associated genes among different countries in the region.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Pin-Han Wu, Chih-Hao Chen, Chia-Huei Chou, Mao-Wang Ho, Yu-Hsuan Liu, Hsiu-Hsien Lin, Kuan-Fei Chen, Po-Ren Hsueh
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2022)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Yu-Chang Chang, Chiung-Tzu Hsiao, Wan-Li Chen, Yang-Di Su, Po-Ren Hsueh
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jung-Yien Chien, Chong-Jen Yu, Po-Ren Hsueh
Summary: The performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was evaluated and compared with that of conventional culture testing in patients with sepsis. mNGS had higher detection rates than blood culture and BALF culture, especially for bacteria, viruses, and multipathogen infections. RNA-based mNGS increased the detection rate of several bacteria, fungi, and viruses. mNGS offers a sensitive diagnostic method for patients with sepsis, but clinical correlation is advised to interpret the data due to the lack of unified diagnostic criteria.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Jia-Arng Lee, Shin-Hei Du, Tai-fen Lee, Yu-Shan Huang, Chun-Hsing Liao, Yu-Tsung Huang, Po-Ren Hsueh
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2023)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Yuag-Meng Liu, Wen-Chien Ko, Mao-Wang Ho, Yu-Lin Lee, Po-Ren Hsueh
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2023)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Jiaxin Yu, Hsiu-Hsien Lin, Kun-Hao Tseng, Ni Tien, Po-Ren Hsueh, Der-Yang Cho
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2023)
Review
Virology
Chih-Cheng Lai, Chi-Kuei Hsu, Shun-Chung Hsueh, Muh-Yong Yen, Wen-Chien Ko, Po-Ren Hsueh
Summary: Following the emergence of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a similar clinical scenario called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) has been observed. Although the prevalence of MIS-A is low and likely underdiagnosed, it can be associated with high mortality. MIS-A is a multisystem disease that affects the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, dermatologic, hematologic, and neurologic systems. The diagnosis of MIS-A requires clinical manifestations, laboratory evidence of inflammation, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The appropriate treatment for MIS-A is still uncertain, but anti-inflammatory agents like intravenous immunoglobulin and corticosteroids are commonly used. Further research is needed to determine the true prevalence, pathogenesis, and effective treatment for MIS-A.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Virology
Chih-Cheng Lai, Po-Ren Hsueh
Summary: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NMV-r) is an effective antiviral agent for treating nonhospitalized COVID-19 patients. However, there have been rare cases of virologic and symptomatic rebound after NMV-r treatment, which is a cause for concern. This review provides comprehensive information on the frequency, mechanism, outcomes, and management of COVID-19 rebound after NMV-r. The incidence of rebound was less than 2% and most cases had mild symptoms, with favorable clinical outcomes.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Pin-Han Wu, Chih-Hao Chen, Wen-Hsin Hsih, Chia-Huei Chou, Chih-Yu Chi, Mao-Wang Ho, Yu-Tzu Lin, Hsiu-Hsien Lin, Kun-Hao Tseng, Po-Ren Hsueh
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Immunology
I-Ru Chen, Guei-Jane Wang, Po-Ren Hsueh, Chia-Hui Chou, Long-Bin Jeng, Hui-Ju Lin, Huang-Jiun Liao, Ping-Chin Lai, Jan-Gowth Chang, Chiu-Ching Huang
Summary: This study evaluated the immune responses and safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) in Taiwan. The results showed that the vaccines effectively protected aHUS patients from severe COVID-19 complications without significant safety concerns. Transplant aHUS patients had lower immune response titers, indicating a need for additional vaccine doses.
Article
Microbiology
Yu-Tsung Huang, Yao-Wen Kuo, Nan-Yao Lee, Ni Tien, Chun-Hsing Liao, Lee-Jene Teng, Wen-Chien Ko, Po-Ren Hsueh
Summary: Detection of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales is important for therapeutic decisions and infection control. The Xpert CARBA-R and NG-Test CARBA 5 assays showed high sensitivity and specificity in detecting carbapenemases in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales isolates.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)