Rapid detection of bacteria that produce extended-spectrum β-lactamase by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Objectives: Proper use of antibacterial agents is necessary to prevent the spread of drug-resistant bacteria. To support clinicians, laboratories need to rapidly determine bacterial drug susceptibility/resistance. We have established a method to distinguish extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing clinical isolates by capturing structural changes in β-lactam antibiotics using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS).

Characterization of Mucoid and Non-Mucoid Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolated From Outpatients.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae causes pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of mucoid and non-mucoid isolates of S. pneumoniae, and to explore the relationship between the isolate phenotypes and their antibiotic susceptibility.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis: celebrating the centennial through the lens of the Johns Hopkins hospital surgical pathology records.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is now considered the most prevalent autoimmune disease, as well as the most common endocrine disorder. It was initially described in 1912, but only rarely reported until the early 1950s. To celebrate this centennial, we reviewed the surgical pathology archives of the Johns Hopkins hospital for cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, spanning the period from May 1889 to October 2012.