Syphilis in pregnant women and congenital syphilis from 2012 to 2021 in Switzerland: a multicentre, retrospective study.

Background And Aims Of The Study: Congenital syphilis is a rare complication of syphilis in pregnant women. Vertical transmission may occur at any time during pregnancy. The incidence of congenital syphilis has been increasing worldwide.

Exploration of novel mechanisms of azole resistance in .

is a pathogenic yeast of particular concern because of its ability to cause nosocomial outbreaks of invasive candidiasis (IC) and to develop resistance to all current antifungal drug classes. Most clinical isolates are resistant to fluconazole, an azole drug that is used for the treatment of IC. Azole resistance may arise from diverse mechanisms, such as mutations of the target gene () or upregulation of efflux pumps via gain of function mutations of the transcription factors and/or .

Ume6-dependent pathways of morphogenesis and biofilm formation in .

is a yeast pathogen causing nosocomial outbreaks of candidemia. Its ability to adhere to inert surfaces and to be transmitted from one patient to another via medical devices is of particular concern. Like other spp.

A reporter virus particle seroneutralization assay for tick-borne encephalitis virus overcomes ELISA limitations.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is the most prevalent tick-transmitted orthoflavivirus in Europe. Due to the nonspecific nature of its symptoms, TBE is primarily diagnosed by ELISA-based detection of specific antibodies in the patient serum. However, cross-reactivity between orthoflaviviruses complicates the diagnosis.

Upc2-mediated mechanisms of azole resistance in .

is an emerging yeast pathogen of major concern because of its ability to cause hospital outbreaks of invasive candidiasis and to develop resistance to antifungal drugs. A majority of isolates are resistant to fluconazole, an azole drug used for the treatment of invasive candidiasis. Mechanisms of azole resistance are multiple, including mutations in the target gene and activation of the transcription factors Tac1b and Mrr1, which control the drug transporters Cdr1 and Mdr1, respectively.

Multicentric evaluation of a specific intrathecal anti- IgG index as a diagnostic biomarker of neurosyphilis: results from a retro-prospective case-control study.

Background And Objectives: The diagnosis of neurosyphilis (NS) lacks a true 'gold standard', making the diagnosis challenging while consequences of a misdiagnosis are potentially severe. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of measuring an antibody index (AI) for the intrathecal synthesis of specific anti- () IgG for the diagnosis of NS.

Methods: Specific anti- IgG were measured simultaneously in paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-serum samples collected retrospectively and prospectively between 2007 and 2022, from patients suspected of NS, in Switzerland.

IVDR: Analysis of the Social, Economic, and Practical Consequences of the Application of an Ordinance of the In Vitro Diagnostic Ordinance in Switzerland.

IVDR regulation represents a major challenge for diagnostic microbiology laboratories. IVDR complicates a broad range of aspects and poses a risk given the high diversity of pathogens (including rare but highly virulent microbes) and the large variety of samples submitted for analysis. The regular emergence of new pathogens (including Echovirus E-11, Adenovirus 41, Monkeypox virus, Alongshan virus, and Enterovirus D68, as recent examples in Europe in the post SARS-CoV-2 era) is another factor that makes IVDR regulation risky, because its detrimental effect on production of in-house tests will negatively impact knowledge and expertise in the development of new diagnostic tests.

[2023 update on alveolar echinococcosis].

Alveolar echinococcosis is a rare but severe parasitic disease and is now in Europe the parasitic infection associated with the most morbidity and mortality. Its prevalence is increasing in Switzerland in both urban and rural areas. Echinococcosis is a differential diagnosis that should be considered when facing a cystic hepatic lesion.

The importance of antimicrobial resistance in medical mycology.

Prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, antibiotic resistance was listed as the major global health care priority. Some analyses, including the O'Neill report, have predicted that deaths due to drug-resistant bacterial infections may eclipse the total number of cancer deaths by 2050. Although fungal infections remain in the shadow of public awareness, total attributable annual deaths are similar to, or exceeds, global mortalities due to malaria, tuberculosis or HIV.

Κey Role of Early Source Control in Candidemic Patients With Sepsis or Septic Shock.

Background: Despite advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, candidemia remains associated with high mortality rates. This study aimed at identifying predictors of mortality among patients with candidemia, with a focus on early interventions that can improve prognosis.

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study including all adult patients with at least 1 positive blood culture for species from 2014 to 2021.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Titers Predict the Severity of COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a wide spectrum of disease, ranging from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory distress syndrome. Some biomarkers may predict disease severity. Among them, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody response has been related to severe disease.

Quality of MALDI-TOF mass spectra in routine diagnostics: results from an international external quality assessment including 36 laboratories from 12 countries using 47 challenging bacterial strains.

Objectives: Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is a widely used method for bacterial species identification. Incomplete databases and mass spectral quality (MSQ) still represent major challenges. Important proxies for MSQ are the number of detected marker masses, reproducibility, and measurement precision.

How Yeast Antifungal Resistance Gene Analysis Is Essential to Validate Antifungal Susceptibility Testing Systems.

Objectives: The antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) of yeast pathogen alerts clinicians about the potential emergence of resistance. In this study, we compared two commercial microdilution AFST methods: Sensititre YeastOne read visually (YO) and MICRONAUT-AM read visually (MN) or spectrophotometrically (MNV), interpreted with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing criteria, respectively.

Methods: Overall, 97 strains from 19 yeast species were measured for nine antifungal drugs including a total of 873 observations.

Deciphering the Mrr1/Mdr1 Pathway in Azole Resistance of Candida auris.

Candida auris is an emerging yeast pathogen with a remarkable ability to develop antifungal resistance, in particular to fluconazole and other azoles. Azole resistance in C. auris was shown to result from different mechanisms, such as mutations in the target gene or gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in the transcription factor and overexpression of the drug transporter Cdr1.

Overview about Candida auris: What's up 12 years after its first description?

Candida auris has been described as an emerging yeast species during the last decade. As many as 25% of its strains may naturally exhibit multi-drug resistance to the currently available antifungal drugs. Probably due to its ability to survive more than two weeks on inert surfaces, several large outbreaks have been reported, primarily due to nosocomial transmissions.

[Orthognathic surgery and joint dysfunctions: benefits or risks?].

Introduction: The aim of this article was to present a synthesis of recent bibliographic data concerning the relationship between orthognathic surgery and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Materials et Methods: A search of relevant articles published over the past ten years (2010-2020) was performed in PubMed using the keywords « orthognathic surgery » and « temporomandibular disorders »: 31 articles were included in the review. The data were classified in three main chapters: (1) the effects of orthognathic surgery on TMD, (2) the consequences of orthognathic surgery on the condylar position and (3) the musculo-articular complications of the orthognathic surgery.

Assessment of the and Antifungal Activity of NSC319726 against Candida auris.

Candida auris is an emerging yeast pathogen of candidemia with the ability to develop resistance to all current antifungal drug classes. Novel antifungal therapies against C. auris are warranted.

Evaluation of sixteen ELISA SARS-CoV-2 serological tests.

Background: In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, multiple companies marketed serological tests. Rigorous, independent and comparative performances of these assays on defined clinical specimens are needed.

Methods: In a first preliminary phase, we investigated 16 IgG, IgM, IgA and pan Ig serological ELISA using a panel of 180 sera, comprising 97 sera from patients with a positive RT-PCR, and 83 negative sera sampled before November 1, 2019.

Function Analysis of , a Factor Involved in the Response to Amino Acid Starvation and Virulence in .

is a commensal of human mucosae, but also one of the most common fungal pathogens of humans. Systemic infections caused by this fungus, mostly affecting immunocompromised patients, are associated to fatality rates as high as 50% despite the available treatments. In order to improve this situation, it is necessary to fully understand how is able to cause disease and how it copes with the host defenses.

Novel and mutations associated with azole resistance in .

is a novel species that has spread in all continents causing nosocomial outbreaks of invasive candidiasis. has the ability to develop resistance to all antifungal drug classes. Notably, many isolates are resistant to the azole drug fluconazole, a standard therapy of invasive candidiasis.

Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 serological tests with different antigen targets.

Background: These last months, dozens of SARS-CoV-2 serological tests have become available with varying performances. A major effort was completed to compare 17 serological tests available in April 2020 in Switzerland.

Methods: In a preliminary phase, we compared 17 IgG, IgM, IgA and pan Ig serological tests including ELISA, LFA, CLIA and ECLIA on a panel of 182 sera, comprising 113 sera from hospitalized patients with a positive RT-PCR, and 69 sampled before 1st November 2019, expected to give a positive and negative results, respectively.

Changes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike versus Nucleoprotein Antibody Responses Impact the Estimates of Infections in Population-Based Seroprevalence Studies.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific antibody responses to the spike (S) protein monomer, S protein native trimeric form, or the nucleocapsid (N) proteins were evaluated in cohorts of individuals with acute infection ( = 93) and in individuals enrolled in a postinfection seroprevalence population study ( = 578) in Switzerland. Commercial assays specific for the S1 monomer, for the N protein, or within a newly developed Luminex assay using the S protein trimer were found to be equally sensitive in antibody detection in the acute-infection-phase samples. Interestingly, compared to anti-S antibody responses, those against the N protein appear to wane in the postinfection cohort.