Diagnosing gastrointestinal infections based on cycle threshold cut-offs of PCR.

This study compared the performance of molecular vs stool culture assays for gastrointestinal infection (GII) detection, with focus on defining cycle threshold (Ct) cut-off values for positive culture results. A total of 6,000 records of patients with suspected GII between October 2022 and February 2023 and registered at Clalit HealthCare Services in Haifa, Israel, were reviewed. Stool samples were collected from all patients with suspected GII.

The effect of three urease inhibitors on viability, urease activity and urease gene expression.

Background: Treatment of () infections is challenged by antibiotic resistance. The urease enzyme contributes to colonization in the gastric acidic environment by producing a neutral microenvironment. We hypothesized that urease inhibition could affect viability.

Associations between biofilm formation and virulence factors among clinical Helicobacter pylori isolates.

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) causes several gastrointestinal diseases. Its virulence factors contributing to disease development include biofilm formation, cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) and vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) proteins that induce host tissue damage.

Virulence factors, antibiotic susceptibility and sequence type distribution of hospital-associated Clostridioides difficile isolates in Israel, 2020-2022.

Biofilm formation and toxin production are some of the virulence factors of Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile), which causes hospital-acquired C. difficile infection (HA-CDI).

A new antigen test device for rapid influenza A and B detection.

Introduction: Tests for detection of influenza must demonstrate high sensitivity and specificity, affordability, and rapidness.

Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the LabOn-Time™ Influenza A + B Rapid test device (BMT Diagnostics, Ltd), as compared to Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in identifying influenza A/B among 183 nasopharyngeal samples collected between February and April 2023 from patients with Influenza-like symptoms.

Results: Out of 70 participants with a positive RT-PCR result, 53 (75.

EFLM Task Force Preparation of Labs for Emergencies (TF-PLE) recommendations for reinforcing cyber-security and managing cyber-attacks in medical laboratories.

The healthcare systems are a prime target for cyber-attacks due to the sensitive nature of the information combined with the essential need for continuity of care. Medical laboratories are particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks for a number of reasons, including the high level of information technology (IT), computerization and digitization. Based on reliable and widespread evidence that medical laboratories may be inadequately prepared for cyber-terrorism, a panel of experts of the Task Force Preparation of Labs for Emergencies (TF-PLE) of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) has recognized the need to provide some general guidance that could help medical laboratories to be less vulnerable and better prepared for the dramatic circumstance of a disruptive cyber-attack, issuing a number of consensus recommendations, which are summarized and described in this opinion paper.

Mycoplasma genitalium's Antibiotic Resistance in Sexually Transmitted Infections Clinics in Israel.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance rate in Mycoplasma genitalium, and distribution of mutations associated with this resistance, among patients that attended sexually transmitted infections (STI) investigation clinics.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study included M. genitalium-positive samples (urine, vaginal, rectal, and pharyngeal swabs) collected from 170 patients attending two STI investigation clinics, which were subjected to macrolide and quinolone resistance mutations analyses.

Biofilm Formation by Hospital-Acquired Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Respiratory Samples.

Background: Hospital-acquired resistant infections (HARI) are infections, which develop 48 h or more after admission to a healthcare facility. HARI pose a considerably acute challenge, due to limited treatment options. These infections are associated bacterial biofilms, which act as a physical barrier to diverse external stresses, such as desiccation, antimicrobials and biocides.

Clinical isolate characteristics and demographics of patients with and infections in Northern Israel, 2015-2021.

is a significant cause of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide, with the majority of cases attributed to Although most clinical laboratories do not typically conduct antimicrobial susceptibility testing for , the rise in resistant strains has underscored the necessity for such testing and epidemiological surveillance. The current study presents clinical isolate characteristics and demographics of 221 patients with ( and ) infections in Northern Israel, between 2015 and 2021. Clinical and demographic data were collected from patient medical records.

Nucleic acid hybridization-based detection of pathogenic RNA using microscale thermophoresis.

Infectious diseases are one of the world's leading causes of morbidity. Their rapid spread emphasizes the need for accurate and fast diagnostic methods for large-scale screening. Here, we describe a robust method for the detection of pathogens based on microscale thermophoresis (MST).

Characterization of community-acquired strains in Israel, 2020-2022.

Background: The prevalence of community-acquired infection (CA-CDI) has been rising, due to changes in antibiotics prescribing practices, emergence of hypervirulent strains and improved diagnostics. This study explored CA-CDI epidemiology by examining strain diversity and virulence factors of CA-CDI isolates collected across several geographical regions in Israel.

Methods: Stool samples of 126 CA-CDI patients were subjected to PCR and an immunoassay to identify toxin genes and proteins, respectively.

Associations of motility and auto-aggregation with biofilm-formation capacity levels in Clostridioidesdifficile.

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is responsible for one of the most common nosocomial infections worldwide. This work assessed associations between biofilm-formation capacity levels of C.

Altered somatic hypermutation patterns in COVID-19 patients classifies disease severity.

Introduction: The success of the human body in fighting SARS-CoV2 infection relies on lymphocytes and their antigen receptors. Identifying and characterizing clinically relevant receptors is of utmost importance.

Methods: We report here the application of a machine learning approach, utilizing B cell receptor repertoire sequencing data from severely and mildly infected individuals with SARS-CoV2 compared with uninfected controls.

The Impact of a Positive Biofire FilmArray Gastrointestinal Panel Result on Clinical Management and Outcomes.

The gold standard diagnostic method for gastrointestinal infections is stool culture, which has limited sensitivity and long turnaround time. Infection diagnosis recently shifted to syndrome-based panel assays. This study employed the FilmArray Gastrointestinal Panel, which detects 22 pathogens simultaneously, to investigate gastrointestinal infection and pathogen distribution in 91 stool samples of patients hospitalized at the Tzafon Medical Center, Israel, during 2020, and to compare the clinical and demographic data of negative vs.

The effect of different MLST strains on viability and activity of macrophages.

Objectives: is the most common infectious agent of nosocomial diarrhea. infection (CDI) pathogenesis and disease severity depend on its toxins (toxins A, B and binary) and on the host's immune response, especially the innate immune system. The current study examined the efficacy of macrophage activity, macrophages viability and cytokine secretion levelsin response to different sequence type (ST) strains of .

Trend of Changes in Chloramphenicol Resistance during the Years 2017-2020: A Retrospective Report from Israel.

Resistant bacteria limit treatment options. This challenge has awakened interest in antibiotics that are no longer in use due to side effects, such as chloramphenicol. This work investigated trends in chloramphenicol resistance rates during 2017-2020 in bacteria isolated from diverse clinical samples at the Baruch Padeh Medical Center, Poriya, Israel.

Different bile acids have versatile effects on sporulation, toxin levels and biofilm formation of different Clostridioides difficile strains.

Clostridioides difficile infection develops following ingestion of virulent stains by a susceptible host. Once germinated, toxins TcdA and TcdB, and in some of the strains binary toxin, are secreted, eliciting disease. Bile acids play a significant role in the process of spore germination and outgrowth, with cholate and its derivative enhancing colony formation, while chenodeoxycholate inhibit germination and outgrowth.

Impact of virulence markers on clinical outcomes in adult populations.

Background: In recent years, associations between specific virulence markers of () and gastrointestinal disorders have been suggested.

Aim: To investigate the presence of virulence factors including vacuolating cytotoxin A genotypes (, , , and ), cytotoxin-associated gene A (A), and urease activity in strains isolated from Arab and Jewish populations in northern Israel and to assess associations between these factors and patients' demographics and clinical outcomes.

Methods: Patients ( = 108) who underwent gastroscopy at the Baruch Padeh Medical Center, Poriya due to symptomatic gastroduodenal pathologies as part of diagnosis were enrolled in the study.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Northern Israel: Insights From a Large Referral Laboratory.

Objectives: The aims of the study are to investigate the distribution and frequency of different sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among a large study population of individuals undergoing STD investigation both in inpatient and STD clinic settings and to evaluate influence of test anonymity on the positivity rate of pathogens.

Material And Methods: A retrospective study retrieved epidemiologic data from the following 3 sources: a secondary referral hospital and 2 STD clinics in Northern Israel. Positivity rate of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Mycoplasma genitalium , and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) was assessed and stratified based on age, sex, site of sampling, and anonymity of test.