Publications by authors named "Benedetta Falasca"
The identification of microorganisms at the species level has always constituted a diagnostic challenge for clinical microbiology laboratories. The aim of the present study has been the evaluation in a real-time assay of the performance of Autobio in comparison with the Bruker mass spectrometry system for the identification of bacteria and yeasts. A total of 535 bacteria and yeast were tested in parallel with the two systems by direct smear or fast formic acid extraction for bacteria and yeasts, respectively.
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- The IR Biotyper is a novel and simple tool for identifying bacterial species but has limitations for certain species; this study focused on fluconazole-resistant *Candida auris*, a common cause of bloodstream infections.
- Of 59 *Candida auris* isolates from two different Italian hospitals, researchers identified mutations linked to fluconazole resistance, finding two main mutation types present in the isolates.
- The effectiveness of the IR Biotyper was tested against microsatellite typing, revealing varying congruence rates (47% to 74%) depending on the analysis method, emphasizing its potential for improving the tracking of clinical isolates to prevent hospital transmission.
Efficient Recovery of Candida auris and Five Other Medically Important Species from Blood Cultures Containing Clinically Relevant Concentrations of Antifungal Agents.
Brunella Posteraro Giulia Menchinelli Vittorio Ivagnes Venere Cortazzo Flora Marzia Liotti Benedetta Falasca
Microbiol Spectr
January 2023
Article Synopsis
- Candida auris and other Candida species are significant causes of bloodstream infections, requiring prompt antifungal treatment; however, the presence of antifungal agents can hinder the effectiveness of blood cultures used for diagnosis and monitoring.
- A study compared different blood culture media to determine their effectiveness in identifying Candida species in the presence of high concentrations of antifungal drugs; findings showed that certain media (FAP and PAF) were better at fostering the growth of C. auris and C. glabrata even with antifungal presence.
- The research highlights challenges in treating bloodstream infections from resistant Candida species, primarily C. auris and C. glabrata, especially when using echinocandins