Surveillance of pathogenic yeasts in hospital environments in Taiwan in 2020.

Background: A predominate azole-resistant Candida tropicalis clade 4 genotype causing candidemia has been detected in not only Taiwan but also China, Singapore, and Australia. It can also be detected on fruit surfaces. In addition to determining distribution and drug susceptibilities of pathogenic yeasts in environments of intensive care units of 25 hospitals in Taiwan, we would also like to investigate whether the azole-resistant C.

Genetic relatedness among azole-resistant Candida tropicalis clinical strains in Taiwan from 2014 to 2018.

To monitor trends in the distribution of yeast species and the susceptibilities of these species to commonly prescribed antifungal drugs, we conduct the Taiwan Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance of Yeasts (TSARY) every 4 years. We found that 25 of 294 Candida tropicalis isolates from TSARY 2014 and 31 of 314 C. tropicalis isolates from TSARY 2018 were resistant to fluconazole.

Methamphetamine Use Associated with Non-adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment in Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Methamphetamine is a prevalent recreational drug among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV and could cause the cognitive impairment and memory loss. However, studies on the association between methamphetamine use and adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) are limited and had inconsistent findings. This study aimed to determine the impact of methamphetamine use on adherence to ART among MSM living with HIV.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Increases the Risk of Incident Heart Failure.

Background: Although the HIV can cause myocardial inflammation, the association of HIV infection with subsequent development of heart failure (HF) has not been extensively studied. This nationwide cohort study aimed to determine the risk of incident HF in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

Methods: We identified PLWHA using the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV Surveillance System.

Changing hepatitis D virus epidemiology in a hepatitis B virus endemic area with a national vaccination program.

Unlabelled: The emergence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection in the era of widespread HBV vaccination has not been described before. We aimed to investigate the changing epidemiology of HDV infection among high- and low-risk populations after an outbreak of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among injection drug users (IDUs) in Taiwan. A prospective, multicenter, cohort study of 2,562 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals was conducted to determine the prevalence, genotype, and risk factors of HDV infection from 2001 through 2012.

Epidemiology and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Taiwan: A multicenter study.

Background/purpose: After community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) was identified, new community-onset, healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA-CO) infections have been noticed as MRSA infection in patients with community-onset infection who have underlying conditions resulting in frequent exposure to the healthcare system. However, previous studies have not thoroughly investigated whether HA-MRSA-CO has characteristics resembling those of CA-MRSA or hospital-onset, healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA-HO) infection.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical and microbiological data of patients with clinical isolates of MRSA from nine hospitals in Taiwan.

Latent tuberculosis among injection drug users in a methadone maintenance treatment program, Taipei, Taiwan: TSPOT.TB versus tuberculin skin test.

Background: Taiwan has a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic that has recently shifted to an increase among injection drug users (IDUs). IDUs co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis (TB) have a high risk of progression from latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) to active TB.

Methods: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of LTBI among IDUs by TSPOT.

Early experience of the pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 epidemic in Taiwan.

Background: A novel influenza H1N1 began in March 2009, rapidly spread, and then became a pandemic outbreak. Diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction result was not always available because of a surge in workload and therefore clinical diagnosis became important. However, clinical differences between the patients infected by the novel H1N1 virus and those infected by the influenza-like non-novel H1N1 have not been reported.

Humoral immunity against capsule polysaccharide protects the host from magA+ Klebsiella pneumoniae-induced lethal disease by evading Toll-like receptor 4 signaling.

Klebsiella pneumoniae magA (for mucoviscosity-associated gene A) is linked to the pathogenesis of primary pyogenic liver abscess, but the underlying mechanism by which magA increases pathogenicity is not well elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of the capsular polysaccharides (CPS) in the pathogenesis of magA(+) K. pneumoniae by comparing host immunity to magA(+) K.

A prospective etiologic study of community-acquired pneumonia in Taiwan.

Background And Purpose: The treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is complicated by the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance and the tendency to rely on empirical therapy. This study investigated the etiologic agents of adult CAP in Taiwan and the susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from these patients.

Methods: A collaborative group was established in the emergency department to conduct a prospective study of the etiology of adult CAP.

Experience of using convalescent plasma for severe acute respiratory syndrome among healthcare workers in a Taiwan hospital.

Objectives: To describe the immunological responses and clinical outcome of coronavirus (SARS) infected healthcare workers (HCW) who had been administered with convalescent plasma as a treatment.

Methods: Convalescent plasma (500 mL) was obtained from each of three SARS patients and transfused into the three infected HCW. Donors were blood type O and seronegative for hepatitis B and C, HIV, syphilis and human T-cell lymphotropic virus types I and II (HTLV-I and -II).

Clinical and genetic analysis of invasive and non-invasive group A streptococcal infections in central Taiwan.

To evaluate the clinical, bacteriologic, and genetic relatedness between invasive and non-invasive infections caused by group A Streptococcus (GAS), we retrospectively analyzed the GAS isolates in our hospital from the past decade. A total of 70 GAS-infected cases were enrolled in our study from the period 1993 to 2002. Twenty one cases had invasive disease, and 49 were non-invasive.

Haemophilus parainfluenzae and Fusobacterium necrophorum liver abscess: a case report.

Liver abscess is a potentially life-threatening disease. The clinical features of pyogenic liver abscess are variable and probably correlate with a variety of pathogenic microorganisms and underlying diseases that may be involved. The most common pathogen of liver abscess in Taiwan is Klebsiella pneumoniae.