The Yield of One vs. Two Blood Cultures in Children: Under-Detection and Over-Testing.

We aimed to determine whether obtaining two blood cultures (BCs) instead of one improved the detection of bloodstream infections (BSIs) in children. For this descriptive study, we used surveillance data collected in 2019-2021 from all Israeli hospitals serving children. The sample included 178,702 culturing episodes.

Skin microbiome bacteria enriched following long sun exposure can reduce oxidative damage.

Sun exposure is harmful to the skin and increases the risk of skin aging and skin cancer. Here we examined the effects of daily exposure to sun radiation on the skin microbiome in order to determine whether skim microbiome bacteria can contribute to protection from solar damage. Skin swabs were collected from ten lifeguards before and after the summer to analyse the skin microbiome.

Insight on Bacterial Newborn Meningitis Using a Neurovascular-Unit-on-a-Chip.

Understanding the pathogenesis of bacterial infections is critical for combatting them. For some infections, animal models are inadequate and functional genomic studies are not possible. One example is bacterial meningitis, a life-threatening infection with high mortality and morbidity.

Skin microbiome of people living at the Dead Sea area - The lowest place on earth.

The Dead Sea is a salt lake with surface water at about 430 m below sea level and considered the lowest place on Earth. The Dead Sea basin is characterized by relatively high temperatures, attenuated UV radiation and the air above it has a relatively high-salt aerosol content. When we compared the skin microbiome of individuals from the hot, salty and arid Dead Sea area with that of individuals from the humid Mediterranean regions we observed a significantly lower bacterial diversity in the Dead Sea group as well as distinct differences in the composition of bacterial species.

Analysis of Blood Culture Collection and Laboratory Processing Practices in Israel.

Importance: Blood culturing is a critical diagnostic procedure affecting patient outcomes and antibiotic stewardship. Although there are standards for blood culturing, the process is not often measured.

Objectives: To evaluate processes related to the diagnosis of bloodstream infection and compare them with best practices.