Combined Use of Phenotypic Screening and of a Novel Commercial Assay (REALQUALITY Carba-Screen) for the Rapid Molecular Detection of Carbapenemases: A Single-Center Experience.

Carbapenem resistance is a serious public health threat, causing numerous deaths annually primarily due to healthcare-associated infections. To face this menace, surveillance programs in high-risk patients are becoming a widespread practice. Here we report the performance of the combined use of a recently approved commercial multiplex real-time PCR assay (REALQUALITY Carba-Screen kit) with conventional phenotypic screening.

Performance Assessment of the LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Assay On Nasopharyngeal Swabs.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is ongoing worldwide, causing prolonged pressure on molecular diagnostics. Viral antigen (Ag) assays have several advantages, ranging from lower cost to shorter turnaround time to detection. Given the rare occurrence of low-load viremia, antigen assays for SARSCoV-2 have focused on nasopharyngeal swab and saliva as biological matrices, but their effectiveness must be validated.

Introduction of SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern 20h/501Y.V2 (B.1.351) from Malawi to Italy.

We report here an imported case of SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern B.1.1.

Imported SARS-CoV-2 Variant P.1 in Traveler Returning from Brazil to Italy.

We report an imported case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant P.1 detected in an asymptomatic traveler who arrived in Italy on an indirect flight from Brazil. This case shows the risk for introduction of SARS-CoV-2 variants from indirect flights and the need for continued SARS-CoV-2 surveillance.

The diabetes pandemic and associated infections: suggestions for clinical microbiology.

There are 425 million people with diabetes mellitus in the world. By 2045, this figure will grow to over 600 million. Diabetes mellitus is classified among noncommunicable diseases.

Tracking Nosocomial Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections and Outbreaks by Whole-Genome Analysis: Small-Scale Italian Scenario within a Single Hospital.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most important causes of nosocomial infections worldwide. After the spread of strains resistant to beta-lactams at the end of the previous century, the diffusion of isolates resistant to carbapenems and colistin is now reducing treatment options and the containment of infections. Carbapenem-resistant K.