Pneumococcal serotype prevalence and antibiotic resistance in children in South and Southeast Asia, 2012-2024.

This narrative review describes pneumococcal serotype prevalence for invasive disease and carriage and antibiotic resistance among specimens collected from children in countries across South and Southeast Asia from 2012 to 2024. Literature search retrieved 326 articles; 96 were included. The prevalence of pneumococcal serotypes varied geographically and over time after introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Nasopharyngeal carriage of among children aged 30 days to <60 months in Beijing and Shenzhen, China (2018-2021) during pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Objectives: To describe the carriage rate, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of () nasopharyngeal (NP) isolates among healthy children aged 30 days to <60 months in the cities of Beijing and Shenzhen during 2018-2021.

Methods: A NP swab sample was collected among four annual cohorts of healthy children at routine well-child visits. was identified by culture, optochin sensitivity and bile solubility, serotypes determined by latex agglutination and Quellung, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed using E-test strips.

The burden of Clostridioides difficile infections in South-East Asia and the Western Pacific: A narrative review.

Background: Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile) is well-documented in Europe and North America to be a common cause of healthcare-associated gastrointestinal tract infections. In contrast, C difficile infection (CDI) is infrequently reported in literature from Asia, which may reflect a lack of clinician awareness. We conducted a narrative review to better understand CDI burden in Asia.

Retrospective database analysis for clinical diagnoses commonly associated with pneumococcal diseases in the Malaysian healthcare system over a 3-year period (2013-2015).

Background: Pneumococcal disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important cause of morbidity and mortality across all ages, particularly in younger children and older adults. Here, we describe pneumococcal disease hospitalizations at Ministry of Health (MoH) facilities in Malaysia between 2013 and 2015.

Methods: This was a retrospective databases analysis.

Outcomes among Thai children with risk conditions hospitalized for pneumococcal disease (invasive or non-bacteraemic pneumonia): A multi-centre, observational study.

Objective: To describe the risk condition status and clinical outcomes among Thai children hospitalized with pneumococcal disease.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis, children with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) or x-ray-confirmed non-bacteraemic pneumococcal pneumonia (NBPP) were identified from nine hospitals in Thailand between 2010 and 2019. Data on risk factors and outcomes were extracted from medical records.

The COVID-19 experience in Africa and the Middle East.

Aims: The experience of Africa and the Middle East with the COVID-19 pandemic has been unique, which can be attributed, in part, to disparities within these regions.

Methods: This review describes COVID-19 emergence, epidemiology, vaccination strategies and uptake, and lessons learned within Africa and the Middle East.

Results: For vaccines to be effective in curtailing COVID-19, a global approach to vaccination is required.

COVID-19 in Latin America: A Snapshot in Time and the Road Ahead.

Since its initial detection in Brazil in February 2020, SARS-CoV-2 and the associated COVID-19 pandemic have continued to devastate Latin America. Specific comorbidities, as well as sociodemographic and lifestyle factors that may be more prevalent in underserved areas, have been identified as risk factors for COVID-19 infection or associated adverse outcomes. Dynamics of infections and deaths in Latin America have varied by country and temporally, as has SARS-CoV-2 variant prevalence; however, more recently, the Delta and subsequent Omicron variants have become ubiquitous.

Development of zinc oxide/hydroxyapatite/poly(D,L-lactic acid) fibrous scaffold for tissue engineering applications.

Scaffolds based on polymeric fibers represent an engaging biomedical device due to their particular morphology and similarity with extracellular matrices. The biggest challenge to use fibrous materials in the biomedical field is related to their favorable platform for the adhesion of pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, their optimum performance not only depends on their bioactive potential but also on their antimicrobial properties.

Effects of Poloxamer Content and Storage Time of Biodegradable Starch-Chitosan Films on Its Thermal, Structural, Mechanical, and Morphological Properties.

Biodegradable packaging prepared from starch is an alternative to fossil-based plastic packaging. However, the properties of starch packaging do not comply with the necessary physicochemical properties to preserve food. Hence, in a previous study, we reported the preparation of a composite polymer material based on starch-chitosan-pluronic F127 that was found to be an adequate alternative packaging material.

Loading of doxorubicin on poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) nanoparticles and release study.

Nanoparticles (NP) of 12.7 nm in diameter of the poly(methyl methacrylate (MMA)-co-methacrylic acid (MAA)) copolymer were prepared. C-NMR results showed a MMA:MAA molar ratio of 0.

Development of Multifunctional Materials Based on Poly(ether ether ketone) with Improved Biological Performances for Dental Applications.

The main target for the future of materials in dentistry aims to develop dental implants that will have optimal integration with the surrounding tissues, while preventing or avoiding bacterial infections. In this project, poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), known for its suitable biocompa-tibility and mechanical properties for dental applications, was loaded with 1, 3, and 5 wt.% ZnO nanoparticles to provide antibacterial properties and improve interaction with cells.

Evaluation of the satisfaction of the patient undergoing screening colonoscopy and quality of the procedure.

Background: Screening colonoscopy requires quality parameters to determine its efficacy to detect cancerous or precancerous lesions. Limitations of the procedure are the patient's rejection, difficulty for its preparation or lack of preparation.

Objective: To assess whether patient satisfaction correlates with the quality of the procedure.

Comprehensive review on electrospinning techniques as versatile approaches toward antimicrobial biopolymeric composite fibers.

Electrospun (bio)polymeric fibers have attracted widespread interest as functional materials with suitable morphology and properties for their use as tissue engineering scaffolds and/or wound dressings. The fibrous/porous morphology of this type of materials promotes the adhesion and proliferation of tissue cells, but on the other hand, pathogenic microorganisms unfortunately can also be attached to the fibers, thus leading to serious infections and consequently to the immediate removal of the scaffolds or wound dressings, which may imply greater tissue damage. In this context, this review addresses the more recent approaches based on electrospinning and related techniques for developing composite (bio)polymeric fibers with tailored antimicrobial properties either by using mere electrospinning for the incorporation of well-defined antimicrobial nanoparticles (silver, gold, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, copper oxide, etc.

[Bacteriological evaluation of fresh tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) coming from the northern region of Costa Rica].

The following work presents an evaluation of the normal and pathogenic flora associated to tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), since there are no previous national studies referred to the microbiological quality of this product. The total aerobic plate count, lactic bacteria, Enterococcus sp and Aeromonas sp and fecal and total coliform count, and the presence of Listeria sp and Salmonella spp from the external surface of tilapias were evaluated. A total of 50 samples, coming from San Carlos and Cañas zones were transported in ice to the Food and Water Microbiology Laboratory, Universidad de Costa Rica, where the laboratory analysis were performed, according to the methodology presented by de American Public Health Association, 1998.