Knowledge, perception, and behaviours related to antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in community-dwelling individuals in Hong Kong.

Background: Understanding public knowledge and behaviours related to antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) may inform interventions to reduce inappropriate antibiotics use.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey in community-dwelling adults in Hong Kong from 2020 to 2022 to examine knowledge, risk perception on AMR and antibiotics, and behavioural patterns in antibiotic use. Information on demographics, socioeconomic status and general health was examined in relation to the knowledge score, antibiotic use behaviours and preference for antibiotic-free food products in regression models.

International consensus statement on microbiome testing in clinical practice.

There is growing interest in the potential exploitation of the gut microbiome as a diagnostic tool in medicine, but evidence supporting its clinical usefulness is scarce. An increasing number of commercial providers offer direct-to-consumer microbiome diagnostic tests without any consensus on their regulation or any proven value in clinical practice, which could result in considerable waste of individual and health-care resources and potential drawbacks in the clinical management of patients. We convened an international multidisciplinary expert panel to standardise best practices of microbiome testing for clinical implementation, including recommendations on general principles and minimum requirements for their provision, indications, pre-testing protocols, method of analyses, reporting of results, and potential clinical value.

A metagenome-assembled genome inventory for children reveals early-life gut bacteriome and virome dynamics.

Existing microbiota databases are biased toward adult samples, hampering accurate profiling of the infant gut microbiome. Here, we generated a metagenome-assembled genome inventory for children (MAGIC) from a large collection of bulk and viral-like particle-enriched metagenomes from 0 to 7 years of age, encompassing 3,299 prokaryotic and 139,624 viral species-level genomes, 8.5% and 63.

Impact of postpartum hospital length of stay on infant gut microbiota: a comprehensive analysis of vaginal and caesarean birth.

Background: The primary concern with prolonged hospitalization following birth is the risk of acquiring hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) caused by opportunistic bacteria, which can alter the early establishment of gut microbiota.

Objective: To assess the association between postpartum hospital length of stay (LOS) and the composition of gut microbiota at 3 and 12 months of age according to birth mode.

Methods: In total, 1313 Canadian infants from the CHILD Cohort Study were involved in this study.

Short-chain fatty acids in viral infection: the underlying mechanisms, opportunities, and challenges.

Viral infections can cause cellular pathway derangements, cell death, and immunopathological responses, leading to host inflammation. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by the microbiota, have emerged as a potential therapeutic for viral infections due to their ability to modulate these processes. However, SCFAs have been reported to have both beneficial and detrimental effects, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms.