Invasive Nocardia Infections across Distinct Geographic Regions, United States.

We reviewed invasive infections in 3 noncontiguous geographic areas in the United States during 2011–2018. Among 268 patients with invasive nocardiosis, 48.2% were from Minnesota, 32.

Classification of fungal genera from microscopic images using artificial intelligence.

Microscopic image examination is fundamental to clinical microbiology and often used as the first step to diagnose fungal infections. In this study, we present classification of pathogenic fungi from microscopic images using deep convolutional neural networks (CNN). We trained well-known CNN architectures such as DenseNet, Inception ResNet, InceptionV3, Xception, ResNet50, VGG16, and VGG19 to identify fungal species, and compared their performances.

Invasive Nocardiosis Versus Colonization at a Tertiary Care Center: Clinical and Radiological Characteristics.

Objective: To describe the clinical and radiographic findings in a large cohort of patients with positive cultures for emphasizing the differences between invasive disease and colonization.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study of 133 patients with a positive isolate between August 1, 1998, and November 30, 2018, and a computed tomography (CT) of the chest within 30 days before or after the bacteria isolation date.

Results: Patients with colonization were older (71 vs 65 years; =.

Use of Self-Collected Saliva Samples for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Objective: Using a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use authorization (EUA) reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method, we examined the analytic performance accuracy of saliva specimens as compared to nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens in symptomatic patients. Correlation between test results and symptoms was also evaluated.

Methods: Over a 5-week period in 2020, 89 matched saliva and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from individuals exhibiting symptoms consistent with SARS-CoV-2.

Performance Accuracy of a Laboratory-Developed Real-Time RT-PCR Method for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Self-Collected Saliva Specimens.

Objective: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has challenged diagnostic laboratories to re-examine traditional methods for collecting specimens and sample types used in molecular testing. Our goal was to demonstrate that saliva can be used for detecting SARS-CoV-2 and correlates well with established molecular methods using nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs.

Methods: We examined use of a saliva collection device in conjunction with a laboratory-developed real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (LDPCR) method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in a symptomatic population and compared results with 2 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved methods (emergency use authorization [EUA]) that use specimens from NP swabs.

The first case of bacteremia in an adult.

The species are Gram positive, coryneform bacteria that belong to the Actinobacteria phylum and have been linked to bacteremia in immunocompromised children. We present the first documented adult case of bacteremia. The patient was a 52-year-old woman with a history of recurrent infection, sinus tachycardia and high-risk AML who had been admitted one month prior to presentation for matched unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplant with reduced intensity fludarabine-melphalan.

Reduction in Health Care Facility-Onset Infection: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Objective: To reduce health care facility-onset (HCFO) infection (CDI) incidence by improving diagnostic stewardship and reducing the inappropriate testing of assays.

Patients And Methods: A multidisciplinary team conducted a quality improvement initiative from January 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021. infection and inappropriate testing were identified via electronic health records using predefined criteria related to stool quantity/caliber, confounding medications, and laboratory data.

What Every Clinical Virologist Should Know About The VALID Act On Behalf of the Pan-American Society for Clinical Virology Clinical Practice Com.

In 2018, a bi-partisan proposed draft legislation called the Verifying Accurate, Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act was released by Representative Larry Bucshon (Republican-Indiana) and Diana DeGette, (Democrat-Colorado). The VALID Act attempts to create a new framework for the oversight and regulations of both laboratory-developed testing procedures (commonly known as laboratory-developed tests) and In vitro diagnostic tests by the U.S.

Cladophialophora bantiana and Nocardia farcinica infection simultaneously occurring in a kidney transplant recipient: Case report and literature review.

Solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of acquiring devastating infections with unusual pathogens. Nocardia are aerobic actinomycetes that affect the lungs, brain, skin and soft tissue. Cladophialophora species are dematiaceous fungi that overwhelmingly cause infections in the brain.

Invasive Nocardiosis in Transplant and Nontransplant Patients: 20-Year Experience in a Tertiary Care Center.

Objective: To present the clinical characteristics and outcome of transplant and nontransplant patients with invasive nocardiosis.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 110 patients 18 years and older diagnosed with culture-proven (defined as the presence of clinical signs and/or radiographic abnormalities) between August 1, 1998, and November 30, 2018. Information on demographic, clinical, radiographic, and microbiological characteristics as well as mortality was collected.

Adenovirus pseudo-outbreak associated with bronchoscopy.

Introduction and regular application of multiplex polymerase chain reaction analysis of bronchoalveolar specimens for community-acquired respiratory viruses in January 2017 led to the identification of adenovirus in multiple patients in a surgical intensive unit in July 2017, which was attributed to a pseudo-outbreak.

: An Emerging Yeast Pathogen Posing Distinct Challenges for Laboratory Diagnostics, Treatment, and Infection Prevention.

Context.—: is an emerging yeast species that was first described in 2009. This ascomycetous yeast is notable for resistance to azole antifungal agents, for environmental persistence, and for its ability to contaminate health care environments, resulting in patient colonization and nosocomial infections.

Adult Intestinal Botulism: A Rare Presentation in an Immunocompromised Patient With Short Bowel Syndrome.

The cholinergic heat-labile neurotoxin produced by species is primarily responsible for the clinical manifestations of botulism. The classic phenotypic presentation of botulism consists of subacute descending flaccid paralysis with intact sensory function. Traditionally, it is classified into 3 main forms (foodborne, wound-related, and infantile) on the basis of primary site of toxin entry into the human nervous system.

Diagnostic Testing for Zika Virus: a Postoutbreak Update.

Since the emergence and dissemination of Zika virus (ZIKV) in late 2015, our understanding of the biology, transmission, clinical disease, and potential sequelae associated with infection has markedly expanded. Over the past 2 years, the number of diagnostic assays for ZIKV has increased from none in 2015 to 5 serological assays and 14 molecular assays in 2017, all with emergency use authorization granted through the U.S.

Disseminated Infection with Bacteremia, Hepatic and Pulmonary Involvement Associated with a Long-Term Catheter Infection.

We present a 49-year-old female with one year of intermittent fevers, chills, night sweats, and significant weight loss. Liver and lung biopsy showed evidence of a granulomatous process. Blood and liver biopsy cultures yielded growth of presumed , thought to be related to a disseminated long-term central venous catheter infection.

Human Infection: Esophageal Symptoms and Need for Prolonged Albendazole Therapy.

AbstractWe describe a case of human infection with acquired in southeast Georgia. The patient presented with intermittent yet persistent nausea and vomiting for months. This case describes the need for extraction of worms on two occasions each followed by courses of albendazole treatment.

Morbidity and mortality among patients with respiratory syncytial virus infection: a 2-year retrospective review.

Previous studies have demonstrated high morbidity and mortality for adult patients with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. We performed a retrospective, multicenter, two-year chart review of all patients (n = 334) testing positive for RSV by the ProFlu + (®) Influenza A/B and RSV assay (Hologic, Bedford, MA). We analyzed indicators of morbidity and mortality in children <6 years old, immunocompetent and immunosuppressed adults, and transplant patients.

Trichosporon asahii Infection in a Patient with Metastatic Prostate Cancer as an Example of an Emerging Fungal Pathogen.

Clinical History Patient: 59-year-old white man.

Chief Complaint: Nausea, constant urge to urinate, and intermittent lower back pain that wraps around his right iliac crest and down his right anterior thigh to the level of his right knee.

History Of Present Illness: The patient sought radiation oncology consultation for his metastatic prostate cancer.

Rapid identification of bacteria and Candida using PNA-FISH from blood and peritoneal fluid cultures: a retrospective clinical study.

Background: Peptide nucleic acid fluorescent in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) is a rapid and established method for identification of Candida sp., Gram positive, and Gram negative bacteria from positive blood cultures. This study reports clinical experience in the evaluation of 103 positive blood cultures and 17 positive peritoneal fluid cultures from 120 patients using PNA-FISH.