Longitudinal Genomic Characterization of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) Reveals Changing Pattern of CPE Isolated in Hong Kong Hospitals.

An active, territory-wide, CPE surveillance program implemented from 2011 showed increasing levels of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) isolates from patients in Hong Kong hospitals. The molecular epidemiology of 567 CPE from patients of three of seven public hospital clusters in Hong Kong are described. During a 7-year period, the incidence of CPE isolation increased from 0.

Genomic Epidemiology of Multidrug-Resistant Nontyphoidal Salmonella in Young Children Hospitalized for Gastroenteritis.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) gastroenteritis in children remains a significant burden on health care and constitutes a majority of all admissions for Salmonella infections in public hospitals in Hong Kong. In this prospective study, 41% of 241 children hospitalized with gastroenteritis from three public hospitals during 2019 were culture confirmed to have NTS infection. These Salmonella isolates were whole-genome sequenced and predicted for their serovars/serotypes using the Salmonella Typing Resource (SISTR) and SeqSero1, and the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were determined.

Nosocomial Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 by Possible Airborne Transmission Leading to a Superspreading Event.

Background: Nosocomial outbreaks with superspreading of coronavirus disease 2019 due to a possible airborne transmission have not been reported.

Methods: Epidemiological analysis, environmental samplings, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) were performed for a hospital outbreak.

Results: A superspreading event that involved 12 patients and 9 healthcare workers (HCWs) occurred within 9 days in 3 of 6 cubicles at an old-fashioned general ward with no air exhaust built within the cubicles.

Hemiterpene glucosides with anti-platelet aggregation activities from Ilex pubescens.

Two new hemiterpene glucosides named pubescenosides A and B were isolated from the root of Ilex pubescens. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence as 2-(trans-caffeoyloxy)methyl-3-hydroxy-1-butene-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 2-hydroxymethyl-3-caffeoyloxy-1-butene-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, respectively. Pharmacological investigation on pubescenosides A and B indicated that both possess potent anti-platelet aggregation activities.