Validation of the PyloPlus Urea Breath Test System in pediatric patients.

For the diagnosis and post-treatment monitoring of infection, non-invasive testing methodologies improve patient comfort, particularly for children. Previously, only the BreathTek UBT had FDA approval for use in pediatric patients and required an adjustment calculation based on age, height, and weight of the patient. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the PyloPlus UBT assay in a pediatric population.

Short Signature Gene Sequence to Differentiate Species in Mycobacterium abscessus Group.

Mycobacterium abscessus group (MAG) are rapidly growing acid-fast bacteria that consist of three closely related species: M. abscessus (), (), and (). Differentiation of these species can be difficult but is increasingly requested owing to recent infectious outbreaks and their differential drug resistance.

Recovery and Its Dynamics of Filamentous Fungi from Clinical Specimen Cultures: An Extensive Study.

The culture method remains vital in diagnosing fungal infections, but extensive data-based evaluation of the method, especially for filamentous fungi (molds), is minimal. The purpose of this study was to characterize mold recoveries from fungal cultures and the impact of media and incubation duration. Clinical specimens for fungal cultures were submitted primarily from the eastern and central United States, and mold isolation data were prospectively collected and analyzed.

Elevated Rates of Indeterminate Results on QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus in COVID-19 Patients.

Interferon gamma release assays are used to screen various patient populations for latent tuberculosis infection. In this issue of the , J. D.

Current significance of the Mycobacterium chelonae-abscessus group.

Organisms of the Mycobacterium chelonae-abscessus group can be significant pathogens in humans. They produce a number of diseases including acute, invasive and chronic infections, which may be difficult to diagnose correctly. Identification among members of this group is complicated by differentiating at least eleven (11) known species and subspecies and complexity of identification methodologies.

Acid-fast bacterium detection and identification from paraffin-embedded tissues using a PCR-pyrosequencing method.

Aims: Acid-fast bacterium (AFB) identification from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues is challenging and may not be readily available to the clinical laboratory. A method to detect and identify AFB from FFPE tissues using PCR and pyrosequencing (PCR-Seq) was developed and evaluated.

Methods: The method was validated using spiked cell-clotted paraffin blocks before use with patients' specimens.

Determining a clinical framework for use of cefepime and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors in the treatment of infections caused by extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Traditionally, physicians have not used cefepime (a fourth-generation cephalosporin with greater stability against β-lactamases) or β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors (BLBLIs) for infections caused by bacteria (generally Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species) that produce an extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL). Many microbiology laboratories have historically labelled these ESBL-producing organisms as resistant to all cephalosporins regardless of their MIC. The recommendation to eliminate ESBL identification started with EUCAST in 2009, followed by CLSI in 2010.