Deciphering the Tangible Spatio-Temporal Spread of a 25-Year Tuberculosis Outbreak Boosted by Social Determinants.

Outbreak strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are promising candidates as targets in the search for intrinsic determinants of transmissibility, as they are responsible for many cases with sustained transmission; however, the use of low-resolution typing methods and restricted geographical investigations represent flaws in assessing the success of long-lived outbreak strains. We can now address the nature of outbreak strains by combining large genomic data sets and phylodynamic approaches. We retrospectively sequenced the whole genome of representative samples assigned to an outbreak circulating in the Canary Islands (the GC strain) since 1993, which accounts for ~20% of local tuberculosis cases.

[Clostridioides difficile toxin B gen amplification cycle threshold as a predictor of severity].

Background: Clostridioides dfficile infection (CDI) is the main cause of nosocomial diarrhea, generally associated with the use of antibiotics. This infection can cause uncomplicated diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis or toxic megacolon. Recent studies have attempted to relate the threshold cycle (Ct) value of RT-PCR with mortality, as a fast, simple, objective and efficient method.

External quality assessment of HIV-1 DNA quantification assays used in the clinical setting in Italy.

Total cell-associated HIV-1 DNA is a surrogate marker of the HIV-1 reservoir, however, certified systems for its quantification are not available. The Italian HIV DNA Network was launched to validate HIV-1 DNA quantification methods in use at University and Hospital labs. A quality control panel including HIV-1 DNA standards, reconstructed blood samples (RBSs) and DNA from different HIV-1 subtypes was blindly tested by 12 participating labs by quantitative real-time PCR (n = 6), droplet digital PCR (n = 3) or both (n = 3).

High prevalence of carbapenem-resistant ST307 recovered from fecal samples in an Italian hospital.

This study reports the characterization of carbapenem-resistant colonizing strains of . 650 stool samples were screened for carbapenem-resistant (CR-Kp). All strains were characterized for antibiotic susceptibility, typing features, main carbapenemases and extended-spectrum ß-lactamases.

Synergistic effect of antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and colistin combination against multidrug-resistant isolates.

The global spread of antibiotic resistance represents a serious threat for public health. We evaluated the efficacy of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 as antimicrobial agent against multidrug-resistant . LL-37 showed good activity against -1 carrying, extended spectrum β-lactamase- and carbapenemase-producing (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC, from 16 to 64 mg/l).

Quantification of the HIV-1 total reservoir in the peripheral blood of naïve and treated patients by a standardised method derived from a commercial HIV-1 RNA quantification assay.

Objectives: HIV-1 DNA can persist in host cells, establishing a latent reservoir. This study was aimed to develop an extraction and amplification protocol for HIV-1 DNA quantification by modifying a quantitative commercial assay.

Methods: HIV-1 DNA was extracted on an Abbott m2000 instrument, using an open-mode protocol.

Human leptospirosis in the Marche region: Over 10 years of surveillance.

We conducted a 10 years' retrospective study in 347 symptomatic individuals to assess the regional distribution of leptospirosis. A total of 173 individuals were diagnosed positive (49.8%): 11.

Evaluation of the Ion AmpliSeq SARS-CoV-2 Research Panel by Massive Parallel Sequencing.

Deep knowledge of the genetic features of SARS-CoV-2 is essential to track the ongoing pandemic through different geographical areas and to design and develop early diagnostic procedures, therapeutic strategies, public health interventions, and vaccines. We describe protocols and first results of the Ion AmpliSeq™ SARS-CoV-2 Research Panel by a massively parallel sequencing (MPS) assay. The panel allows for targeted sequencing by overlapping amplicons, thereby providing specific, accurate, and high throughput analysis.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in kidney transplant recipients: Experience of the italian marche region.

Background: Infection related to Coronavirus-19 (CoV-2) is pandemic affecting more than 4 million people in 187 countries worldwide. By May 10, 2020, it caused more than 280 000 deaths all over the world. Preliminary data reported a high prevalence of CoV-2 infection and mortality due to severe acute respiratory syndrome related CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in kidney-transplanted patients (KTRs).

Antibacterial activity of novel dual bacterial DNA type II topoisomerase inhibitors.

In this study, a drug discovery programme that sought to identify novel dual bacterial topoisomerase II inhibitors (NBTIs) led to the selection of six optimized compounds. In enzymatic assays, the molecules showed equivalent dual-targeting activity against the DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV enzymes of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Consistently, the compounds demonstrated potent activity in susceptibility tests against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative reference species, including ciprofloxacin-resistant strains.

A Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing strain persists at high rates and extends its geographic boundaries 20 years after importation.

Transmission of Beijing Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be investigated based on genotypic analysis of clinical isolates. A Beijing strain began to spread on Gran Canaria Island, Spain, at the end of the last century. In 1996, only 3 years after its importation to the island, its frequency had increased to 27.

Epidemiological study of secondary bloodstream infections: The forgotten issue.

Objective: Secondary bacteraemia infections (SBI) are poorly studied. We analyse the epidemiology of nosocomial SBI, potential risk factors and mortality of affected patients.

Methods: Prospective study of patients with bacteraemia from 2009 to 2014 in a tertiary hospital.

Multicellular behavior of environmental Escherichia coli isolates grown under nutrient-poor and low-temperature conditions.

The multicellular behavior designated "red dry and rough" (rdar) morphotype-characterized by production of extracellular matrix mainly comprising curli fimbriae and cellulose-is a potential survival strategy of Escherichia coli outside the host. This study documents the ability of Escherichia cryptic clades, which have recently been recognized as new lineages genetically divergent from E. coli, to grow in unfavorable conditions through expression of distinct phenotypes.

pHTβ-promoted mobilization of non-conjugative resistance plasmids from Enterococcus faecium to Enterococcus faecalis.

Objectives: To analyse the recombination events associated with conjugal mobilization of two multiresistance plasmids, pRUM17i48 and pLAG (formerly named pDO1-like), from Enterococcus faecium 17i48 to Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2.

Methods: The plasmids from two E. faecalis transconjugants (JH-4T, tetracycline resistant, and JH-8E, erythromycin resistant) and from the E.

Enterococcus faecium ST17 from Coastal Marine Sediment Carrying Transferable Multidrug Resistance Plasmids.

The multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecium 17i48, sequence type 17, from marine sediment, carrying erm(B), tet(M), and tet(L) genes, was analyzed for the presence of antibiotic resistance plasmids and for the ability to transfer resistance genes. The strain was found to harbor the replicon type (repA) of pRE25, pRUM, pHTβ, and the axe-txe toxin-antitoxin (TA) system. In mating experiments, tet(M) and tet(L) were cotransferred with the repA, whereas erm(B) was consistently cotransferred with the axe-txe and repA, suggesting that tetracycline and erythromycin resistance genes were carried on different elements both transferable by conjugation, likely via pHTβ-mediated mobilization.

Recurrent skin infection associated with nasal carriage of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus closely related to the EMRSA-15 clone.

We report the case of a soldier with recurrent skin infection associated with nasal carriage of a Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-producing methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), closely related to the EMRSA-15 clone. MSSA isolates causing infection not requiring hospitalization usually go unnoticed; however, their typing may be useful to understand the global distribution of successful staphylococcal lineages related to epidemic clones. PVL-positive MSSA strains might serve as reservoirs from which virulent methicillin-resistant strains may evolve and spread.

Adhesion of marine cryptic Escherichia isolates to human intestinal epithelial cells.

Five distinct cryptic lineages (clades I-V) have recently been recognized in the Escherichia genus. The five clades encompass strains that are phenotypically and taxonomically indistinguishable from Escherichia coli sensu stricto; however, scant data are available on their ecology, virulence and pathogenic properties. In this study 20 cryptic E.