Course and Survival of COVID-19 Patients with Comorbidities in Relation to the Trace Element Status at Hospital Admission.

Selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) are essential trace elements needed for appropriate immune system responses, cell signalling and anti-viral defence. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at two hospitals in Ghent, Belgium, to investigate whether Se and/or Zn deficiency upon hospital admission correlates to disease severity and mortality risk in COVID-19 patients with or without co-morbidities. Trace element concentrations along with additional biomarkers were determined in serum or plasma and associated to disease severity and outcome.

An uncommon cause of sciatic pain: tuberculous osteomyelitis of the ischial tuberosity.

A 66-year-old Caucasian female presented with insidious sciatic pain leading to an uncommon diagnosis of tuberculous osteomyelitis with unknown portal entry. The patient did not report a history of a previous tuberculosis (TB) infection and her chest X-ray was negative for TB. Considering TB in the differential diagnosis of a 'bone abscess', it is of paramount importance to come to a correct diagnosis.

BEL-2, an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase with increased activity toward expanded-spectrum cephalosporins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

A Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate recovered in Belgium produced a novel extended-spectrum ss-lactamase, BEL-2, differing from BEL-1 by a single Leu162Phe substitution. That modification significantly altered the kinetic properties of the enzyme, increasing its affinity for expanded-spectrum cephalosporins. The bla(BEL-2) gene was identified from a P.

BEL-1, a novel clavulanic acid-inhibited extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, and the class 1 integron In120 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Screening by a double-disk synergy test identified a Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate that produced a clavulanic acid-inhibited expanded-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). Cloning and sequencing identified a novel ESBL, BEL-1, weakly related to other Ambler class A ESBLs. beta-Lactamase BEL-1 hydrolyzed significantly most expanded-spectrum cephalosporins and aztreonam, and its activity was inhibited by clavulanic acid, tazobactam, cefoxitin, moxalactam, and imipenem.