A case of penicillin-resistant group B Streptococcus isolated from a patient in the UK.

Objectives: In England, group B streptococci (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae) are considered universally susceptible to penicillin. Reports from Africa, Asia, North America and a few European countries have described GBS isolates with penicillin MICs above the epidemiological cut-off (0.125 mg/L).

Modern African ecosystems as landscape-scale analogues for reconstructing woody cover and early hominin environments.

Reconstructing habitat types available to hominins and inferring how the paleo-landscape changed through time are critical steps in testing hypotheses about the selective pressures that drove the emergence of bipedalism, tool use, a change in diet, and progressive encephalization. Change in the amount and distribution of woody vegetation has been suggested as one of the important factors that shaped early hominin evolution. Previous models for reconstructing woody cover at eastern African hominin fossil sites used global-scale modern soil comparative datasets.

Invasive infection in a neutropaenic patient.

Invasive fungal infection is a life-threatening complication of chemotherapy and neutropaenia in the haematology population. species rarely cause human disease but have been reported to cause invasive infection in the immunosuppressed. We present a case of invasive pulmonary infection with fatal outcome in a neutropaenic patient with acute myeloid leukaemia.

A Multicenter Retrospective Study Evaluating Intravenous to Oral Antibiotic Stepdown for Uncomplicated Streptococcal Bacteremia.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous (IV) versus oral (PO) stepdown therapy for uncomplicated streptococcal bacteremia.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study included adult patients with uncomplicated streptococcal bacteremia between 1 July 2019 and 1 July 2022. Patients who received IV therapy for the full treatment course were compared to patients who transitioned to PO therapy after initial IV therapy.

Urological outcomes in adult females born with anorectal malformation or Hirschsprung disease.

Introduction: Women born with anorectal malformation (ARM) or Hirschsprung disease (HD) may have impaired urologic function resulting in sequelae in adulthood. This study assessed and compared self-reported urinary outcomes in adult females born with ARM or HD to a reference population.

Methods: This was an IRB approved, cross-sectional study of female-born patients with ARM or HD, who completed surveys between November 2021 and August 2022.

New Oldowan locality Sare-Abururu (ca. 1.7 Ma) provides evidence of diverse hominin behaviors on the Homa Peninsula, Kenya.

The Homa Peninsula, in southwestern Kenya, continues to yield insights into Oldowan hominin landscape behaviors. The Late Pliocene locality of Nyayanga (∼3-2.6 Ma) preserves some of the oldest Oldowan tools.

Considerations for the Future: Family Planning and Infertility During Psychiatry Training.

During medical school, residency, or fellowship, many trainees struggle to balance their careers with starting a family. Some may feel the optimal time for parenthood is after completion of training, but the effect of increasing age on fertility is a real consideration for female physicians. Several studies have explored the impact of pregnancy and parental leave during surgical residency, yet little has been published on these topics during psychiatry training.

The immune status of migrant populations in Europe and implications for vaccine-preventable disease control: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Ensuring vaccination coverage reaches established herd immunity thresholds (HITs) is the cornerstone of any vaccination programme. Diverse migrant populations in European countries have been associated with cases of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and outbreaks, yet it is not clear to what extent they are an under-immunized group.

Methods: We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize peer-reviewed published primary research reporting data on the immune status of migrants in EU/EEA countries, the UK and Switzerland, calculating their pooled immunity coverage for measles, mumps, rubella and diphtheria using random-effects models.

Histopathological findings from the investigation of paediatric acute hepatitis of unknown aetiology, United Kingdom 2022.

In 2022, there were global reports of increased numbers of acute hepatitis not explained by hepatitis A-E virus infection in children. This manuscript summarises histopathology results from 20 patients in the United Kingdom who underwent liver transplant or had a liver biopsy as part of aetiological investigations. All available histopathological samples were reviewed centrally as part of the outbreak investigation.

Community-Acquired Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Among People Who Inject Drugs: A National Cohort Study in England, 2017-2020.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (CA-SAB), but little is known about clinical outcomes of CA-SAB in PWID compared with the wider population of patients with CA-SAB.

Methods: Three national datasets were linked to provide clinical and mortality data on patients hospitalized with CA-SAB in England between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2020. PWID were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision code for "mental health and behavioral disorder due to opioid use" (F11).

Pregnancy and breastfeeding in mental health policy: a narrative review.

Objectives: Mental health difficulties are often exacerbated during the perinatal period. Policy and guidelines are increasingly being used to enhance the quality of healthcare. We conducted a literature review of published research relating to pregnancy and breastfeeding in mental health policy.

Retrospective testing for mpox virus in routine STI screens from men who have sex with men in England, August-October 2022.

Objectives: A global outbreak of mpox (monkeypox) has been ongoing since 2022, with most cases in the UK detected in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Asymptomatic and pauci-symptomatic mpox infection has been reported outside of the UK. We aimed to investigate whether mpox could be detected in specimens from GBMSM in England who were attending sexual health services (SHSs) for asymptomatic sexually transmitted infection screening.

Transposable Elements in Bats Show Differential Accumulation Patterns Determined by Class and Functionality.

Bat genomes are characterized by a diverse transposable element (TE) repertoire. In particular, the genomes of members of the family Vespertilionidae contain both active retrotransposons and active DNA transposons. Each TE type is characterized by a distinct pattern of accumulation over the past ~40 million years.

Moving From 'Best Interests' to 'Will and Preference': A Study of Doctors' Level of Knowledge Relating to the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015.

Aims Irish decision-making capacity legislation is due to fundamentally change from 2022, with the commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, removing 'best interests' decision-making and replacing it with a 'will and preference' basis. This study aimed to investigate awareness amongst doctors regarding this Act, and specific knowledge relating to capacity assessment and advanced healthcare directives. Methods The study utilised a cross-sectional anonymised self-report questionnaire within a second tier hospital located in a rural part of Ireland.

Validity between self-report and biochemical testing of cannabis and drugs among patients with traumatic injury: brief report.

Background: The relationship between drug use and traumatic injury is well documented, yet only a small proportion of patients are biochemically tested for cannabis and other substances. The study objective was to determine whether patient self-report can be used as a proxy for biochemical drug testing following traumatic injury.

Methods: This study was a secondary analysis that included 320 patients admitted to four level I trauma centers in Colorado and Texas, primarily involved in motor vehicle crash (89%).

Screening for Chronic Infectious Diseases by Serology in Those Presenting with Malaria in London, United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom's cases of malaria infection are primarily acquired in sub-Saharan Africa, with the majority of infections presenting in London.1 When patients go to a hospital with malaria, there is a screening opportunity for other geographically associated chronic infections. We identified patients who were diagnosed with malaria after presenting to our emergency department in London over a 2-year period, to assess whether there may be clinical benefit in screening for chronic viral (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV) or parasitic (schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis) infection in this cohort.

Six-year national study of damage control laparotomy and the effect of repeat re-exploration on rate of infectious complications.

Background: Damage control laparotomy (DCL) is a life-saving procedure in patients with abdominal hemorrhage. After DCL, patients are sometimes left with an open abdomen (OA) so they may undergo multiple exploratory laparotomies (EXLAP), or re-explorations. Patients with OA are at increased risk of infectious complications (ICs).