Accurate Identification of Klebsiella variicola by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry in Clinical Microbiology Laboratories.

Klebsiella variicola is a pathogen that is increasingly recognized as being associated with human infections, but the methods available to clinical microbiology laboratories for accurate identification are limited. In this study, we assessed the accuracy of identification of by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry using genetic identification with multiplex PCR as the reference method. Antimicrobial susceptibilities and virulence of strains were also investigated.

Association of the Serum Levels of the Nucleocapsid Antigen of SARS-CoV-2 With the Diagnosis, Disease Severity, and Antibody Titers in Patients With COVID-19: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Several types of laboratory tests for COVID-19 have been established to date; however, the clinical significance of the serum SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) antigen levels remains to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we attempted to elucidate the usefulness and clinical significance of the serum N antigen levels. We measured the serum N antigen levels in 391 serum samples collected from symptomatic patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and 96 serum samples collected from patients with non-COVID-19, using a fully automated chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer.

Comparative performance and cycle threshold values of 10 nucleic acid amplification tests for SARS-CoV-2 on clinical samples.

Background: A number of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for SARS-CoV-2 with different reagents have been approved for clinical use in Japan. These include research kits approved under emergency use authorization through simplified process to stabilize the supply of the reagents. Although these research kits have been increasingly used in clinical practice, limited data is available for the diagnostic performance in clinical settings.

COVID-19 and Fatal Sepsis Caused by Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, Japan, 2020.

A patient in Japan with coronavirus disease and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae K2 sequence type 86 infection died of respiratory failure. Bacterial and fungal co-infections caused by region-endemic pathogens, including hypervirulent K. pneumoniae in eastern Asia, should be included in the differential diagnosis of coronavirus disease patients with acutely deteriorating condition.

Prevalence and Characterization of Carbapenem-Hydrolyzing Class D β-Lactamase-Producing Isolates From Ghana.

Multidrug resistance, especially carbapenem resistance in bacteria is a global healthcare concern. However, available data on the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of isolates from West Africa, including Ghana is scanty. Our aim was to investigate the antibiotic resistance profile and genotypic characteristics of isolates from Ghana and to characterize carbapenemase producers using whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

Direct antibiotic susceptibility testing of blood cultures of gram-negative bacilli using the Drug Susceptibility Testing Microfluidic (DSTM) device.

Proper treatment of bloodstream infections requires rapid, early determination of appropriate antibiotic agents, emphasizing the need for more rapid drug susceptibility testing. The Drug Susceptibility Testing Microfluidic (DSTM) device represents a novel method in which a small amount of bacterial suspension is injected into the microchip-like device and cultured for 3 h. However, it remains unknown whether the DSTM method can directly determine antibiotic susceptibilities from positive blood cultures.

A rare case of a prostatic abscess, bacteremia and chronic granulomatous disease associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency disease characterized by severe recurrent infections such as pneumonia, liver and skin infections. However, prostatic abscesses are rare as only two cases have been reported thus far. We present the case of a 41-year-old patient with CGD who was admitted to the hospital with fever and subsequently, Klebsiella pneumoniae was identified on blood culture.

Pyogenic liver abscess due to hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae in a 14-year-old boy.

A 14-year-old otherwise healthy boy presented with right-sided back pain following high fever. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed a large liver abscess. Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) was rapidly identified from peripheral blood using the melting temperature mapping (Tm) method, which enables identification of pathogenic microorganisms within four hours after patient sample collection.

Clinical and microbiological characteristics and occurrence of infection in Japan.

Purpose: is a pathogen that causes pneumonia and urinary tract infection. Hypervirulent strains often show hypermucoviscosity, are of the K1 or K2 serotype, and harbor the and genes. However, the differences in the prevalence of with these hypervirulent characteristics between the infection and colonization status are not well understood.