The Epidemiology of PCR-Confirmed Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Israel: A Nationwide Study.

Background: Leishmaniasis, mainly cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), is endemic in Israel. In recent years, the diagnosis of leishmaniasis has transitioned to a molecular diagnosis.

Objective: To summarize all cases of leishmaniasis and the identified species seen in Israel based on molecular diagnosis.

Virulence factors, antibiotic susceptibility and sequence type distribution of hospital-associated Clostridioides difficile isolates in Israel, 2020-2022.

Biofilm formation and toxin production are some of the virulence factors of Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile), which causes hospital-acquired C. difficile infection (HA-CDI).

A multilayered infection control intervention on carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii acquisition: An interrupted time series.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) causes life-threating hospital-acquired. Due to a limited number of Intensive-Care-Unit (ICU) beds, these patients are often treated in high-dependency (HD) non-ICUs within internal-medicine wards (IMW) in Israel. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a multilayered infection-control intervention on CRAB infection rate in IMWs, especially in its HD non-ICUs with ongoing CRAB transmission.

Twenty-five years of sentinel laboratory-based surveillance of shigellosis in a high-income country endemic for the disease, Israel, 1998 to 2022.

Background is a leading cause of moderate-to-severe diarrhoea worldwide and diarrhoeal deaths in children in low- and-middle-income countries.AimWe investigated trends and characteristics of shigellosis and antimicrobial resistance of in Israel.MethodsWe analysed data generated by the Sentinel Laboratory-Based Surveillance Network for Enteric Pathogens that systematically collects data on detection of at sentinel laboratories, along with the characterisation of the isolates at the National Reference Laboratory.

Risk Factors and Outcomes of Patients Colonized with KPC and NDM Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales.

Carbapenemase-producing enterobacterales (CPE) poses an increasing threat in hospitals worldwide. Recently, the prevalence of different carbapenemases conferring carbapenem resistance in enterobacterales changed in our country, including an increase in New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM)-CPE. We conducted a comparative historical study of adult patients colonized with carbapenemase (KPC)-CPE (July 2016 to June 2018, a historical cohort) vs.

Getting the drop on Staphylococcus aureus: Semiquantitative Staphylococcus aureus nasal colony reduction in orthopedic surgery reduces surgical site infection.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a frequent health care-associated infection. We aimed to reduce SSI risk after joint arthroplasty and spine surgery by reducing Staphylococcus aureus colonization burden with presurgery intranasal povidone-iodine (PVP-I) application in conjunction with skin antisepsis ("the intervention").

Methods: Retrospective case-control study; postintervention cohort versus a historical cohort.

Characterization of community-acquired strains in Israel, 2020-2022.

Background: The prevalence of community-acquired infection (CA-CDI) has been rising, due to changes in antibiotics prescribing practices, emergence of hypervirulent strains and improved diagnostics. This study explored CA-CDI epidemiology by examining strain diversity and virulence factors of CA-CDI isolates collected across several geographical regions in Israel.

Methods: Stool samples of 126 CA-CDI patients were subjected to PCR and an immunoassay to identify toxin genes and proteins, respectively.

Performance of Echinococcosis Serology is Associated with Disease Endemicity, Hydatid Cyst Location, Eosinophilia, Imaging Finding, and Treatment.

Background: We aimed to assess echinococcosis serology performance for diagnosing cystic echinococcosis (CE) in children living in CE-endemic vs. non-endemic populations, and in different clinical settings.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study, assessing children with ELISA test for echinococcosis, 2005-2021.

Albendazole Monotherapy for Pediatric Cystic Echinococcosis: A Case Series.

Background: Data regarding albendazole monotherapy for cystic echinococcosis (CE) are scarce, especially in children. We report our experience treating CE in children with albendazole monotherapy.

Methods: A retrospective case series, 2005-2021, assessing factors leading to albendazole monotherapy, demographic, clinical, duration of treatment and follow-up, and outcome (changes in cyst size and side effects) characteristics.

Trends in the Epidemiology of Non-Typhoidal Salmonellosis in Israel between 2010 and 2021.

Non-typhoidal salmonellosis (NTS) is one of the most common foodborne diseases worldwide. In this study, we aimed to analyze trends in the epidemiology of NTS in the last decade in Israel. Laboratory-confirmed cases of NTS at eight sentinel laboratories were reported to the Israel Sentinel Laboratory-Based Surveillance Network, integrated with the serotype identification performed at the National Reference Laboratory of the Ministry of Health.

Topical liposomal amphotericin B gel treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, pilot study.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) topical treatments may have low efficacy, while systemic treatments have adverse effects (AEs) and high cost. Since treatment options for CL nowadays have numerous disadvantages, an alternative topical treatment is vastly needed. We assessed liposomal amphotericin B gel (LAmB gel) treatment efficacy and safety.

Multifaceted Strategy Improves Outcomes of Patients Hospitalized with a Diabetic Foot Infection.

Diabetic foot infections (DFIs) are associated with major morbidity, reduced quality of life and increased mortality. Osteomyelitis is a leading cause of lower-extremity amputation in diabetic patients. We aimed to examine whether a multifaceted strategy for treating hospitalized patients with a DFI effectively influenced microbiological culture results and outcomes.

Genomic Epidemiology of Clinical Isolates from Southern Israel.

Brucellosis, a zoonosis mainly transmitted by consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, is endemic in Southern Israel, mainly among the Bedouin Arab population. However, the genomic epidemiology of in this region has not yet been elucidated. A cohort of brucellosis cases ( = 118) diagnosed between 2017-2019 was studied using whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

Human Toxocariasis in Israel: A Nationwide Serology-Based Analysis, 2005-2019.

Toxocariasis is a rare and underdiagnosed disease, and data concerning epidemiological aspects of toxocariasis in Israel are lacking. We describe the epidemiology of toxocariasis in Israel. Epidemiological data of all serology tests between 2005 and 2019 were retrieved and compared with detailed demographics.

Invasive Multidrug-Resistant emm93.0 Streptococcus pyogenes Strain Harboring a Novel Genomic Island, Israel, 2017-2019.

Invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections have increased in Israel since 2016 as successful lineages have emerged. We report the emergence and outbreak of a multidrug-resistant S. pyogenes emm93.

Severe Pneumonia Caused by Methicillin-Resistant in an Oncology Patient: Case Report and Literature Review.

is usually a commensal bacterium of microbiota of dogs and cats that can become pathogenic in these animals. In the past two decades, an increasing number of human infections caused by this pathogen was reported; only two pediatric cases were due to methicillin-susceptible isolates. We describe the first case of methicillin-resistant diagnosed in a 12-year-old immunocompromised girl with refractory anaplastic ependymoma, presented with life-threatening pneumonia and bacteremia.

Whole-genome sequence-informed MALDI-TOF MS diagnostics reveal importance of Klebsiella oxytoca group in invasive infections: a retrospective clinical study.

Background: Klebsiella spp. are opportunistic pathogens which can cause severe infections, are often multi-drug resistant and are a common cause of hospital-acquired infections. Multiple new Klebsiella species have recently been described, yet their clinical impact and antibiotic resistance profiles are largely unknown.

Serologic Diagnosis of Acute Rickettsiosis in Children in Southern Israel.

We assessed serology results of clinically suspected rickettsiosis episodes in the hospital setting. Overall, 322 of 963 (33%) cases were serology positive. Among those, rash rates were low (30%), murine typhus (MT) predominated over spotted fever and IgM positivity rate was higher in MT.

High Rates of Antibiotic Nonsusceptibility in Gram-negative Urinary Tract Infection in Children With Risk Factors Occurring in the Preceding Month: Considerations for Choosing Empiric Treatment.

Background: Choosing an empiric treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs) requires epidemiologic data on antibiotic nonsusceptibility (ANS) rates, and risk factors for UTI and ANS in the individual patient. We assessed ANS in community-acquired UTI, and its association with risk factors exposure (previous antibiotic treatment, UTI and hospital visit) <1 month or 1-11 months before the current UTI episode.

Methods: This was a retrospective, cohort study.

Comparison between cutaneous leishmaniasis patients with facial and non-facial lesions.

Background: We compared demographic, clinical, treatment, and outcome characteristics of facial cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and non-facial CL.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, polymerase chain reaction confirmed Leishmania major CL patients with ≥2 documented hospital visits, 2014-2019, were included.

Results: Overall, 134 patients (34% and 66% with facial and non-facial CL, respectively) were included.

Rapid detection of producing extended spectrum β lactamase enzymes by infrared microspectroscopy and machine learning algorithms.

Antimicrobial drugs have played an indispensable role in decreasing morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases. However, the resistance of bacteria to a broad spectrum of commonly-used antibiotics has grown to the point of being a global health-care problem. One of the most important classes of multi-drug resistant bacteria is Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-producing (ESBL+) bacteria.

The impact of a multimodel approach to designing a new orthopedic department.

Objective: To determine whether a multifaceted approach effectively influenced antibiotic use in an orthopedics department.

Design: Retrospective cohort study comparing the readmission rate and antibiotic use before and after an intervention.

Setting: A 1,000-bed, tertiary-care, university hospital.