Identifying risk factors for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii carriage upon admission: a case-case control study.

Background: Active screening programs and early detection of asymptomatic carriers are effective in preventing carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) dissemination in healthcare facilities. This study aims to identify risk factors associated with CRAB carriage among patients upon admission to an acute care hospital.

Methods: A case-case-control study was conducted at an acute care hospital.

Amikacin treatment in patients with Enterobacterales bacteraemia: impact of MIC on mortality.

Background: Recently, breakpoints of Enterobacterales to amikacin were changed from MIC ≤ 16 mg/L to MIC ≤ 4 mg/L based mainly on laboratory data with little supporting clinical evidence. Our aim was to investigate the relation between MIC of Enterobacterales to amikacin and mortality among patients with Enterobacterales bacteraemia from a urinary tract source treated with amikacin.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective, single-centre study included patients with Enterobacterales urinary source bacteraemia treated with amikacin, with Low (MIC ≤ 4 mg/L) and High (MIC 8 or 16 mg/L) MICs.

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).

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Antimicrobial Resistance of Infections in a High-Risk Population.

() infections and antibiotic resistance are increasing in prevalence while treatment options are limited. Limited data exist regarding resistance in Israel. Our aim was to study the prevalence of resistance in a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic in Israel.

The impact of Boric Acid tubes on quantitative urinary bacterial cultures in hospitalized patients.

Introduction: The accuracy of urine culture results can be affected by pre-analytical factors such as transport delays and storage conditions. The objectives of this study were to analyze urine collection practices and assess the impact of introducing boric acid tubes for urine collection on quantitative urinary bacterial cultures of hospitalized patients in medical wards.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post study conducted in an acute care facility.

Genome sequence of two novel virulent clinical strains of Burkholderia pseudomallei isolated from acute melioidosis cases imported to Israel from India and Thailand.

Objective: Burkholderia pseudomallei, the etiological cause of melioidosis, is a soil saprophyte endemic in South-East Asia, where it constitutes a public health concern of high-priority. Melioidosis cases are sporadically identified in nonendemic areas, usually associated with travelers or import of goods from endemic regions. Due to extensive intercontinental traveling and the anticipated climate change-associated alterations of the soil bacterial flora, there is an increasing concern for inadvertent establishment of novel endemic areas, which may expand the global burden of melioidosis.

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.

Response Rate of the Third and Fourth Doses of the BNT162b2 Vaccine Administered to Cancer Patients Undergoing Active Anti-Neoplastic Treatments.

The BNT162b2 vaccine is globally used for preventing morbidity and mortality related to COVID-19. Cancer patients have had priority for receiving the vaccine due to their diminished immunity. This study reports the response rate of administering the third and fourth vaccine doses to cancer patients receiving active anti-neoplastic treatment.

Contribution of active surveillance cultures to the control of hospital-acquired carbapenem-resistant in an endemic hospital setting.

Background: Despite the increasing rates of carbapenem-resistant (CRAB) carriage among hospitalized patients in endemic settings, the role of active surveillance cultures and cohorting is still debated. We sought to determine the long-term effect of a multifaceted infection-control intervention on the incidence of CRAB in an endemic setting.

Methods: A prospective, quasi-experimental study was performed at a 670-bed, acute-care hospital.

Nationwide Outbreak of Candida auris Infections Driven by COVID-19 Hospitalizations, Israel, 2021-2022.

We report an outbreak of Candida auris across multiple healthcare facilities in Israel. For the period of May 2014-May 2022, a total of 209 patients with C. auris infection or colonization were identified.

The effect of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination on AMH concentrations in infertile women.

Research Question: Does SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination affect the ovarian reserve of infertile women undergoing IVF?

Design: This was a prospective observational study at a single university-affiliated IVF unit that included infertile women aged 18-44 years who were undergoing IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection between November 2020 and September 2021, had received two doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination and had undergone measurement of baseline anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration within the 12 months preceding their recruitment. AMH concentrations before and after vaccination were evaluated and compared.

Results: Overall, 31 women were included in the study.

Short- and long-term mortality in patients with urosepsis caused by Escherichia coli susceptible and resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporins.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare short- and long-term mortality among patients with urosepsis caused by Escherichia coli susceptibile (EC-SC) and resistant (EC-RC) to 3rd generation cephalosporins.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study that included all patients with E. coli urosepsis admitted to a 700-bed hospital from January 2014 until December 2019.

Efficacy of the mRNA-Based BNT162b2 COVID-19 Vaccine in Patients with Solid Malignancies Treated with Anti-Neoplastic Drugs.

The BNT162b2 vaccine was shown to be highly effective in reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection in healthy individuals and patients with chronic disease. However, there are little data regarding its efficacy in patients treated for cancer. We analyzed the humoral response following vaccination with the second dose of BNT162b2 in 140 patients with solid malignancies who were receiving anti-cancer therapy at the time of vaccination and 215 participants who had not been diagnosed with cancer.

Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 in the Vaginal Secretions of Women with COVID-19: A Prospective Study.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the likelihood of vaginal colonization with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in pregnant and non-pregnant women with Coronavrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Materials And Methods: Vaginal swabs were taken from women diagnosed with mild to moderately acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, at Wolfson Medical Center, Israel, from March 2020 through October 2020. COVID-19 was diagnosed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) performed on nasopharyngeal swabs.

Outdated allergens are similar to unexpired extracts for the detection of allergen sensitization.

Allergen extracts have relatively short shelf lives, which limits their use and increase financial loss and waste on unused extracts. It is thus important to determine if efficacy persists beyond the expiration date. To determine the efficacy and bioavailability of outdated allergen extracts for diagnosis of allergic sensitizations.

Aminoglycoside versus carbapenem or piperacillin/tazobactam treatment for bloodstream infections of urinary source caused by Gram-negative ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Objectives: We studied the performance of aminoglycosides in treating bloodstream infections (BSIs) of urinary source caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-EB).

Methods: In a retrospective study of 193 patients with a clinical diagnosis of urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis or urosepsis and blood and urine cultures positive for ESBL-EB, patients were grouped according to whether they were treated with an aminoglycoside, a carbapenem or piperacillin/tazobactam. Multivariate analysis was used to define risk factors for mortality with inverse probability of treatment weighting used to minimize confounding.

Impact of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines on Selected Head and Neck Infections in Hospitalized Israeli Children.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major pathogen of pediatric head and neck infections (HNIs), for example, acute otitis media (AOM), acute mastoiditis, acute bacterial sinusitis and meningitis. The aim of this study was to characterize the epidemiology of pneumococcal HNIs (pHNIs) before, during and after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).

Methods: Children 0-16 years of age, who were hospitalized with HNIs in the pediatrics department in a general hospital between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2014, were retrospectively identified.

Penile herpes simplex virus type 1 infection presenting two and a half years after Jewish ritual circumcision of an infant.

The association between Jewish ritual circumcision and genital herpes simplex virus type 1 infection has been well described. We report a case of genital herpes that first presented at the age of 2½ years. We believe that the infection was acquired asymptomatically through direct orogenital suction performed during circumcision in the newborn period.

Sexually transmitted Escherichia coli urethritis and orchiepididymitis.

We describe herein a case of uropathogenic Escherichia coli urethritis and orchiepididymitis in a heterosexual man, which he had acquired sexually from his girlfriend. The identity of the genital isolates from both partners was confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia upon hospital admission: risk factors for mortality and influence of inadequate empirical antimicrobial therapy.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an uncommon cause of bacteremia upon hospital admission (UHA) and the chosen empirical antimicrobial therapy may not cover it appropriately. In a multicenter prospective study conducted in Israel, we evaluated risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with P. aeruginosa bacteremia UHA and determined the influence of delay in adequate empirical antimicrobial therapy on patients' outcome.

National multicenter study of predictors and outcomes of bacteremia upon hospital admission caused by Enterobacteriaceae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are pathogens that may lead to a spectrum of clinical syndromes. We aimed to identify predictors and outcomes of ESBL bacteremia upon hospital admission (UHA) in a nationwide prospective study. Thus, a multicenter prospective study was conducted in 10 Israeli hospitals.