Unraveling the Dynamics of Omicron (BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5) Waves and Emergence of the Deltacton Variant: Genomic Epidemiology of the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic in Cyprus (Oct 2021-Oct 2022).

Commencing in December 2019 with the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), three years of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have transpired. The virus has consistently demonstrated a tendency for evolutionary adaptation, resulting in mutations that impact both immune evasion and transmissibility. This ongoing process has led to successive waves of infections.

Use of monofilament sutures and triclosan coating to protect against surgical site infections in spinal surgery: a laboratory-based study.

Purpose: We investigated bacterial propagation through multifilament, monofilament sutures and whether sutures coated with triclosan would exhibit a different phenomenon.

Methods: One centimetre (cm) wide trenches were cut in the middle of Columbia blood Agar plates. We tested a 6 cm length of two Triclosan-coated (PDS plus®, Vicryl plus®) and two uncoated (PDS ®, Vicryl ®) sutures.

Genomic Epidemiology of the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic in Cyprus from November 2020 to October 2021: The Passage of Waves of Alpha and Delta Variants of Concern.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019 resulted in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has had devastating repercussions for public health. Over the course of this pandemic, the virus has continuously been evolving, resulting in new, more infectious variants that have frequently led to surges of new SARS-CoV-2 infections. In the present study, we performed detailed genetic, phylogenetic, phylodynamic and phylogeographic analyses to examine the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Cyprus using 2352 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from infected individuals in Cyprus during November 2020 to October 2021.

Implementation of a hospital antimicrobial stewardship program to improve vancomycin use in Cyprus: Challenges and opportunity.

Background: The Republic of Cyprus is among the highest consumers of antibacterials for systemic use in Europe. The antimicrobial resistance of invasive isolates in Cyprus is also high compared to the European Union. Formal antimicrobial stewardship initiatives are scarce in Cyprus, raising an urgent need to address the challenges for implementing hospital antimicrobial stewardship.

Healthcare-associated transmission of Panton-Valentine leucocidin positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: the value of screening asymptomatic healthcare workers.

Background: Three patients hospitalised in the coronary care unit of a general district hospital (England, UK) were tested positive for Panton-Valentine leucocidin methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonisation during their routine weekly screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The isolates were indistinguishable and all three patients have previously had negative screening tests. The outbreak investigation team considered exploring the possibility of PVL-MRSA transmission from members of staff to the patients and potentially between members of staff.