Characterization of Metallo β-Lactamase Producing Isolates with Susceptibility to the Aztreonam/Avibactam Combination.

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) in and other Gram-negative organisms pose significant public health threats due to their association with multidrug resistance (MDR). Although aztreonam (AZT) can target MBL-producing organisms, its efficacy is compromised in organisms expressing additional β-lactamases that inactivate it. Combining AZT with the β-lactamase inhibitor avibactam (AVI) may restore its activity against MBL-producing isolates.

International consensus statement on microbiome testing in clinical practice.

There is growing interest in the potential exploitation of the gut microbiome as a diagnostic tool in medicine, but evidence supporting its clinical usefulness is scarce. An increasing number of commercial providers offer direct-to-consumer microbiome diagnostic tests without any consensus on their regulation or any proven value in clinical practice, which could result in considerable waste of individual and health-care resources and potential drawbacks in the clinical management of patients. We convened an international multidisciplinary expert panel to standardise best practices of microbiome testing for clinical implementation, including recommendations on general principles and minimum requirements for their provision, indications, pre-testing protocols, method of analyses, reporting of results, and potential clinical value.

Verification of the Vitek Reveal System for Direct Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing in Gram-Negative Positive Blood Cultures.

: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 20776-2:2021, which replaces ISO 20776-2:2007, focuses solely on the performance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) assays, emphasizing the ISO 20776-1 broth microdilution method as the reference standard. Consequently, categorical agreement (CA) and associated errors should not be applied. We verified the Vitek Reveal AST assay according to both ISO 20776-2:2021 and ISO 20776-2:2007 criteria.

Reemergence of Streptococcus pyogenes Infections in a Large Italian Hospital: A déjà vu from past Years.

At the end of 2022 and in the following months, an increase in the incidence of Streptococcus pyogenes infections was observed in many European countries that was simultaneously accompanying to enhance of invasive infections (iGAS). We have showed a risen trend of S. pyogenes infections among preschoolers after the pandemic event.

Increasing Detection of Legionnaires' Disease in a Large Italian Hospital in the Period 2016-2023.

The pandemic marked the beginning of an era of dynamic and rapid changes in the diagnosis of respiratory infections. Herein we describe Legionnaires' disease trend in the years 2016-2023 in a large Italian hospital showing how improvements in diagnostic algorithms impact on its detection.

Prognostic value of serial (1,3)-β-D-glucan measurements in ICU patients with invasive candidiasis.

Background: To determine whether a decrease in serum (1,3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) was associated with reduced mortality and to investigate the performance of BDG downslope in predicting clinical outcome in invasive candidiasis.

Methods: Observational cohort study in ICU patients over a ten-year period (2012-2022) in Italy. Proven invasive candidiasis with at least 2 BDG determinations were considered.

Early assessment of blood culture negativity as a potential support tool for antimicrobial stewardship.

Objective: To assess whether 48-h negative blood culture (BC) bottles are still negative at the classic 120-h incubation endpoint and whether 48 h might be the time to make antimicrobial therapy decisions.

Methods: Data from the first collected bottles from bloodstream infection (BSI) episodes of single patients were retrospectively analyzed. Probabilities of bottles being negative at the classic endpoint were calculated from 0 to 120 h of incubation.

Lung microbiota composition, respiratory mechanics, and outcomes in COVID-19-related ARDS.

Unlabelled: Few data are available on the lung microbiota composition of patients with coronavirus disease 2019-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (C-ARDS) receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Moreover, it has never been investigated whether there is a potential correlation between lung microbiota communities and respiratory mechanics. We performed a prospective observational study in two intensive care units of a university hospital in Italy.

In-depth characterization of multidrug-resistant NDM-1 and KPC-3 co-producing bloodstream isolates from Italian hospital patients.

Bloodstream infection (BSI) caused by carbapenem-resistant (KP) poses significant challenges, particularly when the infecting isolate carries multiple antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes/determinants. This study, employing short- and long-read whole-genome sequencing, characterizes six New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) 1 and KP carbapenemase (KPC) 3 co-producing KP isolates, the largest cohort investigated in Europe to date. Five [sequence type (ST) 512] and one (ST11) isolates were recovered from patients who developed BSI from February to August 2022 or February 2023 at two different hospitals in Rome, Italy.

Pilot study on cultural and metagenomic analysis of bile and biliary stentslead to unveiling the key players in stent occlusion.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) with biliary stenting is a minimally invasive medical procedure employed to address both malignant and benign obstructions within the biliary tract. Benign biliary strictures (BBSs), typically arising from surgical interventions such as liver transplants and cholecystectomy, as well as chronic inflammatory conditions, present a common clinical challenge. The current gold standard for treating BBSs involves the periodic insertion of plastic stents at intervals of 3-4 months, spanning a course of approximately one year.

Chip-Based Molecular Evaluation of a DNA Extraction Protocol for Species from Positive Blood Cultures.

The diagnosis of bloodstream infection (BSI) may rely on a PCR-based analysis of a positive blood culture (PBC) obtained from the patient at the time of BSI. In this study, a yeast DNA extraction protocol for use on PBCs was developed and evaluated with the molecular mouse (MM) yeast blood (YBL) chip-based PCR assay, which allowed us to detect nine medically relevant species. We studied 125 simulated or clinical PBCs for species.

Identification of two anti- antibodies associated with the survival of patients with candidemia.

Candidemia (bloodstream invasion by species) is a major fungal disease in humans. Despite the recent progress in diagnosis and treatment, therapeutic options are limited and under threat of antimicrobial resistance. The disease mortality remains high (around 40%).

Performance of a Novel Real-Time PCR-Based Assay for Rapid Monkeypox Virus Detection in Human Samples.

The ongoing epidemic of mpox, namely human monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection, requires rapid and reliable laboratory diagnosis. We report on the QIAstat-Dx viral vesicular panel PCR assay that allows the detection of (within 75 min) six vesicular disease-causing viruses, including MPXV. We analyzed 168 clinical samples, known to be positive (51 samples) or negative (117 samples) for MPXV clade II, obtained from patients at their mpox diagnosis or follow-up.

Curcumin-Functionalized Graphene Oxide Strongly Prevents Adhesion and Biofilm Formation.

is the major non- species involved in the colonization of central venous catheters, causing bloodstream infections. Biofilm formation on medical devices is considered one of the main causes of healthcare-associated infections and represents a global public health problem. In this context, the development of new nanomaterials that exhibit anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm properties for the coating of medical devices is crucial.

Profiling the Urobiota in a Pediatric Population with Neurogenic Bladder Secondary to Spinal Dysraphism.

The human bladder has been long thought to be sterile until that, only in the last decade, advances in molecular biology have shown that the human urinary tract is populated with microorganisms. The relationship between the urobiota and the development of urinary tract disorders is now of great interest. Patients with spina bifida (SB) can be born with (or develop over time) neurological deficits due to damaged nerves that originate in the lower part of the spinal cord, including the neurogenic bladder.

Incidence of bloodstream infections due to multidrug-resistant pathogens in ordinary wards and intensive care units before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a real-life, retrospective observational study.

Purpose: SARS-COV-2 pandemic led to antibiotic overprescription and unprecedented stress on healthcare systems worldwide. Knowing the comparative incident risk of bloodstream infection due to multidrug-resistant pathogens in COVID ordinary wards and intensive care-units may give insights into the impact of COVID-19 on antimicrobial resistance.

Methods: Single-center observational data extracted from a computerized dataset were used to identify all patients who underwent blood cultures from January 1, 2018 to May 15, 2021.

Use of High-Dose Nebulized Colistimethate in Patients with Colistin-Only Susceptible VAP: Clinical, Pharmacokinetic and Microbiome Features.

(1) Background: Colistin-only susceptible (COS) (AB) ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) represents a clinical challenge in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to the negligible lung diffusion of this molecule and the low-grade evidence on efficacy of its nebulization. (2) Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study on 134 ICU patients with COS-AB VAP to describe the 'real life' clinical use of high-dose (5 MIU q8) aerosolized colistin, using a vibrating mesh nebulizer. Lung pharmacokinetics and microbiome features were investigated.

Two-Period Study Results from a Large Italian Hospital Laboratory Attesting SARS-CoV-2 Variant PCR Assay Evolution.

In keeping with the evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the COVID-19 causative agent, PCR assays have been developed to rapidly detect SARS-CoV-2 variants, which have emerged since the first (Alpha) variant was identified. Based on specific assortment of SARS-CoV-2 spike-protein mutations (ΔH69/V70, E484K, N501Y, W152C, L452R, K417N, and K417T) among the major variants known to date, Seegene Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Variants I and Variants II assays have been available since a few months before the last (Omicron) variant became predominant. Using S gene next-generation sequencing (NGS) as the SARS-CoV-2 variant identification reference method, we assessed the results of SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swab samples from two testing periods, before (= 288, using only Variants I) and after (= 77, using both Variants I and Variants II) the appearance of Omicron.

Multiplex PCR Detection of Respiratory Tract Infections in SARS-CoV-2-Negative Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department: an International Multicenter Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Respiratory tract infection (RTI) is a common cause of visits to the hospital emergency department. During the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), nonpharmaceutical intervention has influenced the rates of circulating respiratory viruses. In this study, we sought to detect RTI etiological agents other than SARS-CoV-2 in emergency department patients from 13 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa from December 2020 to March 2021.

Susceptibility of Meropenem-Resistant and/or Carbapenemase-Producing Clinical Isolates of () and to Ceftazidime-Avibactam and Ceftolozane-Tazobactam as Assessed by In Vitro Testing Methods.

This study aimed to assess the comparability of in vitro susceptibility testing methods to ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) and ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T). Meropenem-resistant and/or carbapenemase-producing clinical isolates of () and were tested by both bioMérieux ETEST and VITEK-2 AST-N397 card and compared with a Micronaut AST-system broth microdilution (BMD) method. CZA and C/T MICs were interpreted using EUCAST breakpoints.