The Role of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) in Central Nervous System Infectious Syndromes.

We describe the proportion of VZV infection in central nervous system (CNS) infectious syndromes in a single Israeli medical center. An observational cohort study was conducted in Kaplan Medical Center (a secondary hospital, Israel) between July 1, 2014, and March 31, 2019. Included were adult patients (≥ 16 years old) with CNS infection with an aseptic CSF profile that were subjected to molecular tests for herpes viruses, HSV either 1 or 2, VZV, enteroviruses, and IgM for West Nile virus (WNV).

Rapid Phenotypic Antibiotic Susceptibility Profiling of Clinical and Blood Cultures.

Bloodstream infections (BSI) are defined by the presence of viable bacteria or fungi, accompanied by systemic signs of infection. Choosing empirical therapy based solely on patient risk factors and prior antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) may lead to either ineffective treatment or unnecessarily broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure. In general, Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute guideline-approved ASTs have a turnaround time of 48-72 h from sample to answer, a period that may result in a critical delay in the appropriate selection of therapy.

Maternal intrapartum antibiotic treatment continues to exert a bactericidal effect on the umbilical cord and peripheral venous blood of newborn infants.

Aim: It is unclear whether maternal intrapartum antibiotic treatment (IAT) continues to exert a bactericidal effect on common pathogens in neonates. We studied the in vitro bactericidal effect of IAT on the cord and peripheral venous blood of newborn infants.

Methods: Umbilical cord and peripheral venous blood from newborn infants born at Kaplan Medical Center, Israel, from April to October 2014 were studied for serum bactericidal titres against Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and Escherichia coli (E.

Does the addition of salpingectomy or fimbriectomy to hysterectomy in premenopausal patients compromise ovarian reserve? A prospective study.

Objective: To evaluate changes in ovarian reserve in patients following hysterectomy, with or without bilateral salpingectomy or fimbriectomy.

Study Design: Open-label, prospective cohort trial of patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign uterine indications. Levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and ultrasonic measures of peak systolic flow velocity/diastolic velocity (S/D) ratio and resistance index (RI) in the ovarian artery were taken from patients before and 6 weeks after hysterectomy, hysterectomy+salpingectomy or hysterectomy+fimbriectomy.

Real-time PCR for Strongyloides stercoralis-associated meningitis.

Four immunocompromised patients, immigrants from Ethiopia, presented with diverse clinical manifestations of meningitis associated with Strongyloides stercoralis dissemination as determined by identification of intestinal larvae. The cerebrospinal fluid of 3 patients was tested by a validated (for stool) real-time PCR for S. stercoralis and was found positive, establishing this association.