Rapid diagnosis of bloodstream infections using a culture-free phenotypic platform.

Background: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a life-threatening acute medical condition and current diagnostics for BSIs suffer from long turnaround time (TAT). Here we show the validation of a rapid detection-analysis platform (RDAP) for the diagnosis of BSIs performed on clinical blood samples METHODS: The validation was performed on a cohort of 59 clinical blood samples, including positive culture samples, which indicated confirmed bloodstream infections, and negative culture samples. The bacteria in the positive culture samples included Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic species.

Prevention of Infection in Foot and Ankle Surgery.

The literature for prevention of surgical infection related primarily to foot and ankle surgery is sparse, with most attention on total joint replacement and abdominal surgery. Attention should be paid to preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative elements, which can have an effect on the development of postoperative infection. Although antibiotic prophylaxis typically is discussed in isolation, inclusion of this step into the process enhances the overall evaluation of surgery with respect to infection.

Mycoplasma hominis Infections Transmitted Through Amniotic Tissue Product.

Background: Mycoplasma hominis is a commensal genitourinary tract organism that can cause infections outside the genitourinary tract. We investigated a cluster of M. hominis surgical site infections in patients who underwent spine surgery, all associated with amniotic tissue linked to a common donor.

Procalcitonin as a Biomarker for Predicting Amputation Level in Lower Extremity Infections.

Inflammatory markers are essential tools in the decision-making process for lower extremity infections. When coupled with objective findings, clinicians can more accurately diagnose and treat these entities. Typically, markers such as the white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein are used to initially assess these patients or monitor the progression of medical or surgical therapy.