Impact of Education on Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescription for Respiratory Tract Infection Based on Physicians' Justifications: A Web-Based Survey in Japan.

: Antibiotics are inappropriately prescribed for respiratory tract infections for various reasons. The differences of the effects of education based on these reasons has not been fully elucidated. This study assessed the impact of an educational film on antibiotic prescription patterns according to physicians' prescribing justifications.

Selection and evaluation of suitable quality control strains for meropenem antimicrobial susceptibility testing through preliminary external quality assessment.

Background: Quality control (QC) of carbapenem susceptibility testing for Gram-negative bacteria faces challenges due to limited measuring ranges and the lack of suitable QC strains. This study aimed to select and evaluate QC strains for meropenem antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) through a pilot external quality assessment (EQA).

Methods: Candidate QC strains for meropenem AST were selected based on primary AST data and genomic information from the Japan Antimicrobial Resistant Bacterial Bank.

The precipitate structure of copper-based antibacterial and antiviral agents enhances their longevity for kitchen use.

The transmission of bacteria through cooking surfaces, the handles of hot plates, and cookware that is not cleaned frequently can pose a problem. In this study, a copper ion-based mixed solution (CBMS) containing only inorganic ions with controlled acidity was assessed as a new antibacterial and antiviral agent. We analysed the structure of the precipitates, and various deposits measuring a few micrometres were observed on the substrates.

A molecular epidemiological and transmission analysis of Clostridioides difficile using draft whole-genome sequencing in a single hospital.

Background: The nosocomial transmission of toxin-producing Clostridioides difficile is a significant concern in infection control. C. difficile, which resides in human intestines, poses a risk of transmission, especially when patients are in close contact with medical staff.

Plasmid-mediated acquisition and chromosomal integration of in a subclade of ST131-30 clade C1.

ST131 is a multidrug-resistant lineage associated with the global spread of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing organisms. Particularly, ST131 clade C1 is the most predominant clade in Japan, harboring at a high frequency. However, the process of resistance gene acquisition and spread remains unclear.

Glucose Tolerance and the Risk Factors for Transmission in Japanese SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020 Epicenter: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose: The severe pathogenic ancient-type COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020 was the predominant gene variant in early 2020 in Japan, however, its transmissibility was uncertain. The period before the public commenced using any personal protective equipment (PPE) was evaluating to describe the transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020. We analyzed the secondary attack rate (SAR) among close contacts and the risk factor for SAR.

The outbreak of multispecies carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales associated with pediatric ward sinks: IncM1 plasmids act as vehicles for cross-species transmission.

Background: This study describes an outbreak caused by multispecies carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) occurring in a pediatric ward at an academic medical center in Tokyo.

Methods: The index case involved a 1-year-old boy with Klebsiella variicola (CPE) detected in anal swabs in June 2016. The second case was Klebsiella quasipneumoniae (CPE) occurred in March 2017 followed by further spread, leading to the declaration of an outbreak in April 2017.

Clinical Efficacy of Therapeutic Agents for Clostridioides difficile Infection Based on Four Severity Classifications.

Japanese guidelines recommend metronidazole (MNZ) and vancomycin (VCM) for non-severe and severe cases of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), respectively. In the present study, we investigated the use of CDI antimicrobials and evaluated their clinical efficacy and validity using four severity classifications. A retrospective chart review was conducted using the data of 137 inpatients with initially positive C.

Revascularization of a Necrotic Femoral Head in Severely Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis With a Modified Dunn Procedure: A Case Report.

Avascular necrosis, a serious slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) complication, is difficult to treat. We report a rare case of revascularization of the necrotic femoral head in a 12-year-old male patient with a severe SCFE (posterior tilting angle, 87°). We performed the modified Dunn procedure (MDP), followed by long-term unloading therapy.

Assessing the discriminability of PCR-based open reading frame typing versus single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis via draft whole-genome sequencing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in nosocomial transmission analysis.

Phylogenetic analysis based on single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based through whole-genome sequencing is recognized as the standard method for probing nosocomial transmission. However, the application of WGS is constrained by the high cost of equipment and the need for diverse analysis tools, which limits its widespread use in clinical laboratory settings. In Japan, the prevalent use of PCR-based open reading frame typing (POT) for tracing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission routes is attributed to its simplicity and ease of use.

Evolutionary dynamics of the novel ST22-PT methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone co-harbouring Panton-Valentine leucocidin and duplicated toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 genes.

Objectives: Globally, the isolation of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) harbouring both the Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) genes is rare. However, we encountered an outbreak of the ST22-PT clone exhibiting this phenotype in Japan. Notably, the TSST-1 gene was duplicated in most of the strains.

Intrinsic clarithromycin heteroresistance in Mycobacterium avium.

Background: Mycobacterium avium is associated with pulmonary disease in otherwise healthy adults. Several clarithromycin-refractory cases have been reported, including some cases caused by clarithromycin-susceptible strains.

Objectives: To characterize the reason for the discrepancy between clinical response and antibiotic susceptibility results.

Biochemical characterization of the L1-like metallo-β-lactamase from .

L1-like metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) exhibit diversity and are highly conserved. Although the presence of the gene is known, the biochemical characteristics are unclear. This study aimed to characterize an L1-like MBL from .

Pseudomonas otitidis bacteremia in an immunocompromised patient with cellulitis: case report and literature review.

Background: Pseudomonas otitidis belongs to the genus Pseudomonas and causes various infections, including ear, skin, and soft tissue infections. P. otitidis has a unique susceptibility profile, being susceptible to penicillins and cephalosporins but resistant to carbapenems, due to the production of the metallo-β-lactamase called POM-1.

Epidemiological analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Gram-negative bacilli that cause bacteremia in Japan.

We investigated the epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of seven major Gram-negative bacilli (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp.

Diversity of genes in species: insights from genome analysis of publicly available genome sequences.

L1 metallo-β-lactamases produced by exhibit high diversity. Here, we characterized the genomes of species harboring genes using publicly available genome sequences. Our findings provide evidence that species with genes constitute a complex comprising many species with high genetic diversity, and similarities between genes are lower than those of the genome.

Complete Genome Sequence of sp. Strain TUM22923, Isolated from Antarctic Lake Sediment.

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of sp. strain TUM22923, isolated from Antarctic lake sediment. This strain has a genome of 1,860,127 bp, comprising 1,848 protein-coding sequences.

Whole-genome sequencing analysis of molecular epidemiology and silent transmissions causing meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections in a university hospital.

Background: The emergence of novel genomic-type clones, such as community-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and livestock-associated MRSA, and their invasion into hospitals have become major concerns worldwide; however, little information is available regarding the prevalence of MRSA in Japan. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has been conducted to analyse various pathogens worldwide. Therefore, it is important to establish a genome database of clinical MRSA isolates available in Japan.

Addressing Unmet Needs in Vaccination for Older Adults in the Asia Pacific: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The impact of vaccinating the older population against vaccine-preventable diseases in terms of health, social and economic benefits has been increasingly recognised. However, there is a gap in the utilisation of vaccines worldwide. The population is ageing at an unprecedented pace in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with the number of persons older than 65 years set to double by 2050 to around 1.