Bridging basic science and applied diagnostics: Comprehensive viral diagnostics enabled by graphene-based electronic biosensor technology advancements.

This study presents a graphene field-effect transistor (gFET) biosensor with dual detection capabilities for SARS-CoV-2: one RNA detection assay to confirm viral positivity and the other for nucleocapsid (N-)protein detection as a proxy for infectiousness of the patient. This technology can be rapidly adapted to emerging infectious diseases, making an essential tool to contain future pandemics. To detect viral RNA, the highly conserved E-gene of the virus was targeted, allowing for the determination of SARS-CoV-2 presence or absence using nasopharyngeal swab samples.

A Microbiology Analytics Tool to Evaluate the Burden of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections.

Leveraging the capabilities of a microbiological clinical analytics tool, this study delves into quantifying the public health impact of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Focusing on eight predominant antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the study utilizes University Hospital Vienna's data to calculate the burden of antibiotic-resistant infections in disability-adjusted life years. The results highlight the potential of extended analytics tools in epidemiological research and underscore the pressing challenge of antimicrobial drug resistance.

On the impact of surveillance test strategies: a cost-benefit modelling analysis based upon real-world data from SARS-CoV-2.

Objectives: Active regular surveillance testing of asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals can reduce infection and onward transmission rates, as demonstrated for SARS-CoV-2.

Study Design: Cost-benefit analysis based on real-world data.

Methods: Two different surveillance-testing strategies using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) performed in 14,177 hospital employees were compared for their costs and their effectiveness in preventing secondary infections.

Left ventricular assist device-associated driveline infections as a specific form of complicated skin and soft tissue infection/acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection - issues and therapeutic options.

Purpose Of Review: This review comments on the current guidelines for the treatment of wound infections under definition of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). However, wound infections around a catheter, such as driveline infections of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) are not specifically listed under this definition in any of the existing guidelines.

Recent Findings: Definitions and classification of LVAD infections may vary across countries, and the existing guidelines and recommendations may not be equally interpreted among physicians, making it unclear if these infections can be considered as ABSSSI.

Expert Opinion on Dose Regimen and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring for Long-Term Use of Dalbavancin: Expert Review Panel.

Background: Dalbavancin is a lipoglycopeptide with a long elimination half-life and is currently licensed for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections in adults. Dalbavancin's potential in treating off-label complex Gram-positive infections is promising and real-world experience in treating such infections is growing. However, clear guidance on extended dosing regimens is lacking.

Microbiological and Virological Knowledge-Based Alert Service.

Hospital wards need immediate information about multi-resistant pathogens and contagious viruses in their hospitalized patients. An alert service configurable with Arden-Syntax-based alert definitions passing through an ontology service to complement results from microbiology and virology with high-level terms was implemented as proof of concept. Integration into the University Hospital Vienna's IT landscape is ongoing.

Long COVID symptoms in hospital employees after post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infection in Austria: A study on self-reported incidence and associated factors.

Purpose: Post acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection are defined by persistence or re-occurrence of symptoms six to 12 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Methods: Twice vaccinated hospital employees after mild to moderate post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infection completed a questionnaire on the incidence of general, respiratory, neuropsychiatric, dermatological and gastrointestinal symptoms, experienced during their acute infection and eight weeks after recovery. Post acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection were analysed in relation to socio-demographic-, health-, virus- and acute infection-related characteristics.

Modeling the protective effect of previous compulsory smallpox vaccination against human monkeypox infection: from hypothesis to a worst-case scenario.

Objectives: Human monkeypox (MPX) cases are escalating worldwide. Smallpox vaccination, which was compulsory in Austria until 1981, was reported to confer 85% cross-protection against MPX.

Methods: To assess the impact of smallpox vaccine-induced protection, the age-dependent vaccine-induced immunity against human MPX and the probability of infection according to age in the general population of Vienna, Austria, were determined using a modified susceptible-infected-removed model.

Reusable respirators as personal protective equipment in clinical practice : User experience in times of a pandemic.

Background: The novel strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is highly contagious; therefore, special emphasis must be given to personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Reusable elastomeric respirators were previously used in intensive care units (ICU). These respirators include full or half masks and devices modified to accommodate a filter.

Ischemic Priapism in a 12 Year Old Patient Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Case Report.

Infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been associated with changes in blood coagulation resulting in increased incidence of venous thromboembolic events and coagulopathy. Moreover, single cases of ischemic priapism have been reported in adult patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this report, we describe the case of ischemic priapism in a 12-year-old child with recent SARS- CoV-2 infection.

Postvaccination infections among staff of a tertiary care hospital after vaccination with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vector and mRNA-based vaccines.

Objectives: The identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen or RNA in respiratory specimens ≥14 days after administration of all recommended doses of authorized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines is defined as breakthrough infection. In the present investigation, mRNA and vector-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were analysed with respect to postvaccination infections in vaccinated hospital employees.

Methods: A total of 8553 staff members were vaccinated with BNT162b2 (47%) or ChAdOx1-S (53%) between January and May 2021.

/ Correlation of Pharmacokinetics of Gentamicin, Vancomycin, Teicoplanin and Doripenem in a Bovine Blood Hemodialysis Model.

Elimination of a drug during renal replacement therapy is not only dependent on flow rates, molecular size and protein binding, but is often influenced by difficult to predict drug membrane interactions. models allow for extensive profiling of drug clearance using a wide array of hemofilters and flow rates. We present a bovine blood based pharmacokinetic model for intermittent renal replacement therapy.

A Longitudinal Seroprevalence Study Evaluating Infection Control and Prevention Strategies at a Large Tertiary Care Center with Low COVID-19 Incidence.

Personal protective equipment and adherence to disinfection protocols are essential to prevent nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) transmission. Here, we evaluated infection control measures in a prospective longitudinal single-center study at the Vienna General Hospital, the biggest tertiary care center in Austria, with a structurally planned low SARS-CoV-2 exposure. SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies were assessed by Abbott ARCHITECT chemiluminescent assay (CLIA) in 599 health care workers (HCWs) at the start of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in early April and two months later.

COVID-19: IgG seroconversion under intensive glucocorticoid treatment in a high-risk patient with minimal change disease.

In this case report we present a rare case of a patient with multiple risk factors for severe coronavirus disease (COVID 19) in whom intensive glucocorticoid treatment due to incipient nephrotic syndrome coincided with SARS-CoV‑2 infection. Despite this high baseline risk profile and the use of glucocorticoids the patient developed only mild disease including IgG SARS-CoV‑2 seroconversion.

Diagnostic accuracy of two commercially available rapid assays for detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 compared to ELISA in a low-prevalence population.

New commercially available point-of-care (POC) immunodiagnostic tests are appearing, which may yield rapid results for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of rapid antibody detection tests compared to a validated laboratory-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and to investigate infections amongst healthcare workers (HCWs) after unprotected close contact to COVID-19 patients. Blood serum and whole blood of 130 participants were tested with NADAL COVID-19 IgG/IgM rapid test and mö-screen 2019-NCOV coronavirus test against a validated ELISA test.

Unexpected complete recovery of a patient with severe tick-borne encephalitis treated with favipiravir.

We report a case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in a 22-year-old man, who was admitted to the Medical University of Vienna hospital with severe meningoencephalitis, unresponsive and dependent on a respirator. He had given a history of a recent tick bite, but because he had previously received a full course of vaccination against TBE, West Nile virus infection was suspected. Because the antiviral drug favipiravir has been reported to be active against WNV, therapy was initiated, and continued even after a diagnosis of TBE was confirmed, due to significant improvement of symptoms.

Letermovir for the compassionate therapeutic use of cytomegalovirus infection.

Purpose: Data on the efficacy, dosing and safety of letermovir for the compassionate therapeutic use of CMV infections are limited.

Methods: Clinical and virological efficacy of letermovir was assessed in a retrospective single-centre study of patients who received letermovir for the compassionate therapeutic use of CMV infections.

Results: Letermovir initiation yielded prompt treatment response in 7 out of 9 patients (77.

Diagnosis of COVID-19 using multiple antibody assays in two cases with negative PCR results from nasopharyngeal swabs.

We report of two cases of progressed COVID-19 with negative PCR tests from nasopharyngeal swabs, in whom diagnosis was made by different antibody assays, including a lateral flow rapid test and multiple commercial ELISAs, finally confirmed by comprehensive serological assays. These cases highlight that commercial ELISAs and even rapid tests might significantly aid the diagnosis of COVID-19, particularly, if a combination of serological assays is used with a specific clinical question, in severely ill patients after seroconversion and when comprehensive serological methods are used for confirmation.

An Integrated Dialysis Pharmacometric (IDP) Model to Evaluate the Pharmacokinetics in Patients Undergoing Renal Replacement Therapy.

Purpose: Clearance via renal replacement therapy (RRT) can significantly alter the pharmacokinetic profile of drugs. The aim of this study was (i) to improve the use of clinical trial data and (ii) to provide a model that allows quantification of all aspects of drug elimination via RRT including adsorption to dialysis membranes and/or degradation of the drug in the dialysate.

Methods: An integrated dialysis pharmacometric (IDP) model was developed to simultaneously incorporate all available RRT information.

Calculated parenteral initial treatment of bacterial infections: Bone and joint infections.

This is the 10 chapter of the guideline "Calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections in adults - update 2018" in the 2 updated version. The German guideline by the Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft für Chemotherapie e.V.