Predicting antibiotic susceptibility in urinary tract infection with artificial intelligence-model performance in a multi-centre cohort.

Objective: To develop an artificial intelligence model to predict an antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in patients with urinary tract infection (UTI).

Materials And Methods: 26 087 adult patients with culture-proven UTI during 2015-2020 from a university teaching hospital and three community hospitals in Hong Kong were included. Cases with asymptomatic bacteriuria (absence of diagnosis code of UTI, or absence of leucocytes in urine microscopy) were excluded.

Comparison of carbapenem MIC for NDM-producing Enterobacterales by different AST methods.

Introduction: This study compared the performance of MIC test strip (ETEST), automated AST card (Vitek 2) and broth microdilution (BMD) in determining carbapenem susceptibility and MIC values of NDM-producing Enterobacterales.

Methods: NDM-producing Enterobacterales recovered from clinical specimens were included. The presence of was confirmed by PCR.

Clean clothes or dirty clothes? Outbreak investigation of carbapenem-resistant related to laundry contamination through multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Objective: To investigate the source in an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant (CRA) in a general hospital due to contamination of a laundry evaporative cooler and the laundry environment using multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Methods: For CRA culture, clinical samples were collected from infected patients and close contacts, and environmental sampling was performed in patient surroundings and laundry facilities. MLST was used for the molecular typing of representative CRA isolates.

Comparison of PneumID real-time PCR assay with Amplex eazyplex LAMP assay for laboratory diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia.

We compared PneumID PCR with Amplex eazyplex LAMP assay for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). Both assays enable accurate diagnosis of definite PJP. Cut-off cycle threshold of the PneumID assay was < 26.

Deep learning model for prediction of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production in community-onset Enterobacteriaceae bacteraemia from a high ESBL prevalence multi-centre cohort.

Adequate empirical antimicrobial coverage is instrumental in clinical management of community-onset Enterobacteriaceae bacteraemia in areas with high ESBL prevalence, while balancing the risk of carbapenem overuse and emergence of carbapenem-resistant organisms. It is unknown whether machine learning offers additional advantages to conventional statistical methods in prediction of ESBL production. To develop a validated model to predict ESBL production in Enterobacteriaceae causing community-onset bacteraemia.

Effectiveness of antimicrobial hospital curtains on reducing bacterial contamination-A multicenter study.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of 2 types of antimicrobial privacy curtains in clinical settings and the costs involved in replacing standard curtains with antimicrobial curtains.

Design: A prospective, open-labeled, multicenter study with a follow-up duration of 6 months.

Setting: This study included 12 rooms of patients with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) (668 patient bed days) and 10 cubicles (8,839 patient bed days) in the medical, surgical, neurosurgical, orthopedics, and rehabilitation units of 10 hospitals.

Surveillance of antibiotic resistance among common Clostridium difficile ribotypes in Hong Kong.

Incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is rapidly increasing and it poses a major health burden globally. However, data regarding the epidemiology of CDI in Asia are limited. We aimed to characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of common ribotypes of toxigenic C.

Hong Kong Chinese school children with elevated urine melamine levels: a prospective follow up study.

Background: In 2008, the outbreak of kidney stones in children fed by melamine-tainted milk products in Mainland China has caused major public concern of food safety. We identified Hong Kong school children with elevated urine melamine level from a community-based school survey in 2007-08 and reviewed their clinical status in 2009.

Methods: In 2007-08, 2119 school children participated in a primary and secondary school survey in Hong Kong using a cluster sampling method.

Staphylococcus aureus carriage in the anterior nares of close contacts of patients with atopic dermatitis.

Objective: To study the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization in close contacts of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and the influence on AD severity.

Design: Prospective case-control study.

Setting: Pediatric dermatology clinic in a Hong Kong university hospital.

High-level gentamicin resistance mediated by a Tn4001-like transposon in seven nonclonal hospital isolates of Streptococcus pasteurianus.

We report on the first occurrence of high-level gentamicin resistance (MICs > or = 512 microg/ml) in seven clinical isolates of Streptococcus pasteurianus from Hong Kong. These seven isolates were confirmed to be the species S. pasteurianus on the basis of nucleotide sequencing of the superoxide dismutase (sodA) gene.

Persistent Staphylococcus capitis septicemia in a preterm infant.

A preterm infant had persistent Staphylococcus capitis septicemia with 11 consecutive positive blood cultures over a period of 33 days. The clinical evidence suggested that the source of infection probably originated from the gastrointestinal tract. The combination of rifampin and linezolid treatment, together with prolonged stoppage of enteral feeding, successfully terminated the infection.

Psychrobacter bacteraemia in a cirrhotic patient after the consumption of raw geoduck clam.

Psychrobacter species rarely cause infections in human. We reported herein a 62-year-old cirrhotic patient who presented with fever and diarrhoea after the consumption of raw geoduck clam. Blood culture grew Psychrobacter phenylpyruvicus which was sensitive to most anti-microbial agents.

Extent and predictors of microbial hand contamination in a tertiary care ophthalmic outpatient practice.

Purpose: To measure the extent of microbial hand contamination among ophthalmologists during routine clinic practice and examine its association with hand cleansing practices and beliefs, glove use, and patient load.

Methods: This was a single-masked analysis of resident and transient flora of ophthalmologists before and after patient examination and after handwashing by agar imprints of the dominant hand. Standardized questionnaires were used to collect information concerning subjects' hand cleansing practices and patient load.

Immunofluorescence assay for serologic diagnosis of SARS.

We evaluated an indirect immunofluorescence assay based on virus-infected cells for detecting anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody. All confirmed SARS cases demonstrated seroconversion or fourfold rise in IgG antibody titer; no control was positive. Sensitivity and specificity of this assay were both 100%.

Tuberculous peritonitis-associated mortality is high among patients waiting for the results of mycobacterial cultures of ascitic fluid samples.

We identified 60 cases of tuberculous peritonitis during the past 12 years at our health care center. Most of the patients had severe underlying medical conditions, such as cirrhosis, renal failure, diabetes mellitus, and malignancy. Abnormal chest radiograph findings, ascitic fluid lymphocytosis, and biochemical findings for exudates could only identify 33%, 37%, and 53% of the cases, respectively.