New Microbiologica最新文献

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) often present therapeutic challenges due to acquired resistance. This study analyzed 178 strains from adult CF patients at a single French university hospital. High in vitro activity was observed for newer antibiotics such as ceftolozane-tazobactam (83% susceptibility), ceftazidime-avibactam (85% susceptibility), and cefiderocol (89% susceptibility). Delafloxacin also showed promising activity, with 93% of the isolates exhibiting MICs below the EUCAST epidemiological cut-off value. Results emphasize the potential utility of these agents.

The emergence and global dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. have seriously threatened global public health. Few genomic analyses of ceftazidime-avibactam-resistant and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. (CAR-CRKS) have been performed to date. This was a retrospective study of 12 CAR - CRKS isolates from 99 Klebsiella spp. collected in a Chinese tertiary hospital between 2018 and 2020. K. pneumoniae (eight cases, 66.67%), K. variicola (two cases, 16.67%), and K. quasipneumoniae (two cases, 16.67%) were identified in these isolates. Most of these patients had underlying hepatobiliary diseases or a history of receiving interventional procedures, and were hospitalised recurrently. The isolates were sensitive to amikacin, tigecycline, and polymyxin. blaIMP-4 was detected in six isolates, whereas blaNDM-1, blaNDM-5 and blaNDM-9 were detected in three, two, and one isolates, respectively. Only one strain harboured the rmpA, and exhibited a hypermucinous phenotype. The aerobactin (iucABCD) and yersiniabactin genes were absent in most of the strains. The strains containing blaIMP-4 exhibited higher virulence. These findings are of great significance for understanding the characteristics of CAR - CRKS and developing treatment strategies.

In this narrative review, inspired by the observation of changes in clinical practice implemented at our centre (IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori), we describe the evolution of care for pregnant women living with HIV (WLWH) and the current issues regarding ARV therapy, delivery, prophylaxis and breastfeeding. Over the years, advances in the care of HIV in pregnancy have significantly reduced the risk of perinatal transmission, making the experience of motherhood in WLWH comparable to that of people without HIV infection. However, some issues remain to be overcome to separate the real risks of transmission from the perceived fears and reduce the medicalization of pregnancy in WLWH. Notably, the rate of caesarean section remains higher than that of the general population, highlighting the need to further promote vaginal birth for WLWH in clinical practice and to reassure both women and physicians on its safety. Moreover, certain areas remain uncertain or subject to conflicting guidelines, such as the use of post-exposure prophylaxis for low-risk neonates and breastfeeding.

This study assessed HIV and sexual health knowledge among undergraduate medical students in Milan, Italy. An anonymous online survey with nine multiple-choice questions was distributed by email to students at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in November 2024. Of 1004 respondents, 48% reported comprehensive and 44% partial knowledge of HIV. Awareness of PrEP, PEP, and "U=U" was 47%, 45%, and 46%, respectively. HIV stigma persisted, with 36% considering it a taboo subject. Knowledge was significantly associated with prior sexual health education, highlighting the need for strengthened sexual health training to address gaps and reduce stigma.

Plectosphaerella cucumerina (P. cucumerina) is a rare fungal pathogen that typically infects plants and crops, causing disease and reduced yields. Human infections are extremely uncommon. This case report describes the first case of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis caused by P. cucumerina and highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges posed by this rare fungal pathogen. A 79-year-old woman with peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis was diagnosed with a P. cucumerina infection through culture, MALDI-TOF MS, and sequencing. The patient's symptoms improved significantly within three days of antifungal treatment with fluconazole, and her inflammatory markers normalized after two weeks. Diagnosis of P. cucumerina infections often relies on culture and molecular techniques. In this case, fluconazole monotherapy was effective. Further research is needed to optimize diagnostic methods and treatment protocols. Early identification and targeted antifungal therapy are essential for the successful management of P. cucumerina-caused peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis.

The unusual pneumonia outbreak that originated in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019 was found to be caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), or COVID-19. In this study, we have evaluated the antiviral activity of Acutumine and Dauricumine compounds isolated from the Menispermum plant against SARS-CoV-2. The cells were infected by virus in 3 different experimental assay designs and treated at various concentrations from 0 to 48 hours post infection. The selected compounds were further tested under light-dependent anti-viral activities to measure the reduction of viral load using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) on the cell culture assay. The in-silico results revealed that the active compounds known as Acutumine and Dauricumine could be better antiviral compounds with essential proteins of this virus, mainly protease (Mpro). Interestingly, the Acutumine and Dauricumine mixture (1:1 ratio100 mg/mL of each) of both compounds showed effective anti-viral activity in Vero E6 cells. Therefore, the results of Acutumine and Dauricumine compounds used in this study showed significant anti-viral and virucidal effects in the following increasing order of potency: Acutumine alone, Dauricumine alone, and mixture of both compounds or effective on SARS-CoV-2 infectious cycle. Thus, based on the outcome of this study, it is concluded that Dauricumine alone or in a mixture could be a better option as an antiviral than Acutumine alone against SARS-CoV-2.

The aim of this study is to describe a rare case of dual isolation of Candida albicans and Lactobacillus delbrueckii from blood cultures of an 86-year-old female patient. The patient, an elderly individual, had a medical history remarkable for diabetes mellitus, which was currently being managed with an SGLT-2 inhibitor. The patient exhibited elevated fevers, which were attributed to candidemia and bacteremia caused by Lactobacillus delbrueckii. The patient's candidemia originated from a urinary tract infection. The isolation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii in three sets of blood cultures was linked to the regular consumption of yogurts, some of which were past their expiration date. The patient's bacteremia may be attributed to the ingestion of yogurts, which could have facilitated bacterial translocation from the gastrointestinal tract to the systemic circulation.

Yersinia enterocolitica is a food-borne bacterium related to a disease called yersiniosis (gastroenteritis) in animals and humans. It is widely distributed in nature and is controlled with various antibiotics, such as second- and third-generation cephalosporins, gentamicin and fluoroquinolones and ciprofloxacin. In addition to antibiotic resistance, these antibiotics have side effects in the host because of drug-host interaction. To overcome these problems, this study focused on finding putative drug targets in the pathogen Y. enterocolitica and identifying novel molecules to tackle the function of this pathogen. In the present study, two new drug targets were found in Y. enterocolitica. Apart from using antibiotics, chlorogenic acid, hesperidin, neohesperidin, and naringin had indicated good binding affinity with the recognized targets through molecular docking experiments. Accordingly, this investigation suggests that the newly-found drug targets may be a fertile field in the pharmaceutical community for finding inhibitors similar to chlorogenic acid, hesperidin, neohesperidin, and naringin, as well as designing new drug molecule formulations to tackle the foodborne illness caused by pathogen Y. enterocolitica.

Background: hand hygiene is vital for preventing healthcare-associated infections, yet compliance among healthcare workers is low. To address this, we created an interactive online quiz using gamification to promote self-assessment and education.

Methods: the quiz was emailed to healthcare workers and students at a teaching hospital in Milan, Italy. Responses from 28/09/2023 to 09/02/2024 were analyzed, comparing correct response rates and average scores across categories (physicians, professionals, assistants, students, and others).

Results: the gamification strategy led to high engagement, with 1,487 quizzes analyzed (14.0% of invited participants). Only 59% correctly identified the recommended handwashing duration, and 33% of physicians mistakenly thought it exceeded two minutes. Just 30% knew the WHO-recommended hand hygiene technique includes six steps. Half of respondents were unaware that soap is advised for C. difficile cases, though healthcare professionals were twice as likely as physicians to answer correctly. Healthcare professionals and assistants achieved significantly higher scores than physicians.

Conclusion: the findings highlighted a significant educational gap in hand hygiene knowledge among healthcare workers. However, strong engagement showed gamification's potential to address this gap. These results support combining gamification with other validated tools to improve compliance and knowledge.

Candida parapsilosis is an infrequent opportunistic pathogen, responsible for approximately 7% of Candida osteomyelitis cases. While infections in immunocompetent individuals are rare, they present significant therapeutic challenges due to intrinsic resistance mechanisms and biofilm formation, requiring a multidisciplinary management approach. We report the case of a 27-year-old immunocompetent man who developed Candida parapsilosis osteomyelitis following surgical fixation of a clavicular fracture sustained in a road traffic accident. After multiple surgical interventions due to persistent infection, C. parapsilosis was identified in bone samples, along with Klebsiella pneumoniae. The patient underwent prolonged antifungal and antibiotic therapy, combined with surgical debridement and bone reconstruction using a microsurgical fibular flap. He remained clinically stable, with no signs of recurrence at 11-month follow-up. This case underscores the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of Candida parapsilosis osteomyelitis, particularly in immunocompetent individuals, who are often not considered at risk for fungal infections. It highlights the importance of early clinical suspicion, prolonged microbiological cultures, and a multidisciplinary team approach integrating both surgical and medical management to optimize patient outcomes. Additionally, a review of the literature on C. parapsilosis osteomyelitis is provided.