Journal of Infection and Public Health最新文献

{"title":"Association of fluoroquinolone resistance with rare quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) mutations and protein-quinolone binding affinity (PQBA) in multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from patients with urinary tract infection","authors":"Md Rasel Khan Manik ,&nbsp;Israt Dilruba Mishu ,&nbsp;Zimam Mahmud ,&nbsp;Muntaha Noor Muskan ,&nbsp;Sharmin Zaman Emon","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102766","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102766","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by <em>Escherichia coli</em> pose significant public health risks, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh. This study aimed to elucidate resistance patterns among UTI isolates and comprehensively investigate the mutational spectrum and its impact on drug-microbe interactions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We collected and identified <em>E. coli</em> isolates from hospitalized UTI patients at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and determined their resistance patterns using the disc diffusion method and broth microdilution. Quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of the target genes (<em>gyrA</em>, <em>gyrB</em>, <em>parC</em>, and <em>parE</em>) associated with fluoroquinolone resistance were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analyzed through BTSeq™ sequencing for mutations, followed by molecular docking analysis using PyMOL and AutoDock for the protein-quinolone binding affinity (PQBA) study.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>All isolates (100 %) displayed multidrug resistance, with chloramphenicol (16 % resistant) and colistin (28 % resistant) demonstrating superior efficacy compared to other antibiotics. The isolates resistant to colistin, as determined by disc diffusion testing, exhibited remarkably high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), with one isolate registering an MIC exceeding 512 µg/mL. Alarming resistance rates were observed for five antibiotic classes, except for polymyxins (28 % resistant) and protein synthesis inhibitors (48 % resistant). Fifty-two percent (52 %) of the isolates exhibited resistance to all five tested quinolones. Sequence analysis revealed a novel L88Q mutation in ParC, affecting PQBA and binding conformation. Additionally, three ParC mutations (S80I, E84V, and E84G) and two ParE mutations (S458A and I529L) were identified, which had not been previously reported in Bangladesh. Among these, S80I appeared in all isolates. Double-mutations (S83L+D87N) in GyrA, L88Q and S80I in ParC, and I529L in ParE were identified as key drivers of fluoroquinolone resistance.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings underscore the accumulation of significant mutations within QRDRs of UTI isolates, potentially compromising fluoroquinolone efficacy. The emergence of these novel mutations warrants further investigation to impede their dissemination and combat quinolone resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 6","pages":"Article 102766"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143716191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring therapeutic paradigm focusing on genes, proteins, and pathways to combat leprosy and tuberculosis: A network medicine and drug repurposing approach","authors":"Mohd Imran ,&nbsp;Ahmed S. Alshrari ,&nbsp;Mariah N. Hafiz ,&nbsp;Mohammed M. Jawad ,&nbsp;Abida Khan ,&nbsp;Fadiyah Jadid Alanazi ,&nbsp;Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin Asdaq","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102763","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102763","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Leprosy and tuberculosis caused by <em>Mycobacterium leprae</em> and <em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis,</em> respectively, are chronic infections with significant public health implications. While leprosy affects the skin and peripheral nerves and tuberculosis primarily targets the lungs, both diseases involve systemic immune responses. This study integrates transcriptomic analysis cheminformatics and molecular dynamics simulations to identify molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Transcriptomic datasets were analyzed to identify dysregulated genes and pathways. Pathway enrichment tissue-specific and bulk RNA-seq expression analyses provided biological context. System biology networks revealed regulatory hub genes and molecular docking studies evaluated CHEMBL compounds as potential therapeutics. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations assessed the stability of top ligand-protein complexes through RMSD RMSF and MM-GBSA free energy calculations.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Gene expression analysis identified 13 core dysregulated genes, including HSP90AA1 MAPK8IP3 and ZMPSTE24. Tissue-specific expression localized pivotal genes to lung tissues and immune cells with HSP90AA1 highly expressed in alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells. HSP90AA1 gene emerged as a central hub gene with 96 interactions involved in stress response pathways. Docking studies identified CHEMBL3653862 and CHEMBL3653884 with strong binding affinities (-10.16 to −12.69 kcal/mol) interacting with Asp93 and Tyr139. MD simulations confirmed binding stability with RMSD fluctuations within 2.1–3.5 Å and MM-GBSA energy values supporting ligand-protein stability.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study identifies HSP90AA1 as a potential drug target in leprosy and tuberculosis. Findings support host-directed therapy approaches and highlight the importance of computational modeling in accelerating drug discovery. The study provides a foundation for future experimental validation, including in <em>vitro</em> and in <em>vivo</em> testing to advance drug repurposing strategies for these chronic infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 6","pages":"Article 102763"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143716188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis self-testing among adolescents and young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Ying Zhang ,&nbsp;James Tapa ,&nbsp;Cheryl C. Johnson ,&nbsp;Tiffany R. Phillips ,&nbsp;Christopher K. Fairley ,&nbsp;Wole Ameyan ,&nbsp;Maeve B. Mello ,&nbsp;Eric P.F. Chow ,&nbsp;Thato Chidarikire ,&nbsp;Jason J. Ong","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102764","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Adolescents and young adults (AYA) make up a significant share of the world’s burden of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). Self-testing can increase testing coverage and strengthen the uptake of prevention and treatment services. We critically appraised the literature regarding HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis self-testing among AYA (age 10–24 years) and assessed its usability, feasibility, and acceptability.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a systematic review, searching six databases between January 2010 and October 2023. We included all studies on HIV, hepatitis and syphilis self-testing in AYA. We used a random-effects meta-analysis to pool evidence across the three infections as evidence was deemed sufficiently similar. We summarised the uptake, proportion of first-time testers and linkage to care. Qualitative data were narratively synthesised.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>We identified 89 relevant studies. Most were conducted in Africa (57/89, 64 %) and lower-middle-income countries (34/89, 38 %). Our meta-analysis of 27 studies (n = 28,787 individuals) demonstrated that 79 % (95 % CI: 69–87 %, <em>I</em>^<em>2</em> = 99 %) of AYA who were offered HIV or syphilis self-test completed the test. Five studies (n = 4117) demonstrated 62 % (95 % CI: 53–71 %, <em>I</em>^<em>2</em> = 83 %) were first-time testers. No studies reported completion rates for hepatitis self-testing. In general, AYA were highly accepting of self-testing and found it easy to use.</div></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><div>Self-testing is a safe, acceptable and effective way to increase access to HIV, hepatitis and syphilis testing in AYA. Given these features of self-testing, policies to increase its use should significantly improve testing and maximise their public health impact.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 6","pages":"Article 102764"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143716190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genomic approach to evaluate the intrinsic antibacterial activity of novel diazabicyclooctanes (zidebactam and nacubactam) against clinical Escherichia coli isolates from diverse clonal lineages in the United Arab Emirates","authors":"Farah Al-Marzooq ,&nbsp;Akela Ghazawi ,&nbsp;Maitha Alshamsi ,&nbsp;Abdulrahman Alzaabi ,&nbsp;Omar Aleissaee ,&nbsp;Hamad Almansoori ,&nbsp;Abdullah Alsaadi ,&nbsp;Rauda Aldhaheri ,&nbsp;Hafsa Ahli ,&nbsp;Lana Daoud ,&nbsp;Amna Ahmad ,&nbsp;Timothy Collyns ,&nbsp;Seema Oommen","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102761","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102761","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The spiking rise in the prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens necessitates discovering new antimicrobial agents. This study aims to investigate the intrinsic activity of two novel diazabicyclooctane (DBO) β-lactamase inhibitors, zidebactam and nacubactam, against diverse MDR <em>Escherichia coli</em> isolates from the United Arab Emirates. We aimed to correlate their antibacterial efficacy with the genomic characteristics of the strains.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study investigated 73 <em>E. coli</em> strains and tested them for susceptibility to different antibiotics, including DBOs. PCR screening for carbapenemase and major β-lactamase genes was done. The strains were then grouped according to phenotypic and genotypic profiles. Whole-genome sequencing was employed to characterize the genetic landscape and clonality of selected 32 strains. Additionally, time-kill studies were conducted to confirm the bactericidal activity of DBOs.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Zidebactam demonstrated superior efficacy compared to nacubactam, primarily due to its higher affinity for penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2). Notably, zidebactam alone exhibited the most potent <em>in vitro</em> activity, outperforming both traditional β-lactams and novel antibiotics like cefiderocol. DBOs maintained effectiveness against strains harboring various resistance determinants, including NDM-5, OXA-181, CTX-M-15, SHV-12, CMY, and DHA. Genomic analysis revealed multiple mutations in PBP1–3, with PBP2 mutations correlating with DBO susceptibility variations. Importantly, DBOs remained highly effective against isolates with PBP mutations, even those belonging to high-risk clonal lineages (ST167, ST410, ST131). Time-kill studies confirmed the bactericidal activity of DBOs, with only one strain showing reduced susceptibility (MIC: 4 µg/ml).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study provides compelling evidence for the potential of DBOs, particularly zidebactam, as novel antibacterial agents. Their unique characteristics and broad-spectrum activity position them as promising candidates for future antibiotic development. While the inclusion of DBO therapies in the antibiotic arsenal could significantly impact MDR pathogen treatment, realizing their full potential requires further research, clinical evaluation, and vigilant monitoring of resistance mechanisms through integrated genomic approaches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 6","pages":"Article 102761"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143682900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Norovirus molecular trends in H preschoolers Post-NPI easing","authors":"Yuan Tian ,&nbsp;Xiqiao Du ,&nbsp;Hong Gao ,&nbsp;Mingyue Yuan ,&nbsp;Yingchen Wang ,&nbsp;Lei Shang ,&nbsp;Yuhui Pan ,&nbsp;Tuo Dong ,&nbsp;Zhe Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102762","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102762","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Noroviruses (NoV) are key pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children, with a significant disease burden, especially in developing nations. This study aims to track changes in NoV genotype epidemiology before and after the lifting of COVID-19 non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) in Harbin.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this study, we investigated fecal samples collected by the Harbin Children's Hospital from attended AGE preschoolers between January 2022 and December 2023. The detection of norovirus was performed using RT-qPCR. Later, the norovirus-positive samples were typed by conventional RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis, recombination breakpoint analysis, and mutation analysis were also performed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>230 NoV-positive samples were detected in the two years, with a positive rate of 39.1 %, belonging to NoV GⅡ. According to the partial sequences of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and VP1 gene sequence analysis, seven different genotypes were detected, being GII.4[P16] (61.5 %) the predominant one. Furthermore, the mutation analysis indicated that Harbin-Nov-066–2023 exhibited a mutation from valine to isoleucine at positions 290aa and 386aa in the VP1 region, respectively, compared to Harbin-Nov-022–2022. Additionally, strains from the rare type GⅡ.8[P8] were detected in 2022.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings may contribute novel data to the genetic database of norovirus in Harbin. This could facilitate investigations into the genetic evolution of this virus, developing vaccines to target dominant genotypes and the molecular basis of norovirus genetics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 5","pages":"Article 102762"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143714817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir significantly reduces severe COVID-19 outcomes in diverse Taiwanese populations: Comprehensive evidence from a large-scale longitudinal cohort study in Taiwan","authors":"Fu-Der Wang ,&nbsp;Yu-Hui Chang ,&nbsp;Han-Chuan Chuang ,&nbsp;Tsong-Yih Ou ,&nbsp;Mei-Hui Lee ,&nbsp;Phung-Anh Nguyen ,&nbsp;Thanh Phuc Phan ,&nbsp;Whitney Burton ,&nbsp;Thi Kim Hien Nguyen ,&nbsp;Min-Huei Hsu ,&nbsp;Shiue-Ming Lin ,&nbsp;Chieh Yang ,&nbsp;Jason C. Hsu","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (NR) has proven effective for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients at risk of disease progression. Following its emergency use authorization in Taiwan in January 2022, this study aims to evaluate its impact on severe COVID-19 outcomes across different patient demographics in Taiwan.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We performed a retrospective analysis of a database that includes data from three hospitals in Northern Taiwan. Patients with COVID-19 in 2022 were paired by propensity score matching based on NR prescription. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis calculated hazard ratios (HR), adjusting for confounding factors. Subgroup analysis determined HRs across patient characteristics.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 95,096 patients, 3329 were in the NR group, and 12,807 in the non-NR group. NR users demonstrated significantly better prevention of severe outcomes: intubation (HR=0.296 [95 % CI: 0.187–0.469], p = 0.0482); ICU admission (HR=0.327[0.108–0.991], p &lt; 0.001); mortality (HR=0.195 [0.101–0.378], p &lt; 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed significantly lower intubation risks for NR users among both sexes, aged 18–65 or ≥ 65 years, BMI &lt; 30, and patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ICU admission risk was lower for NR users among males, aged ≥ 65 years, and BMI &lt; 30. Mortality risk was lower for NR users among both sexes, aged ≥ 65 years, BMI &lt; 30, and patients with DM, CVD, or COPD.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>NR significantly reduces the risk of severe COVID-19, particularly among older adults and those with pre-existing conditions, supporting NR as an essential treatment for high-risk COVID-19 patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 6","pages":"Article 102760"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143716189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mpox in pregnancy: Unraveling the maternal-fetal risks of a re-emerging disease, a narrative review","authors":"Benedetta Rossi ,&nbsp;Giorgio Tiecco ,&nbsp;Jacopo Logiudice ,&nbsp;Roberta Gerami ,&nbsp;Francesca Bertoni ,&nbsp;Lina Rachele Tomasoni ,&nbsp;Francesco Castelli ,&nbsp;Eugenia Quiros-Roldan","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102758","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102758","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mpox has re-emerged, particularly with the spread of Clade Ib in 2024 and recent outbreaks have raised concerns about its impact on pregnant women. Limited data suggest increased risks of adverse outcomes such as stillbirths and miscarriages, but understanding of mpox in pregnancy remains incomplete. A narrative review of literature was conducted, focusing on maternal-fetal transmission and the implications of different MPXV clades. The spread of Clade Ib, first identified in 2023, has heightened concerns about vertical transmission, particularly in rural African regions where access to diagnostic tools and treatments is limited. The risk of vertical transmission has become a pressing concern, considering the high transmission rates of Clade Ib. Despite limited data, maternal-fetal transmission has been documented, with serious fetal outcomes such as stillbirths and hydrops fetalis. Continued research and surveillance are critical to developing effective clinical guidelines and public health interventions, especially for managing mpox in pregnancy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 5","pages":"Article 102758"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143714819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnosis of donor-derived Malassezia restricta & Aspergillus species invasive fungal infection in renal transplant recipient using next generation sequencing – A report of 2 cases and literature review","authors":"Reem M. Alameer ,&nbsp;Hamsa Tayeb ,&nbsp;Amna Magrashi ,&nbsp;Abdulmohsan Alqasabi ,&nbsp;Ahmed Nazmi ,&nbsp;Amani Yamani ,&nbsp;Reem S. Almaghrabi","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102742","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102742","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diagnosing donor-derived fungal infection in solid organ transplant recipients can be particularly challenging and is associated with high mortality. Here, we report two cases of <em>Malassezia restricta</em> and <em>Aspergillus spp</em> donor-derived fungal infection in renal transplant recipients leading to graft loss. Fortunately, both patients achieved full recovery with the administration of antifungal therapy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 5","pages":"Article 102742"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143714818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular characteristics of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children with community-acquired pneumonia in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China in autumn, winter, and spring 2023–2024","authors":"Yongxin Li ,&nbsp;Mengjie Liang ,&nbsp;Qian Shi,&nbsp;Chunyan Liu,&nbsp;Hefei Zha,&nbsp;Haojie Lin,&nbsp;Xin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102748","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102748","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the resurgence of <em>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</em> (MP) infections among children in China has raised urgent concerns regarding antimicrobial drug resistance. We reveal the molecular characteristics of macrolide-resistant MP (MRMP) in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in autumn, winter, and spring 2023–2024 in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Throat samples were collected from 1446 children hospitalized for CAP between October 2023 and April 2024. The polymerase chain reaction fluorescent probe method was used to detect respiratory pathogens, and clinical data from the children were collected. Throat swab samples with positive MP nucleic acid test results were subjected to MP-23S rRNA gene sequencing, P1 genotyping, multilocus sequence typing, and 16S rRNA evolution analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The overall positive rate for MP was 32.2 %. Among these cases, 88 % exhibited MP infection exclusively, while 12 % demonstrated mixed MP infections, with double infections being the most prevalent type of co-infection. Children aged 7–12 years had the highest infection rate, reaching 42.2 % (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The prevalence of macrolide-resistance mutations in MP was 99.1 %, which was predominantly due to the A2063G mutation (98.2 %). The dominant P1 genotype was P1-I (91.5 %), with a resistance mutation rate of 100 %. ST-3 was the dominant MP strain. Evolutionary analysis of 16S rRNA showed that all predominant MP strains belonged to the same evolutionary branch. The MP infection rate in children with CAP showed a significant upward trend from autumn 2023 and remained at a high level until spring 2024. During this period, the infection rate of MRMP, mainly P1-I and ST-3 types, was high. Additionally, we identified 4 MP strains classified as type P1-II, all of which belonged to CC2, and 85 MP strains were categorized as type P1-I, all belonging to CC1.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study reveals that the MRMP epidemic was driven by near-universal macrolide-related mutations associated with clonal ST-3/P1-I strains. Our findings underscore the necessity of implementing real-time molecular surveillance and establishing treatment guidelines in post-pandemic settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 6","pages":"Article 102748"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143654816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perspective: An overemphasis on vaccines for Mpox skewes important lessons from COVID-19 and the need for public health approaches","authors":"Garrett W. Brown ,&nbsp;Jean von Agris ,&nbsp;David Bell ,&nbsp;Joachim Sturmberg ,&nbsp;Valéry Ridde ,&nbsp;Samuel Lwamushi Makali ,&nbsp;Ghislain Bisimwa Balaluka ,&nbsp;Gemma Bridge ,&nbsp;Elisabeth Paul","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102749","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102749","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The emergency declarations for Mpox triggered a flurry of appeals for ‘vaccine equity’ and the mass production of additional vaccine doses, citing a need to ‘learn lessons’ from COVID-19. We question whether the right lessons have been learned in terms of a supposed need to rollout vaccines quickly and widely, raising concerns about the consequences of an overreliance on expert-driven mass vaccination strategies over more diversified, context-specific and systemic public health strategies. Compared to COVID-19, Mpox has no such epidemic potential because it requires close contact for transmission. Moreover, Congolese populations face far more pressing health burdens. Thus, the health needs of the population risk being lost within a response focused on global procurement of costly health technologies whatever the context in which the outbreak is occurring. Alternatively, locally owned prioritisation and public health and sanitation approaches are key, which should be proportionate to relative disease burdens, and which utilise a diversity of strategies that are cost-effective and with wider public health benefits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 6","pages":"Article 102749"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}