Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals High Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in <i>Salmonella</i> Isolates From Diarrheal Patients in Jinan, China.","authors":"Chuanmin Ma, Na Li, Lei Wang, Kunyan Li, Ming Liu, Jun Zhou, Hui Liu","doi":"10.1155/cjid/5033217","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/5033217","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The global emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) <i>Salmonella enterica</i> poses a significant public health threat, particularly in developing countries where antibiotic consumption remains high. However, genomic data on circulating <i>Salmonella</i> strains in Eastern China remain limited.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To characterize the genomic profiles of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and molecular epidemiology of <i>Salmonella</i> isolates from diarrheal patients in Jinan, China (2017-2020).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 185 <i>Salmonella</i> strains isolated from secondary/tertiary hospital outpatients were subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS) on the Illumina platform. Bioinformatic analyses included antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) screening (ResFinder and CARD), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), in silico serotyping (SISTR), and pan-genome analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All isolates exhibited multidrug resistance, with highest rates to fluoroquinolones (100%), aminoglycosides (99.46%), and nitroimidazoles (99.46%). ARG profiling revealed aac(6')-Iaa as the predominant gene (98.9%). MLST identified 33 sequence types (STs), dominated by ST34 (28.65%) and ST11 (24.86%). In silico serotyping further confirmed the predominance of the monophasic <i>Salmonella Typhimurium</i> (I 1,4, [5],12:i:-; ST34) and <i>Salmonella Enteritidis</i> (ST11). Pan-genome analysis defined a core genome of 3376 genes (23.35%) and an accessory genome of 9201 cloud genes (63.64%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This first WGS-based surveillance in Jinan highlights the predominance of MDR ST34/ST11 <i>Salmonella</i> with an extremely high prevalence (100%) of fluoroquinolone resistance. The integration of genomic and historical phenotypic data underscores the urgent need to revise empirical therapy for diarrheal diseases and implement genomic surveillance in public health practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5033217"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13091231/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147724225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fungal Infections in Pediatric Patients With Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation: Impact on the Upper and Lower Respiratory Systems.","authors":"Matin Pourghasem, Seyed Ahmad Tabatabaii, Seyedeh Zalfa Modarresi, Abdolhamid Jafari Nodoushan, Nafise Fadavi, Maedeh Soflaee, Ali Hosseini Vajari, Fatemeh Khazaii, Babak Shahhosseini, Korosh Fakhimi Derakhshan, Saeid Sadat Mansouri","doi":"10.1155/cjid/8766717","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/8766717","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children with hematological malignancies as well as those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Extreme immunological dysregulation secondary to severe neutropenia, T-cell lymphopenia, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), intensive chemotherapy regimens, and conditioning therapy for HSCT, as well as primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs), render these patients highly susceptible to both opportunistic and pathogenic fungal infections. Despite advances in antifungal drugs and diagnostic tools, it is very difficult in these children to provide timely diagnosis and optimal management of IFIs because of the nonspecific clinical manifestations, the invasiveness of present diagnostic modalities in pediatric patients, and biomarker kinetics differences in various pediatric age groups, along with a lack of incorporation of immunological-pharmacological maturity-associated variability in the existing scoring systems borrowed from adults. This narrative review provides a comprehensive and contemporary assessment of the epidemiology, host-related risk factors, clinical presentations, diagnostic criteria, and management practices for IFIs in children with hematological malignancies and following HSCT. It also highlights the role of EORTC/MSGERC criteria in defining IFIs as probable, proven, and possible infections and explores the sensitivity and specificity of noninvasive methods such as the galactomannan index, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), ß-D-glucan assay, high-resolution CT scans (HRCTs), and the latest approaches including next-generation sequencing (NGS) and metagenomics. This review points out significant gaps in pediatric research studies and supports efforts to optimize healthcare use with risk-prediction models rather than just relying on current algorithms.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"8766717"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13090571/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147724194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk Factors Associated With Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Infections in Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Tehran.","authors":"Haniyeh Khalili, Mona Mahrooghi, Shahin Najar-Peerayeh, Shabnam Zeighamy Alamdary, Hossein Najd Sepas, Bita Bakhshi","doi":"10.1155/cjid/5695498","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/5695498","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Foot ulcer is a common complication of diabetes mellitus, which is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates among diabetic patients. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>) (MRSA) infections and their epidemiology among patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 211 wound samples were collected from patients with DFUs in five educational hospitals in Tehran during 2017-2019. The presence of certain virulence markers (α-haemolysin (<i>hlα</i>), phenol-soluble modulins (<i>psmα</i>), accessory gene regulator (<i>agr</i>), exfoliative toxin A, B (<i>eta etb</i>) and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (<i>tsst-1</i>)) was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and a multiplex PCR assay was used to screen for staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC<i>mec</i>) types. Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) was performed by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A significant proportion of patients with DFUs had Type 2 diabetes. Grading of DFUs revealed that Grade 4 was the most common grade among patients. The majority of patients were infected with <i>S. aureus</i> (45.3%) and <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) (29.4%). A total of 59 <i>S. aureus</i> isolates were identified, of which 37 (62.7%) were MRSA, and 22 (37.2%) were methicillin-susceptible <i>S. aureus</i> (MSSA). MRSA isolates were mostly positive for the <i>hlα</i> (57.6%) and <i>psmα</i> (50.8%) genes. The <i>tsst-</i>1 gene was detected in 8.5% of MRSA strains, while the <i>eta</i> (3.4%) and <i>etb</i> (5.1%) genes had the lowest prevalence in MRSA isolates. According to the results, SCC<i>mec</i> Type III (48.6%) was the most common subtype among MRSA isolates, followed by SCC<i>mec</i> II (16.2%). The antimicrobial susceptibility testing results revealed that linezolid (66.1%), gentamycin (66.1%) and mupirocin (62.7%) were the most effective antibiotics against MRSA isolates, respectively. In contrast, MRSA strains showed the highest resistance to cefoxitin and penicillin. Finally, the risk factors in patients with DFU in this study were diastolic hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, renal failure, neuropathy disease and hospitalization history.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings underscore the critical importance of a comprehensive understanding of patients' medical records and underlying conditions. In addition, accurate assessment of microbial prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility is essential for the effective management of DFUs.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5695498"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13071331/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147693567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring Nonantibiotic Adjuncts: Synergistic Effects of Esmolol and Carvedilol With Tigecycline.","authors":"Mehmet Erinmez, İpek Koçer, Yasemin Zer","doi":"10.1155/cjid/1402388","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/1402388","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Antimicrobial resistance poses a major global health threat, and carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria such as <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> and <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> have been classified as critical priority pathogens. Although tigecycline provides coverage against multidrug resistant organisms, its use is limited by pharmacokinetic constraints and the emergence of resistance. This study investigates the in vitro synergistic potential of tigecycline combined with two β-blockers, carvedilol and esmolol, against clinical isolates of <i>K. pneumoniae</i>, <i>Proteus mirabilis</i>, and <i>A. baumannii</i>.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Synergy was assessed using the disc diffusion, broth microdilution, and checkerboard methods. A total of 36 clinical isolates were tested. Esmolol and carvedilol were supplemented with tigecycline discs, and inhibition zone diameters were compared. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICi) were calculated according to standard protocols.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both β-blockers significantly enhanced tigecycline's antibacterial activity across all isolates, as evidenced by increased inhibition zones and synergistic FICi values (≤ 0.5). Neither carvedilol nor esmolol exhibited intrinsic antimicrobial activity at therapeutic concentrations, suggesting their synergistic role is not based on direct bactericidal effects. These findings support the hypothesis that β-blockers modulate bacterial susceptibility, possibly by interfering with quorum sensing or membrane dynamics.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Carvedilol and esmolol significantly potentiate tigecycline's efficacy against MDR Gram-negative pathogens in vitro. These results support repurposing β-blockers as nonantibiotic adjuvants in antimicrobial therapy. Further molecular studies and in vivo validation are warranted to explore their potential in clinical applications and to better understand the mechanisms underlying the observed synergy.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"1402388"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13067050/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trend of Bloody Diarrhea in Kerman Province, Iran: A Time Series Study From 2013 to 2023.","authors":"Zahra Jaafari, Andishe Hamedi, Zahra Abdolahinia, Saeid Sohbati, Ali Esmaeilpour, Mozhgan Seif","doi":"10.1155/cjid/8516211","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/8516211","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bloody diarrhea is a significant infectious disease of the gastrointestinal tract that poses a serious public health concern.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to elucidate the epidemiological profile of bloody diarrhea in Kerman Province, Iran, highlighting the necessity for targeted public health interventions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This longitudinal study analyzed data from 3111 patients diagnosed with bloody diarrhea between 2013 and 2023 in Kerman Province, Iran. The Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) method was employed to identify predictors of bloody diarrhea incidence. To investigate trends over time, the Box-Jenkins approach was utilized to model the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) time series (<i>p</i>, <i>d</i>, <i>q</i>).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings revealed a significantly higher incidence of bloody diarrhea among men (55.5%), children under 6 years old (48.0%), and individuals residing in urban areas (76.7%). The clinical assessment indicated that a substantial majority of patients were hospitalized (72.1%). Laboratory analyses identified <i>Shigella</i> species as the most prevalent pathogen (56.0%). The GEE analysis demonstrated that the risk of developing bloody diarrhea was particularly elevated in children under six and urban residents. The ARIMA model indicated seasonal components in the incidence of bloody diarrhea, with a mild decreasing trend observed over the study period.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Given the clinical significance of this disease and its impact on vulnerable populations, particularly children, we advocate for enhanced community education and the strict implementation of health protocols to improve disease management and prevention.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"8516211"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13069179/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Clinic for Pediatric Infectious Conditions: Insights From Alberta Children's Hospital.","authors":"Danah Alsharrah, Tajdin Jadavji","doi":"10.1155/cjid/9586294","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/9586294","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Clinic at the Alberta Children's Hospital (ACH) offers a vital service, enabling stable pediatric patients to receive intravenous (IV) antimicrobial therapy on an outpatient basis. Established in 1997, the program aims to reduce hospital admissions and enhance patient experience. Eligible patients with various infectious conditions receive initial treatment in the emergency department before transitioning to outpatient care. The program not only improves patient satisfaction but also minimizes the risks associated with hospital stays, such as hospital-acquired infections, while addressing the challenges of antibiotic stewardship and monitoring for potential complications. This study seeks to characterize OPAT outcomes in pediatric patients, filling a gap in existing literature.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective descriptive study reviewing records of patients under 18 years of age treated with IV antimicrobials as outpatients within the OPAT program. Data were collected from electronic hospital records from May 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024. All data entries were recorded in REDCap as our data management platform.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>The study included 902 pediatric participants, with 455 males (50.4%); 32.9% were 1-5 years of age, followed by 26.9% of 6-10 years of age. The most common diagnoses were cellulitis (15.7%), genitourinary (GU) infections (15.5%), dental infections (9.8%), and pneumonia (8.2%). Ceftriaxone was the primary IV antibiotic for GU infections, while cefazolin was commonly used for cellulitis and dental infections. Of the total participants, 8% required hospitalization due to worsening infection or to increase the frequency of antibiotics. Additionally, a higher rate of admission was noted in males (<i>p</i> = 0.03). Most patients (97%) received peripheral IV access with minimal complications. Overall, OPAT demonstrated high efficacy and safety in managing pediatric infections.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study underscores the safety of OPAT. Supported by a multidisciplinary team, the program effectively treated common infections primarily using ceftriaxone. Most patients maintained peripheral IV access without significant complications. While hospitalization rates were low, notable differences between male and female patients warrant further investigation into contributing factors to these disparities.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9586294"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13051793/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of Codon Usage Bias in the <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> Pneumolysin Gene.","authors":"Xiaochun Tan, Hui Zhou, Jian Jiang, Yu Lu, Junyan Lu, Weifeng Shen","doi":"10.1155/cjid/2707639","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/2707639","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> pneumolysin is a key virulence factor belonging to the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin family, enabling host cell lysis and immune evasion. While synonymous codon usage bias is known to fine-tune virulence gene expression in pathogens, its role in pneumolysin remains uncharacterized. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of codon usage patterns in the pneumolysin gene across 420 curated coding sequences. We found a pronounced preference for A/U-ending codons, significant underrepresentation of CpG dinucleotides, and moderate overall bias (effective number of codons, ENC = 50.28). Neutrality plot, parity rule 2 (PR2) bias, and ENC-plot analyses collectively indicated that natural selection-not mutational pressure-is the dominant evolutionary force shaping this bias. Strikingly, pneumolysin's codon usage showed a significant correlation with the abundant tRNA gene pool of its human host, suggesting an adaptive strategy that may minimize immunostimulation caused by bacterial mRNA release during infection. These findings reveal a balance between translational efficiency, proper protein folding, and immune evasion, thereby providing a functional understanding of pneumolysin evolution and a foundation for practical applications. These include guiding codon-optimized heterologous expression for biochemical studies and enabling codon deoptimization for the design of safer live-attenuated vaccines.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"2707639"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13051798/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the Link Between COVID-19 and Pulmonary Hypertension.","authors":"Jad Abdul Khalek, Mohamad Al Hajjar, Zeina Al-Khalil, Jana Salem, Rana Zareef, Fadi Bitar, Mariam Arabi","doi":"10.1155/cjid/9352258","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/9352258","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and has had a significant impact on global health. The virus uncovered multifaceted complications across various organ systems, including the cardiovascular system. Pulmonary hypertension, often exacerbated in settings of severe or prolonged viral infections, presents unique challenges in the context of COVID-19 due to its complex pathophysiology involving vascular inflammation and thrombotic events.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This narrative review aims to delineate the emerging relationship between COVID-19 and pulmonary hypertension, focusing on pathophysiological insights, clinical implications, and evolving therapeutic strategies, enriching clinical practice and guiding future research of this complex interaction. We conducted a comprehensive literature review using databases such as MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar with keywords related to pulmonary hypertension and COVID-19, covering studies published between December 2019 and February 2025.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>COVID-19 has been linked to an increased incidence of pulmonary hypertension due to direct viral effects on pulmonary vasculature and secondary inflammatory responses. Clinical manifestations of pulmonary hypertension in COVID-19 include typical symptoms such as dyspnea and chest pain. Effective management strategies include the use of vasodilators, anticoagulants, and tailored experimental treatments. The review also emphasizes the importance of long-term follow-up and monitoring to evaluate disease progression and treatment response.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The intersection of COVID-19 and pulmonary hypertension presents a significant challenge in cardiovascular medicine, necessitating advanced diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The insights gained from the current pandemic will likely influence broader public health strategies and clinical protocols, improving outcomes for patients with pulmonary hypertension and those at risk of severe viral infections. Future research should focus on personalized medicine approaches and the development of innovative treatments to manage the unique aspects of pulmonary hypertension in the context of COVID-19.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9352258"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13239267/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148200957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Real-World Evaluation of the BioFire FilmArray ME Panel: Diagnostic Accuracy and Clinical Utility.","authors":"Mehmet Erinmez, Mustafa Sağlam, Gönenç Çalışkantürk, Merve Özerol, Yasemin Zer","doi":"10.1155/cjid/3714674","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/3714674","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Central nervous system (CNS) infections carry high morbidity and mortality, yet traditional diagnostics often fail to identify the causative agent promptly. Rapid multiplex panels offer broader and faster pathogen detection, making it important to understand their real-world clinical value. In order to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the multiplex panel, panel results were compared with clinical, laboratory, and imaging data. Concordance between the panel and reference methods defined true-positive and true-negative results, and discrepancies were classified as false positives or false negatives. A total of 955 patients were included. The FilmArray ME panel detected at least one pathogen in 8.4% of patients. <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> was the most common bacterial agent, and <i>Enterovirus</i> and HSV-1 were the most frequent viral detections. Overall sensitivity and specificity were 94.8% and 99.4%. Sensitivity was 91.6% in children and 97.6% in adults, and specificity was 99.6% in children and 99.1% in adults. We also identified in 3.9% of cases bacterial pathogens outside the ME panel's coverage, most commonly <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> and <i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i>, organisms usually associated with healthcare-related or neurosurgical infections. Our large real-world cohort shows that the FilmArray ME panel provides rapid, accurate detection of key meningitis and encephalitis pathogens. Nonetheless, false-negative bacterial findings, detection of viruses with limited clinical relevance, and the presence of infections due to organisms outside the panel indicate that it should complement, not replace, conventional diagnostics and careful clinical assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"3714674"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12966614/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147379620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ocular Surface Microbiota Alterations Following FS-LASIK and Their Association With Postoperative Dry Eye.","authors":"Jingjing Xu, Chiwen Cheng, Kang Yu, Qing Wang, Yangyang Peng, Yanqing Li, Wen Yao, Yijie Pi, Shuhuan Yu, Zerui Han, Jing Wei, Tingtao Chen, Yifeng Yu","doi":"10.1155/cjid/2148587","DOIUrl":"10.1155/cjid/2148587","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Given the limited evidence on ocular surface microbiota (OSM) changes after femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) and their link to dry eye (DE), this study aimed to compare microbial profiles in patients with and without postoperative DE, offering a basis for early detection and targeted treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients undergoing FS-LASIK were evaluated 3 months postoperatively and stratified into DE (<i>N</i> = 30) and non-DE groups (<i>N</i> = 30) based on ocular surface disease index (OSDI), TBUT, and the Schirmer I test. Corneal nerve alterations were assessed using IVCM. Conjunctival sac samples were collected pre- and postoperatively, and microbiota profiles were analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Comparative analysis of the OSM revealed significantly higher α-diversity in the DE group compared to the NDE group. At the phylum level, a decrease in Proteobacteria and an increase in Bacteroidetes were observed. At the genus level, <i>Veillonella</i>, <i>Streptococcus</i>, and <i>Aggregatibacter</i> were enriched, whereas <i>Pseudomonas</i> and <i>Lactobacillus</i> were depleted. The abundance of <i>Staphylococcus</i> was positively correlated with OSDI scores and negatively correlated with corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal nerve branch density (CNBD), corneal nerve fiber area (CNFA), and corneal nerve fractal dimension (CFracDim) (all <i>p</i> < 0.05). In contrast, <i>Lactobacillus</i> was positively associated with the Schirmer I test values and corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). At baseline, patients in the DE group exhibited lower abundances of Cyanobacteria and <i>Acinetobacter</i> but higher levels of Verrucomicrobia and <i>Akkermansia</i>. Postoperative within-group comparisons further showed that, relative to baseline, the DE group had increased abundances of <i>Staphylococcus</i>, <i>Veillonella</i>, <i>Ralstonia</i>, and <i>Aggregatibacter</i>, along with decreased levels of <i>Pseudomonas</i>, <i>Corynebacterium</i>, and <i>Helicobacter</i>.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In summary, dysbiosis between the <i>Staphylococcus</i> and <i>Lactobacillus</i> genera may represent both a biomarker of DE susceptibility and a therapeutic target. Additionally, the preoperative microbial composition may influence postoperative dynamics and DE risk.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06448468.</p>","PeriodicalId":50715,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology","volume":"2026 ","pages":"2148587"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12957956/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147365929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}