Access microbiologyPub Date : 2025-07-22eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.001028.v4
Niall O'Leary, David Murphy, Ellen Condon, Danny Lonergan, Niamh Lordan, Deirdre Ní Théacháin, Caoimhín Ó Buachalla, Collette Uí Ghealbháin, Martin McHugh, Colm O'Hehir, F Jerry Reen
{"title":"Immersive virtual reality in second-level education: a partnered narrative on the challenges and opportunities for STEM engagement.","authors":"Niall O'Leary, David Murphy, Ellen Condon, Danny Lonergan, Niamh Lordan, Deirdre Ní Théacháin, Caoimhín Ó Buachalla, Collette Uí Ghealbháin, Martin McHugh, Colm O'Hehir, F Jerry Reen","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.001028.v4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.001028.v4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Digital education in the life sciences has seen several remarkable advances in recent years, not least with the advent of visual and immersive technologies that bring into focus the conceptually challenging abstract concepts that underpin molecular biology and the life sciences. In some cases, limitations in visualizing and modelling these concepts can prove to be a barrier to learning. Providing new entry points to learning through 'doing' or 'seeing' could prove to be a significant enhancer of engagement, unlocking hidden potential in our student cohorts and increasing the uptake of science as a subject of choice in higher education. In this study, second-level education teachers and higher education practitioners worked in partnership to explore the current state of the art around design and integration of immersive virtual reality simulations for the teaching of microbial and human cell structures in the classroom. We also considered the wider application of virtual reality and immersive learning technologies for science, technology, engineering and mathematics engagement and learning.</p>","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12283081/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144692982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Isolation of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from sheep faecal samples: bacteriological findings.","authors":"Xhelil Koleci, Pëllumb Zalla, Majlind Sulçe, Tristan Russell, Gerald Muça, Egon Andoni, Séamus Fanning","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.001004.v3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.001004.v3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) poses a significant public health risk due to its zoonotic potential and association with foodborne outbreaks. This study investigates the presence of STEC in faecal samples collected from sheep, focusing on bacteriological methods for isolation and preliminary characterization. Growth on selective agar showed that 90 of 140 faecal samples were positive for STEC. The total average prevalence was 64.3% (95% CI 56.1-71.7%). The highest prevalence was 71.4% (54.9-83.7%), recorded in summertime, while the lowest was 51.4% (35.6-67%) in the autumn. Selected isolates were found to be resistant to commonly used antibiotics, with isolates expressing a resistant phenotype to two, three or more of the tested antibiotics. Based on the Biocheck.UGent system for risk-based assessment of farm biosecurity, the total, internal and exterior average farm biosecurity scores were substantially lower than the world average.</p>","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12284411/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144700875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bilateral tuberculous psoas abscesses in an immunocompetent patient: a case report and review of the literature.","authors":"Hamid Laatiris, Hajar Zouaki, Yassine Benlahlou, Benaissa Elmostapha, Mariama Chadli","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.001003.v4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.001003.v4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Psoas abscess is a rare infection historically associated with tuberculosis (TB), although non-tuberculous bacterial causes, particularly <i>Staphylococcus aureus,</i> have become increasingly common. This type of abscess can be either primary or secondary, and its diagnosis remains challenging due to the non-specific nature of clinical signs. Imaging and microbiological analyses are essential for establishing the diagnosis. We report the case of a 22-year-old patient with no significant medical history, who presented with persistent mechanical low back pain for 18 months. Initial computed tomography revealed a non-compressive disc protrusion, leading to treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, without improvement. Further investigations revealed an extrapulmonary spinal localization of TB in an immunocompetent patient, with bilateral psoas abscesses caused by <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>, confirmed by the Ziehl-Neelsen staining, auramine staining, culture on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and GeneXpert PCR. Anti-TB treatment was initiated, resulting in favourable clinical evolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12284409/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144700874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tibial osteitis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.","authors":"Marwa Benjelloun, Naji Tijani, Yassine BenLahlou, Elmostafa Benaissa, Mariama Chadli","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.000960.v4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000960.v4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tuberculosis is a major scourge, posing a serious public health problem in countries where it is endemic. Osteoarticular involvement accounts for 3-5% of all tuberculosis cases and 10-15% of extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases. We report a case of tibial osteitis caused by <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> in a 52-year-old female patient who presented to the trauma department at the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital with a painful swelling of the lower part of her left leg. Standard X-rays and computed tomography scans revealed bone involvement, specifically in the tibia. Additional investigations revealed pulmonary consolidation and splenic nodules. Microscopy (Ziehl-Neelsen staining), GeneXpert MTB/RIF and histopathological examination all returned positive results for <i>M. tuberculosis</i>. In an endemic context, any persistent and atypical bone lesion should raise suspicion of osteoarticular tuberculosis to enable rapid diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic management. In the absence of malignant tumours and other differential diagnoses, the diagnosis of skeletal tuberculosis must be considered, even in the absence of specific clinical signs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12284410/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144700876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Access microbiologyPub Date : 2025-07-16eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000916.v4
Trevor Anderson, Hui Wang, Michael Harrington, Julia C Howard, Erik Otte
{"title":"Characterization of Staphylococcus argenteus in Christchurch, New Zealand, and comparison to global strains.","authors":"Trevor Anderson, Hui Wang, Michael Harrington, Julia C Howard, Erik Otte","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.000916.v4","DOIUrl":"10.1099/acmi.0.000916.v4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Staphylococcus argenteus</i> (SARG) was discovered in 2009 as part of the <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (SAUR) complex and has been documented from various locations worldwide. In this article, we describe the genomic features of five strains of SARG found in Christchurch, New Zealand. Isolates were first detected in 2019 using MALDI-TOF identification, and their identities were confirmed using whole-genome sequencing. Genomic features, including antimicrobial resistance markers and virulence factors, were compared with other SARG sequences in the NCBI GenBank and well-characterized features in SAUR. Four isolates belonged to ST2250 and one isolate to ST2793. Phylogenetic analysis based on core genome analysis revealed that all five isolates were phylogenetically distinct, with four isolates clustering in the ST2250 clade. Three isolates contained staphylococcal cassette chromosome <i>mec</i> (SCC<i>mec</i>) type IV 2Bc, harbouring the <i>mecA</i> gene conferring resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. All five strains shared many of the virulence genes found in the global SARG and SAUR isolates; however, no TSST-1 or PVL pathogenic genes were detected. This publication contributes additional data on global occurrences and genomic features of SARG.</p>","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12266247/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144651717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Access microbiologyPub Date : 2025-07-15eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.001020.v3
Kristen Bastug, Uzal Umar, Brooke Olson, Tina Slusher, Christopher Faulk, Mark Okolo, Stephen Oguche, Beth K Thielen
{"title":"Utilization of Oxford Nanopore Technology for human infectious disease detection and surveillance in Africa: a scoping review.","authors":"Kristen Bastug, Uzal Umar, Brooke Olson, Tina Slusher, Christopher Faulk, Mark Okolo, Stephen Oguche, Beth K Thielen","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.001020.v3","DOIUrl":"10.1099/acmi.0.001020.v3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background.</b> Nanopore-based sequencing by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) offers rapid, cost-effective and portable sequencing. As an emerging technology, ONT must be evaluated for efficacy and practical application in both high- and low-resource settings. This scoping review (SR) aimed to (1) describe how nanopore technology is used in Africa for surveillance and diagnosis of human infectious diseases, (2) describe how nanopore technology aids in the real-time detection of infectious pathogens in Africa and (3) identify challenges and opportunities for utilizing nanopore technology in Africa to study infectious diseases. <b>Methods.</b> This SR followed the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's Manual framework for SRs. English language studies published from 1 January 2008 to 30 April 2024 that used ONT on human specimens collected in Africa and targeted ≥1 microbial agent were included. Searches were performed in Embase, Medline, PubMed, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library. The protocol was publicly available on the Open Science Framework Bastug <i>et al.</i> (Nanopore Sequencing for Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Diagnostics in Africa: a Scoping Review 2024) prior to data collection. Two independent reviewers screened studies using Covidence, and data was extracted using a custom REDCap instrument. Descriptive statistics and data visualization were performed in Microsoft Excel. <b>Results.</b> One thousand one hundred sixty-two studies were identified and 93 (8%) underwent full-text review. The portable MinION Mk1B was the most common ONT device (65% of studies). Eighty-eight studies analysed specimens from a single African country. Of these, 45% were sequenced in the same country, 7% in a different African country and 11% in a non-African country, while 32% did not specify the location. Specimen types included direct patient specimens (62%) and cultured isolates (35%), or a combination of both. Blood, serum or plasma was most common (35%), followed by naso- or oropharyngeal specimens (27%). Forty-four studies used ONT during an active infectious disease outbreak, 25 of which studied severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Seventy-two studies used ONT for genomic surveillance of infectious pathogens or antibiotic resistance genes, and one study used ONT for a direct clinical application. African-affiliated authors were included as first, middle and last authors in 46% of studies, and 15% were published by entirely African-affiliated teams. Ten studies published information on workflow timeline, and five studies published the per-specimen cost. <b>Conclusions.</b> ONT can enable timely and affordable sequencing in African countries as demonstrated through a small number of studies that accomplished these goals individually. Most studies used ONT for genomic surveillance of pathogens or antimicrobial resistance genes, while only one study used ONT directly for a real-time clinical application. A small number ","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12263285/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144644575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Access microbiologyPub Date : 2025-07-14eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000837.v4
Safiyya Atiku Ibrahim, Bashir Muhammad, Ismail Rabiu, Abdulazeez Muhammed
{"title":"Evaluation of the efficacy of cephalosporin antibiotics sold in Kano, Nigeria, against clinical bacterial isolates.","authors":"Safiyya Atiku Ibrahim, Bashir Muhammad, Ismail Rabiu, Abdulazeez Muhammed","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.000837.v4","DOIUrl":"10.1099/acmi.0.000837.v4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction.</b> The evaluation of the efficacy of cephalosporin antibiotics sold in Kano, Nigeria, against clinical bacterial isolates is a timely and crucial public health concern. Cephalosporins are among the most widely used antibiotic classes globally due to their broad-spectrum activity and low toxicity. They play a vital role in the empirical treatment of infections involving both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, the increasing misuse and circulation of substandard or falsified antibiotics, especially in informal markets, threatens their therapeutic effectiveness. <b>Gap statement.</b> In Nigeria, several formal and informal reports of substandard antibiotics and their unregulated sale in open markets, such as Sabon Gari in Kano, raise serious concerns about the quality of drug and their potential contribution to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Cephalosporins sold in these markets are often sourced and stored under questionable conditions, which increases the risk of reduced potency or inefficacy. At the same time, AMR continues to rise globally, and in low and middle-income countries like Nigeria, poor-quality antibiotics can worsen treatment failure and drive resistance. Sabon Gari market is a major distribution centre for pharmaceuticals, yet research on its impact and extent of substandard drugs is lacking. <b>Aim.</b> This study aims to assess the pharmaceutical quality of commonly sold cephalosporins purchased from drug distributors in Sabon Gari Market, Kano, by comparing their antimicrobial activity against a panel of clinical bacterial isolates (<i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> and <i>Salmonella</i> sp.) with that of standard reference antibiotics. <b>Methodology.</b> Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the test isolates was determined by the disc diffusion method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was used to confirm the functional group of the active ingredients of all the antibiotics tested. Molecular identification of the resistant gene (CTX-M1) was carried out using PCR. <b>Results.</b> Market survey (<i>n</i>=100) reveals that among drug distributors in Sabon Gari Market, Kano, cephalexin 61% (first generation); cefuroxime 72% (second generation); cefixime 68%, cefpodoxime 79%, ceftriaxone 63%, ceftazidime 70% and cefotaxime 45% (third generation); cefepime 84% (fourth generation) were the most commonly sold cephalosporins, with different brands and company names. These percentages represent the proportion of respondents who reported each antibiotic as one of their most frequently sold products. There is no significant difference between the branded antibiotics (drugs purchased in the market) and standard drugs. Exactly 20% of <i>E. coli</i> and <i>K. pneumoniae</i> were resistant, while 80% of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>, <i>Pseudo","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258513/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144644574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Access microbiologyPub Date : 2025-07-10eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000982.v3
Mariam Hachimi Idrissi, Qamar Zaza, Adam Benbachir, Oumaima Skalante, Soufiane Benaazza, Mohamed Allaoui, Yassine Ben Lahlou, Elmostafa Benaissa, Mariama Chadli
{"title":"Unusual association of primary parotid and conjunctival tuberculosis in a young immunocompetent patient: a case report.","authors":"Mariam Hachimi Idrissi, Qamar Zaza, Adam Benbachir, Oumaima Skalante, Soufiane Benaazza, Mohamed Allaoui, Yassine Ben Lahlou, Elmostafa Benaissa, Mariama Chadli","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.000982.v3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000982.v3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extrapulmonary tuberculosis often presents as lymphadenitis. In the head and neck area, tuberculous involvement of the parotid gland is rare and challenging to diagnose due to non-specific symptoms, which can be confused with a tumour. Tuberculous conjunctivitis, although uncommon, should be considered in cases of chronic, treatment-resistant conjunctivitis. The association of primary parotid and conjunctival tuberculosis is exceptional. They are difficult to diagnose due to the non-specificity of their clinical, biological and radiological signs. We report the case of a 24-year-old immunocompetent patient with no history of tuberculosis, who presented with intermittent swelling of the left parotid gland, accompanied by unilateral redness of the eye, which appeared 2 months later, in a context of fever and night sweats. The patient also reported a foreign body sensation in his eye, mild tearing and photophobia. Clinical examination revealed painful, warm swelling of the left parotid gland, as well as localized granulomatous conjunctivitis. Cervico-parotid CT and MRI revealed two well-limited, oval, left parotid formations with a slightly thickened and enhanced wall after injection of gadolinium, suggestive <i>a priori</i> of abscessed collections. The diagnosis of primary parotid and conjunctival tuberculosis was made on the basis of histological examination of the biopsies, as well as direct examination, culture and GeneXpert. The patient progressed well on anti-bacillary treatment. Our work underlines the great importance of GeneXpert, which is a rapid and highly sensitive technique, effective in the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12282047/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144692983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Access microbiologyPub Date : 2025-07-07eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000974.v3
Rachel Lau, Chandrika Senthilkumaran, Jeffrey Chong, Freda Qi, Rosmol-Stanes Pulikkottil, Jennifer Ma, Katherene Ogbulafor, Larry Gabe, Kathy Manguiat, Alyssia Robinson, Heidi Wood, Angel Xinliu Li, Mohammad Mozafarihashjin, Aaron Campigotto, Allison J McGeer, Samira Mubareka, Jonathan B Gubbay, Julianne V Kus, Shelly Bolotin, Melissa Richard-Greenblatt, Vanessa Tran
{"title":"Comparison of six COVID-19 serology assays for detection of antibodies from patients infected with ancestral and a spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 variants.","authors":"Rachel Lau, Chandrika Senthilkumaran, Jeffrey Chong, Freda Qi, Rosmol-Stanes Pulikkottil, Jennifer Ma, Katherene Ogbulafor, Larry Gabe, Kathy Manguiat, Alyssia Robinson, Heidi Wood, Angel Xinliu Li, Mohammad Mozafarihashjin, Aaron Campigotto, Allison J McGeer, Samira Mubareka, Jonathan B Gubbay, Julianne V Kus, Shelly Bolotin, Melissa Richard-Greenblatt, Vanessa Tran","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.000974.v3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000974.v3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Serology assays against spike, receptor binding domain (RBD) and nucleocapsid proteins of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 are essential for serosurveillance. We performed a comparison of four medium-to-high throughput commercial assays [Abbott Laboratories, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Meso Scale Diagnostics (MSD)], one point-of-care test (ZEKMED) and a laboratory-developed plaque reduction neutralization test using a reference panel and clinical specimens. Overall, the assays showed a high positive percent agreement of ≥85% and negative percent agreement of ≥90%, with the MSD anti-spike IgG assay having the best performance (100% in both). Notably, Abbott anti-nucleocapsid IgG, MSD anti-spike IgG and ZEKMED anti-spike RBD IgM/IgG combined assays were able to detect antibodies from individuals infected with all different variants tested - Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron. The limit of detection (LOD) of the assays ranged from 9.9 to 62.0 BAU ml<sup>-1</sup>, with the Abbott anti-spike RBD having the lowest LOD. The COVID-19 serology assays will continue to be useful in determining seroprevalence from infection and vaccination.</p>","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12282051/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144692981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Access microbiologyPub Date : 2025-06-30eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000924.v3
Sarra Baziaa, Adil Zegmout, Mohamed Beaouiss, Soufiane El Fathi, Aniss Rafik, Hicham Souhi, Ismail Rhorfi, Hanane El Ouazzani
{"title":"Disseminated tuberculosis with rare coccygeal involvement: a case report.","authors":"Sarra Baziaa, Adil Zegmout, Mohamed Beaouiss, Soufiane El Fathi, Aniss Rafik, Hicham Souhi, Ismail Rhorfi, Hanane El Ouazzani","doi":"10.1099/acmi.0.000924.v3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000924.v3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tuberculosis (TB) is a preventable and usually curable disease but remains a major health problem worldwide, particularly in developing countries. TB of the lumbosacral junction is rare and occurs in only 1-2% of all cases of spinal TB. Moreover, isolated sacrococcygeal TB is extremely rare. We present a case of a 64-year-old patient with a history of diabetes who presented with chronic back pain and cough. Physical examinations revealed a perianal fistula and left elbow joint arthritis. The patient is diagnosed with disseminated TB with coccygeal involvement. Diagnosis was achieved non-invasively using Xpert MTB/RIF, confirming <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> infection. The patient experienced complete resolution of symptoms following the commencement of anti-TB therapy. We highlight the importance of this case due to the rare coccygeal localization of TB in an immunocompetent patient, diagnosed through non-invasive means.</p>","PeriodicalId":94366,"journal":{"name":"Access microbiology","volume":"7 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12281794/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144692977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}