Multimarker Approach: An Effective Tool in the Risk Stratification of Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department.

Background: The use of biomarkers in emergency room decision-making has significantly increased, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to urgent clinical needs. SARS-CoV-2 infection presents a spectrum of symptoms, from asymptomatic cases to severe pneumonia with respiratory failure. During the pandemic, various prognostic tools and biomarkers have been used to quickly guide patients to appropriate care upon admission.

Bacteriophage-enhanced doxycycline activity against Escherichia coli in chronic bacterial prostatitis.

Objectives: Prostatitis caused by antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli poses a significant treatment challenge, and phage therapy is emerging as a promising antibacterial strategy. Here we report the case of a patient with prostatitis caused by an extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli successfully treated with oral doxycycline and two phage cocktails.

A decade of genomic and phenotypic adaptation of carbapenem-resistant .

Introduction: exhibits high genomic plasticity, enabling it to acquire virulence factors and antibiotic resistance (AR). Understanding its evolutionary adaptations is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies.

Methods: Thirty clinical isolates collected from two distinct time periods, defined as older (2010-2013), and recent (2022-2023),- were compared phenotypically (antibiotic resistance, growth, biofilm formation, desiccation tolerance, invasiveness) and genotypically (whole-genome sequencing).

Ceftolozane/tazobactam use and emergence of resistance: a 4-year analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility in isolates in a tertiary hospital.

Background: Ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) was temporarily withdrawn from December 2020 to February 2022: this forced unavailability created the conditions to study how drug discontinuation might influence (PA) resistance reversibility in a real-life setting.

Methods: Clinically relevant PA isolates collected between January 1st 2019 and February 22nd 2023 with a C/T susceptibility test available were included. Changes in PA antibiotic susceptibility towards C/T and other antibiotics were examined in three different periods (period A, March-December 2019 and March-December 2020, C/T available; period B, March-December 2021, C/T withdrawn; period C, March-December 2022, C/T reintroduced), also considering the overall consumption rate through the Defined Daily Dose per 100 bed-days per year.

Role of miR-9 in Modulating NF-κB Signaling and Cytokine Expression in COVID-19 Patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has had a significant impact on global health, with severe cases often characterized by a worsening cytokine storm. Since it has been described that the NF-κB signaling pathway, regulated by microRNAs, could play a pivotal role in the inflammatory response, in this study, the role of miR-9 in modulating NF-κB signaling and inflammatory cytokine expression in COVID-19 patients was investigated. This observational retrospective single-center study included 41 COVID-19 patients and 20 healthy controls.

bloodstream infection: still a diagnostic challenge in clinical practice.

The opportunistic fungus () can cause either cutaneous or systemic infections. We report a case of fungemia in a 22-year-old male with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL) who developed concomitant () septicemia. The fungal infection was diagnosed by microscopic examination and culture-based methods, while automated blood culture systems and molecular approaches failed in identifying the fungus.

Potential Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Fatigue Effects of an Oral Food Supplement in Long COVID Patients.

Long coronavirus disease (COVID) syndrome leads to chronic inflammatory state onset that can have a multisystem impact and compromise organ function. Moreover, long COVID syndrome is often characterized by the presence of chronic fatigue, which affects subjects' daily activities and worsens their quality of life. The aim of our double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial (protocol code RS 150.

Brain abscess caused by Actinomyces turicensis in a non-immunocompromised adult patient: a case report and systematic review of the literature.

Background: Actinomyces turicensis is rarely responsible of clinically relevant infections in human. Infection is often misdiagnosed as malignancy, tuberculosis, or nocardiosis, therefore delaying the correct identification and treatment. Here we report a case of a 55-year-old immunocompetent adult with brain abscess caused by A.

Closing the Gap in Proteomic Identification of : A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Histoplasmosis is a globally distributed systemic infection caused by the dimorphic fungus (). This fungus can cause a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, and the diagnosis of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis is often a challenge for clinicians. Although microscopy and culture remain the gold standard diagnostic tests for identification, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has emerged as a method of microbial identification suitable for the confirmation of dimorphic fungi.

Correlation between Chest Computed Tomography Score and Laboratory Biomarkers in the Risk Stratification of COVID-19 Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department.

Background: It has been reported that mid-regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) could be considered a useful tool to stratify the mortality risk in COVID-19 patients upon admission to the emergency department (ED). During the COVID-19 outbreak, computed tomography (CT) scans were widely used for their excellent sensitivity in diagnosing pneumonia associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the possible role of CT score in the risk stratification of COVID-19 patients upon admission to the ED is still unclear.

Laboratory Automation in Microbiology: Impact on Turnaround Time of Microbiological Samples in COVID Time.

Background: Laboratory Automation (LA) is an innovative technology that is currently available for microbiology laboratories. LA can be a game changer by revolutionizing laboratory workflows through efficiency improvement and is also effective in the organization and standardization of procedures, enabling staff requalification. It can provide an important return on investment (time spent redefining the workflow as well as direct costs of instrumentation) in the medium to long term.

Resistance to Ceftazidime/Avibactam in KPC-Producing Isolates: A Real-Life Observational Study.

Ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ-AVI) resistance amongst is worryingly increasing worldwide. The aim of this study was to collect and describe real-life data on CAZ-AVI-resistant (KP) isolates in our University Hospital, with the ultimate goal of evaluating possible risk factors related to the acquisition of resistance. This is a retrospective observational study, including unique (KP) isolates resistant to CAZ-AVI (CAZ-AVI-R) and producing only KPC, collected from July 2019 to August 2021 at Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.

Predictive Value of MR-proADM in the Risk Stratification and in the Adequate Care Setting of COVID-19 Patients Assessed at the Triage of the Emergency Department.

In the past two pandemic years, Emergency Departments (ED) have been overrun with COVID-19-suspicious patients. Some data on the role played by laboratory biomarkers in the early risk stratification of COVID-19 patients have been recently published. The aim of this study is to assess the potential role of the new biomarker mid-regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) in stratifying the in-hospital mortality risk of COVID-19 patients at the triage.

Effects of Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA) in COVID-19 Early Stages: A Case-Control Study.

Ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA), a compound with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, appears to be a potential adjuvant treatment for early stages of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In our study, we enrolled 90 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 that were randomized into two groups, homogeneous for age, gender and BMI. The first group received oral supplementation based on um-PEA at a dose of 1800 mg/day for a total of 28 days; the second group was the control group (R.

Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA): A New Possible Adjuvant Treatment in COVID-19 patients.

The Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused more than 100,000,000 cases of coronavirus infection in the world in just a year, of which there were 2 million deaths. Its clinical picture is characterized by pulmonary involvement that culminates, in the most severe cases, in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, COVID-19 affects other organs and systems, including cardiovascular, urinary, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems.

Serological determinants of COVID-19.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection spreaded rapidly worldwide, as far as it has become a global pandemic. Therefore, the introduction of serological tests for determination of IgM and IgG antibodies has become the main diagnostic tool, useful for tracking the spread of the virus and for consequently allowing its containment. In our study we compared point of care test (POCT) lateral flow immunoassay (FIA) vs automated chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA), in order to assess their specificity and sensibility for COVID-19 antibodies detection.

Complete blood count might help to identify subjects with high probability of testing positive to SARS-CoV-2.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has dramatically increased the workload for health systems and a consequent need to optimise resources has arisen, including the selection of patients for swab tests. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and undergoing swab tests for SARS-CoV-2. Complete blood counts (CBCs) were analysed looking for predictors of test positivity.

A rapid, point-of-care antibiotic susceptibility test for urinary tract infections.

The alarming rise in urinary tract infection (UTI) antimicrobial resistance has resulted from a combination of high prevalence, low specificity and the lack of a rapid, point-of-care (POC) antibiotic susceptibility test (AST), which has led to the overuse/inappropriate use of antibiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a rapid POC phenotypic AST device in reporting susceptibility information within 2 h. Instrument calibration was performed with model bacteria and fluorescent microbeads to determine the dynamic range and limit of detection for quantifying concentrations of bacteria and demonstrate the ability to rapidly differentiate susceptible and resistant model bacteria.

Hemodialysis biomarkers: total advanced glycation end products (AGEs) against oxidized human serum albumin (HSAox).

Aims: Nephropathic patients show higher levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and oxidized human serum albumin (HSAox) compared to healthy subjects. These two classes of compounds are formed as the result of oxidative insults; for this reason, they can be useful oxidative stress biomarkers. The present study examines the variation of AGEs and HSAox in hemodialysis (HD) patients before and after dialysis session, evaluating the impact of different dialytic techniques and filters on their removal.

Performance Evaluation of a New Culture Colorimetric Detection Assay.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the culture colorimetric detection assay MYCO WELL D-ONE (MWD-ONE), designed to detect sexually transmitted infections using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a reference method.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and ten urogenital samples were screened for (GV), (TV), (MH), , and (UU)/ (UP) using the MWD-ONE and real-time PCR assays species Real-TM Quant and Anyplex II STI-7 Detection, respectively.

Results: GV was detected in 33 samples by both the MWD-ONE and real-time PCR, while 6 samples gave discordant results.

Redox alteration in patients infected by different HCV genotypes.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection plays a pivotal role in hepatocarcinogenesis and has been associated with oxidative DNA damage. Few data have been reported on the general redox state in patients infected with different HCV genotypes. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and hydrogen peroxide levels as well as oxidative stress index were measured in serum of hepatitis C chronic patients in relation to genotype, viral load, transaminases level and degree of fibrosis.

Serum thymosin alpha 1 levels in normal and pathological conditions.

Introduction: Thymosin alpha 1 (Ta1) is a natural occurring peptide hormone that is crucial for the maintenance of the organism homeostasis. It has been chemically synthesized and used in diseases where the immune system is hindered or malfunctioning.

Areas Covered: Many clinical trials investigate the Ta1 effects in patients with cancer, infectious diseases and as a vaccine enhancer.

Deciphering cellular biological processes to clinical application: a new perspective for Tα1 treatment targeting multiple diseases.

Background: Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) is a well-recognized immune response modulator in a wide range of disorders, particularly infections and cancer. The bioinformatic analysis of public databases allows drug repositioning, predicting a new potential area of clinical intervention. We aimed to decipher the cellular network induced by Tα1 treatment to confirm present use and identify new potential clinical applications.

Prognostic performance of MR-pro-adrenomedullin in patients with community acquired pneumonia in the Emergency Department compared to clinical severity scores PSI and CURB.

Aim: (i) evaluate the performance of MR-pro-ADM in reflecting the outcome and risk for CAP patients in the emergency department, and (ii) compare the prognostic performance of MR-pro-ADM with that of clinical scores PSI and CURB65.

Methods: Observational prospective, single-center study in patients with suspected community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Eighty one patients underwent full clinical and laboratory assessment as by protocol, and were followed up a 28 days.

Thymosin-α1 expands deficient IL-10-producing regulatory B cell subsets in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients.

Background: B cells are key pathogenic effectors in multiple sclerosis (MS) and several therapies have been designed to restrain B cell abnormalities by directly targeting this lymphocyte population.

Objectives: Moving from our data showing a Toll-like receptor (TLR)7-driven dysregulation of B cell response in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and having found a low serum level of Thymosin-α1 (Tα1) in patients, we investigated whether the addition of this molecule to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) would influence the expansion of regulatory B cell subsets, known to dampen autoimmune inflammation.

Methods: Serum Tα1 level was measured by enzyme immunoassay.