Determination of epidemiological cut-off values for Narasin, Salinomycin, Lasalocid and Monensin in Enterococcus faecium.

Objectives: To establish epidemiological cut-off values (ECOFFs) for the polyether ionophores narasin, salinomycin, lasalocid and monensin in Enterococcus faecium.

Methods: MICs were measured using the broth microdilution method according to ISO 20776-1 (2019). Method validation involved ≥10 replicates of antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212.

Sustained outbreak of bla harbouring pathogens in an Italian tertiary hospital: Genomic insights into persistence and spreading.

Objectives: We investigated an outbreak of bla harbouring pathogens lasting over a year, affecting patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) in a tertiary hospital in Bergamo, Italy. To identify transmission routes of pathogens, we combined classical epidemiological investigation with the molecular identification of the mobile genetic elements (MGEs), integrons, and resistance cassettes that could have played a role in the outbreak persistence.

Methods: Short and long reads sequencing were performed.

Activity of imipenem/relebactam against KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and the possible role of Ompk36 mutation in determining resistance: an Italian retrospective analysis.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacterales represents a substantial threat in modern clinical practice and the collection of data on the efficacy of new molecules is of paramount importance. Our study aimed to analyse the in vitro activity of imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam (IMI/REL) against KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) and investigate the genetic determinants of resistance to this agent.

Methods: A total of 603 KPC-Kp strains, which were randomly collected during a multicentre study in northern Italy in the period 2016-2018, were analysed retrospectively.

A Year in Review on Tuberculosis and Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria Disease: A 2025 Update for Clinicians and Scientists.

Background: In the field of tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease we are looking back on an exciting year 2024 with more than 10,000 publications listed in PubMed.

Methods: Our aim, to review the scientific literature of the year 2024, is challenged by the enormous number of publications. Therefore, if your article is not included or your favorite field of mycobacteriology not covered, please forgive us.

Strategies to Enhance Diagnostic Capabilities for the New Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) Drugs.

The global burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) continues to challenge healthcare systems worldwide. There is a critical need to tackle DR-TB by enhancing diagnostics and drug susceptibility testing (DST) capabilities, particularly for emerging DR-TB drugs. This endeavor is crucial to optimize the efficacy of new therapeutic regimens and prevent the resistance and overuse of these invaluable weapons.

How We Treat Drug-Susceptible Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Practical Guide for Clinicians.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and pulmonary TB (PTB) is the main variant responsible for fueling transmission of the infection. Effective treatment of drug-susceptible (DS) TB is crucial to avoid the emergence of -resistant strains. In this narrative review, through a fictional suggestive case of DS PTB, we guide the reader in a step-by-step commentary to provide an updated review of current evidence in the management of TB, from diagnosis to post-treatment follow-up.

A Systematic Review of Potential Biomarkers for Bacterial Burden and Treatment Efficacy Assessment in Tuberculosis Platform-Based Clinical Trials.

Adaptive platform trials can be more efficient than classic trials for developing new treatments. Moving from culture-based to simpler- or faster-to-measure biomarkers as efficacy surrogates may enhance this advantage. We performed a systematic review of treatment efficacy biomarkers in adults with tuberculosis.

Treatment-shortening regimens for tuberculosis: updates and future priorities.

In the past 2 years, remarkable advances have been made in shortening tuberculosis (TB) treatment. In particular, four clinical trials (Study 31/A5349, Nix-TB, ZeNix and TB-PRACTECAL) have provided evidence of the efficacy of regimens based on new and repurposed drugs: the 4-month regimen for drug-susceptible TB, and the 6-month bedaquiline-pretomanid-linezolid regimen with or without moxifloxacin for multidrug-resistant/rifampicin-resistant TB. Even if the evidence at the basis of these new regimens is compelling, several questions remain open, particularly concerning linezolid dose finding, the upsurging threat of bedaquiline-resistant and the feasibility of applying these results to the paediatric population.

Update on the diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health threat, and the development of rapid and precise diagnostic tools is the key to enabling the early start of treatment, monitoring response to treatment, and preventing the spread of the disease.

Objectives: An overview of recent progress in host- and pathogen-based TB diagnostics.

Sources: We conducted a PubMed search of recent relevant articles and guidelines on TB screening and diagnosis.

Community engagement in tuberculosis research: the EU-Patient-cEntric clinicAl tRial pLatforms (EU-PEARL) experience.

Objectives: Community representatives are key to ensuring that tuberculosis (TB) research is relevant, culturally sensitive, and appropriate. For all trials (new drugs or treatment regimens, diagnostics, or vaccines) this can result in improvement of recruitment, retention, and adherence to the trial schedule. The early engagement of the community will, later in time, support the process of implementation of new policies designed for successful products.

Hypervariable-Locus Melting Typing: a Novel Approach for More Effective High-Resolution Melting-Based Typing, Suitable for Large Microbiological Surveillance Programs.

Pathogen typing is pivotal to detecting the emergence of high-risk clones in hospital settings and to limit their spread. Unfortunately, the most commonly used typing methods (i.e.

Longitudinal analysis of T cell receptor repertoires reveals shared patterns of antigen-specific response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

T cells play a prominent role in orchestrating the immune response to viral diseases, but their role in the clinical presentation and subsequent immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection remains poorly understood. As part of a population-based survey of the municipality of Vo', Italy, conducted after the initial SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, we sampled the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires of the population 2 months after the initial PCR survey and followed up positive cases 9 and 15 months later. At 2 months, we found that 97.

Detection of NDM-1/5 and OXA-48 co-producing extensively drug-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae in Northern Italy.

Objectives: Using a hybrid long-read sequencing approach, we aimed to fully characterise four extensively-drug resistant (XDR) hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, one of which represented the first strain isolated in Italy co-expressing NDM-1/5 and OXA-48 carbapenemases.

Methods: Whole-genome sequencing was performed using Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technology platforms. An assembly pipeline was used to recover the structures both of the chromosome and plasmids.

QIAreach QuantiFERON-TB for the diagnosis of infection.

https://bit.ly/3n6Dxll

Saliva molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2: simplifying the diagnosis without losing accuracy.

https://bit.ly/3oh4bds