Clinical Science and Epidemiology
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyEvolution and Population Dynamics of Clonal Complex 152 Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureusUnderstanding the evolution of CA-MRSA is important in light of the increasing importance of this reservoir in the dissemination of MRSA. Here, we highlight the story of the CA-MRSA CC152 lineage using whole-genome sequencing on an international collection of CC152. We show that the evolution of this lineage is novel and that antibiotic usage may have the potential to select for the phage-encoded Panton-Valentine leukocidin. The...
Observation | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyPhylogeographical Analyses and Antibiotic Resistance Genes of Acinetobacter johnsonii Highlight Its Clinical RelevanceAcinetobacter johnsonii has been severely understudied and its population structure and the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are very much uncertain. Our phylogeographical analysis shows that intercontinental transmission has occurred frequently and that different lineages are circulating within single countries; notably, clinical and nonclinical strains...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyHERQ-9 Is a New Multiplex PCR for Differentiation and Quantification of All Nine Human HerpesvirusesBy adulthood, almost all humans become infected by at least one herpesvirus (HHV). The maladies inflicted by these microbes extend beyond the initial infection, as they remain inside our cells for life and can reactivate, causing severe diseases. The diagnosis of active infection by these ubiquitous pathogens includes the detection of DNA with sensitive and specific assays. We developed the first quantitative PCR assay (HERQ-9) designed...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyEvaluation of a Rapid Point-of-Care Multiplex Immunochromatographic Assay for the Diagnosis of Enteric FeverEnteric fever remains a significant global problem, and control programs are significantly limited by the lack of an optimal assay for identifying individuals with acute infection. This is especially critical considering the recently released World Health Organization (WHO) position paper endorsing the role of the typhoid conjugate vaccine in communities where enteric fever is endemic. A reliable diagnostic test is needed to assess and...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyPersistent Asymptomatic Human Infections by Salmonella enterica Serovar Newport in ChinaHuman infections caused by Salmonella Newport generally lead to gastrointestinal diseases. These infections are normally self-limiting; however, in certain cases, broad-spectrum antimicrobials are prescribed for the treatment. The Chinese National Foodborne Disease Surveillance Network has reported a gradual increase in the incidence of multidrug-resistant S. Newport infections in humans. After careful evaluation of...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyDetecting and Monitoring Porcine Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis Virus, an Underresearched BetacoronavirusThere is a paucity of information concerning the ecology of porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) in commercial swine herds. This study provided evidence that PHEV infection is endemic and highly prevalent in U.S. swine herds. These results raised questions for future studies regarding the impact of endemic PHEV on swine health and the mechanisms by which this virus circulates in endemically infected populations....
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyNovel Insights and Features of the NDM-5-Producing Escherichia coli Sequence Type 167 High-Risk CloneGlobal dissemination of some E. coli high-risk clones has been described in the last decades. The most widespread was the ST131 clone, associated with extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL) production. Genomics of ST131 demonstrated that one clade within the ST emerged in the early 2000s, followed by a rapid, global expansion. The...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyIntestinal Dysbiosis in Carriers of Carbapenem-Resistant EnterobacteriaceaeThe gut microbiota plays important roles in the host’s normal function and health, including protection against colonization by pathogenic bacteria. Alterations in the gut microbial profile can potentially serve as an early diagnostic tool, as well as a therapeutic strategy against colonization by and carriage of harmful bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Here, we show that the microbiota of hospitalized patients...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyRestricted Sequence Variation in Streptococcus pyogenes Penicillin Binding Proteinsβ-Lactam antibiotics are the first-line therapeutic option for Streptococcus pyogenes infections. Despite the global high prevalence of S. pyogenes infections and widespread use of β-lactams worldwide, reports of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, have been incredibly rare....
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyPrevalence and Characteristics of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing and Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Freshwater Fish and Pork in Wet Markets of Hong KongExtended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are of global health importance, yet there is a paucity of surveillance studies on food animals in Hong Kong. Here, we report a high prevalence of ESBL-E (ranging from 0.5% to 52.4%) and CPE (0% to 9.9%) from various food animal samples procured from wet markets across Hong Kong. All CPE strains were...