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Microorganisms 2022 Jun 9;10(6). Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Department of Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Krešimirova 42, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.

Although most sinus infections are viral, potential bacterial pathogens such as , and can migrate during a viral respiratory infection from the nasopharynx into the sinus cavity causing sinusitis. is a commensal of the external auditory canal and is considered one of the potential middle ear pathogens. Unlike most otopathogens, is rarely found in the nasopharynx of healthy individuals. Read More

Zhonghua Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi 2022 Jun;57(6):683-691

Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing 100020, China.

To explore the relationship between pathogens in the olfactory cleft area and olfactory disorders in patients with upper respiratory inflammation (URI) during the prevention and control of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A total of 234 URI patients including acute upper respiratory infection, chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), allergic rhinitis (AR) were continuously selected from September 2020 to March 2021 in Beijing Anzhen Hospital and 98 healthy adults were enrolled as controls. The secretions from the olfactory cleft of all subjects were collected with nasal swabs under nasal endoscopy. Read More

Front Microbiol 2022 17;13:871627. Epub 2022 May 17.

Aix-Marseille Université, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM), Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Marseille, France.

While populations at risk for severe SARS-CoV-2 infections have been clearly identified, susceptibility to the infection and its clinical course remain unpredictable. As the nasopharyngeal microbiota may promote the acquisition of several respiratory infections and have an impact on the evolution of their outcome, we studied the nasopharyngeal microbiota of COVID-19 patients in association with baseline disease-related clinical features compared to that of patients tested negative. We retrospectively analyzed 120 nasopharyngeal pseudonymized samples, obtained for diagnosis, divided into groups (infected patients with a favorable outcome, asymptomatic, and deceased patients) and patients tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, by using Illumina-16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) sequencing and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting pathogens. Read More

Microbiol Spectr 2022 May 18:e0037922. Epub 2022 May 18.

Infectious Diseases Service, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Timely identification of a pathogen in lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) can support appropriate antibiotics use. The difficulty of obtaining lower respiratory tract (LRT) samples limits the utility of point-of-care syndromic molecular assays. We assessed the performance of the FilmArray Pneumonia plus panel (FilmArray PP) in nasopharyngeal (NP) swab for detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. Read More

PLoS One 2022 12;17(5):e0268131. Epub 2022 May 12.

Centre for Academic Primary Care, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Background: The association between upper respiratory tract microbial positivity and illness prognosis in children is unclear. This impedes clinical decision-making and means the utility of upper respiratory tract microbial point-of-care tests remains unknown. We investigated for relationships between pharyngeal microbes and symptom severity in children with suspected respiratory tract infection (RTI). Read More

Infect Drug Resist 2022 4;15:2419-2426. Epub 2022 May 4.

Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.

Introduction: , which is an opportunistic pathogen and is one of the three major pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia, causes a variety of infections in clinic. In recent years, the isolation rate of has gradually increased. In China, due to the clinical empirical use of antibiotics, the resistance rate of isolated from children to β-lactam antibiotics has reached 99%. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 May 11;12(1):7742. Epub 2022 May 11.

Department of Oral Biology, Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, 3435 Main Street, B36A Foster Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA.

Current biomaterials effectively replace biological structures but are limited by infections and long-term material failures. This study examined the molecular mechanisms of radio frequency glow discharge treatments (RFGDT) in mediating the disinfection of biomaterial surfaces and concurrently promoting cell attachment and proliferation. Dental biomaterials were subjected to RFGDT, and viability of oral microbial species, namely Streptococcus mutants (SM), Streptococcus gordonii (SG), Moraxella catarrhalis (MC), and Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG), were assessed. Read More

Lancet Microbe 2022 Apr 9;3(4):e284-e293. Epub 2022 Mar 9.

Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA.

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) are a leading cause of critical illness and mortality in mechanically ventilated children; however, the pathogenic microbes frequently remain unknown. We combined traditional diagnostics with metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) to evaluate the cause of LRTI in critically ill children.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, multicentre cohort study of critically ill children aged 31 days to 17 years with respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation (>72 h) in the USA. Read More

Respir Res 2022 May 4;23(1):114. Epub 2022 May 4.

GSK, Siena, Italy.

Background: Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat) infections are frequently associated with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Results were reported with a two-dose (0-2 months) schedule of an investigational AS01-adjuvanted NTHi-Mcat vaccine containing three surface proteins from NTHi and one from Mcat. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of three NTHi-Mcat vaccine doses administered in two different schedules to adults with a smoking history (≥ 10 pack-years), immunologically representing the COPD population. Read More

Front Pediatr 2022 14;10:804373. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Introduction: Otitis media (OM) is a common childhood illness, often resolving without intervention and acute and long-term complications are rare. However, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children experience a high burden of OM and are at high risk of complications (tympanic membrane perforation and chronic infections). Bacterial OM is commonly associated with , non-typeable , and . Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2022 07 7;41(7):549-555. Epub 2022 Jun 7.

From the Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Background: High-level evidence is limited for antibiotic duration in children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) from First Nations and other at-risk populations of chronic respiratory disorders. As part of a larger study, we determined whether an extended antibiotic course is superior to a standard course for achieving clinical cure at 4 weeks in children 3 months to ≤5 years old hospitalized with CAP.

Methods: In our multinational (Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia), double-blind, superiority randomized controlled trial, children hospitalized with uncomplicated, radiographic-confirmed, CAP received 1-3 days of intravenous antibiotics followed by 3 days of oral amoxicillin-clavulanate (80 mg/kg, amoxicillin component, divided twice daily) and then randomized to extended (13-14 days duration) or standard (5-6 days) antibiotics. Read More

Bull Natl Res Cent 2022 21;46(1):115. Epub 2022 Apr 21.

Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: A common complication of any respiratory disease by a virus could be a secondary bacterial infection, which is known to cause an increase in severity. It is, however, not clear whether the presence of some opportunistic pathogens called pathobionts contributes to the severity of the disease. In COVID-19 patients, undetected bacterial co-infections may be associated with the severity of the disease. Read More

J Clin Med 2022 Mar 27;11(7). Epub 2022 Mar 27.

Department of Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.

is the most clinically relevant species among spp. For decades, it was considered to be part of the normal human flora in the upper respiratory tract. However, since the late 1970s, considerable evidence has proposed that is an important pathogen in the human respiratory tract. Read More

Front Allergy 2021 26;2:738987. Epub 2021 Oct 26.

Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, United Kingdom.

Asthma is a heterogeneous, chronic respiratory disease affecting 300 million people and is thought to be driven by different inflammatory endotypes influenced by a myriad of genetic and environmental factors. The complexity of asthma has rendered it challenging to develop preventative and disease modifying therapies and it remains an unmet clinical need. Whilst many factors have been implicated in asthma pathogenesis and exacerbations, evidence indicates a prominent role for respiratory viruses. Read More

Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol 2022 29;2022:1181283. Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China.

By studying the distribution and drug resistance of bacterial pathogens associated with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in children in Chengdu and the effect of the COVID-19 on the distribution of pathogens and by analyzing the epidemic trend and drug resistance changes of the main pathogens of LRTI, this research is supposed to provide a useful basis for the prevention of LRTI in children and the rational use of drugs in clinical practice. Hospitalized children clinically diagnosed with LRTI in Chengdu Women and Children's Central Hospital from 2011 to 2020 were selected as the study subjects. The pathogens of LRTI in children and the distribution of pathogens in different ages, genders, seasons, years, and departments and before and after the pandemic situation of COVID-19 were counted. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022 11;12:775535. Epub 2022 Mar 11.

School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.

Background: Otitis media (OM) is one of the most common infections in young children, arising from bacterial and/or viral infection of the middle ear. Globally, and non-typeable (NTHi) are the predominant bacterial otopathogens. Importantly, common upper respiratory viruses are increasingly recognized contributors to the polymicrobial pathogenesis of OM. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022 28;12:831887. Epub 2022 Feb 28.

Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia.

Background: The underlying pathogenesis of pediatric obstructive sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and recurrent tonsillitis (RT) are poorly understood but need to be elucidated to develop less invasive treatment and prevention strategies.

Methods: Children aged between 1- and 16-years undergoing adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy for SDB (n=40), RT alone (n=18), or both SDB and RT (SDB+RT) (n=17) were recruited with age-matched healthy controls (n=33). Total bacterial load and species-specific densities of nontypeable (NTHi) and were measured by qPCR in nasopharyngeal swabs, oropharyngeal swabs, adenoid and tonsillar tissue from children with SDB, SDB+RT and RT, and in naso- and oro- pharyngeal swabs from healthy children. Read More

Clin Microbiol Infect 2022 Mar 11. Epub 2022 Mar 11.

Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether the presence of bacteria or viruses in the upper airway of children presenting with uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) predicts the benefit of antibiotics.

Methods: Children between 6 months and 12 years presenting to UK general practices with an acute LRTI were randomized to receive amoxicillin 50 mg/kg/d for 7 days or placebo. Children not randomized (ineligible or clinician/parental choice) could participate in a parallel observational study. Read More

BMJ Open 2022 03 10;12(3):e056706. Epub 2022 Mar 10.

Centre for International Health, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Objectives: To determine the causes of lobar pneumonia in rural Gambia.

Design And Setting: Population-based pneumonia surveillance at seven peripheral health facilities and two regional hospitals in rural Gambia. 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced routinely in August 2009 and replaced by PCV13 from May 2011. Read More

Microorganisms 2021 Dec 27;10(1). Epub 2021 Dec 27.

INL-International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal.

Understanding the bacterial etiology of otitis media (OM) is important when designing and evaluating the best course of treatment. This study analyzed middle ear fluid (MEF) and nasopharynx (NP) samples collected from 49 children with OM undergoing myringotomy in the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga. A correlation between species in the NP and MEF was observed following pathogen detection by culture and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods. Read More

BMC Microbiol 2022 01 13;22(1):24. Epub 2022 Jan 13.

Microbiome and Host Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Background: Otitis media (OM) is a major disease burden in Australian Aboriginal children, contributing to serious long-term health outcomes. We report a pilot analysis of OM in children attending an outreach ear and hearing clinic in a remote south Australian community over a two-year period. Our study focuses on longitudinal relationships between ear canal microbiota characteristics with nasopharyngeal microbiota, and clinical and treatment variables. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2022 Jan 4;22(1):15. Epub 2022 Jan 4.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Background: Nasopharyngeal colonisation with clinically relevant bacterial pathogens is a risk factor for severe infections, such as pneumonia and bacteraemia. In this study, we investigated the determinants of nasopharyngeal carriage in febrile patients in rural Burkina Faso.

Methods: From March 2016 to June 2017, we recruited 924 paediatric and adult patients presenting with fever, hypothermia or suspicion of severe infection to the Centre Medical avec Antenne Chirurgicale Saint Camille de Nanoro, Burkina Faso. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021 22;11:652944. Epub 2021 Nov 22.

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Bacterial infections contribute to accelerated progression and severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Apples have been associated with reduced symptoms of COPD and disease development due to their polyphenolic content. We examined if phloretin, an apple polyphenol, could inhibit bacterial growth and inflammation induced by the main pathogens associated with COPD. Read More

Vaccine X 2021 Dec 3;9:100124. Epub 2021 Nov 3.

GSK, Siena, Italy.

A multicomponent vaccine has been developed to reduce the frequency of acute exacerbations of COPD associated with non-typeable (NTHi) and (Mcat) infections, containing NTHi (PD and PE-PilA) and Mcat (UspA2) surface proteins. In a randomised, observer-blind, placebo-controlled study with two steps (NCT02547974), the investigational vaccine had good immunogenicity and no safety concerns were identified. In step 2, 90 adults aged 50-71 years with smoking history received two doses 60 days apart of one of two AS01-adjuvanted formulations containing 10 µg of each antigen (10-10-AS01) or 10 µg NTHi antigens and 3. Read More

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2022 Jan 18;152:110940. Epub 2021 Nov 18.

Unit of Otoneurology, Lin and Carmel Medical Centers, Haifa, Israel; Department of Communication Science and Disorders, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel. Electronic address:

Objective: Bacteriology and antibiotic resistance trends changed considerably following introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) 7 and 13, with differences between geographic regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in acute otitis media (AOM) bacteriology and antibiotic susceptibility from the pre-vaccination period (2002-2008) to after the introduction of PCV13 (2010-2019) in northern Israel.

Methods: Data were collected from 3277 middle ear fluid (MEF) cultures and 4822 common AOM-generating pathogens of children aged <5 years with otitis media, taken during 2002-2019. Read More

Fukushima J Med Sci 2021 Dec 20;67(3):143-149. Epub 2021 Nov 20.

Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University.

AbstractWe investigated the nasopharyngeal microbiota in preschool patients hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infection to clarify the relationships between culturable nasopharyngeal bacteria and prognosis. From 2016 to 2018, nasopharyngeal culture was performed on inpatients under 6 years of age with a lower respiratory tract infection. Among the 1,056 study patients, 1,046 provided nasopharyngeal samples that yielded positive cultures, yielding 1,676 isolated strains. Read More

J Appl Microbiol 2022 Mar 24;132(3):1856-1865. Epub 2021 Nov 24.

Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Aims: This study assessed the use of high-energy, visible light on the survival rates of three bacteria commonly found in middle ear infections (i.e. otitis media; Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae). Read More

Clin Ophthalmol 2021 10;15:4419-4430. Epub 2021 Nov 10.

Pharmaceutical Medical Affairs, Bausch + Lomb, Rochester, NY, USA.

Introduction: The choice of empiric therapy for bacterial conjunctivitis should be guided by an awareness of typical causative pathogen distributions. Bacterial conjunctivitis can be polybacterial, although pediatric-specific data are lacking.

Methods: This was a post-hoc analysis of data in pediatric subjects (1-17 years) from five bacterial conjunctivitis trials evaluating besifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0. Read More

J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2021 12 12;27:337-351. Epub 2021 Nov 12.

JMI Laboratories, North Liberty, Iowa, USA.

Objectives: Omadacycline was tested against 7000 bacterial isolates collected prospectively from medical centres in the USA during 2019.

Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines.

Results: Omadacycline was active against: Staphylococcus aureus (MIC, 0. Read More

Microbiol Spectr 2021 12 3;9(3):e0028321. Epub 2021 Nov 3.

Department of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China.

The Infectious Disease Surveillance of Pediatrics (ISPED) program was established in 2015 to monitor and analyze the trends of bacterial epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in children. Clinical bacterial isolates were collected from 11 tertiary care children's hospitals in China in 2016 to 2020. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using the Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems, with interpretation according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute 2019 breakpoints. Read More