Here we are with September’s Microbiology Time, and the top three studies we selected are:

• A study from Elisa Borghi’s team assessing the possible use of saliva to screen an Italian Prison’s inmates for SARS-CoV-2. Submitting all the new incomers to saliva test and nasopharyngeal swab at the beginning and at the end of quarantine beforehand the admission into the prison’s community, the group demonstrated that saliva-based SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing is feasible in a prison setting, being less invasive and easier to use than nasopharyngeal swabbing, reliable, and highly accepted.
• Another Italian study, by Prof. G. Zanusso. Since the detection of pathological α-synuclein in olfactory mucosa in Parkinson’s patients is not as accurate as in other α-synucleinopathies, he and his group investigated whether swabbing performed in other nasal areas might be able to detect pathological α-syn. Analyzing samples with real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), the group saw increased sensitivity when sampling the agger nasi zone, indicating that α-syn aggregates are preferentially detected in olfactory areas with a higher concentration of olfactory neurons. Although RT-QuIC analysis of CSF showed higher diagnostic accuracy than nasal swabbing, due to the non-invasiveness, swabbing might be considered an ancillary procedure for PD diagnosis.
• A German study analyzing the extent of monkeypox virus environmental contamination of surfaces. By examining the rooms occupied by two monkeypox patients, the groups successfully isolated the virus from different surfaces. According to the researchers, these data highlight the importance of strict adherence of hospital staff to recommended protective measures.

Read the full studies below:

Regular as clockwork, our March Microbiology Time is out. Discover below the top three studies we selected:

• A South African paper investigating SNPs and plasmids associated with antimicrobial resistance in gonorrhoeae samples from a cohort of South African patients. Using real-time PCR, high-resolution melting analysis, and whole-genome sequencing, the researchers analyzed resistance genes, comparing the results with phenotypic culture results. The results demonstrated the correlation between molecular biology and phenotypic culture results, but analyzing larger populations of patients is needed to validate the utility of these techniques as a convenient culture-free diagnostic tool.
• A letter to the editor published in the Journal of Hospital Infection analyzing the prevalence of rectal colonization by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (EB) and the rate of Ceftazidime-avibactam resistance among KPC-EB isolates in a cohort of patients admitted to an Italian intensive care unit. The study highlights a relevant intra-hospital spread of CZA-resistant isolates that could escape surveillance if traditional phenotypic detection methods are used. Moreover, even if these strains do not express a wide multi-drug resistance pattern, the spread of these KPC mutants on resistance plasmids might generate extended-drugs-resistant phenotypes. Thus, the researchers suggest an urgent update of international guidelines for carbapenemase-producing EB
• An exciting review by Dr. Cherkaoui’s team dissecting the benefits of Total Laboratory Automation in helping laboratories to face the complexity of diagnostic bacteriological testing procedures. According to the study, automation should drive a fundamental change in the laboratory workflow and prompt users to reconsider all the approaches currently used in the diagnostic work-up –

including the accurate identification of pathogens and the antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods.

Find the complete studies at the links below: