Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) smear microscopy remains central to tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment monitoring, yet its sensitivity is limited by incomplete recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during pre-analytical processing. This study evaluated whether modifying centrifugation force and duration improves bacillary recovery and ZN smear performance. Laboratory experiments were conducted using M. tuberculosis H37Rv and pulmonary TB sputum samples. Following NALC-NaOH decontamination, samples we...

We genotyped 1189 multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates identified during 2013-2022 in Argentina, through a mixed strategy using PCR-based methods and whole-genome sequencing. Epidemiological, geographic distribution and microbiological data were integrated. Most cases belonged to a cluster (75.7%). The proportion of orphan and clustered cases varied across regions. The Euro-American lineage4 was virtually predominant. The most important clusters, M, Ra, Rb and Callao2 strains,...

Commercially available disposable products such as cell culture utensils and catheters do not necessarily possess sufficient quality for in vitro fertilization (IVF), from the perspective of pyrogen contamination. We aimed to comprehensively analyze the pyrogen contamination status, including bacterial endotoxins, of the products used for IVF in assisted reproductive technology (ART) and improve their cleanliness using a new sterilization technology. Pyrogen contamination levels were evaluated u...

BackgroundReliable detection of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection (LTBI) remains challenging, particularly in TB contacts and immunocompromised individuals, where interferon-{gamma} release assays (IGRAs) demonstrate variable sensitivity. IP-10, a chemokine produced at substantially higher concentrations than IFN-{gamma}, represents a promising immune marker. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of two IP-10 based assays RIDA(R)QUICK TB (lateral flow) and RIDA...

Background The microbial aetiology of early childhood caries (ECC) in sub-Saharan African populations remains poorly characterised, with most studies focusing on conventional cariogenic pathogens like Streptococcus mutans. This study aimed to characterise the salivary microbial profile of children with ECC in urban Kano, northern Nigeria. Methods In this cross-sectional study of 162 children aged 3-5 years in urban Kano, unstimulated saliva samples were collected and analysed using standard bact...

BackgroundOral hygiene is linked with dental caries experience. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the associations between oral hygiene status, the frequency of tooth brushing, and the prevalence of dental caries in Nigeria. Tools used for maintaining oral hygiene were also identified. MethodsRegistered with PROSPERO (CRD42022367763), this review searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, African Journals Online, African Index Medicus, and Google Scholar in January 2026. Observati...

ObjectivePreterm birth (PTB) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, with India alone contributing nearly 27% of the global PTB burden. Although alterations in the vaginal microbiome have been implicated in PTB, its association in the Indian context is underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the association of vaginal microbiome and PTB in Indian women at the time of delivery. Study designThe vaginal swabs were collected at the time of delivery from 72 women (31...

BackgroundTransfusion-transmitted malaria remains a concern in non-endemic regions due to asymptomatic parasitemia in donors with prior residence in or travel to malaria-endemic areas. Nucleic acid testing (NAT)-based screening has been proposed to mitigate this risk, and supplemental assays are needed to confirm reactive donations. We developed a pan-Plasmodium reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay with species identification capability as a supplemental tool for malaria donor ...

ObjectiveThis study utilizes small-sample periodontitis data to exploratively investigate causal relationships between the oral microbiome and periodontitis in East Asian populations. We aimed to identify specific oral microbial taxa that may drive disease pathogenesis. Given the exploratory nature of the dataset, findings should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating. MethodsWe performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary stat...

Carbapenem-resistant (CR) bacteria have emerged and been spreading beyond healthcare-associated facilities into the environment. It is recognized that toilet bowl water in patient rooms of healthcare-associated facilities can be one of internal reservoirs of CR bacteria. In accordance with this idea, toilet bowl water samples were collected from patient rooms in a tertiary healthcare-associated facility in North Macedonia, and meropenem (MEM)-resistant bacterial isolates were obtained from the t...

ObjectivesThere is no comprehensive study comparing the burden of different oral diseases across states, years, and different demographics in the United States (US). Therefore, to address this gap, we aimed to evaluate the burden of oral disorders in the US and its states from 1990 to 2023. MethodsWe used the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 data to evaluate the burden of oral disorders in the USA from 1990 to 2023 in different age groups, sexes, states, and years. We aim to report the incid...

ObjectivesTo quantify how urine sample type and polymicrobial context impact antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in urinary tract infections (UTIs), using routine diagnostics at scale. MethodsIn this retrospective, single-centre study, we analysed 188,687 urine cultures from the Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Switzerland (January 2015 to May 2023). We compared midstream urine (MU), indwelling catheter (IDC), and intermittent catheter (IMC) samples. Samples were classified a...

BackgroundBoth hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and scrub typhus (ST) are acute zoonotic infectious diseases. There is an overlap in their epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations, posing challenges for early differential diagnosis. This study aims to identify predictive factors for these two diseases to provide a basis for early diagnosis. Method/FindingsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients diagnosed with HFRS and ST at the Firs...

ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of sitafloxacin-containing regimens versus non-sitafloxacin therapy in patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary disease, focusing on sputum/BALF conversion rate, time of sputum/BALF culture conversion and radiographic improvement. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study analyzed 149 adults (76 control group vs. 73 sitafloxacin group) with NTM pulmonary disease treated between 2021 to 2024. Inclusion criteria: (1) Sitafloxacin group:...

Our previous studies identified three microRNAs (miR-92a-1-5p, miR-375 and miR-148a-3p) potentially associated with prostate cancer (PCa), particularly in advanced stages such as bone-metastatic PCa. To evaluate their clinical diagnostic utility, we isolated extracellular vesicles (EVs) from the plasma of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and PCa (including localized and bone-metastatic disease). The absolute quantification of these three miRNAs within plasma EVs was performed usi...

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) disease is a major global health threat with most tuberculosis (TB) cases occurring in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) with limited healthcare infrastructure. Near-point-of-care testing which can be deployed at peripheral clinical settings is needed to start treatment earlier and thereby improve treatment outcomes. Here we report the development and preliminary characterization of an MTB detection assay that utilizes tongue swab or sputum specimens for The...

Since 2014, Cubas National Tuberculosis Control and Elimination Program (PNCET, acronym in Spanish) has been using the Xpert(R) MTB/RIF technique (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for rapid molecular diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). Due to financial limitations and difficult access to kits and cartridges (both of which are of U.S. origin), this test is only intended for prioritized vulnerable groups. Thus, only one third of the cases reported annually are diagnosed by rapid tests, as an initial techn...

Microbial keratitis is a sight-threatening corneal infection with varying etiological agents, primarily bacteria and fungi. Assessing and contrasting the virulence factors of microorganisms isolated from a non-contact lens-associated keratitis (NCLAK) and contact lens-associated keratitis (CLAK) is the goal of the current investigation. Samples were collected from over 60 patients and analysed using standard microbiological techniques, including culture, Gram staining, KOH mount, biochemical tes...

Pathology classification of cancer tumor subtypes and benign tumors can be difficult due to cellular heterogeneity and similar morphological features. Renal Cell Cancer (RCC) poses a major challenge for uropathologists as advanced RCC is often incidentally diagnosed with complex histological characteristics. We hypothesised that molecular profiling of RCC and benign tumor specimen by mass spectrometry with machine learning methods enable accurate tumor classification and identification of candid...

BackgroundVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) remains a major public health challenge in East Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. Clinical trials on VL often exclude patients with severe comorbidities or laboratory abnormalities, limiting the generalizability of evidence used to guide real-world management. We comprehensively characterised the clinical profile, treatment outcomes, and mortality of VL patients treated in a referral centre. Methododology/Principal findingsThis prospective cohort study enro...