Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a leading cause of mortality in children under five years of age worldwide. and are the most common bacterial pathogens causing CAP that requires hospitalization, highlighting the critical need for a simple, low-cost, and highly sensitive method for rapid diagnosis.

Growing evidence suggests that gut microbiota plays a role in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), and a few bacterial strains have been linked to carcinogenesis. Contrary to the Western population, the relationship between pro-cancer microorganisms and CRC among Middle Eastern individuals remains largely unexplored. Ninety-eight samples from Middle Eastern individuals with and without CRC were subjected to microbial profiling based on the 16S rRNA gene.

Cancer patients face elevated risks of severe pulmonary infections due to malignancy-related immunosuppression and anti-neoplastic therapy. Comprehensive data on the etiology and prognostic factors remain limited.

The drivers of expanding carbapenem-resistant (CRKP) infections in Northwest China remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and molecular epidemiology of CRKP infections in Xi'an, China.

Enterovirus G (EV-G) is a significant causative agent of diarrhea in piglets, complicating differential diagnosis and impeding effective control of porcine diarrheal diseases. Enhanced clinical surveillance and pathogenicity assessment of EVG are essential to inform disease prevention strategies.

Low-level viremia (LLV) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) represents a significant challenge and area of interest in current clinical management. While nucleos (t)ide analogs (NAs) have demonstrated substantial efficacy in suppressing hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, the application of highly sensitive detection methods has revealed that some treated patients continue to exhibit persistent or intermittent low-level viremia (HBV DNA: 12-2000 IU/mL). The mechanisms underlying LLV involve a synergistic interplay between host immune response deficiencies and HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) persistence. Furthermore, the complex regulation of LLV is influenced by metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Limitations in the clearance of cccDNA by current antiviral regimens also contribute to this phenomenon. LLV may elevate the risk of liver fibrosis progression, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and end-stage liver disease. Current management strategies emphasize optimizing antiviral regimens, such as switching to tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) or combining therapies with pegylated interferon-alpha (Peg-IFN-α). Enhanced dynamic monitoring, including high-sensitivity HBV DNA assays and quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) measurements, is also crucial. Moreover, exploring combination therapies involving immunomodulation and hepatocyte regeneration is warranted. Further research should integrate multi-omics technologies with prospective cohort studies to elucidate the host-virus interaction network in LLV. This will allow for the validation of synergistic effects between metabolic interventionsand immunotherapy, thereby advancing personalized precision medicine. This review systematically synthesizes the epidemiological characteristics, pathogenesis, influencing factors, prognosis, and clinical management advancements of LLV, aiming to provide novel perspectives for optimizing therapeutic strategies and translational research.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) stands at the forefront of third-generation sequencing, utilizing a nanopore sequencing approach to achieve high-throughput DNA and RNA sequencing. This technology offers several key advantages, including real-time data generation, portability, and long-read capabilities, making it an increasingly valuable tool for a wide range of applications. This review will focus on the use of ONT in veterinary diagnostics exploring the evolving applications of ONT in veterinary medicine and its use in detecting viral and bacterial pathogens, antimicrobial resistance profiling, foodborne disease surveillance, and metagenomic analysis. We provide an overview of the diverse sequencing workflows available, from sample preparation to bioinformatics analysis, and highlight their advantages over traditional sequencing methods. While powerful, nanopore sequencing does present challenges such as error rates, barcode crosstalk, and workflow complexities. This review will address these issues and discuss potential future developments, as well as the long-term impact of ONT on the field of genomics. As nanopore sequencing technology continues to advance, its role in veterinary diagnostics is expected to expand significantly, leading to improvements in disease surveillance, outbreak response, and contributions to crucial One Health initiatives.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are well-known for their potent antibacterial properties. However, the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria highlights the need for alternative antimicrobial strategies. Green synthesis using biological molecules offers an eco-friendly route to nanoparticle production.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine-metabolic disorder linked to insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism. Gut microbiota-derived metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), indoles, and bile acids, influence endocrine and metabolic pathways. Yet, no systematic review has specifically examined metabolite-targeted interventions in PCOS.

Patients with haematological malignancies are immunocompromised and prone to respiratory infections, but identification of causative pathogens is challenging. The aim of this study was to analyse the ability of targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) to detect pathogens in immunocompromised patients.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a condition associated with compulsive alcohol consumption and disruption across multiple physiological systems. This brief report builds on previously published research separately examining longitudinal changes in the oral and gut microbiomes of treatment-seeking individuals with AUD. Twenty-two participants diagnosed with severe AUD were enrolled in an inpatient treatment protocol (NCT02231840) and provided oral and stool samples over 28 days (goal 10 samples/participant). The aim of this brief report was to explore within-person overlap and compositional similarity of the oral and gut microbiomes at the genus level, using the Sorenson-Dice Index and Robust Aitchison Distance. Results indicated that the oral and gut microbiomes became less similar during the first week of treatment, with both the number of shared genera and Sorenson-Dice Index values decreasing significantly ( <.001). However, the Robust Aitchison Distance also decreased over time ( <.05), suggesting increased compositional similarity among the shared genera. These findings suggest early divergence of oral and gut microbiota during AUD treatment, where individuals were abstinent of alcohol, followed by stabilization of overlapping communities. This study highlights dynamic shifts in microbiome structure during a period of abstinence and underscores the importance of evaluating site-specific and cross-site microbial changes in AUD populations.

Diarrheal diseases remain a leading cause of global mortality. While significant progress has been made in reducing diarrheal deaths, particularly among children under five, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced new dynamics through non-pharmaceutical interventions and healthcare disruptions. Understanding the evolving burden during this period is critical for guiding post-pandemic control strategies.

In recent years, developing drugs that directly target pathways related to the pathogenic mechanisms of bacteria has been a research hotspot, and quorum sensing (QS) is one of the most effective strategies to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. We evaluated the inhibitory effect of cyano-phycocyanin (C-PC) on the virulence of PA2 and and explored its potential as a quorum sensing inhibitor (QSI).

Biofilms are microbial consortia encased in the extracellular matrix that pose severe threats in healthcare and environmental settings due to their resistance to antimicrobials and their role in persistent infections. These structured communities colonize medical devices (e.g., catheters, implants) and contribute to nosocomial infections. Critically, biofilm-laden medical waste acts as a reservoir for multidrug-resistant pathogens and facilitates horizontal gene transfer, perpetuating antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Improper disposal risks environmental contamination, enabling pathogens to infiltrate water systems, soil, and food chains, exacerbating public health crises. Conventional methods like chemical disinfection or UV treatment often fail to dismantle biofilms, leaving viable pathogens to disseminate. In the present work, we have established the use of microwave radiation as an effective alternative strategy for pre-disposal sterilization of UTI89 biofilm on different surfaces. In our results, 15 minutes of microwave exposure significantly reduced cell viability by up to 95% and regrowth potential by up to 25% of UTI89 biofilms formed on coverslips and catheter-mimicking surfaces. Microwave-treated biofilms showed marked structural disruption and increased membrane permeabilization, as confirmed by FE-SEM and CLSM analyses. These findings highlight microwave radiation as a promising strategy for efficient pre-disposal sterilization and mitigating environmental risks associated with biofilm-derived pathogens in healthcare waste. These findings support the use of microwave exposure as an innovative approach for sterilizing medical waste and controlling biofilm-associated pathogens, aligning with current global efforts to identify sustainable alternatives for infection control. Overall, our results indicate that microwave radiation could be implemented as an innovative strategy for effective pre-disposal sterilization, reducing the risks of environmental AMR dissemination from medical waste, and curbing biofilm-derived pathogens in landfills and water systems. We firmly believe that implementing our approach in conjunction with current modalities in clinical workflows could reduce device-related infections and help alleviate the burden of AMR.

Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing using nanopore technology has become increasingly relevant for profiling complex microbial communities, including the human oral microbiome. Primer selection plays a critical role in amplification bias and taxonomic resolution, yet remains insufficiently investigated for oropharyngeal samples.

To compare the effectiveness of manual cleaning, alkaline multi-enzyme immersion with ultrasonic cleaning, and automatic reprocessing machines in decontaminating laparoscopes through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a rapidly progressive disease with high mortality. This study aims to identify mortality risk factors in SFTS and create a prognostic model for early high-risk patient identification.

Repeat urine testing is key for the management of candiduria. Current urine testing methods are time-consuming. This study presents an assay coupling PCR with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS), termed MALDI-TOF nucleic acid MS (MALDI-TOF NAMS), for rapid detection of five medically important species (, , , and in urine.

Pulmonary tuberculosis, caused by (Mtb), remains one of the leading causes of infectious disease-related mortality worldwide. In parallel, lung cancer represents the most lethal neoplasm, with high mortality rates globally. Emerging studies suggest that chronic Mtb infection may contribute to the development of lung cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma. Several biological mechanisms support this hypothesis. Chronic inflammation from tuberculosis creates a microenvironment enriched in proinflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and growth factors that favor cell proliferation, genomic instability, angiogenesis, and immune evasion, which are considered classic hallmarks of cancer. Additionally, both protein and non-protein virulence factors of Mtb have been shown to interfere with critical cellular signaling pathways related to tumor cell survival and invasion. Clinically, multiple observational studies and meta-analyses report an increased incidence of lung cancer among individuals with a history of tuberculosis, especially when both conditions coexist in the same pulmonary regions. Specific mutations, including EGFR, have been identified in patients with prior tuberculosis, influencing both prognosis and therapeutic response. Nevertheless, key questions remain regarding the causal nature of this association, the role of Mtb strains, and the molecular factors such as epigenetic modifications or the lung microbiome. This review proposes that infection with Mtb could function as a carcinogenic agent. Further experiments, cellular models, and clinical investigations are urgently needed to support potential reclassification of this pathogen by international agencies such as the IARC.

Chronic progression is a major clinical challenge in human brucellosis (HB), affecting nearly one-third of patients and leading to long-term disability. Reliable early prediction tools are lacking, hindering timely risk stratification and individualized management. This study aimed to develop and validate machine learning (ML) models to predict chronic progression using routinely available clinical and laboratory data.