This is a retrospective and observational study on 1511 patients with SARS-CoV-2, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 by real-time PCR testing and hospitalized due to COVID-19 pneumonia. 1511 patients, 879 male (58.17%) and 632 female (41.83%) with a mean age of 60.1 ± 14.7 were included in the study. Survivors and non-survivors groups were statistically compared with respect to survival, discharge, ICU admission and in-hospital death. Although gender was not statistically significant different between two groups, 80 (60.15%) of the patients who died were male. Mean age was 72.8 ± 11.8 in non-survivors vs. 59.9 ± 14.7 in survivors (p < 0.001). Overall in-hospital mortality was found to be 8.8% (133/1511 cases), and overall ICU admission was 10.85% (164/1511 cases). The PSI/PORT score of the non-survivors group was higher than that of the survivors group (144.38 ± 28.64 versus 67.17 ± 25.63, p < 0.001). The PSI/PORT yielding the highest performance was the best predictor for in-hospital mortality, since it incorporates the factors as advanced age and comorbidity (AUROC 0.971; % 95 CI 0.961–0.981). The use of A-DROP may also be preferred as an easier alternative to PSI/PORT, which is a time-consuming evaluation although it is more comprehensive.

The prognostic role of D-dimer in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Mediterranean Journal of Infection, Microbes and Antimicrobials (MJIMA) is the official journal of the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialty Society of Turkey (TÜRKİYE-EKMUD).

Lower respiratory tract (LRT) infections require rapid and accurate diagnosis. While bacterial culture remains the gold standard, multiplex PCR (mPCR) enables faster and more sensitive detection of multiple pathogens. This study evaluates the Bio-Speedy mPCR panel for 18 bacteria in comparison to conventional culture. A total of 100 LRT samples were analyzed. Complete concordance between the methods was observed in 85% of samples, with mPCR detecting pathogens slightly more frequently (62% vs. 53%). Discrepancies were primarily due to prior antibiotic therapy, low bacterial loads, colonization, or pathogens not included in the PCR panel. The sensitivity and specificity of mPCR were 79.3% and 96.8%, respectively, with negative agreement at 98.9% and positive agreement at 57.0%. Considering culture-negative but clinically relevant PCR-positive results, the sensitivity improved to 98.1% and the positive agreement to 86.7%. mPCR offers early pathogen detection, enabling timely therapy and potentially improving outcomes, particularly in intensive care settings. While culture remains indispensable for viable pathogen identification, combining mPCR with conventional methods provides complementary information, particularly when prior antibiotic use or the presence of fastidious pathogens may compromise culture results. Careful consideration of cost, patient population, and clinical context is recommended for optimal implementation of mPCR panels.

Candida auris has emerged as a significant global health threat due to its resistance to multiple antifungal agents and its prominent role in healthcare-associated infections. This study aims to compare the clinical characteristics, risk factors, antifungal resistance profiles, and mortality rates of candidemia caused by C. auris and non-auris Candida spp. (NACS). This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital from 2021 to 2024. Patients aged 18 years and older with positive blood cultures for Candida spp. were included. Demographic data, comorbidities, risk factors, mortality rates, and treatment protocols were analyzed. A total of 1,088 candidemia cases were included in the study (C. auris: 126 cases, NACS: 962 cases). The length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the C. auris group compared to the NACS group (50.98 ± 38.79 vs. 33.05 ± 25.57 days, p < 0.001). Independent risk factors for C. auris candidemia included longer hospitalization before candidemia (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01-1.02, p < 0.001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.07-3.31, p = 0.026), prior antifungal use within 30 days (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.22-3.03, p = 0.005), and ICU admission (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.10-3.92, p = 0.023). Antifungal resistance rates among C. auris isolates were 96.49% for fluconazole, 72.81% for amphotericin B, and 25.89% for caspofungin. The 30-day mortality rate was lower in the C. auris group (48.4%) compared to the NACS group (60.2%) (p = 0.012). Although crude 30-day mortality was lower in the C. auris group, adjusted analysis showed comparable 30-day mortality between the C. auris and NACS groups. These findings highlight the increasing clinical burden of C. auris and support accurate species identification, local antifungal susceptibility surveillance, and rigorous infection-control measures. Not applicable.