Antibiotic resistance is a global public health concern, posing a significant threat to the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating bacterial infections. The accurate and timely detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is crucial for implementing appropriate treatment strategies and preventing the spread of resistant strains. This manuscript provides an overview of the current and emerging technologies used for the detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We discuss traditional culture-based methods, molecular techniques, and innovative approaches, highlighting their advantages, limitations, and potential future applications. By understanding the strengths and limitations of these technologies, researchers and healthcare professionals can make informed decisions in combating antibiotic resistance and improving patient outcomes.

A reliable estimate of Candida parapsilosis antifungal susceptibility in candidemia patients is increasingly important to track the spread of C. parapsilosis bloodstream infections and define the true burden of the ongoing antifungal resistance. A systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) were conducted aiming to estimate the global prevalence and identify patterns of antifungal resistance. A systematic literature search of the PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar electronic databases was conducted on published studies that employed antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) on clinical C. parapsilosis isolates globally. Seventy-nine eligible studies were included. Using meta-analysis of proportions, the overall pooled prevalence of three most important antifungal drugs; Fluconazole, Amphotericin B and Voriconazole resistant C. parapsilosis were calculated as 15.2% (95% CI: 9.2–21.2), 1.3% (95% CI: 0.0–2.9) and 4.7% (95% CI: 2.2–7.3), respectively. Based on study enrolment time, country/continent and AFST method, subgroup analyses were conducted for the three studied antifungals to determine sources of heterogeneity. Timeline and regional differences in C. parapsilosis prevalence of antifungal resistance were identified with the same patterns among the three antifungal drugs. These findings highlight the need to conduct further studies to assess and monitor the growing burden of antifungal resistance, to revise treatment guidelines and to implement regional surveillance to prevent further increase in C. parapsilosis drug resistance emerging recently.

Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) is an important healthcare-associated infection caused by various nosocomial pathogens. Candida parapsilosis has emerged as a crucial causative agent for the CRBSI in the last two decades. Many factors have been associated with the development of CRBSI including, demography, pre-maturity, comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart diseases, neuropathy, respiratory diseases, renal dysfunction, hematological and solid organ malignancies, and intestinal dysfunction), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation (MV), total parenteral nutrition (TPN), prior antibiotic and/or antifungal therapy, neutropenia, prior surgery, immunosuppressant, and type, site, number, and duration of catheters. This study aims to determine C. parapsilosis CRBSI risk factors. A retrospective study has been performed in an 853-bedded tertiary-care hospital in north-eastern Malaysia. All inpatients with C. parapsilosis positive blood cultures from January 2006 to December 2018 were included, and their medical records were reviewed using a standardized checklist. Out of 208 candidemia episodes, 177 had at least one catheter during admission, and 31 cases had not been catheterized and were excluded. Among the 177 cases, 30 CRBSI cases were compared to 147 non-CRBSI cases [81 bloodstream infections (BSIs), 66 catheter colonizers]. The significance of different risk factors was calculated using multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis of potential risk factors shows that ICU admission was significantly associated with non-CRBSI as compared to CRBSI [OR, 0.242; 95% CI (0.080–0.734); p = 0.012], and TPN was significantly positively associated with CRBSI than non-CRBSI [OR, 3.079; 95%CI (1.125–8.429); p = 0.029], while other risk factors were not associated significantly. Patients admitted in ICU were less likely to develop C. parapsilosis CRBSI while patients receiving TPN were more likely to have C. parapsilosis CRBSI when compared to the non-CRBSI group.

Candida infections are a global health concern, increasingly complicated by rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study analyzed the prevalence and AMR patterns of circulating Candida species in Amman, Jordan, using electronic records from a tertiary teaching hospital’s microbiology lab (from 2017 to 2022). Complete records of Candida isolates (n = 2673) were assessed by sample type, species, and AMR. Among positive blood samples, C. albicans accounted for the majority (38.7%), followed by C. tropicalis (19.0%), C. parapsilosis (18.3%), Nakaseomyces glabratus (14.6%), and Pichia kudriavzevii (9.5%). Non-albicans species demonstrated higher resistance to Caspofungin, notably P. kudriavzevii (23.1%), N. glabratus (30.0%), and C. parapsilosis (32.0%), compared to C. albicans (1.9%). In high vaginal swabs, C. albicans was most prevalent (63.7%), with N. glabratus also notable (28.6%); Fluconazole resistance in C. albicans remained low (2.0%). Across all pooled isolates, AMR was similar between inpatients and outpatients, except for Micafungin, where inpatient resistance was significantly higher. In conclusion, non-albicans species predominated in blood infections and demonstrated pronounced AMR. Micafungin resistance was notably higher among inpatients. Variations in Candida species and AMR by sample type suggest that aggregating samples in registry studies may obscure critical patterns.

A reliable estimation of Candida bloodstream infection prevalence is increasingly important to track changes in Candida species distribution and define burden of ongoing candidemia. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate candidemia prevalence and identify patterns of Candida species in South-eastern Asia. Systematic electronic-databases literature search was performed on published studies recorded candidemia prevalence in South-Eastern Asia. Using meta-analysis of proportions, the overall pooled prevalences of candidemia by Candida (C.) albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata were calculated as 28.4% (95% CI 24.9-31.8), 29.2% (95% CI 24.7-33.7), 19.1% (95% CI 14.8-23.4) and 14.0% (95% CI 10.4-17.5), respectively. Based on publication year and country, subgroup analyses were conducted on Candida species to determine heterogeneity source. The findings may not precisely reflect true candidemia prevalence in different countries. Therefore, it highlights continuous need to conduct prevalence studies, assess and monitor growing burden, control effect of potential risk factors and implement regional surveillance programs to prevent further rise.

Introduction: In 21st century, computers are crucial devices in universities’ official operations. In academic institutions, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are leading causes of decreased productivity, absenteeism, disability, and illness. Office staff who use computers extensively are vulnerable to occupational MSDs. This study aims to determine risk factors of MSDs among computer users in a public university. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 320 respondents among computer users working in all departments in Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus using random sampling. Tools used were a self-administered questionnaire containing questions on socio-demographical data, Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) for assessing musculoskeletal disorder and observation and Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) to assess office equipment and quantify exposure to risk factors in office work environment. Results: Response rate was 92% and 86.2% of respondents reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). The most prevalent MSD was lower back, 62.8% of MSD cases, followed by right shoulder (53.4%), hip/buttock (46.4%), and left shoulder (45.3%).Older age was significantly associated with WRMSDs (OR=6.944, CI:1.238-39.017, p=0.0.028) and with neck MSDs (OR=3.908, CI:1.342-11.377, p=0.012), while female gender was significantly associated with neck MSDs (OR=2.042, CI:1.199-3.475, p=0.009) and with upper arm MSDs (OR=1.791, CI:1.091-2.941, p=0.021). Older age was significantly associated with upper arm MSDs (OR=3.303, CI:1.006-10.849, p=0.049), while those with healthy and overweight were significantly associated with upper arm MSDs (OR=0.092, CI:0.010-0.814, p=0.046), (OR=0.127, CI:0.014-1.123, p=0.032), respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of reported WRMSDs and MSDs at neck and upper arm were associated with socio-demographic background and high duration of computer use; 12.2% of workstation presented musculoskeletal discomfort risk.