Purpose: The global crisis of antimicrobial resistance has reached critical levels, with multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens threatening to render conventional antibiotics ineffective. This mini review synthesizes recent evidence from 2020 to 2026 on bacteriophage therapy against MDR bacteria, examining clinical applications, engineering advances, mechanistic insights, and emerging technologies. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases, supplemented by PubMed, Google Scholar, and ArXiv searches, focusing on phage therapy for MDR bacterial infections published between 2020 and 2026. Results: Recent developments include expanded clinical experience through specialized phage centers, sophisticated genetic engineering techniques including CRISPR-based systems, successful compassionate-use programs, and innovative combination therapies with antibiotics. Clinical reports demonstrate safety and preliminary efficacy signals in selected refractory infections, though randomized controlled data remain limited. Engineering advances have produced phage-delivered CRISPR antimicrobials, hybrid delivery platforms, and synthetic phage particles that expand therapeutic capabilities. Conclusion: While challenges remain in regulatory standardization, scalable manufacturing, and resistance management, the field has demonstrated significant progress toward clinical translation. The convergence of synthetic biology, personalized medicine approaches, and growing clinical evidence positions phage therapy as a viable complementary strategy in the fight against MDR bacterial infections.

Molecular point-of-care testing (POCT) for respiratory infections has undergone remarkable advancement over the past two decades, driven by technological innovation and urgent clinical needs highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This comprehensive systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, synthesizing evidence from 254 peer-reviewed studies published between 2006 and 2026, with detailed analysis of the 30 most relevant papers selected through a rigorous four-stage screening process. The review examines the evolution of molecular POCT technologies, including reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), and CRISPR-based detection systems. Key findings demonstrate that modern molecular POCT platforms achieve diagnostic performance comparable to laboratory-based testing, with sensitivities ranging from 88% to 100% and specificities from 98% to 100%, while delivering results in 15 to 80 min. These technologies enable rapid, accurate detection of major respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and atypical bacteria. The integration of microfluidic systems, portable devices, and smartphone-based analysis has expanded access to testing in resource-limited settings, emergency departments, and wearable platforms. This review provides critical insights for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers regarding the current state, clinical applications, and future directions of molecular POCT for respiratory infections.

Background: Turnaround time (TAT) is a key performance indicator in clinical microbiology, particularly for urine cultures, which represent a high-volume workload and directly impact antimicrobial stewardship. Methods: This retrospective observational study compared urine culture TAT before (2023, manual workflow) and after (2025, total laboratory automation using WASPLab™) implementation in a high-volume reference laboratory. A total of 16,210 cultures in 2023 and 60,474 in 2025 were included. TAT was defined as the time from laboratory receipt to final report validation. Results: Implementation of total laboratory automation significantly reduced median TAT for both negative cultures (from 49.68 to 34.38 h) and positive cultures (from 50.42 to 34.62 h) (p < 0.001). In addition, variability in reporting times decreased, indicating improved consistency. Laboratory productivity increased from 2316 to 7559 cultures per full-time equivalent, representing a 3.26-fold improvement. Conclusions: Total laboratory automation significantly improved the speed and consistency of urine culture reporting, supporting enhanced laboratory efficiency and facilitating timely clinical decision-making.

Post-COVID-19 respiratory pathogen dynamics remain incompletely characterized, particularly in the Arabian Peninsula. Understanding pathogen prevalence, co

The human body harbors trillions of microorganisms collectively known as the microbiome, which plays fundamental roles in host physiology, metabolism, and immune function. The recognition that comm...