Auris

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies show that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the number of surgeries performed. However, data on the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and otolaryngologic surgeries according to subspecialties are lacking. This study was performed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various types of otolaryngologic surgeries. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients who underwent otolaryngologic surgeries from April 2018 to February 2021 using a Japanese national inpatient database...

UNLABELLED: Candida auris , a multidrug-resistant human fungal pathogen, was first identified in 2009 in Japan. Since then, systemic C. auris infections have now been reported in more than 50 countries, with mortality rates of 30-60%. A major contributing factor to its high inter- and intrahospital clonal transmission is that C. auris, unlike most Candida species, displays unique skin tropism and can stay on human skin for a prolonged period. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for C...

Candida auris is an emerging nosocomial fungal pathogen associated with life-threatening invasive disease due to its persistent colonization, high level of transmissibility and multi-drug resistance. Aggregative and non-aggregative growth phenotypes for C. auris strains with different biofilm forming abilities, drug susceptibilities and virulence characteristics have been described. Using comprehensive transcriptional analysis we identified key cell surface adhesins that were highly upregulated in the aggregative phenotype during in vitro and in vivo grown biofilms using a mouse model of catheter infection...

Candida auris is an emerging nosocomial fungal pathogen associated with life-threatening invasive disease due to its persistent colonization, high level of transmissibility and multi-drug resistance. Aggregative and non-aggregative growth phenotypes for C. auris strains with different biofilm forming abilities, drug susceptibilities and virulence characteristics have been described. Using comprehensive transcriptional analysis we identified key cell surface adhesins that were highly upregulated in the aggregative phenotype during in vitro and in vivo grown biofilms using a mouse model of catheter infection...

Candida auris is an emerging fungal pathogen that typically affects patients in healthcare settings. Data on C. auris cases in correctional facilities are limited but are needed to guide public health recommendations. We describe cases and challenges of providing care for 13 patients who were transferred to correctional facilities during January 2020-December 2022 after having a positive C. auris specimen. All patients had positive specimens identified while receiving inpatient care at healthcare facilities in geographic areas with high C...

PURPOSE: Candida auris, an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast, has been reported worldwide. In Italy, the first case was reported in 2019. We describe the first case of C. auris, imported from Greece, in Milan, using whole genome sequencing to characterise mutations associated with antifungal resistance. CASE PRESENTATION: On October 2022 an 80-year-old Italian man was hospitalised in Greece. In the absence of clinical improvement, the patient was transferred to our hospital, in Italy, where blood culture resulted positive for C...

Hearing is an essential sensation, and its deterioration leads to a significant decrease in the quality of life. Thus, great efforts have been made by otologists to preserve and recover hearing. Our knowledge regarding the field of otology has progressed with advances in technology, and otologists have sought to develop novel approaches in the field of otologic surgery to achieve higher hearing recovery or preservation rates. This requires knowledge regarding the anatomy of the temporal bone and the physiology of hearing...

OBJECTIVE: The prognostic value of electroneurography (ENoG) for predicting the incidence of synkinesis is reportedly about 40 % using the formal standard method (ENoG-SM). However, the prognostic value of ENoG using the newly developed midline method (ENoG-MM) has not been determined. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the optimal prognostic value and advantages of ENoG-MM for predicting the incidence of synkinesis. METHODS: Participants were 573 patients treated for peripheral facial palsy including Bell's palsy or Ramsay Hunt syndrome...

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a functional neuro-otologic disorder that is the most frequent cause of chronic vestibular syndrome. The core vestibular symptoms include dizziness, unsteadiness, and non-spinning vertigo, which are exacerbated by an upright posture or walking, active or passive motion, and exposure to moving or complex visual stimuli. PPPD is mostly precipitated by acute or episodic vestibular diseases; however, its symptoms cannot be accounted for by its precipitants. PPPD is not a diagnosis of exclusion, but may coexist with other structural diseases...

OBJECTIVE: Airway surgery is performed for COVID-19 patients who require long-term tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. Tracheostomy sometimes causes postoperative complications represented by bleeding at a relatively high rate in COVID-19 patients. As an alternative surgical procedure to tracheostomy, cricotracheostomy may reduce these complications, but few studies have examined its safety. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected for sixteen COVID-19 patients (11 underwent tracheostomy, 5 underwent modified cricotracheostomy)...

BACKGROUND: The emergence of the pathogenic yeast Candida auris is of global concern due to its ability to cause hospital outbreaks and develop resistance against all antifungal drug classes. Based on published data for baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sphingolipid biosynthesis, which is essential for maintaining membrane fluidity and formation of lipid rafts, could offer a target for additive treatment. METHODS: We analysed the susceptibility of C. auris to myriocin, which is an inhibitor of the de novo synthesis of sphingolipids in eukaryotic cells in comparison to other Candida species...

Extensive research has focused on exploring the range of genome sizes in eukaryotes, with a particular emphasis on land plants, where significant variability has been observed. Accurate estimation of genome size is essential for various research purposes, but existing sequence-based methods have limitations, particularly for low-coverage datasets. In this study, we introduce LocoGSE, a novel genome size estimator designed specifically for low-coverage datasets generated by genome skimming approaches. LocoGSE relies on mapping the reads on single copy consensus proteins without the need for a reference genome assembly...

OBJECTIVE: Transoral surgery is a minimally invasive treatment but may cause severe dysphagia at a lower rate than chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: We compared clinical information, surgical complications, and swallowing function in patients who underwent transoral nonrobotic surgery for laryngo-pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 2015 and 2021 in a multicenter retrospective study. RESULTS: Six hundred and forty patients were included. Postoperative bleeding was observed in 20 cases (3...

(1) Background: In recent years, a global epidemiological shift in candidemia has been observed, marked by the emergence of resistant non-albicans Candida species. Candida auris , in particular, has become a significant global concern, causing infections in both pediatric and adult populations within healthcare settings. Despite its widespread impact, there is a limited understanding of the clinical course and transmission dynamics of neonatal systemic Candida auris infections, hindering effective prevention and management...

Background and Objectives : Urinary tract infections [UTIs] are considered the third most known risk of infection in human health around the world. There is increasing appreciation for the pathogenicity of Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains in UTIs, aside from fungal infection, as they have numerous virulence factors. Materials and Methods : In this study, fifty urine samples were collected from patients suffering from UTI. Among the isolates of UTI microbes, six isolates were described as MDR isolates after an antibiotic susceptibility test carried out using ten different antibiotics...

Candida auris poses a serious threat to infection control and patient care since it can produce invasive infections that have a high fatality rate, has been linked to outbreaks in hospital environments, and is typically resistant to several antifungal medications. Since its first description in 2009, six clades have been described. The emerging fungal pathogen possesses adhesins that allow it to adhere to host tissues and medical devices, can form biofilms, produces various hydrolytic enzymes, employs several strategies to evade host immune responses, and exhibits high genetic diversity, which may contribute to its ability to adapt to different environmental conditions and evade host defenses...

BACKGROUND: Candida auris (C. auris) is a fungal pathogen that has the potential for environmental persistence leading to outbreaks in healthcare settings. There has been a worldwide surge in C. auris outbreaks during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this report, we describe an outbreak of C. auris, its control, patient outcomes, and lessons learned. METHODS: The outbreak occurred in a 600-bed adult academic tertiary care hospital. Contact tracing was initiated immediately after identification of the index case and surveillance testing for C...

OBJECTIVE: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a relatively rare genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 in 20,000 people. Approximately 50 genes are currently known to cause PCD. In light of differences in causative genes and the medical system in Japan compared with other countries, a practical guide was needed for the diagnosis and management of Japanese PCD patients. METHODS: An ad hoc academic committee was organized under the Japanese Rhinologic Society to produce a practical guide, with participation by committee members from several academic societies in Japan...

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the treatment outcomes of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) in patients with contact granuloma (CG) and to investigate the parameters of 24 h combined dual channel pH/impedance (24 h pH/MII) monitoring, which are reliable for predicting the response to PPI of CG patients. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients with CG who had been treated with PPIs and had completed more than 6 months of follow-up. We classified the patients into two groups (cured vs...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate pre- and post-operative semicircular canal function in patients with vestibular schwannoma (VS) by the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT). METHODS: Nineteen patients with VS who underwent surgery were enrolled in this study. The gain in vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and the degree of scatter in catch-up saccades were examined pre- and post-operatively for the semicircular canals in VS patients. RESULTS: Ten of 19 cases (52...