Objective To summarize the changing prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales based on the data of CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program from 2015 to 2021 for improving antimicrobial treatment in clinical practice.Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using a commercial automated susceptibility testing system according to the unified CHINET protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)M100 31st ed in 2021.Results Over the seven-year period(2015-2021),the overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE)was 9.43％(62 342/661 235).The prevalence of CRE strains in Klebsiella pneumoniae,Citrobacter freundii,and Enterobacter cloacae was 22.38％,9.73％,and 8.47％,respectively.The prevalence of CRE strains in Escherichia coli was 1.99％.A few CRE strains were also identified in Salmonella and Shigella.The CRE strains were mainly isolated from respiratory specimens(44.23±2.80)％,followed by blood(20.88±3.40)％and urine(18.40±3.45)％.Intensive care units(ICUs)were the major source of the CRE strains(27.43±5.20)％.CRE strains were resistant to all the β-lactam antibiotics tested and most non-β-lactam antimicrobial agents.The CRE strains were relatively susceptible to tigecycline and polymyxins with low resistance rates.Conclusions The prevalence of CRE strains was increasing from 2015 to 2021.CRE strains were highly resistant to most of the antibacterial drugs used in clinical practice.Clinicians should prescribe antimicrobial agents rationally.Hospitals should strengthen antibiotic stewardship in key clinical settings such as ICUs,and take effective infection control measures to curb CRE outbreak and epidemic in hospitals.

Objective To summarize the changing prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales based on the data of CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program from 2015 to 2021 for improving antimicrobial treatment in clinical practice.Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using a commercial automated susceptibility testing system according to the unified CHINET protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)M100 31st ed in 2021.Results Over the seven-year period(2015-2021),the overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE)was 9.43％(62 342/661 235).The prevalence of CRE strains in Klebsiella pneumoniae,Citrobacter freundii,and Enterobacter cloacae was 22.38％,9.73％,and 8.47％,respectively.The prevalence of CRE strains in Escherichia coli was 1.99％.A few CRE strains were also identified in Salmonella and Shigella.The CRE strains were mainly isolated from respiratory specimens(44.23±2.80)％,followed by blood(20.88±3.40)％and urine(18.40±3.45)％.Intensive care units(ICUs)were the major source of the CRE strains(27.43±5.20)％.CRE strains were resistant to all the β-lactam antibiotics tested and most non-β-lactam antimicrobial agents.The CRE strains were relatively susceptible to tigecycline and polymyxins with low resistance rates.Conclusions The prevalence of CRE strains was increasing from 2015 to 2021.CRE strains were highly resistant to most of the antibacterial drugs used in clinical practice.Clinicians should prescribe antimicrobial agents rationally.Hospitals should strengthen antibiotic stewardship in key clinical settings such as ICUs,and take effective infection control measures to curb CRE outbreak and epidemic in hospitals.

COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has being spreading around the world, posing a serious threat to human health and lives. Neutralizing antibodies and small molecule inhibitors for virus replication cycle are the main antiviral treatment for novel coronavirus recommended in China. To further promote the rational use of antiviral therapy in clinical practice, the National Center for Infectious Diseases (Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University and the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine) invited experts in fields of infectious diseases, respiratory and intensive care to develop an Expert Consensus on Antiviral Therapy of COVID-19 based on the Diagnosis and Treatment Guideline for COVID-19 ( trial version 10) and experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 in China. The consensus is concise, practical and highly operable, hopefully it would improve the understanding of antiviral therapy for clinicians and provide suggestions for standardized medication in treatment of COVID-19.

The first global outbreak of monkeypox in non-epidemic regions occurred in May 2022, and the World Health Organization defined it as a public health emergency of international concern in July 2022. Compared with previous outbreaks of monkeypox in Africa, the current one is different in etiology, epidemiology and clinical characteristics. This article reviews the features of the latest outbreak of monkeypox, and the currently available antiviral treatment and vaccines, so as to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of monkeypox.

Objective To analyze the resistance proifle of bacterial strains isolated from geriatric patients in 17 hospitals across China from 2005 to 2014.Methods A total of 17 representative general hospitals were involved in this program. Bacterial susceptibility testing was carried out by means of a uniifed protocol using Kirby-Bauer method and MIC determination. The results were analyzed according to CLSI 2014 breakpoints.Results The proportion of the strains isolated from geriatric patients among all the clinical isolates increased with time from 30.0% in 2005 to 32.7% in 2014. A total of 159 888 clinical isolates were collected from geriatric patient during the period from 2005 to 2014, about 33.1% of the whole patient population. Gram negative organisms and gram positive cocci accounted for 77.1% (123 229/159 888) and 22.9% (36 659/159 888), respectively. Majority (92.8%, 148 376/159 888) of the isolates were from inpatients and more than half (55.2%, 88 201/159 888) of the isolates were from sputum or other respiratory tract specimens. Methicillin-resistant strains inS. aureus (MRSA) and coagulase negativeStaphylococcus (MRCNS) accounted for an average of 67.1% and 75.9%, respectively. The resistance rates of methicillin-resistant strains to β-lactams and other antimicrobial agents were much higher than those of methicillin-susceptible strains. No staphylococcal strains were found resistant to vancomycin, teicoplanin or linezolid. Some strains ofE. faecalis (0.4%) andE. faecium (4.6%) were resistant to vancomycin, which was higher than average national level (0.3%, 3.2%). Vancomycin-resistant strains ofE. faecalisandE. faecium were mainly VanA type and VanB type based on their phenotype. The prevalence of penicillin-susceptibleS. pneumoniae strains was 78.2%, slightly lower than the 95.0% in Chinese adults in year 2014. The prevalence of ESBLs-producing strains was 67.5% inE. coli, 40.4% inKlebsiella (K. pneumoniae andK. oxytoca) and 34.3% inProteus mirabilis isolates on average. The strains ofEnterobacteriaceae were still highly susceptible to carbapenems (<10% resistant), followed by amikacin and the beta-lactam and beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations. Overall, 35.9% and 33.0% of theP. aeruginosa strains were resistant to imipenem and meropenem. More than 50% of theA. baumannii strains were resistant to imipenem and meropenem. The prevalence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR)P. aeruginosa (4.0%-1.8%) was higher than the average national level (2.1%-1.6%). The prevalence of XDR A. baumannii (19.2%-15.5%) and XDREnterobacteriaceae (0.1%-1.0%) was lower than the average national level (21.4%-19.7% and 0.3%-3.2%).Conclusions The proportion of clinical isolates from geriatric patients is different from average national level at the same period. The isolates from geriatric patients are more likely from inpatients, respiratory tract specimens and more likely non-fermentative gram-negative bacilli compared to average national level. The proportion of fastidious bacteria andEnterobacteriaceae species is generally lower than average national level. MRSA, VRE, ESBLs-producing strains and XDRP. aeruginosa are more prevalent in geriatric patients than in general Chinese patient population. This study suggests that surveillance of antimicrobial resistance for the clinical isolates from geriatric patients is very important for rational antimicrobial therapy.

Objective To investigate the distribution and changing resistance proifle ofSalmonella isolates in hospitals across China during the period from January 2005 to December 2014.Methods Seventeen general hospitals and two children’s hospitals were involved in this program. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out by means of a unified protocol using Kirby-Bauer method or MIC determination. The results were analyzed according to CLSI 2014 breakpoints.Results The proportion ofSalmonella isolates increased with time from 0.2% in 2005 to 0.7% in 2014. A total of 3 478Salmonella strains were collected from 19 hospitals. The proportion ofSalmonella typhimurium andSalmonella enteritidis was 27.4% and 24.4%, respectively. During the 10-year period, theSalmonella strains showed highest resistance rate to ampicillin (33.3%-64.8%), but low resistance to cefoperazone-sulbactam (0-5.3%) and ciprofloxacin (2.4%-14.3%).S. typhimurium showed higher resistance rate thanS. typhi,S. paratyphi andS. enteritidis. About 76.8% and 50.5% ofS. typhimurium were resistant to ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The average prevalence of multi-drug resistantSalmonellawas 3.9% in the ten-year period, the highest (7.5%) was in 2005, the lowest (1.5%) in 2013.Conclusions During the period from 2004 to 2015, majority of theSalmonella isolates in hospitals across China wasS. typhimurium andS. enteritidis. Ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole are no longer appropriate for empirical treatment ofS. typhimurium infection due to high resistance rate.Salmonella isolates are relatively more susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins and quinolones. Ongoing monitoring is necessary to identify multi-drug resistant strains ofSalmonella.

Objective To investigate the distribution and antibiotic resistance proifle of clinicalEnterobacter isolates using the data from CHINET during the period from 2005 through 2014.Methods A total of 20 558 clinical strains ofEnterobacter spp. were collected from 2005 to 2014 in CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed with Kirby-Bauer or minimum inhibitory concentration method. The results were analyzed according to CLSI 2014 breakpoints.ResultsEnterobacter cloacae andEnterobacter aerogenes accounted for 71.1% (14 617/20558) and 20.1% (4 129/20 558) of all theEnterobacterisolates, respectively. The proportion ofEnterobacter spp. increased with time from 3.5% in 2005 to 4.3% in 2014. The main source of the isolates was respiratory tract, accounting for 55.2% (11 358/20 558). More than 90% of theEnterobacterisolates were resistant to cefazolin and cefoxitin, but less than 30% of the strains were resistant to cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam, cefoperazone-sulbactam, amikacin, gentamicin, ciprolfoxacin, meropenem, imipenem and ertapenem. TheEnterobacterisolates showed a trend of declining resistance to most antibiotics except ertapenem and meropenem. The resistance proifle ofEnterobacterisolates varied with departments where they were isolated. The strains from ICU and Department of Surgery were relatively more resistant to antibiotics. The prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains was decreasing, but the prevalence of carbapenem-resistantEnterobacter (CRE, resistant to any of imipenem, meropenem or ertapenem) was increasing. The MDR and CRE strains were primarily isolated from ICU and Department of Surgery. At least 30% of the MDREnterobacter strains were resistant to any of the antimicrobial agents tested except meropenem, imipenem and ertapenem and at least 35% of the CRE strains were resistant to any of the antimicrobial agents tested except amikacin and ciprolfoxacin.Conclusions TheEnterobacter isolates in CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program showed decreasing resistance to most of the antimicrobial agents tested since 2011, but the prevalence of CRE strains increased progressively. Effective measures should be carried out to prevent the spread of CRE strains in hospitals.

Objective To evaluate the changing pattern of antibiotic resistance inKlebsiella strains isolated from the patients in 19 hospitals across China based on the data from CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program during the period from 2005 through 2014.Methods Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and automated susceptibility testing methods were used to test the susceptibility ofKlebsiella isolates to the commonly used antibiotics. The results were interpreted according to the criteria of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (CLSI-2014).Results A total of 61 406Klebsiella strains were identified between 2005 and 2014, includingK. pneumoniae (56 281 strains), K. oxytoca(4 779),Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp.Ozaenae (300) and otherKlebsiella species (46). Most (89.0%, 54 664/61 406) of theKlebsiella strains were isolated from inpatients, and 60.0% (36 835/61 406) were from respiratory tract speciems. About 16.7% (10 248/61 406) of the strains were isolated from pediatric patients aged 0-17 years and 83.3% (51 158/61 406) from adult patients. The prevalence ofKlebsiella spp. increased with time from 10.1% in 2005 to 14.3% in 2014. Based on the surveillance data during the 10-year period, we found a marked increase of resistance to imipenem (2.9% to 10.5%) and meropenem (2.8% to 13.4%) inKlebsiella spp. The prevalence of ESBLs-producing isolates inK. pneumoniae andK. oxytoca decreased from 39.0% in 2005 to 30.1% in 2014. The resistance to amikacin, ceftazidime, ciprolfoxacin, pipracillin-tazobactam and cefoperazone-sulbactam was on decline. The resistance rate to cefotaxime remained high about 49.5%. Carbapenem resistantance was identiifed in 5 796 (9.4%) of the isolates, including 5 492 strains ofK. pneumoniae and 280 strains ofK. oxytoca. Overall, 4 740 (7.8%) strains were identiifed as extensively-drug resistant (XDR), including 4 520 strains ofK. pneumoniae and 202 strains ofK. oxytoca. The carbapenem-resistant strains showed high (>60%) resistance rate to majority of the antimicrobial agents tested, but relatively low resistance to tigecycline (16.8%), amikacin (54.4%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (55.5%).Conclusions During the 10-year period from 2005 through 2014, carbapenem resistance amongKlebsiella isolates has increased dramatically in the hospitals across China. The level of resistance to other antibiotics remains stable.

Objective To detect the disinfectant-resistant geneqacA/B in the strains ofStaphylococcous aureus isolated from January 2014 to December 2014.Methods Fifty-one isolates were collected. PCR assay was used to detectmecA gene andqacA/B gene in the isolates followed byStaphylococcus protein A (spa) typing. Antimicrobial-resistant phenotypic typing was conducted to analyze the homology of theseqacA/B positive strains. The clinical information of the patients from whom the strains were isolated was collected to further understand the clinical background ofqacA/B-carryingS. aureus.Results The prevalence ofmecA and qacA/B genes was 21.6% (11/51) and 13.7% (7/51), respectively in the strains. The prevalence ofqacA/B gene in the methicillin-resistantS. aureus strains (54.5%, 6/11) was signiifcantly higher than that in the methicillin-sensitiveS. aureus strains (2.50%, 1/40). The prevalence ofmecA gene inqacA/B gene positive strains (6/7) was signiifcantly higher than that inqacA/B gene negative strains (1/7). TheseqacA/B positive strains were classiifed into 4 spa types (t037, t091, t932 and t895). The main type was t037 (4/7), which was from the pediatric ward.Conclusions The prevalence ofqacA/B gene is low in theS. aureus strains. However, the prevalence of this gene in methicillin-resistantS. aureus strains is far higher than that in methicillin-sensitiveS. aureus. spa type t037 may be a prevalent clone in pediatric ward.

AIM:To determine the therapeutic efficacy of recombinant adenovirus containing hyper-interleu-kin-6 (HIL-6) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (Ad-HGF-HIL-6) on acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in rats u-sing that of recombinant adenovirus HIL-6 or HGF ( Ad-HIL-6 or Ad-HGF) for comparison.METHODS:The rat model of ACLF was established and the model rats were randomly divided into model group, Ad0 group, Ad-HGF group, Ad-HIL-6 group and Ad-HGF-HIL-6 group.The sera and liver tissues were collected for biochemical, pathological and molecular bio-logical examinations.RESULTS:Compared with Ad0 group, prothrombin time ( PT) and the serum levels of alanine amin-otransferase (ALT), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interferon-γ(IFN-γ) and high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) were markedly reduced in the ACLF rats treated with Ad-HGF, Ad-HIL-6 and Ad-HGF-HIL-6, and similarly, reduced he-patic damages and apoptotic activity, reduced Bax at protein level, and increased expression of Ki67 and Bcl-2 at protein levels were observed.Among them, treatment with Ad-HGF-HIL-6 showed the most significant therapeutic efficacy without obvious side effects.CONCLUSION:The therapeutic efficacy of Ad-HGF-HIL-6 is more potent than that of Ad-HGF or Ad-HIL-6 alone on ACLF rats with no significant side effects.