Rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has made it harder for us to combat infectious diseases and to develop new antibiotics. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated (CRISPR-Cas) system, as a bacterial adaptive immune system, is recognized as one of the new strategies for controlling antibioticresistant strains. The programmable Cas nuclease of this system used against bacterial genomic sequences could be lethal or could help reduce resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. Therefore, this study aims to review using the CRISPR-Cas system to promote sensitizing bacteria to antibiotics. We envision that CRISPR-Cas approaches may open novel ways for the development of smart antibiotics, which could eliminate multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens and differentiate between beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms. These systems can be exploited to quantitatively and selectively eliminate individual bacterial strains based on a sequence-specific manner, creating opportunities in the treatment of MDR infections, the study of microbial consortia, and the control of industrial fermentation.

Device-associated nosocomial infections was a particularly important problem in NICU. Close monitoring will decrease the rates of device-related nosocomial infections.

Acinetobacter baumannii infections in burn patients may lead to delays in wound healing, graft losses, and development of sepsis. Determining the risk factors for multidrug resistant A. baumannii (MDR-AB) infections is essential for infection control. In the present study, the authors aimed to evaluate risk factors for wound infections caused by A. baumannii in burn patients. The study was conducted at Dicle University Hospital Burn Center, from April 2011 to July 2012, to investigate the risk factors for MDR-AB infections. The data of both the case and control group patients and the result of wound cultures were recorded on a daily basis, on individual forms given for each patient, and analyzed. A total of 30 cases infected with MDR-AB, and 60 uninfected control patients, were included in the study. The mean age (±SD) was 7.7 ± 15.4 years in infected patients and 11.4 ± 16.5 years in uninfected patients. The mean total burn surface area was 13.5 ± 10.9% in uninfected patients and 34.7 ± 16.2% in infected patients. The mean total burn surface area, the abbreviated burn severity index, acute physiological and chronic health evaluation II score, day of admission to hospital, length of hospital stay, first excision day, prior usage of third-generation cephalosporins, and stay in intensive care unit of the infected patients were significantly higher (P < .001) than those of patients without infection. Univariate analysis found that high acute physiological and chronic health evaluation II score, first excision time of wound, invasive device usage, admission day to hospital, and prior usage of broad-spectrum antibiotics were risk factors for nosocomial infections. This study showed that multiple factors contribute to multidrug resistance in A. baumannii. A combination of an early diagnosis of wound infections, appropriate antimicrobial treatments, surgical debridement, and early wound closure may be effective in the management.

There are currently no licensed vaccines or therapeutics for COVID‐19. Anti‐SARS CoV‐2 antibody‐containing plasmas, obtained from the recovered individuals who had confirmed COVID‐19, have been started to be collected using apheresis devices and stored in blood banks in some countries in order to administer to the patients with COVID‐19 for reducing the need of intensive care and the mortality rates. Therefore, in this review, we aim to point out some important issues related to convalescent plasma (CP) and its use in COVID‐19. CP may be an adjunctive treatment option to the anti‐viral therapy. The protective effect of CP may continue for weeks and months. After the assessment of the donor, 200‐600 mL plasma can be collected with apheresis devices. The donation interval may vary between countries. Even though limited published studies are not prospective or randomized, until the development of vaccines or therapeutics, CP seems to be a safe and probably effective treatment for critically ill patients with COVID‐19. It could also be used for prophylactic purposes but the safety and effectiveness of this approach should be tested in randomized prospective clinical trials.

Component Cap color Storage conditions 2X Environmental Master Mix Orange Shipped at-20°C. After first use, store at 2-8°C if used frequently, otherwise store at-20°C. Protect the 2X Environmental Master Mix from light. DNA Dilution Buffer Clear 16S Primer Set V2-4-8 (10X) Green Store at-15 to-25°C. 16S Primer Set V3-6, 7-9 (10X) Blue Negative Control White E. coli DNA control (30 µg/mL) Red Store at-15 to-25°C. Store separately from other reagents to prevent cross-contamination. Note: For safety and biohazard guidelines, refer to the "Safety" appendix in the Ion 16S ™ Metagenomics Kit User Guide (Pub. no. MAN0010799). Read the Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and follow the handling instructions. Wear appropriate protective eyewear, clothing, and gloves.