Editors in Conversation
Editors in Conversation is the official podcast of the American Society for Microbiology Journals. Editors in Conversation features discussions between ASM Journals Editors, researchers and clinicians working on the most cutting edge issues in the microbial sciences. Topics include laboratory diagnosis and clinical treatment of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, epidemiology of infections, multidrug-resistant organisms, pharmacology of antimicrobial agents, susceptibility testing, and more. The podcast is directed to microbiologists, infectious diseases clinicians, pharmacists and basic, clinical and translational researchers interested in the microbial sciences. A particular emphasis is on basic, epidemiological and pharmacological aspects of infectious diseases, including antimicrobial resistance and therapeutics.
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10 Years of Rhodococcus: Clinical Trends and Susceptibility Profiles
04/19/2024
10 Years of Rhodococcus: Clinical Trends and Susceptibility Profiles
Rhodococcus infections are uncommon, however they can cause serious disease in certain patients. There are a number of challenges though when dealing with Rhodococcus infections, including the fact that much of what we know around their susceptibility profiles and the clinical management of infected individuals actually comes from a number case series and in some situations, from the veterinary literature. So today, our two guests are going to tell us about their experiences with Rhodococcus over a 10-year period and bring us up-to-speed on things like: Which species of Rhodococcus are most commonly isolated and associated with clinical disease What is the recommended approach to susceptibility testing for Rhodococcus and what sorts of susceptibility trends do we see at both the genus and species levels And also, of course, we’re going to talk about the clinical manifestations and outcomes of clinically significant Rhodococcus infections Guests: Adi S. Shah, M.B.B.S., Mayo Clinic Nancy L. Wengenack, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Related article: Rhodococcus infection: This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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Why Phage Therapy May Fail
04/05/2024
Why Phage Therapy May Fail
Phage therapy has gained a lot of traction but the challenges created by this approach have not been properly assessed at a big scale. We often read about therapy successes on isolated cases but, rarely, we read or hear about failures. AAC recently published a case series of patients who failed phage therapy. Today, we will discuss this topic with the principal investigator on the research. Topics discussed: Phage therapy as an approach for MDR bacteria. The challenges of phage therapies. Issues that can influence the success of phage therapy Guest: . Director, Solid Organ Transplant Infectious Diseases Service, Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Diego. Article: Pseudomonas aeruginosa ventricular assist device infections: findings from ineffective phage therapies in five cases https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/aac.01728-23 Questions Answered: How are we doing with phage therapy at this point? What are the challenges to deploy phage therapy in clinical settings? The 5 cases of failure of phage therapy in patients with LVADs summarized What factors did Dr. Aslam identify that were related with the failure? How do you develop neutralization against phages and how can you prevent it? Bacterial isolates with varying phage susceptibility, how can this be detected? What did Dr. Aslam learn? Future research This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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Is Lophomonas a Pathogen?
02/23/2024
Is Lophomonas a Pathogen?
The protozoan Lophomonas has been reported to be a pathogen of humans in a large number of case reports and case series. Most of these case reports describe infections of the respiratory tract. Editors in Conversation is joined by two experts to discuss this possible parasite. Some of the questions addressed include: What are the characteristics of the species in the genus Lophomonas? What are the laboratory and morphological data that suggest that Lophomonas species cause human infections? What are the purported clinical manifestations of Lophomonas? Finally, is Lophomonas truly a pathogen of humans? Guests: Dr. Abhishek Mewara - Additional Professor in the Department of Medical Parasitology at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India. Dr. Bobbi Pritt - Chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology and Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic. Related article: “Lophomonas as a respiratory pathogen—jumping the gun,” by Abhishek Mewara, Gillian H. Gile, Blaine Mathison, Huan Zhao, Bobbi Pritt, and Richard S. Bradbury (). This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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Treatment of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis
02/09/2024
Treatment of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is one of the most deadly infectious diseases that still causes significant burden of disease, particularly in the developing world. The emergence of resistance to first line agents severely limits the therapeutic options and threaten the ability to control dissemination of this disease. Fortunately, new drugs and regimens are now emerging as important alternatives against these organisms. Today, we will discuss this topic with outstanding experts in the field. Welcome to the editors in conversation. Topics discussed: The burden of multidrug-resistant TB. New drugs and regimens for MDR TB. The current and future pipeline for TB Guests: Kelly Dooley, MD Ph.D. Professor and Addison B. Scoville, Jr., Chair in Medicine, Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Past Editor of AAC Sean Wasserman, MD Ph.D, Reader in Infectious Diseases at St Georges University of London and Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine at University of Cape Town, SA. Editor of AAC. This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript. Subscribe to Editors in Conversation (free) on , , , .
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New generation B-lactam/B-lactamase inhibitors: Taniborbactam
01/13/2024
New generation B-lactam/B-lactamase inhibitors: Taniborbactam
A new generation of B-lactamase inhibitors is likely to reach the market in the upcoming year. These broad-spectrum inhibitors exhibit activity against the most feared class B metallo-B-lactamases maintaining the inhibition of other enzymes. Recently AAC has published three papers that describe the mechanistic bases of taniborbactam resistance among metallo-enzymes. This knowledge is crucial to understand the limitation of these compounds in clinical practice. Today, we will discuss this topic with some of the authors of the mentioned papers. Welcome to the editors in conversation. Topics discussed: The activity and chemical basis of new generation B-lactamase inhibitors with activity against metallo-B-lactamases. Taniborbactam as an example of novel B-lactam, B-lactam inhibitors Mechanisms of resistance to taniborbactam and other inhibitors Guest: Robert Bonomo, MD. Director of the VA CARES Center and Distinguished Professor at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine. Past Editor of AAC Pranita Tamma, MD MPH. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Editor of AAC Alejandro Vila, PhD Professor of Biophysics, Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Journal and hosted by AAC Editor in Chief, Cesar Arias. AAC is available at https://asm.org/aac. Follow Cesar on twitter at https://twitter.com/SuperBugDoc for AAC updates. Subscribe to the podcast at https://asm.org/eic
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Favorite Clinical Microbiology Papers of 2023 (JCM ed.)
12/23/2023
Favorite Clinical Microbiology Papers of 2023 (JCM ed.)
We managed to make it through 2023 without a major epidemic or pandemic, and as we get into the holiday spirit and look forward to the new year, some of us took a look back and picked out one of our favorite JCM paper published in 2023, which I will tell you, was no easy task as there were many of good ones to choose from! And personally, after looking through all the issues over the last year, it never ceases to amaze me the variety of topics that we publish on in JCM – including unique things like the evaluation of a molecular assay for diagnosis of Buruli ulcers, to development of an EIA for detection of Taenia coproantigen, and then of course we have the more bread and butter things like evaluation of new assays for detection of TB resistance, to multiple studies this year on women’s health diagnostics, and evaluation of new molecular assays for congenital CMV detection, and then I’m also told that there were some awesome AST-focused papers too, which is all just great. The four of us JCM editors have selected the following favorite papers of ours from the past year: Commentary: Guests: , D(ABMM), FAAM, University of North Carolina Medical Center , D(ABMM), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript.
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Antimicrobial Resistance in Neisseria Gonorrhoeae (JCM ed.)
12/05/2023
Antimicrobial Resistance in Neisseria Gonorrhoeae (JCM ed.)
Gonorrhea remains one of the more common sexually transmitted infections. In North America, the number of reported cases has generally risen for over ten years, with interruptions in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by returns to rising rates of infection. Under the selective pressure of antimicrobial treatment, antimicrobial resistance has risen, which has led to limited options for treatment Today, we will be discussing antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae, including these questions: • How accurate is gradient diffusion susceptibility testing when compared to agar-dilution results? • Should we use analysis of whole genome sequencing results or agar dilution phenotypic results as the gold-standard for antibiotic susceptibility testing of N. gonorrhoeae? • What is the utility of beta-lactamase testing for predicting penicillin susceptibility results in N. gonorrhoeae? Guests: Dr. Tanis Dingle, Clinical Microbiologist at Alberta Precision Laboratories and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Calgary. Dr. Angela Ma., Clinical Microbiologist at Public Health Ontario. Link: This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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New Antifungals (AAC ed.)
11/10/2023
New Antifungals (AAC ed.)
In the last few years we have witnessed the rise of very resistant fungal species some of them likely influenced by environmental conditions and climate change. Fortunately, there has been a bit of an explosion in the development of new antifungals and the pipeline has been strengthened in the last decade. We will have the ability to have new molecules with distinct and novel mechanisms of action in the near future that may contribute to combat recalcitrant fungal infections. Topics discussed: The overall threat of fungal resistance. The antifungal pipeline in the last few years. New promising antifungals Guests: Andreas Groll, MD PhD, Professor of Pediatrics, Head of the Infectious Disease Research Programme and Deputy Director of the Department of Haematology/Oncology at the University Children's Hospital in Münster, Germany. Editor AAC This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Journal and hosted by AAC Editor in Chief, Cesar Arias. AAC is available at https://asm.org/aac. Follow Cesar on twitter at https://twitter.com/SuperBugDoc for AAC updates. Subscribe to the podcast at https://asm.org/eic
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A Novel Coccidioides Antibody LFA (JCM ed.)
10/20/2023
A Novel Coccidioides Antibody LFA (JCM ed.)
Despite the many advances in diagnostic testing for infectious diseases, detection of Coccidoides infections continues to rely on serologic assessment for anti-fungal antibodies, and what is perhaps more astonishing is that the serologic methods we use today, such as complement fixation and immunodiffusion, were first developed about a century ago. These assays are technically challenging to maintain and perform, and as a result few labs offer this testing, and even if performed on-site, testing can take up to 3 days complete, so there is definitely room for improvement. So today, we are talking about a study that aimed to modernize and improve our current options and diagnostic approach for Valley Fever, using a simpler and definitely faster lateral flow immunoassay. And as an added bonus, the study was not homo sapien-centric. Guests: Dr. Francisca Grill, Chief Scientific Officer at Cactus Bio Dr. Tom Grys, Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and co-Director of the Clinical Microbiology laboratory at Mayo Clinic in Arizona Links: This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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Climate Change and Antimicrobial Resistance (AAC ed.)
10/07/2023
Climate Change and Antimicrobial Resistance (AAC ed.)
Climate change is possibly the major threat that planet earth is experiencing in this century with potential catastrophic consequences. As the planet warms, the change in weather patterns is affecting the microbial ecology in such a manner that humans are facing new health threats including emerging diseases and facing species of organisms that are more likely to survive these new climatic conditions and resist clinically useful antimicrobials. Topics discussed: The global threat of global warming. Climate change and change sin microbial ecology. The consequences of climate change and emergence of new infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance patterns. Guests: Arturo Casadeval MD, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, Alfred & Jill Sommer Professor and Chair Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Editor in Chief of mBio, Member of the National Academy of Sciences
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Emerging Antifungal-Resistant Dermatophytes (JCM ed.)
09/22/2023
Emerging Antifungal-Resistant Dermatophytes (JCM ed.)
Fungi that are resistant to antifungal drugs have been very much in the news and even the subject of the hugely popular television program, The Last of Us. We talk with two experts in mycology and fungal susceptibility testing about the recent descriptions of terbinafine-resistant dermatophytes in the United States. Some of the questions we will address include: • What are the manifestations of infections caused by terbinafine-resistant dermatophytes? • What species, including novel species, of dermatophytes are more commonly resistant to terbinafine? • How common is terbinafine resistance in dermatophytes in the U.S.? Guests: - Dr. Shawn Lockhart - Senior Advisor at the Centers for Disease Control - Dr. Nathan Wiederhold - Director of the Fungus Testing Laboratory and a Professor at UT Health San Antonio. This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. Editors in conversation is supported by the American Society for Microbiology, which publishes JCM. If you are a member of ASM, you can get up to 50% off the publication fees when you publish in JCM or any of the ASM journals. Visit https://journals.asm.org/journal/jcm to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow EIC, Alex McAdam on twitter for JCM updates via https://twitter.com/JClinMicro and co-host, Elli Theel at https://twitter.com/ETheelPhD. Subscribe to the podcast at https://asm.org/eic
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Artificial Intelligence and Infectious Diseases (AAC ed.)
09/08/2023
Artificial Intelligence and Infectious Diseases (AAC ed.)
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to change the way we practice medicine and public health. The tools and AI approaches can substantially impact a broad range of fields from the manner we approach patient care to strategies to discover new antimicrobials, track pandemics and deploy public health measures. AAC recently published a commentary on the impact of AI in infectious diseases and we have a conversation with the lead author of the manuscript and a expert guest who is applying these concepts in real time. Topics discussed: Basic concepts of AI and different applications. How AI can affect the practice of infectious diseases and antimicrobial research. Specific examples in which AI may have a transformative effect in the future. Guests: Lilian Abbo, MD MBA. Associate CMO Infectious Diseases, Professor of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Jackson Health System, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami Transplant Institute Masayuki Nigo, MD, MSc. Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Section of Transplant Infectious Diseases. This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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Viral Outbreaks in the Headlines (JCM ed.)
08/18/2023
Viral Outbreaks in the Headlines (JCM ed.)
Dr. Elli Theel and Dr. Alex McAdam discuss recent viral outbreaks with expert virologists. Recorded before a live audience at ASM Microbe 2023. Topics: What are the recent epidemiologic and diagnostic findings with Mpox? What are the reservoirs for influenza A H5N1 and how is it transmitted to humans? Why was there such a large number of cases of human metapneumovirus this past respiratory virus season? Guests: Dr. Ben Pinsky, Director of the Clinical Virology laboratory and Professor of Pathology and Medicine at Stanford Health Care and the Stanford University School of Medicine Dr. Ryan Relich, Director of Clinical Microbiology and the Special Pathogens Unit laboratory at IU Health and Eskenazi Health and an Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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AAC Launches a New Section Focused On Antimicrobial Stewardship (AAC ed.)
08/04/2023
AAC Launches a New Section Focused On Antimicrobial Stewardship (AAC ed.)
In response to the global burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the critical role antimicrobial stewardship plays in optimizing antibiotic use and reducing the subsequent emergence of AMR, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy is excited to add a new section to the journal focused on antimicrobial stewardship studies. Combatting the devastating burden of AMR requires novel, multipronged approaches from clinicians and scientists alike. Launching this new section is an important step in disseminating cutting-edge research that will have notable implications in the global fight against antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Topics discussed: The role of antimicrobial stewardship in preventing emerging of resistance. The types of high-quality manuscripts that AAC is seeking in this area. Encourage excellence in antimicrobial stewardship research. Guests: Pranita Tamma, MD MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Director, Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MA, Editor AAC. Ryan Shields PharmD, MS. Associate Professor of Medicine, Co-Director, Antibiotic Management Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Editor AAC. This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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Susceptibility Testing for Aztreonam with Ceftazidime-Avibactam (JCM ed.)
07/13/2023
Susceptibility Testing for Aztreonam with Ceftazidime-Avibactam (JCM ed.)
The combination of aztreonam with ceftazidime-avibactam is increasingly used for treatment of antimicrobial-resistant Gram-negative bacilli. Clinical laboratories are asked to perform susceptibility testing using this combination, but many laboratory directors have been unsure how to approach this. Today, we’ll discuss a recent paper in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology in which the investigators evaluated a promising method for testing this combination of two antimicrobials and a beta-lactamase inhibitor. We will also discuss the rational for combining these agents, as well as what lab directors should consider before validating and offering this susceptibility testing. Guests: Dr. Trish Simner - Director of the Medical Bacteriology and Infectious Disease Sequencing Laboratories, Johns Hopkins Hospital Dr. Romney Humphries - Director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine and the Medical Director of the Microbiology Laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Links: This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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Hispanic Leadership in Vaccine Sciences With Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi (AAC ed.)
06/30/2023
Hispanic Leadership in Vaccine Sciences With Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi (AAC ed.)
Recorded at ASM Microbe 2023, Cesar has a conversation with Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi about the role of minority women in science and discovery, the journey of Hispanic women in science and the current challenges posed by society to deliver science and global health equity. Guest: Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi - Sr. Associate Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at , Distinguished Professor of Biology at , Waco This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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Updates on Testing for Vaginitis/Vaginosis (JCM ed.)
06/03/2023
Updates on Testing for Vaginitis/Vaginosis (JCM ed.)
As many of you are likely aware, May is recognized as Women’s Health Care Month by the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, and this year, the CDC has identified the week of May 14th as National Women’s Health Week. So, what better way to recognize these national events on the podcast than to talk about diagnostics for a number of extremely common and uniquely female issues – of course, I’m talking about infectious causes of vaginitis and vaginosis. Classically, diagnosis of these infections has been done at the point-of-care using wet mount microscopy and assessment for various clinical criteria, all approaches associated with some interpretive subjectivity, and let’s say imperfect performance characteristics. As a result, molecular solutions for detection of the various pathogens associated with vaginitis and vaginosis are now increasingly available for use in clinical laboratories, and also at the point-of-care, and as is the post-COVID trend, a number of these assays, including the one we are going to discuss today, can be performed on both clinician and patient self-collected samples Guests: - Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Louisiana State University Health Science Center and the Medical Director of the LSU-CrescentCare Sexual Health Center in New Orleans. - Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Links: This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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Management of Difficult to Treat HSV and CMV Infections (AAC ed.)
05/01/2023
Management of Difficult to Treat HSV and CMV Infections (AAC ed.)
As the number of immunocompromised patients rise in our hospitals, the presentation of severe infections caused by HSV and CMV are rising. Most importantly, lack of response and documented resistance are becoming more frequently observed. Topics discussed: The clinical problems caused by resistant HSV and CMV infections. Mechanisms of resistance in these organisms. Insights into novel therapeutic approaches to treat resistant gonococcal infections. Guests: Christine M. Johnston, MD, MPH - Associate Professor Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Adjunct Associate Professor, Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Roy Chemaly, MD, MPH - Professor of Medicine, Chief Infection Control Officer, Director, Clinical Virology Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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Susceptibility Testing for Piperacillin-Tazobactam (JCM ed.)
04/08/2023
Susceptibility Testing for Piperacillin-Tazobactam (JCM ed.)
Susceptibility testing for piperacillin-tazobactam has undergone rapid evolution, largely driven by some surprising results from the MERINO trial, which compared the efficacy of piperacillin-tazobactam and meropenem for treatment of patients with ceftriaxone-resistant E. coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia. We discuss how the results of the MERINO trial led to reconsideration of breakpoints for pipercillin-tazobactam at the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute, or CLSI, how the breakpoints were changed, and how well commercial platforms perform piperacillin-tazobactam testing using FDA or CLSI breakpoints. Spoiler alert: the news isn’t great. If you are interested in beta-lactam/beta lactamase combinations, you should check out the previous episode of this podcast, hosted by our friend Dr. Cesar Arias, the Editor-in-Chief of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Cesar and the guests did a great review of recent developments in this fast-moving area. Guests: Dr. Trish Simner - Director of the Medical Bacteriology and Infectious Disease Sequencing Laboratories, Johns Hopkins Hospital Dr. Romney Humphries - Director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine and the Medical Director of the Microbiology Laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
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Antimicrobial Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (AAC ed.)
03/24/2023
Antimicrobial Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (AAC ed.)
The Center of Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) has categorized emergent resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae as an “urgent” public health problem. We discuss the emerging problem of gonorrhea and implications for public health with experts in the field Topics discussed: The clinical implications of resistance to B-lactams and quinolones in Neisseria gonorrhoeae Mechanisms of resistance in these organisms Insights into therapeutic approaches to treat resistant gonococcal infections. Guests: William M. Shafer, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Co-Director, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center Yonatan Grad, Melvin J. and Geraldine L. Glimcher Associate Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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Avoiding HIV False Positives (JCM ed.)
02/24/2023
Avoiding HIV False Positives (JCM ed.)
We can probably all agree that any false positive test result is bad, but I think it’s safe to say that some false positives, like a false positive HIV test for example, is much more anxiety provoking than others. And when it comes to HIV, there have been a number of key advances in the field over the past decade, include the development of improved diagnostics and optimized algorithmic approaches, all of which have allowed for earlier detection of infected patients, and particularly those with acute HIV. Among these advancements has been the development of 4th and 5th generation serologic assays, which offer multiple benefits over prior assay versions, but unfortunately, are not immune to the possibility of false positive results. So, confirmatory test remain a necessary – the challenge though is that depending on the institution and environment, the turnaround time for such confirmatory testing can be prolonged, leaving patients and clinicians in a kind of diagnostic limbo. So, is there a way to minimize the risk of false positive first-tier HIV serologic results? And that is the question will be the focus of our discussion today. Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/kq61A3Jz67U Guests: Dr. Shivanjali Shankaran - Assistant Professor and ID Clinician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Rush Medical Center in Chicago Dr. Beverly Sha - Professor of Medicine, also in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Rush Medical Center This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. Visit https://journals.asm.org/journal/jcm to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow EIC, Alex McAdam on twitter for JCM updates via https://twitter.com/JClinMicro and co-host, Elli Theel at Subscribe to the podcast at https://asm.org/eic
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Discussing β-lactamase/β-lactamase inhibitors (AAC ed.)
02/10/2023
Discussing β-lactamase/β-lactamase inhibitors (AAC ed.)
Novel β-lactamase/β-lactamase inhibitors have become critical drugs to combat the most resistant Gram-negative infections. A series of new compounds with even more broad and potent activity are in the horizon to add to the therapeutic armamentarium. Today, we will discuss these drugs with experts in the field. Topics discussed: BL/BLI combinations that are currently available in clinical practice. Future perspectives of BL/BLI armamentarium. Resistance developing for this class of antibiotics. Guests: Robert Bonomo. Professor, Department of Medicine, Pharmacology and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Director of VA CARES Center, Cleveland, OH Patricia A. Bradford Antimicrobial Development Specialists LLC, Nyack, New York, USA This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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Molecular Testing for Periprosthetic Joint Infections (JCM ed.)
01/14/2023
Molecular Testing for Periprosthetic Joint Infections (JCM ed.)
The applications of large multiplex panels for detection of pathogens have greatly expanded in the past several years. Initial tests were for detection of respiratory viruses, and the first such test was labor intensive and vulnerable to frequent contamination. Since then, additional sample types have been added, such as cerebrospinal fluid and positive blood culture broths, and tests are easier to perform and reasonably reliable. We discuss a research use only multiplex PCR assay for detection of pathogens in joint infections, and learning how it compares to targeted metagenomic sequencing and culture for detection of pathogens in periprosthetic joint infections. Guests: - Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at The Ottawa Hospital and an Associate Clinical Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. - Co-Director of the Bacteriology Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic, where she is Professor of Medicine and Professor of Microbiology. This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript.
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An Update on COVID-19 Therapeutics (AAC ed.)
12/23/2022
An Update on COVID-19 Therapeutics (AAC ed.)
COVID-19 continues to pose major problems in the winter in the USA. Infections and hospitalizations are increasing and there is a fear of emergence of new variants. Therapeutic tools are also evolving. We discuss these new developments! Watch the video version via: https://youtu.be/ElnahBl53e8 Topics discussed: The latest facts on COVID Current therapeutic approaches including antivirals and monoclonal antibodies Future perspectives for the coming year on COVID-19. Guests: Adarsh Bhimraj, MD. Director of Education and Fellowships, Division of Infectious Diseases, Houston Methodsit Hospital. Chair IDSA Guidelines for COVID-19. This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Journal and hosted by AAC Editor in Chief, Cesar Arias. AAC is available at https://asm.org/aac. Follow Cesar on twitter at https://twitter.com/SuperBugDoc for AAC updates. Subscribe to the podcast at https://asm.org/eic
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The Best Clinical Microbiology Papers of 2022 (JCM Ed.)
12/07/2022
The Best Clinical Microbiology Papers of 2022 (JCM Ed.)
As we enter into the holiday season, many of us look forward to celebrating long-standing traditions with family and friends, which is no different from us here on the podcast! While not necessarily as long-standing as some of the other classic holiday traditions, after 2.5 years on air, we on this podcast have established our own end-of-year tradition, which is to take a look back at some of our favorite papers or more intriguing manuscripts published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology over the past year. And so as you’ll see, thanks to the different areas of expertise and general interest among our panel today, we’ve selected quite a variety of papers to discuss, ranging from evaluation of new blood culture systems to use of metagenomics for infective endocarditis and to the potential application of interferon gamma release assays for detection of Histoplasma infections. And so, suffice it to say, there will be something of interest for everyone listening. But, for those watching today, you are clearly getting an extra special treat as you get to see us do this episode wearing our best holiday gear and accessories. Guest: . Links: Nasal Swab Performance by Collection Timing, Procedure, and Method of Transport for Patients with SARS-CoV-2. DOI: Multicenter Postimplementation Assessment of the Positive Predictive Value of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen-Based Point-of-Care Tests Used for Screening of Asymptomatic Continuing Care Staff. DOI: Laboratory Safety: Handling Burkholderia pseudomallei Isolates without a Biosafety Cabinet. DOI: The clinical utility of 2 high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing workflows for taxonomic assignment of unidentifiable bacterial pathogens in MALDI-TOF MS. DOI: Performance of Fully Automated Antimicrobial Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing Using Copan WASP Colibri Coupled to the Radian In-Line Carousel and Expert System. DOI: Benefits Derived from Full Laboratory Automation in Microbiology: A Tale of Four Laboratories. DOI Reflex Detection of Ciprofloxacin Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae by Use of the SpeeDx ResistancePlus GC Assay. DOI: Comparative Performance of Latest-Generation and FDA-Cleared Serology Tests for the Diagnosis of Chagas Disease. DOI: Diagnosing Pulmonary Tuberculosis by Using Sequence-Specific Purification of Urine Cell-Free DNA. DOI: Indeterminate QuantiFERON Gold Plus Results Reveal Deficient Interferon Gamma Responses in Severely Ill COVID-19 Patients. DOI: Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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How Can Clinical Microbiology Labs Contribute to Antimicrobial Stewardship? (JCM ed.)
11/18/2022
How Can Clinical Microbiology Labs Contribute to Antimicrobial Stewardship? (JCM ed.)
Deciding how extensively to work up and report respiratory cultures is the worst. There are useful guidelines on how to approach this. But, in my experience, very few laboratories strictly follow these guidelines. That can be because of concerns about under-reporting pathogens or about over-reporting microbiota, or it can be the result of pressure from clinical staff to report more organisms than the guidelines suggest. Today, we’ll be talking with two guests about their study on how over-reporting of organisms from respiratory tract cultures can lead to over treatment with antimicrobials. Guests: Dr. Sarah Parker, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Medical Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. Dr. Andrea Prinzi, infectious disease medical science liason with bioMerieux. This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on .
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Research Careers in Antimicrobial Resistance (AAC ed.)
11/05/2022
Research Careers in Antimicrobial Resistance (AAC ed.)
Antimicrobial resistance is the ‘silent pandemic’ and to tackle this challenging public health problem we need to attract the best and brightest. Today we will discuss pathways to work on this field with trainees who will be the next generation of outstanding researchers in the field, currently as part of different T32 training programs in the United States. Welcome to Editors in Conversation Topics discussed: Different pathways to follow careers in antimicrobial research The challenges to follow an academic and research pathways Future perspectives and guidance for early stage investigators who want to pursue research on antimicrobial resistance. Guests: Cheyenne Lee. 4th Year Ph.D. Candidate | McBride Lab, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG) Program Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) Graduate Student Representative, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. T32 predoctoral fellow Edwin Chen, MD, PhD. Infectious Diseases Fellow, Postdoctoral T32 Fellow, University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, PA. Kara Hood, PhD. Pos-doctoral T32 Fellow, Texas Medical Center Program in Antimicrobial Resistance, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX. This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up. Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory (JCM ed.)
10/08/2022
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory (JCM ed.)
The idea of applying machine learning and digital pathology platforms to everyday workflows in the clinical microbiology laboratory has become increasing intriguing and appealing, especially as labs continue to optimize efficiency in the midst of workforce shortages. The promise of this new digital frontier is multifold, including decreasing turnaround time and potentially cost, and freeing up technologist time to focus on higher yield activities in the lab. Many labs have now taken the initial leap into automated culture and imaging systems, but what’s next? Are the digital pathology AI algorithms ready for prime-time in clinical microbiology labs? Is the future now? Guests: Dr. Niaz Banaei, Medical Director of the Stanford Health Care Clinical Microbiology Laboratory and Professor of Pathology and Medicine at Stanford University Dr. Dan Rhoads, Section Head of Microbiology at Cleveland Clinic This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Links/Refences: Evaluation of MetaSystems automated fluorescent microscopy system for the machine-assisted detection of acid-fast bacilli in clinical samples. Computer vision and artifical intelligence are emerging diagnostic tools for the clinical microbiologist. Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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How Proposed Change to US Regulation Could Impact Clinical Microbiology Labs (JCM ed.)
09/16/2022
How Proposed Change to US Regulation Could Impact Clinical Microbiology Labs (JCM ed.)
There are a number of regulatory proposals under consideration which could have important effects on clinical microbiology labs, and clinical labs more generally. First, the VALID act would change how clinical tests are regulated with particularly important implications for laboratory-developed tests. Second, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed changes to the educational requirements for lab directors under CLIA and additional changes that would increase the fees that clinical labs pay to CMS. If you have been waiting for someone to explain these changes and how they could affect your lab, you’ve come to the right podcast. Guests: Dr. Melissa Miller, Director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory and a Professor at the University Of North Carolina School Of Medicine Mary Lee Watts, Director of Federal Affairs at ASM This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at and on . Links: ASM Submits Concerns On VALID Act. ASM Submits Comments to CMS on Proposed Rule for CLIA-Labs. Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow
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Management of Mycobacterium Abscessus Infections: The Rise of a Superbug (AAC ed.)
09/02/2022
Management of Mycobacterium Abscessus Infections: The Rise of a Superbug (AAC ed.)
Infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus appear to be increasing in frequency among the immunocompromised population and are challenging to treat. Antibiotic options in these cases are scarce, prolonged therapy is required and new options are needed. We will discuss this important topic with experts in the field. Topics discussed: Define M. abscessus as an opportunistic pathoge The intrinsic phenotypic characteristics of M. abscessus, including resistance to common antimicrobials Treatment approaches and rationale for these strategies Guests: Kelly Dooley, MD. PhD, MPH. Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University and Editor of AAC Charles L. Daley, MD, Professor and Chief of the Division of Mycobacterial and Respiratory Infections. National Jewish Health Thomas Dick, PhD. Professor, Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at . If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit to sign up Visit to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.
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