Biomedical subjects

Yu-Tsung Huang

Publications and source records attributed to Yu-Tsung Huang.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Clinical predictors of severe and fatal respiratory syncytial virus infection in adults and the elderly: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is increasingly recognized as a cause of severe respiratory illness in adults, especially the elderly and those with comorbidities. However, data on outcomes and risk factors for severe disease in this population remain limited. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 123 adult patients diagnosed with RSV infection at a tertiary center in Taiwan from 2015 to 2023. Clinical characteristics, laboratory data, detection of other pathogens, clinical course and outcome were reviewed. Multivariable logistic regression identified risk factors for severe RSV infection, including ICU admission and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: The mean age was 55.7 years; 50% were aged ≥60 years and 13% were ≥75 years. ICU admission occurred in 17%, with significant associations to viral coinfection and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP). Thirty-day mortality was 13%, and overall in-hospital mortality was 18%, all among patients with comorbidities. Independent predictors of 30-day mortality included late elderly (aOR 24.2, p = 0.03), high CRP > 11.5 mg/dL (aOR 16.4, p = 0.005) and thrombocytopenia < 34,103/μL (aOR 11.4, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Advanced age (≥75 years), high CRP, and severe thrombocytopenia are key predictors of mortality in adults RSV patients. These findings highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies, including vaccination, in high-risk populations.

Co-infection↗

PubMed2026

Effectiveness of mass spectrometry and genomic analysis in the surveillance of nontuberculous Mycobacterium in Taiwan.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are diverse, and species-level identification remains challenging in routine diagnostics. We analyzed NTM isolates collected at three regional centers of the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) from 2019 to 2024 to assess geographic variation and identification performance after implementation of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Among 3,188 cases meeting the microbiological criteria for probable pulmonary NTM disease, the species distribution differed by region: Mycobacterium avium complex predominated in central Taiwan (Yunlin, 47.3%), whereas M. abscessus complex (Taipei, 26.5%) and M. kansasii (Hsinchu, 12.4%) were more common in northern Taiwan. In 2019, 14.5% of isolates were reported to be unidentified by MALDI-TOF MS; with workflow optimization and database updates, this percentage decreased but plateaued at 4.5-4.8%. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 61 randomly selected persistently unidentified isolates revealed eight average nucleotide identity (ANI)-defined clusters; 55 isolates (90.2%) could not be assigned to known species using current reference databases. Two clusters detected only in Hsinchu were phylogenetically closest to M. kyorinense, with ANI values below the species demarcation threshold. Overall, we observed marked regional heterogeneity of NTM in Taiwan and a persistent identification gap that remained after MALDI-TOF MS optimization and follow-up WGS.IMPORTANCEThis study characterized regional differences in the NTM species distribution across Taiwan, and the results highlight the limitations of current identification approaches. MALDI-TOF MS identifies most isolates, but locally circulating lineages represent a persistent gap in global reference libraries. Even with whole-genome sequencing (WGS), 90.2% (55/61) of persistently unresolved isolates could not be assigned to known species in the current reference databases despite the formation of clear ANI- and phylogeny-defined clusters. These findings show that both proteomic and genomic reference resources for clinical NTM remain incomplete. Expanding regionally representative databases and performing WGS for isolates that remain unresolved by MALDI-TOF MS will be necessary to improve species-level resolution for surveillance and clinical interpretation.

Taiwan↗

PubMed2007

Daptomycin susceptibility of unusual gram-positive bacteria: comparison of results obtained by the Etest and the broth microdilution method.

MICs of daptomycin, linezolid, and vancomycin against 212 isolates, including Listeria monocytogenes and Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, Rhodococcus, and Nocardia spp., were determined by the broth microdilution method; daptomycin MICs were also determined by the Etest. Except with those for Leuconostoc spp., daptomycin Etest MICs showed >90% agreement with MICs obtained by the broth microdilution method.

Culture Media↗

PubMed2006

Molecular evidence for vertical transmission of listeriosis, Taiwan.

The case is presented of a pregnant woman at the 31st week of gestation with Listeria monocytogenes bacteraemia and microabscess formation in the endometrium, who delivered an infant with disseminated infection (meningitis and bacteraemia). The two patients were successfully treated with intravenous ampicillin and gentamicin. Molecular typing using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis disclosed that three isolates from the mother (blood) and infant (blood and cerebrospinal fluid) had identical RAPD profiles.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Streptococcus suis infection.

A recent outbreak of Streptococcus suis infection associated with the slaughter, preparation or consumption of pigs in Sichuan, China has led to concerns that similar outbreaks could occur in other Asian countries. Although the pig farming industry is flourishing in Taiwan, reports of S. suis infection remain rare. We report 2 cases of S. suis meningitis successfully treated with ceftriaxone and penicillin. Previous reports of S. suis infection from the English literature are reviewed and the clinical data of cases reported in Asian and European countries are summarized. In Europe, there was good correlation between clinical disease and porcine contact, while few cases in Asia reported this association. Meningitis remained the most common presentation of infection in both areas (84.6% and 75.2%, respectively), followed by sepsis (15.4% and 18.6%, respectively), which had a higher mortality rate, particularly for splenectomized patients. Other clinical presentations included enteritis, arthritis, endocarditis, pneumonia, spondylodiscitis, endophthalmitis, uveitis and peritonitis. Deafness was a distinct sequelae (50.5% in Europe and 51.9% in Asia) after recovery from S. suis infection, especially in patients with meningitis. Not all commercial identification systems for streptococci could offer adequate speciation for S. suis. When viridans group streptococci are isolated from patients with meningitis and sepsis, prompt and correct identification of isolates to the species level should be performed, especially in areas with a high prevalence of S. suis diseases.

Adolescent↗