In the first Communicable episode of 2026, Annie Joseph and Josh Nosanchuk invite Robin Patel (Rochester, USA) and Fidelma Fitzpatrick (Dublin, Ireland) to discuss some of their favourite clinical microbiology papers published in 2025. These six papers highlight everything from technological advances of genomics and molecular diagnostic testing to the importance of patient and public involvement in research as well as effective communication [1-6]. The panel also discusses whether or not any of these papers have changed their practice.

This episode was edited by Kathryn Hostettler and peer reviewed by Sinéad Kilgarriff of the National Virus Reference Laboratory University College, Dublin in Ireland. 

Robin’s papers

• Oyeniran SJ, et al. J Clin Microbiol 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.00986-25 
• Xie O, et al. Lancet Microbe 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.lanmic.2025.101182
• Lopopolo M et al., Science 2025. DOI: 10.1126/science.adu7144

Fidelma’s papers

• Turner NA, et al. JAMA 2025. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2025.12543  
• Paterson DL, et al. Lancet Infectious Diseases 2025. DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00469-4
• Langford BJ, et al. Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology 2025. DOI: 10.1017/ash.2025.10210

Related podcast episodes

• Communicable episode 1: Late breaker trials at ESCMID Global 2024, https://share.transistor.fm/s/9c598f68

References

1. Oyeniran SJ, et al. J Clin Microbiol 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.00986-25 
2. Xie O, et al. Lancet Microbe 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.lanmic.2025.101182
3. Turner NA, et al. JAMA 2025. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2025.12543  
4. Paterson DL, et al. Lancet Infectious Diseases 2025. DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00469-4
5. Lopopolo M et al., Science 2025. DOI: 10.1126/science.adu7144
6. Langford BJ, et al. Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology 2025. DOI: 10.1017/ash.2025.10210

Further reading

• Mohammed HT, et al. IJSEM 2025. DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.006986  
• Skally M, et al. BMJ Open 2025. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-103431
• Ong SWX and Tverring J. CMI Communications 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmicom.2025.105154
• Tverring J and Ong SWX. CMI Communications 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmicom.2025.105169