Nyt fra tidsskrifterne
Ingen søgeord valgt.
43 emner vises.
Burkhard Tümmler, Jutta Ulrich, Ludwig Sedlacek
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 20.09.2024
Tilføjet 20.09.2024
Airway infections with Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) or Burkholderia gladioli [1] currently affect less than two percent of people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) [2], but they are burdened by patient-to-patient transmission [3, 4], spread of virulent epidemic strains [5] and poor clinical outcomes [4, 6]. For example, infection with the Burkholderia cenocepacia ET12 epidemic strain has been associated with accelerated lung function decline, rapid, usually fatal deterioration in previously mildly affected patients (‘cepacia’ syndrome) [4, 6] and increased mortality both before and after lung transplantation [7].
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedIrina Kontsevaya
Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Tuberculosis infection (TBI) refers to the state when an immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is detected in the absence of clinical, microbiological, or radiological signs of active disease. In some cases, TBI can progress to TB disease via stages of incipient and subclinical TB [1]. Given that Mtb remains in a low replicative state during TBI, no reliable tool for the direct detection of bacteria is currently available. Instead, an indirect evaluation of infection based on measuring the Mtb-specific immune response is applied using tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) [1].
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedPauline Leroux, Soraya Matczak, Valérie Bouchez, Stevenn Volant, Antoine Ouziel, Elise Launay, Albert Faye, Valérie Rabier, Jean Sarlangue, Eric Jeziorski, Zoha Maakaroun-Vermesse, Fouad Madhi, Didier Pinquier, Mathie Lorrot, Marie Pouletty, Aymeric Cantais, Etienne Javouhey, Fatima Aït Belghiti, Sophie Guillot, Carla Rodrigues, Sylvain Brisse, Jérémie F. Cohen, Julie Toubiana
Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Virulence factors of the causative agent, Bordetella pertussis, may be involved in fulminant pertussis, the most severe form of whooping cough (pertussis) in infants. We aimed to assess the association between fulminant pertussis and the status of pertactin (PRN) production of B. pertussis clinical isolates.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedRussell E. Lewis, Marta Stanzani
Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
For nearly two decades, posaconazole has been a preferred choice for primary antifungal prophylaxis in patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) who are at high risk for mould infections [1]. When first approved in 2006, posaconazole was available only as an oral suspension that required frequent dosing with a high fat meal and low gastric pH for absorption. These characteristics made the drug difficult to use in the HSCT population, where gastrointestinal complications such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) are common.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedLars Bjerrum, Ivan Gentile, Oliver van Hecke, Jan Y. Verbakel, Carl Llor
Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
We have, with interest, read the article titled “Impact of C-reactive protein point-of-care testing on antibiotic prescriptions for children and adults with suspected respiratory tract infections in primary care: a French patient-level randomised controlled superiority trial” and commend the authors for their valuable contribution [1]. However, caution should be considered in interpreting the results.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedEvans, A., Mawson, P., Thomas, H., Keen, K., Watson, C. J., McAuley, D. F., MacGowan, G. A., Sheerin, N. S., Fisher, A., Shaw, J., Yates, H., Fallow, A., Kounali, D., Banks, J., Stevens, M., Paul, R., Hodge, R., Lawson, E., Harvey, D., Dark, J.
BMJ Open, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
IntroductionSuccessful organ transplantation in patients with end-stage organ failure improves long-term survival, improves quality of life and reduces costs to the NHS. Despite an increase in the number of deceased organ donors over the last decade, there remains a considerable shortfall of suitable organs available for transplantation. Over half of UK donors are certified dead by neurological criteria following brain stem compression, which leads to severe physiological stress in the donor, combined with a hyperinflammatory state. Brain stem death-related dysfunction is an important reason for poor organ function and hence utilisation. For example, more than 30% of donation after brain stem death cardiac transplant recipients need short-term mechanical cardiac support, reflecting donor heart dysfunction. A small, randomised study previously showed improved outcomes for cardiac transplant recipients if the donor was given simvastatin. SIGNET takes inspiration from that study and hypothesises a potential reduction in damage to the heart and other organs during the period after diagnosis of death and prior to organ retrieval in donors that receive simvastatin. Methods and analysisSIGNET is a multicentre, single-blind, prospective, group sequential, randomised controlled trial to evaluate the benefits of a single high dose of simvastatin given to potential organ donors diagnosed dead by neurological criteria on outcomes in all organ recipients. The trial will run across a minimum of 89 UK sites with a recruitment target of 2600 donors over 4 years. Ethics and disseminationSIGNET received a favourable opinion from the London, Queen Square Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 21/LO/0412) and following approval of substantial amendment 1 in January 2023, the current protocol is version 2 (7 December 2022). Substantial amendment 1 clarified consent procedures and added additional sites and prescribers. Findings from the study will be publicly available and disseminated locally and internationally through manuscript publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations at national and international platforms. Trial registration numberISRCTN11440354
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background Clinical guidelines recommend systematic follow-up of patients surviving invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) to assess sequelae. However, little is known about survivors and family caregivers’ experiences of the follow-up care. Study sought to explore IMD survivors’ and their family caregivers’ experiences after hospitalization for IMD and to identify unmet needs. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and family caregivers, identified through hospitals database. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and subject to a thematic analysis. NVivo software was used for data management and analysis. Results Eight IMD survivors and 14 family caregivers were interviewed. Three themes were identified from the data: (1) perception of patient and family caregiver on follow-up after IMD and role of healthcare professionals; (2) access to care and support; (3) relationship with healthcare professionals. Although most were satisfied with follow-up care after IMD, suggestions for improving the healthcare pathway were made relating information on potential sequelae and follow-up care, coordination, and access to psychological support. Conclusions This study confirms the need for more structured follow-up care for patients suffering from IMD and their families which is currently limited and focused on physical recovery. Optimal follow-up should aim to provide sufficient information, emotional support and logistical support for patient and family caregivers. Trial registration Ethics Committee of University of Lyon, France (ref: 2022-06-23-002).
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background Parasitic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) or ‘infectious diseases of poverty’ continue to affect the poorest communities in the world, including in the Philippines. Socio-economic conditions contribute to persisting endemicity of these infectious diseases. As such, examining these underlying factors may help identify gaps in implementation of control programs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and investigate the role of socio-economic and risk factors in the persistence of these diseases in endemic communities in the Philippines. Methods This cross-sectional study involving a total of 1,152 individuals from 386 randomly-selected households was conducted in eight municipalities in Mindanao, the Philippines. Participants were asked to submit fecal samples which were processed using the Kato-Katz technique to check for intestinal helminthiases. Moreover, each household head participated in a questionnaire survey investigating household conditions and knowledge, attitude, and practices related to intestinal helminthiases. Associations between questionnaire responses and intestinal helminth infection were assessed. Results Results demonstrated an overall schistosomiasis prevalence of 5.7% and soil-transmitted helminthiasis prevalence of 18.8% in the study population. Further, the household questionnaire revealed high awareness of intestinal helminthiases, but lower understanding of routes of transmission. Potentially risky behaviors such as walking outside barefoot and bathing in rivers were common. There was a strong association between municipality and prevalence of helminth infection. Educational attainment and higher “practice” scores (relating to practices which are effective in controlling intestinal helminths) were inversely associated with soil-transmitted helminth infection. Conclusion Results of the study showed remaining high endemicity of intestinal helminthiases in the area despite ongoing control programs. Poor socio-economic conditions and low awareness about how intestinal helminthiases are transmitted may be among the factors hindering success of intestinal helminth control programs in the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Norte. Addressing these sustainability gaps could contribute to the success of alleviating the burden of intestinal helminthiases in endemic areas.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) among children, has resurged in the form of endemic or even pandemic in many countries and areas after the easing of COVID-19 containment measures. This study aimed to investigate the differences in epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children hospitalized for RSV infection during pre- and post-COVID-19 eras in Yunnan, China. Methods A total of 2553 pediatric RSV inpatients from eight hospitals in Yunnan were retrospectively enrolled in this study, including 1451 patients admitted in 2018–2019 (pre-COVID-19 group) and 1102 patients admitted in 2023 (post-COVID-19 group). According to the presence or absence of severe LRTI (SLRTI), patients in the pre- and post-COVID-19 groups were further divided into the respective severe or non-severe subgroups, thus analyzing the risk factors for RSV-associated SLRTI in the two eras. Demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data of the patients were collected for the final analysis. Results A shift in the seasonal pattern of RSV activity was observed between the pre-and post-COVID-19 groups. The peak period of RSV hospitalizations in the pre-COVID-19 group was during January–April and October–December in both 2018 and 2019, whereas that in the post-COVID-19 group was from April to September in 2023. Older age, more frequent clinical manifestations (fever, acute otitis media, seizures), and elevated laboratory indicators [neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), c-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), co-infection rate] were identified in the post-COVID-19 group than those in the pre-COVID-19 group (all P
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background Identifying symptom clusters in Long COVID is necessary for developing effective therapies for this diverse condition and improving the quality of life of those affected by this heterogeneous condition. In this study, we aimed to identify and compare symptom clusters at 9 and 12 months after a SARS-CoV-2 positive test and describe each cluster regarding factors at infection. Methods This is a cross-sectional study with individuals randomly selected from the Portuguese National System of Epidemiological Surveillance (SINAVE) database. Individuals who had a positive RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test in August 2022 were contacted to participate in a telephonic interview approximately 9 and 12 months after the test. A hierarchical clustering analysis was performed, using Euclidean distance and Ward’s linkage. Clustering was performed in the 35 symptoms reported 9 and 12 months after the SARS-CoV-2 positive test and characterised considering age, sex, pre-existing health conditions and symptoms at time of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results 552 individuals were included at 9 months and 458 at 12 months. The median age was 52 years (IQR: 40–64 years) and 59% were female. Hypertension and high cholesterol were the most frequently reported pre-existing health conditions. Memory loss, fatigue or weakness and joint pain were the most frequent symptoms reported 9 and 12 months after the positive test. Four clusters were identified at both times: no or minor symptoms; multi-symptoms; joint pain; and neurocognitive-related symptoms. Clusters remained similar in both times, but, within the neurocognitive cluster, memory loss and concentration issues increased in frequency at 12 months. Multi-symptoms cluster had older people, more females and more pre-existing health conditions at 9 months. However, at 12 months, older people and those with more pre-existing health conditions were in joint pain cluster. Conclusions Our results suggest that Long COVID is not the same for everyone. In our study, clusters remained similar at 9 and 12 months, except for a slight variation in the frequency of symptoms that composed each cluster. Understanding Long COVID clusters might help identify treatments for this condition. However, further validation of the observed clusters and analysis of its risk factors is needed.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most widespread infectious diseases worldwide, typically persisting in the body as a latent TB infection (LTBI). Patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of LTBI progressing to active TB. Therefore, this study determined the prevalence and predictors of LTBI and assessed the agreement between tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) in diagnosing LTBI among type 2 diabetics in Sana’a city, Yemen. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 type 2 diabetics in private health facilities in Sana’a in 2023. Data about demographics, diabetes-related characteristics, and potential risk factors for LTBI were collected using a structured questionnaire. Patients were then screened for LTBI using TST and IGRA. Univariate analysis was used to identify LTBI-associated risk factors, and multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of LTBI. The agreement between TST and IGRA for diagnosing LTBI was assessed using Cohen’s kappa coefficient (κ). Results LTBI was prevalent among 29.3% of type 2 diabetics using both types of tests (25.3% with IGRA and 21.3% with TST). Male gender was an independent predictor of LTBI (AOR = 4.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.30–15.08; P = 0.018). However, being employed (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.09–0.75; P = 0.013) and longer duration since diabetes diagnosis (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.12–0.98; P = 0.046) were identified as predictors of lower LTBI risk. The agreement between TST and IGRA for the diagnosis of LTBI was 88%, with a good and statistically significant agreement between the two test types (κ = 0.670; P
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background Postoperative wound infections (PWIs) significantly impact patient outcomes following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of rib fractures. Identifying and understanding risk factors associated with these infections are crucial for improving surgical outcomes and patient care. Methods This retrospective study, conducted from January 2020 to October 2023 at our institution, aimed to analyze the risk factors for PWIs in patients undergoing ORIF for rib fractures. A total of 150 patients were included, with 50 in the infected group and 100 in the non-infected control group, matched for demographic and clinical characteristics. Data on variables such as intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay duration, body mass index (BMI), operation time, presence of anemia, drainage time, diabetes mellitus status, smoking habits, and age were collected. Statistical analysis involved univariate and multivariate logistic regression using SPSS software (Version 27.0), with p-values
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented health threat globally, necessitating innovative and efficient diagnostic approaches for timely identification of infected individuals. Despite few emerging reports, the clinical utility of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in early and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 is not well-evidenced. Hence, this meta-analysis aimed to explore the diagnostic potential of circulating miRNAs for COVID-19. The protocol for this study was officially recorded on PROSPERO under registration number CRD42023494959. Methods Electronic databases including Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and other sources were exhaustively searched to recover studies published until 16th January, 2024. Pooled specificity, sensitivity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic ratio (DOR), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve (AUC) were computed from the metadata using Stata 14.0 software. Risk of bias appraisal of included articles was carried out using Review Manager (Rev-Man) 5.3 package through the modified QUADAS-2 tool. Subgroup, heterogeneity, meta-regression and sensitivity analyses were undertaken. Publication bias and clinical applicability were also evaluated via Deeks’ funnel plot and Fagan nomogram (scattergram), respectively. Result A total of 43 studies from 13 eligible articles, involving 5175 participants (3281 COVID-19 patients and 1894 healthy controls), were analyzed. Our results depicted that miRNAs exhibit enhanced pooled specificity 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88–0.94), sensitivity 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91–0.96), DOR of 159 (95% CI: 87–288), and AUC values of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95–0.98) with high pooled PPV 96% (95% CI: 94–97%) and NPV 88% (95% CI: 86–90%) values. Additionally, highest diagnostic capacity was observed in studies involving larger sample size (greater than 100) and those involving the African population, demonstrating consistent diagnostic effectiveness across various specimen types. Notably, a total of 12 distinct miRNAs were identified as suitable for both exclusion and confirmation of COVID-19 cases, denoting their potential clinical applicability. Conclusion Our study depicted that miRNAs show significantly high diagnostic accuracy in differentiating COVID-19 patients from healthy counterparts, suggesting their possible use as viable biomarkers. Nonetheless, thorough and wide-ranging longitudinal researches are necessary to confirm the clinical applicability of miRNAs in diagnosing COVID-19.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a challenging nosocomial problem in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that face barriers to healthcare delivery and resource availability. This study aimed to examine the incidence and predictors of VAP in Egypt as an example of an LMIC while considering death as a competing event. Methods The study included patients aged ≥ 18 years who underwent mechanical ventilation (MV) in an intensive care unit (ICU) at a tertiary care, university hospital in Egypt between May 2020 and January 2023. We excluded patients who died or were transferred from the ICU within 48 h of admission. We determined the VAP incidence based on clinical suspicion, radiological findings, and positive lower respiratory tract microbiological cultures. The multivariate Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard model was used to examine the predictors of VAP while considering death as a competing event. Results Overall, 315 patients were included in this analysis. Sixty-two patients (19.7%) developed VAP (17.1 per 1000 ventilator days). The Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard model, after adjustment for potential confounders, revealed that emergency surgery (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR]: 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25–3.56), reintubation (SHR: 3.74, 95% CI: 2.23–6.28), blood transfusion (SHR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.32–3.75), and increased duration of MV (SHR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.03–1.06) were independent risk factors for VAP development. However, the new use of corticosteroids was not associated with VAP development (SHR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.56–1.57). Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common causative microorganism, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Conclusion The incidence of VAP in Egypt was high, even in the ICU at a university hospital. Emergency surgery, reintubation, blood transfusion, and increased duration of MV were independently associated with VAP. Robust antimicrobial stewardship and infection control strategies are urgently needed in Egypt.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Schistosomiasis, an endemic neglected tropical disease in areas with poor sanitation, causes physical and mental defects in both children and adults. Various strategies, especially drug administration for morbidity control, have been implemented to combat the disease in Ghana and globally. Despite these efforts, schistosomiasis remains prevalent in Ghana, negatively impacting children\'s academic performance, growth, and overall quality of life. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis in school children at Esuekyir, a peri-urban community in Ghana. A cross-sectional study using simple random sampling technique to select participants and collect stool and urine samples from 246 school children in Esuekyir was adopted. Microscopy of urine and stool samples was performed involving urine sedimentation and stool formol-ether sedimentation techniques to analyse for parasite eggs. Questionnaires were developed to help detect risk factors that expose these children to the disease. The prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in children at Esuekyir was 15.45% while that of intestinal schistosomiasis was 6.957.0%. There was one case of co-infection of urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis from a 13 year old primary student. Children in primary school had higher risks of infection due to their activities around the water body. There was a significant association between class groups and urogenital schistosomiasis (p-value = 0.042). The presence of schistosomiasis in school children highlights the importance of targeted interventions and public health initiatives in addressing this specific disease condition especially in primary school children. Findings from the research revealed a higher prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in the study population as compared to intestinal schistosomiasis.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background Although there have been reports of COVID-19 breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals, the vaccines have demonstrated a high efficacy in preventing severe illness and death. Nepal has reported fewer studies of COVID-19 breakthrough infections. Hence, this study has objective to assess the prevalence, and to describe clinical characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) breakthrough infection. Methods This descriptive study was conducted from January to December 2022. The study enrolled 200 individuals who had received the recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and they were RT-PCR positive diagnosed with vaccine breakthrough infections after 14 days of completing the vaccination course. The patient’s demographic and clinical profiles, as well as their outcomes in terms of severity, length of hospital stay, and mortality were recorded. Results The prevalence of SARS-CoV2 infection was 6.3% (547/8682). Among fully vaccinated personnel, the prevalence of breakthrough infections was 6.2% (200/3175). This study found the Omicron variants in respondents. The mean age of the patients was 38.28 years, and 41.5% (83/200) of the breakthrough cases were healthcare workers. The mean time gap between the second dose of vaccination and a positive RT-PCR test was 354.68 days. Of the 200 breakthrough cases, 89% (178) had mild symptoms, 9% (17) had moderate symptoms requiring hospitalization, and 2% (4) were severe cases that required intensive care facility. Among the severe cases, 3 out 4 were above 60 years old. Furthermore, the patients greater than 60 years had longer hospital stays (p
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background A persisting high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection is causal for cervical cancer; however, there is limited population-based data on the prevalence of HPV infections in Germany. We assessed the age and type-specific HPV prevalence, and associated risk factors in HPV unvaccinated women aged 30 and above. Methods The MARZY prospective population-based cohort study was conducted between 2005 and 2012 in Mainz and Mainz-Bingen, Germany. Eligible women were randomly recruited from population registries and invited for cervical cancer screening (n = 5,275). A study swab (liquid-based cytology) was taken and HPV testing was performed with GP5+/6 + polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by genotyping. We assessed HPV types as HR-HPV, ‘moderate’ risk and low-risk (LR-HPV). Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with HPV infection, stratified by HPV types. Results 2,520 women were screened with a valid PCR result. Overall HPV prevalence was 10.6% (n = 266), with 6.5% HR-HPV positive (n = 165), 1.5% ’moderate’ risk type (n = 38) and 3.3% LR-HPV type (n = 84) positive. 8.9% had a single infection (n = 225) and 1.6% had multiple types (n = 41). The most common HR-HPV types were 16, 56, 52 and 31 and LR-HPV 90 and 42. Of 187 HR-HPV infections detected (among 165 women), 55.1% (n = 103) were with HPV types not covered by available bivalent or quadrivalent HPV vaccines. About 23% (n = 43) were of types not covered by the nonavalent vaccine (HPV 35, 39, 51, 56, 59). The HR and LR-HPV prevalence were highest in the age group 30–34 years (HR 9.8%, ‘moderate’ risk 3.0% and LR 5.6%), decreasing with increasing age. HR-HPV prevalence in women with normal cytology was 5.5%. In women with a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), prevalence was 66.7%. Women currently not living with a partner and current smokers had increased chances of an HR-HPV infection. Conclusion The overall population-based HPV prevalence was relatively high. An important share of prevalent HR-HPV infections constituted types not covered by current HPV vaccines. With the advent of HPV screening and younger vaccinated cohorts joining screening, HPV types should be monitored closely, also in older women who were not eligible for HPV vaccination.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Purpose The prevalence of biliary tract diseases, which are common gastrointestinal disorders, is steadily rising. If it progresses to sepsis or septic shock, it can endanger the patient\'s life. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly diagnose bacterial infection in individuals suffering from biliary diseases and comprehend the risk factors associated with infection. The objective of this study was to examine the types of bacteria present in the bile of patients with biliary tract diseases, assess any alterations in their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, and identify the risk factors contributing to the development of infection in these patients. Patients and methods From June 2019 to November 2022, 317 patients of biliary tract diseases with positive bile culture were included in this hospital-based descriptive analysis. The hospital\'s computerized medical records were used to collect data on demographic information (including gender, age, and occupation), laboratory, and clinical findings, physical examination results, comorbidities, basic diseases, treatment history, complications, and in-hospital outcomes. The study followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) principles. Results Of the 317 patients with positive biliary tract diseases, 247 had benign diseases and 70 had malignant diseases. Patients with benign disease experienced a higher prevalence of statistically significant symptoms such as abdominal pain (81.4% vs. 57.1%, P = 0.000), nausea (31.2% vs. 14.3%, P = 0.005), vomiting (30.0% vs. 12.9%, P = 0.004), and chills (10.9% vs. 2.9%, P = 0.039), while jaundice (12.6% vs. 37.1%, P = 0.000) was more common in patients with malignant disease. At the species level, Escherichia coli (105; 40.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (41; 15.8%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30; 11.6%) were the most commonly found Gram-negative bacterial strains in biliary tract infection. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were most susceptible to tigecycline, ertapenem and ceftazidime/avibactam, respectively. Conclusion Gram-negative bacteria are the most commonly isolated biliary bacteria. Clinical doctors should pay attention to patients with malignant diseases with low hemoglobin, high total bilirubin and high alkaline phosphatase. Carbapenems, tigecycline, and minocycline are the recommended antibiotics for Enterobacteriaceae. In recent years, the proportion of enterococcus has gradually increased, and clinical attention should be paid to enterococcus infection. Linezolid and vancomycin were recommended for the treatment of Enterococci infections. Overall, this work can provide reference for clinical diagnosis, treatment and effective interventions.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background It is difficult to detect the outbreak of emergency infectious disease based on the exiting surveillance system. Here we investigate the utility of the Baidu Search Index, an indicator of how large of a keyword is in Baidu’s search volume, in the early warning and predicting the epidemic trend of COVID-19. Methods The daily number of cases and the Baidu Search Index of 8 keywords (weighted by population) from December 1, 2019 to March 15, 2020 were collected and analyzed with times series and Spearman correlation with different time lag. To predict the daily number of COVID-19 cases using the Baidu Search Index, Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used in phase 1 and negative binomial regression model was used in phase 2 and phase 3 based on the characteristic of independent variable. Results The Baidu Search Index of all keywords in Wuhan was significantly higher than Hubei (excluded Wuhan) and China (excluded Hubei). Before the causative pathogen was identified, the search volume of “Influenza” and “Pneumonia” in Wuhan increased with the number of new onset cases, their correlation coefficient was 0.69 and 0.59, respectively. After the pathogen was public but before COVID-19 was classified as a notifiable disease, the search volume of “SARS”, “Pneumonia”, “Coronavirus” in all study areas increased with the number of new onset cases with the correlation coefficient was 0.69 ~ 0.89, while “Influenza” changed to negative correlated (rs: -0.56 ~ -0.64). After COVID-19 was closely monitored, the Baidu Search Index of “COVID-19”, “Pneumonia”, “Coronavirus”, “SARS” and “Mask” could predict the epidemic trend with 15 days, 5 days and 6 days lead time, respectively in Wuhan, Hubei (excluded Wuhan) and China (excluded Hubei). The predicted number of cases would increase 1.84 and 4.81 folds, respectively than the actual number of cases in Wuhan and Hubei (excluded Wuhan) from 21 January to 9 February. Conclusion The Baidu Search Index could be used in the early warning and predicting the epidemic trend of COVID-19, but the search keywords changed in different period. Considering the time lag from onset to diagnosis, especially in the areas with medical resources shortage, internet search data can be a highly effective supplement of the existing surveillance system.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Background A new pathogen detection tool, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), has been widely used for infection diagnosis, but the clinical and diagnostic value of mNGS in urinary tract infection (UTI) remains inconclusive. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy of mNGS in treating UTIs. Methods A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, and eligible studies were selected based on the predetermined criteria. The quality of the included studies was assessed via the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool, and the certainty of evidence (CoE) was measured by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) score. Then, the positive detection rate (PDR), pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was estimated in Review Manager, Stata, and MetaDisc. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis were performed to reveal the potential factors that influence internal heterogeneity. Results A total of 17 studies were selected for further analysis. The PDR of mNGS was markedly greater than that of culture (odds ratio (OR) = 2.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.72–4.81, p
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Abstract Introduction Reinfection with SARS-Cov-2 after recovery can occur that most of them don’t require hospitalization. The aim of this study is estimation of out-patient COVID-19 reinfection and recurrence rates and its associated factors among Iranian patients with history of confirmed SARS-Cov-2 infection and hospitalization. Methods This study is a retrospective cohort conducted from May 2021 to May 2022 in Iran. The national Medical Care Monitoring Center (MCMC) database, obtained from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, includes all information about confirmed COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized and diagnosed during the pandemic. Using probability proportional to size sampling from 31 provinces, 1,532 patients over one years of age with a history of hospitalization in the MCMC data are randomly selected. After that, interviews by phone are performed with all of the selected patients using a researcher-made questionnaire about the occurrence of overall reinfection without considering the time of infection occurrence, reinfection occurring at least 90 days after the discharge and recurrence (occurring within 90 days after discharge). Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses are performed to assess the factors associated with each index. All of the analyses are performed using Stata software version 16. Results In general, 1,532 phone calls are made, out of which 1,095 individuals are willing to participate in the study (response rate ≃ 71%). After assessing the 1,095 patients with a positive history of COVID-19, the rates of non-hospitalized overall SARS-Cov-2 reinfection, reinfection and recurrence are 122.64, 114.09, and 8.55 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. The age range of 19–64 years (aHR:3.93, 95%CI : 1.24–12.41) and COVID-19-related healthcare worker (aHR: 3.67, 95%CI: 1.77–7.61) are identified as risk factors for reinfection, while having comorbidity, being fully vaccinated, and having a partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) ≥ 93 mmHg during the initial infection are identified as factors that reduce the risk of non-hospitalized reinfection. Conclusion Reinfection due to COVID-19 is possible because of the weakened immune system for various reasons and the mutation of the virus. Vaccination, timely boosters, and adherence to preventive measures can help mitigate this risk.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedJiajia Wan Xuejun Gao Feng Liu College of Animal Sciences, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
Virulence, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Zhen-Zhen Yan, Hang-Wei Hu, Chao Xiong, Anton Y. Peleg, Qing-Lin Chen, Tadeo Sáez-Sandino, Fernando Maestre, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Brajesh K. Singh
Trends in Microbiology, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Traditionally, antifungal resistance (AFR) has received much less attention compared with bacterial resistance to antibiotics. However, global changes, pandemics, and emerging new fungal infections have highlighted global health consequences of AFR. The recent report of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified fungal priority pathogens, and recognised AFR among the greatest global health threats. This is particularly important given the significant increase in fungal infections linked to climate change and pandemics. Environmental factors play critical roles in AFR and fungal infections, as many clinically relevant fungal pathogens and AFR originate from the environment (mainly soil). In addition, the environment serves as a potential rich source for the discovery of new antifungal agents, including mycoviruses and bacterial probiotics, which hold promise for effective therapies. In this article, we summarise the environmental pathways of AFR development and spread among high priority fungal pathogens, and propose potential mechanisms of AFR development and spread. We identify a research priority list to address key knowledge gaps in our understanding of environmental AFR. Further, we propose an integrated roadmap for predictive risk management of AFR that is critical for effective surveillance and forecasting of public health outcomes under current and future climatic conditions.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedAmir Mani, Cory Henn, Claire Couch, Sonal Patel, Thora Lieke, Justin T.H. Chan, Tomas Korytar, Irene Salinas
Science Advances, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Jianing Li, Tianze Wu, Weidong Wang, Yimin Gong, Mingzhu Lu, Mengmeng Zhang, Wanyue Lu, Yaming Zhou, Yannan Yang
Science Advances, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Felipe Gomes Naveca, Tatiana Amaral Pires de Almeida, Victor Souza, Valdinete Nascimento, Dejanane Silva, Fernanda Nascimento, Matilde Mejía, Yasmin Silva de Oliveira, Luisa Rocha, Natana Xavier, Janis Lopes, Rodrigo Maito, Cátia Meneses, Tatyana Amorim, Luciana Fé, Fernanda Sindeaux Camelo, Samyly Coutinho de Aguiar Silva, Alexsandro Xavier de Melo, Leíse Gomes Fernandes, Marco Aurélio Almeida de Oliveira, Ana Ruth Arcanjo, Guilherme Araújo, Walter André Júnior, Renata Lia Coragem de Carvalho, Rosiane Rodrigues, Stella Albuquerque, Cristiane Mattos, Ciciléia Silva, Aline Linhares, Taynã Rodrigues, Francy Mariscal, Márcia Andréa Morais, Mayra Marinho Presibella, Nelson Fernando Quallio Marques, Anne Paiva, Karina Ribeiro, Deusilene Vieira, Jackson Alves da Silva Queiroz, Ana Maísa Passos-Silva, Lígia Abdalla, João Hugo Santos, Regina Maria Pinto de Figueiredo, Ana Cecília Ribeiro Cruz, Livia Neves Casseb, Jannifer Oliveira Chiang, Livia Vinhal Frutuoso, Agata Rossi, Lucas Freitas, Túlio de Lima Campos, Gabriel Luz Wallau, Emerson Moreira, Roberto Dias Lins Neto, Laura W. Alexander, Yining Sun, Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, Tiago Gräf, Ighor Arantes, Ana I. Bento, Edson Delatorre, Gonzalo Bello
Nature, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Zehan PangAo TangYujie HeJunfen FanQingmao YangYigang TongHuahao Fan1College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China2Department of Neurology, Institute of Cerebrovascular Diseases Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China3School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, ChinaGraeme N. Forrest
Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Mateo Prochazka, Pietro Vinti, Ana Hoxha, Andy Seale, Antons Mozalevskis, Rosamund Lewis, Ruben Mayorga Sagastume, Martha Scherzer, Leilia Dore, Meg Doherty
Lancet Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Adaptations to sexual behaviour due to mpox were widespread, dynamic, and responded to evolving individual risk perceptions. We propose that the decline in mpox transmission seen at the end of 2022 resulted primarily from a combination of behavioural adaptation and naturally acquired immunity. As mpox vaccination is an important preventive measure, stark vaccine inequity highlights the need to increase access to mpox vaccines.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedZuning Ren Mengjun Li Jiayin Chen Xiaohua Gong Shuo Song Delin Li Minghui Yang Jianhai Yu Sadia Asghar Yanxin Cui Shiyu Niu Zhonghui Liao Yushan Jiang Jiahui Liu Yuqing Li Bao Zhang Wei Zhao Jie Peng Yang Yang Chenguang Shen a State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of Chinab BSL-3 Laboratory (Guangdong), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of Chinac Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Immunity, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of Chinad Laboratory of Protein Engineering and Vaccines, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, People’s Republic of Chinae School of Life Science, Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, People’s Republic of Chinaf Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistang Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Southern Medical University, Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China
Emerg Microbes Infect, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Iwona Nowakowska, Joanna Rajchert, Dorota Jasielska
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
by Iwona Nowakowska, Joanna Rajchert, Dorota Jasielska The time after the COVID-19 pandemic posed a threat to engagement in prosocial behaviors within charity organizations. In the current study, we intended to test how three motivational paths: affective empathy-based, life satisfaction-based, and perceived social support-based shaped the change in intentions to give money and time to charity organizations over a yearly period (right after revocation of the most essential anti-COVID-19 laws and at the same time, outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, in May 2022 and after a year, in late April-early May 2023). We also tested how past negative and present hedonistic time perspectives–namely, those most robust in predicting emotional states ‐ shaped the changes in the abovementioned motivational paths and giving intentions. We conducted our longitudinal study on the general population of Poland (N = 566). We found that there has been a significant drop in the willingness to give time to organizations over the year after loosening the COVID-19 restrictions and the outbreak of war in Ukraine. We found that affective empathy helped sustain the intentions to give time to organizations, whereas past negative time perspective contributed to the decrease in such intentions. Our study suggests threats to organizations and highlights potential ways to encourage supporting them and caring for their volunteers’ well-being.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedJames T. Earnest, Oscar D. Kirstein, Azael C. Mendoza, Gloria A. Barrera-Fuentes, Henry Puerta-Guardo, Manuel Parra-Cardeña, Kevin Yam-Trujillo, Matthew H. Collins, Norma Pavia-Ruz, Guadalupe Ayora-Talavera, Gabriela Gonzalez-Olvera, Anuar Medina-Barreiro, Wilberth Bibiano-Marin, Audrey Lenhart, M. Elizabeth Halloran, Ira Longini, Natalie Dean, Lance A. Waller, Amy M. Crisp, Fabian Correa-Morales, Jorge Palacio-Vargas, Pilar Granja-Perez, Salha Villanueva, Hugo Delfın-Gonzalez, Hector Gomez-Dantes, Pablo Manrique-Saide, Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
by James T. Earnest, Oscar D. Kirstein, Azael C. Mendoza, Gloria A. Barrera-Fuentes, Henry Puerta-Guardo, Manuel Parra-Cardeña, Kevin Yam-Trujillo, Matthew H. Collins, Norma Pavia-Ruz, Guadalupe Ayora-Talavera, Gabriela Gonzalez-Olvera, Anuar Medina-Barreiro, Wilberth Bibiano-Marin, Audrey Lenhart, M. Elizabeth Halloran, Ira Longini, Natalie Dean, Lance A. Waller, Amy M. Crisp, Fabian Correa-Morales, Jorge Palacio-Vargas, Pilar Granja-Perez, Salha Villanueva, Hugo Delfın-Gonzalez, Hector Gomez-Dantes, Pablo Manrique-Saide, Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec Aedes mosquito-borne viruses (ABVs) place a substantial strain on public health resources in the Americas. Vector control of Aedes mosquitoes is an important public health strategy to decrease or prevent spread of ABVs. The ongoing Targeted Indoor Residual Spraying (TIRS) trial is an NIH-sponsored clinical trial to study the efficacy of a novel, proactive vector control technique to prevent dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections in the endemic city of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. The primary outcome of the trial is laboratory-confirmed ABV infections in neighborhood clusters. Despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, by early 2021 the TIRS trial completed enrollment of 4,792 children aged 2–15 years in 50 neighborhood clusters which were allocated to control or intervention arms via a covariate-constrained randomization algorithm. Here, we describe the makeup and ABV seroprevalence of participants and mosquito population characteristics in both arms before TIRS administration. Baseline surveys showed similar distribution of age, sex, and socio-economic factors between the arms. Serum samples from 1,399 children were tested by commercially available ELISAs for presence of anti-ABV antibodies. We found that 45.1% of children were seropositive for one or more flaviviruses and 24.0% were seropositive for CHIKV. Of the flavivirus-positive participants, most were positive for ZIKV-neutralizing antibodies by focus reduction neutralization testing which indicated a higher proportion of participants with previous ZIKV than DENV infections within the cohort. Both study arms had statistically similar seroprevalence for all viruses tested, similar socio-demographic compositions, similar levels of Ae. aegypti infestation, and similar observed mosquito susceptibility to insecticides. These findings describe a population with a high rate of previous exposure to ZIKV and lower titers of neutralizing antibodies against DENV serotypes, suggesting susceptibility to future outbreaks of flaviviruses is possible, but proactive vector control may mitigate these risks.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBello Musa Yakubu, Syeda Mahera Ali, Majid Iqbal Khan, Pattarasinee Bhattarakosol
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
by Bello Musa Yakubu, Syeda Mahera Ali, Majid Iqbal Khan, Pattarasinee Bhattarakosol The recent global outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, yellow fever, and Ebola have highlighted the critical need for robust health data management systems that can rapidly adapt to and mitigate public health emergencies. In contrast to traditional systems, this study introduces an innovative blockchain-based Electronic Health Record (EHR) access control mechanism that effectively safeguards patient data integrity and privacy. The proposed approach uniquely integrates granular data access control mechanism within a blockchain framework, ensuring that patient data is only accessible to explicitly authorized users and thereby enhancing patient consent and privacy. This system addresses key challenges in healthcare data management, including preventing unauthorized access and overcoming the inefficiencies inherent in traditional access mechanisms. Since the latency is a sensitive factor in healthcare data management, the simulations of the proposed model reveal substantial improvements over existing benchmarks in terms of reduced computing overhead, increased throughput, minimized latency, and strengthened overall security. By demonstrating these advantages, the study contributes significantly to the evolution of health data management, offering a scalable, secure solution that prioritizes patient autonomy and privacy in an increasingly digital healthcare landscape.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedMonika Dawid, Patrycja Kurowska, Piotr Pawlicki, Małgorzata Kotula–Balak, Tomasz Milewicz, Joelle Dupont, Agnieszka Rak
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
by Monika Dawid, Patrycja Kurowska, Piotr Pawlicki, Małgorzata Kotula–Balak, Tomasz Milewicz, Joelle Dupont, Agnieszka Rak Visfatin is an adipokine involved in energy metabolism, insulin resistance, inflammation, and female reproduction. Due to limited data about its action in the human placenta, the aims of our studies included the analysis of visfatin expression and immunolocalization in trophoblast cell lines JEG-3 and BeWo as well as in human placentas from normal and pathological pregnancies. Moreover, we also checked the hormonal regulation of visfatin levels and the molecular mechanism of observed changes in JEG-3 cells. Cell culture and placental fragments collection along with statistical analysis were performed using standard laboratory procedures also described in our previous papers. We demonstrated an increased gene and protein expression of visfatin in JEG-3, BeWo cells, while variable expression in maternal and fetal parts of normal/ pathological pregnancy placentas. In addition, the immunolocalization of visfatin was observed in the cytoplasm of both cell lines, the capillary epithelium of the maternal part and syncytiotrophoblasts of the placental fetal part; in all tested pathologies, the signal was also detected in decidual cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that hormones: progesterone, estradiol, human chorionic gonadotropin, and insulin increased the visfatin levels in JEG-3 cells with the involvement of specific signaling pathways. Taken together, differences in the expression and localization of visfatin between normal and pathological placentas suggested that visfatin may be a potential marker for the diagnosis of pregnancy disorders. In addition, we found that placental levels of visfatin can be regulated by hormones known to modulate the function of placental cells.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedRui Yan, Yu Jiang, Chenhao Zhang, Rui Tang, Ran Liu, Jinghua Wu, Houcheng Su
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
by Rui Yan, Yu Jiang, Chenhao Zhang, Rui Tang, Ran Liu, Jinghua Wu, Houcheng Su Image stitching is a traditional but challenging computer vision task. The goal is to stitch together multiple images with overlapping areas into a single, natural-looking, high-resolution image without ghosts or seams. This article aims to increase the field of view of gastroenteroscopy and reduce the missed detection rate. To this end, an improved depth framework based on unsupervised panoramic image stitching of the gastrointestinal tract is proposed. In addition, preprocessing for aberration correction of monocular endoscope images is introduced, and a C2f module is added to the image reconstruction network to improve the network’s ability to extract features. A comprehensive real image data set, GASE-Dataset, is proposed to establish an evaluation benchmark and training learning framework for unsupervised deep gastrointestinal image splicing. Experimental results show that the MSE, RMSE, PSNR, SSIM and RMSE_SW indicators are improved, while the splicing time remains within an acceptable range. Compared with traditional image stitching methods, the performance of this method is enhanced. In addition, improvements are proposed to address the problems of lack of annotated data, insufficient generalization ability and insufficient comprehensive performance in image stitching schemes based on supervised learning. These improvements provide valuable aids in gastrointestinal examination.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedMariah S. Wood, Nicole Halmer, Jeanne Bertolli, Laura B. Amsden, Joshua R. Nugent, Jin-Mann S. Lin, Gretchen Rothrock, Joelle Nadle, Shua J. Chai, Jennifer R. Cope, Jamila H. Champsi, James Yang, Elizabeth R. Unger, Jacek Skarbinski, for STOP-ME/CFS and COVID-SELECT
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
by Mariah S. Wood, Nicole Halmer, Jeanne Bertolli, Laura B. Amsden, Joshua R. Nugent, Jin-Mann S. Lin, Gretchen Rothrock, Joelle Nadle, Shua J. Chai, Jennifer R. Cope, Jamila H. Champsi, James Yang, Elizabeth R. Unger, Jacek Skarbinski, for STOP-ME/CFS and COVID-SELECT Background Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) can be triggered by infectious agents including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on ME/CFS prevalence is not well characterized. Methods In this population-based cross-sectional study, we enrolled a stratified random sample of 9,825 adult participants in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) integrated health system from July to October 2022 to assess overall ME/CFS-like illness prevalence and the proportion that were identified following COVID-19 illness. We used medical record and survey data to estimate the prevalence of ME/CFS-like illness based on self-reported symptoms congruent with the 2015 Institute of Medicine ME/CFS criteria. History of COVID-19 was based on a positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test or ICD-10 diagnosis code in the medical record, or self-report of prior COVID-19 on a survey. Results Of 2,745,374 adults in the eligible population, an estimated 45,892 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 32,869, 58,914) or 1.67% (CI 1.20%, 2.15%) had ME/CFS-like illness. Among those with ME/CFS-like illness, an estimated 14.12% (CI 3.64%, 24.6%) developed the illness after COVID-19. Among persons who had COVID-19, those with ME/CFS-like illness after COVID-19 were more likely to be unvaccinated and to have had COVID-19 before June 1, 2021. All persons with ME/CFS-like illness had significant impairment in physical, mental, emotional, social, and occupational functioning compared to persons without ME/CFS-like illness. Conclusions In a large, integrated health system, 1.67% of adults had ME/CFS-like illness and 14.12% of all persons with ME/CFS-like illness developed it after COVID-19. Though COVID-19 did not substantially increase ME/CFS-like illness in the KPNC population during the study time period, ME/CFS-like illness nevertheless affects a notable portion of this population and is consistent with estimates of ME/CFS prevalence in other populations. Additional attention is needed to improve awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of ME/CFS.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedCrystal X. Wang, Stanley J. Huey Jr., Miriam P. Rubenson
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
by Crystal X. Wang, Stanley J. Huey Jr., Miriam P. Rubenson The uncertainty-threat model of conservatism posits that people turn to political conservatism to protect themselves from perceived threats; indeed, studies show increases in conservative ideology and outgroup bias following threat priming. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented threat that has had devastating effects on the health and economic lives of Americans. Concerns surrounding the threat of COVID-19 may have secondary effects on other aspects of American life, such as political and anti-Asian racial bias. The current studies explored the effects of COVID-19 related threats on expressed political conservatism, xenophobia, and racial bias under the uncertainty-threat model. Study 1 assessed the effects of priming health or economic risks of COVID-19 (vs. control), and found that economic threat led to increased xenophobia, but had no effects on overall conservatism. Study 2 then investigated whether the effects of COVID-related economic threat prime extended to racial bias, and explored moderators and mediators of effects. Results showed that the economic threat prime increased perceived group-status threat, and indirectly increased conservatism, xenophobia, and racial bias through the mechanism of perceived group-status threat. Effects were greatest for those impacted financially by the pandemic. In general, our studies provide support for the uncertainty-threat model with the novel threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for understanding potential shifts in conservatism and bias in response to future threats in the United States are discussed.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedA Kawaguchi, K Nagaoka, H Kawasuji, T Kawagishi, T Fuchigami, K Ikeda, JI Kanatani, T Doi, K Oishi, Y. Yamamoto
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Between 2020–2024, the global spread of Streptococcus pyogenes emm lineage M1UK has been identified as an emerging public health concern [1–4]. The strain was first described in the UK, where it was associated with an increase in scarlet fever cases from 2014 to 2018 [5]. One key aspect of this specific variant is a significantly high incidence of severe community-acquired pneumonia complicated by empyema, which has been reported in several countries [6–8]. Precedent or concurrent respiratory viral infection, mostly caused by influenza viruses, has been suggested to trigger pulmonary invasive group A Streptococcus (PiGAS) infections [6-9].
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedThiago Cerqueira-Silva, Viviane S. Boaventura, Neil Pearce, Manoel Barral-Netto
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 19.09.2024
Tilføjet 19.09.2024
Our findings confirm that high vaccination coverage using vaccines that prevent infection indirectly protects the community. However, IVE was substantially higher during the pre-Omicron period.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedPan-Pan Ye, Bu-Fan Yao, Yang Yang, Xin-Mei Yang, Qian Li, Lin-Lin Song, Ke-Guang Chen, Hai-Yan Zhou, Jin-Yi Shi, Ye-Hui Zhang, Fu-Rong Zhao, Zi-jia Guo, Shan-sen Xu, Jia Chen, Aik Han Goh, Shun-Wei Zhu, Yi Zheng, Wei Zhao
Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 18.09.2024
Tilføjet 18.09.2024
Simnotrelvir is a small molecule highly specific 3C-like protease inhibitor for anti-SARS-CoV-2 and was approved as a combination drug with ritonavir (simnotrelvir/ritonavir) in China. Simnotrelvir is a substrate of cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp), and a weak inhibitor of CYP3A. Ritonavir is a substrate and inhibitor of CYP3A and an inhibitor of P-gp. Hence, the drug-drug interaction (DDI) potential of simnotrelvir/ritonavir should be investigated.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedDevelay, E., Wartelle-Bladou, C., Talbot, A., Khemiri, R., Parent, J., Boulanger, A., Dubreucq, S., Page, M. G.
BMJ Open, 18.09.2024
Tilføjet 18.09.2024
ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to compare and contrast the experiences of interdisciplinary attendees (spokes) and experts (hub members) from three Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) programmes: hepatitis C, chronic pain and concurrent mental health and substance use disorders. DesignProspective qualitative study. SettingSingle-centre in tertiary care. ParticipantsThe team conducted 30 one-on-one interviews with spokes and 4 focus groups with hub members from three ECHO programmes. AnalysesThree analysts were involved to perform a reflexive thematic analysis. ResultsOur results showed the benefits and limitations of the three ECHOs, varying according to specificities of targeted chronic conditions. Three overarching themes were identified from the data analysis: (1) perceived impacts of an interprofessional educational setting; (2) nature of disease and interprofessional interactions as determinants of clinical practice changes in diagnoses and treatments and (3) impacts on patient engagement and care pathways. ConclusionsThe extent to which a chronic disease relies on a biopsychosocial approach, the degree of interdisciplinary care required and the simplicity/complexity of treatment algorithms influence perceived benefits and barriers to participating in ECHO programmes. These points raised by our study are important in the understanding of the successes and limitations of implementing an ECHO programme. They are essential as they provide key information for tailoring Project ECHO to the chronic disease it addresses.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedDunlop, C. L., Kilpatrick, C., Jones, L., Bonet, M., Allegranzi, B., Brizuela, V., Graham, W., Thompson, A., Cheshire, J., Lissauer, D.
BMJ Open, 18.09.2024
Tilføjet 18.09.2024
IntroductionHand hygiene is key in preventing healthcare-associated infections, but it is challenging in maternity settings due to high patient turnover, frequent emergencies and volume of aseptic procedures. We sought to investigate if adaptions to the WHO hand hygiene reminders could improve their acceptability in maternity settings globally, and use these findings to develop new reminders specific to maternity settings. MethodsInformed by Sekhon et al’s acceptability framework, we conducted an online survey, semi-structured interviews and a focus group examining the three WHO central hand hygiene reminders (‘your five moments of hand hygiene’, ‘how to hand wash’ and ‘how to hand rub’) and their acceptability in maternity settings. A convergent mixed-methods study design was followed. Findings were examined overall and by country income status. A WHO expert working group tested the integrated findings, further refined results and developed recommendations to improve acceptability for use in the global maternity community. Findings were used to inform the development of two novel and acceptable hand hygiene reminders for use in high-income country (HIC) and low- and middle-income country (LMIC) maternity settings. ResultsParticipation in the survey (n=342), semi-structured interviews (n=12) and focus group (n=7) spanned 51 countries (14 HICs and 37 LMICs). The highest scoring acceptability constructs were clarity of the intervention (intervention coherence), confidence in performance (self-efficacy), and alignment with personal values (ethicality). The lowest performing were perceived difficulty (burden) and how the intervention made the participant feel (affective attitude). Overfamiliarity reduced acceptability in HICs (perceived effectiveness). In LMICs, resource availability was a barrier to implementation (opportunity cost). Two new reminders were developed based on the findings, using inclusive female images, and clinical examples from maternity settings. ConclusionFollowing methodologically robust adaptation, two novel and inclusive maternity-specific hand hygiene reminders have been developed for use in both HIC and LMICs.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedVogt, R. L., Heck, P. R., Mestechkin, R. M., Heydari, P., Chabris, C. F., Meyer, M. N.
BMJ Open, 18.09.2024
Tilføjet 18.09.2024
ObjectivesPragmatic randomised controlled trials (pRCTs) are essential for determining the real-world safety and effectiveness of healthcare interventions. However, both laypeople and clinicians often demonstrate experiment aversion: preferring to implement either of two interventions for everyone rather than comparing them to determine which is best. We studied whether clinician and layperson views of pRCTs for COVID-19, as well as non-COVID-19, interventions became more positive during the pandemic, which increased both the urgency and public discussion of pRCTs. DesignRandomised survey experiments. SettingGeisinger, a network of hospitals and clinics in central and northeastern Pennsylvania, USA; Amazon Mechanical Turk, a research participant platform used to recruit online participants residing across the USA. Data were collected between August 2020 and February 2021. Participants2149 clinicians (the types of people who conduct or make decisions about conducting pRCTs) and 2909 laypeople (the types of people who are included in pRCTs as patients). The clinician sample was primarily female (81%), comprised doctors (15%), physician assistants (9%), registered nurses (54%) and other medical professionals, including other nurses, genetic counsellors and medical students (23%), and the majority of clinicians (62%) had more than 10 years of experience. The layperson sample ranges in age from 18 to 88 years old (mean=38, SD=13) and the majority were white (75%) and female (56%). Outcome measuresParticipants read vignettes in which a hypothetical decision-maker who sought to improve health could choose to implement intervention A for all, implement intervention B for all, or experimentally compare A and B and implement the superior intervention. Participants rated and ranked the appropriateness of each decision. Experiment aversion was defined as the degree to which a participant rated the experiment below their lowest-rated intervention. ResultsIn a survey of laypeople administered during the pandemic, we found significant aversion to experiments involving catheterisation checklists and hypertension drugs unrelated to the treatment of COVID-19 (Cohen’s d=0.25–0.46, p
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 18.09.2024
Tilføjet 18.09.2024
Abstract Background In addition to antibiotic resistance, persistence is another cause of treatment failure in bacterial infections, representing a significant public health concern. Due to a lack of adequate data on clinical isolates, this study was initiated to investigate persistence in clinical isolates in Burkina Faso. Methods Eighty (80) clinical isolates, including 32 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 41 Staphylococcus aureus, and 7 Salmonella sp. obtained from clinical laboratories in Burkina Faso, were analyzed to assess their susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin, as well as to determine the presence of persistence genes. The effects of ciprofloxacin and gentamicin on persister formation were evaluated by conducting colony counts at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 20 h after exposing the bacteria to high concentrations of these antibiotics. Results Results showed high sensitivity to both antibiotics (72.5% for ciprofloxacin and 82.5% for gentamicin). Persister formation occurred in Staphylococcus aureus with gentamicin and in Salmonella sp. with ciprofloxacin, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa did not form persisters. The mazF gene was found in 28.13% of P. aeruginosa and 2.44% of S. aureus isolates, and the hipA gene in 28.57% of Salmonella sp. None of the relE1 or relE2 genes were detected. Conclusions The study revealed high sensitivity in clinical bacterial isolates to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella sp. showed persister formation under antibiotic stress, with low frequencies of the studied persistence genes. These findings enhance understanding of clinical bacterial behavior and inform strategies against antibiotic-resistant infections.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMed