Search results for "ESPI"
showing 10 items of 6377 documents
One year into the pandemic: Short-term evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and emergence of new lineages.
2021
The COVID-19 pandemic was officially declared on March 11th, 2020. Since the very beginning, the spread of the virus has been tracked nearly in real-time by worldwide genome sequencing efforts. As of March 2021, more than 830,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes have been uploaded in GISAID and this wealth of data allowed researchers to study the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 during this first pandemic year. In parallel, nomenclatures systems, often with poor consistency among each other, have been developed to designate emerging viral lineages. Despite general fears that the virus might mutate to become more virulent or transmissible, SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity has remained relatively low during the first ~…
Development of a database for the rapid and accurate routine identification of Achromobacter species by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-t…
2019
International audience; Objectives: Achromobacter spp. are emerging pathogens in respiratory samples from cystic fibrosis patients. The current reference methods (nrdA-sequencing or multilocus sequence typing) can identify 18 species which are often misidentified by conventional techniques as A. xylosoxidans. A few studies have suggested that matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) provides accurate identification of the genus but not of species. The aims of this study were (a) to generate a database for MALDI-TOF/MS Bruker including the 18 species, (b) to evaluate the suitability of the database for routine laboratory identification, and …
Pertussis: Microbiology, Disease, Treatment, and Prevention
2016
SUMMARY Pertussis is a severe respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis , and in 2008, pertussis was associated with an estimated 16 million cases and 195,000 deaths globally. Sizeable outbreaks of pertussis have been reported over the past 5 years, and disease reemergence has been the focus of international attention to develop a deeper understanding of pathogen virulence and genetic evolution of B. pertussis strains. During the past 20 years, the scientific community has recognized pertussis among adults as well as infants and children. Increased recognition that older children and adolescents are at risk for disease and may transmit B. pertussis to younger siblings has undersc…
The clinical impact of PCR‐based point‐of‐care diagnostic in respiratory tract infections in children
2020
Abstract Background Children are commonly affected by respiratory tract infections. Based on clinical symptoms, laboratory evaluation, and imaging, the causative pathogen often cannot be delineated. Point‐of‐care‐testing systems that provide an opportunity for fast detection of common viruses and some bacteria can therefore influence treatment's options. We aimed to examine whether the Biofire® FilmArray® has an effect on antibiotic treatment, duration of antibiotic therapy, and length of hospital stay within a pediatric cohort. Methods We included children who were admitted to inpatient treatment with an acute respiratory tract infection from 02/2017 to 04/2018 using the FA respiratory pan…
Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec typing and mecA sequencing in methicillin-resistant staphylococci from Algeria: a highly diversified element w…
2016
Genetic mechanisms of methicillin resistance are still relevant in staphylococci. The aims of this study are to assess the possible exchanges of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) among isolates of methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) and to check for known or new mutations in mecA DNA. A total of 35 MRS non-repetitive isolates were recovered, including 20 Staphylococcus haemolyticus, 7 Staphylococcus aureus, 4 Staphylococcus sciuri, 2 Staphylococcus saprophyticus and 1 isolate each of Staphylococcus xylosus and Staphylococcus lentus. Only 16 of the 35 strains were assigned to known SCCmec types: 7 SCCmec VII, 6 SCCmec IV and 3 SCCmec III, with possible horizontal transfer…
Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection cases or outbreaks at nursing homes by targeted wastewater tracking
2021
Objectives Near-source tracking of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the sewage drains serving particular buildings may allow rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection cases or local outbreaks. In this pilot study, we investigated whether this was the case for nursing homes (NH). Methods The study involved five NH (from A to E) affiliated to the Clínico-Malvarrosa Health Department, Valencia (Spain). These were nursing or mixed nursing/care homes of different sizes, altogether providing care for 472 residents attended by a staff of 309. Near-source sewage samples were screened for presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR at least 5 days per week during the study period. SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing in nasopharyn…
Point-of-care evaluation of a rapid antigen test (CLINITESTⓇ Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Test) for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in symptomatic and as…
2021
AbstractRapid antigen assays (RAD) based on lateral flow immunochromatography (LFIC) technology have emerged as a valuable tool for the control of COVID-19 pandemic. Manufacturer□independent, real□world evaluation of these assays is crucial given the considerable heterogeneity reported in their clinical and analytical performances. Here, we report for the first time on the point-of-care performance of the CLINITEST® Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Test (Siemens, Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany) to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection in presumptive COVID-19 cases or asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-19 patients. When compared to RT-PCR, the overall sensitivity of the assay was 80.2 (95% CI, 70.9-87.1) for…
C2orf69 mutations disrupt mitochondrial function and cause a multisystem human disorder with recurring autoinflammation
2021
BACKGROUND. Deciphering the function of the many genes previously classified as uncharacterized open reading frame (ORF) would complete our understanding of a cell’s function and its pathophysiology. METHODS. Whole-exome sequencing, yeast 2-hybrid and transcriptome analyses, and molecular characterization were performed in this study to uncover the function of the C2orf69 gene. RESULTS. We identified loss-of-function mutations in the uncharacterized C2orf69 gene in 8 individuals with brain abnormalities involving hypomyelination and microcephaly, liver dysfunction, and recurrent autoinflammation. C2orf69 contains an N-terminal signal peptide that is required and sufficient for mitochondrial…
Revisiting the Warburg effect: historical dogma versus current understanding
2020
Contrary to Warburg's original thesis, accelerated aerobic glycolysis is not a primary, permanent and universal consequence of dysfunctional or impaired mitochondria compensating for poor ATP yield per mole of glucose. Instead, in most tumours the Warburg effect is an essential part of a 'selfish' metabolic reprogramming, which results from the interplay between (normoxic/hypoxic) hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) overexpression, oncogene activation (cMyc, Ras), loss of function of tumour suppressors (mutant p53, mutant phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN), microRNAs and sirtuins with suppressor functions), activated (PI3K-Akt-mTORC1, Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK-cMyc, Jak-Stat3) or deactivated (LKB…
Ribosome-Targeting Antibiotics Impair T Cell Effector Function and Ameliorate Autoimmunity by Blocking Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis
2019
Summary While antibiotics are intended to specifically target bacteria, most are known to affect host cell physiology. In addition, some antibiotic classes are reported as immunosuppressive for reasons that remain unclear. Here, we show that Linezolid, a ribosomal-targeting antibiotic (RAbo), effectively blocked the course of a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. Linezolid and other RAbos were strong inhibitors of T helper-17 cell effector function in vitro, showing that this effect was independent of their antibiotic activity. Perturbing mitochondrial translation in differentiating T cells, either with RAbos or through the inhibition of mitochondrial elongation factor G1 (mEF-G1) progressi…