Search results for "IMMUNOLOGY"

Italian young doctors’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on antibiotic use and resistance: A national cross-sectional survey

2020

Abstract Objectives Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the major health issues worldwide. Clinicians should play a central role to fight AMR, and medical training is a pivotal issue to combat it; therefore, assessing levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices among young doctors is essential for future antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes. Methods A nationwide, cross-sectional, multicentre survey was conducted in Italy. A descriptive analysis of knowledge and attitudes was performed, along with a univariate and multivariate analysis of their determinants. Results Overall, 1179 young doctors accessed the survey and 1055 (89.5%) completed all sections. Regarding the knowledge se…

Molecular epidemiology and drug-resistance mechanisms in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated in patients from a tertiary hospital in …

2020

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study has been to characterize carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and to determine the resistance mechanisms involved, the clonal relationship between strains and clinical and demographical data of the infected patients. Methods Clinical and demographical data from patients were collected and statistically analysed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed and resistance genes were detected both phenotypically and genotypically. Conjugation assays were performed to show horizontal transferability of resistance genes. Clonal relationship was also studied. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to obtain information regard…

Ebola Virus Disease Complicated by Late-Onset Encephalitis and Polyarthritis, Sierra Leone

2016

To the Editor: Ebola virus (EBOV) disease is usually an acute illness, but increasing evidence exists of persistent infections and post-Ebola syndromes. We report a case of EBOV encephalitis.

The unbalanced p53/SIRT1 axis may impact lymphocyte homeostasis in COVID-19 patients

2021

Abstract Background/objectives A dysregulated inflammatory profile plays an important role in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis. Moreover, the depletion of lymphocytes is typically associated with an unfavourable disease course. We studied the role and impact of p53 and deacetylase Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) on lymph-monocyte homeostasis and their possible effect on T and B cell signalling. Methods Gene expression analysis and flow cytometry were performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 35 COVID-19 patients and 10 healthy donors (HD). Inflammatory cytokines, the frequency of Annexin+ cells among CD3+ T cells and CD19+ B cell subsets were quantified. Results PBMC from …

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…

How can the gut microbiota affect immune recovery in HIV-infected individuals?

2017

Highly heterogeneous mutation rates in the hepatitis C virus genome.

2016

Spontaneous mutations are the ultimate source of genetic variation and have a prominent role in evolution. RNA viruses such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) have extremely high mutation rates, but these rates have been inferred from a minute fraction of genome sites, limiting our view of how RNA viruses create diversity. Here, by applying high-fidelity ultradeep sequencing to a modified replicon system, we scored >15,000 spontaneous mutations, encompassing more than 90% of the HCV genome. This revealed >1,000-fold differences in mutability across genome sites, with extreme variations even between adjacent nucleotides. We identify base composition, the presence of high- and low-mutation clusters a…

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) Fatty Acids Profile Is Strain-Dependent and Changes Upon Host Macrophages Infection

2017

Johne´s disease is a chronic granulomatous enteritis of ruminants caused by the intracellular bacterium Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map). We previously demonstrated that Map isolates from sheep persisted within host macrophages in lower CFUs than cattle isolates after 7 days of infection. In the current study, we hypothesize that these phenotypic differences between Map isolates may be driven be the fatty acids (FAs) present on the phosphadidyl-1-myo-inositol mannosides of the Map cell wall that mediate recognition by the mannose receptors of host macrophages. FAs modifications may influence Map´s envelope fluidity ultimately affecting pathogenicity. To test this hypothesis…

Molecular characterisation of quinolone-resistant Shigella strains isolated in Tehran, Iran.

2016

Over the past few years, the number of Shigella strains resistant to nalidixic acid has increased and has made the selection of effective antimicrobial therapy more difficult. The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of quinolone resistance in Shigella strains. Shigella strains isolated from 1100 diarrhoeal patients in Tehran, Iran, were assessed for their susceptibility to nalidixic acid prior to PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis of their quinolone resistance genes. Among 73 Shigella strains isolated, 23 (31.5%) were resistant to nalidixic acid. The most common Shigella spp. was Shigella sonnei (54; 74.0%). Of the 23 quinolone-resistant isolates, 4 (17.4%) (includi…