Search results for "immunocompromised host"
showing 10 items of 90 documents
Progressive multifocal encephalopathy in a patient with non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma
2020
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare and often fatal demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by John Cunningham virus (JCV). We present a case report of patient with non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma, who developed PML after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and rituximab-bendamustine therapy. JCV DNA was proven both in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Patient with 4 years history of follicular lymphoma presented with progressing weakness in the right arm and leg and postural instability. Magnetic resonance imaging scans showed bilateral hyperintense lesions in the cerebellum and centrum semiovale consistent with findings in PML. JCV DNA…
Synergism between the components of the bipartite major immediate-early transcriptional enhancer of murine cytomegalovirus does not accelerate virus …
2009
Major immediate-early (MIE) transcriptional enhancers of cytomegaloviruses are key regulators that are regarded as determinants of virus replicative fitness and pathogenicity. The MIE locus of murine cytomegalovirus (mCMV) shows bidirectional gene-pair architecture, with a bipartite enhancer flanked by divergent core promoters. Here, we have constructed recombinant viruses mCMV-ΔEnh1 and mCMV-ΔEnh2 to study the impact of either enhancer component on bidirectional MIE gene transcription and on virus replication in cell culture and various host tissues that are relevant to CMV disease. The data revealed that the two unipartite enhancers can operate independently, but synergize in enhancing MI…
Enhancerless Cytomegalovirus Is Capable of Establishing a Low-Level Maintenance Infection in Severely Immunodeficient Host Tissues but Fails in Expon…
2010
ABSTRACT Major immediate-early transcriptional enhancers are genetic control elements that act, through docking with host transcription factors, as a decisive regulatory unit for efficient initiation of the productive virus cycle. Animal models are required for studying the function of enhancers paradigmatically in host organs. Here, we have sought to quantitatively assess the establishment, maintenance, and level of in vivo growth of enhancerless mutants of murine cytomegalovirus in comparison with those of an enhancer-bearing counterpart in models of the immunocompromised or immunologically immature host. Evidence is presented showing that enhancerless viruses are capable of forming restr…
Prophylaxis and treatment of hepatitis B in immunocompromised patients.
2007
The literature on hepatitis B virus (HBV) in immunocompromised patients is heterogeneous and referred mainly to the pre-antivirals era. Today a rational approach to the problem of hepatitis B in these patients provides for: (a) the evaluation of HBV markers and of liver condition in all subjects starting immunosuppressive therapies (baseline), (b) the treatment with antivirals (therapy) of active carriers, (c) the pre-emptive use of antivirals (prophylaxis) in inactive carriers, especially if they are undergoing immunosuppressive therapies judged to be at high risk, (d) the biochemical and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) monitoring (or universal prophylaxis, in case of high risk immunos…
Cytomegalovirus and varicella–zoster virus vaccines in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
2009
Impairment of cellular immunity upon hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) may lead to serious clinical manifestations induced by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections. Although the clinical presentations, preferential organ involvement and clinical courses are different, infections with both herpesviruses are similar with respect to many pathophysiological aspects and the therapeutic strategies that are employed to combat them. Antiviral drug prophylaxis and therapy are successfully used to limit the risk of reactivated HCMV and VZV infections, but are unable to absolutely prevent episodes of virus disease in long-term follow-up after HSCT. Contr…
Human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B genotypes in immunocompetent, immunocompromised, and congenitally infected Italian populations
2003
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strains, obtained from immunocompetent and immunocompromised Italian hosts, were typed with glycoprotein B (gB) gene restriction analysis. A predominant circulation of HCMV strains with gB type 2 and 3 was detected in both the immunocompetent host with a primary HCMV infection and the immunocompromised host with or without HCMV disease. No association between gB types and subjects with different risks of developing HCMV disease was found. All four gB genotypes were capable of causing congenital infection in Italian babies, with gB type 1 accounting for 50% of the strains examined in symptomatic infants and a remarkable incidence of gB type 4 viruses.
INFEZIONE POLMONARE DA BLASTOSCHIZOMICES CAPITATUS
2005
Geotrichum capitatum, now known as Blastoschizomyces capitatus, can be responsible for several opportunistic infections (systemic infection or localized at lungs, liver, kidney, encephalitis or meningitis) in an immunocompromised host, especially in those patients affected by leukaemia or under immunosuppressive therapies. A 66-year-old woman with polimyosite under steroid and immunosuppressant therapy was hospitalized in ICU for an acute respiratory distress with moderate hypoxaemia and normocapnia. Pulmonary X-ray revealed a bilateral pneumonia. Hypoxaemia became severe 48 hours later and the patient underwent mechanical ventilation and empirical antibiotic therapy. Blood cultures, urine …
The addition of interleukin-2 to cyclophosphamide therapy can facilitate tumor growth of B16 melanoma.
1995
The role of interleukin-2 (IL-2) on tumor growth of B16F10 melanoma cells was assessed in two sets of mice with different immune status: normal (immunocompetent) mice and immunodeficient mice. The two sets of animals were treated with cyclophosphamide (CY) or IL-2 alone or with a combined therapy of CY+IL-2. On days 6 and 10 after tumor cell injection, we evaluated the incidence of hepatic B16 melanoma metastases and the percentage of hepatic volume occupied by metastatic tissue. We observed that the CY alone (300 mg/kg, days 3 and 8 post-tumoral inoculation) significantly reduced tumor growth in all treated mice; however, CY proved more effective in normal recipients than in immunodeficien…
Bacterial etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in immunocompetent hospitalized patients and appropriateness of empirical treatment recommendation…
2020
An accurate knowledge of the epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is key for selecting appropriate antimicrobial treatments. Very few etiological studies assessed the appropriateness of empiric guideline recommendations at a multinational level. This study aims at the following: (i) describing the bacterial etiologic distribution of CAP and (ii) assessing the appropriateness of the empirical treatment recommendations by clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for CAP in light of the bacterial pathogens diagnosed as causative agents of CAP. Secondary analysis of the GLIMP, a point-prevalence international study which enrolled adults hospitalized with CAP in 2015. The analysis was l…