Search results for "immunocompromised host"
showing 10 items of 90 documents
Density-dependent effects on parasite growth and parasite-induced host immunodepression in the larval helminth Pomphorhynchus laevis.
2011
SUMMARYLarval helminths exploit the physiology of their intermediate hosts: first, as a resource for energy and space and second by altering the immune system activity to ensure their survival. Whereas the growth pattern under parasite competition has been investigated, the effect of multiple infections on the level of parasite-induced immunodepression in a trophically transmitted helminth has been neglected. In this study, amphipodsGammarus pulexwere infected in the laboratory by the acanthocephalanPomphorhynchus laevisto investigate how parasite density in the intermediate host affected (i) cystacanth growth and (ii) the level of parasite-induced alterations of the host immune defences, t…
Opportunistic infections in immunosuppressed patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: analysis by the Pharmachild Safety Adjudication Committee
2020
Background: To derive a list of opportunistic infections (OI) through the analysis of the juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients in the Pharmachild registry by an independent Safety Adjudication Committee (SAC). Methods: The SAC (3 pediatric rheumatologists and 2 pediatric infectious disease specialists) elaborated and approved by consensus a provisional list of OI for use in JIA. Through a 5 step-procedure, all the severe and serious infections, classified as per MedDRA dictionary and retrieved in the Pharmachild registry, were evaluated by the SAC by answering six questions and adjudicated with the agreement of 3/5 specialists. A final evidence-based list of OI resulted by matching …
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Children with CKD or Immunosuppression
2021
Infections are a major concern in children on KRT and with CKD. Risk factors include immunosuppression, multiple contacts in dialysis units, and hospital visits ([1][1]). Italy was one of the countries most affected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak ([2][2
Clinical use of polymerase chain reaction performed on peripheral blood and bone marrow samples for the diagnosis and monitoring of visceral leishman…
2007
Background To overcome some of the limitations of conventional microbiologic techniques, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays are proposed as useful tools for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. Patients and methods A comparative study using conventional microbiologic techniques (i.e., serologic testing, microscopic examination, and culture) and a Leishmania species-specific PCR assay, using peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate samples as templates, was conducted during an 8-year period. The study cohort consisted of 594 Italian immunocompetent (adult and pediatric) and immunocompromised (adult) patients experiencing febrile syndromes associated with hematologic alteration…
Forty-one recent cases of invasive zygomycosis from a global clinical registry.
2009
Background Invasive zygomycosis accounts for a significant proportion of all invasive fungal diseases (IFD), but clinical data on the clinical course and treatment response are limited. Patients and methods Fungiscope-A Global Rare Fungal Infection Registry is an international university-based case registry that collects data of patients with rare IFD, using a web-based electronic case form at www.fungiscope.net. Results Forty-one patients with invasive zygomycosis from central Europe and Asia were registered. The most common underlying conditions were malignancies (n = 26; 63.4%), diabetes mellitus (n = 7; 17.1%) and solid organ transplantation (n = 4; 9.8%). Diagnosis was made by culture …
Antifungal prophylaxis for invasive mycoses in high risk patients.
2006
New broader spectrum antifungal agents with favorable safety profiles have been available for the last 15 years making prophylaxis feasible. The purpose of this article is to review recent studies in patient populations at high risk for invasive fungal infections.Itraconazole, lipid formulations of amphotericin B, posaconazole, caspofungin and micafungin have been utilized for prophylaxis in different immunocompromised host settings. Itraconazole and caspofungin remain an option especially in patients with hematological diseases. Low dose liposomal amphotericin B shows a lower morbidity rate in patients treated for acute myeloid leukemia. Posaconazole demonstrated survival benefits in this …
Sepsis due to Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in a Patient with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Associated with Bronchopneumonia due to PSeudomonas aerugin…
2015
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infections can typically be attributed to exposure to animal products; thus, these infections are more common among farmers, butchers and veterinarians, among others. This article describes a case involving a 54-year-old man who had relative neutropenia subsequent to treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The patient developed E rhusiopathiae bacteremia with concomitant pneumonia. The author of this article suggests a likely route of infection, which is atypical considering the patient did not report exposure to animal products.
New methods of delivery of amphotericin B.
1993
Fungal infections continue to be a major problem in the management of immunocompromised patients. Despite its formidable toxicity and treatment failures, amphotericin B is still the drug of choice for most of these infections. One strategy for reducing the toxicity of amphotericin B and thus permitting administration of higher doses is that of using less toxic formulations. Entrapping amphotericin B into liposomes or binding it to other substances reduces its toxicity to host cells, whereas the selective binding of amphotericin B to ergosterol preserves its toxicity to fungal cells. Adding fungus-specific antibodies to such liposomes may further increase the efficiency of drug targeting. Th…
Molecular Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompromised Patients: a 3-Year Multicenter Retrospective Study
2015
ABSTRACT Toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients (ICPs). The definitive diagnosis relies on parasite DNA detection, but little is known about the incidence and burden of disease in HIV-negative patients. A 3-year retrospective study was conducted in 15 reference laboratories from the network of the French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis, in order to record the frequency of Toxoplasma gondii DNA detection in ICPs and to review the molecular methods used for diagnosis and the prevention measures implemented in transplant patients. During the study period, of 31,640 PCRs performed on samples from ICPs, 610 were positive (323 patients). Blood ( n …
Visceral leishmaniasis: host-parasite interactions and clinical presentation in the immunocompetent and in the immunocompromised host.
2013
SummaryVisceral leishmaniases are vector-borne parasitic diseases caused by protozoa belonging to the genus Leishmania. The heterogeneity of clinical manifestations and epidemiological characteristics of the disease reflect the complex interplay between the infecting Leishmania species and the genetic and immunologic characteristics of the infected host. The clinical presentation of visceral leishmaniasis depends strictly on the immunocompetency of the host and ranges from asymptomatic to severe forms. Conditions of depression of the immune system, such as HIV infection or immunosuppressive treatments, impair the capability of the immune response to resolve the infection and allow reactivat…