The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to burden healthcare systems worldwide. COVID-19 symptoms are highly heterogeneous, and the patient may be asymptomatic or may present with ...mild to severe or fatal symptoms. Factors, such as age, sex, and comorbidities, are key determinants of illness severity and progression. Aging is accompanied by multiple deficiencies in interferon production by dendritic cells or macrophages in response to viral infections, resulting in dysregulation of inflammatory immune responses and excess oxidative stress. Age-related dysregulation of immune function may cause a more obvious pathophysiological response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in elderly patients and may accelerate the risk of biological aging, even after recovery. For more favorable treatment outcomes, inhibiting viral replication and dampening inflammatory and oxidative responses before induction of an overt cytokine storm is crucial. Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant with antiviral activity. Herein, we describe the reasons for impaired interferon production, owing to aging, and the impact of aging on innate and adaptive immune responses to infection, which leads to inflammation distress and immunosuppression, thereby causing fulminant disease. Additionally, the molecular mechanism by which resveratrol could reverse a state of excessive basal inflammatory and oxidative stress and low antiviral immunity is discussed.
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an urgent global response in vaccine deployment, achieving over 70.6% global vaccination coverage with at least one dose. This study focuses on Taiwan’s vaccine ...administration and adverse event reporting, set against a global backdrop. Using data from Taiwan’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and global vaccination data, this study investigates vaccine safety and the public health implications of vaccination strategies from local and global perspectives. Taiwan’s proactive approach, resulting in high vaccination rates, provides a case study for the monitoring and management of vaccine-related adverse events. This study offers insights into the safety profiles of various COVID-19 vaccines and further explores the implications of adverse event reporting rates for vaccine policy and public health strategies. The comparative analysis reveals that, while vaccination has been effective in controlling the virus’s spread, safety monitoring remains critical for maintaining public trust. It underscores the necessity of enhanced surveillance and the importance of transparent and tailored risk communication to support informed public health decisions. The findings aim to contribute to the global dialogue on vaccine safety, equitable distribution, evidence-based policy-making, and development of mitigation measures with consideration of local demographics in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.
•LabTurbo AIO 48 can accurately identify SARS-CoV-2 infection.•LabTurbo AIO 48 can reduce by ~ 47.9% the sample-to-result time.•LabTurbo AIO 48 is more sensitive than the reference detection ...assay.•LabTurbo AIO 48 can provide high-throughput and reliable SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic results.
Immediate detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical for preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The LabTurbo AIO 48 system is an automated platform that allows nucleic acid extraction and sample analysis on the same instrument, producing faster results without affecting their accuracy. We aimed to independently evaluate the LabTurbo AIO 48 (all-in-one system) for SARS-CoV-2 detection.
Comparative limit of detection (LOD) was assessed on both the LabTurbo AIO 48 and current standard detection system based on real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), using SARS-CoV-2 RNA control. Additional 125 primary clinical samples were assessed using both the protocols in parallel.
The turnaround time from sample to results for 48 samples analyzed on LabTurbo AIO 48 was approximately 2.5 h, whereas that analyzed using the in-house RT-PCR protocol was 4.8 h. LabTurbo AIO 48 also demonstrated higher sensitivity than our reference RT-PCR assay, with a LOD of 9.4 copies/reaction. The overall percentage agreement between both the methods for 125 samples was 100%.
LabTurbo AIO 48 is a robust detection option for SARS-CoV-2, allowing faster results and, consequently, aiding in better control and prevention of COVID-19.
Objective: The pandemic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global public health crisis. Many maternity units worldwide are currently establishing the management protocols for these patients. ...Case report: We report the first critically ill pregnant woman with COVID-19-induced respiratory failure undergoing emergent caesarean delivery at 32 weeks of gestation, in the setting of a positive pressure operating room (OR) with negative pressure anteroom in Taiwan. Conclusion: Multidisciplinary planning and collaboration are necessary to achieve satisfactory clinical outcomes in pregnancies with critical COVID-19 pneumonia. The combinations of comprehensive evaluation, timely treatment as well as establishment of rigorous protocol and safe environment for the emergent delivery are important.
Colistin resistance due to the
-type genes in Escherichia coli is well characterized. In order to study the resistance mechanism in
-negative colistin-resistant E. coli, strains were selected from a ...nationwide antimicrobial resistance surveillance program in Taiwan for further investigation. A total of 11
-negative colistin-resistant isolates among 7,942 (0.1%) clinical E. coli isolates were identified between 2008 and 2018. Their prevalence was low and remained stable during the study period. Since 2012, ST131 and ST1193 clones with multiple drug-resistant phenotypes have emerged. All resistant strains displayed higher expression levels of the operons
and
than the control MG1655 strain. Although several amino acid substitutions were identified in PmrA or PmrB, only R81H in PmrA was associated with overexpression of
and colistin resistance. The effect of substitution R81H in PmrA in colistin resistance was confirmed by complementation experiments. Although some strains harbored substitutions in PmrB, the identified mutations in
did not contribute to colistin resistance. In conclusion, the amino acid substitution R81H in PmrA is an independent factor contributing to colistin resistance in non-
E. coli.
The molecular epidemiology and resistance mechanisms of
-negative colistin-resistant E. coli are not well described. In this study, a total of 11
-negative colistin-resistant E. coli isolates were selected from a nationwide antimicrobial resistance surveillance program in Taiwan for further investigation. We determined the resistance mechanism of non-
colistin-resistant strains using gene knockout and complementation experiments. We observed the occurrence of the global multiple-drug-resistant E. coli clones ST131 and ST1193 starting in 2012. Moreover, for the first time, we proved that the amino acid substitution R81H in PmrA is an independent factor contributing to colistin resistance in non-
E. coli. The study results helped to gain an insight into the diversity and complexity of chromosome-encoded colistin resistance in E. coli.
Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) causes severe infections even in healthy individuals by escaping surveillance and killing from polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), the first-line ...leukocytes in bacterial infections; moreover, the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains further limits treatment options. We therefore assess whether multilineage mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), best known for immunomodulation toward T cells, could be therapeutic for highly virulent bacterial infections via modulation of PMNs. We find that both bone marrow MSCs and placental MSCs (PMSCs) preserve in vitro PMN survival, but only PMSCs significantly enhance multiple PMN bactericidal functions, including phagocytosis, through secretion of interleukin-1β (IL-1β). PMSC treatment of hvKP-infected mice suppresses T and natural killer (NK) cell responses as expected but can preferentially recruit PMNs and enhance antibacterial functions to allow for disease survival; IL-1β knockdown in PMSCs significantly decreases hvKP clearance, worsening survival and resulting in 100% lethality. Our data strongly implicate the possible use of PMSCs for infections of PMN-resistant hvKP strains.
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•Human PMSCs preserve PMN viability while suppressing T and NK lymphocyte responses•Human PMSC-secreted IL-1β is involved in enhancing PMN bactericidal functions•Human PMSCs have a therapeutic role for infections of PMN-resistant hvKP strains•Human PMSC treatment improves survival of mice with abdominal hvKP infection
Wang et al. demonstrate that human PMSC-secreted IL-1β is critical in the preferential recruitment of PMNs during hvKP-induced intra-abdominal infection. This results in enhanced PMN antibacterial functions, including improved hepatic and peritoneal cavity bacterial clearance, without eliciting excessive T and NK lymphocyte responses, which allow for survival against absolute lethality.
We report the first clinical
strain EC3000 with concomitant chromosomal colistin and carbapenem resistance. A novel in-frame deletion, Δ6-11 (RPISLR), in
that contributes to colistin resistance was ...verified using recombinant DNA techniques. Although being less fit than the wild-type (WT) strain or EC3000 revertant (chromosomal replacement of WT
in EC3000), a portion of serially passaged EC3000 strains preserving colistin resistance without selective pressure raises the concern for further spread.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global public health crisis. Taiwan experienced two waves of imported cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first from China in January to late February, ...2020 then from other countries starting in early March. As of Dec 14, 2020, 733 cases have been reported in Taiwan, with cases of entire families being infected. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and differentiation of genetic variation among isolates from a cluster of familial COVID-19 infection. The parents had pneumonia (Case 14, father, and Case 15, mother), the elder son (Case 17) had mild cough, and the younger son (Case 18) was asymptomatic. In this study, four full viral genomes were sequenced by Illumina sequencing directly from specimens. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that these sequences came from Italy, not China, indicating that no major strain has been circulating in Taiwan. Several novel mutations were observed in the asymptomatic patient, such as nsp2, nsp12, and nsp14. These mutations may be associated with the severity of COVID-19 infection.
Background/purpose The impact of bacteremia due to the resistance of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia to trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (TMP–SXT) is uncertain. This study compared the clinical ...characteristics and outcomes of patients with TMP–SXT-susceptible (TSSSM) and TMP–SXT-resistant S. maltophilia (TSRSM) monomicrobial bacteremia. Methods The medical records of adult patients with TSSSM and TSRSM monomicrobial bacteremia from January 2004 to December 2013 were reviewed and classified into two groups, namely, TSSSM and TSRSM. Results There were 184 patients with monomicrobial S. maltophilia bacteremia. The mean age was 68.3 years. Most patients were males (72.8%), had high Charlson Comorbidity Index scores, previously prescribed antimicrobial agents, and indwelling medical devices. The 14-day and in-hospital mortality rates were 23.9% and 47.2%, respectively. There were 128 patients (69.6%) with TSSSM and 56 (30.4%) with TSRSM. The incidence of TSSSM bacteremia increased during the study period. The TSSSM and TSRSM groups had similar demographic and clinical characteristics and no significant differences in 14-day and in-hospital mortality (24.2% vs. 23.2%, p = 0.833; 50.0% vs. 41.1%, p = 0.264, respectively). Patients with TSSSM bacteremia had an increased risk of septic shock ( p = 0.044) and neutropenia ( p = 0.028) at bacteremia onset. Logistic regression analysis indicated that acquisition of TMP–SXT resistance was an independent risk factor for prolonged hospitalization ( p = 0.018) and catheter-related S. maltophilia bacteremia was inversely associated with prolonged hospitalization after bacteremia ( p = 0.032). Conclusion There were no significant differences in mortality for patients with TSSSM and TSRSM bacteremia, but patients with TSRSM bacteremia were associated with prolonged hospitalization after bacteremia onset.
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