Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a feasible procedure for human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) lymphoma patients, whose underlying disease and intrinsic HIV-1- and ASCT-associated ...immunodeficiency might increase the risk for γ-herpesvirus load persistence and/or reactivation. We evaluated this hypothesis by investigating the levels of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)- and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-DNA levels in the peripheral blood of 22 HIV-1-associated lymphoma patients during ASCT, highlighting their relationship with γ-herpesvirus lymphoma status, immunological parameters, and clinical events. EBV-DNA was detected in the pre-treatment plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 12 (median 12,135 copies/mL) and 18 patients (median 417 copies/10(6) PBMCs), respectively; the values in the two compartments were correlated (r = 0.77, p = 0.0001). Only EBV-positive lymphomas showed detectable levels of plasma EBV-DNA. After debulking chemotherapy, plasma EBV-DNA was associated with lymphoma chemosensitivity (p = 0.03) and a significant higher mortality risk by multivariate Cox analysis adjusted for EBV-lymphoma status (HR, 10.46, 95% CI, 1.11-98.32, p = 0.04). After infusion, EBV-DNA was detectable in five EBV-positive lymphoma patients who died within six months. KSHV-DNA load was positive in only one patient, who died from primary effusion lymphoma. Fluctuations in levels of KSHV-DNA reflected the patient's therapy and evolution of his underlying lymphoma. Other γ-herpesvirus-associated malignancies, such as multicentric Castleman disease and Kaposi sarcoma, or end-organ complications after salvage treatment were not found. Overall, these findings suggest a prognostic and predictive value of EBV-DNA and KSHV-DNA, the monitoring of which could be a simple, complementary tool for the management of γ-herpesvirus-positive lymphomas in HIV-1 patients submitted to ASCT.
(
) represents an independent risk factor for Gastric Cancer (GC). First Degree Relatives (FDR) of GC subjects and Autoimmune Gastritis (AG) patients are both at increased risk for GC.
genetic ...heterogeneity within the gastric niche of FDR and AG individuals has been little explored. To understand whether they exploit an increased
stability and virulence, 14 AG, 25 FDR, 39 GC and 13 dyspeptic patients (D) were investigated by a cultural PCR-based approach characterizing single colonies-forming-units. We chose three loci within the Cytotoxin-associated gene-A Pathogenicity Island (CagPAI) (
,
,
),
and
as markers of virulence with reported association to GC. Inflammatory/precancerous lesions were staged according to Sydney System. When compared to D, FDR, similarly to GC patients, were associated to higher atrophy (OR = 6.29; 95% CI):1.23-31.96 in FDR; OR = 7.50; 95% CI:1.67-33.72 in GC) and a lower frequency of mixed infections (OR = 0.16; 95% CI:0.03-0.81 in FDR; OR = 0.10; 95% CI:0.02-0.48 in GC). FDR presented also an increased neutrophil infiltration (OR = 7.19; 95% CI:1.16-44.65). Both FDR and GC carried a higher proportion of CagPAI
profiles (OR = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.66-4.41 and OR = 3.43; 95% CI: 2.16-5.44, respectively). Conversely, AG patients presented a lower frequency of subtypes carrying a stable CagPAI and
. These results underline different
plasticity in FDR and AG individuals, and thus, a different host-bacterium interaction capacity that should be considered in the context of eradication therapies.
The Covid-19 pandemic has required all laboratories to rapidly and unexpectedly reorganize to cope with the increase in requests for tests in rapid response times and, not least, to provide the ...shortening of molecular reagents. In order to validate an accurate, faster and cheaper method suitable for large-scale diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, we evaluated a simplified workflow by Direct RT-PCR on 181 nasopharyngeal swabs on Seegene's automated platform. Direct RT-PCR ensured 99% overall concordance versus standard RNA RT-PCR in samples with Ct values under 35, saving 100% on extraction reagents and providing an approximately three-fold increase in productivity in 24 hours.
Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia presents clinical complexities, with prolonged duration associated with unfavorable outcomes. This research delves into unconventional treatments, such as ...combinations involving daptomycin, oxacillin, ceftaroline, and fosfomycin, with the aim of swiftly sterilizing bloodstream infection to reduce complications. Our examination of 30 MSSA bacteremia patients with infective endocarditis uncovers differing results between single-agent therapies (oxacillin or daptomycin) and combined treatment plans. Microbiologic clearance at the 72 hour mark demonstrates greater efficacy within the combination cohort (bacteremia persistence 29%) versus monotherapy (bacteremia persistence 78%). This limited case series suggests the potential superiority of combination therapy, prompting further investigations.Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia presents clinical complexities, with prolonged duration associated with unfavorable outcomes. This research delves into unconventional treatments, such as combinations involving daptomycin, oxacillin, ceftaroline, and fosfomycin, with the aim of swiftly sterilizing bloodstream infection to reduce complications. Our examination of 30 MSSA bacteremia patients with infective endocarditis uncovers differing results between single-agent therapies (oxacillin or daptomycin) and combined treatment plans. Microbiologic clearance at the 72 hour mark demonstrates greater efficacy within the combination cohort (bacteremia persistence 29%) versus monotherapy (bacteremia persistence 78%). This limited case series suggests the potential superiority of combination therapy, prompting further investigations.
The COVID pandemic has forcefully turned the spotlight on the importance of the diagnosis of respiratory virus infections. Viruses have always been a frequent and common cause of respiratory tract ...infections. Rapid molecular diagnostics applied to the diagnostics of respiratory virus infections has revolutionized microbiology laboratories only a few years ago. Few studies illustrate the epidemiology of respiratory viruses, and fewer still those that have compared the pre-pandemic to the pandemic period. During the first year of the pandemic (2020–2021) it was clear to everyone to witness a sudden disappearance of the circulation of all the other respiratory viruses, especially those typically isolated during the winter time, such as RSV and Influenza virus. In our study we wanted to verify this phenomenon and to study the epidemiology of our local reality, analyzing three consecutive flu seasons (2018–2019, 2019–2020, 2020–2021). The results lead us to note that the prevalence of positivity to respiratory virus infections went from 49.8% (2018–2019) and 39% (2019–2020) to 13.4% (2020–2021). This decrease is at least partly attributable to the security measures adopted (social distancing and mask), but it certainly opens up new scenarios when the restriction measures will be terminated. We believe such studies can provide real-world evidence of the effectiveness of public health interventions implemented during current and future pandemics.
Objectives: To investigate the in vitro antifungal activity of the structurally different cathelicidin peptides SMAP-29, BMAP-27, BMAP-28, protegrin-1 (PG-1) and indolicidin. Methods: The in vitro ...antifungal and fungicidal activities of these antimicrobial peptides were respectively assessed via MIC determinations and killing kinetics assays. The effects of the peptides on membrane permeabilization and morphology were evaluated by flow cytometry, intracellular ATP release measurements and scanning electron microscopy. Results: All five peptides showed a potent but differential antifungal activity against more than 70 clinical isolates belonging to over 20 different species of pathogenic fungi; some of which are resistant to amphotericin B and azoles. The MIC values of the peptides ranged between 0.5 and 32 μM, with PG-1 being the most effective and having the widest spectrum of activity. Filamentous fungi were instead found to be scarcely susceptible to the action of these cathelicidin peptides. All these cathelicidins rapidly killed Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The rapid uptake of propidium iodide into treated cells and morphological alterations apparent on their cellular surfaces suggest a killing mechanism based on membrane permeabilization and damage. Conclusions: This study indicates that these five structurally varied host defence peptides are all endowed with the capacity to inactivate a number of fungal pathogens, irrespectively of their resistance to antifungal drugs, and suggests they might be potentially useful leads for the development of novel fungicidal agents.
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