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1.
Virol J ; 21(1): 142, 2024 Jun 24.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38910238

We describe the case of a 57-year-old male with jaundice, abdominal distension and fatigue. He was diagnosed as chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) due to intermittent elevated liver enzymes, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia, with persistent positive of EBV biomarkers in blood and also positive in liver tissue. The patient was reinfected by SARS-CoV-2 within 2 months companied with CAEBV. The patient's second infection with SARS-CoV-2 led to the aggravated liver dysfunction with pneumonia and re-admission. After receiving symptomatic treatment, the patient showed significantly improvement of symptoms with partially restoration of liver function. After discharge, the patient's health status continued to deteriorate and eventually died. The instances of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with the original chronic virus are not uncommon, but the exact mechanism of EBV and SARS-CoV-2 coinfection and the relationship between them are still unclear. Since co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with original chronic virus might affect each other and lead disease aggravated and complicated, it is necessary to differentiate in the diagnosis of disease and it is important to be aware of the re-infection signs of SARS-CoV-2 in people with chronic virus infection diseases, as well as the risk of co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with other viruses.


COVID-19 , Coinfection , Epstein-Barr Virus Infections , Herpesvirus 4, Human , Reinfection , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , Male , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/virology , Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/complications , Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/diagnosis , Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/virology , Middle Aged , Reinfection/virology , Reinfection/diagnosis , Coinfection/virology , Coinfection/diagnosis , Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics , Chronic Disease , Fatal Outcome
2.
BMJ Open ; 14(6): e080395, 2024 Jun 10.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38858160

INTRODUCTION: Multiplathogen home-based self-sampling offers an opportunity to increase access to screening and treatment in endemic settings with high coinfection prevalence of sexually transmitted (HIV, Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv), human papillomavirus (HPV)) and non-sexually transmitted pathogens (Schistosoma haematobium (Sh)). Chronic coinfections may lead to disability (female genital schistosomiasis) and death (cervical cancer). The Zipime-Weka-Schista (Do self-testing sister!) study aims to evaluate the validity, acceptability, uptake, impact and cost-effectiveness of multipathogen self-sampling for genital infections among women in Zambia. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a longitudinal cohort study aiming to enrol 2500 non-pregnant, sexually active and non-menstruating women aged 15-50 years from two districts in Zambia with 2-year follow-up. During home visits, community health workers offer HIV and Tv self-testing and cervicovaginal self-swabs for (1) HPV by GeneXpert and, (2) Sh DNA detection by conventional (PCR)and isothermal (recombinase polymerase assay) molecular methods. Schistosoma ova and circulating anodic antigen are detected in urine. At a clinic follow-up, midwives perform the same procedures and obtain hand-held colposcopic images. High-risk HPV positive women are referred for a two-quadrant cervical biopsy according to age and HIV status. A cost-effectiveness analysis is conducted in parallel. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The University of Zambia Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (UNZABREC) (reference: 1858-2021), the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (reference: 25258), Ministry of Health and local superintendents approved the study in September 2021.Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to enrolment. Identifiable data collected are stored securely and their confidentiality is protected in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.


Cost-Benefit Analysis , HIV Infections , Mass Screening , Papillomavirus Infections , Humans , Female , Zambia/epidemiology , Longitudinal Studies , Adult , Adolescent , Young Adult , Middle Aged , Papillomavirus Infections/diagnosis , Papillomavirus Infections/epidemiology , HIV Infections/diagnosis , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Mass Screening/methods , Mass Screening/economics , Coinfection/diagnosis , Self-Testing , Animals , Schistosomiasis haematobia/diagnosis , Schistosomiasis haematobia/epidemiology , Trichomonas Vaginitis/diagnosis , Trichomonas Vaginitis/epidemiology , Trichomonas vaginalis/isolation & purification , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/virology , Human Papillomavirus Viruses
3.
Clin Lab ; 70(6)2024 Jun 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38868878

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is a chronic nail infection, and dermatophytes, yeasts, and nondermatophytic molds may be the causative agents. This study aimed to determine the etiological agents of onychomycosis by using conventional and molecular methods. METHODS: Between June 2020 and July 2021, 37 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of onychomycosis and mycological evidence (culture and/or EUROArray Dermatomycosis assay) were included in the study. Organisms detected in cultured nail specimens were identified by combined phenotypic characteristics and by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). An EUROarray Dermatomycosis assay was used for molecular detection of fungal pathogens. RESULTS: The EUROArray Dermatomycosis assay was positive for a single fungal target in 23 samples, and 14 samples were positive by culture. The most common pathogen was Trichophyton rubrum in both methods. Coinfection was detected in 14 samples by using molecular methods, and Trichophyton rubrum and Fusarium solani (9 samples) were the most common pathogens detected together. Trichophyton spp., nondermatophyte molds, and Candida spp. were detected in 33 (89.2%), 16 (43.2%), and 6 (16.2%) samples, respectively, when the two methods were evaluated together. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that fungal culture allows the diagnosis of onychomycosis, but it is not as sensitive as the EUROArray Dermatomycosis test, especially in patients receiving antifungal therapy.


Arthrodermataceae , Onychomycosis , Humans , Onychomycosis/microbiology , Onychomycosis/diagnosis , Female , Arthrodermataceae/isolation & purification , Arthrodermataceae/genetics , Male , Turkey/epidemiology , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization/methods , Young Adult , Adolescent , Trichophyton/isolation & purification , Trichophyton/genetics , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods , Coinfection/microbiology , Coinfection/diagnosis , Coinfection/epidemiology
4.
BMC Pulm Med ; 24(1): 279, 2024 Jun 12.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38867173

BACKGROUND: Legionella pneumonia is one of the most severe types of atypical pneumonia, impairing multiple organ systems, posing a threat to life. Diagnosing Legionella pneumonia is challenging due to difficulties in culturing the bacteria and limitations in immunoassay sensitivity and specificity. CASE PRESENTATION: This paper reports a rare case of sepsis caused by combined infection with Legionella pneumophila and Fusobacterium necrophorum, leading to respiratory failure, acute kidney injury, acute liver injury, myocardial damage, and electrolyte disorders. In addition, we systematically reviewed literature on patients with combined Legionella infections, analyzing their clinical features, laboratory results and diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: For pathogens that require prolonged incubation periods and are less sensitive to conventional culturing methods, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) can be a powerful supplement to pathogen screening and plays a significant role in the auxiliary diagnosis of complex infectious diseases.


Coinfection , Fusobacterium Infections , Fusobacterium necrophorum , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Legionella pneumophila , Legionnaires' Disease , Humans , Legionella pneumophila/genetics , Legionella pneumophila/isolation & purification , Legionnaires' Disease/diagnosis , Legionnaires' Disease/microbiology , Fusobacterium Infections/diagnosis , Fusobacterium Infections/microbiology , Fusobacterium Infections/complications , Fusobacterium necrophorum/isolation & purification , Fusobacterium necrophorum/genetics , Coinfection/diagnosis , Coinfection/microbiology , Metagenomics/methods , Male , Middle Aged , Pneumonia, Bacterial/microbiology , Pneumonia, Bacterial/diagnosis
5.
Respir Res ; 25(1): 234, 2024 Jun 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38840154

BACKGROUND: The concurrent circulation of SARS-CoV-2 with other respiratory viruses is unstoppable and represents a new diagnostic reality for clinicians and clinical microbiology laboratories. Multiplexed molecular testing on automated platforms that focus on the simultaneous detection of multiple respiratory viruses in a single tube is a useful approach for current and future diagnosis of respiratory infections in the clinical setting. METHODS: Two time periods were included in the study: from February to April 2022, an early 2022 period, during the gradual lifting of COVID-19 prevention measures in the country, and from October 2022 to April 2023, the 2022/23 respiratory infections season. We analysed a total of 1,918 samples in the first period and 18,131 respiratory samples in the second period using a multiplex molecular assay for the simultaneous detection of Influenza A (Flu-A), Influenza B (Flu-B), Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) and SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: The results from early 2022 showed a strong dominance of SARS-CoV-2 infections with 1,267/1,918 (66.1%) cases. Flu-A was detected in 30/1,918 (1.6%) samples, HRSV in 14/1,918 (0.7%) samples, and Flu-B in 2/1,918 (0.1%) samples. Flu-A/SARS-CoV-2 co-detections were observed in 11/1,267 (0.9%) samples, and HRSV/SARS-CoV-2 co-detection in 5/1,267 (0.4%) samples. During the 2022/23 winter respiratory season, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 1,738/18,131 (9.6%), Flu-A in 628/18,131 (3.5%), Flu-B in 106/18,131 (0.6%), and HRSV in 505/18,131 (2.8%) samples. Interestingly, co-detections were present to a similar extent as in early 2022. CONCLUSION: The results show that the multiplex molecular approach is a valuable tool for the simultaneous laboratory diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, Flu-A/B, and HRSV in hospitalized and outpatients. Infections with Flu-A/B, and HRSV occurred shortly after the COVID-19 control measures were lifted, so a strong reoccurrence of various respiratory infections and co-detections in the post COVID-19 period was to be expected.


COVID-19 , Influenza A virus , Influenza B virus , Influenza, Human , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections , Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/diagnosis , Influenza B virus/isolation & purification , Influenza B virus/genetics , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , Influenza, Human/diagnosis , Influenza, Human/virology , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/epidemiology , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/diagnosis , Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human/isolation & purification , Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human/genetics , Influenza A virus/isolation & purification , Influenza A virus/genetics , Male , Female , Coinfection/epidemiology , Coinfection/diagnosis , Middle Aged , Adult , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods , Seasons , Aged
6.
Ital J Pediatr ; 50(1): 92, 2024 May 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38715105

BACKGROUND: To explore the alterations of inflammatory markers and immune-related cytokines in children infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) combined with Adenovirus (ADV). METHODS: The study population consisted of 201 children with MPP, and they were grouped according to whether they were coinfected with ADV infection and critically ill. Additionally, comparative analyses were performed. The diagnostic value of different indicators and combined indicators for SMPP combined with ADV was assessed using ROC curves. RESULTS: There was no difference between group A1 and group A2, group B1 and group B2 in terms of age, gender, duration of hospitalisation and fever. The levels of calcitoninogen(PCT), lactate dehydrogenase concentration(LDH), interleukin(IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-4, IL-12P70, and IFN-γ in group A were higher than group B. The severe group (A1, B1) was significantly higher than the mild group (A2, B2) in terms of D-dimer, CRP, PCT, LDH, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17a and number of patients with pleural effusion, solid lung changes. Among the individual indexes of D-dimer, CRP, N%,LDH, and PCT, the AUC of the combined test was 0.977, which was higher than that of the individual indicators. Among IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17a, the AUC of the combined assay was 0.802, which was higher than that of the individual indicators. CONCLUSION: MP combined with ADV infection was associated with increased expression levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-4, IL-12P70, IFN-γ, and LDH. IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17a, LDH, PCT, CRP, and D-dimer could be used as predictors of SMPP and the combined test can improve the diagnostic value.


Cytokines , Pneumonia, Mycoplasma , Humans , Male , Female , Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/complications , Cytokines/blood , Child , Child, Preschool , Biomarkers/blood , Adenoviridae Infections/diagnosis , Severity of Illness Index , Coinfection/diagnosis , ROC Curve , Retrospective Studies
7.
West J Emerg Med ; 25(3): 382-388, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38801045

Introduction: The incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) increased in the United States between 2017-2021. There is limited data describing STI co-testing practices and the prevalence of STI co-infections in emergency departments (ED). In this study, we aimed to describe the prevalence of co-testing and co-infection of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, in a large, academic ED. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective cross-sectional study of ED patients tested for HIV, HCV, syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia between November 27, 2018-May 26, 2019. In 2018, the study institution implemented an ED-based infectious diseases screening program in which any patient being tested for gonorrhea/chlamydia was eligible for opt-out syphilis screening, and any patient 18-64 years who was having blood drawn for any clinical purpose was eligible for opt-out HIV and HCV screening. We analyzed data from all ED patients ≥13 years who had undergone STI testing. The outcomes of interest included prevalence of STI testing/co-testing and the prevalence of STI infection/co-infection. We describe data with simple descriptive statistics. Results: During the study period there were 30,767 ED encounters for patients ≥13 years (mean age: 43 ± 14 years, 52% female), and 7,866 (26%) were tested for at least one of HIV, HCV, syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. We observed the following testing frequencies (and prevalence of infection): HCV, 7,539 (5.0%); HIV, 7,359 (0.9%); gonorrhea, 574 (6.1%); chlamydia, 574 (9.8%); and syphilis, 420 (10.5%). Infectious etiologies with universal testing protocols (HIV and HCV) made up the majority of STI testing. In patients with syphilis, co-infection with chlamydia (21%, 9/44) and HIV (9%, 4/44) was high. In patients with gonorrhea, co-infection with chlamydia (23%, 8/35) and syphilis (9%, 3/35) was high, and in patients with chlamydia, co-infection with syphilis (16%, 9/56) and gonorrhea (14%, 8/56) was high. Patients with HCV had low co-infection proportions (<2%). Conclusion: Prevalence of STI co-testing was low among patients with clinical suspicion for STIs; however, co-infection prevalence was high in several co-infection pairings. Future efforts are needed to improve STI co-testing rates among high-risk individuals.


Coinfection , Emergency Service, Hospital , Gonorrhea , HIV Infections , Hepatitis C , Mass Screening , Sexually Transmitted Diseases , Syphilis , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Retrospective Studies , Adult , Male , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/diagnosis , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology , Coinfection/epidemiology , Coinfection/diagnosis , Gonorrhea/diagnosis , Gonorrhea/epidemiology , Syphilis/diagnosis , Syphilis/epidemiology , Prevalence , Middle Aged , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Hepatitis C/diagnosis , Mass Screening/methods , HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV Infections/diagnosis , Chlamydia Infections/diagnosis , Chlamydia Infections/epidemiology , Adolescent , Young Adult
8.
Viruses ; 16(5)2024 05 14.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38793658

BACKGROUND: The coexistence of HIV infection and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) presents a significant public health concern due to the increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation and progression to active disease. The multicenter observational cohort study, TUBHIVIT, conducted in Italy from 2017 to 2023, aimed to assess the prevalence of LTBI among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their outcomes following LTBI screening and therapy initiation. METHODS: We performed a prospective study in five referral centers for HIV care in Italy. PLHIV who consented Tto participate underwent QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus and clinical, microbiological, and radiological assessments to exclude subclinical tuberculosis, as opportune. PLHIV diagnosed with LTBI who started chemoprophylaxis were followed until the end of therapy. RESULTS: A total of 1105 PLHIV were screened for LTBI using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test, revealing a prevalence of 3.4% of positive results (38/1105). Non-Italy-born individuals exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of testing positive. Thirty-one were diagnosed with LTBI, 1 showed active subclinical TB, and 6 were lost to follow-up before discriminating between latent and active TB. Among the PLHIV diagnosed with LTBI, 83.9% (26/31) started chemoprophylaxis. Most individuals received 6-9 months of isoniazid-based therapy. Of the 26 PLHIV commencing chemoprophylaxis, 18 (69.2%) completed the therapy, while 3 discontinued it and 5 were still on treatment at the time of the analysis. Adverse events were observed in two cases, while in one case the patient refused to continue the treatment.


HIV Infections , Latent Tuberculosis , Mass Screening , Humans , Latent Tuberculosis/diagnosis , Latent Tuberculosis/epidemiology , Latent Tuberculosis/complications , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Female , Adult , HIV Infections/complications , Prospective Studies , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use , Isoniazid/therapeutic use , Coinfection/epidemiology , Coinfection/diagnosis
9.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol ; 14: 1395239, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38774626

Background: Traditional microbiological detection methods used to detect pulmonary infections in people living with HIV (PLHIV) are usually time-consuming and have low sensitivity, leading to delayed treatment. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for microbial diagnosis of suspected pulmonary infections in PLHIV. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed PLHIV who were hospitalized due to suspected pulmonary infections at the sixth people hospital of Zhengzhou from November 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples of PLHIV were collected and subjected to routine microbiological examination and mNGS detection. The diagnostic performance of the two methods was compared to evaluate the diagnostic value of mNGS for unknown pathogens. Results: This study included a total of 36 PLHIV with suspected pulmonary infections, of which 31 were male. The reporting period of mNGS is significantly shorter than that of CMTs. The mNGS positive rate of BALF samples in PLHIV was 83.33%, which was significantly higher than that of smear and culture (44.4%, P<0.001). In addition, 11 patients showed consistent results between the two methods. Futhermore, mNGS showed excellent performance in identifying multi-infections in PLHIV, and 27 pathogens were detected in the BALF of 30 PLHIV by mNGS, among which 15 PLHIV were found to have multiple microbial infections (at least 3 pathogens). Pneumocystis jirovecii, human herpesvirus type 5, and human herpesvirus type 4 were the most common pathogen types. Conclusions: For PLHIV with suspected pulmonary infections, mNGS is capable of rapidly and accurately identifying the pathogen causing the pulmonary infection, which contributes to implement timely and accurate anti-infective treatment.


Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid , HIV Infections , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Metagenomics , Humans , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods , Metagenomics/methods , Male , Female , HIV Infections/complications , HIV Infections/virology , Retrospective Studies , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/microbiology , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/virology , Adult , Middle Aged , China , Coinfection/diagnosis , Coinfection/microbiology , Coinfection/virology , Respiratory Tract Infections/diagnosis , Respiratory Tract Infections/virology , Respiratory Tract Infections/microbiology
10.
Bratisl Lek Listy ; 125(6): 360-364, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38757592

Lyme disease. Our second goal was to identify bacterial and viral co-infections occurring concurrently with Lyme disease. Furthermore, it was our intention to also analyze the correlation of laboratory testing with the occurrence of erythema migrans (EM). BACKGROUND: The accuracy in diagnostic testing for Lyme disease in the early stages of infection is an important factor necessary for delivering proper treatment to patients. METHODS: A total of 173 individuals with confirmed Lyme disease or with laboratory testing underway participated in the quantitative survey. RESULTS: ELISA was the first test conducted in 51% of the respondents, 28% of whom yielded positive findings of both IgM and IgG antibody classes. The positivity of ELISA test findings was confirmed by Western blot in 100% of results. Negative results of ELISA were consistent with Western blot only in less than half of the patients. More than half of the respondents had not been tested for any bacterial or viral co-infections. The results of serological testing were not consistent with clinical findings in all cases, including those with clinically discernible skin manifestation of erythema migrans. CONCLUSION: The comparison of results obtained by ELISA and Western blot revealed significant discrepancies. Simultaneous infections by vectors with several pathogens were detected (Tab. 3, Fig. 2, Ref. 15).


Blotting, Western , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Lyme Disease , Humans , Lyme Disease/diagnosis , Female , Male , Adult , Middle Aged , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Coinfection/diagnosis , Surveys and Questionnaires , Antibodies, Bacterial/blood , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Adolescent , Young Adult , Aged , Child , Erythema Chronicum Migrans/diagnosis
11.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol ; 14: 1378197, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38601737

Skin abscess is one of the most common infections of the skin and soft tissues. However, anaerobic bacteria are infrequently identified as the causative agents of this particular form of abscess. In this case, a 34-year-old pregnant woman was diagnosed with a skin abscess with the use of ultrasonography. The microbiological analysis results of the purulent fluid revealed the coinfection of Actinobaculum schaalii and Actinomyces turicensis. The patient was first treated empirically with 3 days of cefathiamidine, which resulted in no symptom improvement. Subsequently, a surgical procedure involving incision and draining was performed, with the administration of ceftriaxone. After 7 days of antibiotic intervention, the patient exhibited a satisfactory recovery. Clinicians need to be aware of other types of infections that might be attributed to Actinobaculum schaalii and Actinomyces turicensis, in addition to urinary tract infections.


Abscess , Actinomycetaceae , Coinfection , Female , Humans , Adult , Coinfection/diagnosis , Bacteria, Anaerobic
12.
Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis ; 109(3): 116325, 2024 Jul.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38688146

Following the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, other respiratory viruses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whose transmission were decreased due to COVID-19 precautions, are rising again. Because of similar clinical features and reported co-infections, multiplex detection of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and RSV is required to use specific treatments. This study assessed an extraction-free sample preparation (heat treatment at 95°C for 3 minutes) for multiplex detection using rRT-PCR. Despite an observed Ct-delay (∆Ct) averageing 1.26 compared to the standard method, an acceptable total sensitivity of 92 % and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 96 % were obtained. Moreover, Implementation on a microfluidic chip demonstrated efficiency, maintaining an excellent correlation (R2=0.983) with the standard method. Combining this extraction-free procedure with rRT-PCR on a microfluidic chip seems promising, because it simplifies the design and reduces the cost and complexity of the integrated assay for multiplex detection of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and RSV.


COVID-19 , Influenza A virus , Influenza B virus , Influenza, Human , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19/diagnosis , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Influenza, Human/diagnosis , Influenza, Human/virology , Influenza A virus/isolation & purification , Influenza A virus/genetics , Influenza B virus/isolation & purification , Influenza B virus/genetics , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/diagnosis , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/virology , Sensitivity and Specificity , Lab-On-A-Chip Devices , Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Respiratory Syncytial Viruses/isolation & purification , Respiratory Syncytial Viruses/genetics , Coinfection/virology , Coinfection/diagnosis , COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing/methods , COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing/instrumentation
13.
Emerg Microbes Infect ; 13(1): 2350167, 2024 Dec.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38687692

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health problem and, in associated co-infection with hepatitis delta virus (HDV), causes the most severe viral hepatitis and accelerated liver disease progression. As a defective satellite RNA virus, HDV can only propagate in the presence of HBV infection, which makes HBV DNA and HDV RNA the standard biomarkers for monitoring the virological response upon antiviral therapy, in co-infected patients. Although assays have been described to quantify these viral nucleic acids in circulation independently, a method for monitoring both viruses simultaneously is not available, thus hampering characterization of their complex dynamic interactions. Here, we describe the development of a dual fluorescence channel detection system for pan-genotypic, simultaneous quantification of HBV DNA and HDV RNA through a one-step quantitative PCR. The sensitivity for both HBV and HDV is about 10 copies per microliter without significant interference between these two detection targets. This assay provides reliable detection for HBV and HDV basic research in vitro and in human liver chimeric mice. Preclinical validation of this system on serum samples from patients on or off antiviral therapy also illustrates a promising application that is rapid and cost-effective in monitoring HBV and HDV viral loads simultaneously.


Hepatitis B virus , Hepatitis B , Hepatitis D , Hepatitis Delta Virus , Viral Load , Hepatitis Delta Virus/genetics , Hepatitis Delta Virus/isolation & purification , Humans , Hepatitis B virus/genetics , Hepatitis B virus/isolation & purification , Animals , Hepatitis D/virology , Hepatitis D/diagnosis , Hepatitis B/virology , Hepatitis B/diagnosis , Mice , RNA, Viral/genetics , RNA, Viral/blood , Coinfection/virology , Coinfection/diagnosis , DNA, Viral/genetics , DNA, Viral/blood , Genotype , Sensitivity and Specificity
14.
Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis ; 109: 102180, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38653007

Bovine Trypanosomiasis and other infectious diseases cause relevant loss for the livestock industry impacting productive/reproductive indices. This study intended to better understand the frequency, seasonality, and profile of infections associated with Bovine Trypanosomiasis. A total of 1443 serum samples were screened for T. vivax infection and other infectious diseases: Neosporosis, Leptospirosis, Bovine Leukosis Virus infection/(BLV), Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis/(IBR) or Bovine Viral Diarrhea/(BVD). Distinct methods were used for screening and diagnosis: immunofluorescence assay (Trypanosomiasis), ELISA (Neosporosis,BLV,IBR,BVD) and microscopic agglutination test (Leptospirosis). Our findings demonstrated that the seropositivity for Trypanosomiasis=57% was similar to Neosporosis=55%, higher than Leptospirosis=39% and BVL=34%, but lower than IBR=88% and BVD=71%. The seropositivity for Trypanosomiasis was higher in the autumn and lower in the winter. Regardless the season, the IBR seropositivity (min=73%;max=95%) was higher than Trypanosomiasis (min=48%;max=68%). Moreover, Neosporosis (min=71%;max=100%) and BVD (min=65%;max=76%) were more frequent than Trypanosomiasis in the summer, winter and spring. The diagnosis outcome revealed that Trypanosomiasis&IBR=43% and Trypanosomiasis&Neosporosis=35% were the most frequent co-infections with higher seropositivity in the autumn (58%) and summer (80%), respectively. Noteworthy, high seropositivity to Trypanosomiasis&BVD was registered in the autumn (46%). Together, our data re-enforce the relevance of differential diagnosis between Trypanosomiasis with other bovine infectious diseases and that differences in the seasonality profile is a relevant aspect to be considered while selecting the differential diagnosis to be applied.


Coinfection , Leptospirosis , Seasons , Trypanosoma vivax , Animals , Cattle , Coinfection/veterinary , Coinfection/parasitology , Coinfection/diagnosis , Female , Trypanosoma vivax/immunology , Diagnosis, Differential , Leptospirosis/veterinary , Leptospirosis/diagnosis , Leptospirosis/epidemiology , Coccidiosis/veterinary , Coccidiosis/epidemiology , Coccidiosis/diagnosis , Trypanosomiasis, Bovine/epidemiology , Trypanosomiasis, Bovine/diagnosis , Trypanosomiasis, Bovine/blood , Antibodies, Protozoan/blood , Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis/diagnosis , Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis/epidemiology , Cattle Diseases/diagnosis , Cattle Diseases/parasitology , Cattle Diseases/epidemiology , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary , Neospora/immunology , Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease/diagnosis , Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease/epidemiology
16.
United European Gastroenterol J ; 12(4): 516-525, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38520063

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) is underestimated and the assessment of fibrosis is recommended for this infection. We tested the diagnostic impact of an annual screening for HDV serology in Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBs Ag) chronic carriers and followed the progression of fibrosis in these patients. METHODS: Between January 2014 and October 2021, we annually tested all chronic HBs Ag-positive patients for HDV antibody (HDV Ab). Each HDV Ab positive patient underwent annually repeated elastometry. Patients with detectable HDV RNA levels (group 1) were compared to those with undetectable HDV RNA (group 2). RESULTS: We identified 610 chronic HBs Ag-positive patients, and repeated screening for HDV Ab was performed in 534 patients. Sixty (11%) patients were HDV Ab positive at baseline and were considered as "coinfected". Seven cases of HDV superinfection were diagnosed through repeated screening. In co-infected patients, cirrhosis was initially diagnosed in 12/60 patients and developed in six patients during follow-up. HDV RNA PCR was performed in 57/67 patients and 27 had detectable levels (group 1). Cumulative incidence of cirrhosis at 7 years was 13.8% (95% CI 0-30) in group 1 and 0 (95% CI 0-0) in group 2 (p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: A systematic screening for HDV in chronic HB Ag carriers revealed a high prevalence of HDV Ab. Repeated serological screening enables the diagnosis of superinfections in asymptomatic patients. Regular assessment of fibrosis using elastometry leads to the identification of incidental cirrhosis in patients with detectable HDV RNA.


Carrier State , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens , Hepatitis B, Chronic , Hepatitis D , Hepatitis Delta Virus , Liver Cirrhosis , Mass Screening , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/virology , Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis , Male , Female , Hepatitis Delta Virus/genetics , Hepatitis Delta Virus/immunology , Hepatitis Delta Virus/isolation & purification , Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications , Hepatitis B, Chronic/diagnosis , Hepatitis B, Chronic/virology , Middle Aged , Hepatitis D/diagnosis , Hepatitis D/complications , Hepatitis D/epidemiology , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood , Mass Screening/methods , Carrier State/diagnosis , Adult , RNA, Viral/blood , Coinfection/diagnosis , Disease Progression , Hepatitis Antibodies/blood , Prevalence , Elasticity Imaging Techniques , Aged , Incidence
17.
Acta Parasitol ; 69(1): 1090-1094, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38493433

BACKGROUND: Co-infection with other microorganisms such as parasites in patients with COVID-19 can affect the clinical outcome and require prompt diagnosis and appropriate therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of an adult male with chest pain, dyspnea, cough, diplopia, and anorexia who was confirmed to have acute COVID-19 pneumonia. 2 weeks prior to admission, a hydatid lung cyst was identified on examination, but the patient refused surgery. Thoracoabdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a rupture of the lung hydatid cyst and co-infection with COVID-19. The patient has prescribed a treatment protocol for COVID-19 and albendazole. Despite measures taken to manage severe inflammation and decreasing blood oxygen levels, the patient required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and intubation. After approximately 3 weeks of hospitalization, the patient was successfully extubated and discharged uneventfully from the hospital. Oral albendazole was prescribed for follow-up treatment. CONCLUSION: Our case highlights the importance of considering hydatid cysts in the differential diagnosis of patients with COVID-19, especially those living in endemic areas.


Albendazole , COVID-19 , Echinococcosis, Pulmonary , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/diagnosis , Humans , Male , Echinococcosis, Pulmonary/complications , Echinococcosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis , Echinococcosis, Pulmonary/diagnostic imaging , Albendazole/therapeutic use , Albendazole/administration & dosage , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , SARS-CoV-2 , Coinfection/parasitology , Coinfection/diagnosis , Middle Aged , Lung/parasitology , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Lung/pathology , Severity of Illness Index
20.
Medicine (Baltimore) ; 103(4): e37073, 2024 Jan 26.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38277515

BACKGROUND: Nocardia and Aspergillus fumigatus are opportunistic pathogenic fungus that has a major impact on the mortality of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients present diagnostic challenges. Nocardia and A fumigatus are both easily overlooked because of their rarity, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: We report an infection caused by steroid use in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. A 76-year-old man with a history of rheumatoid arthritis was admitted to our hospital because of cough, expectoration and fever for 10 days. The patient had low immune function, granulocytopenia, diffuse infiltration could be seen on chest computed tomography, and BAL fluid galactomannan level of 1.3 S/CO. The microbiological findings reflect a possible co-infection with Nocardia and A fumigatus. Voriconazole was used to treat pulmonary aspergillosis, ceftriaxone and Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole were used to treat Nocardia. After timely targeted medication administration, the patient was discharged with a good prognosis. CONCLUSION: Co-infection is more common in immunosuppressed patients and warrants attention in clinical practice. Early diagnosis and treatment can help patients with Co-infection of Nocardia and A fumigatus achieve better prognosis.


Arthritis, Rheumatoid , Coinfection , Nocardia Infections , Nocardia , Male , Humans , Aged , Aspergillus fumigatus , Nocardia Infections/diagnosis , Nocardia Infections/drug therapy , Nocardia Infections/microbiology , Coinfection/diagnosis , Coinfection/drug therapy , Immunocompromised Host
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