Immunotherapy Combining Mimotopes Selected by Phage Display Plus Amphotericin B Is Effective for Treatment Against Visceral Leishmaniasis.

The treatment for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) causes toxicity in patients, entails high cost and/or leads to the emergence of resistant strains. No human vaccine exists, and diagnosis presents problems related to the sensitivity or specificity of the tests. Here, we tested two phage clones, B1 and D11, which were shown to be protective against Leishmania infantum infection in a murine model as immunotherapeutics to treat mice infected with this parasite species. The phages were used alone or with amphotericin B (AmpB), while other mice received saline, AmpB, a wild-type phage (WTP) or WTP/AmpB. Results showed that the B1/AmpB and D11/AmpB combinations induced polarised Th1-type cellular and humoral responses, which were primed by high levels of parasite-specific IFN-γ, IL-12, TNF-α, nitrite and IgG2a antibodies, which reflected in significant reductions in the parasite load in distinct organs of the animals when analyses were performed 1 and 30 days after the treatments. Reduced organic toxicity was also found in these animals, as compared with the controls. In conclusion, preliminary data suggest the potential of the B1/AmpB and D11/AmpB combinations as immunotherapeutics against L. infantum infection.

Mucormycosis in Liver Allograft Following Transplant for Secondary Biliary Cirrhosis.

Mucormycosis, a group of opportunistic mycoses caused by Mucorales, present a significant threat to immunocompromised patients. In this report, we present the case of a 57-year-old male patient who underwent liver transplant for secondary biliary cirrhosis following inadvertent bile duct injury. Despite initial satisfactory postoperative evolution, the patient developed fever, and imaging revealed a suspicious lesion. Preliminary culture growth suggested a filamentous fungus, leading to initiation of liposomal amphotericin B. However, the lesion progressed, and a surgical debridement was necessary. During surgery, involvement of the liver dome and diaphragm was observed, and a nonanatomical hepatectomy was performed. Despite efforts, the patient's condition deteriorated, ultimately resulting in multiple organ failure and mortality. This case emphasizes the challenging nature of mucormycosis in livertransplant recipients.

Application and evaluation of topical amphotericin B for the treatment of respiratory fungal infections.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the prevalence of respiratory fungal diseases has increased. Polyene antifungal drugs play a pivotal role in the treatment of these conditions, with amphotericin B (AmB) being the most representative drug. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical administration of AmB in the treatment of respiratory fungal infections. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on hospitalized patients treated with topical administered AmB for respiratory fungal infections from January 2014 to June 2023. RESULTS: Data from 36 patients with invasive pulmonary fungal infections treated with topical administration of AmB were collected and analyzed. Nebulization was administered to 27 patients. After the treatment, 17 patients evidenced improved conditions, whereas 10 patients did not respond and died in the hospital. One patient experienced an irritating cough as an adverse reaction. Seven patients underwent tracheoscopic instillation, and two received intrapleural irrigation; they achieved good clinical therapeutic efficacy without adverse effects. CONCLUSION: The combined application of systemic antifungal treatment and topical administration of AmB yielded good therapeutic efficacy and was well-tolerated by the patients. Close monitoring of routine blood tests, liver and kidney function, and levels of electrolytes, troponin, and B-type natriuretic peptide supported this conclusion.

Synthesis of calix (4) resorcinarene based amphiphilic macrocycle as an efficient nanocarrier for Amphotericin-B to enhance its oral bioavailability.

The supramolecular-based macrocyclic amphiphiles have fascinating attention and find extensive utilization in the pharmaceutical industry for efficient drug delivery. In this study, we designed and synthesized a new supramolecular amphiphilic macrocycle to serve as an efficient nanocarrier, achieved by treating 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde with 1-bromotetradecane. The derivatized product was subsequently treated with resorcinol to cyclize, resulting in the formation of a calix(4)-resorcinarene-based supramolecular amphiphilic macrocycle. The synthesized macrocycle and intermediate products were characterized using mass spectrometry, IR, and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques. The amphotericin-B (Amph-B)-loaded and unloaded amphiphiles were screened for biocompatibility studies, vesicle formation, particle shape, size, surface charge, drug entrapment, in-vitro release profile, and stability through atomic force microscopy (AFM), Zetasizer, HPLC, and FT-IR. Amph-B -loaded macrocycle-based niosomal vesicles were investigated for in-vivo bioavailability in rabbits. The synthesized macrocycle exhibited no cytotoxicity against normal mouse fibroblast cells and was found to be hemocompatible and safe in mice following an acute toxicity study. The drug-loaded macrocycle-based vesicles appeared spherical, nano-sized, and homogeneous in size, with a notable negative surface charge. The vesicles remained stable after 30 days of storage. The results of Amph-B oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics revealed that the newly tailored niosomal formulation enhanced drug solubility, protected drug degradation at gastric pH, facilitated sustained drug release at the specific target site, and delayed plasma drug clearance. Incorporating such advanced niosomal formulations in the field of drug delivery systems has the potential to revolutionize therapeutic outcomes and improve the quality of patient well-being.

Successful treatment of recurrent visceral leishmaniasis relapse in an immunocompetent adult female with functional hypopituitarism in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Currently available treatment options are mostly effective in achieving long-term cure in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients. However, there have been reports of recurrence of this illness in both immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the first case of recurrent VL relapse in a 19-year-old immunocompetent female with functional hypopituitarism (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with central hypothyroidism) from Bangladesh, who has been treated three times previously with optimal dosage and duration- liposomal amphotericin B (LAmB) alone and in combination with miltefosine. We treated the patient successfully with a modified treatment regimen of 10 mg/kg body weight LAmB for two consecutive days along with oral miltefosine for seven days as loading dose. For secondary prophylaxis, the patient received 3 mg/kg body weight LAmB along with oral miltefosine for seven days monthly for five doses followed by hormonal replacement. The patient remained relapse free after 12 months of her treatment completion. CONCLUSION: In the absence of protective vaccines against Leishmania species and standard treatment regimen, this modified treatment regimen could help the management of recurrent relapse cases.

Local amphotericin B therapy for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is characterized by potentially disfiguring skin ulcers carrying significant social stigma. To mitigate systemic drug exposure and reduce the toxicity from available treatments, studies addressing new local therapeutic strategies using available medications are coming up. This review systematically compiles preclinical and clinical data on the efficacy of amphotericin B (AmB) administered locally for cutaneous leishmaniasis. METHODOLOGY: Structured searches were conducted in major databases. Clinical studies reporting cure rates and preclinical studies presenting any efficacy outcome were included. Exclusion criteria comprised nonoriginal studies, in vitro investigations, studies with fewer than 10 treated patients, and those evaluating AmB in combination with other antileishmanial drug components. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 21 studies were identified, encompassing 16 preclinical and five clinical studies. Preclinical assessments generally involved the topical use of commercial AmB formulations, often in conjunction with carriers or controlled release systems. However, the variation in the treatment schedules hindered direct comparisons. In clinical studies, topical AmB achieved a pooled cure rate of 45.6% [CI: 27.5-64.8%; I2 = 79.7; p = 0.002), while intralesional (IL) administration resulted in a 69.8% cure rate [CI: 52.3-82.9%; I2 = 63.9; p = 0.06). In the direct comparison available, no significant difference was noted between AmB-IL and meglumine antimoniate-IL administration (OR:1.7; CI:0.34-9.15, I2 = 79.1; p = 0.00), however a very low certainty of evidence was verified. CONCLUSIONS: Different AmB formulations and administration routes have been explored in preclinical and clinical studies. Developing therapeutic technologies is evident. Current findings might be interpreted as a favorable proof of concept for the local AmB administration which makes this intervention eligible to be explored in future well-designed studies towards less toxic treatments for leishmaniasis.

HIV-associated disseminated cryptococcosis-An unusual clinical and diagnostic picture with successful cure by single dose liposomal amphotericin B treatment.

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcosis is an invasive, opportunistic fungal infection seen especially in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients. Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is the second leading cause of mortality in HIV patients. We report a case of disseminated cryptococcosis presenting with altered mental status in a newly diagnosed HIV infection. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 50-year-old with a short history of altered mental sensorium and a history of low-grade fever and weight loss for few months presented at a tertiary care hospital in North India. He was detected positive for HIV-1. Cryptococcal antigen (CRAG) was positive in Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and negative in serum. The fungal culture in CSF was sterile while the fungal blood culture grew Cryptococcus neoformans. The patient was treated with single high-dose Liposomal Amphotericin B (LAmB) therapy followed by Fluconazole and Flucytosine for the next two weeks followed by fluconazole daily for consolidation and maintenance therapy. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) was started 4 weeks after induction therapy. After 6 months, the patient is doing fine. CONCLUSION: Single dose LAmB along with the backbone of fluconazole and flucytosine appears promising in disseminated cryptococcal infection in HIV-infected individuals.

Nanoemulsions containing amphotericin b and paromomycin for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne disease characterized by skin lesions that can evolve into high-magnitude ulcerated lesions. Thus, this study aimed to develop an innovative nanoemulsion (NE) with clove oil, Poloxamer® 407, and multiple drugs, such as amphotericin B (AmB) and paromomycin (PM), for use in the topical treatment of CL. METHODS: Droplet size, morphology, drug content, stability, in vitro release profile, in vitro cytotoxicity on RAW 264.7 macrophages, and antileishmanial activity using axenic amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis were assessed for NEs. RESULTS: After optimizing the formulation parameters, such as the concentration of clove oil and drugs, using an experimental design, it was possible to obtain a NE with an average droplet size of 40 nm and a polydispersion index of 0.3, and these parameters were maintained throughout the 365 days. Furthermore, the NE showed stability of AmB and PM content for 180 days under refrigeration (4 °C), presented a pH compatible with the skin, and released modified AmB and PM. NE showed the same toxicity as free AmB and higher toxicity than free PM against RAW 264.7 macrophages. The same activity as free AmB, and higher activity than free PM against amastigotes L. amazonensis. CONCLUSION: It is possible to develop a NE for the treatment of CL; however, complementary studies regarding the antileishmanial activity of NE should be carried out.

Challenges in management of Candida auris meningitis secondary to infected ventriculoperitoneal shunt - A case report.

Meningitis in patients with ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VP shunt) caused by various species of Candida have been widely described in literature. However, reports describing Candida auris as a cause of meningitis is limited. In this case report we describe a case of multidrug resistant Candida auris meningitis secondary to VP shunt infection successfully treated with intrathecal amphotericin B deoxycholate and intravenous liposomal amphotericin B. This is the second case report of successful treatment of Candida auris meningitis from India. More literature regarding the use of intrathecal/intraventricular echinocandins including optimal dosing and duration of therapy is needed.

Ampliação de uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para pessoas diagnosticadas com mucormicose rino-órbitocerebral / Expanded use of liposomal amphotericin B for people diagnosed with rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis

INTRODUÇÃO: A mucormicose é uma infecção fúngica que, em geral, causa doença grave em indivíduos imunossuprimidos, especialmente aqueles com significativas desordens metabólicas tal como o diabete descontrolado. Sua incidência tem sido crescente pelo aumento da população suscetível, tal como diabéticos, portadores de neoplasias submetidos a quimioterapia, transplantados de medula óssea e de órgãos sólidos e terapia com corticosteróides. Nos dois últimos anos, a mucormicose teve marcada relação com a Covid-19, em vista do grande número de diabéticos que desenvolveram a forma grave da infecção pelo SARS-Cov-2 e necessitaram de uso de corticoterapia para melhor manejo clínico. Assim, durante a pandemia da Covid-19, observou-se elevação da incidência da mucormicose. Apresenta elevada mortalidade, que varia entre 40% e 80% a depender do local de comprometimento e das condições clínicas do paciente. O tratamento de escolha para a mucormicose é a anfotericina B, que pode ser usada tanto na terapia de indução como na de consolidação. Existe também a possibilidade do descalonamento na fase de consolição para posaconazol ou isavuconazol. As recomendações internacionais trazem o uso das formulações lipídicas como fármacos de primeira linha, especialmente a anfotericina B lipossomal, pela maior evidência do uso deste antifúngico nesta fase, em especial nos pacientes com a forma rino-óbrito-cerebral, pelo seu efeito em sistema nervoso central. TECNOLOGIA: Anfotericina B lipossomal. PERGUNTA: O uso da anfotericina B lipossomal é eficaz, seguro e custo-efetivo em pacientes diagnosticadas com mucormicose rino-órbito-cerebral, quando comparado à anfotericina B complexo lipídico ou à anfotericina B convencional? EVIDÊNCIAS CLÍNICAS: Foi realizada uma busca nas plataformas de busca Medline (PUBMED), EMBASE e Cochrane Library, não sendo identificadas revisões sistemáticas (RS), ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR) ou estudos observacionais que comparassem tratamentos. Desta forma, optou-se por realizar uma RS de relatos de casos e relatos de série de casos. A partir da busca das evidências disponíveis na literatura, 106 estudos foram selecionados, sendo 92 relatos de caso e 14 séries de casos. Do total de estudos incluídos foram considerados para extração de dados um total de 165 casos. O resultado da avaliação da qualidade metodológica dos estudos incluídos mostrou que todos preencheram mais de 80% dos critérios considerados necessários para a apresentação adequada dos desenhos de estudo e para 100% foi aplicada "yes" para as questões consideradas essenciais para a inclusão na revisão. Com relação aos estudos de relatos de caso e relato de séries de casos, a confiança na evidência analisada foi classificada como o ponto mais baixo de evidência, de acordo com a ferramenta Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Foi considerado como desfecho primário desejável o sucesso terapêutico do tratamento da mucormicose, utilizando-se monoterapia com anfotericina B lipossomal (intervenção) ou anfotericina B complexo lipídico ou anfotericina B desoxicolato (comparadores). Pacientes tratados com anfotericina B lipossomal tiveram maior taxa de sucesso terapêutico comparados àqueles tratados com anfotericina B desoxicolato (51,3% vs 31,5%; p=0,01). Como os grupos de pacientes que receberam cada uma dessas formulações de anfotericina B não foram homogêneos, foi realizada uma análise dos fatores associados ao sucesso terapêutico em etapas de análise uni e multivariadas. Ajustados para estas diferenças, a análise multivariada identificou que idade [OR=1,02 (1,01 - 1,04); p=0,03] e presença de lesão em órbita [OR=2,51 (1,11 - 5,66); p=0,03) foram fatores independentes para falha terapêutica, enquanto que o uso de monoterapia da anfotericina B lipossomal na terapia de indução [OR=0,42 (0,19 - 0,91); p=0,03] e realização de cirurgia para desbridamento das lesões [OR=0,18 (0,05 - 0,63); p=0,007] foram fatores independentes para se obter o sucesso terapêutico. AVALIAÇÃO ECONÔMICA: Considerou-se a perspectiva do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e um horizonte temporal de um ano. Portanto, não se aplicou taxa de desconto. Como comparador da anfotericina B lipossomal, utilizou-se a anfotericina B complexo lipídico, fármaco já distribuído pelo Ministério da Saúde a pacientes com mucormicose. O desfecho considerado também foi o sucesso terapêutico do tratamento da mucormicose. O tratamento com monoterapia de anfotericina B lipossomal na dose de 5 mg/kg/dia mostrou um custo incremental de R$ 228.923,40 (70.604,29 - 450.744,22), enquanto que na dose de 10 mg/kg/dia o valor foi de R$ 453.794,48 (138.797,81 - 902.013,30). A razão de custo-efetividade incremental foi de R$ 1.156.178,78/sucesso terapêutico (401.160,74 - 2.177.508,31) para tratamento na dose de 5 mg/kg/dia e de R$ 2.291.891,31/sucesso terapêutico (788.623,92 - 4.357.552,17) para a dose de 10 mg/kg/dia. ANÁLISE DE IMPACTO ORÇAMENTÁRIO: Estimou-se um impacto orçamentário incremental de R$ 11.446.170,00 para o cenário da dose de 5 mg/kg/dia e de R$ 22.689.724,00 para o cenário da dose de 10 mg/kg/dia para o ano de 2022. O impacto incremental acumulado dos próximos cinco anos seria de R$ 71.195.174,40 para o cenário da dose de 5 mg/kg/dia e de R$ 141.130.093,28 para o cenário da dose de 10 mg/kg/dia. MONITORAMENTO DO HORIZONTE TECNOLÓGICO: No horizonte considerado, não foram detectadas tecnologias para compor o esquema terapêutico da mucormicose rino-órbito-cerebral. RECOMENDAÇÕES INTERNACIONAIS: Não foram encontradas recomendações de outras agências internacionais de ATS sobre o uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para tratamento da mucormicose rino-órbito-cerebral. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: As recomendações internacionais baseiam-se em série de casos e algumas revisões sistemáticas de série de casos para considerar a anfotericina B lipossomal como droga de primeira linha de tratamento. As evidências presentes apontam este medicamento como primeira linha no tratamento da forma rino-órbito-cerebral da mucormicose, especialmente em pacientes com comprometimento do sistema nervoso central, condição prevalente nesta forma clínica, devido a sua difusão em tecido nervoso e pela possibilidade de uso de doses elevadas para se alcançar penetração tecidual adequada. Atualmente, o programa de micoses sistêmicas do Ministério da Saúde oferece a anfotericina B complexo lipídico, outra formulação da anfotericina B, cuja evidência para tratamento desta forma clínica é muito escassa. Os resultados da revisão sistemática de casos e série de casos realizada, comparando a anfotericina B lipossomal com a anfotericina B desoxicolato, apontaram a superioridade de eficácia da lipossomal sobre a desoxicolato (51,3 vs 31,5%; p=0,01) e corroborados na análise multivariada que identificou o uso da lipossomal como preditor independente de melhor prognóstico [OR=0,42 (0,19 - 0,91); p=0,03]. Estes dados fortalecem sobremaneira as recomendações que já têm sido preconizadas por guidelines internacionais e endossadas pelo Ministério da Saúde. PERSPECTIVA DO PACIENTE: A chamada pública de número 59/202 para participar da Perspectiva do Paciente sobre o tema da anfotericina B lipossomal para tratamento de pessoas com diagnóstico de mucormicose na sua forma rino-órbitocerebral foi aberta de 10/11/2021 a 17/11/2022 e não houve inscritos. RECOMENDAÇÃO PRELIMINAR DA CONITEC: O Plenário da Conitec, em sua 107ª Reunião Ordinária, no dia 06 de abril de 2022, deliberou que a matéria fosse disponibilizada em Consulta Pública com recomendação preliminar favorável à ampliação de uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para pessoas diagnosticadas com mucormicose na forma rino-órbito-cerebral, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Os membros da Conitec consideraram que o uso da anfotericina B lipossomal apresentou efetividade e segurança superiores ao comparador, potencialmente diminuindo o risco de mortalidade dos pacientes. CONSULTA PÚBLICA: Foram recebidas 12 contribuições, sendo oito técnico-científicas e quatro sobre experiência ou opinião. Todas as contribuições recebidas foram favoráveis à recomendação inicial da Conitec. Incluindo a Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia, as pessoas reforçaram a utilização da anfotericina B lipossomal para o tratamento da mucormicose. Assim, os membros do Plenário concordaram em manter a recomendação deliberada na apreciação preliminar do tema. RECOMENDAÇÃO FINAL DA CONITEC: O Plenário da Conitec, em sua 109ª Reunião Ordinária, no dia 09 de junho de 2022, deliberou por unanimidade recomendar a ampliação de uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para pessoas diagnosticadas com mucormicose na forma rino-órbito-cerebral, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Por fim, foi assinado o Registro de Deliberação nº 743/2022. DECISÃO: Ampliar o uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para pessoas diagnosticadas com mucormicose na forma rino-órbitocerebral, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS conforme a Portaria nº 67, publicada no Diário Oficial da União nº 132, seção 1, página 135, em 14 de julho de 2022.

Single-Dose Liposomal Amphotericin B Treatment for Cryptococcal Meningitis.

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcal meningitis is a leading cause of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related death in sub-Saharan Africa. Whether a treatment regimen that includes a single high dose of liposomal amphotericin B would be efficacious is not known. METHODS: In this phase 3 randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial conducted in five African countries, we assigned HIV-positive adults with cryptococcal meningitis in a 1:1 ratio to receive either a single high dose of liposomal amphotericin B (10 mg per kilogram of body weight) on day 1 plus 14 days of flucytosine (100 mg per kilogram per day) and fluconazole (1200 mg per day) or the current World Health Organization-recommended treatment, which includes amphotericin B deoxycholate (1 mg per kilogram per day) plus flucytosine (100 mg per kilogram per day) for 7 days, followed by fluconazole (1200 mg per day) for 7 days (control). The primary end point was death from any cause at 10 weeks; the trial was powered to show noninferiority at a 10-percentage-point margin. RESULTS: A total of 844 participants underwent randomization; 814 were included in the intention-to-treat population. At 10 weeks, deaths were reported in 101 participants (24.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 20.7 to 29.3) in the liposomal amphotericin B group and 117 (28.7%; 95% CI, 24.4 to 33.4) in the control group (difference, -3.9 percentage points); the upper boundary of the one-sided 95% confidence interval was 1.2 percentage points (within the noninferiority margin; P<0.001 for noninferiority). Fungal clearance from cerebrospinal fluid was -0.40 log10 colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter per day in the liposomal amphotericin B group and -0.42 log10 CFU per milliliter per day in the control group. Fewer participants had grade 3 or 4 adverse events in the liposomal amphotericin B group than in the control group (50.0% vs. 62.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Single-dose liposomal amphotericin B combined with flucytosine and fluconazole was noninferior to the WHO-recommended treatment for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis and was associated with fewer adverse events. (Funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership and others; Ambition ISRCTN number, ISRCTN72509687.).

Treating pediatric cutaneous Leishmania tropica with systemic liposomal amphotericin B: A retrospective, single-center study.

Leishmania tropica (L. tropica) cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is associated with high morbidity and low response rate to therapy, especially in pediatric patients. Intravenous (IV) liposomal amphotericin B (LAmB) has been used off-label as a treatment for L. tropica CL for many years. However, data regarding its efficacy and safety in children is lacking. In order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IV LAmB for treating pediatric patients with L. tropica, we retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of 24 children who were diagnosed with L. tropica CL and treated with IV LAmB during 2014-2020, at a tertiary medical center in Israel. Fourteen (58%) completed the treatment protocol and 10 (42%) experienced an infusion-related adverse event (IRAE) leading to treatment termination. Complete response was noted in 6/14 (43%) patients, while 8/14 (57%) failed to respond. Lower response rate was noted in lesions involving the mid-facial area. The relatively low response rate is speculated to result from a low dose of LAmB, short follow-up period, and difficult to treat anatomic locations. The observation of a lower response rate for mid-facial lesions should be validated in larger cohorts. The highrisk of IRAE should be considered in physician decisions regarding this treatment.

IgG3 and IL10 are effective biomarkers for monitoring therapeutic effectiveness in Post Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of chemotherapeutic responses in Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL), especially its macular form is challenging, emphasizing the necessity for 'test of cure' tools. This study explored the diagnostic and prognostic potential of IgG subclasses and associated cytokines for monitoring the effectiveness of chemotherapy in PKDL. METHODS: Participants included PKDL cases at (a) disease presentation, (b) immediately at the end of treatment (12 weeks for Miltefosine or 3 weeks for Liposomal Amphotericin B, LAmB and (c) at any time point 6 months later, for estimating anti-leishmanial immunoglobulin (Ig, IgG, IgM, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3) and cytokines (IL-10, IL-6). RESULTS: In PKDL, Ig levels were elevated, with IgG3 and IL-10 being the major contributors. Miltefosine decreased both markers substantially and this decrease was sustained for at least six months. In contrast, LAmB failed to decrease IgG3 and IL-10, as even after six months, their levels remained unchanged or even increased. CONCLUSIONS: In PKDL, IgG3 and IL-10 proved to be effective predictors of responsiveness to chemotherapy and may be considered as a non invasive alternative for longitudinal monitoring.

Efficacy of Intravenous Itraconazole Versus Liposomal Amphotericin B as Empirical Antifungal Therapy in Hematological Malignancy with Persistent Fever and Neutropenia: Study Protocol for a Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Non-inferiority Trial.

Febrile neutropenia, a serious complication that can occur during the treatment of hematological malignancies, can sometimes be fatal owing to fungal infection. Prospective randomized trials indicated the utility of liposomal amphotericin B or caspofungin as an empirical antifungal therapy. Itraconazole, a broad-spectrum tri azole antifungal agent, is poorly absorbed in the intestines after oral absorption and makes it difficult to achieve a stable serum drug concentration. Therefore, an intravenous formulation might offer a potentially safer and more effective alternative. To compare the efficacy and safety of empirical antifungal therapy, patients will be randomly assigned to either the liposomal amphotericin B 3.0 mg/kg once daily group or the intravenous itraconazole 200 mg dose group with five stratification factors (disease risk, previous antifungal prophylaxis, age, sex, and institute). The primary endpoint will be overall favorable response, comprising five secondary endpoints: successful treatment of baseline infection by the end of the treatment; absence of breakthrough infection; no discontinuation of the antifungal treatment due to drug-related toxicity; fever resolution during neutropenia; and 7-day survival after termination of the antifungal treatment. The target sample size of 850 subjects is sufficient to prove the non inferiority of itraconazole compared with liposomal amphotericin B, with a non-inferiority margin of 10%, one sided significance level of 5%, and power of 90%.

Concomitant BK virus infection and visceral Leishmaniasis in a pediatric liver transplant recipient.

BACKGROUND: Solid organ transplant recipients are vulnerable to various unusual infections. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a protozoal opportunistic infection, which may affect the immune-suppressed hosts and solid organ transplant recipients. The BK virus infection is an evolving challenge in kidney transplant recipients. However, there are very few reports of BK virus (BKV) nephropathy involving the native kidney in liver transplant recipients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the simultaneous occurrence of these rare infections in a liver transplant recipient. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 9-year-old girl, a case of liver transplantation who presented with the incidental finding of proteinuria, azotemia, and cytopenia. Investigations revealed that she had concomitant BKV nephropathy and visceral leishmaniasis. Both infections were successfully treated. CONCLUSION: BK virus should be considered as a cause of nephropathy in liver transplant recipients. The presenting features of fever, cytopenia, and splenomegaly in a post-transplant patient should remind of unusual infections such as VL other than the common post-transplant conditions.