Fluid Dynamics of Respiratory Infectious Diseases.

The host-to-host transmission of respiratory infectious diseases is fundamentally enabled by the interaction of pathogens with a variety of fluids (gas or liquid) that shape pathogen encapsulation and emission, transport and persistence in the environment, and new host invasion and infection. Deciphering the mechanisms and fluid properties that govern and promote these steps of pathogen transmission will enable better risk assessment and infection control strategies, and may reveal previously underappreciated ways in which the pathogens might actually adapt to or manipulate the physical and chemical characteristics of these carrier fluids to benefit their own transmission. In this article, I review our current understanding of the mechanisms shaping the fluid dynamics of respiratory infectious diseases.

A Piece of History: The Legacy of George W. Counts and Underrepresented Populations.

The fight for social justice and diversity in medicine stems from racial inequalities and discrimination that have permeated our society for centuries. As America has become more diverse in recent years, African American physicians remain largely underrepresented in the healthcare workforce and academic medicine. In the field of infectious diseases, one man, George W. Counts, has shouldered the struggle to end disparities in education, training, research, and academic advancement. This article celebrates his legacy and rekindles the discussion about inclusion, diversity, access, and equity in infectious diseases.

Standing on the shoulders of giants: two centuries of struggle against meningococcal disease.

Meningococcal disease was first clinically characterised by Gaspard Vieusseux in 1805, and its causative agent was identified by Anton Weichselbaum in 1887, who named it Diplococcus intracellularis menigitidis. From the beginning, the disease was dreaded because of its epidemic nature, predilection for previously healthy children and adolescents, and high mortality. In the last decade of the 19th century, the concept of serum therapy for toxin-related bacterial diseases was identified. This concept was applied to meningococcal disease therapy, in an independent way, by Wilhelm Kolle, August von Wasserman, and Georg Jochmann in Germany, and Simon Flexner in the USA, resulting in the first successful approach for the treatment of meningococcal disease. During the first three decades of the 20th century, serum therapy was the standard treatment for meningococcal disease. With the advent of sulphamides first and then antibiotics, serum therapy was abandoned. The great challenges that infectious diseases medicine is facing and the awaiting menaces in the future in terms of increasing antibiotic resistance, emergence of new pathogens, and re-emergence of old ones without effective therapy, make passive immunotherapy a promising tool. Acknowledging the achievements of our predecessors might teach us some lessons to bring light to our future.

From septicemia to sepsis 3.0-from Ignaz Semmelweis to Louis Pasteur.

Sepsis remains a contemporary threat, and its frequency remains high amongst an aging population. Its definition has been regularly revisited, but the impact of the translational research studying it remains very modest compared to the results seen after the introduction of hygiene and the use of antibiotics. In the past, the main forms of sepsis were hospital gangrene (also known as nosocomial fever or putrid fever) that affected the wounded, and puerperal fever that affected women shortly after delivery. In 1858, Armand Trousseau stated that these two pathologies were identical. Lucrezia Borgia, who died in 1519, is undoubtedly the most famous woman to die from puerperal fever. The notion of sepsis as a real epidemic was deplored. For decades doctors remained deaf to the recommendations of their clairvoyant colleagues who advocated for the use of hygienic measures. It was as early as 1795 that Alexander Gordon (UK) and later in 1843, Oliver Holmes (USA), called for the use of hygienic practices. In 1847, Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician, provided an irrefutable demonstration of the importance of hygiene in the prevention of contamination by the hands of the practitioners. But Ignaz Semmelweis' life was a tragedy, his fight against the medical nomenklatura was a tragedy, and his death was a tragedy! Nowadays, Ignaz Semmelweis is receiving the honor that he deserves, but never received during his life. Carl Mayrhofer, Victor Feltz, and Léon Coze were the first to associate the presence of bacteria with sepsis. These observations were confirmed by Louis Pasteur who, thanks to his prestige, had a great influence on how to undertake measures to prevent infections. He inspired Joseph Lister who reduced mortality associated with surgery, particularly amputation, by utilizing antiseptic methods.

Disciplinary and thematic mapping of Maghreb publications in "infectiology". Bibliometric study (Tunisia, 2010-2014).

AIM: To describe the essential bibliometric characteristics of Tunisian publications in "infectiology", during the five-year period 2010-2014. METHODS: This is a descriptive bibliometric study, on the papers of "infectiology", indexed in "«Medline¼", based on their data sheets. Were included all the articles written by Tunisian researchers regardless of their position in the list of co-signers. The themes of the publications were explored through the key words "major" and "generic" in the three chapters of the descriptors: "Bacterial Infections and Mycoses", "Parasitic Diseases", and "Viral Diseases". RESULTS: A total of 846 publications in "Infectiology" were analyzed, of which 66% were written in English and 31% were "case reports". They were signed by 536 authors in first position belonging mainly to microbiology (20.7%), parasitology (20.1%) and virology (7.1%). The 391 co-signatories in last position belonged to 44 specialties, of which pediatrics, internal medicine and infectious diseases respectively occupy the 4th, the 9th and the 10th positions. These publications were edited in 258 journals, mainly "Tunisie Medicale" (9%) and "Pan African Medical Journal" (3.8%). The greatest interest of the Tunisian researchers in infectious diseases have been staphylococcal / tuberculosis infections, chronic viral hepatitis C / human influenza, and echinococcosis / leishmaniasis. CONCLUSION: In Tunisia, infectious diseases research has been relatively prolific and concordant with the population's health needs. Infectious diseases physicians should build their network of care, research and education with biologists, while focusing their research on multicenter and high-level studies.

The Vogt family: Creators of diverse paths for women in biological research.

The life and careers of Cecile, Marthe and Marguerite Vogt are chronicled in this article during an era where women were not readily accepted in the upper echelons of academia. By exploring important questions, these women made major contributions to the broad base of scientific knowledge which impacted the fields of neurobiology in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, infectious disease, and oncogenesis. As a result, each was considered the elite of her respective field and achieved an enduring legacy.

A return to humane medicine: Osler's legacy.

Sir William Osler is celebrated today not only for his contributions to the advancement of medical education, but also for the humanism he brought to the practice of medicine. He was a doctor whose bedside skills and manners were emulated, and can legitimately be called an infectious diseases specialist. Nonetheless, he was also a humanist in the broader sense of the term, a student of human affairs and human nature, who emphasised compassion for the individual. To what extent, if any, are today's challenges influenced by departures from the paradigms created by Osler? In this paper we sought to ascertain whether such a tradition is still relevant to current practice and may foster a new perspective. We analysed two features of Osler's legacy that may be useful to clinicians: the first is his vision of the patient-physician relationship; the second is his approach to humanities. William Osler saw medicine in its wider scope, with the right and duty to be concerned with the human condition as a whole. Indeed, his rounded concept of the medical profession as being engaged in helping and caring for the whole human being could help physicians build a more humanised medicine. Adopted in the age of evidence-based medicine, the Oslerian approach can enhance the relationship with patients and give physicians a role based on trust and authoritativeness rather than on authority.