Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dewi Lokida, Helmia Farida, Rina Triasih, Yan Mardian, Herman Kosasih, Adhella Menur Naysilla, Arif Budiman, Chakrawati Hayuningsih, Moh Syarofil Anam, Dwi Wastoro, Mujahidah Mujahidah, Setya Dipayana, Amalia Setyati, Abu Tholib Aman, Nurhayati Lukman, Muhammad Karyana, Ahnika Kline, Aaron Neal, Chuen-Yen Lau, Clifford Lane
Summary: This study identified the main pathogens causing hospitalised childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) among Indonesian children aged 2-59 months old through a comprehensive diagnostic approach. The most frequently identified pathogens were Haemophilus influenzae non-type B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The study highlights the importance of PCR for diagnosis and appropriate use of antimicrobials.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Brian Zanoni, Moherndran Archary, Thobekile Sibaya, Tatiana Ramos, Geri Donenberg, Maryam Shahmanesh, Connie Celum, Audrey Pettifor, Linda Gail Bekker, Jessica Haberer
Summary: Compared with adults, adolescents in South Africa have lower levels of viral suppression in each step of the HIV continuum of care. Our study identified interventions such as in-home and HIV self-testing, community-based adherence support, and provision of adolescent-friendly services as the most impactful and scalable approaches to address the adolescent HIV continuum of care in South Africa. Future interventions should be comprehensive and tailored to the specific needs of adolescents.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Asma Sadruddin Pethani, Zaubina Kazi, Ujala Nayyar, Muhammad Shafiq-ur-Rehman, Muhammad Tahir Yousafzai, Mach Ondrej, Ali Faisal Saleem
Summary: This study aims to establish a pilot surveillance system to identify and monitor VDPV excretion in children with PID and evaluate the use of Jeffrey Modell PID warning signs as a screening tool for PID in Pakistan.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Amanda J. Driscoll, Fadima Cheick Haidara, Milagritos D. Tapia, Emily L. Deichsel, Ousmane S. Samake, Tiecoura Bocoum, Jason A. Bailey, Meagan C. Fitzpatrick, Robert L. Goldenberg, Mamoudou Kodio, Lawrence H. Moulton, Dilruba Nasrin, Uma Onwuchekwa, Allison M. Shaffer, Samba O. Sow, Karen L. Kotloff
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of azithromycin in preventing stillbirths and infant mortality in high mortality settings, and to determine the optimal strategy for the delivery of azithromycin to pregnant women and their infants.
Article
Immunology
Harriet D. Gliddon, Myrsini Kaforou, Mary Alikian, Dominic Habgood-Coote, Chenxi Zhou, Tolu Oni, Suzanne T. Anderson, Andrew J. Brent, Amelia C. Crampin, Brian Eley, Robert Heyderman, Florian Kern, Paul R. Langford, Tom H. M. Ottenhoff, Martin L. Hibberd, Neil French, Victoria J. Wright, Hazel M. Dockrell, Lachlan J. Coin, Robert J. Wilkinson, Michael Levin
Summary: The study identified four-transcript and three-transcript signatures that can distinguish tuberculosis patients from those with other diseases or latent tuberculosis infection, offering strong quantitative support for their use as diagnostic biomarkers for tuberculosis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jan Yvan Jos Verbakel, Tine De Burghgraeve, Ann Van den Bruel, Samuel Coenen, Sibyl Anthierens, Louise Joly, Annouschka Laenen, Jeroen Luyten, An De Sutter
Summary: The study aims to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of a diagnostic algorithm in acutely ill children aged 6 months to 12 years in ambulatory care. The primary outcome is antibiotic prescribing, with secondary outcomes including clinical recovery, reconsultation, referral/admission to hospital, additional testing, mortality and patient satisfaction. If the intervention proves to be successful, it may lead to an implementation strategy for educating physicians about the algorithm in their daily practice.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Nicholas Bodkin, Melissa Ross, Micah T. McClain, Emily R. Ko, Christopher W. Woods, Geoffrey S. Ginsburg, Ricardo Henao, Ephraim L. Tsalik
Summary: In a systematic comparison of 28 host gene expression signatures, differences in performance were observed based on signature size and characteristics of the validation population, such as age and infection type. It was noted that differential performance in specific populations may only be observable through this type of large-scale validation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zaynab Mousavian, Elin Folkesson, Gabrielle Froberg, Fariba Foroogh, Margarida Correia-Neves, Judith Bruchfeld, Gunilla Kallenius, Christopher Sundling
Summary: This exploratory study aimed to identify biomarkers associated with active tuberculosis (TB). Through analyzing the plasma levels of inflammation-related proteins, a protein module strongly associated with active TB was identified. A 12-protein plasma signature was derived from the module and was found to be highly enriched in individuals with pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB, and associated with disease severity.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jeffrey S. Barrett
Summary: The study suggests that pediatric patients and pregnant women may be at increased risk and excluded from drug repurposing and vaccine trials during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some drugs being indicated for these populations, available data for COVID-19 use is limited.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Anouk van Hooij, Annemieke Geluk
Summary: The causative agent of leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae, is still actively transmitted in endemic areas. Improved diagnostic tools based on biomarkers are urgently needed to address the challenges in recognizing the signs and symptoms of leprosy. Studying the relationship between M leprae and host immune cells may provide new insights for the identification of biomarkers to improve leprosy diagnostics.
IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Heather Jackson, Stephanie Menikou, Shea Hamilton, Andrew McArdle, Chisato Shimizu, Rachel Galassini, Honglei Huang, Jihoon Kim, Adriana Tremoulet, Adam Thorne, Roman Fischer, Marien I. de Jonge, Taco Kuijpers, Victoria Wright, Jane C. Burns, Climent Casals-Pascual, Jethro Herberg, Mike Levin, Myrsini Kaforou
Summary: Research found that the host response in children with Kawasaki disease is more similar to bacterial infections rather than viral infections, with pathways activated in patients with KD including those involved in anti-viral and anti-bacterial responses. By comparing transcriptomic and proteomic levels, heterogeneity within the inflammatory response in KD patients was observed, possibly due to different triggers.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Robson Coutinho-Silva, Luiz Eduardo Baggio Savio
Summary: Purinergic signalling is a conserved pathway mediated by extracellular nucleotides and nucleosides, activating host innate immune defense mechanisms during intracellular pathogen infections.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Noe Brasier, Michael Osthoff, Fiorangelo De Ieso, Jens Eckstein
Summary: The development of the internet of health care things allows remote connection between healthcare professionals and patients wearing smart biosensors, which can serve various purposes. Digital biomarkers derived from these devices represent a patient-centered approach. The future digital biomarkers have the potential to shape the future of infectious diseases.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Arjun Chandna, Endashaw M. Aderie, Riris Ahmad, Eggi Arguni, Elizabeth A. Ashley, Tanya Cope, Vu Quoc Dat, Nicholas P. J. Day, Arjen M. Dondorp, Victor Illanes, Joanne De Jesus, Carolina Jimenez, Kevin Kain, Keang Suy, Constantinos Koshiaris, Estrella Lasry, Mayfong Mayxay, Dinesh Mondal, Rafael Perera, Tiengkham Pongvongsa, Sayaphet Rattanavong, Michael Rekart, Melissa Richard-Greenblatt, Mohammad Shomik, Phouthalavanh Souvannasing, Veronica Tallo, Claudia Turner, Paul Turner, Naomi Waithira, James A. Watson, Mikhael Yosia, Sakib Burza, Yoel Lubell
Summary: This study aims to develop a prognostic clinical prediction tool to assist healthcare providers in identifying febrile children who may benefit from referral or admission for medical care. The study will recruit at least 4900 paediatric inpatients and outpatients under the age of 5 with acute febrile illness in seven hospitals across six countries in Asia.
Review
Cell Biology
Ana Rita Franco, Francesco Peri
Summary: Tuberculosis is a major global health concern, and new vaccines are needed to overcome the limitations of the current BCG vaccine. The World Health Organization considers the development of new TB vaccines to be a top priority, with subunit vaccines being promising candidates that may require adjuvants to enhance their efficacy.
Article
Pediatrics
Rowan Kuiper, Victoria J. Wright, Dominic Habgood-Coote, Chisato Shimizu, Daphne Huigh, Adriana H. Tremoulet, Danielle van Keulen, Clive J. Hoggart, Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano, Jethro A. Herberg, Myrsini Kaforou, Dennie Tempel, Jane C. Burns, Michael Levin
Summary: This study successfully translates a microarray-based classifier into a more rapid and cost-efficient qRT-PCR assay, the KiDs-GEP classifier, bringing a diagnostic test for Kawasaki disease closer to the hospital clinical laboratory.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yegnasew Takele, Tadele Mulaw, Emebet Adem, Rebecca Womersley, Myrsini Kaforou, Susanne Ursula Franssen, Michael Levin, Graham Philip Taylor, Ingrid Mueller, James Anthony Cotton, Pascale Kropf
Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and HIV co-infection (VL/HIV) is a significant public health problem in Ethiopia, with up to 30% of VL patients co-infected with HIV. Patients with recurrent VL/HIV have a higher rate of VL relapses compared to those with primary VL/HIV. Poor prognosis in recurrent VL/HIV patients is characterized by shorter relapse-free survival, higher parasite load, lower weight gain, lower recovery of blood cell lineages, lower production of IFN-gamma, lower CD4(+) T cell counts, and higher expression of PD1 on T cells.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Harsita Patel, Amalia Sintou, Rasheda A. Chowdhury, Stephen Rothery, Alma Octavia Iacob, Sanjay Prasad, Peter P. Rainer, Federico Martinon-Torres, Vanessa Sancho-Shimizu, Chisato Shimizu, Kirsten Dummer, Adriana H. Tremoulet, Jane C. Burns, Susanne Sattler, Michael Levin
Summary: This study investigated the presence of anticardiac autoantibodies in MIS-C or COVID-19 vaccine-induced myocarditis and found no evidence of antibody binding to cardiac tissue in these conditions. This suggests that the cardiac pathology in MIS-C and vaccine-induced myocarditis is unlikely to be driven by direct anticardiac antibody-mediated mechanisms.
Article
Rheumatology
Samuel Channon-Wells, Ortensia Vito, Andrew J. McArdle, Eleanor G. Seaby, Harsita Patel, Priyen Shah, Ekaterina Pazukhina, Clare Wilson, Claire Broderick, Giselle D'Souza, Ilana Keren, Ruud G. Nijman, Adriana Tremoulet, Daniel Munblit, Rolando Ulloa-Gutierrez, Michael J. Carter, Padmanabhan Ramnarayan, Tisham De, Clive Hoggart, Elizabeth Whittaker, Jethro A. Herberg, Myrsini Kaforou, Aubrey J. Cunnington, Oleg Blyuss, Michael Levin
Summary: This study evaluated immunomodulatory treatments for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and found that glucocorticoids or glucocorticoids plus intravenous immunoglobulin were not significantly different from intravenous immunoglobulin alone in terms of clinical efficacy. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids may be a safe alternative to immunoglobulin or combined therapy.
LANCET RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Alexander James Martin, Fabian Johannes Stanislaus van der Velden, Ulrich von Both, Maria N. Tsolia, Werner Zenz, Manfred Sagmeister, Clementien Vermont, Gabriella de Vries, Laura Kolberg, Emma Lim, Marko Pokorn, Dace Zavadska, Federico Martinon-Torres, Irene Rivero-Calle, Nienke N. Hagedoorn, Effua Usuf, Luregn Schlapbach, Taco W. Kuijpers, Andrew J. Pollard, Shunmay Yeung, Colin Fink, Marie Voice, Enitan Carrol, Philipp K. A. Agyeman, Aakash Khanijau, Stephane Paulus, Tisham De, Jethro Adam Herberg, Michael Levin, Michiel van der Flier, Ronald de Groot, Ruud Nijman, Marieke Emonts
Summary: This study externally validated and updated the Feverkids clinical prediction model for differentiating bacterial pneumonia and other SBIs from non-SBI causes of fever in immunocompromised children. The model showed good discrimination for bacterial pneumonia but poorer performance for other SBIs. The rule-out thresholds have the potential to reduce unnecessary investigations and antibiotics in this high-risk group.
ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD
(2023)
Article
Ethics
Fabian J. S. van der Velden, Emma Lim, Lily Gills, Jasmin Broadey, Louise Hayes, Eve Roberts, Jack Courtney, Joanne Ball, Jethro Herberg, Rachel Galassini, Marieke Emonts, DIAMONDS consortium
Summary: This study explores the views and knowledge of children and young people in the UK regarding biobanking and consent. The findings suggest that most children accept prospective and deferred consent, and prefer to reconsent when cognitively mature enough. Additionally, children wanted to be informed about the reuse of their biobanked biospecimens.
BMC MEDICAL ETHICS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Hao Wang, Chisato Shimizu, Emelia Bainto, Shea Hamilton, Heather R. Jackson, Diego Estrada-Rivadeneyra, Myrsini Kaforou, Michael Levin, Joan M. Pancheri, Kirsten B. Dummer, Adriana H. Tremoulet, Jane C. Burns
Summary: This study used a data-driven approach to identify four distinct clinical subgroups of Kawasaki disease patients, each with different clinical features, seasonal patterns, and incidence rates.
LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Esther Willems, Jolein Gloerich, Anouk Suppers, Michiel van der Flier, Lambert P. van den Heuvel, Nicole van de Kar, Ria H. L. A. Philipsen, Maurice van Dael, Myrsini Kaforou, Victoria J. Wright, Jethro A. Herberg, Federico Martinon Torres, Michael Levin, Ronald de Groot, Alain J. van Gool, Dirk J. Lefeber, Hans J. C. T. Wessels, Marien I. de Jonge
Summary: Mechanisms of infection and pathogenesis have mainly focused on differential gene or protein expression, with less emphasis on posttranslational modifications. In this study, a novel glycoproteomics approach was applied to investigate systemic proteome-wide glycosylation in response to infection. Through characterization of site-specific protein glycosylation in plasma samples from controls and patients, a glycopeptide signature was identified that could significantly differentiate between bacterial and viral infections. Additionally, machine learning algorithm-based analysis demonstrated the ability to identify the causative pathogens based on distinct host blood plasma glycopeptide signatures. These findings highlight the potential of glycoproteomics as an innovative approach to enhance the interpretation of relevant biological changes during infection.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Dominic Habgood-Coote, Clare Wilson, Chisato Shimizu, Anouk M. Barendregt, Ria Philipsen, Rachel Galassini, Irene Rivero Calle, Lesley Workman, Philipp K. A. Agyeman, Gerben Ferwerda, Suzanne T. Anderson, J. Merlijn van den Berg, Marieke Emonts, Enitan D. Carrol, Colin G. Fink, Ronald de Groot, Martin L. Hibberd, John Kanegaye, Mark P. Nicol, Stephane Paulus, Andrew J. Pollard, Antonio Salas, Fatou Secka, Luregn J. Schlapbach, Adriana H. Tremoulet, Michael Walther, Werner Zenz, Michiel van der Flier, Heather J. Zar, Taco Kuijpers, Jane C. Burns, Federico Martinon-Torres, Victoria J. Wright, Lachlan J. M. Coin, Aubrey J. Cunnington, Jethro A. Herberg, Michael Levin, Myrsini Kaforou
Summary: A panel of genes in blood can be used to discriminate various infectious and inflammatory diseases, allowing for reliable prediction of categories such as bacterial infection, viral infection, malaria, tuberculosis, or inflammatory disease.
Article
Pediatrics
Chantal Tan, Clementien Vermont, Joany Zachariasse, Ulrich von Both, Irini Eleftheriou, Marieke Emonts, Michiel van der Flier, Jethro Herberg, Benno Kohlmaier, Michael Levin, Emma Lim, Ian Maconochie, Federico Martinon-Torres, Ruud Nijman, Marko Pokorn, Irene Rivero-Calle, Maria Tsolia, Werner Zenz, Dace Zavadska, Henriette A. Moll, Enitan Carrol
Summary: This study found that there is a high percentage of discordant emergency medical services (EMS) use in febrile children attending European emergency departments (EDs). Although some of these children had markers of urgency, 29% of them were still transferred by EMS unnecessarily. Future research is needed to investigate non-medical factors influencing discordant EMS use in febrile children across Europe, in order to implement preventive strategies.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Correction
Pediatrics
Navin P. Boeddha, Lucy Atkins, Ronald de Groot, Gertjan Driessen, Jan Hazelzet, Werner Zenz, Enitan D. Carrol, Suzanne T. Anderson, Federico Martinon-Torres, Philipp K. A. Agyeman, Rachel Galassini, Jethro Herberg, Michael Levin, Luregn J. Schlapbach, Marieke Emonts
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Correction
Pediatrics
Fabian J. S. van der Velden, Gabriella de Vries, Alexander Martin, Emma Lim, Ulrich von Both, Laura Kolberg, Enitan D. Carrol, Aakash Khanijau, Jethro A. Herberg, Tisham De, Rachel Galassini, Taco W. Kuijpers, Federico Martinon-Torres, Irene Rivero-Calle, Clementien L. Vermont, Nienke N. Hagedoorn, Marko Pokorn, Andrew J. Pollard, Luregn J. Schlapbach, Maria Tsolia, Irini Elefhteriou, Shunmay Yeung, Dace Zavadska, Colin Fink, Marie Voice, Werner Zenz, Benno Kohlmaier, Philipp K. A. Agyeman, Effua Usuf, Fatou Secka, Ronald de Groot, Michael Levin, Michiel van der Flier, Marieke Emonts
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Medical Informatics
Heather R. Jackson, Judith Zandstra, Stephanie Menikou, Melissa Shea Hamilton, Andrew J. Mcardle, Roman Fischer, Adam M. Thorne, Honglei Huang, Michael W. Tanck, Machiel H. Jansen, Tisham De, Philipp K. A. Agyeman, Ulrich Von Both, Enitan Carrol, Marieke Emonts, Irini Eleftheriou, Michiel van der Flier, Colin Fink, Jolein Gloerich, Ronald De Groot, Henriette A. Moll, Marko Pokorn, Andrew J. Pollard, Luregn J. Schlapbach, Maria N. Tsolia, Effua Usuf, Victoria J. Wright, Shunmay Yeung, Dace Zavadska, Werner Zenz, Lachlan J. M. Coin, Climent Casals-Pascual, Aubrey J. Cunnington, Federico Martinon-Torres, Jethro A. Herberg, Marien de Jonge, Michael Levin, Taco W. Kuijpers, Myrsini Kaforou
Summary: Through a multi-center study, we have identified protein biomarkers that may be developed into a blood-based point-of-care diagnostic test for rapidly distinguishing bacterial and viral infections in febrile children. This study provides a potential useful tool for improving the treatment of febrile children.
LANCET DIGITAL HEALTH
(2023)
