Article
Immunology
Irene Gomez Delgado, Fernando Corvillo, Pilar Nozal, Emilia Arjona, Alvaro Madrid, Marta Melgosa, Juan Bravo, Agnes Szilagyi, Dorottya Csuka, Nora Veszeli, Zoltan Prohaszka, Pilar Sanchez-Corral
Summary: SP-HUS is a clinically well-known disease that may have a worse prognosis than HUS associated with E. coli infections. Studies suggest that risk variants in the CFH-CFHR3-CFHR1 region could contribute to disease-predisposition to SP-HUS, and transient desialylation of complement FH by the pneumococcal neuraminidase may play a role in disease pathogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Mini Michael, Arvind Bagga, Sarah E. Sartain, Richard J. H. Smith
Summary: Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) is a group of diseases that cause thrombotic microangiopathy, characterized by non-immune microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury. The most common cause of HUS discussed in this review is Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli HUS. Identifying the trigger of thrombotic microangiopathy is crucial for personalized treatment. Complement-mediated HUS, once associated with high mortality, can now be treated with anti-complement therapies. However, the high cost of these therapies limits their use in low-income countries.
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Irene Gomez Delgado, Josue Gutierrez-Tenorio, Gloria M. Fraga Rodriguez, Teresa Cavero, Emilia Arjona, Pilar Sanchez-Corral
Summary: Dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway plays a major role in the pathogenesis of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). Both a 66-year-old male with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and a 5-year-old boy with aHUS carried similar frameshift variants in the complement CFHR5 gene, resulting in reduced levels of factor H-related 5 (FHR-5). Lower FHR-5 levels may predispose individuals to viral and bacterial infections that trigger different renal phenotypes.
CLINICAL KIDNEY JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Hemant S. Agarwal, Samir Q. Latifi
Summary: Streptococcus pneumoniae-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (Sp-HUS) is a serious complication of invasive pneumococcal disease. While pneumococcal vaccination has helped reduce the incidence of Sp-HUS, cases still occur due to vaccine failure and emergence of replacement serotypes. Treatment is mainly supportive, but the addition of eculizumab therapy has shown promising results in controlling complement activity.
Article
Immunology
Annelies Mueller, Cebile Lekhuleni, Sabrina Hupp, Mignon du Plessis, Lalaina Holivololona, Eduard Babiychuk, Stephen L. Leib, Denis Grandgirard, Asparouh I. Iliev, Anne von Gottberg, Lucy J. Hathaway
Summary: This study compared the virulence of two different serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae and a serotype 8 strain in a rat model of meningitis. The results showed that only the serotype 8 strain was hypervirulent, causing brain injury and a high mortality rate. It induced a stronger inflammatory cytokine response and had the thickest capsule among the three strains. The serotype 8 strain produced non-haemolytic pneumolysin. Pneumolysin-sequestering liposomes reduced the neuroinflammatory cytokine response in vitro, indicating the potential of liposomes as an effective adjuvant therapy even for hypervirulent pneumococcal strains with non-haemolytic pneumolysin.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Kaile Chen, Xiyan Zhang, Yunzhen Tao, Yunzhong Wang, Jian Xue, Changpeng Liu, Shuang Feng, Yongdong Yan, Qinghui Chen, Jianmei Tian, Genming Zhao, Xuejun Shao, Tao Zhang
Summary: This study described the hospitalization of 105 children <5 years of age for IPD in a hospital in Suzhou, China, from 2010 to 2017, and calculated the incidence rate of IPD in Suzhou. Eight different capsular serotypes of pneumococcus were identified in the study.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yahiya Y. Syed
Summary: Ravulizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody indicated for the treatment of aHUS, with a convenient maintenance dosage regimen compared to eculizumab, and has shown good efficacy and tolerability in clinical trials.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Annelies Muller, Diana B. Schramm, Jackie Kleynhans, Linda de Gouveia, Susan Meiring, Alban Ramette, Anne von Gottberg, Lucy Jane Hathaway
Summary: The study revealed variations in cytokine levels in cerebrospinal fluid among patients infected with different serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae, with certain serotypes being associated with infection severity. Among them, serotype 15B/C warrants particular attention. Future research should focus on the differential induction of IL-8 by different serotypes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Dan Pugh, Eoin D. O'Sullivan, Fiona Ai Duthie, Philip Masson, David Kavanagh
Summary: AHUS is a rare disorder characterized by abnormal complement regulatory proteins, leading to kidney failure and death in the past. However, new therapies such as terminal complement inhibition show promising outcomes, although based on very low-quality evidence from single-arm studies. Careful consideration of future data is needed for better understanding of treatment duration and adverse outcomes.
COCHRANE DATABASE OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
David C. LaFon, Han Woo, Neal Fedarko, Antoine Azar, Harry Hill, Anne E. Tebo, Thomas B. Martins, MeiLan K. Han, Jerry A. Krishnan, Victor E. Ortega, Igor Barjaktarevic, Robert J. Kaner, Annette Hastiek, Wanda K. O'Neal, David Couper, Prescott G. Woodruff, Jeffrey L. Curtis, Nadia N. Hansel, Moon H. Nahm, Mark T. Dransfield, Nirupama Putcha
Summary: This study found that reduced quantity/function of serum pneumococcal antibodies are associated with higher risk of COPD exacerbations. Higher levels of pneumococcal antibodies, especially for certain serotypes, are associated with lower exacerbation risk. These findings suggest immune defects in frequent exacerbators and pneumococcal antibodies may serve as biomarkers for immune dysfunction in COPD.
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryan Robinson, Christopher A. Myerscough, Nengjie He, Helen Hill, Wendi Shepherd, Patricia Gonzalez-Dias, Konstantinos Liatsikos, Samuel Latham, Fred Fyles, Klara Doherty, Phoebe Hazenberg, Fathimath Shiham, Daniella Mclenghan, Hugh Adler, Vicki Randles, Seher Zaidi, Angela Hyder-Wright, Elena Mitsi, Hassan Burhan, Ben B. Morton, Jamie M. Rylance, Maia M. Lesosky, Stephen Gordon, Andrea Collins, Daniela Ferreira
Summary: Experimental Human Pneumococcal Challenge (EHPC) is a safe procedure for studying vaccine research, with no serious adverse events related to pneumococcal inoculation. Colonised individuals were more likely to experience safety events, but most symptoms were mild and could be managed conservatively. Outpatient human pneumococcal challenge can be conducted safely with appropriate safety monitoring procedures in place.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Clara Ines Agudelo, Carlos Castaneda-Orjuela, Maria Cristina de Cunto Brandileone, Gabriela Echaniz-Aviles, Samanta Cristine Grassi Almeida, Maria Noemi Carnalla-Barajas, Mabel Regueira, Sofia Fossati, Pedro Alarcon, Pamela Araya, Carolina Duarte, Jacqueline Sanchez, Mirna Novas, Gilda Torano-Peraza, Misladys Rodriguez-Ortega, Gustavo Chamorro-Cortesi, Anibal Kawabata, Gabriela Garcia-Gabarrot, Teresa Camou, Enza Spadola, Daisy Payares, Ana Lucia Andrade, Jose Luis Di Fabio, Elizabeth Castaneda
Summary: A multicentre, retrospective observational study in eight Latin American and Caribbean countries assessed the direct effect of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) on the distribution of pneumococcal serotypes causing invasive pneumococcal disease in children younger than 5 years. The study found a significant decrease in the percentage of vaccine serotypes in PCV countries after PCV introduction.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Catherine S. Palmer, Jacqueline M. Kimmey
Summary: This article summarizes the pathways of neutrophil migration from the bloodstream to the lungs during pneumococcal infection.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Kristina L. Bajema, Ryan Gierke, Monica M. Farley, William Schaffner, Ann Thomas, Arthur L. Reingold, Lee H. Harrison, Ruth Lynfield, Kari E. Burzlaff, Susan Petit, Meghan Barnes, Salina Torres, Paula M. Snippes Vagnone, Bernard Beall, Tamara Pilishvili
Summary: The incidence of antibiotic-nonsusceptible invasive pneumococcal disease (NS-IPD) has decreased in the United States after the introduction of 7- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). However, there has been an increase in nonvaccine type NS-IPD, particularly among older adults. The use of higher valency PCVs containing the common nonsusceptible serotypes could help further reduce NS-IPD.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Aamer Imdad, Samuel P. Mackoff, David M. Urciuoli, Tamkeenat Syed, Emily E. Tanner-Smith, Dongmei Huang, Oscar G. Gomez-Duarte
Summary: This review evaluated evidence on secondary preventative strategies for HUS associated with STEC infections, finding uncertainty in the effectiveness and safety of interventions to prevent development of HUS in patients with diarrhoea due to STEC infection. Additional studies, including larger multicentre studies, are needed to draw firm conclusions about the efficacy of these interventions.
COCHRANE DATABASE OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Pediatrics
Madeleine Didsbury, Anita van Zwieten, Kerry Chen, Laura J. James, Anna Francis, Siah Kim, Steven McTaggart, Amanda Walker, Fiona Mackie, Tonya Kara, Chanel Prestidge, Armando Teixeira-Pinto, Belinda Barton, Jennifer Lorenzo, Suncica Lah, Kirsten Howard, Natasha Nassar, Eric Au, Allison Tong, Jonathan C. Craig, Germaine Wong
PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
(2019)
Article
Surgery
Revathy Manickavasagar, Germaine Wong, Stephen Alexander, Anna Francis, Chanel Prestidge, Nicholas G. Larkins, Amelia Le Page, Wai H. Lim
TRANSPLANT INTERNATIONAL
(2019)
Review
Urology & Nephrology
Camilla S. Hanson, Jonathan C. Craig, Charlotte Logeman, Aditi Sinha, Allison Dart, Allison A. Eddy, Chandana Guha, Debbie S. Gipson, Detlef Bockenhauer, Hui-Kim Yap, Jaap Groothoff, Michael Zappitelli, Nicholas J. A. Webb, Stephen Alexander, Susan L. Furth, Susan Samuel, Alicia Neu, Andrea K. Viecelli, Angela Ju, Ankit Sharma, Eric H. Au, Hailey Desmond, Jenny Shen, Karine E. Manera, Karolis Azukaitis, Louese Dunn, Simon A. Carter, Talia Gutman, Yeoungjee Cho, Amanda Walker, Anna Francis, Cheryl Sanchez-Kazi, Joshua Kausman, Meghan Pearl, Nadine Benador, Shobha Sahney, Allison Tong
KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL
(2020)
Article
Pediatrics
Nicholas G. Larkins, Germaine Wong, Stephen Alexander, Stephen McDonald, Chanel Prestidge, Anna Francis, Amelia K. Le Page, Wai H. Lim
Summary: Young children starting kidney replacement therapy have good long-term survival and graft outcomes, early graft loss is not a reason to postpone transplantation, and the risk of late graft loss during adolescence remains a significant barrier to improving long-term outcomes.
PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pediatrics
Harriet Weststrate, Jane Ronaldson, Georgina Yonge, Amanda Dickens, Robin Erickson, William Wong, Chanel Prestidge
Summary: The study found that the rate of PKT in New Zealand children is 17%, with late referral, higher deprivation levels, and Maori and Pasifika ethnicity increasing the risk of not receiving pre-emptive transplantation.
JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
(2021)
Correction
Pediatrics
Madeleine Didsbury, Anita van Zwieten, Kerry Chen, Laura J. James, Anna Francis, Siah Kim, Steven McTaggart, Amanda Walker, Fiona Mackie, Tonya Kara, Chanel Prestidge, Armando Teixeira-Pinto, Belinda Barton, Jennifer Lorenzo, Suncica Lah, Kirsten Howard, Natasha Nassar, Eric Au, Allison Tong, Jonathan C. Craig, Germaine Wong
PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Anna Francis, Chanel Prestidge, Joshua Kausman, Amelia Le Page, Nicholas Larkins, Hugh McCarthy
Summary: This study found that children with secondary steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome have a higher risk of recurrence post-transplantation and may not respond well to treatment. History of atopy and hypoalbuminemia at the time of transplant might be novel risk factors for recurrence. Further research is needed to determine if secondary steroid resistance is associated with poorer transplant outcomes.
PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Wai H. Lim, Brigitte Adams, Stephen Alexander, Antonia H. M. Bouts, Frans Claas, Michael Collins, Elisabeth Cornelissen, Heather Dunckley, Huib de Jong, Lloyd D'Orsogna, Anna Francis, Sebastiaan Heidt, Jean Herman, Rhonda Holdsworth, Joshua Kausman, Rabia Khalid, Jon Jin Kim, Siah Kim, Noel Knops, Vasilis Kosmoliaptsis, Cynthia Kramer, Dirk Kuypers, Nicholas Larkins, Suetonia C. Palmer, Chanel Prestidge, Agnieszka Prytula, Ankit Sharma, Meena Shingde, Anne Taverniti, Armando Teixeira-Pinto, Peter Trnka, Francis Willis, Daniel Wong, Germaine Wong
Summary: The INCEPTION study aims to investigate the potential differences in immunological compatibility between maternal and paternal donor kidneys, and how these differences affect kidney allograft outcomes in children and adolescents with kidney failure. By analyzing high resolution HLA typing and conducting longitudinal observational studies, the research seeks to provide evidence-based recommendations on selecting the best parental donor for achieving optimal long-term kidney transplant and overall health outcomes for vulnerable populations of children and adolescents.
Article
Pediatrics
Rabia Khalid, Anita Van Zwieten, Siah Kim, Madeleine Didsbury, Anna Francis, Steven Mctaggart, Amanda Walker, Fiona E. Mackie, Chanel Prestidge, Armando Teixeira-Pinto, Belinda Barton, Jennifer Lorenzo, Suncica Lah, Kirsten Howard, Natasha Nassar, Eric Au, Allison Tong, Katrina Blazek, Jonathan C. Craig, Germaine Wong
Summary: Children from lower SES families across all CKD stages are less likely to perform well in literacy and numeracy compared to those from higher SES households.
PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Siah Kim, Anita Van Zwieten, Jennifer Lorenzo, Rabia Khalid, Suncica Lah, Kerry Chen, Madeleine Didsbury, Anna Francis, Steven Mctaggart, Amanda Walker, Fiona E. Mackie, Chanel Prestidge, Armando Teixeira-Pinto, Allison Tong, Katrina Blazek, Belinda Barton, Jonathan C. Craig, Germaine Wong
Summary: Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have cognitive and academic challenges, especially those undergoing kidney replacement therapy (KRT). Regardless of CKD stage, academic performance declines as children grow older.
PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Jacqueline Everitt, Anna Mulholland, Chanel Prestidge, Vivian Kim
Summary: This study aimed to determine the incidence rate of bronchiectasis following pediatric kidney transplantation and assess its impact on kidney transplant function. The study found that the incidence rate of bronchiectasis after kidney transplantation in children is significantly higher than the baseline rate in New Zealand. It is recommended to promptly investigate children with a history of respiratory infections or chronic cough post-transplant.
JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Chandana Guha, Anita van Zwieten, Rabia Khalid, Siah Kim, Amanda Walker, Anna Francis, Madeleine Didsbury, Armando Teixeira-Pinto, Belinda Barton, Chanel Prestidge, Emily Lancsar, Fiona Mackie, Joseph Kwon, Kirsten Howard, Kylie-Ann Mallitt, Martin Howell, Allison Jaure, Alison Hayes, Rakhee Raghunandan, Stavros Petrou, Suncica Lah, Steven McTaggart, Jonathan C. Craig, Germaine Wong
Summary: This multi-center longitudinal cohort study aimed to assess the trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) over time. The results showed that the HRQoL scores differed between children with different CKD stages, and the transition from dialysis to transplantation was significantly associated with the improvement in HRQoL. Children with CKD stage 1-5 and transplant recipients at baseline had stable HRQoL over time.
KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
William Wong, Chanel Prestidge, Amanda Dickens, Jane Ronaldson
Summary: This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, complications, and short-term outcomes of New Zealand children with D+HUS between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2020. The results showed that out of 226 children, 56.2% required acute dialysis, 13.7% had seizures, and 1.3% experienced acute mortality. Therefore, early recognition of STEC infections may help reduce the need for dialysis and other extra-renal complications.
JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Georgia Malakasioti, Daniela Iancu, Anastasiia Milovanova, Alexey Tsygin, Tomoko Horinouchi, China Nagano, Kandai Nozu, Koichi Kamei, Shuichiro Fujinaga, Kazumoto Iijima, Rajiv Sinha, Biswanath Basu, William Morello, Giovanni Montini, Aoife Waters, Olivia Boyer, Zeynep Yuruk Yildirim, Sibel Yel, Ismail Dursun, Hugh J. McCarthy, Marina Vivarelli, Larisa Prikhodina, Martine T. P. Besouw, Eugene Yu-hin Chan, Wenyan Huang, Markus J. Kemper, Sebastian Loos, Chanel Prestidge, William Wong, Galia Zlatanova, Rasmus Ehren, Lutz T. Weber, Hassib Chehade, Nakysa Hooman, Marcin Tkaczyk, Malgorzata Stanczyk, Michael Miligkos, Kjell Tullus
Summary: A retrospective study was conducted on 203 cases of children with monogenic steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) treated with a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI). The study found that a partial or full response was observed in a significant percentage of patients. Patients with higher serum albumin levels at the initiation of CNI treatment were more likely to achieve significant remission. These findings support the use of CNI treatment in children with monogenic SRNS.
KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Fiona Pittman, Harry Di Somma, William Wong, Chanel Prestidge, Peter Reed, Alistair J. Gunn, Craig Jefferies
Summary: This study found that acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, and it is independently associated with higher glucose levels and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
ENDOCRINOLOGY DIABETES & METABOLISM
(2022)