Article
Immunology
John Steytler, Elna van der Ryst, Charles Craig, Ben Van Baelen, Jeremy Nuttall, Neliette van Niekerk, John Mellors, Urvi Parikh, Carole Wallis
Summary: HIV seroconversion during the use of the dapivirine vaginal ring did not have a negative impact on clinical presentation or treatment outcome. Virology analysis showed that the mutation patterns observed at virologic failure were consistent with individuals failing an NNRTI-based regimen.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Sebastian Wendt, Dietmar Beier, Dennis Paquet, Henning Trawinski, Andre Fuchs, Christoph Luebbert
Summary: In 2019, 1.5 billion international tourist trips were counted worldwide, with Germany being one of the populations most willing to travel. Nowadays, even elderly and multimorbid persons regularly travel long-distance, which can be associated with significant health risks. By advising travelers and implementing preventive measures, the risk of illness can be significantly reduced.
DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Blaine A. Mathison, Bobbi S. Pritt
Summary: Cyclospora cayetanensis is a parasitic coccidian that causes diarrheal illness transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food and water, with high endemicity in tropical and subtropical regions. While found worldwide, cases in developed countries are often linked to travelers and imported produce. The use of highly sensitive molecular diagnostic tests has improved detection of infection and led to increased reporting of cases in developed countries.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jonathan H. Watanabe, Gregory E. Simon, Michael Horberg, Richard Platt, Adrian Hernandez, Robert M. Califf
Summary: Concerns about the limited generalizability and slow pace of traditional randomized trials have led to calls for greater use of real-world evidence. Real-world clinical trials differ from traditional trials in blinding and treatment standardization, which may impact internal validity and bias. When considering blinding and treatment standardization, researchers should evaluate factors such as expectations of clinicians, patients, and assessors, treatment variations based on clinician expertise, and the need for standardization for valid inference and participant safety.
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sobhi Khoury, Shiran Kaplan, Ronit Zaidenstein, Erica Cohen, Dinni Tischler-Aurkin, Rivka Sheffer, Lewis Mathew, Zohar Mor
Summary: The study revealed that 85% of Israeli travelers did not adhere to the antimalarial chemoprophylaxis, mainly due to a perception of low risk of contracting malaria. It is crucial for counselors at pre-travel clinics to emphasize the importance of taking antimalarial chemoprophylaxis in highly endemic countries and consider alternative treatment strategies.
TRAVEL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2021)
Review
Respiratory System
David M. Perlman, Muthya Tejasvini Sudheendra, Yuka Furuya, Chetan Shenoy, Rajat Kalra, Henri Roukoz, Jeremy Markowitz, Lisa A. Maier, Maneesh Bhargava
Summary: Sarcoidosis is a complex multi-system disease with diverse clinical manifestations and courses. There are significant gaps in understanding high-risk phenotypes such as treatment-refractory pulmonary disease, cardiac sarcoidosis, neurosarcoidosis, and multiorgan sarcoidosis. Systematic research and identification of disease subgroups are necessary to advance knowledge on this enigmatic disease.
ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY
(2021)
Review
Dermatology
Stephen Moore, Peter Rady, Stephen Tyring
Summary: Acquired epidermodysplasia verruciformis (AEV) is a form of epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) commonly found in immunocompromised patients, often associated with HPV. Treatment options include various topical medications, vaccines, and improving cellular immunity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Anant Parasher
Summary: COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has rapidly spread globally and presents in a spectrum of mild, moderate, and severe illness. Diagnosis is currently based on reverse-transcription PCR of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples, with treatment including ventilation, antipyretics, antivirals, antibiotics, and steroids.
POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Audrey Maudoux, Sandrine Vitry, Aziz El-Amraoui
Summary: The inner ear is responsible for hearing and balance, and vestibular deficits are prevalent in humans. Research on deafness genes and the development of prosthetic devices and gene therapies have shown promising results in treating vestibular disorders. These advancements contribute to the development of personalized treatments.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Carlo Alberto Ricciardi, Luigi Gnudi
Summary: Metabolic and haemodynamic perturbations play a key role in the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Controlling metabolic, lipid, and blood pressure levels is crucial in slowing the progression of DKD. Therapies targeting haemodynamic perturbations, such as inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and SGLT2 inhibitors, have shown success in the prevention and management of DKD.
METABOLISM-CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Lumei Kang, Yuyang Tian, Shilin Xu, Hongping Chen
Summary: Oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neurotoxicity can be classified into acute and chronic types. Acute OIPN is characterized by cold-sensitive sensory symptoms and neuropathic pain, while chronic OIPN also involves autonomic nerve dysfunction. Various methods are available for the prevention and treatment of OIPN.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Paulina Wigner, Michal Bijak, Joanna Saluk-Bijak
Summary: Bladder cancer is the most common tumor of the urinary system, and despite anticancer therapies, it has a high recurrence risk. In addition to smoking, occupational exposure, and genetic factors, diet quality may also influence the development of bladder cancer. Adequate consumption of fruits such as pomegranates and cranberries can reduce the risk of bladder cancer.
Article
Ophthalmology
Samantha A. Banks, M. Tariq Bhatti, Ronald S. Go, Jithma P. Abeykoon, Aldo A. Acosta-Medina, Antonious Z. Hazim, Gaurav Goyal, Jason R. Young, Matthew J. Koster, Robert Vassallo, Jay H. Ryu, Caroline J. Davidge-Pitts, Aishwarya Ravindran, Julio C. Sartori Valinotti, N. Nora Bennani, Mithun Shah, Karen L. Rech, James A. Garrity, W. Oliver Tobin
Summary: This study evaluated the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes in adult patients with histiocytic disorders involving the eyes, orbit, optic nerve, or cavernous sinus. The results showed that orbital involvement was more common in LCH and ECD, whereas ocular involvement was more common in RDD. Visual acuity may be affected by eye involvement or compression of the optic nerve, and individualized treatment is necessary.
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Sona Deshmukh, Manasi Sane, Sanjay Gaikwad, Tushar Sahasrabudhe, Madhusudan Barthwal, Rahul Lokhande, Swapnil Raskar, Anju Kagal, Sujata Dharmshale, Neeta Pradhan, Akshay Gupte, Omamah Alfarisi, Amita Gupta, Kelly E. Dooley, Nikhil Gupte, Jonathan E. Golub, Vidya Mave
Summary: This study investigated the impact of sex on the severity of tuberculosis, drug exposure, and treatment outcomes. The results showed that female patients had a lower mycobacterial burden, higher drug exposure, and fewer unfavorable treatment outcomes. Therefore, strategies to improve the success of tuberculosis treatment should take into account the influence of gender differences.
Article
Microbiology
Kevin S. Blake, Drew J. Schwartz, Srinand Paruthiyil, Bin Wang, Jie Ning, Sandra D. Isidean, Daniel S. Burns, Harris Whiteson, Tahaniyat Lalani, Jamie A. Fraser, Patrick Connor, Tom Troth, Chad K. Porter, David R. Tribble, Mark S. Riddle, Ramiro L. Gutierrez, Mark P. Simons, Gautam Dantas
Summary: This study found that antibiotics used for treatment or prophylaxis of travelers’ diarrhea have minimal impact on the gut microbiome and carriage of antibiotic resistance genes.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Marynes Quintero, Lina M. Blandon, Oscar M. Vidal, Juan D. Guzman, Jorge E. Gomez-Marin, Albert D. Patino, Diego A. Molina, Gloria M. Puerto-Castro, Javier Gomez-Leon
Summary: This study evaluated the biological activity of extracts from marine bacteria cultures against Toxoplasma gondii and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The Bacillus sp. INV FIR48 extract showed anti-T. gondii and anti-tuberculosis biological activity with low cytotoxicity, and peptide metabolites were detected in the extract. Marine bacteria are promising sources of natural products for anti-infective purposes, especially against prevalent diseases like toxoplasmosis and tuberculosis.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Maria Ines Plazas, Jacqueline Salamanca-Marin, Elizabeth Torres-Morales, Juan Camilo Londono, Daniel Celis-Giraldo, Jorge Enrique Gomez-Marin
Summary: Interpretation of IgM anti-Toxoplasma can be problematic due to the presence of natural IgM. This study analyzed 1,503 sera and established natural and false-positive results. The concordance between ELISA and two semi-automatized systems was calculated, and it was found that ELISA had poor concordance. Automated assays are recommended for measuring IgM anti-Toxoplasma.
DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Lyda Caballero Mendez, Luz Natalia Franco Montoya, Margarita Maria Mazo, Juan Carlos Sepulveda, Esteban Valencia, Tatiana Portilla, Leandro Restrepo
Summary: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of M. haemofelis infection and associated risk factors in domestic felines in Pereira, Colombia. Analysis of blood samples from 104 cats revealed a high infection rate, with a significant correlation between age and infection.
REVISTA DE INVESTIGACIONES VETERINARIAS DEL PERU
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Juan D. Valencia-Hernandez, John Alejandro Acosta-Davila, Juan Camilo Arenas-Garcia, Laura Lorena Garcia-Lopez, Diego Alejandro Molina-Lara, Ailan Farid Arenas-Soto, Diego A. Eraso-Ortiz, Jorge E. Gomez-Marin
Summary: This study developed a machine learning software called ApiPredictor UniQE V2.0 to predict adhesins proteins in Toxoplasma gondii. Using this software, a new adhesin protein called TgSRS12B was identified and its interaction with the membrane fractions of human cells was confirmed.
EXPERIMENTAL PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jaime A. Cardona-Ospina, Adriana M. Trujillo, Erika V. Jimenez-Posada, Juan C. Sepulveda-Arias, Fredy A. Tabares-Villa, Joanne S. Altieri-Rivera, Alejandro Monsalve, Juliana Restrepo-Chica, Daniela Osorio, Daniel Espinoza, Yerun Zhu, Juan D. Castrillon-Spitia, Valentina Henao-SanMartin, David R. Murillo-Garcia, Natalia Millan, Sandra X. Olaya, Ana M. Valencia-Montoya, Hugo A. Bedoya-Arias, Rhuvi Villamizar-Pena, Estefania Gutierrez-Ocampo, Yeimer Holguin-Rivera, Isabella Cortes-Bonilla, Maria C. Cardona-Trujillo, Alejandra Garcia-Barco, D. Katterine Bonilla-Aldana, Guillermo J. Lagos-Grisales, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales, Matthew H. Collins
Summary: A high proportion of pregnant women in a region endemic for Aedes-borne viruses, including the teratogenic Zika virus, remain susceptible, suggesting a risk for future epidemics.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Shishir Singh, Mateo Murillo-Leon, Niklas Sebastian Endres, Ailan Farid Arenas Soto, Jorge Enrique Gomez-Marin, Florence Melbert, Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, Masahiro Yamamoto, Claudia Campos, Jonathan Charles Howard, Gregory Alan Taylor, Tobias Steinfeldt
Summary: Toxoplasmosis is a common parasitic zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which infects virtually all warm-blooded animals including humans. This study identifies a virulence effector, ROP39, in T. gondii that specifically targets Irgb10 to evade IRG-mediated control, increasing its pathogenicity. This finding contributes to our understanding of the coevolutionary relationship between T. gondii and mice, which are important for transmission.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Vladan Cokic, Zorana Popovska, Olivera Lijeskic, Ljiljana Sabic, Olgica Djurkovic-Djakovic
Summary: This study retrospectively analyzed three outbreaks of COVID-19 in a nursing home in suburban Belgrade, Serbia. The results showed that the majority of staff and residents were vaccinated, and the older individuals demonstrated a good immunological response to the virus and vaccination, which prevented severe illness and mortality despite breakthrough infections.
Article
Psychiatry
Jennifer Nessim, Julio Cesar Luna-Ramirez, German Alberto Moreno-Gomez, Diana Milena Galvis-Soto, Jorge E. Gomez-Marin
Summary: There is strong evidence from meta-analysis indicating a relationship between toxoplasmosis and various psychiatric diseases including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and suicidal behavior. This study estimates the number of cases by assessing the attributable fraction of these diseases due to toxoplasmosis. The population attributable fraction for mental diseases associated with toxoplasmosis is 20.4% for schizophrenia, 27.3% for bipolar disorder, and 0.29% for suicidal behavior. The estimated number of individuals with mental diseases associated with toxoplasmosis ranges from 4,816,491 to 5,564,407 for schizophrenia, 6,348,946 to 7,510,118.82 for bipolar disorder, and 24,310 to 28,151 for self-harm. Globally, the lower estimated number is 11,189,748 and the upper estimated number is 13,102,678 for the year 2019. Geographic variations in the importance of risk factors for toxoplasmosis associated with mental diseases are observed, with water contamination being the most important risk factor in Africa and cooking conditions of meats being important in the European region. Given the potential impact of reducing this parasite on the general population, toxoplasmosis and mental health should be a research priority.
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Zoran Kokic, Predrag Kon, Olgica Djurkovic-Djakovic
Summary: A retrospective study was conducted to assess the risk of COVID-19 in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, as well as the effectiveness of different vaccines in preventing clinical infection. The study found that the overall risk of infection for the vaccinated was 0.53 compared to the unvaccinated population. The overall vaccine effectiveness was 65%, with BNT162b2 showing the highest effectiveness.
Article
Biology
Carlos Isaza, Oscar Mauricio Castano-Ramirez, Juan Pablo Velez, Julieta Henao, Leonardo Beltran-Angarita, Juan Carlos Sepulveda-Arias
Summary: Compared to conventional methadone maintenance treatment, using the CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism to calculate methadone dosage resulted in improved retention rates, reduced heroin usage, and improved quality of life for patients.
Article
Microbiology
Aleksandra Uzelac, Nikola Betic, Nedjeljko Karabasil, Vladimir Cirkovic, Olgica Djurkovic-Djakovic, Ivana Klun
Summary: By analyzing the genotypes and prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pigs in Serbia, it was found that backyard pigs are the main source of pork and farms serve as reservoirs for the parasite. The seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis in market-weight pigs was 15.2% prior to 2006 and 15.1% in 2019. City cats, likely infected by livestock meat, showed a seroprevalence of 33.2%. Innovative methods targeting backyard farmers are needed to reduce the risk to public health.
Article
Microbiology
Carlos A. Naranjo-Galvis, Rima Mcleod, Jorge Enrique Gomez-Marin, Alejandra de-la-Torre, Cristian Rocha-Roa, Nestor Cardona, Juan Carlos Sepulveda-Arias
Summary: Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is characterized by inflammation within the eye. This study identified a significant association between the Gln460Arg single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the P2RX7 gene and OT in Colombian patients. This SNP could potentially serve as a biomarker for identifying Colombian patients at risk of OT.
Article
Pediatrics
Mariangela Soberon Felin, Kanix Wang, Catalina Raggi, Aliya Moreira, Abhinav Pandey, Andrew Grose, Zuleima Caballero, Claudia Rengifo-Herrera, Margarita Ramirez, Davina Moossazadeh, Catherine Castro, Jose Luis Sanchez Montalvo, Karen Leahy, Ying Zhou, Fatima Alibana Clouser, Maryam Siddiqui, Nicole Leong, Perpetua Goodall, Morgan Michalowski, Mahmoud Ismail, Monica Christmas, Stephen Schrantz, Ximena Norero, Dora Estripeaut, David Ellis, Kevin Ashi, Samantha Dovgin, Ashtyn Dixon, Xuan Li, Ian Begeman, Sharon Heichman, Joseph Lykins, Delba Villalobos-Cerrud, Lorena Fabrega, Connie Mendivil, Mario R. Quijada, Silvia Fernandez-Pirla, Valli de La Guardia, Digna Wong, Mayrene de LadronGuevara, Carlos Flores, Jovanna Borace, Anabel Garcia, Natividad Caballero, Maria Theresa Moreno de Saez, Michael Politis, Stephanie Ross, Mimansa Dogra, Vishan Dhamsania, Nicholas Graves, Marci Kirchberg, Kopal Mathur, Ashley Aue, Carlos M. Restrepo, Alejandro Llanes, German Guzman, Arturo Rebollon, Kenneth Boyer, Peter Heydemann, A. Gwendolyn Noble, Charles Swisher, Peter Rabiah, Shawn Withers, Teri Hull, Chunlei Su, Michael Blair, Paul Latkany, Ernest Mui, Daniel Vitor Vasconcelos-Santos, Alcibiades Villareal, Ambar Perez, Carlos Andres Naranjo Galvis, Monica Vargas Montes, Nestor Ivan Cardona Perez, Morgan Ramirez, Cy Chittenden, Edward Wang, Laura Lorena Garcia-Lopez, Juliana Munoz-Ortiz, Nicolas Rivera-Valdivia, Maria Cristina Bohorquez-Granados, Gabriela Castano de-la-Torre, Guillermo Padrieu, Juan David Valencia Hernandez, Daniel Celis-Giraldo, John Alejandro Acosta Davila, Elizabeth Torres, Manuela Mejia Oquendo, Jose Y. Arteaga-Rivera, Dan Nicolae, Andrey Rzhetsky, Nancy Roizen, Eileen Stillwaggon, Larry Sawers, Francois Peyron, Martine Wallon, Emanuelle Chapey, Pauline Levigne, Carmen Charter, Migdalia De Frias, Jose Montoya, Cindy Press, Raymund Ramirez, Despina Contopoulos-Ioannidis, Yvonne Maldonado, Oliver Liesenfeld, Carlos Gomez, Kelsey Wheeler, Ellen Holfels, David Frim, David McLone, Richard Penn, William Cohen, Samantha Zehar, James McAuley, Denis Limonne, Sandrine Houze, Sylvie Abraham, Raphael Piarroux, Vera Tesic, Kathleen Beavis, Ana Abeleda, Mari Sautter, Bouchra El Mansouri, Adlaoui El Bachir, Fatima Amarir, Kamal El Bissati, Alejandra de-la-Torre, Gabrielle Britton, Jorge Motta, Eduardo Ortega-Barria, Isabel Luz Romero, Paul Meier, Michael Grigg, Jorge Gomez-Marin, Jagannatha Rao Kosagisharaf, Xavier Saez Llorens, Osvaldo Reyes, Rima McLeod
Summary: This review examines the rates of toxoplasmosis in Panama and Colombia, and explores the relationship between the infection rates and factors such as poverty and proximity to water sources. The study utilizes screening maps, seroprevalence maps, and risk factor mathematical models to identify regions that would benefit from comprehensive, preventive healthcare campaigns.
CURRENT PEDIATRICS REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Madiha Sana, Muhammad Rashid, Imran Rashid, Haroon Akbar, Jorge E. Gomez-Marin, Isabelle Dimier-Poisson
Summary: Cytokines play a key role in the immune system and are essential for resisting infections like toxoplasmosis. The balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines is crucial, as excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines can lead to tissue damage and enhance the proliferation of Toxoplasma. Immunosuppressed patients are more susceptible to toxoplasmosis. Studying the mechanisms of cytokine secretion and action could provide insights for the treatment and prevention of Toxoplasma infection.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOPATHOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
