Article
Microbiology
Rachel E. Hildebrand, Chungyi Hansen, Brock Kingstad-Bakke, Chia-Wei Wu, Marulasiddappa Suresh, Adel Talaat
Summary: In this study, a live-attenuated M. tuberculosis construct with double deletions of the mosR and echA7 genes showed strong immune responses to specific antigens, but also caused tissue damage and vaccine persistence. These findings have important implications for the future evaluation of other live vaccines in terms of immunogenicity and safety.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nancy Liliana Tateosian, Maria Paula Morelli, Joaquin Miguel Pellegrini, Veronica Edith Garcia
Summary: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), has resulted in the death of almost one billion people in the past 200 years. TB remains a significant global health concern, ranking among the top thirteen leading causes of death worldwide. TB infection in humans can manifest in different stages with varying symptoms, immune responses, and pathology profiles. Active Mtb infection can lead to the development of diverse immune endotypes in TB patients due to individual immunological profiles influenced by various factors. Understanding the factors involved in shaping the immunological status of TB patients during active Mtb infection can contribute to the development of Host Directed Therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Bjorn Corleis, Max Bastian, Donata Hoffmann, Martin Beer, Anca Dorhoi
Summary: Tuberculosis (TB) and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) are major global epidemics that affect the same vital organ and share immunopathogenesis traits. Animal models, including rodents, non-human primates, and livestock, have been used to study these diseases and have contributed to our understanding of disease pathophysiology and immune responses. Cross-fertilization between studies of seemingly unrelated diseases like TB and COVID-19 can benefit research on pulmonary infectious diseases.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Alba Llibre, Martin Dedicoat, Julie G. Burel, Caroline Demangel, Matthew K. O'Shea, Claudio Mauro
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the immune-metabolic adaptations of macrophages to mycobacterial infections. It discusses the changes in glycolysis, oxidative metabolism, and fatty acid utilization in response to mycobacteria, as well as the impact of critical tuberculosis co-morbidities on host metabolic responses. The review also explores how immune-metabolic knowledge can be utilized for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for mycobacterial diseases.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nino Iakobachvili, Stephen Adonai Leon-Icaza, Kevin Knoops, Norman Sachs, Serge Mazeres, Roxane Simeone, Antonio Peixoto, Celia Bernard, Marlene Murris-Espin, Julien Mazieres, Kaymeuang Cam, Christian Chalut, Christophe Guilhot, Carmen Lopez-Iglesias, Raimond B. G. Ravelli, Olivier Neyrolles, Etienne Meunier, Geanncarlo Lugo-Villarino, Hans Clevers, Celine Cougoule, Peter J. Peters
Summary: The study found that Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium abscessus mainly exist as extracellular bacteria in human airway organoids, infecting epithelial cells with low efficiency. The organoids respond to infection by modulating cytokine, antimicrobial peptide, and mucin gene expression. Adult stem cell-derived airway organoids can be used to elucidate early events of mycobacterial infection in human settings.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Se-Jin Kim, Elham Karamooz
Summary: This review discusses the current understanding of MR1 and HLA-E antigen presentation in the context of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Bubacarr J. B. Touray, Mostafa Hanafy, Yashdeep Phanse, Rachel Hildebrand, Adel M. Talaat
Summary: A nanoadjuvant system called QTAP, consisting of Quil-A and DOTAP, was developed for efficient delivery of mRNA vaccine constructs. The system showed high transfection efficiency and protein translation ability. In mice experiments, QTAP nanovaccines induced strong antibody and cytokine responses, and effectively reduced mycobacterial counts in the lungs and spleens. Overall, QTAP is a highly efficient transfection agent that improves the immunogenicity of mRNA vaccines against pulmonary tuberculosis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Eliza Gil, Nicola Sweeney, Veronica Barrett, Stephen Morris-Jones, Robert F. Miller, Victoria J. Johnston, Michael Brown
Summary: Nontuberculous mycobacteria can cause disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients. Successful treatment of patients co-infected with HIV was achieved with bedaquiline as part of combination therapy.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Yeonseok Choi, Jae Myoung Noh, Sun Hye Shin, Kyungjong Lee, Sang-Won Um, Hojoong Kim, Hongryull Pyo, Yong Chan Ahn, Byeong-Ho Jeong
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence and risk factors associated with the development of chronic pulmonary infection (CPI) post radiotherapy for lung cancer. A retrospective analysis was done on 1872 patients with lung cancer who received radiotherapy from 2010-2014. Several risk factors such as low body mass index, interstitial lung disease, prior pulmonary tuberculosis, etc. were identified to be independently associated with CPI development.
CANCER RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Gustavo Echeverria, Veronica Rueda, Wilson Espinoza, Carlos Rosero, Martin J. Zumarraga, Jacobus H. H. de Waard
Summary: This report presents three cases of misdiagnosed NTM lung infections in Ecuador, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis through culture and identification to species level. Reporting NTM pulmonary disease as a notifiable disease is recommended to obtain accurate prevalence data.
Article
Microbiology
You-Ming Mei, Wen-Yue Zhang, Ji-Ya Sun, Hai-Qin Jiang, Ying Shi, Jing-Shu Xiong, Le Wang, Yan-Qing Chen, Si-Yu Long, Chun Pan, Tao Luo, Hong-Sheng Wang
Summary: This study investigated the pathogens associated with the occurrence and different types of cutaneous tuberculosis through the analysis of genomic characteristics of 58 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated over the last 20 years. The findings revealed that cutaneous tuberculosis and pulmonary tuberculosis shared similar genotypes and genomic composition. The drug-resistance rate was lower in cutaneous tuberculosis strains, and several SNPs in metabolism-related genes showed a strong correlation with different infection sites. Thus, while large genomic changes in M. tuberculosis isolates may not significantly affect the different infection sites of TB, the significant difference in SNPs of drug resistance genes and metabolism-related genes should be given more attention.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Masanori Asai, Yanwen Li, John Spiropoulos, William Cooley, David J. Everest, Sharon L. Kendall, Carlos Martin, Brian D. Robertson, Paul R. Langford, Sandra M. Newton
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of Galleria mellonella larvae as a low-cost, rapid, and ethically more acceptable model for tuberculosis research. The Gm-MTB model can mimic key aspects of the disease and can be used for anti-TB drug screening and comparing virulence of different strains.
Article
Microbiology
Stephen Adonai Leon-Icaza, Salimata Bagayoko, Romain Verge, Nino Iakobachvili, Chloe Ferrand, Talip Aydogan, Celia Bernard, Angelique Sanchez Dafun, Marlene Murris-Espin, Julien Mazieres, Pierre Jean Bordignon, Serge Mazeres, Pascale Bernes-Lasserre, Victoria Rame, Jean-Michel Lagarde, Julien Marcoux, Marie-Pierre Bousquet, Christian Chalut, Christophe Guilhot, Hans Clevers, Peter J. Peters, Virginie Molle, Geanncarlo Lugo-Villarino, Kaymeuang Cam, Laurence Berry, Etienne Meunier, Celine Cougoule
Summary: Although Mabs infection can induce oxidative stress, pharmacological activation of antioxidant pathways can better control Mabs growth and reduce its virulence. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of CFTR is associated with improved Mabs growth and increased virulence. Pharmacological activation of antioxidant pathways can inhibit Mabs growth and improve efficacy when combined with cefoxitin.
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Heidi Ledford
Summary: Researchers are investigating the effectiveness of existing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments in preventing long-term symptoms.
Review
Immunology
Ian Drobish, Nanda Ramchandar, Vanessa Raabe, Alice Pong, John Bradley, Christopher Cannavino
Summary: Pediatric osteoarticular infections (OAIs) account for a small proportion of pediatric tuberculosis infections and have a longer treatment duration with potential long-term sequelae. This study found that bone biopsy had the highest culture yield for identifying the pathogen in OAIs.
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Olivia Swann, Louisa Pollock, Karl A. Holden, Alasdair P. S. Munro, Aisleen Bennett, Thomas C. Williams, Lance Turtle, Cameron J. Fairfield, Thomas M. Drake, Saul N. Faust, Ian P. Sinha, Damian Roland, Elizabeth Whittaker, Shamez N. Ladhani, Jonathan S. Nguyen-Van-Tam, Michelle Girvan, Chloe Donohue, Cara Donegan, Rebecca G. Spencer, Hayley E. Hardwick, Peter J. M. Openshaw, J. Kenneth Baillie, Ewen M. Harrison, Annemarie B. Docherty, Malcolm G. Semple
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of hospitalized children and young people with SARS-CoV-2 during the UK's second wave. The results showed that patients in the second wave had lower PEWS, less antibiotic use, and fewer respiratory and cardiovascular support compared to the first wave. However, there was no change in the proportion of patients admitted to critical care. At least 20% of patients in this cohort had asymptomatic/incidental SARS-CoV-2 infection.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Enrico Piccinelli, Carles Bautista-Rodriguez, Jethro Herberg, Heechan Kang, Sylvia Krupickova, Ivan B. Altamar, Sara Moscatelli, Jolanda Sabatino, Manjit Josen, Josefa Paredes, Elisabeth Whittaker, Yogen Singh, Alain Fraisse, Giovanni Di Salvo
Summary: This study compared echocardiographic findings between multi-system inflammatory syndrome and Kawasaki disease. It found that coronary artery abnormalities were less frequent and transient in multi-system inflammatory syndrome children, while Kawasaki disease children had subtle and chronic myocardial involvement along with coronary artery abnormalities.
CARDIOLOGY IN THE YOUNG
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Rachel Harwood, Laura Rad, Christopher Kelly, Cliff Shelton, Elizabeth Shepherd, Marion Roderick, Elizabeth Whittaker, Steven Dyke, Sanjay Vallabh Patel, Nick Gent, Simon E. Kenny
Summary: This study investigates the impact of viral load and swabbing location on the sensitivity of lateral flow tests in children. The results suggest that lateral flow tests have excellent negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and specificity. The sensitivity of lateral flow tests is higher when the samples are taken from the anterior nasal region, while buccal swabs are not suitable for lateral flow testing.
ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD
(2023)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Alasdair Bamford, Elizabeth Whittaker
BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Critical Care Medicine
Sayalee Patankar, Andrea T. Cruz, Bianca Douglas-Jones, Anthony Garcia-Prats, Alexander Kay, Anja Reuter, H. Simon Schaaf, James A. Seddon, Sangeeta Sharma, Jeffrey Starke, Marcela Tommasi, Rina Triasih, Jennifer J. Furin
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Antonia Ho, Richard Orton, Rachel Tayler, Patawee Asamaphan, Vanessa Herder, Chris Davis, Lily Tong, Katherine Smollett, Maria Manali, Jay Allan, Konrad Rawlik, Sarah E. McDonald, Elen Vink, Louisa Pollock, Louise Gannon, Clair Evans, Jim McMenamin, Kirsty Roy, Kimberly Marsh, Titus Divala, Matthew T. G. Holden, Michael Lockhart, David Yirrell, Sandra Currie, Maureen O'Leary, David Henderson, Samantha J. Shepherd, Celia Jackson, Rory Gunson, Alasdair MacLean, Neil McInnes, Amanda Bradley-Stewart, Richard Battle, Jill A. Hollenbach, Paul Henderson, Miranda Odam, Primrose Chikowore, Wilna Oosthuyzen, Meera Chand, Melissa Shea Hamilton, Diego Estrada-Rivadeneyra, Michael Levin, Nikos Avramidis, Erola Pairo-Castineira, Veronique Vitart, Craig Wilkie, Massimo Palmarini, Surajit Ray, David L. Robertson, Ana da Silva Filipe, Brian J. Willett, Judith Breuer, Malcolm G. Semple, David Turner, J. Kenneth Baillie, Emma C. Thomson
Summary: An investigation found a possible association between AAV2 infection and host genetics in a recent outbreak of acute hepatitis in children in Scotland. The study used various methods to detect AAV2 infection in plasma and liver samples, and identified pathological features related to the virus in liver biopsy samples.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Tamaryn J. Nicholson, Graeme Hoddinott, James A. Seddon, Mareli M. Claassens, Marieke M. van der Zalm, Elisa Lopez, Peter Bock, Judy Caldwell, Dawood Da Costa, Celeste de Vaal, Rory Dunbar, Karen Du Preez, Anneke C. Hesseling, Kay Joseph, Ebrahim Kriel, Marian Loveday, Florian M. Marx, Sue-Ann Meehan, Susan Purchase, Kogieleum Naidoo, Lenny Naidoo, Fadelah Solomon-Da Costa, Rosa Sloot, Muhammad Osman
Summary: This review aimed to assess the risk factors associated with death during TB treatment in South African patients. The overall mortality during TB treatment in South Africa remains high, with a higher risk observed in drug-resistant TB patients. HIV infection, prior TB treatment, drug-resistant TB, and lower body weight at TB diagnosis were identified as the main risk factors for TB mortality.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
(2023)
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
Infectious Diseases
Jeremi Swanepoel, Marieke M. M. van der Zalm, Wolfgang Preiser, Gert van Zyl, Elizabeth Whittaker, Anneke C. C. Hesseling, David A. J. Moore, James A. A. Seddon
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and tuberculosis (TB) in children and adolescents. The results showed no significant association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and pulmonary TB. However, the study found a potential association between SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels and TB, indicating the need for further investigation on the interaction between these two infections.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
S. S. Chiang, S. M. Graham, H. S. Schaaf, B. J. Marais, C. C. Sant'Anna, S. Sharma, J. R. Starke, R. Triasih, J. Achar, F. Amanullah, L. Y. Armitage, R. B. Aurilio, W. C. Buck, R. Centis, C. Chabala, A. T. Cruz, A. -M. Demers, K. du Preez, A. Enimil, J. Furin, A. J. Garcia-Prats, N. E. Gonzalez, G. Hoddinott, P. Isaakidis, D. Jaganath, S. K. Kabra, B. Kampmann, A. Kay, I. Kitai, E. Lopez-Varela, E. Maleche-Obimbo, F. Mestanza Malaspina, J. Niederbacher Velasquez, J. J. C. Nuttall, J. N. Oliwa, I. Orozco Andrade, C. M. Perez-Velez, H. Rabie, J. A. Seddon, M. P. Sekadde, A. Shen, A. Skrahina, A. Soriano-Arandes, A. P. Steenhoff, M. Tebruegge, M. A. Tovar, B. Tsogt, M. M. van der Zalm, H. Welch, G. B. Migliori
Summary: This study aims to provide clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of drug-susceptible TB in children and adolescents. Through a consensus process involving global experts, eight standards were identified, including considerations for different age and developmental stages, prompt evaluation and treatment initiation based on symptoms and signs, appropriate weight-based regimen, TB infection prevention, home-based/community-based treatment support, age-appropriate support for engagement in care, and case reporting and contact tracing. These standards, adapted to local contexts, will improve the care of children and adolescents affected by TB.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Joseph L. Ward, Rachel Harwood, Simon Kenny, Joana Cruz, Matthew Clark, Peter J. Davis, Elizabeth S. Draper, Dougal Hargreaves, Shamez N. Ladhani, Nick Gent, Hannah E. Williams, Karen Luyt, Steve Turner, Elizabeth Whittaker, Alex Bottle, Lorna K. Fraser, Russell M. Viner
Summary: Investigating the risk of severe illness in children and adolescents after SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial for public health interventions. This study in England found that the risk of hospitalization for COVID-19 among children and adolescents remained low during the first 2 years of the pandemic, but those with multiple medical problems, especially neurodisability, were at increased risk.
Article
Immunology
Samantha Cooray, Fiona Price-Kuehne, Ying Hong, Ebun Omoyinmi, Alice Burleigh, Kimberly C. Gilmour, Bilal Ahmad, Sangdun Choi, Mohammad W. Bahar, Paul Torpiano, Andrey Gagunashvili, Barbara Jensen, Evangelos Bellos, Vanessa Sancho-Shimizu, Jethro A. Herberg, Kshitij Mankad, Atul Kumar, Marios Kaliakatsos, Austen J. J. Worth, Despina Eleftheriou, Elizabeth Whittaker, Paul A. Brogan
Summary: We describe a novel, severe autoinflammatory syndrome characterized by neuroinflammation, systemic autoinflammation, splenomegaly, and anemia (NASA) caused by bi-allelic mutations in IRAK4. This study describes 5 affected patients from 2 unrelated families with compound heterozygous mutations in IRAK4 resulting in severe systemic autoinflammation, massive splenomegaly and severe transfusion dependent anemia and, in 3/5 cases, severe neuroinflammation and seizures. Immunological analysis demonstrated elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in affected patients.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Fiona Newlands, Anne-Lise Goddings, Maude Juste, Holly Boyd, Manjula D. Nugawela, Snehal M. Pinto Pereira, Emily Whelan, Elizabeth Whittaker, Terence Stephenson, Isobel Heyman, Trudie Chalder, Emma Dalrymple, Terry Segal, Roz Shafran
Summary: This study describes the characteristics of children seeking treatment for Long COVID and compares them to the largest observational study. Children in the Post-COVID service have more symptoms and are more severely affected by them.
Article
Pediatrics
Joseph L. Ward, Rachel Harwood, Simon Kenny, Joana Cruz, Matthew Clark, Peter J. Davis, Elizabeth S. Draper, Dougal Hargreaves, Shamez N. Ladhani, Nick Gent, Hannah E. Williams, Karen Luyt, Steve Turner, Elizabeth Whittaker, Alex Bottle, Lorna K. Fraser, Russell M. Viner
Summary: Investigating the risk of severe illness in children and adolescents after SARS-CoV-2 infection and how it has changed with the emergence of new variants is crucial for public health interventions. This study analyzed hospitalization data in England over the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the risk of severe disease from SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents remained low. However, those with medical comorbidities and neurodisability were at increased risk and should be prioritized in public health measures.