Article
Infectious Diseases
Simon Athlin, Anders Magnuson, Carl Spindler, Jonas Hedlund, Kristoffer Stralin, Pontus Naucler
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of pneumococcal urinary antigen test (UAT) on broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The results showed that overall, UAT did not reduce the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. However, non-severely ill patients with positive UAT results were less likely to receive broad-spectrum antibiotics and antibiotics with coverage for atypical bacteria.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Eileen M. Dunne, Yinglei Hua, Rasheed Salaudeen, Ilias Hossain, Malick Ndiaye, Belinda D. Ortika, E. Kim Mulholland, Jason Hinds, Sam Manna, Grant A. Mackenzie, Catherine Satzke
Summary: We investigated the pathogenesis of pneumococcal pneumonia using clinical samples. Results demonstrated that pneumococci in the lung originated from the nasopharynx and suggested that changes in pneumococcal gene expression in the lung are a feature of pneumococcal pneumonia.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Friederike Wiebe, Stefan Handtke, Jan Wesche, Annabel Schnarre, Raghavendra Palankar, Martina Wolff, Kristin Jahn, Franziska Voss, Sabrina Weismueller, Joerg Schuettrumpf, Andreas Greinacher, Sven Hammerschmidt
Summary: Platelets play a crucial role in the development of respiratory distress, and the toxin pneumolysin produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae can impair platelet function. This study shows that both polyvalent immunoglobulin preparations are effective in inhibiting pneumolysin-induced platelet destruction and maintaining platelet function.
THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS
(2022)
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
Food Science & Technology
Jasmin Bazant, Benjamin Ott, Martina Hudel, Torsten Hain, Rudolf Lucas, Mobarak Abu Mraheil
Summary: H2O2 negatively affects the activity and release of PLY. Decreased H2O2 production leads to a decline in PLY release, possibly due to the upregulation of certain genes.
Article
Pediatrics
Danae Dudognon, Corinne Levy, Martin Chalumeau, Sandra Biscardi, Marie-Aliette Dommergues, Francois Dubos, Karine Levieux, Marie Aurel, Philippe Minodier, Ferielle Zenkhri, Ellia Mezgueldi, Irina Craiu, Laurence Morin, Stephane Bechet, Emmanuelle Varon, Robert Cohen, Jeremie F. Cohen
Summary: In children with community-acquired pneumonia seen in the emergency department, procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are the best predictive biomarkers for detecting bacteremia.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ronald Anderson, Charles Feldman
Summary: Despite advances in therapies and vaccine technologies, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a major global cause of infection-related mortality. Elderly individuals are particularly susceptible to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) which can lead to fatal cardiovascular events (CVEs). This review focuses on the prevalence and types of CVEs associated with bacterial CAP, especially IPD, and discusses the role of the pneumococcal toxin pneumolysin (Ply) in suppressing host immune defenses and promoting cardiac invasion. The review also covers the use of macrolide antibiotics in the treatment of bacterial CAP and mechanisms by which these agents inhibit Ply production in macrolide-resistant strains.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Claire Froneman, Peter Kelleher, Ricardo J. Jose
Summary: Infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae are a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially affecting those at the extremes of age and immunocompromised individuals. Preventing pneumococcal disease is crucial in at-risk individuals, and pneumococcal vaccination should be offered to them.
Review
Immunology
Hisanori Domon, Yutaka Terao
Summary: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen that causes diseases like bacterial pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis, and septicemia. Research has primarily focused on the bacterium's virulence factors, but recent evidence highlights the importance of understanding host factors and interactions in the pathogenesis of pneumococcal diseases. Neutrophil accumulation and elastase play crucial roles in the progression of pneumococcal pneumonia.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Flavia Rayssa Braga Martins, Maycon Douglas de Oliveira, Jessica Amanda Marques Souza, Celso Martins Queiroz-Junior, Francisco Pereira Lobo, Mauro Martins Teixeira, Nathalia Luisa Malacco, Frederico Marianetti Soriani
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the inflammatory mechanisms involved in pneumococcal pneumonia associated with chronic ethanol exposure. The results showed that alcohol-fed mice produced higher levels of nitric oxide and CXCL1 during pneumonia, exhibited reduced leukocyte infiltration and less severe lung inflammation, but no changes in survival after infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Kat Franklin, Brenda Kwambana-Adams, Fernanda C. Lessa, Heidi M. Soeters, Laura Cooper, Matthew E. Coldiron, Jason Mwenda, Martin Antonio, Tomoka Nakamura, Ryan Novak, Adam L. Cohen
Summary: The study reviewed and analyzed 10 potential pneumococcal meningitis outbreaks in Africa between 2000 and 2018. These outbreaks showed lower peak attack rates than meningococcal meningitis outbreaks and were characterized by a predominance of serotype 1. Patients with pneumococcal meningitis tended to be older and had a higher case fatality rate compared to meningococcal meningitis cases. Improved laboratory testing for S. pneumoniae is essential for early outbreak identification.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Peng Liu, Xiaoxia Qin, Tingting Cao, Yuying Yang, Xiaomin Shi, Dejun Liu, Yang Wang, Zhangqi Shen, Shaolin Wang
Summary: This study investigated the potential resistance mechanism of telithromycin resistance in Campylobacter and found that the widely spread 23S_A2075G and erm(B) genes mediate high levels of resistance to telithromycin in C. coli.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Abiodun D. Ogunniyi, Hang Thi Nguyen, Karl A. Hansford, Matthew A. Cooper, Darren J. Trott, Mark A. T. Blaskovich
Summary: This study examined the efficacy of MCC5145 in treating bacteremic pneumonia and found that it can reduce the bacterial burden in the lungs and blood in a mouse model. These findings support the further development of MCC5145 as a potential new treatment option for pneumonia and/or bacteremic pneumonia in clinical settings, particularly for immunocompromised individuals.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Runbao Du, Tian Wang, Hongfa Lv, Yinuo Zou, Xiaoning Hou, Nana Hou, Peng Zhang, Hongen Li, Gefu Chi
Summary: This study explored the anti-infective effect of shionone, a tetracyclic triterpenoid compound, against Streptococcus pneumoniae. The results showed that shionone exhibited excellent hemolytic inhibitory activity and disrupted the oligomerization of pneumolysin (PLY). Molecular docking analysis indicated that shionone targeted specific amino acid sites to reduce S. pneumoniae pathogenicity. Furthermore, shionone demonstrated protective effects in a mouse pneumonia model by alleviating lung injury and reducing bacterial colonization. These findings suggest that shionone has the potential to combat S. pneumoniae infection.
Article
Biology
Philip H. C. Kremer, Bart Ferwerda, Hester J. Bootsma, Nienke Y. Rots, Alienke J. Wijmenga-Monsuur, Elisabeth A. M. Sanders, Krzysztof Trzcinski, Anne L. Wyllie, Paul Turner, Arie van der Ende, Matthijs C. Brouwer, Stephen D. Bentley, Diederik van de Beek, John A. Lees
Summary: This study identified genetic variations in pneumococcal carriage that differ between infants and adults. Serotypes and genetic background were found to explain a proportion of the heritability in carriage. The findings support the proposal for adaptive vaccination strategies targeting dominant circulating serotypes and tailored to the composition of the pathogen populations.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Riana Cockeran, Therese Dix-Peek, Caroline Dickens, Helen C. Steel, Ronald Anderson, Charles Feldman
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
N. Mbelle, J. Osei Sekyere, C. Feldman, N. E. Maning, L. Modipane, S. Y. Essack
LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charles Feldman, Sipho K. Dlamini, Shabir A. Madhi, Susan Meiring, Anne von Gottberg, Janetta C. de Beer, Margreet de Necker, Marthinus P. Stander
Correction
Infectious Diseases
Maren Kummerow, Erica J. Shaddock, Kerstin Klipstein-Grobusch, Roos B. Barth, Diederick E. Grobbee, W. D. Francois Venter, Charles Feldman, Alinda Vos
SOUTHERN AFRICAN JOURNAL OF HIV MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sarah E. van Riel, Kerstin Klipstein-Grobusch, Roos E. Barth, Diederick E. Grobbee, Charles Feldman, Erica Shaddock, Sarah L. Stacey, Willem D. F. Venter, Alinda G. Vos
Summary: The study identified a history of TB or pneumonia as an independent predictor of impaired lung function in an HIV-positive population in an urban African setting.
SOUTHERN AFRICAN JOURNAL OF HIV MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Oda E. van den Berg, Erica J. Shaddock, Sarah L. Stacey, Charles Feldman, Roos E. Barth, Diederick E. Grobbee, Willem D. F. Venter, Kerstin Klipstein-Grobusch, Alinda G. Vos
Summary: The study found that HIV infection and ART use were not associated with reduced pulmonary function in an urban African population in Johannesburg, South Africa. Tuberculosis played a mediating role in the relationship between HIV, ART, and pulmonary function.
SOUTHERN AFRICAN JOURNAL OF HIV MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Annelotte E. Sussenbach, Sjors W. L. van Gijzel, Samanta T. Lalla-Edward, Willem D. F. Venter, Erica Shaddock, Charles Feldman, Kerstin Klipstein-Grobusch, Alinda G. Vos
Summary: This study investigated the impact of smoking and HIV status on lung function in South Africa. The results showed that neither smoking nor being HIV-positive was associated with reduced pulmonary function in this relatively young population. These findings should be confirmed in larger and longer-term studies.
SOUTHERN AFRICAN JOURNAL OF HIV MEDICINE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Charles Feldman
SOUTHERN AFRICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Charles Feldman
SOUTHERN AFRICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Charles Feldman, Charles L. Sprung, Spyros D. Mentzelopoulos, Anne Pohrt, Christiane S. Hartog, Christopher Danbury, Manfred Weiss, Alexander Avidan, Angel Estella, Gavin M. Joynt, Alexandre Lautrette, Edoardo Geat, Gabor Elo, Eldar Soreide, Olivier Lesieur, Maria G. Bocci, Sudakshina Mullick, Annette Robertsen, Roshni Sreedharan, Hans-Henrik Bulow, Paulo A. Maia, Maria Cruz Martin-Delgado, Joseph F. Cosgrove, Nikki Blackwell, Silvia Perez-Protto, Guy A. Richards
Summary: The possibility of prolonging life in the ICU is increasing, resulting in decisions to limit life-sustaining therapies. This study examined communication practices at the end of life in ICUs worldwide and found significant regional differences. The study also suggested that ethical practice and the presence of an advance directive may increase the likelihood of communication. Efforts are needed to align treatment with patients' wishes.
Article
Oncology
Bernardo Leon Rapoport, Simon Nayler, Bernhard Mlecnik, Teresa Smit, Liezl Heyman, Isabelle Bouquet, Marine Martel, Jerome Galon, Carol-Ann Benn, Ronald Anderson
Summary: This study evaluated the prognostic utility of a digital imaging procedure called ISCR in breast cancer patients, and found that ISCR can assess tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment and correlate with clinical outcomes. This suggests that ISCR may be a promising prognostic tool.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Annette J. Theron, Ronald Anderson, Morris Madzime, Theresa M. Rossouw, Helen C. Steel, Pieter W. A. Meyer, Moloko C. Cholo, Luyanda L. I. Kwofie, Charles Feldman, Gregory R. Tintinger
Summary: A study suggests that the HIV integrase inhibitor, dolutegravir, may be associated with weight gain and the development of metabolic syndrome. This could be due to the pro-inflammatory effects of dolutegravir leading to systemic inflammation. The study found that dolutegravir can stimulate neutrophils to produce reactive oxygen species and increase the release of elastase, which may contribute to insulin resistance and weight gain.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ronald Anderson, Charles Feldman
Summary: Despite advances in therapies and vaccine technologies, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a major global cause of infection-related mortality. Elderly individuals are particularly susceptible to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) which can lead to fatal cardiovascular events (CVEs). This review focuses on the prevalence and types of CVEs associated with bacterial CAP, especially IPD, and discusses the role of the pneumococcal toxin pneumolysin (Ply) in suppressing host immune defenses and promoting cardiac invasion. The review also covers the use of macrolide antibiotics in the treatment of bacterial CAP and mechanisms by which these agents inhibit Ply production in macrolide-resistant strains.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Respiratory System
Charles Feldman, Ronald Anderson
Summary: The current review provides an extensive look at the prevalence of co-infections and superinfections in patients with COVID-19, highlighting their potential impact on the severity and outcome of the disease. However, a clear distinction between the two types of infections is often lacking in the literature.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
R. J. Green, M. Hockman, R. Friedman, A. van Niekerk, C. Feldman, E. Vardas, C. Quitter, C. Els, L. van Bruwaene, A. Nanan, J. Peter, R. Y. Seedat, M. Levin, C. Bateman
SAMJ SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2020)