Article
Microbiology
Juan Dominguez, Ana I. Mendes, Ana R. Pacheco, Maria J. Peixoto, Jorge Pedrosa, Alexandra G. Fraga
Summary: Buruli Ulcer is a common infectious skin disease that can cause severe disfigurement and disability if not treated in a timely manner. The standard antibiotic regimen for treatment has limitations, leading researchers to explore new drug candidates. This study found that statins have the potential to be effective in treating Buruli Ulcer.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
N. Hammoudi, C. Cassagne, M. Million, S. Ranque, O. Kabore, M. Drancourt, D. Zingue, A. Bouam
Summary: Through analysis of the skin microbiota of individuals exposed to Buruli ulcer, the study found that interactions with fungi may modulate the outcome of Mycobacterium ulcerans skin carriage, suggesting potential new avenues for understanding the pathology, prophylaxis and treatment of this neglected tropical infection.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ondrej Heneberk, Andrea Vernerova, Lenka Kujovska Krcmova, Eliska Wurfelova, Vladimira Radochova
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of periodontitis and nonsurgical periodontal therapy on neopterin concentrations. After periodontal treatment, neopterin concentrations significantly increased in gingival crevicular fluid and oral fluid compared to before treatment. The total amount of gingival crevicular fluid was significantly higher in the study group before treatment than in the control group. There was a significant correlation between neopterin concentrations in serum and oral fluid, suggesting that neopterin in oral fluid likely originates from serum.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brodie Tweedale, Fiona P. Collier, Nilakshi Waidyatillake, Eugene Athan, Daniel O'Brien
Summary: Mycobacterium ulcerans disease is effectively treated with eight-weeks antibiotic therapy, but this prolonged regimen may cause significant toxicities. This study investigated the duration of antibiotic treatment required for negative cultures and examined the influence of patient characteristics on this outcome.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kim R. Blasdell, Bridgette McNamara, Daniel P. O'Brien, Mary Tachedjian, Victoria Boyd, Michael Dunn, Peter T. Mee, Simone Clayton, Julie Gaburro, Ina Smith, Katherine B. Gibney, Ee Laine Tay, Emma C. Hobbs, Nilakshi Waidyatillake, Stacey E. Lynch, Timothy P. Stinear, Eugene Athan
Summary: In recent years, reported cases of Buruli ulcer caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans have increased in Victoria, Australia. Ringtail possums may be the primary reservoir host, but human behavior and other environmental factors may also play a role in disease transmission.
Article
Microbiology
Elizabeth Gyamfi, Charles A. Narh, Charles Quaye, Adiza Abbass, Bartholomew Dzudzor, Lydia Mosi
Summary: Secondary microbial infections were identified in BU lesions, with Staphylococci spp and Bacilli spp being the predominant bacteria, especially in BU patients who had not yet received antibiotic treatment. Clarithromycin and amikacin were found to be effective in treating secondary infection, although there was high resistance to streptomycin among the secondary bacteria isolates.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Philippe Bahadoran, Nassim Hammoudi, Alice Gaudart, Jamal Saad, Yoan Di Filippo, Michel Drancourt, Raymond Ruimy
Summary: This report describes a case of Buruli ulcer in a peri-urban area in Cote d'Ivoire, confirmed by whole genome sequencing to be caused by a Mycobacterium ulcerans genotype not previously reported in Cote d'Ivoire.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ling Pang, Zhongju Chen, Dong Xu, Weiting Cheng
Summary: This article reports a case of a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma and psoriasis who underwent immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, resulting in partial tumor response and exacerbation of psoriasis. During treatment, the patient also contracted an opportunistic infection, which may be associated with immune dysregulation caused by immunotherapy rather than immunosuppression.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Tuhina Gupta, Demba Sarr, Kayla Fantone, Nuha Milad Ashtiwi, Kaori Sakamoto, Frederick D. Quinn, Balazs Rada
Summary: Mtb is the primary cause of human tuberculosis, but the role of Duox1 in bacterial infections remains largely unknown. This study showed that in a mouse model, Duox1 is dispensable for the overall clinical course of Mtb lung infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Huiling Zhou, Hong Yang, Fengling Gong, Shaolong Zhou, Yifeng Yang, Haidan Liu, Jijia Liu
Summary: This article reports the first case of Mycobacterium senegalense infection following laparoscopic cholecystectomy in China. Mycobacterium senegalense infection is extremely rare in immunocompetent individuals and can result in poor wound healing. The detection and treatment of Mycobacterium senegalense pose challenges.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Florian Geismann, Stefan Handschuh, Maximilian Malfertheiner, Bernd Salzberger, Stilla Bauernfeind, Florian Hitzenbichler, Michaela Simon, Aila Caplunik-Pratsch, Wulf Schneider-Brachert, Clemens Wiest, Tamara Ruegamer, Arno Mohr
Summary: This study aimed to analyze whether selective reporting of antibiotic susceptibility test results leads to a more targeted antibiotic therapy in patients with bloodstream infection with Enterococcus faecalis. The results showed that selective reporting significantly increased the use of ampicillin.
Editorial Material
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Chiara Sepulcri, Antonio Di Biagio, Stefania Tutino, Umberto Valente, Ramona Barbieri, Anna Marchese, Matteo Bassetti
Summary: A case of Buruli ulcer in a Caucasian male returning from Madagascar was described, potentially the first reported case of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in Madagascar.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
E. J. Williams, L. Mair, T. de Silva, D. J. Green, P. House, K. Cawthron, C. Gillies, J. Wigfull, H. Parsons, D. G. Partridge
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a guideline recommending withholding antibiotics in coronavirus disease patients with low serum procalcitonin levels, showing reduced antibiotic consumption without increased mortality. Further research to determine the optimal cut-off value for procalcitonin is recommended.
JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Takumi Fujimori, Hideharu Hagiya, Koji Iio, Osamu Yamasaki, Yuji Miyamoto, Yoshihiko Hoshino, Ayaka Kakehi, Mami Okura, Hiroshi Minabe, Yukika Yokoyama, Fumio Otsuka, Akihito Higashikage
Summary: This article reports a case of Buruli ulcer associated with M. ulcerans subsp. shinshuense in Japan, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis and calling for more clinical cases to investigate its epidemiology and clinical characteristics.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Zheng Liu, Sha Diao, Linan Zeng, Dan Liu, Xuefeng Jiao, Zhe Chen, Xiao Cheng, Xiaofeng Ni, Siyi He, Bin Wu, Deying Kang, Chaomin Wan, Rongsheng Zhao, Huiqing Wang, Lingli Zhang
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the cost-utility and cost-effectiveness of recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein (EC) and tuberculin pure protein derivative (TB-PPD) for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in the Chinese population. The results showed that, compared with TB-PPD, EC was a cost-utility and cost-effective intervention in the short term.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Vanessa B. Vogensen, Mathieu S. Bolhuis, Marieke G. G. Sturkenboom, Tjip S. van der Werf, Wiel C. M. de Lange, Richard M. Anthony, Dick van Soolingen, Jan-Willem Alffenaar, Huib A. M. Kerstjens, Onno W. Akkerman
Summary: This retrospective study in a Dutch TB center investigated the impact of rifampicin on moxifloxacin exposure in patients with isoniazid-resistant or -intolerant TB. The study found a clinically significant 39% decrease in moxifloxacin exposure when rifampicin was co-administered, but moxifloxacin dose adjustment may compensate for this drug-drug interaction.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Anne-Grete Martson, Marieke G. G. Sturkenboom, Marjolein Knoester, Tjip S. van der Werf, Jan-Willem C. Alffenaar, William Hope
Summary: This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ganciclovir in transplant recipients, showing that the dosing of ganciclovir might have been inadequate to achieve a fast reduction of viral load. Further studies are needed to specify the pharmacodynamic effects of ganciclovir.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Atousa van Beek, Janine de Zeeuw, Menno de Leeuw, Mia Poplawska, Lise Kerkvliet, Rudi Dwarkasing, Randhir Nanda, Wim Veling
Summary: This study aims to explore the factors related to the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) among patients in Suriname. The results show that poor illness awareness, traditional medicine, social support, and stigma are important factors related to DUP for Surinamese patients.
Article
Microbiology
Reihaneh Abolhassani-Chimeh, Onno W. Akkerman, Antonia M. Saktiawati, Nieko C. Punt, Mathieu S. Bolhuis, Yanri W. Subronto, Sumardi, Tjip S. van der Werf, Jos G. W. Kosterink, Jan-Willem C. Alffenaar, Marieke G. G. Sturkenboom
Summary: In this study, a limited sampling strategy based on a population pharmacokinetic model was developed and validated to predict the exposure of pyrazinamide. The developed model showed good performance in external validation and could be used for therapeutic drug monitoring in tuberculosis patients.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marat Sultanov, Janine de Zeeuw, Jaap Koot, Jurjen van der Schans, Jogchum J. Beltman, Marlieke de Fouw, Marek Majdan, Martin Rusnak, Naheed Nazrul, Aminur Rahman, Carolyn Nakisige, Arathi P. Rao, Keerthana Prasad, Shyamala Guruvare, Regien Biesma, Marco Versluis, Geertruida H. de Bock, Jelle Stekelenburg
Summary: The PRESCRIP-TEC project aims to investigate the feasibility of using hrHPV self-testing as the primary screening method for cervical cancer in different settings. Through quantitative and qualitative research, the project aims to understand the impact of this screening method on uptake and coverage, as well as various determinants of successful implementation.
Article
Hematology
Anne-Grete Martson, Ana Rita da Silva Ferreira, Anette Veringa, Lei Liu, Hannah R. Wardill, Lenneke A. T. Junier, Tjip S. van der Werf, Hermie J. M. Harmsen, Marieke G. G. Sturkenboom, Lambert F. Span, Wim J. E. Tissing, Jan-Willem C. Alffenaar
Summary: This study aimed to explore the association between different stages of gastrointestinal mucositis, drug exposure, and gut microbiota. It was found that severe gastrointestinal mucositis could compromise drug absorption and a weak correlation between ciprofloxacin and citrulline concentrations was observed. Further research is needed to investigate the relationship between gastrointestinal mucositis, drug exposure, and gut microbiome.
ANNALS OF HEMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
J. M. Boonstra, K. C. van der Elst, J. G. Zijlstra, T. S. van der Werf, J. W. C. Alffenaar, D. J. Touw
Summary: This study developed a population pharmacokinetic model to assess micafungin drug exposure in critically ill patients, with optimal sampling strategies for determining AUC. The model provides the opportunity for quick optimization of micafungin exposure from a single blood sample using Bayesian software, which may assist in guiding early dose decision-making.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Anette Veringa, Roger J. Bruggemann, Lambert F. R. Span, Bart J. Biemond, Mark G. J. de Boer, Edwin R. van den Heuvel, Saskia K. Klein, Doris Kraemer, Monique C. Minnema, Niek H. J. Prakken, Bart J. A. Rijnders, Jesse J. Swen, Paul E. Verweij, Marielle J. Wondergem, Paula F. Ypma, Nicole Blijlevens, Jos G. W. Kosterink, Tjip S. van der Werf, Jan-Willem C. Alffenaar
Summary: This study investigated whether TDM-guided voriconazole treatment is superior to standard treatment for invasive aspergillosis. The results showed no significant difference in treatment outcome and adverse reactions between the TDM and non-TDM groups, but a higher proportion of voriconazole concentrations within the acceptable range were found in the TDM group.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Correction
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hasan Ozcan, Loes Overeem, Maria Bakker, Caroline Telkamp, Robbert Duvivier, Janine de Zeeuw, Marco Versluis
GLOBALIZATION AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marco Versluis, Hasan Ozcan, Loes Overeem, Maria Bakker, Caroline Telkamp, Robbert Duvivier, Janine de Zeeuw
Summary: In the Netherlands, physicians specialized in global health and tropical medicine (Ps-GHTM) are trained to work in low-resource settings (LRS) before returning to the Dutch healthcare system. This study aimed to explore the perceived applicability of their experience abroad for their subsequent practice in the Netherlands. Findings suggest that Ps-GHTM bring valuable competencies to the healthcare system in the Netherlands.
GLOBALIZATION AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Afifah Machlaurin, Jos Luttjeboer, Didik Setiawan, Tjipke Sytse van der Werf, Maarten J. Postma
Summary: Combining home visit vaccination and a less restrictive open vial strategy for timely BCG vaccination can significantly reduce childhood TB cases and TB-related mortality in high-incidence outreach settings. Although outreach activities are more expensive than vaccination at a health care facility only, these activities proved to be cost-effective. These strategies might also be beneficial in other high-incidence outreach settings.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Carolyn Nakisige, Marlieke de Fouw, Johnblack Kabukye, Marat Sultanov, Naheed Nazrui, Aminur Rahman, Janine de Zeeuw, Jaap Koot, Arathi P. Rao, Keerthana Prasad, Guruvare Shyamala, Premalatha Siddharta, Jelle Stekelenburg, Jogchum Jan Beltman
Summary: This study assessed the diagnostic performance of visual inspection with acetic acid using healthcare workers, experts, and an artificial intelligence algorithm. The results showed that the experts had higher sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve, while the algorithm also provided reliable results.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGICAL CANCER
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
O. W. Akkerman, R. D. C. Dijkwel, H. A. M. Kerstjens, T. S. van der Werf, S. Srivastava, M. G. G. Sturkenboom, M. S. Bolhuis
Summary: This study describes the pharmacokinetics of rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) in patients with drug-susceptible tuberculosis in a real-world setting. The results show that more than 50% of patients had drug exposure below the pre-specified target values, highlighting the need for better justification of drug exposure targets.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Hendrik Karsten, Leon Cords, Tim Westphal, Maximilian Knapp, Thomas Theo Brehm, Lennart Hermanussen, Till Frederik Omansen, Stefan Schmiedel, Robin Woost, Vanessa Ditt, Sven Peine, Marc Luetgehetmann, Samuel Huber, Christin Ackermann, Melanie Wittner, Marylyn Martina Addo, Alessandro Sette, John Sidney, Julian Schulze zur Wiesch
Summary: This study comprehensively compared the CD4(+) T-cell responses directed against the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein between vaccinees, COVID-19 patients, and individuals who experienced both infection and vaccination. The results showed that both SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination prime broadly directed T-cell responses against the spike glycoprotein.
CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Respiratory System
Hendrik J. Prins, Ruud Duijkers, Gerdien Kramer, Els Boerhout, Floris J. Rietema, Pim A. de Jong, Marianne Schoorl, Tjip S. van der Werf, Wim G. Boersma
Summary: This study investigated the incidence of infiltrative changes in AECOPD patients using LDCT, and found that clinical biomarkers like CRP, PCT, and SAA were significantly higher in patients with radiological abnormalities on LDCT. However, these biomarkers were not reliable in detecting or excluding CAP. Further research is needed.
