Article
Microbiology
Flavia Lowen Levy Chalhoub, Eudson Maia de Queiroz-Junior, Bruna Holanda Duarte, Marcos Eielson Pinheiro de Sa, Pedro Cerqueira Lima, Ailton Carneiro de Oliveira, Livia Medeiros Neves Casseb, Liliane Leal das Chagas, Hamilton Antonio de Oliveira Monteiro, Maycon Sebastiao Alberto Santos Neves, Cyro Facundo Chaves, Paulo Jean da Silva Moura, Aline Machado Rapello do Nascimento, Rodrigo Giesbrecht Pinheiro, Antonio Roberio Soares Vieira, Francisco Bergson Pinheiro Moura, Luiz Osvaldo Rodrigues da Silva, Kiliana Nogueira Farias da Escossia, Lindenberg Caranha de Sousa, Izabel Leticia Cavalcante Ramalho, Antonio Williams Lopes da Silva, Leda Maria Simoes Mello, Fabio Felix de Souza, Francisco das Chagas Almeida, Rai dos Santos Rodrigues, Diego do Vale Chagas, Anielly Ferreira-de-Brito, Karina Ribeiro Leite Jardim Cavalcante, Maria Angelica Monteiro de Mello Mares-Guia, Vinicius Martins Guerra Campos, Nieli Rodrigues da Costa Faria, Marcelo Silva Vieira, Marcos Cesar Lima de Mendonca, Nayara Camila Amorim de Alvarenga Pivisan, Jarier de Oliveira Moreno, Maria Aldessandra Diniz Vieira, Ricristhi Goncalves de Aguiar Gomes, Fernanda Montenegro de Carvalho Araujo, Pedro Henrique de Oliveira Passos, Daniel Garkauskas Ramos, Alessandro Pecego Martins Romano, Livia Caricio Martins, Ricardo Lourenco-de-Oliveira, Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, Alex Pauvolid-Correa
Summary: In June 2019, a horse in Boa Viagem, Brazil was diagnosed with West Nile virus (WNV), prompting a multi-institutional task force to investigate. No active circulation of WNV was detected in vertebrates or mosquitoes, but previous exposure was confirmed in domestic birds and other species. The detection of neutralizing antibodies in free-ranging birds suggests they may have been involved in local transmission cycles of WNV.
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Graham R. D. Jones, Vincent Delatour, Tony Badrick
Summary: The role of an External Quality Assurance (EQA) program is to ensure the analytical performance of routine laboratories and stimulate corrective action. EQA programs can use non-commutable materials and consensus targets to support routine laboratory measurement services, provided that relevant comparators are based on the same or equivalent measurement system. Commutability of EQA materials and traceability of target values are required for consideration beyond an individual laboratory.
CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Folashade Agusto, Daniel Bond, Adira Cohen, Wandi Ding, Rachel Leander, Allis Royer
Summary: We constructed an epidemic model for West Nile virus, considering the interaction between bird hosts, mosquito vectors, and the use of insecticides. We derived the basic reproduction number and formulated optimal control problems to balance the cost and benefit of vector and disease control. Numerical simulations were performed to study the impact of control strategies on the system.
Article
Microbiology
Erica Azevedo Costa, Marta Giovanetti, Lilian Silva Catenacci, Vagner Fonseca, Flavia Figueira Aburjaile, Flavia L. L. Chalhoub, Joilson Xavier, Felipe Campos de Melo Iani, Marcelo Adriano da Cunha e Silva Vieira, Danielle Freitas Henriques, Daniele Barbosa de Almeida Medeiros, Maria Isabel Maldonado Coelho Guedes, Beatriz Senra Alvares da Silva Santos, Aila Solimar Goncalves Silva, Renata de Pino Albuquerque Maranhao, Nieli Rodrigues da Costa Faria, Renata Farinelli de Siqueira, Tulio de Oliveira, Karina Ribeiro Leite Jardim Cavalcante, Noely Fabiana Oliveira de Moura, Alessandro Pecego Martins Romano, Carlos F. Campelo de Albuquerque, Lauro Cesar Soares Feitosa, Jose Joffre Martins Bayeux, Raffaella Bertoni Cavalcanti Teixeira, Osmaikon Lisboa Lobato, Silvokleio da Costa Silva, Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, Rivaldo Venancio da Cunha, Jose Lourenco, Luiz Carlos Junior Alcantara
Summary: The study found new genetic evidence of WNV circulation in southern and northeastern states of Brazil, with a climate-informed theoretical perspective highlighting the potential transmission pathways. The scarcity of existing data on WNV in Brazil and the need for active surveillance to prepare for future epidemics with human spill-over potential were also emphasized.
Article
Immunology
Robert E. Snyder, Gail Sondermeyer Cooksey, Vicki Kramer, Seema Jain, Duc J. Vugia
Summary: WNV-associated hospitalizations in California were substantial and costly, with higher incidence in males, elderly persons, and patients with underlying conditions. WNV remains a costly and severe public health threat in California.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Talgat Nurmakhanov, Yerlan Sansyzbaev, Boris Atshabar, Vladimir Berlin, Damir Kobzhasarov, Olzhas Yeskhojayev, Anna Vilkova, Timur Ayazbayev, Alexey Andryuchshenko, Fyodor Bidashko, John Hay, Alexandr Shvetsov
Summary: The West Nile virus is prevalent in southern Russia and parts of Western Kazakhstan, with a small percentage of Culex modestus mosquitoes carrying the virus and around 5% of the local human population testing positive for West Nile virus IgG.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Vasic Ana, Raileanu Cristian, Korsten Christin, Vojinovic Dragica, Manic Marija, Urosevic Aleksandar, Nikolic Natasa, Dulovic Olga, Birke Andrea Tews, Petrovic Tamas, Silaghi Cornelia, Valcic Miroslav, Gligic Ana
Summary: This study investigates the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) in clinically healthy dogs and horses in different regions of Serbia and compares the diagnostic value of different tests. It also finds evidence of Usutu virus co-circulation in the area.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Edmilson F. De Oliveira-Filho, Carlo Fischer, Beatrice Sarah Berneck, Ianei O. Carneiro, Arne Kuehne, Angelica C. de Almeida Campos, Jorge R. L. Ribas, Eduardo Martins Netto, Carlos Roberto Franke, Sebastian Ulbert, Jan Felix Drexler
Summary: A study in northeastern Brazil found a West Nile virus seroprevalence of 4.5% among sampled equids from 2013-2018. Mathematical modeling confirmed higher seroprevalence near avian migratory routes and areas with forest loss, indicating increased risk for zoonotic infections in disturbed areas.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Umberto Molini, Giovanni Franzo, Hannah Nel, Siegfried Khaiseb, Charles Ntahonshikira, Bernard Chiwome, Ian Baines, Oscar Madzingira, Federica Monaco, Giovanni Savini, Nicola D'Alterio
Summary: The study revealed the exposure of WNV in Namibian donkeys, indicating its circulation throughout the country with regional differences, and the effectiveness of donkeys as sentinels for infection surveillance.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Medical Laboratory Technology
Say Min Lim, Nilika Wijeratne, Kay Weng Choy, Thi Thanh Hai Nguyen, Lyana Setiawan, Tze Ping Loh
Summary: This article reviews the pathophysiology of monoclonal gammopathy (MG) and examines the laboratory testing and reporting recommendations in clinical practice guidelines. There are differences between the clinical guidelines and laboratory recommendations, with the latter providing additional diagnostic information. The assessment criteria of quality assurance programs for MG testing also vary, and greater harmonization is needed for better clinical interpretation.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Patricia Mingo-Casas, Ana-Belen Blazquez, Marta Gomez de Cedron, Ana San-Felix, Susana Molina, Estela Escribano-Romero, Eva Calvo-Pinilla, Nereida Jimenez de Oya, Ana Ramirez de Molina, Juan-Carlos Saiz, Maria-Jesus Perez-Perez, Miguel A. Martin-Acebes
Summary: This study reveals that West Nile virus (WNV) infection leads to a misbalance of glucose homeostasis in the central nervous system, resulting in the upregulation of aerobic glycolysis and a reduction of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Transcriptomics analyses in infected mice indicate the upregulation of hexokinases 2 and 3 (Hk2 and Hk3), as well as pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (Pdk4), suggesting the importance of glycolysis in WNV infection. Inhibitors targeting glycolysis alleviate WNV-induced neuroinflammation, demonstrating the potential druggability of the glycolytic pathway for developing therapies against WNV pathology.
JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joanna Pianka, Natalia Gruba, Adam Lesner
Summary: West Nile Virus (WNV), a member of the flavivirus group, can cause mild or severe forms of infection, with no known medications for prevention. The research aimed to develop specific tools to determine the activity of the WNV serine proteinase.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Duan Ni, Jian Tan, Paula Niewold, Alanna Gabrielle Spiteri, Gabriela Veronica Pinget, Dragana Stanley, Nicholas Jonathan Cole King, Laurence Macia
Summary: Although dietary fiber can promote healthy gut bacteria, it does not have a significant effect on WNV encephalitis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Rebecca Salgado, Seth A. Hawks, Francesca Frere, Ana Vazquez, Claire Y. -H. Huang, Nisha K. Duggal
Summary: The study showed that exposure to an attenuated form of WNV protects against severe USUV disease in mice, providing critical insight into immune mechanisms and potential vaccine development for both USUV and WNV.
Article
Immunology
Jose-Maria Garcia-Carrasco, Antonio-Roman Munoz, Jesus Olivero, Marina Segura, Raimundo Real
Summary: This study created a database of WNV presence in Africa and used biogeographic models to determine the drivers of its distribution. Wetlands and human-related factors were found to play important roles in the spread of WNV. Understanding high-risk areas can help manage the disease and comprehend its transmission through avian migration routes outside Africa.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Virology
Martina Brandolini, Silvia Zannoli, Giulia Gatti, Valentina Arfilli, Monica Cricca, Giorgio Dirani, Agnese Denicolo, Simona Semprini, Laura Grumiro, Manuela Imola, Damiano Larne, Maria Michela Marino, Martina Manera, Andrea Mancini, Francesca Taddei, Manuel Zagarrigo, Carlo Biagetti, Vittorio Sambri
Summary: This study aims to provide further insight into the evolutionary dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 by analyzing a patient with follicular lymphoma who developed a persistent infection for over 7 months. The analysis revealed the evolution of genetically similar subpopulations within the host, indicating that prolonged replication is associated with intra-host virus evolution. These findings support the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 can undergo adaptive evolution in immunocompromised patients.
Article
Virology
Katerina Tsioka, Sandra Gewehr, Styliani Pappa, Stella Kalaitzopoulou, Konstantina Stoikou, Spiros Mourelatos, Anna Papa
Summary: In 2022, Greece was the second most seriously affected European country by the West Nile virus (WNV), with Central Macedonia being the region with the highest number of reported human cases. A study conducted on female Culex pipiens mosquitoes collected from Central Macedonia revealed a 5.9% WNV detection rate in the samples, with significant differences among regions and months. The virus circulation in the Thessaloniki regional unit started earlier, peaked earlier, and lasted longer compared to other regions.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Antonis Giakountis, Zoe Stylianidou, Anxhela Zaka, Styliani Pappa, Anna Papa, Christos Hadjichristodoulou, Kostas D. Mathiopoulos
Summary: West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging neurotropic RNA virus that primarily circulates between mosquitoes and birds. In humans, most infections are asymptomatic, while a small percentage develop mild febrile infection and an even smaller percentage develop severe neuroinvasive disease. Current diagnostic tools for WNV are either serological methods with cross-reactivity or expensive molecular approaches. However, a low-cost and non-invasive synthetic biology-based method using riboswitches has been developed, which allows for sensitive detection of WNV in humans, birds, and mosquitoes.
Review
Oncology
Cecilia Binda, Giulia Gibiino, Monica Sbrancia, Chiara Coluccio, Maria Cazzato, Lorenzo Carloni, Alessandro Cucchetti, Giorgio Ercolani, Vittorio Sambri, Carlo Fabbri
Summary: Pancreatic cancer still has a poor prognosis, despite advancements in diagnosis and surgical management. The gut microbiome is gaining interest in its role in the development and management of pancreatic cancer. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the gut microbiome's role in the history of pancreatic cancer for researchers and clinicians.
Article
Microbiology
Martina Brandolini, Giulia Gatti, Laura Grumiro, Silvia Zannoli, Valentina Arfilli, Monica Cricca, Giorgio Dirani, Agnese Denicolo, Maria Michela Marino, Martina Manera, Andrea Mancini, Francesca Taddei, Simona Semprini, Vittorio Sambri
Summary: The recent emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants resulting from recombination has raised concerns about enhanced infectivity and immune escape. XBB, a recombinant of BA.2.10 and BA.2.75, has rapidly increased in prevalence and showed enhanced immune escape ability compared to ancestral lineage and another co-circulating variant. This study highlights the importance of monitoring immune escape and reformulating vaccines for new and forthcoming variants.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Milo Gatti, Vincent H. Tam, Paolo Gaibani, Pier Giorgio Cojutti, Pierluigi Viale, Federico Pea
Summary: This study reports the management of eight patients with bloodstream infections using a continuous infusion of ceftazidime-avibactam. The results show that patients with a lower ceftazidime concentration compared to the minimum inhibitory concentration have a higher risk of microbiological failure and development of resistance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Paolo Gaibani, Nicole Barp, Marco Massari, Emanuele Alberto Negri, Giada Rossini, Caterina Vocale, Chiara Trenti, Altea Gallerani, Samuele Cantergiani, Federico Romani, Mattia Simion, Cristina Mussini, Tiziana Lazzarotto
Summary: USUV is an arthropod-borne flavivirus that emerged in Africa in the 1950s and in Europe in the 1990s, causing a high number of bird deaths. Recently, it has been hypothesized that USUV can also infect humans, although cases are limited and mostly in immunocompromised individuals. This report describes a case of USUV meningoencephalitis in an immunocompromised patient with no history of previous flavivirus infection. The infection progressed rapidly and resulted in fatal outcomes in just a few days after symptoms onset, potentially due to a co-infection with bacteria. This finding suggests that careful attention should be paid to neurological syndromes, especially during summer months, among immunocompromised patients in countries endemic to USUV.
JOURNAL OF NEUROVIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Stefano Amadesi, Simone Ambretti, Tiziana Lazzarotto, Paolo Gaibani
Summary: Using a hybrid approach that combined Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Illumina platforms, we sequenced and assembled the genome of a Shigella sonnei isolate carrying several small plasmids. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted using the Illumina iSeq 100 and Oxford Nanopore MinION systems, and the resulting reads were used for hybrid genome assembly via Unicycler. Our findings revealed the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes in small cryptic plasmids, which may represent an overlooked mechanism for the propagation of these genes among bacterial populations.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Anna Tagka, Styliani Geronikolou, Apostolos Evaggelopoulos, Sotiria Grigoropoulou, Dimitra Kavatha, Chryssoula Botsi, Aggeliki Papadopoulou, Kyriaki Tryfinopoulou, Antigoni Katsoulidou, Styliani Pappa, Anna Papa, Vasilios Paparizos, Electra Nicolaidou, Sotirios Tsiodras, Alexandros J. Stratigos
Summary: A 47-year-old Caucasian traveller from an mpox-endemic country presented with a recent onset skin rash in the genital area. The rash consisted of erythematous umbilicated papules, vesicles and pustules with a characteristic white ring. The lesions were observed simultaneously at different stages of progression on the same anatomical site, a rare clinical presentation. The patient also had fever, fatigue, and blood-tinged cough. Initial real-time PCR identified a non-variola orthopox virus, which was confirmed to belong to the West African clade at the National Reference Laboratory.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Charalampos Zarras, Theodoros Karampatakis, Styliani Pappa, Elias Iosifidis, Eleni Vagdatli, Emmanuel Roilides, Anna Papa
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance and accessory genes, clonal relatedness, and evolutionary dynamics of CRKP isolates recovered in the ICUs of a tertiary hospital in Greece. Next-generation sequencing was performed, and various bioinformatics software were used for plasmid content identification, MLST, antimicrobial resistance gene detection, comparison of genome alignments, and identification of core genome SNPs. The results showed that the isolates belonged to eight different sequence types, with various carbapenemases and resistance genes detected. The study also revealed distinct phylogenetic branches for certain sequence types, suggesting clonal dispersion. Overall, this study provides important insights into the genetic characterization of CRKP isolates in ICUs.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Marta Palombo, Federica Bovo, Stefano Amadesi, Paolo Gaibani
Summary: Limited treatment options contribute to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, and new therapeutic agents are needed for the treatment of certain pathogens. The combination of antibiotics is an effective strategy to combat multidrug-resistant infections.
Article
Microbiology
Milo Gatti, Matteo Rinaldi, Cecilia Bonazzetti, Paolo Gaibani, Maddalena Giannella, Pierluigi Viale, Federico Pea
Summary: This study aimed to assess the relationship between joint pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) target attainment of continuous infusion ceftazidime-avibactam and the microbiological outcome of difficult-to-treat resistant Gram-negative infections. The study found that optimized joint PK/PD target attainment could be a way to eradicate these infections and render combination therapy unnecessary.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Milo Gatti, Matteo Rinaldi, Tommaso Tonetti, Paolo Gaibani, Antonio Siniscalchi, Pierluigi Viale, Federico Pea
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of cefiderocol administered by continuous infusion in critically ill patients. The results showed that continuous infusion could achieve therapeutic targets for severe Acinetobacter baumannii infections, especially in patients undergoing high-intensity continuous venovenous haemodiafiltration and with residual diuresis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Milo Gatti, Matteo Rinaldi, Paolo Gaibani, Antonio Siniscalchi, Tommaso Tonetti, Pierluigi Viale, Federico Pea
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonella Marangoni, Stefano Amadesi, Marielle Ezekielle Djusse, Claudio Foschi, Valeria Gaspari, Tiziana Lazzarotto, Paolo Gaibani
Summary: Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a systemic sexually transmitted infection mainly spreading within men who have sex with men (MSM). In this study, the whole genome of a C. trachomatis strain (LGV/17) responsible for a rectal LGV case was described. The LGV/17 strain showed a genomic structure similar to reference sequences and was closely related to other L2f strains, indicative of the long-distance dynamics of transmission.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
