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Topic Review
Canine Leishmaniasis
During canine leishmaniasis (CanL) due to Leishmania infantum (L. infantum), uncontrolled infection leads to a strong humoral immune response. As a consequence of the production of high antibody levels and the prolonged presence of parasite antigens, circulating immune complexes (CIC) are formed, which can be deposited in certain organs and tissues, inducing vasculitis, uveitis, dermatitis and especially glomerulonephritis and renal failure. A method to detect CIC, and quantify their levels in serum samples from dogs infected with L. infantum has been recently described. It allowed to demonstrate a correlation between CIC levels and disease severity. Thus, CIC measurement may be useful for diagnosis, assessment of disease progression and for monitoring response to treatment. This is an interesting finding, considering that there remains an urgent need for identification of novel biomarkers to achieve a correct diagnosis and for optimal disease staging of dogs suffering from Leishmania infection.
  • 1.1K
  • 24 May 2021
Topic Review
Helicobacter Pylori Survival Tactics
Helicobacter pylori is well established as a causative agent for gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. Armed with various inimitable virulence factors, this Gram-negative bacterium is one of few microorganisms that is capable of circumventing the harsh environment of the stomach. The unique spiral structure, flagella, and outer membrane proteins accelerate H. pylori movement within the viscous gastric mucosal layers while facilitating its attachment to the epithelial cells. Furthermore, secretion of urease from H. pylori eases the acidic pH within the stomach, thus creating a niche for bacteria survival and replication. Upon gaining a foothold in the gastric epithelial lining, bacterial protein CagA is injected into host cells through a type IV secretion system (T4SS), which together with VacA, damage the gastric epithelial cells.
  • 1.1K
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Treatment of Clostridioides difficile Infection
Clostridioides difficile is the most important cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea in the United States. The high incidence and recurrence rates of C. difficile infection (CDI), associated with high morbidity and mortality, pose a public health challenge. Although antibiotics targeting C. difficile bacteria are the first treatment choice, antibiotics also disrupt the indigenous gut flora and, therefore, create an environment that is favorable for recurrent CDI. The challenge of treating CDI is further exacerbated by the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of C. difficile, placing it among the top five most urgent antibiotic resistance threats in the USA. The evolution of antibiotic resistance in C. difficile involves the acquisition of new resistance mechanisms, which can be shared among various bacterial species and different C. difficile strains within clinical and community settings.
  • 1.1K
  • 01 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Infectious Tattoo-Related Side Effects
Tattooing is the procedure of implanting permanent pigment granules and additives into the dermal layer of the skin, serving various purposes such as decoration, medical identification, or accidental markings. There has been a significant rise in the popularity of decorative tattooing as a form of body art among both teenagers and young adults. Thus, the incidence of tattoos is increasing, with expanding applications such as permanent makeup, scar camouflage, nipple–areola, lips, and eyebrows tattooing, and utilization in oncological radiotherapy such as colon marking. However, there have been reported a broad range of adverse reactions linked to tattooing, encompassing allergic reactions, superficial and deep cutaneous infections, autoimmune disorders induced by the Koebner phenomenon, cutaneous tumors, and others.
  • 1.1K
  • 07 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Sepsis and HMGB1 Release
Sepsis remains a common cause of death in intensive care units, accounting for approximately 20% of total deaths worldwide. Its pathogenesis is partly attributable to dysregulated inflammatory responses to bacterial endotoxins (such as lipopolysaccharide, LPS), which stimulate innate immune cells to sequentially release early cytokines (such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferons (IFNs)) and late mediators (such as high-mobility group box 1, HMGB1).  Below is a brief summary of the intricate mechanisms underlying the regulation of bacterial endotoxin-induced HMGB1 release.
  • 1.1K
  • 13 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Granulicatella spp.
Granulicatella spp. are non-motile, non-sporulating, facultatively anaerobic Gram-positive cocci. These organisms have been referred to by several names, such as “nutritionally deficient streptococci”, “vitamin-B dependent streptococci” and “pyridoxal-dependent streptococci”, because of their fastidious nutritional requirements, which can often make culture isolation challenging. Known to be a member of the normal microbiota of the human oral cavity and urogenital and intestinal tracts, similar to other streptococci, Granulicatella spp. can cause bacteremia, sepsis and infective endocarditis. Considering the difficulty in growing this organism on culture medium, the fact that it is now included among the bacteria known to be responsible for culture-negative infective endocarditis suggests that its pathogenic role could be highly underestimated. Moreover, being considered such a rare causative agent, it is not a target of standard antibiotic empiric treatment. 
  • 1.1K
  • 27 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Sinks and Bacterial Healthcare-Associated Infections in ICU
Sink drains in hospitals have long been known to harbor an abundant microbiota comprising up to 103–105 CFU/mL Gram-negative rods, especially waterborne bacteria. intensive care unit (ICU) sink/sink drains can be contaminated by MDR bacteria originating from patients. These reservoirs can in turn be a source of contamination of other ICU patients. Studies have used molecular biology techniques to ascertain whether bacterial clones causing such heathcare-associated infections can indeed come from contaminated sinks.
  • 1.1K
  • 15 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Nanotechnology in Viral Respiratory Infections
Viral-associated respiratory infectious diseases are one of the most prominent subsets of respiratory failures, known as viral respiratory infections (VRI). VRIs are proceeded by an infection caused by viruses infecting the respiratory system. Due to their specific physical and biological properties, nanoparticles hold promising opportunities for both anti-viral treatments and vaccines against viral infections.
  • 1.1K
  • 05 Aug 2021
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 Spread
SARS-CoV-2 spreads through close contact, causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); thus, emergency lockdowns have been implemented worldwide to avoid its spread. As of 27 March 2022, the β-coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 487 million individuals worldwide, causing more than 6.14 million deaths. SARS-CoV-2 spreads through close contact, causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); thus, emergency lockdowns have been implemented worldwide to avoid its spread. COVID-19 is not the first infectious disease that humankind has had to face during its history. Indeed, humans have recurrently been threatened by several emerging pathogens that killed a substantial fraction of the population. 
  • 1.1K
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Monoclonal Antibodies in COVID-19 Treatment
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been the subject of widespread investigation focusing on two target-based groups, i.e., non-SARS-CoV-2 specific mAbs, that target immune system responses, and SARS-CoV-2 specific mAbs, designed to neutralize the virus protein structure.
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Clinical Aspects of HIV Associated Neurocognitive Impairment
Neurocognitive impairment (NCI) associated with HIV infection of the brain impacts a large proportion of people with HIV (PWH) regardless of antiretroviral therapy (ART). While the number of people with HIV (PWH) and severe NCI has dropped considerably with the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART), the sole use of ART is not sufficient to prevent or arrest NCI in many PWH. As the HIV field continues to investigate cure strategies, adjunctive therapies are greatly needed. HIV imaging, cerebrospinal fluid, and pathological studies point to the presence of continual inflammation, and the presence of HIV RNA, DNA, and proteins in the brain despite ART.
  • 1.1K
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Treatment Advances in Sepsis and Septic Shock
Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, and it affects over 25 million people every year. Even more severe, septic shock is a subset of sepsis defined by persistent hypotension, and hospital mortality rates are higher than 40%. As new pathophysiological mechanisms have been uncovered, immunostimulatory therapy has emerged as a promising path forward. Highly investigated treatment strategies include cytokines and growth factors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and even cellular therapies.
  • 1.1K
  • 04 May 2023
Topic Review
Blood Stream Infections
Blood Stream Infections (BSIs) are defined by positive blood culture or cultures (with an isolate of the same species grown in at least one blood culture bottle) in a patient with systemic signs of infection (i.e., a patient who has evidence of one or more of the symptoms or signs, which are fever (body temperature > 38 °C), hypothermia (body temperature < 36 °C), chills, hypotension, oliguria, or high lactate levels).
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Antiseptic Agents for Chronic Wounds
Chronic wounds are wounds failing to proceed through the normal phases of healing in an orderly and timely manner. The definition of time without complete or partial healing differs across countries, ranging from 4 weeks to 3 months. In many parts of the world, antiseptic agents remain non-indicated in chronic wound care. In the current context of bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the development of new-generation antiseptic agents, wound antisepsis represents an asset for the prevention of wound infection.
  • 1.0K
  • 28 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Hydatid Cyst Chemotherapy by Nanotechnology
Hydatid cysts have been widely recognized for decades as a common medical problem that affects millions of people. A revolution in medical treatment may be on the prospect of nanotechnology enhancing chemotherapy against hydatid cysts.
  • 1.0K
  • 17 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Kingella kingae Osteoarticular
Osteoarticular infections (OAI) represent serious affections, which may perturb subsequent bone development and may have severe consequences for articular function. 
  • 1.0K
  • 07 Jan 2022
Topic Review
COVID-19 and Rheumatoid Arthritis Crosstalk
COVID-19 and RA share similar immune-inflammatory features of disease pathogenesis executed by analogous mechanistic pathways. However, the treatment of RA patients in the COVID-19 setting itself stands as a challenging task. Implementation of individualized clinical surveillance of RA patients considering the disease severity and appropriate risk-benefit study referring to the recommendations of using anti-rheumatic drugs in the COVID-19 setting by different professional rheumatology associations would stand as the optimal therapeutic strategy for effective disease control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 1.0K
  • 02 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Artificial Intelligence in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of science and engineering that focuses on the computational understanding of intelligent behavior. Many human professions, including clinical diagnosis and prognosis, are greatly useful from AI. The rising incidence of antimicrobial resistance has become a significant issue, and authorities must take measures to combat the overuse and incorrect use of antibiotics in order to combat rising resistance rates. When it comes to infectious diseases, AI has the potential to be a game-changer in the battle against antibiotic resistance. 
  • 1.0K
  • 30 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Novel Strategies to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most important global public health problems. The imprudent use of antibiotics in humans and animals has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The dissemination of these strains and their resistant determinants could endanger antibiotic efficacy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify and develop novel strategies to combat antibiotic resistance. 
  • 1.0K
  • 20 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Intranasal Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine
Although influenza is a major public health concern, little is known about the use of spray live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) among adults. For this reason, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of LAIV, especially in adults with/without clinical conditions and children <2 years, with the final aim of possibly extending the clinical indications. PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus were the two databases consulted through February 2021. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. A critical appraisal was conducted. Analyses were performed by using ProMeta3 software. Twenty-two studies were included, showing that LAIV was associated with a higher probability of seroconversion when compared with a placebo and considering the A/H1N1 serotype (pooled OR = 2.26 (95% CI = 1.12–4.54), p-value = 0.022; based on 488 participants, without heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0%)). The meta-analysis also confirmed no significant association with systemic adverse events. Only rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and sore throat were significantly associated with LAIV compared to the placebo. Despite the limited available evidence, LAIV has proved to be a safe and effective flu vaccination, also due to its very low invasiveness, and our review’s results can be considered a starting point for guiding future research and shaping forthcoming vaccination campaigns. 
  • 1.0K
  • 22 Sep 2021
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