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Topic Review
Imported Malaria
Malaria is the most common vector-borne parasitic infection causing significant human morbidity and mortality in nearly 90 tropical/sub-tropical countries worldwide. Significant differences exist in the incidence of malaria cases, dominant Plasmodium species, drug-resistant strains and mortality rates in different countries. Six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, UAE) in the Middle East region with similar climates, population demographics and economic prosperity are aiming to achieve malaria elimination. In this narrative review, all studies indexed in PubMed describing epidemiological characteristics of indigenous and imported malaria cases, vector control status and how malaria infections can be controlled to achieve malaria elimination in GCC countries were reviewed and discussed. 
  • 1.1K
  • 05 Aug 2021
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
Types of COVID-19 Vaccines
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious virus that emerged at the end of 2019 and has caused an upper respiratory disease pandemic, currently known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Vaccine clinical studies are developing promptly with the aim of obtaining vaccines that are effective in suppressing the spread of the virus; however, the development of viral mutations raises concerns about the decreasing effectiveness of the resulting vaccine, which also results in the need for more in-depth studies. There have been 330 vaccines developed, including 136 clinical developments and 194 pre-clinical developments. 
  • 1.1K
  • 12 Jan 2022
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
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
Connections between COVID-19 and Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases and SARS-CoV-2 infections are intertwined in several ways. Both conditions lead to immune-mediated tissue damage, the immune response is accompanied by the increased secretion of inflammatory cytokines and both conditions can be treated using immunomodulatory drugs. Patients with certain autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, cardiac sarcoidosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, autoimmune hepatitis, multiple sclerosis and others, are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, either because of the active autoimmune disease or because of the medications used to treat it. Conversely, SARS-CoV-2 infection can also cause certain autoimmune diseases. 
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Microbiological Perspectives in COVID-19 Pandemics
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains a significant issue for global health, the economy, and society. When SARS-CoV-2 began to spread, the most recent serious infectious disease of this century around the world, with its high morbidity and mortality rates, it is understandable why such infections have generally been spread in the past, mainly from international travel movements. Microbiology is a branch of medicine and biology that studies the structure and functions of microorganisms (i.e., all those single-celled, multicellular or acellular living organisms not visible to the naked eye such as bacteria, Archaea, some types of fungi, algae, protozoa, viruses and prions).
  • 1.1K
  • 02 Sep 2022
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
Antioxidant Effects of Lycopene
Malaria is a disease that affects thousands of people around the world every year. Its pathogenesis is associated with the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and lower levels of micronutrients and antioxidants. Patients under drug treatment have high levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in the body tissues, which limits the use of these drugs. Therefore, several studies have suggested that RONS inhibition may represent an adjuvant therapeutic strategy in the treatment of these patients by increasing the antioxidant capacity of the host. In this sense, supplementation with antioxidant compounds such as zinc, selenium, and vitamins A, C, and E has been suggested as part of the treatment. Among dietary antioxidants, lycopene is the most powerful antioxidant among the main carotenoids. 
  • 1.1K
  • 09 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Antifungal Drug Resistance
Fungal infections, named mycosis, can cause severe invasive and systemic diseases that can even lead to death. In recent years, epidemiological data have recorded an increase in cases of severe fungal infections, caused mainly by a growing number of immunocompromised patients and the emergence of fungal pathogenic forms that are increasingly resistant to antimycotic drug treatments.
  • 1.1K
  • 13 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Genitourinary Tuberculosis
Genitourinary tuberculosis (GUTB) represents a disease often underestimated by urological specialists, particularly in settings such as the European one, where the pathology is less frequent. Similar to other uncommon diseases at these latitudes, GUTB is a neglected clinical problem. Its symptoms might be mistaken for other urological diseases, and therefore its diagnosis might be delayed.
  • 1.1K
  • 18 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Recent estimates of 8 common bacterial, viral, and parasitic sexually-transmitted infections in the United States (chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, syphilis, herpes simplex virus type 2, human papillomavirus, hepatitis B virus, and human immunodeficiency virus) found them to have a combined prevalence of 67.6 million and incidence of 26.2 million. Though preventative health guidelines have clarified screening recommendations for some populations, many bacterial sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) are asymptomatic, leading to missed opportunities for diagnosis and underreporting of disease prevalence and incidence. The best available estimates, published in early 2021, are from 2018. Overall, it is thought that 1 in 5 people in the United States has an STI, with 45.5% of all new STIs occurring in adolescents and young adults. New infections amount to $16 billion in direct medical costs.
  • 1.1K
  • 24 Jan 2022
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
Applications of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials as Antimicrobials
Antimicrobial activities of various carbon-based nanomaterials against specific pathogens have become one of the most significant research interests in this field. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising multidisciplinary nanostructures in biomedicine, drug delivery, genetic engineering, biosensors, and artificial implants. However, the biomedical administration of CNTs is dependent on their solubility, toxicity, and biocompatibility, as well as novel drug-delivery applications through optimization of the drug’s loading capacity, cellular absorption, and continuous release within the target cell. The usage of CNTs and Graphene materials as antimicrobial agents and nanocarriers for antibiotics delivery would possibly improve their bioavailability and facilitate better anti-infective therapy.
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Dec 2022
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
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
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. 
  • 1.1K
  • 30 Jun 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.
  • 1.1K
  • 17 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Host Defense Peptides
Host defense peptides (HDPs), also known as antimicrobial peptides, are an important component of the innate immune system. HDPs possess both antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. HDPs and their derivatives are being actively explored for antimicrobial therapies. A host-directed approach to stimulate the synthesis of endogenous HDPs is also being developed to treat infections with a minimum risk for developing antimicrobial resistance.
  • 1.1K
  • 18 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Adrenomedullin and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is still in progress, and a significant number of patients have presented with severe illness. Recently introduced vaccines, antiviral medicines, and antibody formulations can suppress COVID-19 symptoms and decrease the number of patients exhibiting severe disease. However, complete avoidance of severe COVID-19 has not been achieved and there are insufficient methods to treat it. Adrenomedullin (AM) is an endogenous peptide that maintains vascular tone and endothelial barrier function. The AM plasma level is markedly increased during severe inflammatory disorders, such as sepsis, pneumonia, and COVID-19, and associated with its prognosis. Exogenous AM administration reduced inflammation and related organ damage in rodent models. The results strongly suggest that AM could be an alternative therapy for COVID-19. Researchers are currently conducting an investigator-initiated phase 2a trial for moderate to severe COVID-19 using AM.
  • 1.1K
  • 07 Mar 2022
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