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Topic Review
Human Herpesviruses
Human herpesviruses (HHVs): herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), HHV-6, HHV-7, and HHV-8, are known to be part of a family of DNA viruses that cause several diseases in humans. In clinical practice of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the complication of CMV enterocolitis, which is caused by CMV reactivation under disruption of intestinal barrier function, inflammation, or strong immunosuppressive therapy, is well known to affect the prognosis of disease. However, the relationship between other HHVs and IBD remains unclear.
  • 753
  • 27 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Renin-Angiotensin System and COVID-19
The renin–angiotensin system (RAS), an essential enzymatic cascade involved in maintaining blood pressure and electrolyte balance, is involved in the pathogenicity of COVID-19, since the angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) acts as the cellular receptor for SARS-CoV-2 in many human tissues and organs. In fact, the viral entrance promotes a downregulation of ACE2 followed by RAS balance dysregulation and an overactivation of the angiotensin II (Ang II)–angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1R) axis, which is characterized by a strong vasoconstriction and the induction of the profibrotic, proapoptotic and proinflammatory signalizations in the lungs and other organs. This mechanism features a massive cytokine storm, hypercoagulation, an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and subsequent multiple organ damage.
  • 752
  • 25 Nov 2021
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.
  • 751
  • 07 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Antiviral Activity of Nitric Oxide
Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous free radical that is largely produced by the enzyme NO synthase (NOS) in cells. NO produced by upper epidermal cells contributes to the inactivation of viruses and bacteria contained in air or aerosols. In addition to enzymatic production, NO can be generated by the chemical reduction of inorganic nitrite (NO2−), an alternative mechanism for NO production in living organisms. Dietary vitamin C, largely contained in fruits and vegetables, can reduce the nitrite in saliva to produce NO in the oral cavity when chewing foods. In the stomach, salivary nitrite can also be reduced to NO by vitamin C secreted from the epidermal cells of the stomach. The strong acidic pH of gastric juice facilitates the chemical reduction of salivary nitrite to produce NO. It is evident that NO exhibits substantial antiviral activity against many types of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
  • 751
  • 28 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Lomentospora prolificans: A Neglected Fungus
Lomentospora prolificans, formerly known as Scedosporium prolificans, is a rare, highly virulent filamentous fungus that has been incriminated for numerous infections in immunocompromised as well as immunocompetent individuals. Disseminated disease is largely confined to immunocompromised patients and has a high mortality rate. Successful recovery from infection is difficult due to high rates of intrinsic resistance to antifungals. Aggressive surgical debridement wherever appropriate, and effective and timely antifungal treatment are the pillars for successful management.
  • 749
  • 05 Sep 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.
  • 748
  • 23 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Wickerhamomyces Yeast Killer Toxins
Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides produced from a wide variety of bacteria that inhibit the growth of similar or closely related bacterial strains. A similar phenomenon of competition is present in yeasts, based on the production of killer toxins (KTs, or mycocins) that are secreted proteins or glycoproteins capable of killing susceptible microorganisms with various mechanisms of action, through interaction with specific superficial receptors. Possible implications and applications of the yeast killer phenomenon in the fight against infectious diseases are reviewed in this work, with particular reference to some wide-spectrum killer toxins (KTs) produced by Wickerhamomyces anomalus and other related species. 
  • 745
  • 15 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations of Secondary Syphilis
The subspecies T. pallidum pallidum is the cause of the most infamous sexually and congenitally transmitted disease, syphilis. This disease has an estimated incidence of six million infections every year. Multiple studies have noted that the prevalence of syphilis has been steadily increasing worldwide in recent decades, especially among men who have sex with men (MSMs) and HIV-positive patients. Clinically, syphilis presents in four stages with multiple different clinical manifestations.
  • 744
  • 25 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Phage Therapy for Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections
The production and use of antibiotics increased significantly after the Second World War due to their effectiveness against bacterial infections. However, bacterial resistance also emerged and has now become an important global issue. Those most in need are typically high-risk and include individuals who experience burns and other wounds, as well as those with pulmonary infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter sp, and Staphylococcus sp. With investment to develop new antibiotics waning, finding and developing alternative therapeutic strategies to tackle this issue is imperative. One option remerging in popularity is bacteriophage (phage) therapy. 
  • 742
  • 07 Mar 2023
Topic Review
VLP-Based Vaccines for Trypanosomatid Diseases
Virus-like particle (VLP) technology is involved in many vaccines, including those undergoing studies related to COVID-19. The potential use of VLPs as vaccine adjuvants opens an opportunity for the use of protozoan antigens for the development of vaccines against diseases caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania spp., and Trypanosoma brucei. 
  • 741
  • 21 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Oral Fosfomycin Formulation in Bacterial Prostatitis
Bacterial prostatitis infections are described as infections that are difficult-to-treat, due to prostate anatomic characteristics along with clinical difficulty in terms of diagnosis and management. Furthermore, the emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria, such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producer Escherichia coli, also representing the main causative pathogen in prostatitis, poses major problems in terms of antibiotic management and favorable clinical outcome. Oral fosfomycin, an antibiotic commonly used for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), has been evaluated for the treatment of bacterial prostatitis due to its favorable pharmacokinetic profile, its activity against MDR gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, safety profile, and multiple synergic effect with other antibiotics as well as the low resistance rate. 
  • 739
  • 07 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Vaccine Hesitancy
Vaccination, despite being recognized as one of the most effective primary public health measures, is viewed as unsafe and unnecessary by an increasing number of individuals. Vaccination is one of the most significant public health achievements, having contributed to the eradication of smallpox and the control of many infectious diseases such as rubella, diphtheria, and polio globally.
  • 736
  • 20 Oct 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.
  • 734
  • 05 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Oncoprotein-Specific Recombinant Antibodies for HPV Tumour Therapy
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are involved in the development of around 5% of all human cancers and HPV16 is the high-risk genotype with the highest prevalence worldwide, playing a dominant role in all HPV-associated cancers. Recombinant antibodies against specific antigens have shown great promise for the therapy of infectious diseases and cancer.
  • 732
  • 29 Mar 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.
  • 729
  • 24 May 2021
Topic Review
Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Skin and soft tissue infections are one of the most frequent types of infection, typically requiring medical intervention and contribute to morbidity and mortality in both primary care and hospitalised patients. Current antiseptics used in prevention are mainly formulated as traditional, simple dosage forms such as solutions and semi-solids. In recent years, there have been studies reporting the potential for nanotechnology ito improve the delivery of antiseptics.
  • 729
  • 24 May 2021
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. 
  • 729
  • 07 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Multidrug Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Lebanon
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of healthcare-associated infections and chronic airway diseases in non-clinical settings. P. aeruginosa is intrinsically resistant to a variety of antimicrobials and has the ability to acquire resistance to others, causing increasingly recalcitrant infections and elevating public health concerns. It is showed that the bacterium was predominant in lesions of patients on mechanical ventilation and in burn patients and those with diabetic foot infections and hematological malignancies. It is also found that carbapenem resistance in P. aeruginosa isolates in Lebanon involved both enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms but depended predominantly on VIM-2 production (40.7%). Additionally, MDR P. aeruginosa was detected in animals, where a study reported the emergence of carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa in livestock in Lebanon.
  • 729
  • 10 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Nodding Syndrome
Nodding syndrome (NS) is a debilitating yet often neglected neurological disease affecting thousands of children in several sub-Saharan African countries. 
  • 728
  • 15 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Phage Therapeutics: A Novel Therapeutic Approaches
Resistance to antimicrobials and particularly multidrug resistance is one of the greatest challenges in the health system nowadays. The continual increase in the rates of antimicrobial resistance worldwide boosted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic poses a major public health threat. Different approaches have been employed to minimize the effect of resistance and control this threat.
  • 725
  • 27 Dec 2022
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