Transcription factor BACH2 shapes tissue-resident memory T cell programs to promote HIV-1 persistence.

Tissue-resident memory T cells (Trms) are essential for mucosal immunity. We postulated that their long-lived tissue residency and restricted effector function promoted HIV-1 persistence in the gut. We coupled single-cell DOGMA-seq and TREK-seq to capture chromatin accessibility, transcriptome, surface proteins, T cell receptors (TCRs), HIV-1 DNA, and HIV-1 RNA in gut CD4 and CD8 T cells from ten aviremic HIV-1 individuals and five HIV donors.

Different factors control long-term versus short-term outcomes for bacterial colonisation of a urinary catheter.

Urinary catheters are used extensively in hospitals and long-term care and they are highly prone to infection. Understanding the pathways by which bacteria colonise a urinary catheter could guide strategies to mitigate infection, but quantitative models for this colonisation process are lacking. Here we present a mathematical model for bacterial colonisation of a urinary catheter that integrates population dynamics and fluid dynamics.

Breaking barriers: why including boys and men is key to HPV prevention.

Despite the common belief that human papillomavirus (HPV) primarily affects women, it is imperative to recognize and address the impact of HPV on boys and men. Overlooking the health implications for males is a notable gap, as efforts have predominantly focused on preventing HPV-related infections in women. This commentary aims to emphasize the importance of HPV awareness and vaccination for boys and men by highlighting the prevalence and consequences of HPV infection, elaborating on the associated health risks, elucidating the benefits of vaccination, and urging readers to recognize the necessity of protecting males from HPV.

Antibacterial agents active against Gram Negative Bacilli in phase I, II, or III clinical trials.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to modern healthcare, and it is often regarded that the antibiotic pipeline is 'dry.'

Areas Covered: Antimicrobial agents active against Gram negative bacilli in Phase I, II, or III clinical trials were reviewed.

Expert Opinion: Nearly 50 antimicrobial agents (28 small molecules and 21 non-traditional antimicrobial agents) active against Gram-negative bacilli are currently in clinical trials.

Trial of Vancomycin and Cefazolin as Surgical Prophylaxis in Arthroplasty.

Background: The addition of vancomycin to beta-lactam prophylaxis in arthroplasty may reduce surgical-site infections; however, the efficacy and safety are unclear.

Methods: In this multicenter, double-blind, superiority, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned adult patients without known methicillin-resistant (MRSA) colonization who were undergoing arthroplasty to receive 1.5 g of vancomycin or normal saline placebo, in addition to cefazolin prophylaxis.

Phage therapy: From biological mechanisms to future directions.

Increasing antimicrobial resistance rates have revitalized bacteriophage (phage) research, the natural predators of bacteria discovered over 100 years ago. In order to use phages therapeutically, they should (1) preferably be lytic, (2) kill the bacterial host efficiently, and (3) be fully characterized to exclude side effects. Developing therapeutic phages takes a coordinated effort of multiple stakeholders.

Investigation of Dracunculiasis Transmission among Humans, Chad, 2013-2017.

Dracunculiasis, slated for global eradication, typically is acquired by drinking stagnant water containing microscopic crustaceans (copepods) infected with Dracunculus medinensis larvae, causing clusters of case persons with worms emerging from the skin. Following a 10-year absence of reported cases, 9-26 sporadic human cases with few epidemiologic links have been reported annually in Chad since 2010; dog infections have also been reported since 2012. We conducted an investigation of human cases in Chad to identify risk factors.

Favipiravir: A new and emerging antiviral option in COVID-19.

With over 16 million cases reported from across the globe, the SARS-CoV-2, a mere 125 microns in diameter, has left an indelible impact on our world. With the paucity of new drugs to combat this disease, the medical community is in a race to identify repurposed drugs that may be effective against this novel coronavirus. One of the drugs which has recently garnered much attention, especially in India, is an anti-viral drug originally designed for influenza, called favipiravir.

Remdesivir for the Treatment of Covid-19 - Final Report.

Background: Although several therapeutic agents have been evaluated for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), no antiviral agents have yet been shown to be efficacious.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of intravenous remdesivir in adults who were hospitalized with Covid-19 and had evidence of lower respiratory tract infection. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either remdesivir (200 mg loading dose on day 1, followed by 100 mg daily for up to 9 additional days) or placebo for up to 10 days.

Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia.

Background: The initial cases of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)-infected pneumonia (NCIP) occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019 and January 2020. We analyzed data on the first 425 confirmed cases in Wuhan to determine the epidemiologic characteristics of NCIP.

Methods: We collected information on demographic characteristics, exposure history, and illness timelines of laboratory-confirmed cases of NCIP that had been reported by January 22, 2020.

The Third Plague Pandemic in Europe.

Plague has a long history on the European continent, with evidence of the disease dating back to the Stone Age. Plague epidemics in Europe during the First and Second Pandemics, including the Black Death, are infamous for their widespread mortality and lasting social and economic impact. Yet, Europe still experienced plague outbreaks during the Third Pandemic, which began in China and spread globally at the end of the nineteenth century.

Phage Therapy: A Renewed Approach to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.

Phage therapy, long overshadowed by chemical antibiotics, is garnering renewed interest in Western medicine. This stems from the rise in frequency of multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections in humans. There also have been recent case reports of phage therapy demonstrating clinical utility in resolving these otherwise intractable infections.

Evaluation and Management of Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections.

Despite advances in antibiotic and surgical management and supportive care for necrotizing soft tissue infections, morbidity and mortality remain substantial. Although there are clinical practice guidelines in place, there still remains much variability in choice and duration of antibiotic therapy, time to initial surgical debridement, and use of adjuvant medical therapies. This article offers an overview of necrotizing soft tissue infections with a focus on current diagnostic and treatment modalities.

Yersinia pestis halotolerance illuminates plague reservoirs.

The plague agent Yersinia pestis persists for years in the soil. Two millennia after swiping over Europe and North Africa, plague established permanent foci in North Africa but not in neighboring Europe. Mapping human plague foci reported in North Africa for 70 years indicated a significant location at <3 kilometers from the Mediterranean seashore or the edge of salted lakes named chotts.

The effectiveness of UV-C radiation for facility-wide environmental disinfection to reduce health care-acquired infections.

Background: Health care-acquired infections (HAIs) constitute an increasing threat for patients worldwide. Potential contributors of HAIs include environmental surfaces in health care settings, where ultraviolet-C radiation (UV-C) is commonly used for disinfection. This UV-C intervention-based pilot study was conducted in a hospital setting to identify any change in the incidence of HAIs before and after UV-C intervention, and to determine the effectiveness of UV-C in reducing pathogens.

The peculiar epidemiology of dracunculiasis in Chad.

Dracunculiasis was rediscovered in Chad in 2010 after an apparent absence of 10 years. In April 2012 active village-based surveillance was initiated to determine where, when, and how transmission of the disease was occurring, and to implement interventions to interrupt it. The current epidemiologic pattern of the disease in Chad is unlike that seen previously in Chad or other endemic countries, i.

Rome Consensus Conference - statement; human papilloma virus diseases in males.

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a very resistant, ubiquitous virus that can survive in the environment without a host. The decision to analyse HPV-related diseases in males was due to the broad dissemination of the virus, and, above all, by the need to stress the importance of primary and secondary prevention measures (currently available for women exclusively). The objective of the Consensus Conference was to make evidence-based recommendations that were designed to facilitate the adoption of a standard approach in clinical practice in Italy.

Plague: history and contemporary analysis.

Plague has caused ravaging outbreaks, including the Justinian plague and the "black death" in the Middle Ages. The causative agents of these outbreaks have been confirmed using modern molecular tests. The vector of plague during pandemics remains the subject of controversy.