Resurgence of in Lazio: A Cross-Age Surveillance Study from Two Referral Hospitals.

Since late 2023, an increase in infections has been noticed in Europe, particularly among children. Our data showed the upward trend of cases in the Lazio region, even among adults with severe influenza-like illnesses, highlighting the necessity for maintaining high vaccination rates across both children and adults. These findings underscore the urgent need for clinicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for in patients with respiratory symptoms, prioritize nasopharyngeal swabs for accurate diagnosis, assess for co-infections, verify booster vaccination status in adults, and support timely reporting to public health authorities.

HIV-1 Drug Resistance in Children and Implications for Pediatric Treatment Strategies: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction: Failure in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) and pediatric treatment challenges led to pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) and acquired drug resistance (ADR) in children with HIV (CWHIV).

Method: Interventional and observational data published between 2010 and 2024 on PDR and ADR in CWHIV were included and analyzed by random effects models.

Results: Overall, 72 studies encompassing 9973 children were included.

Achieving the global agenda toward HIV cure calls for establishing a research-for-cure academy in West and Central Africa.

Despite global efforts to eliminate HIV as a public health threat, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) still harbours about the highest burden of the pandemic, home to around 70 % of people living with HIV with limited contribution in the field of HIV cure research, especially in West and Central Africa (WCA). This gap is mainly due to challenges that researchers of this region are facing in initiating and advancing HIV cure research locally, with lesser commitment from the French-speaking countries. Furthermore, capacity-building of early career scientists on HIV cure research remains constrained due to limited awareness and language barriers to existing opportunities.

Potential role of avibactam in restoring susceptibility in Escherichia coli with two copies of bla and PBP3 mutations.

Unlabelled: The emergence of carbapenemase-producing represents a significant clinical challenge. Resistance mechanisms involve carbapenemase production, porin and efflux pump alterations, penicillin-binding protein (PBP) modifications, and biofilm formation. This study characterizes a KPC- and a concurrent isolate harboring the same resistance genes, with also exhibiting PBP3 mutations.

Clinical relevance of bacterial and/or viral coinfection in acute bronchiolitis in an Italian neonatal unit during the 2021-2023 seasons.

Background: Acute bronchiolitis is a leading cause of hospitalization in young children worldwide, and literature reports conflicting data regarding the role of coinfections.

Objective: To evaluate the possible clinical relevance of bacterial and/or viral respiratory coinfection in a cohort of newborns/infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis.

Methods: Neonates and infants younger than three months admitted to neonatal units from October 2021 to March 2023 because of acute bronchiolitis were included in this retrospective study.

Endonasal filters for the prevention and control of respiratory allergy and infections. A multi-stakeholder assessment.

Healthcare innovations aim to develop and provide technologies, services, and health policies to improve population health and well-being at a global level. Among innovative medical devices (MD), endonasal filters (EF) are designed to improve breathing and capture fine dust and allergens in the surrounding environment acting as a mechanical barrier to the passage of allergens, pathogenic microorganisms and dust. This paper aimed to: i) review the features of EF commercially available, regulatory classification, and their potential role in public health as useful innovative devices; ii) review their role in prevention and control of respiratory infections; iii) review their role in prevention and control of allergic respiratory diseases.

Confirmed virological failure following enhanced adherence counseling among virally unsuppressed children and adolescents on dolutegravir-based versus other regimens: Evidence from a cohort analysis in Cameroon.

Achieving and maintaining viral suppression (VS) in pediatric populations remain suboptimal in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), calling for the optimized management approaches. We compared the rate of confirmed virological failure (cVF) and associated factors among virally non-suppressed (VnS) children and adolescents after enhanced adherence counseling (EAC) on dolutegravir-based versus other regimens. A multicentre and prospective cohort study was conducted among ART-experienced children (<10 years) and adolescents (10-19 years) with VnS followed-up for confirmatory viral load (VL) after EAC.

Viral dynamics and factors associated with duration of COVID-19 positivity: evidence from the first-three epidemiological waves in Cameroon.

Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) disease progression evidence and viral clearance time remain limited in tropical settings. Understanding this is crucial for public health control measures at community-level. We evaluated the viral dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection and factors associated with positivity duration in COVID-19 cases in Cameroon.

Parvovirus B19 Rebound.

Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is responsible for a wide clinical spectrum ranging from asymptomatic infection, through mild disease, up to life-threatening one. Outbreaks are registered every 3-4 years, and a recent international alert for a new outbreak has been released. The experience of B19 virus circulation in a 600-bed tertiary care pediatric hospital in Rome from 2018 to 2024 is reported here.

HIV-1 cross-resistance to second-generation non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors among individuals failing antiretroviral therapy in Cameroon: implications for the use of long-acting treatment regimens in low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Several long-acting antiretroviral treatment regimens contain second-generation non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (2ndGenNNRTI). As first-generation NNRTIs (1stGenNNRTI) exhibit some cross-resistance with 2ndGenNNRTI, we sought to evaluate the rate of acquired cross-resistance to 2ndGenNNRTI and its determinants at treatment failure in a typical low- and middle-income country (LMIC) such as Cameroon.

Patients And Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients failing first-/second-line regimens between 2019 and 2023 in Cameroon.

HIV susceptibility to second-generation integrase strand transfer inhibitors among people with multidrug resistance: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Background: With the rapid scale-up of dolutegravir-based regimens, there is a declining trend of HIV drug resistance in several resource-limited settings. However, treatment success using second-generation integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (2nd-Gen INSTI) among people living with HIV with long therapeutic experience could be jeopardized by pre-existing drug resistance mutations to first-generation INSTI or even to other drug class.

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis will be to provide a summary of existing evidence on the HIV susceptibility to 2nd-Gen INSTI among people with multidrug resistance.

Effect of Early Administration of Clarithromycin or Azithromycin on Symptoms of Pertussis in Infants.

A resurgence of pertussis has been observed in several geographic areas in the post-COVID-19 era. Macrolides are the first-choice antibiotics for the treatment of pertussis. Limited data exist on the impact of the early administration of clarithromycin or azithromycin on infants' pertussis symptoms.

Disparities in anti-SARS-CoV-2 reactivity according to vaccines administered in the era of omicron in Cameroon: Lessons for future outbreak response.

With the advent of COVID-19, anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were a global health priority, but evidence on their significance within tropical settings remained limited. We sought to assess the distribution of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies according to vaccine status and types of vaccines administered in Cameroon during Omicron waves. A community based cross-sectional sero-survey was conducted from February-15 through July-31 2022 among individuals tested for COVID-19 in Yaoundé-Cameroon.

An Evaluation of a Syndromic Molecular Panel in Optimising the Microbiological Diagnosis and Antimicrobial Therapy of Suspected Osteoarticular Infections in Paediatric Patients.

Paediatric osteoarticular infections (POAIs) present unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Microbiological culture (MC) is typically time-consuming and lacks sensitivity, especially when patients have received antibiotics. The BIOFIRE Joint Infection Panel (BJIP) is a syndromic molecular assay for the direct identification of most pathogens causing POAIs.

The cerebrospinal fluid virome in people with HIV: links to neuroinflammation and cognition.

Despite effective HIV suppression, neuroinflammation and neurocognitive issues are prevalent in people with HIV (PWH) yet poorly understood. HIV infection alters the human virome, and virome perturbations have been linked to neurocognitive issues in people without HIV. Once thought to be sterile, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hosts a recently discovered virome, presenting an unexplored avenue for understanding brain and mental health in PWH.

The First Case of the Identification of a Microorganism Directly from Whole Blood Using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry in an Onco-Hematological Pediatric Patient with Bloodstream Infection.

Background: Bloodstream infections affect up to 20% of pediatric cancer patients receiving intensive care, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality, with infection-related mortality rates reported to be as high as 16%.

Methods: The identification of microorganisms directly from whole blood is difficult due to several factors, such as interference from host genomic material, low bacterial load, the endogenous components of whole blood and exogenous substances, which can interfere with the identification process. Nevertheless, rapid microbial diagnosis remains of paramount importance in these patients.

Gaps, challenges and opportunities towards achieving the 95-95-95 targets in Cameroon: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Background: Given HIV elimination by 2030, the World Health Organization and the United Nations' Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) have set three programmatic goals that all countries should have achieved before 2025; 95% of people living with HIV should know their status (target-1); 95% of people who know their status should be linked to treatment (target-2); and 95% of people on treatment should achieve viral load suppression (i.e. VL<1000 copies/ml; target-3).

Tenofovir and Doravirine Are Potential Reverse-Transcriptase Analogs in Combination with the New Reverse-Transcriptase Translocation Inhibitor (Islatravir) Among Treatment-Experienced Patients in Cameroon: Designing Future Treatment Strategies for Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Islatravir (ISL) is a novel antiretroviral that inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase translocation. The M184V mutation, known to reduce ISL's viral susceptibility in vitro, could arise from prolonged exposure to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) (3TC). This study evaluated the predictive efficacy of ISL and identified potentially active antiretrovirals in combination among treatment-experienced patients in Cameroon, where NRTIs (3TC) have been the backbone of ART for decades now.

A new epidemic wave of Bordetella pertussis in paediatric population: impact and role of co-infections in pertussis disease.

Background: In recent months, Bordetella pertussis has reappeared after maintaining a low rate for many years. Although pertussis is usually characterized by a favorable course, several factors can contribute to the severity of the disease, such as mixed respiratory infections. In this study, we evaluate B.

Safety of Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir Administration in Children With Immunodeficiency and/or Comorbidities With SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Retrospective Clinical Report.

Introduction: Despite the generally mild course of COVID-19 in children, immunocompromised patients may experience complications or severe infection. This study reports the clinical outcomes of pediatric patients treated with nirmatrelvir and ritonavir (N/R) for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: We retrospectively reported the data of children with any immunodeficiency with COVID-19 who received N/R treatment between March 2022 and June 2023 at the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital.

Predictive Efficacy of Dual Therapies Combining Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors with Second-Generation Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Following HIV-1 Treatment Failure in Cameroon: Implications for the Use of a Long-Acting Therapeutic Strategy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Dual therapies (DT) combining integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) with second-generation non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (2nd-Gen-NNRTIs) offer new possibilities for HIV treatment to improve adherence. However, drug resistance associated mutations (RAMs) to prior antiretrovirals may jeopardize the efficacy of DT. We herein describe the predicted efficacy of DT combining INSTIs + 2nd-Gen-NNRTI following treatment failure among Cameroonian patients.

Integrating Diagnostic Approaches in Infant Bacterial Meningitis Caused by a Non-K1 : A Case Report.

Background: Infant meningitis, particularly caused by , remains a life-threatening condition, especially in premature and low-weight infants. Infections of the central nervous system can be fatal, necessitating prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Acute infections caused by various pathogens, including , often present with similar clinical symptoms.

Humoral and cellular immune response after mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in children on treatment for cancer: A pilot observational study.

Immunocompromised children are at risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection. We conducted a pilot prospective study to evaluate the impact of cancer treatment and stem cell transplantation on immunogenicity of two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine in pediatric patients. Humoral, B- and T-cell responses to the BNT162b2 vaccine were assessed before, after the first and the second dose in patients aged 5-12 years (n = 35) and in a group of healthy donors (HD, n = 12).

Plasma Viral Load of 200 Copies/mL is a Suitable Threshold to Define Viral Suppression and HIV Drug Resistance Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Evidence From a Facility-Based Study in Cameroon.

Introduction: In low-and-middle-income-countries (LMIC), viral suppression is defined as plasma viral load (PVL) below 1000 copies/mL (low-level viremia [LLV]) and threshold for HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) testing. However, there is evidence that drug resistance mutations (DRMs) may emerge at LLV, thus compromising antiretroviral treatment (ART) response We evaluated sequencing success rates (SSR) at LLV, described HIVDR profiles and adequacy with potential efficacy of tenofovir-lamivudine-dolutegravir (TLD).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals with LLV at the Chantal BIYA International Reference Centre, Yaoundé, Cameroon from January 2020 through August 2021.