Epidemiology of Bacterial Meningitis in the Lombardy Region, Italy, from 2014 to 2024: An Observational, Retrospective Study.

Bacterial meningitis remains a critical public health issue globally due to its high morbidity and mortality. Understanding regional epidemiological trends is essential to inform vaccination strategies and public health interventions. This observational, retrospective study analyzed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) isolates collected from 731 confirmed cases of bacterial meningitis between 2014 and 2024 in Lombardy, Italy.

Insights into the Currently Available Drugs and Investigational Compounds Against RSV with a Focus on Their Drug-Resistance Profiles.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe respiratory illness in infants, young children, as well as elderly and immunocompromised patients worldwide. RSV is classified into two major subtypes, RSV-A and RSV-B, and remains the most frequently detected pathogen in infants hospitalized with acute respiratory infections. Recent advances have brought both passive and active immunization strategies, including FDA-approved vaccines for older adults and pregnant women and new monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for infant protection.

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.

An In-Depth Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Lineages and Clinical Presentation in Adult Population Distinguished by Immune Status.

This retrospective study analyzed SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variability since its emergence, focusing on immunocompromised (IPs) and non-immunocompromised adult people (NIPs). Phylogenetic analysis identified at least five major Omicron lineage groups circulating in Central Italy, from December 2021 to December 2023: (a) BA.1 (34.

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.

SARS-CoV-2 genomic evolution during a severe and long-lasting omicron infection under antiviral therapy.

Background: Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection observed in immunocompromised individuals even in the presence of antiviral treatment provides opportunities for viruses to evolve in immune escape and drug-resistant variants.

Case Presentation: A 72-year-old male with IgG4-related disease was admitted to the Emergency Department of a city Hospital in Milan and then transferred to Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in December 2023, due to respiratory distress due to SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosed in November 2023. After 117 days since the onset of the infection, and two cycles of sotrovimab/remdesivir combined therapy, the clinical improvement allowed the hospital discharge, notwithstanding the persistent SARS-CoV-2 positivity.

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.

Active Surveillance of Patients Colonized with CRE: A Single-Center Study Based on a Combined Molecular/Culture Protocol.

: Carbapenem-resistant (CRE) are types of bacteria that need urgent attention globally. Active surveillance programs at hospitals are essential for the early identification of CRE carriers and the timely adoption of infection control measures. We aimed to analyze the epidemiology of CRE identified by multiplex RT-PCR in rectal swabs of patients upon admission to high-risk wards and to compare data obtained from both molecular and culture CRE screening.

Genomic characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) strains circulating in three university hospitals in Northern Italy over three years.

Objectives: Genomic surveillance of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) is crucial for virulence, drug-resistance monitoring, and outbreak containment.

Methods: Genomic analysis on 87 KPC-Kp strains isolated from 3 Northern Italy hospitals in 2019-2021 was performed by whole genome sequencing (WGS), to characterize resistome, virulome, and mobilome, and to assess potential associations with phenotype resistance and clinical presentation. Maximum Likelihood and Minimum Spanning Trees were used to determine strain correlations and identify potential transmission clusters.

Increase in invasive group A streptococcal infections in Milan, Italy: a genomic and clinical characterization.

Background: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes multiple clinical manifestations, including invasive (iGAS) or even life-threatening (severe-iGAS) infections. After the drop in cases during COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022 a sharp increase of GAS was reported globally.

Methods: GAS strains collected in 09/2022-03/2023 in two university hospitals in Milan, Italy were retrospectively analyzed.

A Whole-Genome Sequencing-Based Approach for the Characterization of Co-Producing KPC and OXA-48-like Carbapenemases Circulating in Sardinia, Italy.

Background: Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides important information for the characterization, surveillance, and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants, particularly in cases of multi- and extensively drug-resistant microorganisms. We reported the results of a WGS analysis carried out on carbapenemases-producing , which causes hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and is characterized by a marked resistance profile.

Methods: Clinical, phenotypic, and genotypic data were collected for the AMR surveillance screening program of the University Hospital of Sassari (Italy) during 2020-2021.

An overview of SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the 2020-2022 period in Lombardy.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 has shown genetic variability. All the variants that have sustained pandemic waves have shown several mutations, especially in the Spike protein that could affect viral pathogenesis. A total of 15,729 respiratory samples, collected between December 2020 and August 2022, have been included in this study.

Quantitative SARS-CoV-2 subgenomic RNA as a surrogate marker for viral infectivity: Comparison between culture isolation and direct sgRNA quantification.

Detection of subgenomic (sg) SARS-CoV-2 RNAs are frequently used as a correlate of viral infectiousness, but few data about correlation between sg load and viable virus are available. Here, we defined concordance between culture isolation and E and N sgRNA quantification by ddPCR assays in 51 nasopharyngeal swabs collected from SARS-CoV-2 positive hospitalized patients. Among the 51 samples, 14 were SARS-CoV-2 culture-positive and 37 were negative.

Pre-Treatment HIV Drug Resistance and Genetic Diversity in Cameroon: Implications for First-Line Regimens.

The efficacy of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) may be hampered by the presence of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR). We described HIV-1 pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR) patterns, effect of viral clades on PDR, and programmatic implications on first-line regimens in Cameroon. A sentinel surveillance of PDR was conducted from 2014 to 2019.

Gut and airway microbiota dysbiosis and their role in COVID-19 and long-COVID.

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in human health and disease. Gut dysbiosis is known to be associated with increased susceptibility to respiratory diseases and modifications in the immune response and homeostasis of the lungs (the so-called gut-lung axis). Furthermore, recent studies have highlighted the possible role of dysbiosis in neurological disturbances, introducing the notion of the "gut-brain axis.

Evaluation of HIV-DNA and residual viremia levels through week 96 in HIV-infected individuals who continue a two-drug or switch to a three-drug integrase strand transfer inhibitor-based regimen.

Objectives: To investigate HIV-DNA and residual viremia (RV) levels over 96 weeks (W96) in virologically-suppressed HIV-1-infected individuals enrolled in the Be-OnE Study. Individuals were randomised to continue a two-drug regimen with dolutegravir (DTG) plus one reverse transcriptase inhibitor (RTI) or to switch to elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir-alafenamide (E/C/F/TAF).

Study Design: Total HIV-DNA and RV were evaluated at baseline, W48 and W96 using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) technique.

Genomic Characterization of KPC-31 and OXA-181 Resistant to New Generation of β-Lactam/β-Lactamase Inhibitor Combinations.

Background: Carbapenem resistant (cr-Kp) causes serious infections associated with a high mortality rate. The clinical efficacy of ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA), meropenem/vaborbactam (M/V), and imipenem/relebactam (I/R) against cr-Kp is challenged by the emergence of resistant strains, making the investigation and monitoring of the main resistance mechanisms crucial. In this study, we reported the genome characterization of a strain isolated from a critically ill patient and characterized by a multidrug resistant (MDR) profile, including resistance to CZA, M/V, and I/R.

A proof-of-concept study on the genomic evolution of Sars-Cov-2 in molnupiravir-treated, paxlovid-treated and drug-naïve patients.

Little is known about SARS-CoV-2 evolution under Molnupiravir and Paxlovid, the only antivirals approved for COVID-19 treatment. By investigating SARS-CoV-2 variability in 8 Molnupiravir-treated, 7 Paxlovid-treated and 5 drug-naïve individuals at 4 time-points (Days 0-2-5-7), a higher genetic distance is found under Molnupiravir pressure compared to Paxlovid and no-drug pressure (nucleotide-substitutions/site mean±Standard error: 18.7 × 10 ± 2.

Performance evaluation of a new on-demand molecular test for the rapid identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in pediatric and adult patients.

The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has increased the need to identify additional rapid diagnostic tests for an accurate and early diagnosis of infection. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the cartridge-based reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test STANDARD M10 SARS-CoV-2 (SD Biosensor Inc., Suwon, South Korea), targeting the ORF1ab and E gene of SARS-CoV-2, and which can process up to eight samples in parallel in 60 min.