Specific immune response to and ability to control mycobacterial replication are not impaired in subjects with immune-mediated inflammatory disease and tuberculosis infection.

Background: Subjects with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID), such as rheumatoid arthritis, with tuberculosis infection (TBI), have a high probability of progressing to tuberculosis disease (TB). We aim to characterize the impact of IMID on the immune response to (Mtb) in patients with TBI and TB disease.

Methods: We enrolled TBI and TB patients with and without IMID.

SARS-CoV-2 and Environmental Changes: The Perfect Storm.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the global economy. It also provided insights into how the looming global climate crisis might be addressed, as there are several similarities between the challenges proposed by COVID-19 and those expected from the coming climate emergency. COVID-19 is an immediate health threat, but climate change represents a more gradual and insidious risk that will lead to long-term consequences for human health.

A case of tuberculous and Listeria-associated lymphadenitis in a migrant from Mexico.

Tuberculous lymphadenitis is one of the most common extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis. Lymphadenitis due to Listeria monocytogenes is rarely described. We present a case of a 59-year-old woman from Mexico presented to the Emergency Department with a 2-week history of erythematous and painful swelling in the right retromandibular area.

Case report: First report of and coinfection in an immunocompromised patient.

Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a serious type of pneumonia, typically contracted by susceptible people through the inhalation of aerosols contaminated with . In this report, the first case of coinfection with - is described. A possible source of the Lp infection may be the hotel in Paris (France) where the patient had stayed before developing the symptoms.

Solute Transporter OCTN1/Slc22a4 Affects Disease Severity and Response to Infliximab in Experimental Colitis: Role of Gut Microbiota and Immune Modulation.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic disabling conditions with a complex and multifactorial etiology, still incompletely understood. OCTN1, an organic cation transporter, could have a role in modulating the inflammatory response, and some genetic polymorphisms of this molecule have been associated with increased risk of inflammatory bowel diseases. Until now, limited information exists on its potential in predicting/modulating patient's response to therapies.

Alternative therapies against Mycobacterium abscessus infections.

Background: Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is considered as the most pathogenic rapid-growing mycobacteria in humans, causing pulmonary and extra-pulmonary diseases, especially in patients with cystic fibrosis. Mab shows intrinsic and acquired resistance to many drugs, leaving limited treatment options that lead to a generally poor prognosis. The standard therapeutic regimen last for more than 6 months and consists of a drug cocktail that ideally includes a macrolide and amikacin.

The ubiquitin ligase TRIM32 promotes the autophagic response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in macrophages.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is known to evade host immune responses and persist in macrophages for long periods. A mechanism that the host uses to combat Mtb is xenophagy, a selective form of autophagy that targets intracellular pathogens for degradation. Ubiquitination of Mtb or Mtb-containing compartments is a key event to recruit the autophagy machinery and mediate the bacterial delivery to the lysosome.

Comparison between Nasopharyngeal and Saliva Samples for the Detection of Respiratory Viruses in Children with Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infections: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of salivary swabs (SS) to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been implemented and widely studied in adults and children. However, the role of SS in detecting other common respiratory viruses in children is poorly investigated.

Methods: Children younger than 18 years of age admitted with respiratory signs and symptoms underwent both nasopharyngeal and SS procedures.

Evaluation of the Toxic Activity of the Graphene Oxide in the Ex Vivo Model of Human PBMC Infection with .

Graphene Oxide has been proposed as a potential adjuvant to develop improved anti-TB treatment, thanks to its activity in entrapping mycobacteria in the extracellular compartment limiting their entry in macrophages. Indeed, when administered together with linezolid, Graphene Oxide significantly enhanced bacterial killing due to the increased production of Reactive Oxygen Species. In this work, we evaluated Graphene Oxide toxicity and its anti-mycobacterial activity on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Commercially available CD4 + and CD8 + IFN-γ release assays combined with an HBHA-induced IGRA improve the characterization of the tuberculosis spectrum and monitoring of treatment in children.

Commercially available Interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs), including the last-generation QuantiFERON TB-Plus (QFT-Plus), are effective in aiding the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) infection but cannot distinguish latent TB subjects from active TB patients. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the performance of an HBHA-based IGRA, combined with commercially available IGRAs, to assess their usefulness as a prognostic biomarkers and aid in the monitoring of TB treatment in children. Following clinical, microbiological, and radiological assessment, children younger than 18 years of age classified as either LTBI or active TB were tested at baseline and during treatment by the QuantiFERON TB-Plus (QFT) assay and an aliquot of whole-blood was stimulated with HBHA.

Cysteamine/Cystamine Exert Anti- Activity Alone or in Combination with Amikacin.

Host-directed therapies are emerging as a promising tool in the curing of difficult-to-treat infections, such as those caused by drug-resistant bacteria. In this study, we aim to test the potential activity of the FDA- and EMA-approved drugs cysteamine and cystamine against . In human macrophages (differentiated THP-1 cells), these drugs restricted growth similar to that achieved by amikacin.

Evaluation of Everolimus Activity against Using In Vitro Models of Infection.

Even though Everolimus has been investigated in a phase II randomized trial as a host-directed therapy (HDT) to treat tuberculosis (TB), an oncological patient treated with Everolimus for a neuroendocrine pancreatic neoplasia developed active TB twice and a non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection in a year and a half time span. To investigate this interesting case, we isolated and genotypically characterized the () clinical strain from the patient and tested the effect of Everolimus on its viability in an axenic culture and in a peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) infection model. To exclude strain-specific resistance, we tested the activity of Everolimus against strains of ancient and modern lineages.

Proinflammatory and Cancer-Promoting Pathobiont Directly Targets Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells.

Intestinal bacterial communities participate in gut homeostasis and are recognized as crucial in bowel inflammation and colorectal cancer (CRC). (), a pathobiont of the oral microflora, has recently emerged as a CRC-associated microbe linked to disease progression, metastasis, and a poor clinical outcome; however, the primary cellular and/or microenvironmental targets of this agent remain elusive. We report here that directly targets putative colorectal cancer stem cells (CR-CSCs), a tumor cell subset endowed with cancer re-initiating capacity after surgery and chemotherapy.

() as a Potential Driver of Molecular Mimicry and Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

(; now ) is an infectious agent that causes severe arthritis in swines and shares sequence similarity with residues 261-273 of collagen type 2 (Coll), a possible autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We tested the presence of sequencing 16S ribosomal RNA in crevicular fluid, synovial fluids, and tissues in patients with arthritis (RA and other peripheral arthritides) and in healthy controls. Moreover, we examined the cross-recognition of by Coll-specific T cells in HLA-DRB104 RA patients, by T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chain spectratyping and T-cell phenotyping.

SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection to Expand Testing Capacity for COVID-19: Results from a Hospital Emergency Department Testing Site.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection has currently expanded the testing capacity for COVID-19, which yet relies on the SARS-CoV-2 RNA RT-PCR amplification.

Objectives: To report on a COVID-19 testing algorithm from a tertiary care hospital emergency department (ED) that combines both antigen (performed on the ED) and RT-PCR (performed outside the ED) testing.

Methods: Between December 2020 and January 2021, in a priori designated, spatially separated COVID-19 or non-COVID-19 ED areas, respectively, symptomatic or asymptomatic patients received SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing on nasopharyngeal swab samples.

Graphene nanoplatelet and graphene oxide functionalization of face mask materials inhibits infectivity of trapped SARS-CoV-2.

Recent advancements in bidimensional nanoparticles production such as graphene (G) and graphene oxide (GO) have the potential to meet the need for highly functional personal protective equipment (PPE) against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The ability of G and GO to interact with microorganisms provides an opportunity to develop engineered textiles for use in PPE and limit the spread of COVID-19. PPE in current use in high-risk settings for COVID transmission provides only a physical barrier that decreases infection likelihood and does not inactivate the virus.

Transglutaminase 2 Regulates Innate Immunity by Modulating the STING/TBK1/IRF3 Axis.

We have recently shown that type 2 transglutaminase (TG2) plays a key role in the host's inflammatory response during bacterial infections. In this study, we investigated whether the enzyme is involved in the regulation of the STING pathway, which is the main signaling activated in the presence of both self- and pathogen DNA in the cytoplasm, leading to type I IFN (IFN I) production. In this study, we demonstrated that TG2 negatively regulates STING signaling by impairing IRF3 phosphorylation in bone marrow-derived macrophages, isolated from wild-type and TG2 knockout mice.

First description of the katG gene deletion in a Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolate and its impact on the mycobacterial fitness.

Isoniazid (INH) is the cornerstone of the anti-tuberculosis regimens and emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) resistant strains is a major threat to our ability to control tuberculosis (TB) at global level. Mutations in the gene coding the catalase KatG confer resistance to high level of INH. In this paper, we describe for the first time a complete deletion of the genomic region containing the katG gene in an Mtb clinical strain isolated in Italy in a patient with HIV infection that previously completed INH preventive therapy.

Lumipulse G SARS-CoV-2 Ag assay evaluation using clinical samples from different testing groups.

Objectives: Compared to RT-PCR, lower performance of antigen detection assays, including the Lumipulse G SARS-CoV-2 Ag assay, may depend on specific testing scenarios.

Methods: We tested 594 nasopharyngeal swab samples from individuals with COVID-19 (RT-PCR cycle threshold [Ct] values ≤ 40) or non-COVID-19 (Ct values >40) diagnoses. RT-PCR positive samples were assigned to diagnostic, screening, or monitoring groups of testing.

PE_PGRS3 ensures provision of the vital phospholipids cardiolipin and phosphatidylinositols by promoting the interaction between and host cells.

PE_PGRS proteins of () constitute a large family of complex modular proteins whose role is still unclear. Among those, we have previously shown, using the heterologous expression in , that PE_PGRS3 containing a unique arginine-rich C-terminal domain, promotes adhesion to host cells. In this study, we investigate the role of PE_PGRS3 and its C-terminal domain directly in using functional deletion mutants.

Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in children with household exposure to adults with COVID-19: Preliminary findings.

Weather and the susceptibility of children to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is still a debated question and currently a hot topic, particularly in view of important decisions regarding opening schools. Therefore, we performed this prospective analysis of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in children with known household exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and compared their IgG status with the other adults exposed to the index case in the same household. A total of 30 families with a documented COVID-19 index case were included.