Epidemiological, clinical and immunological features of Schistosoma spp., Stronglyoides stercoralis and Taenia spp. infections in Ghanaian HIV patients.

Background: Interactions of helminth infections and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to assess the clinical, epidemiological, and immunological characteristics of co-infections involving HIV and selected nematode, trematode and cestode species commonly detected in stool samples.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among people-living-with-HIV (PLWH) with and without anti-retroviral therapy and HIV-negative controls at a tertiary hospital in Kumasi, Ghana.

Comparative epidemiology of Ghanaian individuals with molecular proof of Entamoeba histolytica with and without concomitant human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Introduction: Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of enteric amebiasis in human patients. Partly controversial hypotheses have been proposed regarding the potential impact of the immunological status of patients as well as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) positivity on the prevalence and clinical course of amebiasis.

Methods: To investigate a potential interplay between the epidemiology of E.

Immunogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccination in Immunocompromised Patients (Auto-COVID-VACC): Protocol for Multicenter Prospective Noninterventional Study.

Background: Despite the availability of vaccines, immunocompromised patients are still at high risk for severe COVID-19. Vaccination has been proven to be an effective measure in preventing severe SARS-CoV-2 infections; however, data on B- and T-cell responses are lacking. While vaccination schedules for the general population have been defined, achieving immunogenicity in patients who are immunocompromised remains a challenge.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients with hematological and oncological diseases in early 2024.

Introduction: COVID-19 remains a major threat to immunocompromised individuals. The determination of circulating SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients at high risk for severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infection is important for estimating the vaccine-induced humoral immune response. Therefore, we assessed the status quo after winter to analyze the need for booster vaccinations.

Epidemiological, Clinical, and Immunological Features of Ghanaian People-Living-with-HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and Molecular Proof of in Their Stool Samples.

is a coccidian parasite commonly associated with enteric infections in immunocompromised individuals. The study was conducted to assess epidemiological, clinical, and immunological features of Ghanaian people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) with and without antiretroviral therapy and molecular proof of -specific nucleic acid sequences in their stool samples. While was detected in 4.

High rate of RNAemia and impaired immunity in patients with immunodeficiency in the vaccination era.

Background: Immunocompromised individuals, hemato-oncologic diseases or post-transplantation included, are, due to impaired immune response, at increased risk for severe and prolonged COVID-19. Observational Studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia has been associated with poorer prognosis and higher disease severity.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of RNAemia and its association with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in immunocompromised COVID-19 patients.

Hybrid immunity-based induction of durable pan-endemic-coronavirus immunity in the elderly.

Repeated vaccinations and infections have led to diverse states of hybrid immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in the global population. However, age and comorbidities can compromise protection against severe disease, and antibody-mediated immunity is undercut by viral immune escape mutations. Whether and to what extent durable T cell responses compensate for reduced humoral immunity, particularly in the elderly, have not been investigated.

Association of Molecular Detections of Microsporidia in Stool Samples with Clinical and Immunological Parameters in Ghanaian HIV Patients.

Although the etiological relevance of the detection of microsporidia in human stool samples remains uncertain, the immunological status of patients has been posited as an important determinant of potential clinical impact of these parasites. To further assess the interplay between the epidemiology of microsporidia and immunological markers, we conducted a study utilizing real-time PCR targeting , , , and , combined in a single fluorescence channel. The study involved a cohort of 595 clinically and immunologically well-characterized Ghanaian HIV patients, alongside 82 HIV-negative control individuals from Ghana.

Fatal dengue virus infection in an unvaccinated traveler.

Dengue is an increasing threat to individuals living in or visiting endemic countries. Effective vaccines have become available, but their use in travelers is typically only recommended to individuals with documented prior infection. We present a fatal case of severe dengue in an unvaccinated traveler without known prior dengue virus infection but longitudinal serologic and molecular evidence for secondary infection.

High Clinical Burden of spp. in Adult Patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency in Ghana.

There is a paucity of information on the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical correlates of people living with HIV (PLWH) who are co-infected with spp. in the post-combined antiretroviral therapy era in Ghana. To provide such data, in this observational study, stool samples of 640 HIV-positive and 83 HIV-negative individuals in Ghana were screened for spp.

Clustering of Gastrointestinal Microorganisms in Human Stool Samples from Ghana.

The study was conducted to identify cluster patterns of enteric microorganisms with potential etiological relevance for infectious gastroenteritis in stool samples of individuals from Ghana, which is a known high-endemicity setting for infectious gastroenteritis. These patterns were compared to previous observations with specimens from Colombian indigenous people in order to assess potentially stable clustering for temporally and spatially distinct populations from high-endemicity regions. By doing so, the study aimed to identify stable clusters as markers of microbial interaction with potential importance for etiological relevance assignment in cases of multiple enteric pathogen detections.

Torque Teno Virus Load Is Associated With Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Stage and CD4+ Cell Count in People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus but Seems Unrelated to AIDS-Defining Events and Human Pegivirus Load.

Background: Torque teno virus (TTV) is part of the human virome. TTV load was related to the immune status in patients after organ transplantation. We hypothesize that TTV load could be an additional marker for immune function in people living with HIV (PLWH).

Five-year single-center analysis of cytomegalovirus viremia in kidney transplant recipients and possible implication for novel prophylactic therapy approaches.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are a common complication after kidney transplantation (KTx) and negatively affecting patient outcome. Valganciclovir (VGC) prophylaxis is often limited by drug-induced side effects and dose reduction due to decline in kidney function.

Method: In the present study, episodes of CMV viremia in the first year after KTx in a cohort of 316 recipients were analyzed retrospectively to identify risk factors linked to persistent infections.

Enhanced SARS-CoV-2 humoral immunity following breakthrough infection builds upon the preexisting memory B cell pool.

The human immune response must continuously adapt to newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. To investigate how B cells respond to repeated SARS-CoV-2 antigen exposure by Wu01 booster vaccination and Omicron breakthrough infection, we performed a molecular longitudinal analysis of the memory B cell pool. We demonstrate that a subsequent breakthrough infection substantially increases the frequency of B cells encoding SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies.

The unique ORF8 protein from SARS-CoV-2 binds to human dendritic cells and induces a hyper-inflammatory cytokine storm.

The novel coronavirus pandemic, first reported in December 2019, was caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to a strong immune response and activation of antigen-presenting cells, which can elicit acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) characterized by the rapid onset of widespread inflammation, the so-called cytokine storm. In response to viral infections, monocytes are recruited into the lung and subsequently differentiate into dendritic cells (DCs).

15-month post-COVID syndrome in outpatients: Attributes, risk factors, outcomes, and vaccination status - longitudinal, observational, case-control study.

Background: While the short-term symptoms of post-COVID syndromes (PCS) are well-known, the long-term clinical characteristics, risk factors and outcomes of PCS remain unclear. Moreover, there is ongoing discussion about the effectiveness of post-infection vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to aid in PCS recovery.

Methods: In this longitudinal and observational case-control study we aimed at identifying long-term PCS courses and evaluating the effects of post-infection vaccinations on PCS recovery.

Torque teno virus-DNA load as individual cytomegalovirus risk assessment parameter upon allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Immune recovery following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) decisively influences the occurrence of opportunistic infections, one of the leading causes of death among this group of patients. Yet, today, there are no laboratory parameters mirroring immune function sufficiently. Torque teno virus (TTV) has already proven itself as a functional immune marker in other settings.

Comparison of the Diagnostic Accuracy of Three Real-Time PCR Assays for the Detection of in Human Stool Samples Targeting Different Genes in a Test Comparison without a Reference Standard.

Potential etiological relevance for gastroenteric disorders including diarrhea has been assigned to . However, standard routine diagnostic algorithms for stool samples of patients with diarrhea are rarely adapted to the detection of this pathogen and so, is likely to go undetected unless it is specifically addressed, e.g.

Impaired humoral immunity to BQ.1.1 in convalescent and vaccinated patients.

Determining SARS-CoV-2 immunity is critical to assess COVID-19 risk and the need for prevention and mitigation strategies. We measured SARS-CoV-2 Spike/Nucleocapsid seroprevalence and serum neutralizing activity against Wu01, BA.4/5 and BQ.

Immune response to mRNA-based COVID-19 booster vaccination in people living with HIV.

Objectives: Our objective was to assess immune responses and their influencing factors in people living with HIV after messenger RNA (mRNA)-based COVID-19 booster vaccination (third dose).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of people living with HIV who received booster vaccination with BNT-162b2 or mRNA-1273 between October 2021 and January 2022. We assessed anti-spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin G (IgG), virus neutralizing activity (VNA) titres reported as 100% inhibitory dilution (ID ), and T-cell response (using interferon-gamma-release-assay [IGRA]) at baseline and quarterly follow-up visits.

Short- and long-term T cell and antibody responses following dexamethasone treatment in COVID-19.

BACKGROUNDAfter its introduction as standard-of-care for severe COVID-19, dexamethasone has been administered to a large number of patients globally. Detailed knowledge of its impact on the cellular and humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 remains scarce.METHODSWe included immunocompetent individuals with (a) mild COVID-19, (b) severe COVID-19 before introduction of dexamethasone treatment, and (c) severe COVID-19 infection treated with dexamethasone from prospective observational cohort studies at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.

CMV-IgG pre-allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and the risk for CMV reactivation and mortality.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) represents one of the most common infectious complications after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Currently, a common diagnostic test used to stratify the risk for CMV infection in allo-HSCT recipients is the qualitative CMV serology of donor and recipient. A positive serostatus of the recipient is the most important risk factor for CMV reactivation and associated with reduced overall survival post-transplantation (TX).