Hepatitis E virus prevalence among HIV-2 infected individuals in central Portugal.

To date, no studies comparing the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection between the general and human immunodeficiency virus 2 (HIV-2) populations are available. With the purpose of filling this gap, this prevalence was assessed in the HIV-2 population from central Portugal. HEV seropositivity was 19.

Asymptomatic transmission of human mpox.

Monkeypox virus belongs to the genus There was a worldwide mpox outbreak in 2022, with many cases reported in Europe in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. Here, we report a case of mpox diagnosed in a heterosexual woman in her twenties without any known history of exposure. This is a very rare event.

Disseminated cutaneous Actinomyces bovis infection in an immunocompromised host: case report and review of the literature.

Background: Actinomycosis is an uncommon endogenous bacterial infection caused by Actinomyces species, characterized by the development of abscesses, tissue fibrosis, and fistulisation. It remains a diagnostic challenge, due to its similarities with diverse aetiologies' presentation, such as neoplasms, tuberculosis, or fungal infections. Actinomyces bovis is a microorganism rarely reported as a cause of human disease.

Identification of a new 2-amino acid insertion in the integrase coding region of HIV-1 subtype G isolates.

Amino acid insertions have been rarely found in the integrase (IN) coding region of Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1), and have been considered as natural polymorphisms. It is still unclear the potential impact of these insertion mutations on the viral replication capacity and/or susceptibility to integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). The objective of this study was to describe a previously unreported amino acid insertion in the IN coding region of HIV-1 isolates obtained from antiretroviral treatment-naïve infected individuals.

Anxiety impact during COVID-19: a systematic review.

Introduction: The COVID-19 epidemic has been causing serious physical, but also psychological effects in society. This systematic review sought to identify studies that describe COVID-19 related anxiety, and to understand the impact of anxiety assessment in defining strategies to be implemented in future studies.

Methodology: This systematic review included cross-sectional studies with no publication year limit.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after mumps infection in a vaccinated patient.

Mumps is an infectious disease caused by a paramyxovirus. It can involve several organs in the acute stage of the infection, including central nervous system. (Rubin et al.

Herpes simplex virus 1 rhombencephalitis in a patient with chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus-6A.

Central nervous system infection caused by Herpes simplex virus 1 remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant patients. Additionally, the clinical implications of the recently discovered Human herpesvirus 6A are still under investigation. Hereby, we report a clinical case of an immunosuppressed patient following kidney transplantation and with chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus-6A (CIHHV-6A) that developed rhombencephalitis due to herpes virus simplex 1.

CD4 cell count response to first-line combination ART in HIV-2+ patients compared with HIV-1+ patients: a multinational, multicohort European study.

Background: CD4 cell recovery following first-line combination ART (cART) is poorer in HIV-2+ than in HIV-1+ patients. Only large comparisons may allow adjustments for demographic and pretreatment plasma viral load (pVL).

Methods: ART-naive HIV+ adults from two European multicohort collaborations, COHERE (HIV-1 alone) and ACHIeV2e (HIV-2 alone), were included, if they started first-line cART (without NNRTIs or fusion inhibitors) between 1997 and 2011.

Plasmodium falciparum malaria, bilateral sixth cranial nerve palsy and delayed cerebellar ataxia.

We describe the case of a 14-year-old Caucasian male, a resident in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was observed in Portugal with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria with high-level parasitemia and severe thrombocytopenia. The course was complicated by bilateral sixth cranial nerve palsy during acute malaria, followed by the appearance of delayed cerebellar ataxia during the recovery phase. This occurred after successful treatment with quinine plus doxycycline over seven days.

First report of acute autochthonous hepatitis E in Portugal.

Hepatitis E infection is usually a self-limiting disease. In industrialized countries, sporadic cases of acute hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections have been described; their number seems to be increasing in European countries. We report the first human case of autochthonous acute hepatitis E confirmed in Portugal.

Prevalence of etravirine resistance associated mutations in HIV-1 strains isolated from infected individuals failing efavirenz: comparison between subtype B and non-B genetic variants.

Etravirine (ETR) is a non-nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) with a high genetic barrier to the development of resistance and with potential activity against Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains resistant to first-generation NNRTIs. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of ETR resistance associated mutations (RAMs) in HIV-1 strains isolated from infected individuals failing efavirenz (EFV), as well as to evaluate possible differences in the distribution of ETR RAMs between subtype B and non-B genetic variants. Nucleotide sequences of the protease and partial reverse transcriptase (RT) coding regions of the pol gene of 55 HIV-1 strains isolated from infected individuals failing EFV on regular follow-up at a reference center in Portugal, were retrospectively analyzed.

Individuals infected with JC polyomavirus do not present detectable JC virus DNA in oropharyngeal fluids.

JC virus (JCV) is ubiquitous in the human population. Primary infection normally occurs during childhood and is followed by a lifelong persistent infection. The main mode of transmission remains unknown.

Clinical manifestations of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in the ambulatory setting.

Introduction: In June 2009, the World Health Organization declared an influenza pandemic associated with the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 strain. It was summer in the northern hemisphere, and therefore travelling and vacation time, which also provided an increased opportunity for the dissemination of respiratory diseases.

Methodology: We reviewed the paper case report forms from all the patients with influenza-like illnesses with nasopharyngeal samples submitted for laboratory diagnosis of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection during the first wave of pandemic influenza that occurred between June and August 2009, in the central region of Portugal.

Mediterranean spotted fever and encephalitis: a case report and review of the literature.

Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is a disease caused by Rickettsia conorii and transmitted by the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus. It is widely distributed through southern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. It is an emerging or a reemerging disease in some regions.

An international collaboration to standardize HIV-2 viral load assays: results from the 2009 ACHI(E)V(2E) quality control study.

Accurate HIV-2 plasma viral load quantification is crucial for adequate HIV-2 patient management and for the proper conduct of clinical trials and international cohort collaborations. This study compared the homogeneity of HIV-2 RNA quantification when using HIV-2 assays from ACHI(E)V(2E) study sites and either in-house PCR calibration standards or common viral load standards supplied to all collaborators. Each of the 12 participating laboratories quantified blinded HIV-2 samples, using its own HIV-2 viral load assay and standard as well as centrally validated and distributed common HIV-2 group A and B standards (http://www.

Characterization of JC human polyomavirus infection in a Portuguese population.

JC virus (JCV) is ubiquitous in the human population, infecting children asymptomatically. After primary infection, JCV persists in the host throughout life and is often excreted in the urine. Two hundred thirty-four urine samples and 78 serum samples, collected from 171 healthy individuals and 63 patients infected with HIV, were used to characterize JCV infection in a Portuguese population.

Detection of the protease codon 35 amino acid insertion in sequences from treatment-naïve HIV-1 subtype C infected individuals in the Central Region of Portugal.

Background: Amino acids insertions in the protease (PR) coding region have been reported in protease inhibitors (PIs) treatment-naïve and experienced HIV-1 infected individuals ranging from 0.1% to 4.55% and have been rarely found in non-B HIV-1 subtype strains.

Herpes simplex virus esophagitis in immunocompetent children.

Objectives: To review clinical, laboratory, endoscopic and histologic features, treatment and outcome of immunocompetent children with Herpes simplex virus esophagitis.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the medical records of six children (five males) referred to our unit between 1997-2001.

Results: The median age at presentation was 4 years.