International Journal of Infectious Diseases : IJID

Infections with Scedosporium and Lomentospora species are usually found in immunodeficient patients, particularly in the transplant population. However, they are relatively rare in immunocompetent patients, which is especially useful in ruling out near-drowning and aspiration situations. Here, we report a case of an immunocompetent patient with clinically suspected community-acquired pneumonia caused by Lomentospora prolificans detected by metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and polymerase chain reaction from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid...

OBJECTIVES: Despite concerted efforts, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), the pathogen that causes tuberculosis (TB), continues to be a burden on global health, regaining its dubious distinction in 2022 as the world's biggest infectious killer with global COVID-19 deaths steadily declining. The complex nature of M.tb, coupled with different pathogenic stages, has highlighted the need for development of novel immunization approaches to combat this ancient infectious agent. Intensive efforts over the last couple of decades have identified alternative approaches to improve upon traditional vaccines that are based on killed pathogens, live attenuated agents, or subunit recombinant antigens formulated with adjuvants...

OBJECTIVE: To use serological testing to assess the pre-Omicron seroprevalence, seroconversion, and seroreversion of infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in children and adolescents in Montreal, Canada. DESIGN: This analysis is from a prospective cohort study of children aged 2 to 17 years (at baseline) that included blood spots (DBS) for antibody detection. The serostatus of participants was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) using the receptor-binding domain (RBD) from the spike protein and the nucleocapsid protein (N) as antigens...

Ureaplasma urealyticum is part of the normal genital flora of many sexually experienced people, thereby it is mostly associated with genitourinary tract infections. Here, we present the first case reported in literature of a spondylodiscitis caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum in an immunocompetent 62-years-old subject. Ureaplasma urealyticum was detected through broad-range bacterial polymerase chain reaction in all samples obtained by T11 bone biopsy, whilst cultures were all negative. Due to the technical difficulties in removing the spinal osteo-synthesis devices, no neurosurgical intervention was planned, therefore a suppressive therapy with moxifloxacin was administered...

BACKGROUND: As the world transitions to COVID-19 endemicity, studies focusing on aerosol shedding of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) are vital for the calibration of infection control measures against VOCs that are likely to circulate seasonally. OBJECTIVE: This follow-up G-II aerosol sampling study aims to compare the aerosol shedding patterns of Omicron VOC samples with pre-Omicron variants analyzed in our previous study. STUDY DESIGN: Coarse and fine aerosol samples from 47 SARS-CoV-2 infected patients were collected during various respiratory activities (passive breathing, talking, and singing) and analyzed via reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and virus culture...

BACKGROUND: Puumala virus (PUUV) is a hantavirus causing haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Studies showing an increased risk of lymphoid malignancies following hantavirus infection, together with the observation that PUUV infects B cells motivated us to study the risk of lymphoid malignancies following PUUV infection. METHODS: We linked data from the Finnish Cancer Registry and National Infectious Diseases Register for 2009-2019. We used a time-dependent Cox regression model to evaluate the hazard of the lymphoid malignancies grouped according to the HAEMACARE classification...

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum, and Ureaplasma urealyticum commonly colonize the human urogenital tract which may cause urogenital infections. However, infection by M. hominis, U. parvum, or U. urealyticum is rarely reported in peritoneal dialysis (PD) associated peritonitis patients. Herein, we reported four cases of PD-associated peritonitis caused by these pathogens, along with a review of the literature. CASE REPORT: The four cases were female patients with recurrent "culture-negative" PD-associated peritonitis and were related to menstruation...

Objectives We assessed the effect of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine boosting immunization on the viral shedding time for patients infected with the Omicron variant BA.2. Methods We performed a real-world study by analyzing outbreak data of patients infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant BA.2 from March to May 2022 in Shanghai, China. Patients were categorized into three groups, including not fully vaccinated (0 and 1 dose), fully vaccinated (2 doses), and booster-vaccinated (3 doses). Results A total of 4443 patients infected with COVID-19 were included in the analysis...

We present the case of an 81-year-old man, who was immunocompetent, who was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of fever and dyspnea, suspected to be caused by Covid-19. Further examination revealed a triple coinfection, as determined by multiplex PCR testing, caused by RSV, hCoV-OC43, and rhinovirus. Upon auscultation, diffuse wheezing without crackles was detected. After ruling out the possibility of acute heart failure with pulmonary edema, the patient was treated with nebulization of terbutaline for a period of 72 hours...

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the plasma immune profile of patients with TB-COVID-19 compared to COVID-19, TB or healthy controls and to in vitro evaluate the specific responses to SARS-CoV-2- and Mtb-antigens. METHODS: We enrolled 119 subjects: 14 TB-COVID-19, 47 COVID-19, 38 TB, and 20 controls. Plasmatic levels of 27 immune factors were measured at baseline using a multiplex assay. The specific response to SARS-CoV-2- and Mtb-antigens was evaluated using a home-made whole-blood platform and QuantiFERON-Plus tubes, respectively...

BACKGROUND: There is a scarcity of data on outcomes and predictors of therapeutic failure of mAbs in frail COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Prospective study including consecutive COVID-19 outpatients referred by primary care physicians for mAbs treatment. Outcomes evaluated were 60-day mortality, time to SARS-CoV-2 clearance, need for hospitalization, and O2 -therapy. RESULTS: Among 1026 COVID-19 patients enrolled, 60.2% received casirivamab/imdevimab and 39...

The spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) encouraged the development of new medicines and the reappraisal of old drugs rarely used in recent years. Providing access for children with drug-resistant TB to appropriate treatments is a cornerstone of strategies to reduce the burden of TB worldwide. Aim of this perspective is to describe the availability of child-friendly medicines to treat drug-resistant TB at the global level. We showed that the development of child-friendly formulations of second-line drugs should be encouraged to promote adherence to recommended treatment regimens and consequently to increase the success rate and to prevent the development of additional mycobacterial resistances...

We conducted a prospective environmental surveillance study to investigate the air, surface, dust and water contamination of a room occupied by a patient infected with mpox virus (MPXV) at various stages of the illness. The patient tested positive for MPXV from a throat swab and skin lesions. Environmental sampling was conducted in a negative pressure room with 12 unidirectional HEPA air changes per hour and daily cleaning of the surfaces. A total of 179 environmental samples were collected on days 7, 8, 13, and 21 of illness...

There is public concern that COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies negatively affect male fertility. However, evidence for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in seminal plasma is lacking. We examined whether antibodies were detectable in seminal plasma after COVID-19 vaccination in 86 men via a direct antibody measurement and by quantification of their neutralizing activity. The results show the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in seminal plasma with a strong correlation to the serum antibodies, increasing with the number of vaccinations...

BACKGROUND: At the time when the COVID-19 pandemic was responsible for more than six million deaths worldwide, the antiquity of Coronaviruses remains undefined. We investigated individuals buried in 16th century in France, for the direct and paleoserological diagnosis of Coronavirus. METHODS: The 2011-2012 excavation of abbey Saint-Pierre in Baume-les-Messieurs, France uncovered 12 skeletons of individuals ranging from the 13th -18th centuries. Total proteins extracted from dental pulps were subjected to microbial paleoserology targeting the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, HCoV-229E and OC43 antigens and for Coronavirus peptide research using metaproteomics; in parallel to negative controls...

Recombination related to co-infection is a huge driving force in determining the virus genetic variability, particularly in conditions of partial immune control leading to prolonged infection. Here we characterized a distinctive mutational pattern, highly suggestive of Delta-Omicron double infection, in a lymphoma patient. The specimen was characterized through a combined approach, analyzing the results of deep sequencing in primary sample, viral culture and plaque assay. Bioinformatic analysis on the sequences deriving from the primary sample supports the hypothesis of a double viral population within the host...

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the safety of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in early pregnant women in view of their adverse-effect profile and associated maternal-fetal complication, as well as to evaluate their immunogenicity. METHODS: In this prospective observational cohort study, 232 women in their first trimester or those in the periconception period who inadvertently received two doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine between January 21st , 2021 and January 14th , 2022 were analyzed...

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoid therapy is now recommended as an adjunctive treatment for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). However, no criteria for identifying patients suitable for receiving glucocorticoid therapy, nor recommended regimens to achieve clinical benefit were defined. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed to include patients with confirmed SFTS from designated hospitals. The effect of glucocorticoids in reducing case fatality rate (CFR) and improving clinical recovery was evaluated by multivariate logistic regression models...

In December 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) released a new treatment of multidrug-resistant/rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB) guideline. The main novelty of this update are two new recommendations: 1) a 6-month treatment regimen composed of bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid (600 mg) and moxifloxacin (BPaLM) is recommended in place of the 9-month or longer (18-month) regimens in MDR/RR-TB patients, now including extensive pulmonary TB and extrapulmonary TB (except TB involving CNS, miliary TB and osteoarticular TB); 2) the use of the 9-month all-oral regimen rather than longer (18-months) regimen is suggested in patients with MDR/RR-TB and in whom resistance to fluoroquinolones has been excluded...

OBJECTIVES: We examined the frequency of cross-reactions to Rickettsia typhi in patients with Japanese spotted fever (JSF) and evaluated the differences between two rickettsiae using antibody endpoint titers. METHODS: Patients' IgM and IgG titers against Rickettsia japonica and R. typhi in two phases were measured using an indirect immunoperoxidase assay at two reference centers for rickettsiosis in Japan. Cross-reaction was defined as a higher titer against R. typhi in convalescent sera than in acute sera among patients fulfilling the criteria for JSF diagnosis...