Articles

A 2-year point-prevalence surveillance of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in Ferrara University Hospital, Italy

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) represent one of the leading issues to patient safety as well as a significant economic burden. Similarly, Antimicrobial Use (AMU) and Resistance (AMR) represent a growi...

Authors: Paola Antonioli, Niccolò Bolognesi, Giorgia Valpiani, Chiara Morotti, Daniele Bernardini, Francesca Bravi, Eugenio Di Ruscio, Armando Stefanati and Giovanni Gabutti

Pharmacodynamic comparison of different antimicrobial regimens against Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections with elevated vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major causes of bloodstream infections (BSI) worldwide, representing a major challenge for public health due to its resistance profile. Higher vancomycin minimum inhibitory con...

Authors: Thaina Miranda da Costa, Gabriel Trova Cuba, Priscylla Guimarães Migueres Morgado, David P. Nicolau, Simone Aranha Nouér, Kátia Regina Netto dos Santos and Carlos Roberto Veiga Kiffer

Gaps between current clinical practice and evidence-based guidelines for treatment and care of older patients with Community Acquired Pneumonia: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a significant cause of morbidity and in-hospital mortality, and readmission rates are rising for older persons (> 65 years). Optimized treatment and nursing care will...

Authors: Signe Eekholm, Gerd Ahlström, Jimmie Kristensson and Tove Lindhardt

A hybrid simulation model approach to examine bacterial genome sequencing during a hospital outbreak

Hospital infection control requires timely detection and identification of organisms, and their antimicrobial susceptibility. We describe a hybrid modeling approach to evaluate whole genome sequencing of patho...

Authors: Thomas M. Elliott, Xing J. Lee, Anna Foeglein, Patrick N. Harris and Louisa G. Gordon

Thrombocytopenia and endocarditis in a patient with Whipple’s disease: case report

Whipple’s disease (WD) is a rare multisystem infectious disorder that is caused by the actinomycete Tropheryma whipplei. It presents with joint pain followed by abdominal pain, diarrhea, malabsorption and finally...

Authors: Maxim Olivier, Carmelo Licitra, Zachary Field, Li Ge, Dustin Hill, Mario Madruga and S. J. Carlan

Correction to: Perceived barriers and enablers for preventing the spread of carbapenemase-producing gram-negative bacteria during patient transfers: a mixed methods study among healthcare providers

After publication of the original article [1], we have noticed that the word ‘Carbapenem-producing’ should be replaced with ‘Carbapenemase-producing’.

Authors: Eline van Dulm, Wendy van der Veldt, Katja Jansen-van der Meiden, Gerry van Renselaar, Lian Bovée, Jeanette Ros, Udi Davidovich and Yvonne van Duijnhoven

Impaired consciousness and decreased glucose concentration of CSF as prognostic factors in immunocompetent patients with cryptococcal meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is the most common fungal infection of the central nervous system and has high morbidity and mortality. Almost studies about prognostic factors have largely focused on the immunoco...

Authors: Chen Zhang, Zheren Tan and Fafa Tian

Cryptococcal meningitis and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in a pediatric patient with HIV after switching to second line antiretroviral therapy: a case report

Cryptococcal meningitis (CCM) is a common and deadly disease among HIV-infected patients. Notable about CCM is its association with the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). Though it has been po...

Authors: Ssegujja Boniface Joseph Otto, Paul E. George, Rebecca Mercedes and Nicolette Nabukeera-Barungi

HIV testing, test results and factors influencing among infants born to HIV positive mothers in public hospitals of Mekelle City, North Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Timely infant testing for HIV is critical to ensure optimal treatment outcomes among exposed infants. While world health organization recommends HIV exposed infants to be tested between 4 to 6 weeks of age, in...

Authors: Hiluf Ebuy, Alemayehu Bekele and Getachew Redae

HIV-1 CRF01_AE subtype and HIV-1 DNA level among patients with chronic HIV-1 infection: a correlation study

The impact of HIV-1 subtype (CRF01_AE and non-CRF01_AE) on HIV-1 DNA levels in HIV-1 chronically infected patients with suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains poorly understood. To evaluate the corre...

Authors: Tingxia Lyu, Yongsong Yue, Evelyn Hsieh, Yang Han, Ting Zhu, Xiaojing Song, Wei Cao, Wei Lyu, Jianhua Wang and Taisheng Li

Plasma levels of interleukin 27 in falciparum malaria is increased independently of co-infection with HIV: potential immune-regulatory role during malaria

The immune response during falciparum malaria mediates both harmful and protective effects on the host; however the participating molecules have not been fully defined. Interleukin (IL)-27 is a pleiotropic cyt...

Authors: Kari Otterdal, Aase Berg, Annika E. Michelsen, Sam Patel, Ida Gregersen, Ellen Lund Sagen, Bente Halvorsen, Arne Yndestad, Thor Ueland, Nina Langeland and Pål Aukrust

Risk factors of nosocomial infection after cardiac surgery in children with congenital heart disease

The aim of our study was to analyze the risk factors of nosocomial infection after cardiac surgery in children with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Authors: Xindi Yu, Maolin Chen, Xu Liu, Yiwei Chen, Zedong Hao, Haibo Zhang and Wei Wang

Imported loiasis in France: a retrospective analysis of 167 cases with comparison between sub-Saharan and non sub-Saharan African patients

Imported loiasis is a rare cause of consultation at the return of stay in central Africa, which often poses difficult diagnostic and therapeutic questions to practitioners especially those who are unaccustomed...

Authors: Olivier Bouchaud, Sophie Matheron, Anne Loarec, Jean Dupouy Camet, Patrice Bourée, Nadine Godineau, Isabelle Poilane, Johann Cailhol and Eric Caumes

World Health Organization (WHO) antibiotic regimen against other regimens for the treatment of leprosy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the World Health Organization antibiotic regimen for the treatment of paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) leprosy compared to other available regimens.

Authors: Maria Lazo-Porras, Gabriela J. Prutsky, Patricia Barrionuevo, Jose Carlos Tapia, Cesar Ugarte-Gil, Oscar J. Ponce, Ana Acuña-Villaorduña, Juan Pablo Domecq, Celso De la Cruz-Luque, Larry J. Prokop and Germán Málaga

Cryptococcal antigenemia is associated with meningitis or death in HIV-infected adults with CD4 100–200 cells/mm³

Cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening with fluconazole prophylaxis has been shown to prevent cryptococcal meningitis and mortality for people living with HIV (PLWH) with CD4 < 100 cells/mm³. While cryptococcal me...

Authors: James Wykowski, Sean R. Galagan, Sabina Govere, Carole L. Wallis, Mahomed-Yunus Moosa, Connie Celum and Paul K. Drain

Predictors for gram-negative monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis in southern Taiwan

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare and life-threatening necrotizing skin and soft-tissue infection. Infectious pathogens of NF must be detected early and treated rapidly to prevent loss of limb or a fatal ou...

Authors: Tsung-Yu Huang, Kuo-Ti Peng, Cheng-Ting Hsiao, Wen-Chih Fann, Yao-Hung Tsai, Yen-Yao Li, Chien-Hui Hung, Fang-Yi Chuang and Wei-Hsiu Hsu

Clinical and genetic markers associated with tuberculosis, HIV-1 infection, and TB/HIV-immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome outcomes

Tuberculosis (TB) and AIDS are the leading causes of infectious disease death worldwide. In some TB-HIV co-infected individuals treated for both diseases simultaneously, a pathological inflammatory reaction te...

Authors: Nathalia Beatriz Ramos de Sá, Marcelo Ribeiro-Alves, Tatiana Pereira da Silva, Jose Henrique Pilotto, Valeria Cavalcanti Rolla, Carmem B. W. Giacoia-Gripp, Daniel Scott-Algara, Mariza Gonçalves Morgado and Sylvia Lopes Maia Teixeira

Clinical experience with a novel assay measuring cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell immunity by flow cytometry and intracellular cytokine staining to predict clinically significant CMV events

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most common opportunistic infections following organ transplantation, despite administration of CMV prophylaxis. CMV-specific T-cell immunity (TCI) has been associ...

Authors: Ralph Rogers, Kapil Saharia, Aditya Chandorkar, Zoe F. Weiss, Kendra Vieira, Sophia Koo and Dimitrios Farmakiotis

The effect of therapeutic drug monitoring of beta-lactam and fluoroquinolones on clinical outcome in critically ill patients: the DOLPHIN trial protocol of a multi-centre randomised controlled trial

Critically ill patients undergo extensive physiological alterations that will have impact on antibiotic pharmacokinetics. Up to 60% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients meet the pharmacodynamic targets of bet...

Authors: A. Abdulla, T. M. J. Ewoldt, N. G. M. Hunfeld, A. E. Muller, W. J. R. Rietdijk, S. Polinder, T. van Gelder, H. Endeman and B. C. P. Koch

Nocardia farcinica as a cause of chronic meningitis – case report

Nocardiosis is an uncommon disease caused by aerobic gram-positive bacteria Nocardia spp. Although it is usually an opportunistic infection affecting immunocompromised patients, even one third of cases occur in i...

Authors: Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska, Piotr Czupryna, Izabela Swiecicka, Henryk Grześ, Agnieszka Siemieniako, Sambor Grygorczuk, Eugeniusz Tarasów and Sławomir Pancewicz

Antifungal resistance in patients with Candidaemia: a retrospective cohort study

Candidaemia is the most common form of invasive candidiasis. Resistant Candida blood stream infection (BSI) is rising, with limitations on the development of broader-spectrum antifungal agents worldwide. Our stud...

Authors: Namareq F. Aldardeer, Hadiel Albar, Majda Al-Attas, Abdelmoneim Eldali, Mohammed Qutub, Ashraf Hassanien and Basem Alraddadi

Fatal hemorrhagic varicella in a patient with abdominal pain: a case report

Varicella is normally a self-limited childhood disease caused by varicella-zoster virus infection. However, it sometimes causes severe diseases, especially in immunocompromised individuals. We report a case of...

Authors: Wei Zhang, Qiao-ling Ruan, Fang Yan and Yue-kai Hu

Chlamydia trachomatis isolated from cervicovaginal samples in Sapporo, Japan, reveals the circulation of genetically diverse strains

This study was conducted to understand the molecular epidemiology of circulating Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) strains in Sapporo, Japan.

Authors: Jeewan Thapa, Takanori Watanabe, Mana Isoba, Torahiko Okubo, Kiyotake Abe, Kunihiro Minami and Hiroyuki Yamaguchi

Comorbid status and the faecal microbial transplantation failure in treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection – pilot prospective observational cohort study

Faecal microbial transplantation (FMT) is currently the most effective treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). However, up to 20% of patients experience further recurrences after single F...

Authors: M. Kachlíková, P. Sabaka, A. Koščálová, M. Bendžala, Z. Dovalová and I. Stankovič

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia associated thrombosis at Beijing Children’s hospital

With the increase of awareness of mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP), we found thrombosis in severe MPP (SMPP) was not rare. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment, and...

Authors: Jinrong Liu, Ruxuan He, Runhui Wu, Bei Wang, Hui Xu, Yue Zhang, Huimin Li and Shunying Zhao

Incidence of common opportunistic infections among HIV-infected children on ART at Debre Markos referral hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a retrospective cohort study

Opportunistic infections (OIs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For better treatments and interventions, current and up-to-date in...

Authors: Mamaru Wubale Melkamu, Mulugeta Tesfa Gebeyehu, Abebe Dilie Afenigus, Yitbarek Tenaw Hibstie, Belisty Temesgen, Pammla Petrucka and Animut Alebel

Hepatitis B testing, treatment, and virologic suppression in HIV-infected patients in Cameroon (ANRS 12288 EVOLCAM)

Hepatitis B is a major concern in Africa, especially in HIV-infected patients. Unfortunately, access to hepatitis B virus (HBV) testing and adequate treatment remains a challenge in the continent. We investiga...

Authors: Florian Liégeois, Sylvie Boyer, Sabrina Eymard-Duvernay, Patrizia Carrieri, Charles Kouanfack, Jenny Domyeum, Gwenaëlle Maradan, Jacques Ducos, Eitel Mpoudi-Ngolé, Bruno Spire, Eric Delaporte, Christopher Kuaban, Laurent Vidal and Christian Laurent

Lymphedema in three previously Wuchereria bancrofti-endemic health districts in Mali after cessation of mass drug administration

Lymphedema is a public health problem in countries with lymphatic filariasis (LF) including Mali. We studied the epidemiology and clinical presentation of lymphedema in three previously LF-endemic health distr...

Authors: Housseini Dolo, Yaya Ibrahim Coulibaly, Fatoumata Nene Konipo, Siaka Yamoussa Coulibaly, Salif Seriba Doumbia, Moussa Brema Sangare, Lamine Soumaoro, Michel Emmanuel Coulibaly, Abdallah Amadou Diallo, Yaye Diarra, Modibo Sangare, Seydou Doumbia, Robert Colebunders and Thomas B. Nutman

Ureaplasma urealyticum disseminated multifocal abscesses in an immunocompromised adult patient: a case report

Ureaplasma urealyticum is a fastidious bacteria which lacks a cell wall. Extragenital infections are rare in immunocompetent adults. There are few literature reports of perinephric abscess. We present a case of n...

Authors: Carolina Diaz Pallares, Thomas Griener and Stephen Vaughan

The changing epidemiology of hepatitis B and C infections in Nanoro, rural Burkina Faso: a random sampling survey

This study sought to provide up-to-date hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) seroprevalence in rural Burkina Faso decade after hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in the national immunization scheduled for children.

Authors: Moussa Lingani, Tomoyuki Akita, Serge Ouoba, Shintaro Nagashima, Palwende Romuald Boua, Kazuaki Takahashi, Basile Kam, Aya Sugiyama, Théodore Nikiema, Chikako Yamamoto, Athanase Somé, Karim Derra, Ko Ko, Hermann Sorgho, Zekiba Tarnagda, Halidou Tinto…

Diagnosis of severe community-acquired pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii through next-generation sequencing: a case report

Acinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative aerobic bacillus that is commonly causes of hospital-acquired infections. Community-acquired pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii (CAP-Ab) is rare but fatal if di...

Authors: Ancong Xu, Hong Zhu, Bingqi Gao, Haixu Weng, Zhangna Ding, Mianmian Li, Xing Weng and Guoxin He

Anticipated HIV stigma among HIV negative men who have sex with men in China: a cross-sectional study

Anticipated HIV stigma, i.e., the expectation of adverse experiences from one’s seroconversion, is associated with both negative psychological and behavioral outcomes. We know little about anticipated HIV stig...

Authors: Chuncheng Liu, Ye Zhang, Stephen W. Pan, Bolin Cao, Jason J. Ong, Hongyun Fu, Dan Wu, Rong Fu, Chongyi Wei, Joseph D. Tucker and Weiming Tang

Pertussis in infants, in their mothers and other contacts in Casablanca, Morocco

In recent decades, there has been a marked increase in the number of reported cases of pertussis around the world, and pertussis continues to be a frequently occurring disease despite an effective childhood va...

Authors: Khalid Katfy, Idrissa Diawara, Fakhredine Maaloum, Siham Aziz, Nicole Guiso, Hassan Fellah, Bouchra Slaoui, Khalid Zerouali, Houria Belabbes and Naima Elmdaghri

Does phone messaging improves tuberculosis treatment success? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Compliance to anti-TB treatment is crucial in achieving cure and avoiding the emergence of drug resistance. Electronic health (eHealth) interventions are included in the strategy to end the global Tuberculosis...

Authors: Kassahun Dessie Gashu, Kassahun Alemu Gelaye, Zeleke Abebaw Mekonnen, Richard Lester and Binyam Tilahun

Prevention of post-splenectomy sepsis in patients with asplenia - a study protocol of a controlled trial

Patients with asplenia have a significantly increased lifelong risk of severe invasive infections, particular post-splenectomy sepsis (PSS). Clear preventive measures have been described in the literature, but...

Authors: Marianne Bayrhuber, Natascha Anka, Johannes Camp, Manuela Glattacker, Erik Farin and Siegbert Rieg

Malaria in patients with sickle cell anaemia: burden, risk factors and outcome at the Laquintinie hospital, Cameroon

It is believed that the current prevalence of malaria in endemic areas reflects selection for the carrier form of sickle cell trait through a survival advantage. Malaria has been incriminated as a great cause ...

Authors: Ngo Linwa Esther Eleonore, Samuel Nambile Cumber, Eposse Ekoube Charlotte, Esuh Esong Lucas, Mandeng Ma Linwa Edgar, Claude Ngwayu Nkfusai, Meh Martin Geh, Budzi Michael Ngenge, Fala Bede, Nzozone Henry Fomukong, Henri Lucien Fouammo Kamga and Dora Mbanya

Filling the gaps in global antimicrobial resistance research/surveillance

Authors: Luis Furuya-Kanamori and Laith Yakob

Comparative study of Revogene GBS LB assay and GeneXpert GBS LB assay for the detection of group B Streptococcus in prenatal screening samples

Group B Streptococcal (GBS) infections in the United States are a leading cause of meningitis and sepsis in newborns. The CDC therefore recommends GBS screening for all pregnant women at 35–37 weeks of gestati...

Authors: Tsokyi Choera, Brittney Jung-Hynes and Derrick J. Chen

Prevalence of diarrhoea and associated risk factors among children under five years old in Pader District, northern Uganda

Diarrhoea remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa. Of the three East African countries, Uganda has the worst mortality rate in children < 5 years, with ...

Authors: Stephen Omona, Geoffrey M. Malinga, Robert Opoke, Geoffrey Openy and Robert Opiro

Peritonitis secondary to hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: a case report in GuangZhou China

Hantavirus infection is worldwide epidemic and can cause life-threatening consequences. With more and more cases reported in countries with atypical morbidity, it is necessarily urgent to know some atypical sy...

Authors: Na Huang, Nan Liu and Jianhui Lu

Molecular characterization of Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from pregnant women and newborns at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Streptococcus agalctiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) is a perinatal pathogen and a leading cause of neonatal infections worldwide. Serotype, sequence type, clonality, antibiotic resistance genes and surface prote...

Authors: Mucheye Gizachew, Moges Tiruneh, Feleke Moges, Mulat Adefris, Zemene Tigabu and Belay Tessema

The potential impact of climate change on the transmission risk of tick-borne encephalitis in Hungary

Impact of climate change on tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) prevalence in the tick-host enzootic cycle in a given region depends on how the region-specific climate change patterns influence tick population devel...

Authors: Kyeongah Nah, Ákos Bede-Fazekas, Attila János Trájer and Jianhong Wu

Diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert MTB/Rif Ultra for tuberculosis adenitis

The WHO recently recommended the new Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay (Ultra) instead of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay because Ultra has improved sensitivity. We report the diagnostic accuracy of Ultra for tuberculous aden...

Authors: Katherine Antel, Jenna Oosthuizen, Francois Malherbe, Vernon J. Louw, Mark P. Nicol, Gary Maartens and Estelle Verburgh

Prevalence and antifungal susceptibility of Candida albicans causing vaginal discharge among pregnant women in Lebanon

Vaginal candidiasis is frequent in pregnant women and is associated with sepsis and adverse neonatal outcomes. This study determined the prevalence of candida species in symptomatic pregnant women and evaluated t...

Authors: Nahed Ghaddar, Elie Anastasiadis, Rawad Halimeh, Ali Ghaddar, Rita Dhar, Wadha AlFouzan, Hoda Yusef and Mira El Chaar

A new grounded theory model of sexual adjustment to HIV: facilitators of sexual adjustment and recommendations for clinical practice

Life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLWH) is increasing. Effective biomedical prevention methods (treatment as prevention and preexposure prophylaxis) are being widely implemented in high-income nations...

Authors: Ben Huntingdon, Louise Sharpe, John de Wit, Martin Duracinsky and Ilona Juraskova

Treatment outcomes of patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving sofosbuvir-based combination therapy within national hepatitis C elimination program in the country of Georgia

Georgia has one of the highest HCV prevalence in the world and launched the world’s first national HCV elimination programs in 2015. Georgia set the ambitious target of diagnosing 90% of people living with HCV...

Authors: Tengiz Tsertsvadze, Amiran Gamkrelidze, Muazzam Nasrullah, Lali Sharvadze, Juliette Morgan, Shaun Shadaker, Lia Gvinjilia, Maia Butsashvili, David Metreveli, Vakhtang Kerashvili, Marina Ezugbaia, Nikoloz Chkhartishvili, Akaki Abutidze, Valeri Kvaratskhelia and Francisco Averhoff

Changes in pneumococcal carriage prevalence and factors associated with carriage in Norwegian children, four years after introduction of PCV13

Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage is often asymptomatic but can cause invasive pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal carriage is a prerequisite for disease, with children as main reservoir and transmitters. Childhoo...

Authors: A. Løvlie, D. F. Vestrheim, I. S. Aaberge and A. Steens

Zoonotic transmission of Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus species in Guilan province, northern Iran: molecular and morphological characterizations

Parasitic trichostrongyloid nematodes have a worldwide distribution in ruminants and frequently have been reported from humans in Middle and Far East, particularly in rural communities with poor personal hygie...

Authors: Keyhan Ashrafi, Meysam Sharifdini, Zahra Heidari, Behnaz Rahmati and Eshrat Beigom Kia

High prevalent human papillomavirus infections of the oral cavity of asymptomatic HIV-positive men

Incidence of anal and oral infections with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is increasing, particularly among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-positive (HIV+) men. HPV type 16 has exhibited the highest incidence and onl...

Authors: Rocío Méndez-Martínez, Silvia Maldonado-Frías, Salvador Vázquez-Vega, Yanink Caro-Vega, José Guadalupe Rendón-Maldonado, Miriam Guido-Jiménez, Brenda Crabtree-Ramírez, Juan G. Sierra-Madero and Alejandro García-Carrancá

Sero-prevalence and risk factors of brucellosis among suspected febrile patients attending a referral hospital in southern Saudi Arabia (2014–2018)

Human brucellosis is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by Brucella spp. It is one of the most public health problems that remains largely neglected in developing counties, including Saudi Arabia. Brucellosis ...

Authors: Abdullah M. Alkahtani, Mohammed M. Assiry, Harish C. Chandramoorthy, Ahmed M. Al-Hakami and Mohamed E. Hamid