Publications by authors named "Ajassa C"

Background: Since the discovery of SARS-CoV-2, no treatment has been able to completely eradicate the virus. The study aimed to evaluate the virological and clinical impact of the vaccination in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients treated with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).

Methods: This single-centre, observational, retrospective, real-life study was performed on SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic outpatients and inpatients treated with mAbs from March 2021 to November 2022 includes 726 patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • Enteroviruses (EVs) are common worldwide pathogens, primarily impacting children and causing a range of illnesses, including aseptic meningitis, but their true prevalence and epidemiology remain poorly understood.
  • Research focused on the Lazio region over a decade revealed changes in EV infection trends, particularly influenced by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with a return to pre-pandemic circulation patterns by 2022 but with shifts in dominant strains identified.
  • Ongoing studies are essential to understand the pathogenic potential of prevalent strains and to identify any new recombinant variants.
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Introduction: Considering the reported efficacy of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against the Spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in reducing disease severity, the aim of this study was to investigate the innate immune response before and after mAbs treatment in 72 vaccinated and 31 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 patients.

Methods: The mRNA levels of IFN-I, IFN-related genes and cytokines were evaluated using RT/real-time quantitative PCR.

Results: Vaccinated patients showed increased rate of negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests on nasopharyngeal swab compared with unvaccinated ones after mAbs treatment (p = .

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Introduction: Since early January 2017, a new measles outbreak in Italy has been observed. The aim of the study was to compare features between adults and children measles cases and evaluate the effect of steroid treatment on the above parameters.

Methods: A retrospective multicenter, descriptive study was performed.

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Introduction: Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare and life-threatening condition caused by uncontrolled immune activation leading to excessive inflammation and tissue destruction. It could either be due to a primary genetic defect or be triggered by secondary causes such as infections, autoimmune diseases, rheumatological diseases or post-transplant immunosuppression. We here report the case of a 4-year-old child with a recent AIDS diagnosis who developed a severe systemic inflammation.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzed clinical characteristics and mortality risk factors for COVID-19 patients in an Italian hospital from March to May 2020, involving 258 patients with a mortality rate of 13.2%.
  • Key findings included that most patients were middle-aged (median age 62), with common symptoms like fever and cough, and a significant number had underlying health issues (66.7%).
  • Factors associated with higher mortality included older age, being male, high blood urea levels, and a decreased PaO2/FiO2 ratio, indicating severity in respiratory distress.
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This study aims to investigate whether HCWs infected with COVID-19 may experience potential psychological consequences and a higher incidence of depression, anxiety, work-related stress, and burnout compared to non-infected HCWs. A case-control study with 774 participants was conducted comparing COVID-19-infected HCWs (cases) and non-infected HCWs (controls) from the Occupational Medicine Unit at the Teaching Hospital Policlinico Umberto I, who were administered the same questionnaire including Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and Karasek's Job Content Questionnaire. No differences in the levels of burnout and decision latitude were found between the two groups.

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Objective: SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) has been identified in China as responsible for viral pneumonia, now called COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). Patients infected can develop common symptoms like cough and sore throat, and, in severe cases, acute respiratory syndrome and even death. To optimize the available resources, it is necessary to identify in advance the subjects that will develop a more serious illness, therefore requiring intensive care.

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Neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection can occur antenatally, peripartum, or postnatally. In the newborn, clinical manifestations may vary including fever and respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms. Most commonly, they are subclinical.

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As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection continues its spread all over the world, data on perinatal management of the maternal-infant dyad are urgent. We performed an observational study to describe the effects of the early separation of the maternal-infant dyad, in case of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. We reported the medical records for 37 neonates born to 37 SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers in a setting of separation of the dyad after birth.

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Background: Emerging evidence argues that monocytes, circulating innate immune cells, are principal players in COVID-19 pneumonia. The study aimed to investigate the role of soluble (s)CD163 and sCD14 plasmatic levels in predicting disease severity and characterize peripheral blood monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs), in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (COVID-19 subjects).

Methods: On admission, in COVID-19 subjects sCD163 and sCD14 plasmatic levels, and peripheral blood monocyte and DC subsets were compared to healthy donors (HDs).

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Background: The purpose of the study was to assess biventricular parameters of wall deformation with three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) in adolescents and young adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on antiretroviral therapy in order to detect a possible subclinical myocardial dysfunction.

Methods: Twenty-one patients aged 12-39 years with HIV, 21 normal controls of the same age and sex, and 21 patients with idiopathic nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were studied with 3DSTE. All HIV patients were stable in terms of HIV infection, with no history of heart disease or other chronic systemic disease except HIV infection, and were on highly active antiretroviral therapy with good immunological control.

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Drug-induced aseptic meningitis (DIAM) represents a diagnostic challenge since clinical and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings may be indistinguishable from a bacterial meningitis. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) are commonly used in a variety of diseases, including inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Although usually well-tolerated, various adverse effects have been reported.

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Rationale: Tuberculous meningitis is a highly morbid, often fatal disease.

Patient Concern: We describe a case of an Italian child. DIAGNOSES:: we diagnosed early a Tuberculous meningitis complicated by the occurrence of hydrocephalus, stroke, and paradoxical reaction with brain pseudo-abscesses.

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Background: Pediatric tuberculous meningitis is a highly morbid, often fatal disease. Its prompt diagnosis and treatment saves lives, in fact delays in the initiation of therapy have been associated with high mortality rates.

Case Presentation: This is a case of an Italian child who was diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis after a history of a month of headache, fatigue and weight loss.

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Myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) play a complex role in HIV infection regardless of viral replication. The aim of our study was to analyse mDCs in long term antiretroviral therapy (ART)- suppressed HIV-infected patients. We evaluated the numbers of mDCs and slanDC in the context of different degree of CD4+ T cell recovery, persistent T cell activation (as HLA-DR+/CD3+ expression) and monocyte-macrophage activation assessed in terms of circulating levels of both sCD14 and sCD163.

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Dual therapies, including protease inhibitor + maraviroc (MVC), may represent an alternative to traditional regimens for management of HIV infection. The aim of this in vitro study was to assess the effects of darunavir (DRV) alone or in combination with MVC on cell apoptosis and chemotaxis. A significant decrease of cell apoptosis was found after DRV treatment.

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Background: The optimal therapeutic strategies for patients presenting with advanced disease at HIV-1 diagnosis are as yet incompletely defined.

Methods: All patients presenting at two outpatient clinics in 2000-2009 with an AIDS-defining clinical condition or a CD4+ T cell count < 200/μL at HIV-1 diagnosis were analyzed for the presence of combined immunovirological response, defined by the concomitant presence of an absolute number of CD4+ T cells > 200 cells/μL and a plasma HIV-1 RNA copy number < 50/mL after 12 months of HAART.

Results: Among 102 evaluable patients, first-line regimens were protease inhibitors [PI]-based in 78 cases (77%) and efavirenz-based in 24 cases (23%).

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Tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) have been proposed for serial testing in tuberculosis. In the present study, we assessed the effect of TST on subsequent QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) results by monitoring the evolution of responses during a follow-up period of 6 weeks. One hundred and two subjects were initially tested with QFT-GIT and subsequently with TST; then the QFT-GIT was performed serially 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after the TST.

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We report a localized submandibular lymph node infection in a patient with cat scratch disease. Directly performing real-time polymerase chain reaction assay on the biopsy sample, Bartonella henselae DNA was simultaneously detected and identified.

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Cerebellar disorders due to herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection are rare and always associated with herpes simplex encephalitis. We report 2 cases of severe primary acute cerebellitis caused by HSV type 1 that were identified by nested polymerase chain reaction performed on cerebrospinal fluid samples.

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Purpose: To evaluate the role of sonography (US) in the evaluation of parotid gland alterations in HIV+ children, in order to show their presence, severity, specificity, relationship with clinical and laboratory data and sensitivity to new drugs.

Material And Methods: From June 2000 to December 2000 twenty-two consecutive HIV+ children (12 males and 10 females, mean age 9.7) undergoing HAART were prospectively examined with US.

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