Monocyte transcriptome signatures of inflammation and enhanced neutrophil recruitment characterize immunopathology in the blood of tuberculosis patients.

Tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by immunopathology in the blood and monocytes have been shown to be highly sensitive to plasma environment changes in TB patients. Here, we investigated TB plasma effects on 'reference monocytes' using RNA sequencing to characterize a potential immunomodulatory role of monocytes in TB. Candidate pathways induced by plasma samples from TB patients (n=99) compared to healthy controls (n=62) were analyzed for changes in signal transduction, phenotype and secreted cytokines by flow cytometry.

Concomitant parasite infections influence tuberculosis immunopathology and favor rapid sputum conversion of pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Immunopathology of human tuberculosis (TB) in a subgroup of patients is characterized by aberrantly high concentrations of inflammatory cytokines, for example Interleukin (IL)-6. Concomitant (co-)infections by parasites can affect host immunity, but the impact on immunopathology in TB patients is poorly defined. Here we characterized a group of patients with TB ( n = 76) from Ghana with different protozoan and helminth co-infections.

Efficacy of Intensified Hygiene Measures with or without the Addition of Doxycycline in the Management of Filarial Lymphedema: A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial in Tanzania.

Lymphedema, hydrocele, and acute adenolymphangitis (ADL) are chronically disabling consequences in patients with lymphatic filariasis (LF). Provision of morbidity management and disability prevention and concurrent mass drug administration of anthelmintics are two pillars for elimination of LF. This study assessed the impact of strict hygiene protocols with or without doxycycline on the progression of filarial lymphedema.

Association of haemato-biochemical indices and blood composite ratios with microfilaridermia in Onchocerciasis patients.

Background: Onchocerciasis causes chronic systemic inflammation. Several studies have used markers such as haemato-biochemical indices to predict the occurrence of systemic inflammation. This study assessed the variability and predictability of haemato-biochemical indices and blood composite ratios (BCRs) in microfilariae positive (MF+) and microfilariae negative (MF-) subgroups of onchocercomata participants.

: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Countries in the WHO's African region have found community-based surveillance useful in ensuring the effectiveness of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response strategy. This approach encourages community participation in the surveillance system, in addition to early detection of outbreaks and other health threats. Thus, advancements in mobile health have the potential to improve community-based surveillance in Africa.

Diminished Interleukin-7 receptor expression on T-cell subsets in tuberculosis patients.

Immunopathology in human tuberculosis affects T-cell phenotype and functions. Previous studies identified impaired T-cell sensitivity to Interleukin (IL)-7 accompanied by lower IL-7 receptor α-chain (IL-7Rα) expression in patients with acute tuberculosis. In the present study, we characterized affected T-cell subsets and determined the influence of tuberculosis disease severity and treatment response.

Plasma levels of fibrinolytic and coagulation biomarkers in HIV-infected individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy: A case-control study in a Northern Ghanaian population.

Background And Aim: Impaired coagulation and fibrinolysis have been implicated in thromboembolism in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. This study evaluated the plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and coagulation biomarkers in HIV-infected individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Methods: This matched case-control study from March to December, 2020 comprised 76 participants: 38 HIV-positive individuals on HAART and 38 apparently healthy HIV-negative individuals as controls.

Stage-Dependent Increase of Systemic Immune Activation and CCR5CD4 T Cells in Filarial Driven Lymphedema in Ghana and Tanzania.

Chronic lymphedema caused by infection of is a disfiguring disease that leads to physical disability, stigmatization, and reduced quality of life. The edematous changes occur mainly on the lower extremities and can progress over time due to secondary bacterial infections. In this study, we characterized participants with filarial lymphedema from Ghana and Tanzania as having low (stage 1-2), intermediate (stage 3-4), or advanced (stage 5-7) lymphedema to determine CD4 T cell activation patterns and markers associated with immune cell exhaustion.

Reduced Type 2 Innate Lymphocyte Cell Frequencies in Patent -Infected Individuals.

Approximately 51 million individuals suffer from lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused mainly by the filarial worm . Mass drug administration (MDA) programs led to a significant reduction in the number of infected individuals, but the consequences of the treatment and clearance of infection in regard to host immunity remain uncertain. Thus, this study investigates the composition of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), macrophage subsets and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), in patent (circulating filarial antigen (CFA)+ microfilariae (MF)+) and latent (CFA+MF-) -infected individuals, previously -infected (PI) individuals cured of the infection due to MDA, uninfected controls (endemic normal (EN)) and individuals who suffer from lymphoedema (LE) from the Western Region of Ghana.

Monocyte pathology in human tuberculosis is due to plasma milieu changes and aberrant STAT signalling.

Monocyte-derived macrophages contribute centrally to immune protection in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and changes in monocyte phenotype characterize immunopathology in tuberculosis patients. Recent studies highlighted an important role of the plasma milieu in tuberculosis immunopathology. Here, we investigated monocyte pathology in patients with acute tuberculosis and determined tuberculosis plasma milieu effects on phenotype as well as cytokine signalling of reference monocytes.

BCG-Vaccinated Children with Contact to Tuberculosis Patients Show Delayed Conversion of -Specific IFN-γ Release.

BCG vaccination is recommended for healthy babies after birth in several countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis, including Ghana. Previous studies showed that BCG vaccination prevents individuals from developing severe clinical manifestations of tuberculosis, but BCG vaccination effects on the induction of IFN-γ after infection have hardly been investigated. Here, we performed IFN-γ-based T-cell assays (i.

Histopathological evaluation of nodules by microscopy and by digital image analysis for the study of macrofilaricidal drug efficacy.

Background: Novel drugs or drug combinations that kill or permanently sterilize adult worms would be very helpful for treatment and elimination of onchocerciasis. In absence of a reliable biomarker for viable adult worms, histopathological assessment of worms within onchocercal nodules is a standard method to determine macrofilaricidal activity. The goal of the present study was to determine the agreement between two independent experts in the analysis of nodule sections and to assess the value of digital imaging as a means of standardizing the analysis.

Impaired T-cell response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in tuberculosis patients is associated with high IL-6 plasma levels and normalizes early during anti-mycobacterial treatment.

Purpose: Human tuberculosis is characterized by immunopathology that affects T-cell phenotype and functions. Previous studies found impaired T-cell response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in patients with acute tuberculosis. However, the influence of disease severity, affected T-cell subsets, and underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

T-Cell Responses Against Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Protein Extracts Identify Children With Buruli Ulcer Disease.

Immune-based diagnosis of Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) in children is difficult due to cross-reactivity between mycobacteria. We found that T-cell IFNγ/TNFα responses against Mycobacterium (M.) ulcerans and M.

Effect of pulmonary tuberculosis on natural anticoagulant activity in therapy-naïve Ghanaian adults; a case-control study.

Tuberculosis constitutes a global emergency as it affects one-third of the world's inhabitants. Although Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is curable, immunological responses to the infection induce several hematological derangements. This study evaluated the effect of PTB on natural anticoagulant activity and CBC indices.

Filarial Lymphedema Patients Are Characterized by Exhausted CD4 T Cells.

Worldwide, more than 200 million people are infected with filariae which can cause severe symptoms leading to reduced quality of life and contribute to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). In particular, lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by can lead to lymphedema (LE) and consequently presents a serious health problem. To understand why only a fraction of the infected individuals develop pathology, it is essential to understand how filariae regulate host immunity.