Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease.

Background: Neoehrlichia mikurensis infections can cause symptomatic disease, particular among immunosuppressed persons. Long-lasting asymptomatic carriage of N. mikurensis may be common in endemic areas.

Prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the Norwegian population, August 2021.

Background: One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Norway was still low. In January 2021, when the Norwegian COVID-19 vaccination campaign started, the national seroprevalence estimate of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 3.2%.

Laboratory Methods for Detection of Infectious Agents and Serological Response in Humans With Tick-Borne Infections: A Systematic Review of Evaluations Based on Clinical Patient Samples.

For the most important and well-known infections spread by ticks, Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), there are recommendations for diagnosis and management available from several health authorities and professional medical networks. However, other tick-borne microorganisms with potential to cause human disease are less known and clear recommendations on diagnosis and management are scarce. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of published studies and reviews focusing on evaluation of laboratory methods for clinical diagnosis of human tick-borne diseases (TBDs), other than acute LB and TBE.

Pertussis seroprevalence among adults of reproductive age (20-39 years) in fourteen European countries.

The reported incidence of pertussis in European countries varies considerably. We aimed to study specific Bordetella pertussis seroprevalence in Europe by measuring serum IgG antibody levels to pertussis toxin (anti-PT IgG). Fourteen national laboratories participated in this study including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Sweden.

Subjective health complaints and exposure to tick-borne infections in southern Norway.

Objectives: Whether tick-borne infections can cause chronic subjective health complaints is heavily debated. If such a causal connection exists, one would expect to find more health complaints among individuals exposed to tick-borne infections than among non-exposed. In this study, we aimed to assess if exposure to tick-borne infections earlier in life, evaluated by examination of serum for IgG antibodies to tick-borne microbes, was associated with self-reported somatic symptom load.

Human seroprevalence of antibodies to tick-borne microbes in southern Norway.

The tick Ixodes ricinus is widespread along the coastline of southern Norway, but data on human exposure to tick-borne microbes are scarce. We aimed to assess the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to various tick-borne microbes in the general adult population living in a Norwegian municipality where ticks are abundant. Søgne is a coastline municipality in the southernmost part of Norway, and has a high density of ticks.

A Monoclonal Antibody against 6-Acetylmorphine Protects Female Mice Offspring from Adverse Behavioral Effects Induced by Prenatal Heroin Exposure.

Escalating opioid use among fertile women has increased the number of children being exposed to opioids during fetal life. Furthermore, accumulating evidence links prenatal opioid exposure, including opioid maintenance treatment, to long-term negative effects on cognition and behavior, and presses the need to explore novel treatment strategies for pregnant opioid users. The present study examined the potential of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting heroin's first metabolite, 6-acetylmorphine (6-AM), in providing fetal protection against harmful effects of prenatal heroin exposure in mice.

Are the current notification criteria for Lyme borreliosis in Norway suitable? Results of an evaluation of Lyme borreliosis surveillance in Norway, 1995-2013.

Background: The approach to surveillance of Lyme borreliosis varies between countries, depending on the purpose of the surveillance system and the notification criteria used, which prevents direct comparison of national data. In Norway, Lyme borreliosis is notifiable to the Surveillance System for Communicable Diseases (MSIS). The current notification criteria include a combination of clinical and laboratory results for borrelia infection (excluding Erythema migrans) but there are indications that these criteria are not followed consistently by clinicians and by laboratories.

Validate or falsify: Lessons learned from a microscopy method claimed to be useful for detecting Borrelia and Babesia organisms in human blood.

Background: A modified microscopy protocol (the LM-method) was used to demonstrate what was interpreted as Borrelia spirochetes and later also Babesia sp., in peripheral blood from patients. The method gained much publicity, but was not validated prior to publication, which became the purpose of this study using appropriate scientific methodology, including a control group.

Geographical differences in seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in Norway, 2011-2013.

Detection of specific antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is a useful aid for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. However, antibodies are present in the general population. The seroprevalence increase with age, and varies according to the prevalence of infected ticks.

Cellular Immune Responses in Humans Induced by Two Serogroup B Meningococcal Outer Membrane Vesicle Vaccines Given Separately and in Combination.

MenBvac and MeNZB are safe and efficacious outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccines against serogroup B meningococcal disease. Antibody responses have previously been investigated in a clinical trial with these two OMV vaccines given separately (25 μg/dose) or in combination (12.5 and 12.

Etiology of Pneumonia in a Pediatric Population with High Pneumococcal Vaccine Coverage: A Prospective Study.

Background: Improved Childhood Immunizations Programs, especially the introduction of pneumococcal vaccination, better diagnostic methods and the importance of reduced antibiotic misuse, make this a critical time to increase knowledge on the etiology of pediatric pneumonia. Our main objective was to identify the contribution of various microbiological species that causes pneumonia in previously healthy children and adolescents in a population with high pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage.

Methods: This prospective, observational study enrolled patients with clinical and radiological signs of pneumonia over a 2-year period.

Fc Engineering of Human IgG1 for Altered Binding to the Neonatal Fc Receptor Affects Fc Effector Functions.

Engineering of the constant Fc part of monoclonal human IgG1 (hIgG1) Abs is an approach to improve effector functions and clinical efficacy of next-generation IgG1-based therapeutics. A main focus in such development is tailoring of in vivo half-life and transport properties by engineering the pH-dependent interaction between IgG and the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), as FcRn is the main homeostatic regulator of hIgG1 half-life. However, whether such engineering affects binding to other Fc-binding molecules, such as the classical FcγRs and complement factor C1q, has not been studied in detail.

Anti-pertussis antibody kinetics following DTaP-IPV booster vaccination in Norwegian children 7-8 years of age.

At the age of 7-8 years a booster of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and polio vaccine is recommended for children in Norway. In this cross-sectional study we have analysed the antibody levels against pertussis vaccine antigens in sera from 498 children aged 6-12 years. The purposes of this study were to investigate the duration of the booster response against the pertussis vaccine antigens pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA); to determine the presence of high levels of pertussis antibodies in absence of recent vaccination; and to analyse how booster immunisation may interfere with the serological pertussis diagnostics.

Experimental infection of healthy volunteers with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli wild-type strain TW10598 in a hospital ward.

Background: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an important cause of childhood diarrhea in resource-limited regions. It is also an important cause of diarrhea in travellers to these areas.To evaluate the protective efficacy of new ETEC vaccines that are under development, there is a need to increase the capacity to undertake Phase IIB (human challenge) clinical trials and to develop suitable challenge models.

Human antibody responses to pneumococcal surface protein A and capsular polysaccharides during acute and convalescent stages of invasive disease in adult patients.

The IgG antibody responses to pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) and capsular polysaccharides in acute and convalescent-phase sera from 10 adult patients with invasive pneumococcal disease were analysed. The relatedness between the strains were characterized by capsular serotyping (1, 4, 7F, 9V, 12F and 19F), multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and sequencing of the gene coding for PspA. Immunoblotting with the patient's own infecting strain used as whole cell antigen revealed strong antibody responses to PspA in 4 of 10 patients.

Immunization of teenagers with a fifth dose of reduced DTaP-IPV induces high levels of pertussis antibodies with a significant increase in opsonophagocytic activity.

Waning vaccine-induced immunity against Bordetella pertussis is observed among adolescents and adults. A high incidence of pertussis has been reported in this population, which serves as a reservoir for B. pertussis.

Polyreactivity of monoclonal antibodies made against human erythrocyte membranes with various pathogenic bacteria.

Glycophorins comprise the major sialoglycoproteins of the human erythrocyte membrane. Several years ago we described a murine monoclonal antibody (MAb), designated 124,D-7 (IgM), developed by in vitro immunization with human erythrocyte membranes as antigen. We found the MAb reacted with a neuraminidase-dependent epitope on glycophorin A.

Critical roles of complement and antibodies in host defense mechanisms against Neisseria meningitidis as revealed by human complement genetic deficiencies.

Certain complement defects are associated with an increased propensity to contract Neisseria meningitidis infections. We performed detailed analyses of complement-mediated defense mechanisms against N. meningitidis 44/76 with whole blood and serum from two adult patients who were completely C2 or C5 deficient.

The surface-associated elongation factor Tu is concealed for antibody binding on viable pneumococci and meningococci.

Proteome analyses revealed that elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu) is associated with cytoplasmic membranes of Gram-positive bacteria and outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. It is still debatable whether EF-Tu is located on the external side or the internal side of the membranes. Here, we have generated two new monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and polyclonal rabbit antibodies against pneumococcal EF-Tu.

Identification of genes particularly sensitive to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human monocytes induced by wild-type versus LPS-deficient Neisseria meningitidis strains.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer membrane of Neisseria meningitidis plays a dominant role as an inflammation-inducing molecule in meningococcal disease. We have used microarray analysis to study the global gene expression after exposure of human monocytes for 3 h to wild-type N. meningitidis (10(6)), LPS-deficient N.

Immunogenicity and safety of a combination of two serogroup B meningococcal outer membrane vesicle vaccines.

MenBvac and MeNZB are safe and efficacious vaccines against serogroup B meningococcal disease. MenBvac is prepared from a B:15:P1.7,16 meningococcal strain (strain 44/76), and MeNZB is prepared from a B:4:P1.

Opsonophagocytic activity and other serological indications of Bordetella pertussis infection in military recruits in Norway.

Bordetella pertussis is the causative agent of pertussis (whooping cough). Despite high vaccination coverage, pertussis remains a significant disease in many countries. Besides vaccination, transient carriage of Bordetella spp.