Diagnostic Accuracy of Five Molecular Assays for the Detection of Dengue Virus.

: The steady spread of dengue virus (DENV) poses a profound public health threat worldwide. Reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT2-PCR) has been increasingly recognized as a reference method for the diagnosis of acute dengue infection. The goal of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of five different RT2-PCR kits for the detection of DENV in a historically processed set of sera samples.

Co-detection of respiratory pathogens among ILI patients: characterization of samples collected during the 2018/19 and 2019/20 pre-pandemic seasons.

Influenza-like illness (ILI) patients co-detected with respiratory pathogens exhibit poorer health outcomes than those with single infections. To address the paucity of knowledge concerning the incidence of concurrent respiratory pathogens, their relationships, and the clinical differences between patients detected with single and multiple pathogens, we performed an in-depth characterization of the oropharyngeal samples of primary care patients collected in Genoa (Northwest Italy), during winter seasons 2018/19-2019/20.The apriori algorithm was employed to evaluate the incidence of viral, bacterial, and viral-bacterial pairs during the study period.

COVID-19 throughout pandemic waves and virus variants: a real-life experience in an Italian hospital.

New therapies and vaccines changed the management of COVID-19. The aim of this retrospective study was to describe characteristics, in-hospital mortality and its predictors in patients with moderate/severe COVID-19, considering the 4 different pandemic waves and viral variants' prevalence from February 2020 to January 2022. Among 1135 patients included, 873 (77%) had at least one comorbidity, 177 (16%) were immunocompromised.

Influenza epidemiology and vaccine effectiveness during the 2023/2024 season in Italy: A test-negative case-control study.

Objectives: In order to support policymakers in allocating resources, we aimed to assess vaccine effectiveness (VE) of inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) available for Italian adults in the 2023/2024 season.

Methods: A hospital-based test-negative case-control study was conducted in Genoa between mid-October 2023 and mid-April 2024. Adult (≥18 years) inpatients with prescription of a polymerase chain reaction test for influenza were eligible.

Molecular Diagnosis of Human Monkeypox Virus during 2022-23 Outbreak: Preliminary Evaluation of Novel Real-Time Qualitative PCR Assays.

In 2022-23, the human monkeypox virus (MPXV) caused a global outbreak in several non-endemic countries. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of four qualitative PCR assays for the laboratory diagnosis of mpox (monkeypox) monkeypox disease. From July to August 2022, 27 positive and 10 negative specimens (lesion, crust and exudate swabs) were tested in the laboratory of the Hygiene Unit of the San Martino Hospital (Genoa, Italy) by using home-made real-time PCR to detect MPXV generic G2R_G DNA.

Clinical and Radiological Features of Pneumonia in Children: A Case Series.

Background: pneumonia (PJP) has high mortality rates in immunocompromised children, even though routine prophylaxis has decreased in incidence. The aim of this case series is to present the radiological and clinical pathway of PJP in a pediatric population.

Description Of Cases: All PJP cases in non-HIV/AIDS patients diagnosed at Istituto Giannina Gaslini Pediatric Hospital in Genoa (Italy) from January 2012 until October 2022 were retrospectively evaluated.

Influenza-like illness surveillance may underestimate the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus in adult outpatients.

Objectives: Although respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory infections (ARIs), it is unclear which of the case definitions that prompt swab collection predicts RSV best. We aimed to profile RSV-positive adults and to identify possible RSV case definitions.

Methods: This individual-based pooled analysis was based on influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance conducted among Italian outpatient adults.

Adenovirus infection in adult patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Incidence, clinical management, and outcome.

Background: Adenovirus infection (ADVi) is an emergent complication in adult patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and is associated with poor outcome. Available data on risk factors and optimal management of ADVi in adult allo-HSCT recipients are limited, and recommendations on monitoring and pre-emptive therapy are mainly based on pediatric data.

Methods: In this single-center, retrospective study, we reported all cases of positive ADV-DNA from adult patients undergoing allo-HSCT in the period 2014-2019.

Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies for the prevention of severe COVID-19: a retrospective study during Omicron BA.1 variant surge.

Among treatment options for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) showed to be effective in preventing disease progression, but real-world data during the Omicron variant surge are still lacking. Multicentre retrospective study evaluating the effectiveness of sotrovimab and casirivimab-imdevimab in fragile patients with mild SARS-CoV-2 infection between November 2021 and March 2022. Unfavourable outcome was defined as increased need for oxygen supplementation and/or death.

Long follow-up of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in healthcare workers (2020-2022): A retrospective longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 serological surveillance.

SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike IgG production and protection from severe respiratory illness should be explored in greater depth after COVID-19 booster vaccination. This longitudinal observational retrospective study investigated the anti-spike IgG response elicited by the first, second and booster doses of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in healthcare workers (HCW) at San Martino IRCCS Policlinico Hospital (Genoa) up to the 12 month. Sequential blood sampling was performed at T0 (prior to vaccination), T1 (21 days after the 1 dose of vaccine), T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 (7 days and 1, 3, 6 and 9 months after the 2 dose, respectively), T7 and T8 (1 and 3 months after a booster dose).

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in intensive care units: a multicenter study by ESGCIP and EFISG.

Background: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is an opportunistic, life-threatening disease commonly affecting immunocompromised patients. The distribution of predisposing diseases or conditions in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) and subjected to diagnostic work-up for PJP has seldom been explored.

Materials And Methods: The primary objective of the study was to describe the characteristics of ICU patients subjected to diagnostic workup for PJP.

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in a vulnerable COVID-19 cohort: a real-life experience in an Italian Hospital.

Clinical trials demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 vaccines reduce COVID-19-related mortality and morbidity. We describe the effect of vaccination on COVID-19-patients admitted at our hospital. Retrospective, single-center study conducted in Genoa, Italy, including patients ≥18years hospitalized for COVID-19 from May to December 2021.

Real-world performance of SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing through the Alpha-, Delta- and Omicron-dominant waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: Compared with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics are faster, less expensive, but also less accurate. Performance of RADTs is context-specific and depends on disease prevalence. In this real-world study, we assessed impact of RADTs in an inpatient setting through the entire COVID-19 emergency phase.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness in preventing hospital encounters for laboratory-confirmed infection among Italian adults, 2022/23 season.

The effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) varies from year to year. Interim estimates of vaccine effectiveness (VE) in outpatient settings have suggested that the 2022/23 northern hemisphere SIV was 54 % effective. The main goal of this study was to measure the 2022/23 SIV VE among Italian adults in a hospital setting.

PRESTIGIO RING: "A 59-year-old HIV-1 positive, highly treatment-experienced woman failing darunavir/ ritonavir plus raltegravir".

Management of heavily treatment experienced (HTE) people with HIV remains a challenge. Tailored antiretroviral therapy (ART) is needed in this fragile population who almost invariably harbor viral quasispecies with resistance-associated mutations (RAMs). The reference method for HIV genotypic resistance testing (GRT) has long been Sanger sequencing (SS), but next-generation sequencing (NGS), following recent progress in workflow and cost-effectiveness, is replacing SS because of higher sensitivity.

External validation of unsupervised COVID-19 clinical phenotypes and their prognostic impact.

Background: Hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be classified into different clinical phenotypes based on their demographic, clinical, radiology, and laboratory features. We aimed to validate in an external cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients the prognostic value of a previously described phenotyping system (FEN-COVID-19) and to assess the reproducibility of phenotypes development as a secondary analysis.

Methods: Patients were classified in phenotypes A, B or C according to the severity of oxygenation impairment, inflammatory response, hemodynamic and laboratory tests according to the FEN-COVID-19 method.

Efficacy of Dolutegravir versus Darunavir in Antiretroviral First-Line Regimens According to Resistance Mutations and Viral Subtype.

Background: Dolutegravir (DTG)-based first-line regimens have shown superior efficacy versus darunavir (DRV)-based ones in randomized trials. We compared these two strategies in clinical practice, particularly considering the role of pre-treatment drug resistance mutations (DRMs) and of the HIV-1 subtype.

Materials And Methods: The multicenter Antiretroviral Resistance Cohort Analysis (ARCA) database was queried to identify HIV-1-positive patients starting a first-line therapy with 2NRTIs plus either DTG or DRV between 2013 and 2019.

Triple Combination Therapy With 2 Antivirals and Monoclonal Antibodies for Persistent or Relapsed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in Immunocompromised Patients.

Background: Severely immunocompromised patients are at risk for prolonged or relapsed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), leading to increased morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of combination treatment in immunocompromised COVID-19 patients.

Methods: We included all immunocompromised patients with prolonged/relapsed COVID-19 treated with combination therapy with 2 antivirals (remdesivir plus nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, or molnupiravir in case of renal failure) plus, if available, anti-spike monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), between February and October 2022.

Epidemiology and molecular characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among italian community-dwelling adults, 2021/22 season.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory infections worldwide. While historically RSV research has been focused on children, data on RSV infection in adults are limited. The goal of this study was to establish the prevalence of RSV in community-dwelling Italian adults and analyze its genetic variability during the 2021/22 winter season.

Rapid differential diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B and respiratory syncytial viruses: Validation of a novel RT-PCR assay.

Background: Influenza and respiratory syncytial (RSV) viruses are expected to co-circulate with SARS-CoV-2 in the upcoming seasons and clinical differential diagnosis between them is difficult. Laboratory-based RT-PCR is a gold standard diagnostic method for influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2. The objective of this study was to estimate the diagnostic performance of a novel point-of-care RT-PCR assay STANDARD M10 Flu/RSV/SARS-CoV-2 (SD Biosensor) in a large number of clinical specimens with diversified (co)-infection patterns and viral loads.

Monkeypox outbreak in Genoa, Italy: Clinical, laboratory, histopathologic features, management, and outcome of the infected patients.

Since May 2022, multiple human Monkeypox cases were identified in nonendemic countries, mainly among men who have sex with men. We aimed to report the features, clinical course, management, and outcome of the Monkeypox cases diagnosed in the Dermatology and Infectious Disease Units of the San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy. We performed an observational study of the Monkeypox cases diagnosed from July 1 until August 31, 2022, collecting clinical, laboratory, and histological data.

Nasal monkeypox virus infection successfully treated with cidofovir in a patient newly diagnosed with HIV.

Monkeypox (MPXV) usually causes a mild and self-limited infection. To date there are no data about cidofovir for the treatment for MPXV in humans. We report a case of a 25 years-old Brazilian man with a concurrent diagnosis of acute HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection, primary syphilis and MPXV infection with a nasal lesion successfully treated with intravenous cidofovir.