Microsporidiosis in Patients with Autoimmune Diseases Undergoing Monoclonal Antibody Associated Therapy.

We present Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection in four patients with autoimmune diseases undergoing prolonged monoclonal antibody therapies. Two patients suffered from inflammatory bowel disease and received anti-TNF therapies, whereas two other patients suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus with renal involvement and received anti-CD20 or anti-BLyS protein therapies. Three out of four patients consulted for diarrhea with abdominal pain without intestinal inflammation or bleeding at the time of sampling.

Laboratory practices for the diagnosis and management of mucormycosis in France, 2024.

This study investigates the diagnostic practices for mucormycosis among 30 French University Hospital mycology laboratories, in 2024. All laboratories perform both direct examination and culture, with fluorescent brighteners being the most commonly used method for direct examination. While 77 % of the participating laboratories routinely identify Mucorales to the species level, with 70 % having adopted Mucorales-specific quantitative PCR, primarily for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections.

The bearing capacity of asteroid (65803) Didymos estimated from boulder tracks.

The bearing capacity - the ability of a surface to support applied loads - is an important parameter for understanding and predicting the response of a surface. Previous work has inferred the bearing capacity and trafficability of specific regions of the Moon using orbital imagery and measurements of the boulder tracks visible on its surface. Here, we estimate the bearing capacity of the surface of an asteroid for the first time using DART/DRACO images of suspected boulder tracks on the surface of asteroid (65803) Didymos.

[Antimicrobial peptides: A new alternative for the treatment of aspergillosis].

Aspergillus fumigatus is the predominant fungal species causing pulmonary aspergillosis. The present-day anti-aspergillosis arsenal is limited, with a number of molecules occasioning severe side effects (amphotericin B) or provoking significant drug interactions (azole derivatives). Moreover, the recent emergence of azole-resistant A.

Molecular epidemiology of Candida africana isolates collected from vagina swabs in French Guiana.

Previous molecular studies have shown that Candida africana corresponds to the clade 13 of Candia albicans. It has been mostly involved in vulvovaginal candidiasis worldwide but few data exist in South America. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of C.

Pulmonary Histoplasmosis in People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in French Guiana: Clinical Epidemiology, Medical Imaging and Prognostic.

Background: Histoplasmosis is mainly described as a disseminated disease in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Compared to historical descriptions in immunocompetent individuals, knowledge is lacking on the detailed clinical and radiological findings and outcomes of pulmonary histoplasmosis (PH). Overlooked or misdiagnosed with other AIDS-defining condition, prognostic of PLHIV may be at risk because of inappropriate care.

Pulmonary cystic echinococcosis in a child.

This case report describes the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of a 13-year-old boy with pulmonary cystic echinococcosis. The patient presented with low-volume hemoptysis, and lung imaging revealed a large cystic mass, as well as smaller pseudo-nodular lesions, suggesting a large intrathoracic hydatid cyst and ruptured cysts. The diagnosis was confirmed by a positive echinococcosis Western Blot assay, despite equivocal serology.

ß-D-Glucan Assay in the Cerebrospinal Fluid for the Diagnosis of Non-cryptococcal Fungal Infection of the Central Nervous System: A Retrospective Multicentric Analysis and a Comprehensive Review of the Literature.

Background: Except for cryptococcosis, fungal infection of the central nervous system (FI-CNS) is a rare but severe complication. Clinical and radiological signs are non-specific, and the value of conventional mycological diagnosis is very low. This study aimed to assess the value of β1,3-D-glucan (BDG) detection in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of non-neonatal non-cryptococcosis patients.

Fetal Lung Volume Appears to Predict Respiratory Morbidity in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is associated with pulmonary hypoplasia and respiratory morbidity. To assess whether respiratory morbidity during the first 2 years of life in infants with left-sided CDH is associated with fetal lung volume (FLV) evaluated by the observed-to-expected FLV ratio (o/e FLV) on antenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this retrospective study, o/e FLV measures were collected.

Effect of Flagellin Pre-Exposure on the Inflammatory and Antifungal Response of Bronchial Epithelial Cells to Fungal Pathogens.

Bronchial epithelial cells (BEC) play a crucial role in innate immunity against inhaled fungi. Indeed, in response to microorganisms, BEC synthesize proinflammatory cytokines involved in the recruitment of neutrophils. We have recently shown that BEC exert antifungal activity against by inhibiting filament growth.

Machine learning to improve the interpretation of intercalating dye-based quantitative PCR results.

This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of Machine Learning (ML) approach in the interpretation of intercalating dye-based quantitative PCR (IDqPCR) signals applied to the diagnosis of mucormycosis. The ML-based classification approach was applied to 734 results of IDqPCR categorized as positive (n = 74) or negative (n = 660) for mucormycosis after combining "visual reading" of the amplification and denaturation curves with clinical, radiological and microbiological criteria. Fourteen features were calculated to characterize the curves and injected in several pipelines including four ML-algorithms.

Usefulness of ß-d-Glucan Assay for the First-Line Diagnosis of Pneumonia and for Discriminating between Colonization and Pneumonia.

According to the immunodepression status, the diagnosis of pneumonia (PjP) may be difficult. Molecular methods appear very sensitive, but they lack specificity because Pj DNA can be detected in Pneumocystis-colonized patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of a serum ß-d-Glucan (BDG) assay for the diagnosis of PjP in a large cohort of HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients, either as a first-line diagnostic test for PjP or as a tool to distinguish between colonization and PjP in cases of low fungal load.

Predictive risk factors for death in elderly patients after hospitalization for acute heart failure in an internal medicine unit.

To determine the predictive factors of mortality after hospitalization for acute heart failure (AHF) in an internal medicine department. Retrospective observational analysis conducted on 164 patients hospitalized for AHF in 2016-2017. Demographic, clinical and biological characteristics were assessed during hospitalization.

Antifungal combination therapy for invasive fungal infections in a paediatric oncology and haematology department: A retrospective analysis of practice.

Background: Invasive fungal infections (IFI) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children with leukaemia. International guidelines recommend a monotherapy for most IFI. The use of antifungal combination therapy (ACT) has been reported, but clinical data supporting these combinations are scarce, particularly in paediatrics.

Diagnosis of mucormycosis using an intercalating dye-based quantitative PCR.

Unlabelled: PCR-based methods applied to various body fluids emerged in recent years as a promising approach for the diagnosis of mucormycosis. In this study, we set up and assess the value of a qPCR to detect a wide variety of Mucorales species in a single tube. A pair of degenerated primers targeting the rDNA operon was used in a qPCR utilizing an intercalating fluorescent dye.

Flagellin From Modulates SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity in Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelial Cells by Increasing TMPRSS2 Expression.

In the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health crisis, one major challenge is to identify the susceptibility factors of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in order to adapt the recommendations for populations, as well as to reduce the risk of COVID-19 development in the most vulnerable people, especially patients with chronic respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Airway epithelial cells (AECs) play a critical role in the modulation of both immune responses and COVID-19 severity. SARS-CoV-2 infects the airway through the receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, and a host protease, transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), plays a major role in SARS-CoV-2 infectivity.

Splicing Patterns in -Mutated Uveal Melanoma Generate Shared Immunogenic Tumor-Specific Neoepitopes.

Disruption of splicing patterns due to mutations of genes coding splicing factors in tumors represents a potential source of tumor neoantigens, which would be both public (shared between patients) and tumor-specific (not expressed in normal tissues). In this study, we show that mutations of the splicing factor in uveal melanoma generate such immunogenic neoantigens. Memory CD8 T cells specific for these neoantigens are preferentially found in 20% of patients with uveal melanoma bearing -mutated tumors.

Tumor invasion in draining lymph nodes is associated with Treg accumulation in breast cancer patients.

Tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN) invasion by metastatic cells in breast cancer correlates with poor prognosis and is associated with local immunosuppression, which can be partly mediated by regulatory T cells (Tregs). Here, we study Tregs from matched tumor-invaded and non-invaded TDLNs, and breast tumors. We observe that Treg frequencies increase with nodal invasion, and that Tregs express higher levels of co-inhibitory/stimulatory receptors than effector cells.

Bronchial Epithelial Cells on the Front Line to Fight Lung Infection-Causing .

is an environmental filamentous fungus that can be pathogenic for humans, wherein it is responsible for a large variety of clinical forms ranging from allergic diseases to life-threatening disseminated infections. The contamination occurs by inhalation of conidia present in the air, and the first encounter of this fungus in the human host is most likely with the bronchial epithelial cells. Although alveolar macrophages have been widely studied in the -lung interaction, increasing evidence suggests that bronchial epithelium plays a key role in responding to the fungus.

Update on SLC6A14 in lung and gastrointestinal physiology and physiopathology: focus on cystic fibrosis.

The solute carrier family 6 member 14 (SLC6A14) protein imports and concentrates all neutral amino acids as well as the two cationic acids lysine and arginine into the cytoplasm of different cell types. Primarily described as involved in several cancer and colonic diseases physiopathological mechanisms, the SLC6A14 gene has been more recently identified as a genetic modifier of cystic fibrosis (CF) disease severity. It was indeed shown to have a pleiotropic effect, modulating meconium ileus occurrence, lung disease severity, and precocity of P.

Phenotypic and Transcriptomic Lymphocytes Changes in Allograft Recipients After Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

High dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) are widely used after kidney transplantation and its biological effect on T and B cell phenotype in the context of maintenance immunosuppression was not documented yet. We designed a monocentric prospective cohort study of kidney allograft recipients with anti-HLA donor specific antibodies (DSA) without acute rejection on screening biopsies treated with prophylactic high-dose IVIG (2 g/kg) monthly for 2 months. Any previous treatment with Rituximab was an exclusion criterion.

Comparison of the MICs Obtained by Gradient Concentration Strip and EUCAST Methods for Four Azole Drugs and Amphotericin B against Azole-Susceptible and -Resistant Section Clinical Isolates.

Reference methods used to assess the drug susceptibilities of isolates consisted of EUCAST and CLSI standardized broth microdilution techniques. Considering the increasing rate and the potential impact on the clinical outcome of azole resistance in , more suitable techniques for routine testing are needed. The gradient concentration strip (GCS) method has been favorably evaluated for yeast testing.