Antimicrobial susceptibility of commensal Neisseria spp. in parents and their children in Belgium: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: commensal Neisseria species are part of the oropharyngeal microbiome and play an important role in nitrate reduction and protecting against colonization by pathogenic bacteria. They do, however, also serve as a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance. Little is known about the prevalence of these species in the general population, how this varies by age and how antimicrobial susceptibility varies between species.

Potential determinants of the decline in mpox cases in Belgium: A behavioral, epidemiological and seroprevalence study.

Objectives: The 2022 mpox epidemic reached a peak in Belgium and the rest of Europe in July 2022, after which it unexpectedly subsided. This study investigates epidemiological, behavioral, and immunological factors behind the waning of the epidemic in Belgium.

Methods: We investigated temporal evolutions in the characteristics and behavior of mpox patients using national surveillance data and data from a prospective registry of mpox patients in the Institute of Tropical Medicine (Antwerp).

Estimating Partnership Duration among MSM in Belgium-A Modeling Study.

Mathematical modeling is widely used for describing infection transmission and evaluating interventions. The lack of reliable social parameters in the literature has been mentioned by many modeling studies, leading to limitations in the validity and interpretation of the results. Using data from the European MSM Internet survey 2017, we developed a network model to describe sex acts among MSM in Belgium.

Effect of screening for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis on incidence of these infections in men who have sex with men and transgender women taking HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (the Gonoscreen study): results from a randomised, multicentre, controlled trial.

Background: Guidelines recommend screening for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis at three anatomical sites (urethra, anus, and pharynx) every 3 months (3 × 3) in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women taking HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). We present the first randomised controlled trial to compare the effect of screening versus non-screening for N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis on the incidence of these infections in MSM and transgender women taking PrEP.

Methods: A multicentre, randomised, controlled trial of 3 × 3 screening for N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis versus non-screening was done among MSM and transgender women taking PrEP in five HIV reference centers in Belgium.

Lack of Association between Antimicrobial Consumption and Antimicrobial Resistance in a HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: In antibiotic naïve populations, there is a strong association between the use of an antimicrobial and resistance to this antimicrobial. Less evidence is available as to whether this relationship is weakened in populations highly exposed to antimicrobials. Individuals taking HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have a high intake of antimicrobials.

Gonococcal resistance to zoliflodacin could emerge via transformation from commensal Neisseria species. An in-vitro transformation study.

One of the most promising new treatments for gonorrhoea currently in phase 3 clinical trials is zoliflodacin. Studies have found very little resistance to zoliflodacin in currently circulating N. gonorrhoeae strains, and in-vitro experiments demonstrated that it is difficult to induce resistance.

No Varicella Zoster Virus Infection among Mpox Cases in Antwerp, Belgium.

Several studies in tropical settings have reported that ∼20% of patients infected with Monkeypox virus (MPXV) also tested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for Varicella zoster virus (VZV). Researchers have hypothesized that VZV infection predisposes to monkeypox (mpox), or vice versa, or that MPXV triggers the reactivation of VZV. We tested samples for VZV from a cohort of patients infected with clade IIb MPXV diagnosed between May 23 and October 14, 2022 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Effect on the Resistome of Dual vs Monotherapy for the Treatment of : Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial (ResistAZM Trial).

Background: No randomized controlled trial (RCT) has compared the impact on the resistome of ceftriaxone (CRO) plus azithromycin (AZM) vs CRO for the treatment of (NG).

Methods: This was an open-label, single-center, RCT comparing the effect on the resistome of CRO plus AZM vs CRO for the treatment of NG. Men who have sex with men (MSM) with genital, anorectal, or pharyngeal NG infection were randomized into the CRO/AZM and CRO arms.

Leveraging T-cell receptor - epitope recognition models to disentangle unique and cross-reactive T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 during COVID-19 progression/resolution.

Despite the general agreement on the significance of T cells during SARS-CoV-2 infection, the clinical impact of specific and cross-reactive T-cell responses remains uncertain. Understanding this aspect could provide insights for adjusting vaccines and maintaining robust long-term protection against continuously emerging variants. To characterize CD8+ T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 epitopes unique to the virus (SC2-unique) or shared with other coronaviruses (CoV-common), we trained a large number of T-cell receptor (TCR) - epitope recognition models for MHC-I-presented SARS-CoV-2 epitopes from publicly available data.

Presymptomatic viral shedding in high-risk mpox contacts: A prospective cohort study.

The risk of infection after exposure to clade IIb mpox virus (MPXV) is unknown, and potential presymptomatic shedding of MPXV remains to be demonstrated. High-risk contacts of mpox patients were followed-up in a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Individuals reporting sexual contact, >15 min skin-to-skin contact, or living in the same household with an mpox patient were recruited in a sexual health clinic in Antwerp, Belgium.

Rethinking Screening Intensity in Terms of Reducing Prevalence or Increasing Selection Pressure for the Emergence of Resistant Gonorrhea: A Modeling Study of Men Who Have Sex With Men in Belgium.

Background: (NG) has developed antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to multiple classes of antibiotics. While treatment of symptomatic NG in groups, such as men who have sex with men (MSM), is crucial, screening programs targeting asymptomatic NG cases may contribute to excessive antibiotic exposure of the population and thus to the emergence of gonococcal AMR. Our primary aim was to assess if intense screening could promote AMR in NG.

Characteristics of confirmed mpox cases among clinical suspects: A prospective single-centre study in Belgium during the 2022 outbreak.

Background: The presentation of mpox clade IIb during the 2022 outbreak overlaps with a range of other diseases. Understanding the factors associated with mpox is important for clinical decision making.

Methods: We described the characteristics of mpox patients who sought care at Belgian sexual health clinic.

Persistent morbidity in Clade IIb mpox patients: interim results of a long-term follow-up study, Belgium, June to November 2022.

While mpox was well characterised during the 2022 global Clade IIb outbreak, little is known about persistent morbidity. We present interim results of a prospective cohort study of 95 mpox patients assessed 3-20 weeks post-symptom onset. Two-thirds of participants had residual morbidity, including 25 with persistent anorectal and 18 with genital symptoms.

Pre-exposure to azithromycin enhances gonococcal resilience to subsequent ciprofloxacin exposure: an study.

The effect of sequential exposure to different antibiotics is an underexplored topic. Azithromycin can be detected in humans for up to 28 days post-ingestion and may prime bacterial responses to subsequently ingested antibiotics. In this study, we assessed if preexposure to azithromycin could accelerate the acquisition of resistance to ciprofloxacin in reference strain, WHO-F.

The Discovery of Oropharyngeal Microbiota with Inhibitory Activity against Pathogenic and : An In Vitro Study of Clinical Isolates.

With increasing incidence of pathogenic infections coupled with emerging resistance to antimicrobials, alternative approaches to limit the spread are sought. We investigated the inhibitory effect of oropharyngeal microbiota on the growth of and and the impact of the essential oil-based mouthwash Listerine Cool Mint (Listerine). Oropharyngeal swabs from 64 men who have sex with men ( = 118) from a previous study (PReGo study) were analysed (ClinicalTrials.