Predicting Immunogenic Epitopes Variation of Envelope 2 Gene Among Chikungunya Virus Clonal Lineages by an In Silico Approach.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), responsible for a mosquito-borne viral illness, has rapidly spread worldwide, posing a significant global health threat. In this study, we explored the immunogenic variability of CHIKV envelope 2 (E2), a pivotal component in the anti-CHIKV immune response, using an in silico approach. After extracting the representative sequence types of the CHIKV E2 antigen, we predicted the structure-based B-cell epitopes and MHC I and II binding T-cell epitopes.

High-Dose Corticosteroid Use in Severe to Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19: A Nationwide Population-Based Matched Cohort Study.

Background: Systemic corticosteroids have become the standard of care for severe to critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the real-world efficacy and safety outcomes associated with a higher dose of corticosteroids remain uncertain.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide, population-based, matched cohort study of severe to critically ill adult patients with COVID-19 between January 2020 and June 2021 in Korea using the National Health Information Database.

Impact of an antimicrobial stewardship programme on antibiotic utilization and resistance burden in patients with acute leukaemia: an 11-year longitudinal cohort study using interrupted time-series analysis.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), driven by inappropriate and overuse of antibiotics, poses a significant threat, especially to patients with acute leukaemia.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) on antibiotic use and analyse temporal changes in bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by AMR organisms.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, interventional, longitudinal cohort study spanning an 11-year period.

Implementing antimicrobial stewardship: lessons and perspectives from a university-affiliated tertiary hospital in Korea.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) can lower antibiotic use, decrease medical expenses, prevent the emergence of resistant bacteria, and enhance treatment for infectious diseases. This study summarizes the stepwise implementation and effects of ASPs in a single university-affiliated tertiary care hospital in Korea; it also presents future directions and challenges in resource-limited settings. At the study hospital, the core elements of the ASP such as leadership commitment, accountability, and operating system were established in 2000, then strengthened by the formation of the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Team in 2018.

Dextrose-containing fluids causing false-positive serum galactomannan: a case-control study and interrupted time series analysis.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the cause of false-positive serum Aspergillus antigen galactomannan (GM) results in our centre.

Methods: We performed a case-control study aiming to elucidate the factors associated with false-positive GM results. Independent risk factors for false-positive GM were evaluated through a multivariable regression analysis.

Clinical Implementation of Gene-Based Polymerase Chain Reaction for Enhanced Diagnosis in Patients with Hematologic Diseases: A Prospective Observational Study.

The () gene is a promising target for the identification of species. Assessment of the clinical implementation and performance of gene-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) remains warranted. In this study, we assessed the analytical performance of the BenA probe PCR in comparison with the Aspergenius kit.

Cytomegalovirus Infection after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation under 100-Day Letermovir Prophylaxis: A Real-World 1-Year Follow-Up Study.

The prevention and management of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is important to improve the outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) recipients. The aim of this study was to analyze real-world data regarding the incidence and characteristics of CMV infections until 1 year after allo-HCT under 100-day letermovir prophylaxis. A single-center retrospective study was conducted between November 2020 and October 2021.

Genetic Variants Associated with Drug Resistance of Cytomegalovirus in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Recipients.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a serious complication in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients. Drug-resistant strains make it more challenging to treat CMV infection. This study aimed to identify variants associated with CMV drug resistance in HCT recipients and assess their clinical significance.

PCR-like performance of rapid test with permselective tunable nanotrap.

Highly sensitive rapid testing for COVID-19 is essential for minimizing virus transmission, especially before the onset of symptoms and in asymptomatic cases. Here, we report bioengineered enrichment tools for lateral flow assays (LFAs) with enhanced sensitivity and specificity (BEETLES), achieving enrichment of SARS-CoV-2 viruses, nucleocapsid (N) proteins and immunoglobulin G (IgG) with 3-minute operation. The limit of detection is improved up to 20-fold.

Intra-host diversity of drug-resistant cytomegalovirus: A case report of cytomegalovirus infection after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a major infectious agent causing severe complications in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients, thereby warranting the need for aggressive preemptive or targeted antiviral therapy. However, prolonged or repeated use of antiviral agents, such as ganciclovir (GCV), foscarnet (FOS), and cidofovir (CDV), can result in drug-resistant CMV infection, posing challenges to successful outcomes. Here, we report a case of a patient with acute myeloid leukemia and drug-resistant CMV infection who presented with persistent CMV DNAemia, colitis, pneumonia, and encephalitis.

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells attenuate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice.

Nephrotoxicity limits the use of cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for treatment of various malignancies. Overall, CD4+ T cells mediate cisplatin-induced renal injury; however, the CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cell subset (CD4+CD25+ Treg) has broad suppressive effects on many different cell types. In this study, we determined whether CD4+CD25+ Treg cells had protective effects against cisplatin-induced acute renal injury in nu/nu mice that lack mature T cells.