Assays for Assessing Immunity and Evaluating the Effects of Therapeutics.

In Europe and North America, the prevalence of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is increasing. Most pulmonary NTM infections are caused by the complex (MAC). Sadly, the treatment of pulmonary MAC is suboptimal with failure rates ranging from 37% to 58%.

HIV Stigma in Awi Zone, Northwest Ethiopia, and a Unique Community Association as a Potential Partner.

Indigenous institutions play a vital role in fighting HIV stigma by leveraging their cultural knowledge, leadership, and community connections. Understanding HIV/AIDS attitudes, information gaps, and stigma among members of indigenous institutions is critical for devising culturally relevant and successful interventions and preventative strategies. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the levels of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the various HIV/AIDS discriminatory attitudes and practices among members of the Awi Equestrian Association, an indigenous association in Awi Zone, Northwest Ethiopia, that plays major roles in the social, cultural, political, and economic activities of the community.

Relapsed Mpox Keratitis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

We describe a case of a 46-year-old man in Missouri, USA, with newly diagnosed advanced HIV and PCR-confirmed mpox keratitis. The keratitis initially resolved after intravenous tecovirimat and penicillin for suspected ocular syphilis coinfection. Despite a confirmatory negative PCR, he developed relapsed, ipsilateral PCR-positive keratitis and severe ocular mpox requiring corneal transplant.

Campylobacter gastroenteritis and bacteremia in an asplenic patient with a recent history of : Case report and literature review.

In this case report, we present a patient with a history of splenectomy and two recent hospital admissions for severe gastroenteritis with sepsis. The first hospital admission was for and the second admission was for gastroenteritis with bacteremia. During both admissions, the patient was treated with a prolonged course of antibiotics and later discharged with full recovery.

A Phase 2 Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Reactogenicity, and Immunogenicity of Different Prime-Boost Vaccination Schedules of 2013 and 2017 A(H7N9) Inactivated Influenza Virus Vaccines Administered With and Without AS03 Adjuvant in Healthy US Adults.

Introduction: A surge of human influenza A(H7N9) cases began in 2016 in China from an antigenically distinct lineage. Data are needed about the safety and immunogenicity of 2013 and 2017 A(H7N9) inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) and the effects of AS03 adjuvant, prime-boost interval, and priming effects of 2013 and 2017 A(H7N9) IIVs.

Methods: Healthy adults (n = 180), ages 19-50 years, were enrolled into this partially blinded, randomized, multicenter phase 2 clinical trial.

Bivalent and Monovalent SARS-CoV-2 Variant Vaccine Boosters Improve coverage of the known Antigenic Landscape: Results of the COVID-19 Variant Immunologic Landscape (COVAIL) Trial.

Vaccine protection against COVID-19 wanes over time and has been impacted by the emergence of new variants with increasing escape of neutralization. The COVID-19 Variant Immunologic Landscape (COVAIL) randomized clinical trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT05289037) compares the breadth, magnitude and durability of antibody responses induced by a second COVID-19 vaccine boost with mRNA (Moderna mRNA-1273 and Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2), or adjuvanted recombinant protein (Sanofi CoV2 preS DTM-AS03) monovalent or bivalent vaccine candidates targeting ancestral and variant SARS-CoV-2 spike antigens (Beta, Delta and Omicron BA.

Usefulness of Routine Laboratory Tests for Follow up of Patients Receiving Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Run by Infectious Diseases Fellows.

Background: The infectious disease society of America (IDSA) recommends routine laboratory tests for all patients receiving outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) to monitor for adverse events. There are no data to support how often patients should take monitoring laboratory tests. In addition, the relevance of different laboratory tests commonly used for OPAT follow up is not clearly known.

A Multicenter, Controlled Human Infection Study of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in Healthy Adults.

Background: We evaluated the associations between baseline influenza virus-specific hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and microneutralization (MN) titers and subsequent symptomatic influenza virus infection in a controlled human infection study.

Methods: We inoculated unvaccinated healthy adults aged 18-49 years with an influenza A/California/04/2009/H1N1pdm-like virus (NCT04044352). We collected serial safety labs, serum for HAI and MN, and nasopharyngeal swabs for reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.

Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary NTM with a Focus on Complex and : Challenges and Prospects.

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous. NTM can affect different organs and may cause disseminated diseases, but the pulmonary form is the most common form. Pulmonary NTM is commonly seen in patients with underlying diseases.

Cryptococcal chest wall mass and rib osteomyelitis associated with the use of fingolimod: A case report and literature review.

Being introduced in 2010, fingolimod was among the first oral therapies for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Since that time, postmarketing surveillance has noted several case reports of various cryptococcal infections associated with fingolimod use. To date, approximately 15 such case reports have been published.

Clinical Features and Treatment Outcomes of Pulmonary Complex With and Without Coinfections.

Coinfections are more common in patients with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. Infiltrates on imaging studies are seen more commonly in patients with coinfections, but coinfections did not affect treatment outcomes of pulmonary complex.

SARS-CoV-2 Variant Vaccine Boosters Trial: Preliminary Analyses.

Background: Protection from SARS-CoV-2 vaccines wanes over time and is compounded by emerging variants including Omicron subvariants. This study evaluated safety and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variant vaccines.

Methods: This phase 2 open-label, randomized trial enrolled healthy adults previously vaccinated with a SARS-CoV-2 primary series and a single boost.

Ceftaroline: Systematic Review of Clinical Uses and Emerging Drug Resistance.

Objective: To assess the success rates of off-label uses of ceftaroline for infections caused by methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and evaluate emerging ceftaroline resistance.

Data Sources: We queried PubMed/MEDLINE, with the search term "Ceftaroline." Articles were restricted to the English language and year of publication (January 1, 2009-January 31, 2022).

Otosyphilis with Clinical and Serologic Responses with Weekly Intramuscular Penicillin: A Case Report and Literature Review.

With the increasing prevalence of syphilis in different parts of the world, it is important to be cognizant of serious forms of syphilis. Otosyphilis is a rare form of syphilis with an extremely high rate of complications. Early diagnosis is essential to prevent a complete loss of hearing and decrease mortality.

Femoral artery aneurysm with large hematoma from Pasteurella: case report and literature review.

Background: Pasteurella multocida is a well-known gram-negative facultative anaerobe well known for its ability to cause soft tissue infections following animal bite or scratch. Here we present a case with mycotic aneurysm of the superficial femoral artery due to P. multocida infection.

Effects of race on the outcome of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients.

Background And Aims: Recent reports indicate that African Americans have higher mortality rates from SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) compared to Caucasians, with more marked differences in the Midwest region of the US. This study was performed to study differences in COVID-19 related mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS) between African Americans and Caucasians in Midwest setting, and identify factors associated with mortality and LOS.

Methods: Data were collected from the electronic health records (EHR) of patients admitted to hospitals in Midwest region of the US.

Empyema as a Red Flag for Esophageal Rupture: A Case Report and Literature Review.

. empyema is a rare entity with an extremely high mortality rate.We present a case of multi species empyema in an immunocompetent female patient with Boerhaave syndrome secondary to retching and vomiting after heroin withdrawal.

Variability in the Management of Adults With Pulmonary Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease.

Background: The increasing global prevalence of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) disease has called attention to challenges in NTM diagnosis and management. This study was conducted to understand management and outcomes of patients with pulmonary NTM disease at diverse centers across the United States.

Methods: We conducted a 10-year (2005-2015) retrospective study at 7 Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units to evaluate pulmonary NTM treatment outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus-negative adults.

Flagellin adjuvanted F1/V subunit plague vaccine induces T cell and functional antibody responses with unique gene signatures.

, the cause of plague, could be weaponized. Unfortunately, development of new vaccines is limited by lack of correlates of protection. We used pre- and post-vaccination sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a flagellin adjuvanted F1/V vaccine trial to evaluate for protective markers.

Percutaneous BCG enhances innate effector antitumor cytotoxicity during treatment of bladder cancer: a translational clinical trial.

: Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the gold standard immunologic agent for treating patients with high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Nevertheless, relapse rates remain high and BCG unresponsive NMIBC often requires bladder removal. Preclinical data suggest that priming with percutaneous BCG vaccine could improve response to intravesical BCG.

BCG Vaccination Induces and Cross-Protective Immunity.

Pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections particularly caused by complex (MAC) and (MAB) are becoming major health problems in the U.S. New therapies or vaccines which will help prevent the disease, shorten treatment duration and/or increase treatment success rates are urgently needed.

Esophageal Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection in a bone marrow transplant patient: Case report and literature review.

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) is the most common cause of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease in humans. We report a case of esophageal MAC disease in a patient who had allogeneic bone marrow transplant for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Although pulmonary MAC in immunocompromised host is not uncommon, there are only a few cases of NTM-associated esophageal mass reported.