Introduction: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) incidence is known to be underestimated in adults due to its infrequent diagnostic testing and lower sensitivity of single nasal/nasopharyngeal swab PCR testing outside of the early childhood period. RSV can trigger acute cardiac events as well as cause respiratory disease. Consequently, we used a model-based study to estimate RSV-attributable hospitalization and mortality incidence among adults in Italy between 2015 and 2019.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLong COVID refers to patients with symptoms as fatigue, "brain fog," pain, suggesting the chronic involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) in COVID-19. The supplementation with probiotic (OB) would have a positive effect on metabolic homeostasis, negatively impacting the occurrence of symptoms related to the CNS after hospital discharge. On a total of 58 patients hospitalized for COVID-19, 24 (41.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. Despite significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world, its pathogenesis and mechanisms are not clearly understood. In this narrative review, we aimed to summarize the recent developments in our understanding of the hallmarks of sepsis pathogenesis (immune and adaptive immune response, the complement system, the endothelial disfunction, and autophagy) and highlight novel laboratory diagnostic approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (BIC/FTC/TAF) is a recommended once-daily single tablet regimen for the treatment of people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). We aimed to assess efficacy, safety and tolerability of BIC/FTC/TAF among PLWH, with a specific focus on people older than 55 years. Thus, we recruited an observational retrospective real-life cohort including all PLWH who underwent a therapeutic switch to BIC/FTC/TAF, independently from the provenience treatment regimen.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Anal HPV infection, anal dysplasia and, ultimately, anal cancer are particularly common in HIV-infected men who have sex with men. Treatment of anal dysplasia, aiming to prevent evolution to squamous cell carcinoma of the anus, is currently limited to direct ablation and/or application of topical therapy. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of oral bacteriotherapy (Vivomixx® in EU, Visbiome® in USA) on anal HPV infection and HPV-related dysplasia of the anal canal in HIV-infected men who have sex with men.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHIV infection is characterized by a severe deterioration of an immune cell-mediated response due to a progressive loss of CD4 T cells from gastrointestinal tract, with a preferential loss of IL-17 producing Th cells (Th17), a specific CD4 T cells subset specialized in maintaining mucosal integrity and antimicrobial inflammatory responses. To address the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in reducing chronic immunological dysfunction and immune activation of intestinal mucosa, we conducted a cross-sectional observational study comparing total IFN-γ-expressing (Th1) and IL-17-expressing (Th17) frequencies of CD4 T lamina propria lymphocytes (LPLs) and their immune activation status between 11 male ART-naïve and 11 male long-term ART-treated people living with HIV-1 (PLWH) who underwent colonoscopy and retrograde ileoscopy for biopsies collection. Flow cytometry for surface and intracellular staining was performed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe role of viruses in community acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been largely underestimated in the pre-coronavirus disease 2019 age. However, during flu seasonal early identification of viral infection in CAP is crucial to guide treatment and in-hospital management. Though recommended, the routine use of nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) to detect viral infection has been poorly scaled-up, especially in the emergency department (ED).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRespiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms are the predominant clinical manifestations of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Infecting intestinal epithelial cells, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 may impact on host's microbiota and gut inflammation. It is well established that an imbalanced intestinal microbiome can affect pulmonary function, modulating the host immune response ("gut-lung axis").
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMounting evidence suggests SARS-CoV-2 may impact on host microbiota and gut inflammation, infecting intestinal epithelial cells. This possible link and its implications can be investigated by observing the effects of modulation of the microbial flora in patients with COVID-19. The aim of this study was to compare the rate of mortality, the need of ICU hospitalization and the length of hospitalization in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who received the best available therapy (BAT) vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevention of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in healthcare workers (HCWs) facing the current COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge worldwide as HCWs are likely to experience acute and chronic, often unpredictable, occupational stressors leading to PTSS. This review aims to analyze the literature to discover which topics have been focused on and what the latest developments are in managing the occupational risk of PTSS in HCWs during the current pandemic. For the purpose of this review, we searched for publications in MEDLINE/Pubmed using selected keywords.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe evaluation of new therapeutic resources against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents a priority in clinical research considering the minimal options currently available. To evaluate the adjuvant use of systemic oxygen-ozone administration in the early control of disease progression in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. PROBIOZOVID is an ongoing, interventional, randomized, prospective, and double-arm trial enrolling patient with COVID-19 pneumonia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInvasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is typically considered a disease of immunocompromised patients, but, recently, many cases have been reported in patients without typical risk factors. The aim of our study is to develop a risk predictive model for IPA through machine learning techniques (decision trees) in patients with influenza. We conducted a retrospective observational study analyzing data regarding patients diagnosed with influenza hospitalized at the University Hospital "Umberto I" of Rome during the 2018-2019 season.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale: Complex immune dysregulation in interferon (IFN) and T cell response has been observed in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1)-infected patients as well as in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients. However, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)/HIV-1 coinfection has been described in only few cases worldwide and no data are available on immunological outcomes in HIV-1-patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Hence, this study aims to compare type I IFN response and T cell activation levels between a SARS-CoV-2/HIV-1-coinfected female patient and age-matched HIV-1-positive or uninfected women.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Gender-specific studies remain a neglected area of biomedical research. Recent reports have emphasized that sex-related biological factors may affect disease progression during HIV-1 infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sex on the levels of immune activation in the gut and in peripheral blood of individuals with HIV treated with fully suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART).
View Article and Find Full Text PDF: In people living with HIV (PLWH), antiretroviral treatments have increased the median life expectancy. Raltegravir (RAL) represents a long-term safe regimen used both in the first-line antiretroviral treatments and in the optimization strategies. Aim of the study was to evaluate the real-life efficacy, tolerability, and safety of the long-term RAL use in a multicenter cohort of elderly PLWH.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral studies highlighted the importance of the interaction between microbiota and the immune system in the development and maintenance of the homeostasis of the human organism. Dysbiosis is associated with proinflammatory and pathological state-like metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases and HIV infection. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the possible role of dysbiosis in triggering and/or exacerbating symptoms of autoimmune diseases and HIV infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF: Asymptomatic neurosyphilis (ANS) is a disease that is difficult to diagnose in people living with HIV (PLWH). The European Guidelines on the management of syphilis suggest that ANS should be suspected and thus the lumbar puncture (LP) should be performed in cases of (1) late syphilis (acquired >2 years previously), (2) CD4 cells ≤ 350/mm and/or a serum Venereal Disease Research Laboratory/Rapid Plasma Reagin (VDRL/RPR) title > 1:32, (3) "serological failure" after syphilis therapy, and (4) the use of alternative treatment for syphilis. In the present study, we aimed to verify the accuracy of the guideline's criteria for the indication of LP in the suspicion of ANS in a cohort of PLWH.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The aim of the study was to investigate if the supplementation with multistrain probiotics may be able to modulate T cell response in HIV-1 infected patients and to evaluate the anti-HIV activity of probiotic by studying fecal water (FW) samples.
Methods: Three HIV-1-positive patients (Pt1, Pt2 and Pt3) on long-term suppressive combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) received a specific multi-strain probiotic supplementation (Vivomixx ®), for six months (T6). Levels of T cell subsets were evaluated by flow cytometry.
Background: ' ability to evade host immune responses represents a serious threat for vulnerable patients.
Objectives: To investigate if (1) feces from healthy subjects exert anti- activity; (2) fecal anti- activity is modified by probiotic administration and (3) different probiotic differently modulate anti- activity.
Patients And Methods: Feces from healthy donors were analyzed before and after seven days of dietary supplementation with two different probiotic formulations (VSL#3; Vivomixx).
Several studies evidenced that a sedentary lifestyle is related with higher levels of systemic inflammation and highlighted that physical activity can trigger anti-inflammatory effects. To evaluate the impact of self-prescribed physical activity on fitness status, metabolism, inflammation and immune-activation in people living with HIV, an interim analysis of the results of the clinical trial PRIMO (NCT03392805) was performed. Patients enrolled were divided in 2 groups on the basis of self-prescribed physical activity: a physically active group (self-prescribed physical activity) and a sedentary group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Immunol Res
November 2018
Expression of type I and II interferon (IFN) was evaluated in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HIV-1-positive patients on long-term, suppressive, antiretroviral therapy before and after probiotic supplementation. IFN subtypes and IFN were expressed at higher levels in GALT compared to PBMC, whereas an opposite trend of expression was recorded for IFN. An increase of IFN6, IFN10, IFN14, IFN17, and IFN21 and a decrease of IFN were observed in both anatomical sites after probiotic supplementation.
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