Risk of tuberculosis disease in patients receiving TNF-α antagonist therapy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) risk associated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) antagonist therapy in patients with autoimmune diseases is a significant concern. This study aims to evaluate the risk of TB disease associated with TNF-α antagonist therapy.

Methods: An extensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane CENTRAL databases was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing TB disease risk in patients receiving TNF-α antagonist therapy available until November 1, 2024.

Immunomodulatory effects of cysteamine and its potential use as a host-directed therapy for tuberculosis.

Objective: Cysteamine, a drug approved to treat cystinosis, has been proposed as a host-directed therapy for (Mtb) and SARS-CoV-2. The impact of cysteamine on the immune responses has not been fully investigated. We aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of cysteamine on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using the purified protein derivative (PPD) as a recall antigen, and an unspecific stimulus as staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB).

COVID-19 and multiple sclerosis: challenges and lessons for patient care.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their healthcare providers have faced unique challenges related to the interaction between SARS-CoV-2, underlying neurological disease and the use of disease-modifying treatments (DMTs). Key concerns arose, primarily related to the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 infection could trigger the initial demyelinating event or exacerbate disease activity. Another major concern was the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, especially for patients undergoing specific treatments that could weaken their antibody responses.

Therapy modulates the response to T cell epitopes over the spectrum of tuberculosis infection.

Background: Identifying stage-specific antigens is essential for developing tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics and vaccines. In a low TB endemic country, we characterized, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-specific immune response to a pool of Mtb-derived epitopes (ATB116), demonstrated as associated with TB disease.

Methods: In this prospective observational cross-sectional study, we enrolled healthy donors (HD), subjects with TB disease, and TB infection (TBI) at baseline and therapy completion.

Anti-RBD Antibody Levels and IFN-γ-Specific T Cell Response Are Associated with a More Rapid Swab Reversion in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis after the Booster Dose of COVID-19 Vaccination.

This study investigated the incidence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections (BIs) and the time to swab reversion in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) after the booster dose of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. We enrolled 64 PwMS who had completed the three-dose mRNA vaccine schedule and had never experienced COVID-19 before. Among the 64 PwMS, 43.

Multiple antimicrobial and immune-modulating activities of cysteamine in infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases are a major threat to global health and cause millions of deaths every year, particularly in developing countries. The emergence of multidrug resistance challenges current antimicrobial treatments, inducing uncertainty in therapeutic protocols. New compounds are therefore necessary.

Evaluation of the Local and Peripheral Immune Responses in Patients with Cystic Echinococcosis.

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) cysts may persist for decades because of immune modulation mechanisms. Here, we characterize the cysts and the blood immune responses in patients with CE.

Methods: We enrolled 61 patients with CE and 19 control subjects.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the real-world diagnostic infrastructure for tuberculosis-An ESGMYC collaborative study.

We determined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mycobacterial diagnostic services. 40 laboratories from 22 countries completed an online questionnaire covering the redeployment of the laboratory infrastructure and/or staff for SARS-CoV-2 testing, staff shortages and supply chain disruptions. 28 laboratories reported monthly numbers of samples processed for mycobacterial investigations and monthly numbers of M.

C1q and HBHA-specific IL-13 levels as surrogate plasma biomarkers for monitoring tuberculosis treatment efficacy: a cross-sectional cohort study in Paraguay.

Introduction: New diagnostic tools are needed to rapidly assess the efficacy of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate several immune biomarkers in an observational and cross-sectional cohort study conducted in Paraguay.

Methods: Thirty-two patients with clinically and microbiologically confirmed PTB were evaluated before starting treatment (T0), after 2 months of treatment (T1) and at the end of treatment (T2).

B-cell-depleted patients with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection: combination therapy or monotherapy? A real-world experience.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe a cohort of B-cell-depleted immunocompromised (IC) patients with prolonged or relapsing COVID-19 treated with monotherapy or combination therapy.

Methods: This is a multicenter observational retrospective study conducted on IC patients consecutively hospitalized with a prolonged or relapsing SARS-CoV-2 infection from November 2020 to January 2023. IC COVID-19 subjects were stratified according to the monotherapy or combination anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapy received.

Perspectives on development and advancement of new tuberculosis vaccines.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death worldwide and is estimated to have caused 1.3 million deaths worldwide in 2022. Approximately one quarter of the world's population are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, of whom up to 10% will progress to developing active TB disease.

Combined antiviral therapy as effective and feasible option in allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation during SARS-COV-2 infection: a case report.

Here we describe the case of a 51 years old Italian woman with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who underwent to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) during SARS-COV-2 infection. She presented a prolonged COVID-19 successfully treated with dual anti SARS-COV-2 antiviral plus monoclonal antibody therapy.

Drugs for treating infections caused by non-tubercular mycobacteria: a narrative review from the study group on mycobacteria of the Italian Society of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine.

Background: Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are generally free-living organism, widely distributed in the environment, with sporadic potential to infect. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the global incidence of NTM-related disease, spanning across all continents and an increased mortality after the diagnosis has been reported. The decisions on whether to treat or not and which drugs to use are complex and require a multidisciplinary approach as well as patients' involvement in the decision process.

HDAC1-3 inhibition increases SARS-CoV-2 replication and productive infection in lung mesothelial and epithelial cells.

Background: Despite the significant progress achieved in understanding the pathology and clinical management of SARS-CoV-2 infection, still pathogenic and clinical issues need to be clarified. Treatment with modulators of epigenetic targets, i.e.

Alternative biomarkers of tuberculosis infection in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Introduction: IFN-γ release assays (IGRAs) are one of the referral tests for diagnosing tuberculosis infection (TBI). To improve IGRAs accuracy, several markers have been investigated. Patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID), taking biological drugs, have a higher risk to progress to TB-disease compared to the general population.