Publications by authors named "Hasegawa Hiroo"

A 2019 nationwide study in Japan revealed the predominant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) types in bloodstream infections (BSIs) to be sequence type (ST)8-carrying SCC type IV (ST8-MRSA-IV) and clonal complex 1-carrying SCC type IV (CC1-MRSA-IV). However, detailed patient characteristics and how these MRSA types evolve over time remain largely unknown. In this long-term single-center study, MRSA strains isolated from blood cultures at Nagasaki University Hospital from 2012 to 2019 were sequenced and analyzed.

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The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), a retrovirus, integrates into host DNA and causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) in some individuals. Two types of defective proviruses, Type 1 and Type 2, are often observed in ATL cells. Here, we developed a 3-plex digital PCR (dPCR) method to detect HTLV-1 proviral deletions by comparing the ratios of copy numbers quantified using specific primer-probes for the LTR, pol, and pX regions.

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  • * Of the 73 isolates, a significant majority (86.3%) showed resistance to macrolides, with notable correlations between certain serotypes and resistance genes, particularly serotype 19A and ST3111.
  • * Solithromycin and lascufloxacin were found to be highly effective antibiotics against the pneumococcal isolates regardless of their resistance genes.
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  • - A shift in MRSA types has been noted in Japan, specifically from SCCmec type II/ST5 to SCCmec type IV/CC1, particularly in long-term care wards, raising concerns about unintentional MRSA transmission between patients and healthcare providers.
  • - Researchers examined 83 MRSA isolates using polymerase chain reaction (POT) and core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST), discovering that SCCmec type IV/CC1 was the most common, but cgMLST revealed fewer instances of nosocomial transmission than POT.
  • - The study concluded that cgMLST is a more reliable method for detecting MRSA transmission in healthcare environments, emphasizing its importance in managing and preventing the spread of MR
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The magnitude of the effect of human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) infection on uveitis remains unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a highly endemic area of HTLV-1 in Japan. The study included 4265 residents (men, 39.

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Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), caused by human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) infection, is a malignant hematologic cancer that remains difficult to cure. We herein established a biomarker identification strategy based on the total cell proteomics of cultured ATL cells to search for novel ATL biomarkers. Four protocols with a combination of selected conditions based on lysis buffers and addition agents for total cell proteomics were used for a differential analysis between the ATL cell group (consisting of 11 cell lines), HTLV-1-infected cell group (consisting of 6 cell lines), and HTLV-1-negative cell group (consisting of 6 cell lines).

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Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive T-cell malignancy with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1) is recognized to be involved in the pathobiology of ATLL. However, what molecules control PD-L1 expression and whether genetic or pharmacological intervention might modify PD-L1 expression in ATLL cells are still unknown.

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Saliva is a key component of mucosal immunity, which protects the oral cavity from viral infections. However, salivary immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in terms of immunoglobulin dynamics and recognition, have not been investigated sufficiently. In this study, saliva samples were collected from individuals that received SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA against whole spike protein and S1 protein were measured.

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Background: A test-based strategy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the measures to assess the need for isolation and prevention of infection. However, testing with high sensitivity methods, such as quantitative RT-PCR, leads to unnecessary isolation, whereas the lateral flow antigen test shows low sensitivity and false negative results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag test (Lumira Ag), a rapid microfluidic immunofluorescence method, in assessing infectivity.

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  • The World Health Organization estimates that 5-10 million people are infected with HTLV-1, but this number could be low due to limited data.
  • Reliable data exists for only about 1.5 billion people worldwide, leaving many infections potentially undetected.
  • The study evaluates a new rapid test, Espline HTLV-I/II, which could enhance our ability to quickly and easily identify HTLV-1 infections without needing expensive lab equipment.
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  • The study focuses on the prevalence and clinical impacts of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), particularly SCCmec type IV, in geriatric hospitals.
  • It analyzed 145 MRSA isolates from elderly patients, finding that the most common type (SCCmec type IV/CC1/sea+) was predominantly present in sputum samples and linked to long-term care wards.
  • The research highlights concerns about the under-treatment of this MRSA strain, emphasizing its potential for transmission and colonization in older populations.
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Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATL) remains incurable. The NF-κB and interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) signalling pathways are among the critical survival pathways for the progression of ATL. TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), an IκB kinase-activating kinase, triggers the activation of NF-κB.

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  • * Of the 268 K. pneumoniae isolates examined, 13.4% were rmpA-positive, and these showed higher occurrences of specific genetic markers and capsular types compared to the rmpA-negative isolates.
  • * Clinical analyses revealed that liver abscesses were more likely in patients with rmpA-positive isolates, while biliary tract infections and anticancer drug use were associated with rmpA-negative isolates, suggesting that rmpA can be
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  • The study compared IgG antibody levels against the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding protein in people with and without previous infections after mRNA vaccinations for up to 48 weeks.
  • It found that those with previous infections had consistently higher antibody levels after two vaccine doses compared to those without prior infection.
  • Both groups saw improved antibody responses after receiving a booster shot, emphasizing the importance of boosters for those with previous infections.
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Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is one of the aggressive peripheral T-cell neoplasms with a poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that escape from adaptive immunity is a hallmark of ATLL pathogenesis. However, the mechanisms by which ATLL cells evade natural killer (NK)-cell-mediated immunity have been poorly understood.

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Background: This study investigated the diagnostic utility of the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel (PN panel), an automated and multiplexed nucleic acid detection system that rapidly detects 26 pathogens (18 bacteria and eight viruses) and seven antimicrobial resistance markers in a single assay.

Methods: We analyzed the targets in lower respiratory tract specimens using the PN panel and compared the detection results with those of bacterial culture methods and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Results: Of the 57 samples analyzed, the PN panel detected 97 targets (84 bacteria, four viruses, and nine antimicrobial resistance markers).

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Both natural viral infections and therapeutic interventions using viral vectors pose significant risks of malignant transformation. Monitoring for clonal expansion of infected cells is important for detecting cancer. Here we developed a novel method of tracking clonality via the detection of transgene integration sites.

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  • - An increase in mature CD4 T-cells in peripheral blood is a key feature of acute adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), but the exact location of ATL cell proliferation has been unclear.
  • - Research showed that ATL cells from lymph nodes (LNs) have higher levels of the proliferation marker Ki-67 compared to those from peripheral blood (PB) in acute type patients.
  • - The results indicate that ATL cells likely proliferate in lymph nodes instead of peripheral blood, as PB cells displayed high levels of quiescence-related gene expression and low levels of T-cell expansion markers.
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Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive T-cell malignancy with a poor prognosis with current therapy. Here we report genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screening of ATLL models, which identified CDK6, CCND2, BATF3, JUNB, STAT3, and IL10RB as genes that are essential for the proliferation and/or survival of ATLL cells. As a single agent, the CDK6 inhibitor palbociclib induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in ATLL models with wild-type TP53.

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  • Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a tough-to-treat cancer linked to a virus, necessitating better treatment options.
  • Researchers are testing a new oral drug called TAS-116 (pimitespib), which shows promise in inhibiting ATL cell growth without harming healthy immune cells.
  • The drug targets key signaling pathways involved in cancer survival and cell growth, suggesting it could be an effective therapy for ATL patients at different disease stages.
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Objectives: A few studies on antibody testing have focused on asymptomatic or mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with low initial anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody responses. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody-testing performance was evaluated using blood samples from asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 patients.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 143 COVID-19 patients during an outbreak on a cruise ship 3 weeks after diagnosis.

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Objectives: To perform surveillance of cfiA-positive Bacteroides fragilis using new subtyping software module, MALDI Biotyper Subtyping Module (MBT Subtyping Module), on MALDI-TOF MS system, and to evaluate the detection ability of the module.

Methods: cfiA-positive strains were presumed using the module against B. fragilis isolated between 2006 and 2019.

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