Microfluidic particle dam for direct visualization of SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in COVID-19 vaccinees.

Various COVID-19 vaccines are currently deployed, but their immunization varies and decays with time. Antibody level is a potent correlate to immune protection, but its quantitation relies on intensive laboratory techniques. Here, we report a decentralized, instrument-free microfluidic device that directly visualizes SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels.

A review of the manufacturing process and infection rate of 3D-printed models and guides sterilized by hydrogen peroxide plasma and utilized intra-operatively.

3D printing in the context of medical application can allow for visualization of patient-specific anatomy to facilitate surgical planning and execution. Intra-operative usage of models and guides allows for real time feedback but ensuring sterility is essential to prevent infection. The additive manufacturing process restricts options for sterilisation owing to temperature sensitivity of thermoplastics utilised for fabrication.

Risk of cutaneous herpes zoster in patients with spondyloarthritis treated with conventional and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Objectives: To investigate the risk of cutaneous herpes zoster (HZ) in spondyloarthritis (SpA) compared with that in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and in disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) used in SpA.

Method: A total of 727 patients with an expert diagnosis of SpA were identified retrospectively from four rheumatology centers in Hong Kong. Electronic medical records from 1995 to 2018 were reviewed for incidence of cutaneous HZ and demographic data including age, sex, comorbidities, smoking and drinking status.

Acute hepatitis E virus infection causing acute liver failure requiring living-donor liver transplantation in a non-pregnant immunocompetent woman.

We report a rare case of acute liver failure from acute hepatitis E virus (HEV) in a non-pregnant woman without comorbidities who survived after liver transplantation. The source was likely consumption of partially cooked pig liver. HEV genotype 3 is the second most common genotype causing acute hepatitis E in developed countries.

Extensive contact tracing and screening to control the spread of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium ST414 in Hong Kong.

Background: Proactive infection control management is crucial in preventing the introduction of multiple drug resistant organisms in the healthcare setting. In Hong Kong, where vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) endemicity is not yet established, contact tracing and screening, together with other infection control measures are essential in limiting intra- and inter-hospital transmission. The objective of this study was to illustrate the control measures used to eradicate a VRE outbreak in a hospital network in Hong Kong.

The lower serum immunoglobulin G2 level in severe cases than in mild cases of pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza is associated with cytokine dysregulation.

The majority of patients with pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 had mild illness, but some, including those with no risk factors for severe disease, may succumb to this infection. Besides viral factors such as the D222/225G substitution of the hemagglutinin, host factors such as IgG2 subclass deficiency recently was reported to be associated with severe disease in a cohort of Australian patients besides other known risk factors, including underlying chronic illness, extremes of age, and pregnancy. We conducted a case-control study of 38 Asian patients with respiratory failure due to severe pandemic influenza and compared the results to those for 36 mild cases.

Disseminated penicilliosis, recurrent bacteremic nontyphoidal salmonellosis, and burkholderiosis associated with acquired immunodeficiency due to autoantibody against gamma interferon.

Acquired immunodeficiency due to autoantibody against gamma interferon has recently been associated with opportunistic nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, especially among Southeast Asians. We report another 8 cases, all except one apparently immunocompetent hosts who suffered from concomitant or sequential infections by other intracellular pathogens causing penicilliosis, extraintestinal nontyphoidal salmonellosis, and burkholderiosis. The only case with an underlying immunodeficiency syndrome had systemic lupus erythematosus that was quiescent throughout the multiple infective episodes.

Pathogenesis of pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus infection and the implication on management.

The pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus has caused the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century, leading to disproportionate fatalities in the low-risk population despite the generally mild nature of the illness. Advances in science and technology have allowed very detailed study on the pathogenesis of this novel virus, and many have already been published in less than a year after the start of the pandemic. Information generated from cell lines, animal models, and clinical data analysis has provided us with greater understanding of the behavior of this virus and the associated host response.