Few studies of wild animal performance account for parasite infections: A systematic review.

Wild animals have parasites. This inconvenient truth has far-reaching implications for biologists measuring animal performance traits: infection with parasites can alter host behaviour and physiology in profound and sometimes counterintuitive ways. Yet, to what extent do studies on wild animals take individual infection status into account? We performed a systematic review across eight scientific journals primarily publishing studies in animal behaviour and physiology over a 5-year period to assess the proportion of studies which acknowledge, treat or control for parasite infection in their study design and/or analyses.

Increased parasite load is associated with reduced metabolic rates and escape responsiveness in pumpkinseed sunfish.

Wild animals have parasites that can compromise their physiological and/or behavioural performance. Yet, the extent to which parasite load is related to intraspecific variation in performance traits within wild populations remains relatively unexplored. We used pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) and their endoparasites as a model system to explore the effects of infection load on host aerobic metabolism and escape performance.

Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses of Solid Organ Transplant Patients on Belatacept to Three Doses of mRNA-Based Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine.

Background: Two doses of anti-SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-based vaccines are poorly immunogenic in solid organ transplant recipients (SOT).

Methods: In total, 68 belatacept-treated SOT recipients followed at the Toulouse University Hospital were investigated. They were given three injections of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and neutralizing antibodies at 1 and 3 months after three doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in a large cohort of solid organ transplant patients.

The immunogenicity of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine was improved by the administration of a third dose. The aim of our retrospective study was to assess the evolution of binding and neutralizing antibody concentration until 3 months after the third dose in a large cohort of solid organ transplant (SOT) patients (n = 872). At 1 month after the third dose, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests in 578 patients (66.

Weekly high-dose liposomal amphotericin B prevents invasive aspergillosis after heart transplantation.

Background: Preventive strategies for invasive aspergillosis (IA) have still not been determined in heart transplant recipients whereas IA leads to a high mortality rate at 12 months posttransplantation. The use of voriconazole or echinocandins was proposed but can favor emergence of Aspergillus or Candida sp. resistant strains or promote neurological and liver disorders in some patients.

De novo donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies mediated rejection in liver-transplant patients.

The incidence and consequences of de novo donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) after liver transplantation (LT) are not well known. We investigated the incidence, risk factors, and complications associated with de novo DSAs in this setting. A total of 152 de novo liver-transplant patients, without preformed anti-HLA DSAs, were tested for anti-HLA antibodies, with single-antigen bead technology, before, at transplantation, at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after transplantation, and thereafter annually and at each time they presented with increased liver-enzyme levels until the last follow-up, that is, 34 (1.

An Early Viral Response Predicts the Virological Response to Ribavirin in Hepatitis E Virus Organ Transplant Patients.

Background: Ribavirin is efficient at treating chronic hepatitis E virus infection in solid-organ transplant patients. However, the early kinetics of viral replication under therapy and the impact of immunosuppressant regimens on viral replication are unknown: thus, determining the aim of our study.

Methods: Thirty-five patients with a solid-organ transplant and chronic hepatitis E virus infection were given ribavirin for 3 months.

Rituximab for minimal-change nephrotic syndrome in adulthood: predictive factors for response, long-term outcomes and tolerance.

Background: Minimal-change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is a common cause of steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome (NS) with frequent relapse. Although steroids and calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) are the cornerstone treatments, the use of rituximab (RTX), a monoclonal antibody targeting B cells, is an efficient and safe alternative in childhood.

Methods: Because data from adults remain sparse, we conducted a large retrospective and multicentric study that included 41 adults with MCNS and receiving RTX.

Pregnancy after kidney transplantation: outcome and anti-human leucocyte antigen alloimmunization risk.

Background: Kidney transplantation increases the chances for pregnancy and live birth for women with end-stage kidney disease. The aims of this study were to describe the outcomes of pregnancies in women with a kidney transplant and to evaluate the impact on anti-human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alloimmunization.

Methods: We analysed 61 pregnancies that occurred in 46 patients after having excluded 10 miscarriages during the first trimester and 10 other pregnancies from which important data were missing.

Prospective monitoring of cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, BK virus, and JC virus infections on belatacept therapy after a kidney transplant.

Objectives: Few data regarding viral replication in patients receiving belatacept are available. The aim of this single-center study was to compare the incidence of viral infections (cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr virus, BK virus, and JC virus), in 62 de novo kidney transplant patients enrolled in the BENEFIT studies, receiving either belatacept (n=42) or cyclosporine (n=20).

Materials And Methods: By means of polymerase chain reaction, belatacept-treated patients were tested for cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, BK virus, and JC virus infections monthly for 36 months, monthly for the first 6 months, and then quarterly for 36 months in cyclosporine-treated patients.

An unexpected diagnosis in a renal-transplant patient with proteinuria treated with everolimus: AL amyloidosis.

Proteinuria is an expected complication in transplant patients treated with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTOR-i). However, clinical suspicion should always be supported by histological evidence in order to investigate potential alternate diagnoses such as acute or chronic rejection, interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy, or recurrent or de novo glomerulopathy. In this case we report the unexpected diagnosis of amyloidosis in a renal-transplant patient with pre-transplant monoclonal gammapathy of undetermined significance who developed proteinuria after conversion from tacrolimus to everolimus.

Incidence of donor-specific antibodies in kidney transplant patients following conversion to an everolimus-based calcineurin inhibitor-free regimen.

Scarce data exist regarding the incidence of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) in kidney transplant patients receiving everolimus-based immunosuppression without calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). The aim of this retrospective case-control study was to compare the incidence of de novo DSAs in patients converted to an everolimus-based regimen without CNIs with that seen in patients maintained on CNIs. Sixty-one DSA-free kidney transplant patients who had been converted to an everolimus-based regimen (everolimus group) were compared to 61 other patients maintained on CNIs-based regimen (control group).

Systematic kidney biopsies after acute allograft pyelonephritis.

Objectives: Scarce data exist regarding the effect of acute graft pyelonephritis on kidney histology after a kidney transplant. This study sought to assess the kidney histology at 1 month, and kidney function at 1 year, after acute graft pyelonephritis in kidney transplant patients.

Materials And Methods: All kidney transplant patients with acute graft pyelonephritis between October 2006, and December 2008, underwent a kidney biopsy 1 month later (n=28).

IgA-mediated anti-glomerular basement membrane disease: an uncommon mechanism of Goodpasture's syndrome.

Goodpasture's (GP) disease is usually mediated by IgG autoantibodies. We describe a case of IgA-mediated GP, in a patient presenting with isolated rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. The diagnosis was established on kidney biopsy, since routine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) targeted at IgG circulating autoantibodies failed to detect the nephritogenic antibodies.

Do kidney histology lesions predict long-term kidney function after liver transplantation?

Histological renal lesions observed after liver transplantation are complex, multifactorial, and interrelated. The aims of this study were to determine whether kidney lesions observed at five yr after liver transplantation can predict long-term kidney function. Ninety-nine liver transplant patients receiving calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based immunosuppression, who had undergone a kidney biopsy at 60±48 months post-transplant, were included in this follow-up study.

Donor-specific antibodies after ceasing immunosuppressive therapy, with or without an allograft nephrectomy.

Background And Objectives: Within the last few years, anti-human leukocyte antigen detection assays have significantly improved. This study asked, using the Luminex single-antigen assay, whether an allograft nephrectomy allowed donor-specific alloantibodies to appear that were not previously detected in the serum when the failed kidney was still in place.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: After losing the kidney allograft and stopping immunosuppressive therapy, the proportions of donor-specific alloantibodies and nondonor-specific alloantibodies were compared in patients who had (n=48; group I) and had not (n=21; group II) undergone an allograft nephrectomy.

Long-term results of conversion from calcineurin inhibitors to sirolimus in 150 maintenance kidney transplant patients.

Objectives: This retrospective single-center study evaluated long-term renal function after conversion from calcineurin inhibitors to sirolimus-based immunosuppression in kidney transplant recipients.

Materials And Methods: From 2001 to 2009, one hundred fifty kidney transplant recipients were converted from calcineurin inhibitors to sirolimus at least 3 months after transplant.

Results: After a mean follow-up of 171 weeks, 56.

Anti-human leukocyte antigen immunization after early allograft nephrectomy.

Introduction: The occurrence of de novo anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies and donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) after early graft loss is not well known. The aims of this single-center study were to evaluate the incidence of de novo DSAs and non-DSA anti-HLA antibodies after allograft nephrectomy for early graft loss and to seek the predictive factors for the development of DSAs.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-two patients, who experienced an early graft loss (<3 months after transplantation) and required an allograft nephrectomy, and who were considered for retransplantation, were included in the study.

Hepatitis E virus and the kidney in solid-organ transplant patients.

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an emerging disease in industrialized countries. Few data regarding genotype 3 HEV extrahepatic manifestations exist.

Methods: We assessed kidney function and histology in solid-organ transplant patients during HEV infection.

[Acute pancreatitis and thrombotic microangiopathy: a two-way association].

Acute pancreatitis and thrombotic microangiopathy is an established association: but which is the cause, which is the consequence? Thanks to two case reports and a literature review, we put to light an unequivocal link. Indeed, thrombotic microangiopathy may be responsible for ischemic pancreatitis. On the other hand, acute pancreatitis, whatever its cause, may trigger thrombotic microangiopathy.