Publications by authors named "Kwee Chin Liew"
Article Synopsis
- Endosymbiosis occurs when a microbe lives within a host, playing a key role in the evolution of complex life forms but its transition processes are not well understood.
- The study examines the genus Arsenophonus, revealing that strains shifting from horizontal to vertical transmission have larger genomes due to the acquisition of new genetic features and the loss of defense systems against viral attacks.
- The research suggests that endosymbiosis leads to a mix of genome expansion and eventual reduction as the microbe adapts to its host, enabling rapid genetic innovation before settling into a more stable state.
Article Synopsis
- Whipple disease (WD) is a rare infection caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei, primarily affecting genetically predisposed individuals.
- Researchers developed an immunofluorescence serological assay to detect antibodies against T. whipplei to help rule out WD in patients being evaluated for the disease.
- In a study comparing 16 WD patients with 156 controls, low antibody titres were found in WD patients, and the assay demonstrated 91% specificity for excluding the disease, which could improve with further validation in diverse populations.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) breakthrough infection of vaccinated individuals is increasingly common with the circulation of highly immune evasive and transmissible Omicron variants. Here, we report the dynamics and durability of recalled spike-specific humoral immunity following Omicron BA.1 or BA.
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- Whole genome sequencing (WGS) reveals how bacteria evolve antibiotic resistance, especially in immunocompromised patients on antibiotic treatment.
- In a case study, two blood isolates from a patient developed distinct adaptations for resistance while sharing mutations that help them evade the host immune system.
- The differences between the isolates suggest that a significant evolutionary process occurred, with enough time for the bacteria to develop advantageous mutations.
Although the protective role of neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19 is well established, questions remain about the relative importance of cellular immunity. Using 6 pMHC multimers in a cohort with early and frequent sampling, we define the phenotype and kinetics of recalled and primary T cell responses following Delta or Omicron breakthrough infection in previously vaccinated individuals. Recall of spike-specific CD4 T cells was rapid, with cellular proliferation and extensive activation evident as early as 1 day post symptom onset.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMpox is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV) from the Orthopoxvirus genus. Unprecedented transmission events have led to more than 70 000 cases reported worldwide by October 2022. The change in mpox epidemiology has raised concerns of its ability to establish endemicity beyond its traditional geographical locations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVaccination against SARS-CoV-2 protects from infection and improves clinical outcomes in breakthrough infections, likely reflecting residual vaccine-elicited immunity and recall of immunological memory. Here, we define the early kinetics of spike-specific humoral and cellular immunity after vaccination of seropositive individuals and after Delta or Omicron breakthrough infection in vaccinated individuals. Early longitudinal sampling revealed the timing and magnitude of recall, with the phenotypic activation of B cells preceding an increase in neutralizing antibody titers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia (PAB) is associated with high mortality. The benefits of infectious diseases consultation (IDC) has been demonstrated in Staphylococcal aureus bacteraemia and other complex infections. Impact of IDC in PAB is unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman parechovirus (HPeV), particularly type 3 (HPeV3), is an important cause of sepsis-/meningitis-like illness in young infants. Laboratory records identified a total of ten HPeV-positive cases in Southeastern Australia between January and July 2019. The HPeV present in these cases were typed by Sanger sequencing of the partial viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) region and selected cases were further characterised by additional Sanger or Ion Torrent near-full length virus sequencing.
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