Publications by authors named "Neil Ritchie"

Aims: Periprosthetic hip and knee infection remains one of the most severe complications following arthroplasty, with an incidence between 0.5% to 1%. This study compares the outcomes of revision surgery for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following hip and knee arthroplasty prior to and after implementation of a specialist PJI multidisciplinary team (MDT).

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The global pandemic has taught us that we can focus the attention of the healthcare system on a clear intention when there is a looming threat. Climate action is required from multiple stakeholders particularly private sector suppliers in order to achieve the net-zero carbon emission by 2050 goal established by the Canadian government. Also building climate resilience among healthcare institutions and their supply chains is urgently needed, as they are already affected by a changing climate.

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is the dominant cause of community-acquired pneumonia worldwide. Invasion of the pleural space is common and results in increased mortality. We set out to determine the bacterial and host factors that influence invasion of the pleural space.

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Streptococcus pneumoniae is the major bacterial cause of community-acquired pneumonia, and the leading agent of childhood pneumonia deaths worldwide. Nasal colonization is an essential step prior to infection. The cytokine IL-17 protects against such colonization and vaccines that enhance IL-17 responses to pneumococcal colonization are being developed.

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Background: The bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae colonizes the nasopharynx prior to causing disease, necessitating successful competition with the resident microflora. Cytokines of the IL-17 family are important in host defence against this pathogen but their effect on the nasopharyngeal microbiome is unknown. Here we analyse the influence of IL-17 on the composition and interactions of the nasopharyngeal microbiome before and after pneumococcal colonization.

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Neutrophils play an important role in the innate immune response to infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, the pneumococcus. Pneumococci are phagocytosed by neutrophils and undergo killing after ingestion. Other cellular processes may also be induced, including autophagy and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which may play a role in bacterial eradication.

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Chronic pulmonary infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a feature of cystic fibrosis (CF) and other chronic lung diseases. Cytokines of the interleukin-17 (IL-17) family have been proposed as important in the host response to P. aeruginosa infection through their role in augmenting antibacterial immune responses, although their proinflammatory effect may contribute to lung damage that occurs as a result of chronic infection.

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Protein antibiotics, known as bacteriocins, are widely produced by bacteria for intraspecies competition. The potency and targeted action of bacteriocins suggests that they could be developed into clinically useful antibiotics against highly drug resistant Gram-negative pathogens for which there are few therapeutic options. Here we show that Pseudomonas aeruginosa specific bacteriocins, known as pyocins, show strong efficacy in a murine model of P.

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Background: Interleukin (IL)-22 is a critical mediator of mucosal immunity and tissue regeneration, protecting against a number of respiratory pathogens. Whether IL-22 confers protection against chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) is unknown.

Methods: Explanted CF lungs were examined for IL-22 production and immune-localization.

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Background: There are thousands of survivors of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in west Africa. Ebola virus can persist in survivors for months in immune-privileged sites; however, viral relapse causing life-threatening and potentially transmissible disease has not been described. We report a case of late relapse in a patient who had been treated for severe Ebola virus disease with high viral load (peak cycle threshold value 13.

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The nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing family caspase recruitment domain containing 4 (NLRC4) inflammasome can be activated by pathogenic bacteria via products translocated through the microbial type III secretion apparatus (T3SS). Recent work has shown that activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is downregulated by autophagy, but the influence of autophagy on NLRC4 activation is unclear. We set out to determine how autophagy might influence this process, using the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which activates the NLRC4 inflammasome via its T3SS.

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Bacterial infection can trigger autophagy and inflammasome activation, but the effects of inflammasome activation on autophagy are unknown. We examined this in the context of Pseudomonas aeruginosa macrophage infection, which triggers NLRC4 inflammasome activation. P.

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Background: Acetazolamide has been reported to be effective in the prevention of acute mountain sickness (AMS). Our aim was to conduct a systematic review of randomized, placebo-controlled trials of acetazolamide in the prevention of AMS.

Methods: Studies were identified by searching the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Clinical Trials Register, and ClinicalTrials.

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Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae is among the most commonly isolated serotype in invasive pneumococcal disease but is rarely found causing asymptomatic nasopharyngeal colonization. Compared to infection by other serotypes, infection caused by serotype 1 is more likely to be identified in young patients without comorbidities but is generally associated with a lower mortality. Empyema and extrapulmonary manifestations are common.

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This paper presents findings from the qualitative arm of the Warm Homes Project, a programme of research concerned with the nature of fuel poverty, its alleviation and its relationship to family health. Much of the research into fuel poverty, which results from various combinations of low income and fuel inefficiency, has drawn upon quantitative paradigms. Experiences of, and coping with, fuel poverty have not been well explored.

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