Long-Term effects of COVID-19: a review of current perspectives and mechanistic insights.

Although SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, is primarily a respiratory infection, a broad spectrum of cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, and metabolic complications can occur. More than 50 long-term symptoms of COVID-19 have been described, and as many as 80% of patients may develop ≥1 long-term symptom. To summarize current perspectives of long-term sequelae of COVID-19, we conducted a PubMed search describing the long-term cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and neurologic effects post-SARS-CoV-2 infection and mechanistic insights and risk factors for the above-mentioned sequelae.

Effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines in preventing pneumonia in adults, a systematic review and meta-analyses of observational studies.

Introduction: S. pneumoniae can cause a wide spectrum of diseases, including invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia. Two types of pneumococcal vaccines are indicated for use in adults: 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines (PPV23) and a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13).

Antibiotic susceptibility rates of invasive pneumococci before and after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Germany.

Continuous nationwide surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) was conducted in Germany. A total of 22,208 isolates from invasive pneumococcal disease were collected between July 1, 1992 and June 30, 2013. The present study was conducted to analyze changes in antimicrobial susceptibility and pneumococcal vaccine coverage after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Germany.

Global in vitro activity of tigecycline and comparator agents: Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial 2004-2013.

Background: The Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (TEST) is a global antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance study which has been ongoing since 2004. This report examines the in vitro activity of tigecycline and comparators against clinically important pathogens collected globally between 2004 and 2013.

Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using guidelines published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.

Pneumococcal meningitis and vaccine effects in the era of conjugate vaccination: results of 20 years of nationwide surveillance in Germany.

Background: Long-term complications and a case mortality rate of 7.5% make meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae a serious clinical threat. In 2006, a general pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV) recommendation was issued for all children under 2 years in Germany.

Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype distribution in children in the Russian Federation before the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines into the National Immunization Program.

WHO recommends the inclusion of PCVs in childhood vaccination programs world-wide. Many countries including the Russian Federation are currently planning the inclusion of PCVs in their National Immunization Programs and, therefore, data on the pneumococcal serotype distribution is important to estimate the potential disease impact. Here we review eight recent epidemiological studies on the pneumococcal serotype distribution from Russia.

Epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae serogroup 6 isolates from IPD in children and adults in Germany.

This study presents serogroup 6 isolates from invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) before and after the recommendation for childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Germany (July 2006). A total of 19,299 (children: 3508, adults: 15,791) isolates were serotyped. Serogroup 6 isolates accounted for 9.

Epidemiology of serotype 19A isolates from invasive pneumococcal disease in German children.

Background: This study presents an analysis of 159 serotype 19A isolates from IPD in children before and after the general recommendation for childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Germany in July 2006. Vaccination formulations used were PCV7, PCV10 (from April 2009) and PCV13 (from Dec. 2009, replacing PCV7).

Susceptibility to tuberculosis is associated with TLR1 polymorphisms resulting in a lack of TLR1 cell surface expression.

Human TLR1 plays an important role in host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Our aim was to analyze the association of the loss of TLR1 surface expression and TLR1 SNPs with susceptibility to TB. TLR1neg and TLR1pos cells from healthy individuals were identified by flow cytometry and compared by sequencing.

mef(A) is the predominant macrolide resistance determinant in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes in Germany.

In this study, macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from Germany were carefully characterised by susceptibility testing, phenotyping, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of macrolides resistance genes, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Of 2045 S. pneumoniae and 352 S.

Invasive group A streptococcal disease and association with varicella in Germany, 1996-2009.

A nationwide laboratory-based surveillance study was conducted to analyse the epidemiology of varicella-associated invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infections in Germany. A total of 1342 iGAS samples were collected between 1 January 1996 and 22 September 2009. For 21 of these isolates, an association with varicella was observed.

Global prevailing and emerging pediatric pneumococcal serotypes.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths among children younger than 5 years of age worldwide. The 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) is currently licensed in more than 90 countries and has contributed to significant declines in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Recent studies report an increased incidence of IPD caused by non-PCV7 vaccine serotypes (NVTs).

Macrolide susceptibility and serotype specific macrolide resistance of invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Germany from 1992 to 2008.

Background: Macrolide resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae has been on a gradual increase in Germany for over a decade. The current study was undertaken against the background of the recent observation of declining macrolide resistance rates especially among German children. Nationwide surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease has been conducted in Germany since 1992.

Temporal Variations among Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Serotypes in Children and Adults in Germany (1992-2008).

Nationwide surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease has been conducted in Germany since 1992. From 1992 to 2008, a total of 12,137 isolates from invasive pneumococcal disease were collected. Data on serotypes were available for 9,394 invasive isolates.

Efficacy of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Germany: An analysis using the indirect cohort method.

Efficacy of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination has been shown in randomized controlled trials using 4 dose vaccination schedules in children under 2 years of age. A case-control study from the US showed considerable protection from IPD for reduced vaccination schedules and even some protection from only one dose. In Germany, delayed and incomplete vaccination is a major issue.

Superantigen genes are more important than the emm type for the invasiveness of group A Streptococcus infection.

Background: In this study, we examined the role of superantigen genes and emm genotypes of clinical Streptococcus pyogenes isolates collected in Germany between 1997 and 2003.

Methods: Multiplex polymerase chain reaction for all 11 currently known superantigen genes and sequencing for emm types were used.

Results: Using a 2-step explorative data analysis procedure, we found that after combined analysis of superantigen genes and emm types, only the superantigen genes spea1-spea3, spem, and spea4 have a predictive value for invasiveness, with odds ratios of 7.

Serotype distribution of invasive pneumococcal disease during the first 60 days of life.

A total of 8172 isolates from invasive pneumococcal disease was collected from 1992 to 2006 in Germany. From these, 88 were from children < or = 60 days of age, where the leading serotypes were 7F (14.8%), 1 and 14 (13.

Epidemiology of invasive Streptococcus pyogenes disease in Germany during 2003-2007.

A nationwide laboratory-based surveillance study of invasive Streptococcus pyogenes infections was conducted in Germany. Invasive isolates (n=586) were obtained between 2003 and 2007. Most isolates were obtained from blood (53.

Association of serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae with age in invasive pneumococcal disease.

A total of 7,764 isolates from patients with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) were collected from 1992 to June 2006. Data on serotypes were available for 5,022 isolates (64.7% of all invasive isolates).

Serotype-specific penicillin resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Germany from 1992 to 2008.

A total of 12,137 isolates from invasive pneumococcal disease was collected between January 1, 1992, and December 31, 2008, by the German National Reference Center for Streptococci (NRCS). Data on penicillin susceptibility were available for 11,814 isolates, whereat 8837 isolates (74.8%) were from adults, and 2977 isolates (25.

Molecular characterization of pneumococcal isolates from pets and laboratory animals.

Background: Between 1986 and 2008 Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from 41 pets/zoo animals (guinea pigs (n = 17), cats (n = 12), horses (n = 4), dogs (n = 3), dolphins (n = 2), rat (n = 2), gorilla (n = 1)) treated in medical veterinary laboratories and zoos, and 44 laboratory animals (mastomys (multimammate mice; n = 32), mice (n = 6), rats (n = 4), guinea pigs (n = 2)) during routine health monitoring in an animal facility. S. pneumoniae was isolated from nose, lung and respiratory tract, eye, ear and other sites.

Effects of preincubation temperature on the detection of fastidious organisms in delayed-entry samples in the BacT/ALERT 3D blood culture system.

This study evaluates the effect of preincubation on delayed-entry samples for fastidious organisms including the HACEK group, Streptococcus species, Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus species and Corynebacterium species for the BacT/ALERT 3D System (bioMérieux) using the FA (aerobic) medium. Bottles were inoculated with two different concentrations (0.5 McFarland and a 1:100,000 dilution) of each organism and either loaded into the system immediately or stored at 4 degrees C, room temperature (RT) or 37 degrees C for 24 hours (h) prior to loading.

Burden of invasive pneumococcal disease and serotype distribution among Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in young children in Europe: impact of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and considerations for future conjugate vaccines.

Objectives: The overall reported burden of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) varies among countries in Europe. This review describes the epidemiology and serotype distribution of IPD in European children from studies published from 1990 to 2008.

Methods: Averages were derived from all studies from all countries that had available data.

Regional differences in serotype distribution, pneumococcal vaccine coverage, and antimicrobial resistance of invasive pneumococcal disease among German federal states.

Continuous nationwide surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease has been conducted in Germany for more than 15 years. In this study, 3724 isolates were included. A total of 2065 isolates were obtained from children under 16 years of age from 1997 to 2006, and 1659 isolates were obtained from adults aged 16 years and older between 2002 and 2006.