Rapid appraisal of liver diseases using transient elastography, abdominal ultrasound, and microbiology in Côte d'Ivoire: A single-center study.

Background: Liver diseases of infectious and non-infectious etiology cause considerable morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, data on the prevalence of liver diseases and underlying risk factors in LMICs are scarce. The objective of this study was to elucidate the occurrence of infectious diseases among individuals with chronic liver damage in a rural setting of Côte d'Ivoire.

Adaptation and validation of a light microscope for use in energy insecure settings: a proof-of-concept study.

Microscopy as a basic diagnostic method cannot be used everywhere globally. Validity of slide reading was tested on torch-modified microscopes. Experienced microscopists handled the modification without prior standard-adaptation.

Retrospective study of the incidence, risk factors, treatment outcomes of bacterial infections at uncommon sites in cirrhotic patients.

Background: Bacterial infections (BI) negatively affect the natural course of cirrhosis. The most frequent BI are urinary tract infections (UTI), pneumonia, and spontaneous-bacterial peritonitis (SBP).

Aim: To assess the relevance of bacterial infections beyond the commonly recognized types in patients with cirrhosis and to investigate their relationship with other clinical variables.

The EC-COMPASS: Long-term, multi-centre surveillance of Enterobacter cloacae complex - a clinical perspective.

Background: Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECCO) comprises closely related Enterobacterales, causing a variety of infections ranging from mild urinary tract infections to severe bloodstream infections. ECCO has emerged as a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections, particularly in neonatal and adult intensive care.

Aim: The Enterobacter Cloacae COMplex PASsive Surveillance (EC-COMPASS) aims to provide a detailed multi-centre overview of ECCO epidemiology and resistance patterns detected in routine microbiological diagnostics in four German tertiary-care hospitals.

Antiparasitic stewardship: a call to action.

Tweetable abstract There is an urgent need to consider antiparasitic drugs in global efforts to achieve and implement equitable and sustainable antimicrobial stewardship initiatives worldwide.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-how common and how severe is it as a complication of malaria? Retrospective case series and review of the literature.

Background: Infection-associated secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is a potentially life-threatening hyperinflammatory condition caused by various infectious diseases. Malaria has rarely been described as trigger. The aim of this study is to collect data on frequency, clinical spectrum, and outcome of sHLH induced by malaria.

A multi-pronged approach to improve blood culture diagnostics in different clinical departments: a single-centre experience.

Purpose: Blood culture (BC) diagnostics are influenced by many factors. We performed a targeted interdisciplinary analysis to analyse effects of various measures on BC diagnostics performance.

Methods: A diagnostic stewardship initiative was conducted at two intervention and two control wards in a German tertiary level hospital.

Recipient-Reported Reactogenicity of Different SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Regimens among Healthcare Professionals and Police Staff in Germany.

The rapid availability of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 was key during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, vaccine hesitancy and relatively low vaccine coverage rates among the general population and particularly vulnerable populations such as healthcare staff reduced the potential benefits of these vaccines. During the early phase of the pandemic, fear of vaccine-related adverse events was common among individuals who refused vaccination.

Occurrence, resistance patterns, and management of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in war-wounded refugees from Ukraine.

We analyzed consecutive clinical cases of infections due to carbapenemase-producing gram-negative bacteria detected in war-wounded patients from Ukraine who were treated at one university medical center in southwest Germany between June and December 2022. The isolates of multiresistant gram-negative bacteria were subjected to a thorough microbiological characterization and whole genome sequencing (WGS). We identified five war-wounded Ukrainian patients who developed infections with New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Diagnostic Specificity of Two Dengue Virus IgG ELISAs after Yellow Fever and Japanese Encephalitis Virus Vaccination.

Dengue virus (DENV) antibody assays frequently cross-react with sera from individuals who have been infected with or vaccinated against related flaviviruses. The goal of this study was to determine the specificity of two DENV ELISAs with sera from individuals vaccinated against yellow fever virus (YFV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). The Panbio and the Novatec Dengue IgG ELISAs were tested with sera obtained 3-4 weeks or 0.

Comparative immunogenicity and reactogenicity of heterologous ChAdOx1-nCoV-19-priming and BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273-boosting with homologous COVID-19 vaccine regimens.

Comparative analyses of the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of homologous and heterologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-regimens will inform optimized vaccine strategies. Here we analyze the humoral and cellular immune response following heterologous and homologous vaccination strategies in a convenience cohort of 331 healthy individuals. All regimens induce immunity to the vaccine antigen.

Awareness and perceptions of medical students and doctors regarding Tropical Medicine education and training in Europe: An international, online-based survey.

Background: Multifactorial health determinants and shifts in global patterns of disease increase the need for Tropical Medicine training across Europe. A survey of university and postgraduate opportunities in Europe was conducted to identify and analyse gaps.

Method: An online survey was circulated to medical students and doctors in Europe between April and June 2021.

The Role of Physicians in Digitalizing Health Care Provision: Web-Based Survey Study.

Background: Digitalization affects all areas of society, including the health care sector. However, the digitalization of health care provision is progressing slowly compared to other sectors. In the professional and political literature, physicians are partially portrayed as digitalization sceptics.

Cellular immunity predominates over humoral immunity after homologous and heterologous mRNA and vector-based COVID-19 vaccine regimens in solid organ transplant recipients.

Knowledge on the immunogenicity of vector-based and mRNA-vaccines in solid organ transplant recipients is limited. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells and antibodies were analyzed in 40 transplant recipients and 70 controls after homologous or heterologous vaccine-regimens. Plasmablasts and SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells were quantified using flow cytometry.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/mRNA vaccination.

Heterologous priming with the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vector vaccine followed by boosting with a messenger RNA vaccine (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273) is currently recommended in Germany, although data on immunogenicity and reactogenicity are not available. In this observational study we show that, in healthy adult individuals (n = 96), the heterologous vaccine regimen induced spike-specific IgG, neutralizing antibodies and spike-specific CD4 T cells, the levels of which which were significantly higher than after homologous vector vaccine boost (n = 55) and higher or comparable in magnitude to homologous mRNA vaccine regimens (n = 62). Moreover, spike-specific CD8 T cell levels after heterologous vaccination were significantly higher than after both homologous regimens.

Simple Questionnaires to Improve Pooling Strategies for SARS-CoV-2 Laboratory Testing.

Background: Liberal PCR testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is key to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Combined multi-sample testing in pools instead of single tests might enhance laboratory capacity and reduce costs, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to assess the value of a simple questionnaire to guide and further improve pooling strategies for SARS-CoV-2 laboratory testing.

High levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells with restricted functionality in severe courses of COVID-19.

BACKGROUNDPatients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) differ in the severity of disease. We hypothesized that characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity correlate with disease severity.METHODSIn this study, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells and antibodies were characterized in uninfected controls and patients with different coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease severity.