Publications by authors named "Teppei Sasahara"
Article Synopsis
- Many new nurses experience stress due to environmental changes, which can lead to resignations, highlighting the need for strategies to retain them, especially in light of Japan's nursing shortage.
- A study analyzed the characteristics of 353 newly graduated nurses to identify factors related to early resignation, comparing traits of those who left within a year to those who stayed.
- Results indicated that high trait anxiety and low nurse orientation are significant predictors of early resignation, suggesting that targeted support could help retain these nurses.
A Comprehensive Review on Phage Therapy and Phage-Based Drug Development.
Antibiotics (Basel)
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- Phage therapy is gaining attention as a potential solution for treating infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, leveraging naturally occurring viruses called bacteriophages.
- The review covers the historical background, recent advancements, and various applications of phages, including their use in medical fields like vaccine development and cancer treatment.
- Despite its advantages, phage therapy still faces obstacles such as maintaining phage stability, dealing with immune responses, and navigating regulatory challenges for approval.
Article Synopsis
- Leishmaniasis is an infection caused by protozoa from the Leishmania genus, leading to various clinical forms including cutaneous and visceral types.
- Sporotrichoid cutaneous leishmaniasis (SCL) is a rare variation of cutaneous leishmaniasis primarily found in the Old World.
- A case report details a Japanese man in Peru infected with Leishmania (Viannia) peruviana; his lesions spread from one foot to the lymph nodes, and resolved with treatment using intravenous liposomal amphotericin B, marking the first recorded case of SCL from this specific pathogen.
Article Synopsis
- The study presents a new phagemid-based system that produces CRISPR-Cas13a-loaded antibacterial capsids (AB-capsids) specifically targeting multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
- By optimizing phagemid copy numbers, researchers achieved higher yields and purity of AB-capsids, illustrating a direct relationship between phagemid quantity and capsid production.
- The developed AB-capsids effectively eliminate targeted S. aureus strains while leaving non-target strains unharmed, showcasing their potential as effective tools against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Article Synopsis
- The lab created a phagemid system to generate CRISPR-Cas13a-antimicrobial capsids specifically targeting MRSA to combat rising antimicrobial resistance.
- They faced a challenge with unwanted wild-type phage production during packaging, which was addressed by introducing silent mutations to reduce contamination while maintaining efficiency.
- The optimized system showed effective sequence-specific killing of MRSA strains but highlights the need for further research on its effectiveness against other bacteria and in real body conditions.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on oxacillin-susceptible methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (OS-MRSA), which poses new treatment challenges due to its ability to develop resistance through chromosomal mutations.
- Researchers analyzed six mutant strains with decreased oxacillin susceptibility, examining how mutations in RNA polymerase (RNAP) genes led to transcription dysfunction and an accumulation of certain metabolites.
- The findings indicated that these mutations resulted in cell wall thickening, which ultimately decreased the mutants' susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics, highlighting the need for a better understanding of these mechanisms for effective clinical management.
Article Synopsis
- Inhaled corticosteroids like ciclesonide were examined for their effectiveness in treating non-critically ill hospitalized patients with COVID-19, as their role remains unclear.
- A study of 3,638 patients across 64 Japanese hospitals analyzed mortality rates between those using ciclesonide and a control group.
- The findings indicated no significant difference in 28-day or in-hospital mortality rates between the two groups, suggesting that inhaled ciclesonide does not provide a mortality benefit in this patient population, warranting further research.
Article Synopsis
- An 88-year-old man received high-dose steroid treatment for COVID-19 and lung disease prior to hospitalization due to left arm swelling and redness.
- Blood tests during his hospital stay revealed an infection, which ultimately led to his death despite receiving antifungal medication.
- The case highlights the importance of monitoring patients for prolonged immunosuppression effects from high-dose steroids used in COVID-19 treatment.
Article Synopsis
- A study followed 6,576 individuals with a history of Kawasaki disease (KD) over an average of 30 years to assess long-term outcomes, particularly mortality.
- 68 deaths were recorded, revealing that while the overall mortality rate was not higher than the general population, those with cardiac complications had a significantly increased risk of death.
- The findings suggest that further follow-up is needed to understand the impact of KD on heart health as patients age, especially regarding atherosclerosis risk.
Importance: Global studies have reported that the incidence of Kawasaki disease (KD) declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. These studies suggest that the global pandemic and its accompanying mitigation measures may provide an important opportunity to explore the hypothesis of a KD pathogenesis.
Objective: To compare changes in KD incidence in Japan before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigated how well two different echocardiographic criteria (Japanese and Z score) detect coronary artery (CA) abnormalities in Kawasaki disease (KD) using a large dataset from Japan's 25th nationwide KD survey, which included over 30,000 patients from multiple hospitals.
- The analysis found that larger hospitals, which often had more specialized staff, were more likely to use Z score criteria, which showed significantly higher sensitivity for detecting CA dilatations and aneurysms compared to Japanese criteria, particularly in younger patients.
- Overall, the findings suggest that the effectiveness of these criteria in detecting CA issues depends on the size of the abnormalities and the patient's age, with Z score criteria being more reliable for certain cases.
Article Synopsis
- Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels serve as a potential indicator of initial IVIG resistance in Kawasaki disease, but their reliability varies depending on the timing of examination after disease onset.
- In a study of over 18,000 Kawasaki disease patients in Japan, serum ALT peaked at day 4 and then decreased, showing a significant correlation with IVIG resistance for patients assessed within the first 5 days.
- For those evaluated later (6-10 days post-onset), ALT levels did not show a significant relationship with IVIG resistance, suggesting early assessment is crucial for risk evaluation.
Human Mobility and Droplet-Transmissible Pediatric Infectious Diseases during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
June 2022
Article Synopsis
- * Using data from Japanese government surveillance and Google mobility reports, researchers found significant correlations between reduced mobility in public spaces and lower numbers of specific PIDs, such as pharyngoconjunctival fever and group A streptococcal pharyngitis.
- * The findings suggest that limiting adult mobility could prevent adult-to-child transmission of these diseases, especially in settings where adults and children interact closely.
Article Synopsis
- Non-menstrual toxic shock syndrome (non-mTSS) is a severe illness linked to superantigen-producing strains such as those that produce TSST-1, but the rarity of TSS cases remains largely unexplained.
- Researchers measured TSST-1 production in 541 clinical isolates, comparing strains from non-mTSS patients with those from other conditions, and investigated the role of specific mutations in the promoter affecting TSST-1 inducibility by human serum.
- Results indicated that a small percentage of clinical isolates produced more TSST-1 in the presence of serum, particularly in non-mTSS strains from clonal complex (CC)-5, with certain genetic variations in the promoter implicated in this serum-induced induction.
Article Synopsis
- A 20-year-old healthy pregnant woman in Japan experienced prolonged shedding of the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant for 221 days after being diagnosed.
- This case represents the longest documented SARS-CoV-2 shedding period in an immunocompetent person so far.
- The woman had a normal delivery despite the extended duration of the virus in her system.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted on the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales in elderly long-term care facilities in Japan, focusing on genetic distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility.
- Out of 141 ESBL-PE strains analyzed, 94% contained group genes, but resistance patterns varied significantly between different facilities.
- The results indicate that tailored treatment strategies based on each facility's specific antibiotic resistance profile are necessary, emphasizing the need for ongoing monitoring in both long-term and acute care settings.
Influenza outbreaks at geriatric long-term care facilities (g-LTCFs) can be deadly and their prevention is important. However, the factors influencing disease transmission in g-LTCFs remain controversial. In this descriptive study, we tried to identify the potential risk factors influencing influenza outbreaks that occurred in different influenza seasons within a single g-LTCF with 100 residents in Gunma Prefecture.
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- This study investigated the effects of adding azithromycin to β-lactam antibiotics in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who also developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
- Using a database analysis of mechanically ventilated patients from 2010 to 2015, they compared outcomes, particularly 28-day mortality and in-hospital mortality, between those receiving both drugs and those receiving only β-lactam.
- Results show no significant difference in mortality rates between the two groups, indicating that adding azithromycin does not enhance outcomes in these patients.
Article Synopsis
- Previous research found that residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) had higher rates of ESBL-E carriage compared to the general public, with most carriers being asymptomatic.
- A study tested whether residents with shorter stays (Cohort 2) had higher rates of ESBL-E carriage due to potential cross-transmission compared to those with longer stays (Cohort 1), and indeed found a significantly higher prevalence in Cohort 2 (40% vs 28%).
- The results suggested that while some residents acquired ESBL-E through short-term exposure in LTCFs, no long-term residents became newly positive, indicating stable carriage among longer-staying residents and highlighting the need for enhanced infection control measures.
Article Synopsis
- * A study analyzed over 21,600 KD patients in Japan, finding that 3.6% of infants and 1.8% of older patients developed CALs, with infants showing a higher likelihood at normal sodium levels.
- * The research indicated that low serum sodium (≤130 mEq/L) significantly raises the risk of CALs in both groups, but the association with sodium levels varies, indicating that risk assessments should treat infants and older patients differently.
Article Synopsis
- - The study analyzed data from 89,725 patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) in Japan from 2011-2018 to explore clinical characteristics of patients with siblings who also had the disease.
- - Of these patients, 2% had a sibling history of KD, which was significantly linked to recurrence of the disease and parental history, suggesting a possible genetic predisposition.
- - Male patients with a sibling history were less likely to experience recurrent KD compared to females, and while there was an association between sibling history and treatment resistance, it did not correlate with the development of coronary artery abnormalities.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined data from a nationwide survey of Kawasaki disease (KD) patients in Japan, focusing on those with coronary artery lesions (CALs) detected during their initial echocardiography.
- Results showed that 3.6% of patients had CALs, with younger patients (<12 months) and older patients (≥60 months) being more likely to have CALs.
- Delayed hospital visits significantly increased the risk of CAL detection, especially after 7 days of illness, indicating the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment for KD patients.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the effects of switching from tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) to tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) on bone health, kidney function, lipids, and body weight in Asian HIV patients.
- Conducted in Japan from 2017 to 2019, the research involved 118 HIV-infected adults who switched to TAF, with measurements taken for various health indicators before and after the switch.
- Results showed that switching to TAF improved bone density and renal markers, but worsened lipid profiles; additionally, patients gained more weight on TAF compared to TDF, with greater weight gain noted for those also using integrase inhibitors.
Article Synopsis
- A study analyzed data from over 90,000 patients diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (KD) in Japan to understand the risk factors for developing giant coronary artery (CA) aneurysms, a serious heart condition that can occur after KD.
- Out of the patients, 144 (0.16%) developed giant CA aneurysms, with prevalence rates staying consistent from 2011 to 2018.
- Key risk factors for these complications included male sex, recurrent KD, timing of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment, initial echocardiography findings, and resistance to IVIG treatment.