The effect of early life cytomegalovirus infection on the immune profile of children.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has a life-long impact on the immune system, particularly on memory T cells. However, the effect of early life CMV infection on the phenotype and functionality of T cells in infants and especially longitudinal changes occurring during childhood have not been explored in detail. The phenotype and functionality of peripheral blood CD8+ and CD4+ T cells from children infected with CMV in early life (< 6 months of age) was analyzed using high-dimensional flow cytometry.

Disease Severity and Cytokine Expression in the Rhinovirus-Induced First Wheezing Episode.

Wheezing children infected with rhinovirus (RV) have a markedly increased risk of subsequently developing recurrencies and asthma. No previous studies have assessed the association between cytokine response and the severity of acute illness in the first wheezing episode in children infected with RV. Forty-seven children treated both as inpatients and as outpatients infected with RV only, aged 3-23 months, with severe first wheezing episodes were recruited.

Household Transmission and Clinical Features of Respiratory Tract Infections That Were SARS-CoV-2 Positive and Negative.

Background: Comparative data are limited on the transmission of respiratory infections positive and negative for SARS-CoV-2 in households with children.

Methods: In June to August 2020, we recruited 700 participants (175 households, 376 children, 324 adults) to be prospectively followed for all respiratory tract infections. Follow-up lasted from recruitment until April 2022.

Prolonged viral pneumonia and high mortality in COVID-19 patients on anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy.

Purpose: In clinical practice, we observed an apparent overrepresentation of COVID-19 patients on anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical picture of COVID-19 in these patients.

Methods: All adult patients from Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland, with COVID-19 diagnosis and/or positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result up to March 2023, and with anti-CD20 therapy within 12 months before COVID-19 were included.

Human bocavirus 1 coinfection is associated with decreased cytokine expression in the rhinovirus-induced first wheezing episode in children.

Background: Rhinovirus (RV)-induced first wheezing episodes in children are associated with a markedly increased risk of asthma. Previous studies have suggested that human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) may modify RV-induced immune responses in young children. We investigated cytokine profiles of sole RV- and dual RV-HBoV1-induced first wheezing episodes, and their association with severity and prognosis.

Respiratory eukaryotic virome expansion and bacteriophage deficiency characterize childhood asthma.

Asthma development and exacerbation is linked to respiratory virus infections. There is limited information regarding the presence of viruses during non-exacerbation/infection periods. We investigated the nasopharyngeal/nasal virome during a period of asymptomatic state, in a subset of 21 healthy and 35 asthmatic preschool children from the Predicta cohort.

Enterovirus D68 Outbreak in Children, Finland, August-September 2022.

We observed an intense enterovirus D68 outbreak in children in southwest Finland in August-September 2022. We confirmed enterovirus D68 infection in 56 children hospitalized for respiratory illnesses and in 1 child with encephalitis but were not able to test all suspected patients. Continuing surveillance for enterovirus D68 is needed.

Cytokine expression in rhinovirus- vs. respiratory syncytial virus-induced first wheezing episode and its relation to clinical course.

Rhinovirus (RV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are common causes of bronchiolitis. Unlike an RSV etiology, an RV etiology is associated with a markedly increased risk of asthma. We investigated the cytokine profiles of RV- and RSV-induced first wheezing episode and their correlation with prognosis.

Multicenter evaluation of the GenomEra SARS-CoV-2 assay kit.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) first emerged in late 2019, and quickly spread to every continent causing the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Fast propagation of the disease presented numerous challenges to the health care industry in general and especially placed enormous pressure on laboratory testing. Throughout the pandemic, reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR)-based nucleic acid amplification tests have been the primary technique to identify acute infections caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Clinical evaluation of an automated, rapid mariPOC antigen test in screening of symptomatics and asymptomatics for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A novel automated mariPOC SARS-CoV-2 antigen test was evaluated in a Health Care Center Laboratory among symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals seeking SARS-CoV-2 testing. According to the national testing strategy, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used as a reference method. A total of 962 subjects were included in this study, 4.

Sindbis virus outbreak and evidence for geographical expansion in Finland, 2021.

Sindbis virus (SINV) caused a large outbreak in Finland in 2021 with 566 laboratory-confirmed human cases and a notable geographical expansion. Compared with the last large outbreak in 2002, incidence was higher in several hospital districts but lower in traditionally endemic locations in eastern parts of the country. A high incidence is also expected in 2022.

Herpes Simplex Virus Seroprevalence among Pregnant Finnish Women and Their Spouses-A Six-Year Follow-Up Cohort Study.

The aim was to evaluate the herpes simplex virus (HSV) seroprevalence and seroconversion among 285 pregnant women and their 120 male spouses in Finland during a six-year follow-up (FU) between 1998-2008. We also studied the effect of sexual habits, pregnancy, and other demographic factors on the acquisition of HSV infection. Combined HSV-1 and HSV-2-IgG antibodies were assessed in the first baseline serum samples with an indirect enzyme immunoassay method.

The In Vitro Replication, Spread, and Oncolytic Potential of Finnish Circulating Strains of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is the only FDA- and EMA- approved oncolytic virus, and accordingly, many potential oncolytic HSVs (oHSV) are in clinical development. The utilized oHSV parental strains are, however, mostly based on laboratory reference strains, which may possess a compromised cytolytic capacity in contrast to circulating strains of HSV-1. Here, we assess the phenotype of thirty-six circulating HSV-1 strains from Finland to uncover their potential as oHSV backbones.

Long-Lasting T Cell Responses in BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA Vaccinees and COVID-19 Convalescent Patients.

The emergence of novel variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made it more difficult to prevent the virus from spreading despite available vaccines. Reports of breakthrough infections and decreased capacity of antibodies to neutralize variants raise the question whether current vaccines can still protect against COVID-19 disease. We studied the dynamics and persistence of T cell responses using activation induced marker (AIM) assay and Th1 type cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccinated health care workers and COVID-19 patients.

Herpesvirus infections in adenoids in patients with chronic adenotonsillar disease.

Adenoids and tonsils have gained interest as a new in vivo model to study local immune functions and virus reservoirs. Especially herpesviruses are interesting because their prevalence and persistence in local lymphoid tissue are incompletely known. Our aim was to study herpesvirus and common respiratory virus infections in nonacutely ill adenotonsillar surgery patients.

Early administration of tocilizumab in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with elevated inflammatory markers; COVIDSTORM-a prospective, randomized, single-centre, open-label study.

Objectives: Severe COVID-19 is associated with an imbalanced immune response. We hypothesized that patients with enhanced inflammation, as demonstrated by increased levels of certain inflammatory biomarkers, would benefit from interleukin-6 blockage.

Methods: Patients hospitalized with COVID-19, hypoxemia, and at least two of four markedly elevated markers of inflammation (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, ferritin, and/or D-dimer) were randomized for tocilizumab (TCZ) plus standard of care (SoC) or SoC alone.

Corrigendum: Mechanism of Rhinovirus Immunity and Asthma.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.

Re-emergence of enterovirus D68 in Europe after easing the COVID-19 lockdown, September 2021.

We report a rapid increase in enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infections, with 139 cases reported from eight European countries between 31 July and 14 October 2021. This upsurge is in line with the seasonality of EV-D68 and was presumably stimulated by the widespread reopening after COVID-19 lockdown. Most cases were identified in September, but more are to be expected in the coming months.