Life 2.0: a comprehensive cross-sectional profiling of long-term allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation survivors compared to a matched general population cohort.

Long-term survivors after allogeneic cell transplantation (HCT) have unique needs. We performed a cross-sectional case-control study to describe the survivorship profile of 244 adult allogeneic transplantation recipients at a median of 8.4 years post-HCT and compared it to controls from the general population (matched 1:3 based on age, gender, and province of residence).

International Metabolic Prognostic Index Is Superior to Other Metabolic Tumor Volume-Based Prognostication Methods in a Real-Life Cohort of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Baseline metabolic tumor volume (MTV) is a promising prognostic marker in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We assessed the prognostic value of 4 novel metabolic risk scores in a real-life DLBCL cohort and compared them with the revised International Prognostic Index (IPI). We included a consecutive series of untreated DLBCL, not otherwise specified cases that were diagnosed in our hospital from 2008 to 2021 with available baseline [F]FDG PET/CT.

Single center, real-world retrospective study of CAR-T cell therapy for relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma beyond second line: five-year results at the University Hospitals Leuven.

Introduction: Large B-cell lymphomas (LBCL) are the most frequently aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has emerged as a new, powerful treatment for relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease. Two CAR-T cell products, tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel,) and axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), are reimbursed in Belgium for R/R LBCL beyond second line.

Ibrutinib combined with immunochemotherapy with or without autologous stem-cell transplantation versus immunochemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation in previously untreated patients with mantle cell lymphoma (TRIANGLE): a three-arm, randomised, open-label, phase 3 superiority trial of the European Mantle Cell Lymphoma Network.

Background: Adding ibrutinib to standard immunochemotherapy might improve outcomes and challenge autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) in younger (aged 65 years or younger) mantle cell lymphoma patients. This trial aimed to investigate whether the addition of ibrutinib results in a superior clinical outcome compared with the pre-trial immunochemotherapy standard with ASCT or an ibrutinib-containing treatment without ASCT. We also investigated whether standard treatment with ASCT is superior to a treatment adding ibrutinib but without ASCT.

Design and validation of a laboratory-developed diagnostic assay for monkeypox virus.

Mpox is a viral zoonosis with endemic circulation in animals and humans in some West and Central African countries. The disease was imported a few times in the past to countries outside the African continent through infected animals or travelers, one of which resulted in an unprecedented global outbreak sustained by human-to-human transmission in 2022. Although timely and reliable diagnosis is a cornerstone of any disease control, availability of accurate diagnostic assays and comparative performance studies of diagnostic assays remains limited despite of the long-known identification of monkeypox virus (MPXV) as a human pathogen since 1970.

The evolutionary history of hepaciviruses.

In the search for natural reservoirs of hepatitis C virus (HCV), a broad diversity of non-human viruses within the genus has been uncovered. However, the evolutionary dynamics that shaped the diversity and timescale of hepaciviruses evolution remain elusive. To gain further insights into the origins and evolution of this genus, we screened a large dataset of wild mammal samples ( 1,672) from Africa and Asia, and generated 34 full-length hepacivirus genomes.

Cerebellar Hypermetabolism in a Hodgkin Lymphoma Leads to Diagnosis of Paucisymptomatic Cryptococcus neoformans Meningitis.

Malignancy-associated cerebellar hypermetabolism on [ 18 F]FDG PET/CT has 2 major causes: paraneoplastic autoimmune encephalitis and neoplasias (leptomeningeal/cerebellar metastases and primary cerebellar tumors). We present the case of a 33-year-old man with a newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma and mere episodical headache, unexpectedly displaying intense cerebellar hypermetabolism on his staging [ 18 F]FDG PET/CT. Both neurolymphomatosis and paraneoplastic subacute cerebellar degeneration were ruled out by clinical presentation, MR, and repeated lumbar punctures.

Characteristics and Outcome of Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders After Solid Organ Transplantation: A Single Center Experience of 196 Patients Over 30 Years.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a rare but life-threatening complication after transplantation. In this retrospective, monocentric study we aimed to collect real life data regarding PTLD and determine the role of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) status and year of diagnosis on prognosis. We identified 196 biopsy-proven PTLD after solid organ transplantation (SOT) diagnosed at the University Hospitals Leuven (Belgium) from 1989 to 2019.

[F]FDG-PET/CT volumetric parameters can predict outcome in untreated mantle cell lymphoma.

Several studies have shown a strong predictive value for pretreatment [F]FDG-PET/CT metabolic parameters in different lymphoma subtypes. However, few publications exist concerning the role of metabolic parameters in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). We retrospectively investigated the prognostic value of baseline metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and lesion dissemination in untreated MCL.

The characterization of multiple novel paramyxoviruses highlights the diverse nature of the subfamily .

The subfamily is a group of single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses that contains many human, animal, and zoonotic pathogens. While there are currently only forty-two recognized species in this subfamily, recent research has revealed that much of its diversity remains to be characterized. Using a newly developed nested PCR-based screening assay, we report here the discovery of fifteen orthoparamyxoviruses in rodents and shrews from Belgium and Guinea, thirteen of which are believed to represent new species.

HIV protease inhibitors Nelfinavir and Lopinavir/Ritonavir markedly improve lung pathology in SARS-CoV-2-infected Syrian hamsters despite lack of an antiviral effect.

Nelfinavir is an HIV protease inhibitor that has been widely prescribed as a component of highly active antiretroviral therapy, and has been reported to exert in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. We here assessed the effect of Nelfinavir in a SARS-CoV-2 infection model in hamsters. Despite the fact that Nelfinavir, [50 mg/kg twice daily (BID) for four consecutive days], did not reduce viral RNA load and infectious virus titres in the lung of infected animals, treatment resulted in a substantial improvement of SARS-CoV-2-induced lung pathology.

The combined treatment of Molnupiravir and Favipiravir results in a potentiation of antiviral efficacy in a SARS-CoV-2 hamster infection model.

Background: Favipiravir and Molnupiravir, orally available antivirals, have been reported to exert antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. First efficacy data have been recently reported in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: We here report on the combined antiviral effect of both drugs in a SARS-CoV-2 Syrian hamster infection model.

Exploration of the virosphere unveils an extensive virus diversity including novel coltiviruses and other reoviruses.

Recent metagenomics studies have revealed several tick species to host a variety of previously undiscovered RNA viruses. , which is known to be a vector for many viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens, is the most prevalent tick species in Europe. For this study, we decided to investigate the virosphere of Belgian ticks.

Long-term survival of patients with mantle cell lymphoma after autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in first remission: a post-hoc analysis of an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial.

Background: Autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) in first remission is the current standard treatment in fit patients with mantle cell lymphoma. In this long-term follow-up study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of autologous HSCT versus interferon alfa maintenance after chemotherapy without or with rituximab in patients with primary advanced-stage mantle cell lymphoma.

Methods: We did a post-hoc, long-term analysis of an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial done in 121 participating hospitals or practices across six European countries.

Chloroquine, an Anti-Malaria Drug as Effective Prevention for Hantavirus Infections.

We investigated whether chloroquine can prevent hantavirus infection and disease and , using the Hantaan virus newborn C57BL/6 mice model and the Syrian hamster model for Andes virus. antiviral experiments were performed using Vero E6 cells, and Old World and New World hantavirus species. Hantavirus RNA was detected using quantitative RT-PCR.

Prognostic superiority of International Prognostic Index over [F]FDG PET/CT volumetric parameters in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Background: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are a spectrum of hematological malignancies occurring after solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. [F]FDG PET/CT is routinely performed at PTLD diagnosis, allowing for both staging of the disease and quantification of volumetric parameters, such as whole-body metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). In this retrospective study, we aimed to determine the prognostic value of MTV and TLG in PTLD patients, together with other variables of interest, such as the International Prognostic Index (IPI), organ transplant type, EBV tumor status, time after transplant, albumin levels and PTLD morphology.

Semi-Quantitative Characterization of Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Morphological Subtypes with [F]FDG PET/CT.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a complication of organ transplantation classified according to the WHO as nondestructive, polymorphic, monomorphic, and classic Hodgkin Lymphoma subtypes. In this retrospective study, we investigated the potential of semi-quantitative 2-[F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([F]FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT)-based parameters to differentiate between the PTLD morphological subtypes. 96 patients with histopathologically confirmed PTLD and baseline [F]FDG PET/CT between 2009 and 2019 were included.

A single-dose live-attenuated YF17D-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate.

The expanding pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requires the development of safe, efficacious and fast-acting vaccines. Several vaccine platforms are being leveraged for a rapid emergency response. Here we describe the development of a candidate vaccine (YF-S0) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that uses live-attenuated yellow fever 17D (YF17D) vaccine as a vector to express a noncleavable prefusion form of the SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen.

STAT2 signaling restricts viral dissemination but drives severe pneumonia in SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters.

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. In search for key targets of effective therapeutics, robust animal models mimicking COVID-19 in humans are urgently needed. Here, we show that Syrian hamsters, in contrast to mice, are highly permissive to SARS-CoV-2 and develop bronchopneumonia and strong inflammatory responses in the lungs with neutrophil infiltration and edema, further confirmed as consolidations visualized by micro-CT alike in clinical practice.

Common occurrence of Belerina virus, a novel paramyxovirus found in Belgian hedgehogs.

Common or European hedgehogs can be found throughout Western Europe. They are known carriers of a variety of parasitic and bacterial pathogens, and have also been shown to carry several viruses, including morbilli-like paramyxoviruses, although the pathogenic and zoonotic potential of some of these viruses has yet to be determined. We report here the discovery of a novel paramyxovirus in Belgian hedgehogs, named Belerina virus.

Longitudinal antibody and T cell responses in Ebola virus disease survivors and contacts: an observational cohort study.

Background: The 2013-16 Ebola virus disease epidemic in west Africa caused international alarm due to its rapid and extensive spread resulting in a significant death toll and social unrest within the affected region. The large number of cases provided an opportunity to study the long-term kinetics of Zaire ebolavirus-specific immune response of survivors in addition to known contacts of those infected with the virus.

Methods: In this observational cohort study, we worked with leaders of Ebola virus disease survivor associations in two regions of Guinea, Guéckédou and Coyah, to recruit survivors of Ebola virus disease, contacts from households of individuals known to have had Ebola virus disease, and individuals who were not knowingly associated with infected individuals or had not had Ebola virus disease symptoms to serve as negative controls.