Publications by authors named "Yasmine Abi Aad"
Background: Oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types are linked to anal cancer, with elevated risk among men who have sex with men (MSM), especially men with HIV. Data on HPV-related malignancies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is scarce. This study aims to assess anal HPV strains, dysplasia, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among asymptomatic MSM with HIV in Lebanon.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatitis B Core antibody (HBcAb) positivity is the surrogate marker of hepatitis B occult infection. This condition is not a contraindication for switching to two-drug (2DR) antiretroviral therapy; however, the removal of tenofovir may contribute to poor control of HBV replication. A multicentre retrospective cohort study investigated the impact of HBcAb positivity on HIV control in patients switching to a 2DR with Lamivudine and Dolutegravir (3TC-DTG).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has led to a complete reconfiguration of the therapeutic landscape, with all monoclonal antibodies having lost any neutralization activity. We report here a case series of 75 immunocompromised patients infected by the Omicron variant who benefited from COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). At Day 28, the overall survival was 76% (95% CI 67-86) with no significant difference in the clinical outcome between patients with hematological malignancies, solid organ transplantation or autoimmune diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Letermovir is used for preventing cytomegalovirus (CMV) in patients who have received hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT), and its therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) was studied for effectiveness and practicality.
- A study involving 40 adult patients found that letermovir levels in the blood remained stable for 70 days after treatment, but there was significant variability among patients.
- The presence of certain medications, such as posaconazole and cyclosporine, increased letermovir levels, while no clear links were found between these levels and the incidence of breakthrough CMV infections.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of cidofovir in treating dsDNA viral infections in patients who had undergone allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplants.
- Researchers analyzed data from 165 patients across nine centers, finding that nephrotoxicity occurred in 25.3% of cases and was influenced by factors like age, weight, CMV infection, and certain antifungal treatments.
- While cidofovir caused temporary kidney function issues, it effectively reduced viral loads for adenovirus and CMV infections, signifying its potential benefit in treating these conditions with careful monitoring.
Despite the diagnostic means currently available, fever of unknown origin (FUO) remains a diagnostic challenge for the practitioner, requiring a detailed and systematic approach. The etiologies can be classified into 4 main groups: infectious diseases, systemic inflammatory diseases, neoplasia and various rarer entities such as drug-induced or endocrine fevers. A non-negligible percentage of FUOs remains without a clear etiology, generally with a spontaneously favorable evolution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Determine the diagnostic accuracy of two antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) for SARS-CoV-2 at the point of care and define individuals' characteristics providing best performance.
Methods: We performed a prospective, single-center, point of care validation of two Ag-RDT in comparison to RT-PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs.
Results: Between October 9th and 23rd, 2020, 1064 participants were enrolled.
Infection with spp. is endemic to the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean basin. Brucellosis can mimic infectious and non-infectious febrile illnesses and therefore it can pose a diagnostic challenge.
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