C1q and HBHA-specific IL-13 levels as surrogate plasma biomarkers for monitoring tuberculosis treatment efficacy: a cross-sectional cohort study in Paraguay.

Introduction: New diagnostic tools are needed to rapidly assess the efficacy of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate several immune biomarkers in an observational and cross-sectional cohort study conducted in Paraguay.

Methods: Thirty-two patients with clinically and microbiologically confirmed PTB were evaluated before starting treatment (T0), after 2 months of treatment (T1) and at the end of treatment (T2).

Tailored first-line biologic and targeted synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: 2021 updated ITABIO statements.

Introduction: In 2015, the Italian board for the TAilored BIOlogic therapy (ITABIO) proposed evidence-based decisional statements for first-line tailored biologic therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Taking into account the new licensed drugs, the aim of the present review was to update the previous statements.

Areas Covered: A narrative review of the most recent evidence on the efficacy and safety of old and newly licensed drugs for the treatment of articular and extra-articular RA was performed.

Multi-country evaluation of RISK6, a 6-gene blood transcriptomic signature, for tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment monitoring.

There is a crucial need for non-sputum-based TB tests. Here, we evaluate the performance of RISK6, a human-blood transcriptomic signature, for TB screening, triage and treatment monitoring. RISK6 performance was also compared to that of two IGRAs: one based on RD1 antigens (QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, QFT-P, Qiagen) and one on recombinant M.

Relevance of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus and Heparin-Binding Hemagglutinin Interferon-γ Release Assays for Monitoring of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Clearance: A Multicentered Study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious cause of death. To improve treatment efficacy, quicker monitoring methods are needed. The objective of this study was to monitor the response to a heparin-binding hemagglutinin (HBHA) interferon- (IFN-) release assay (IGRA) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-P) and to analyze plasma IFN- levels according to sputum culture conversion and immune cell counts during treatment.

Tuberculosis and COVID-19 interaction: A review of biological, clinical and public health effects.

Evidence is accumulating on the interaction between tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19. The aim of the present review is to report the available evidence on the interaction between these two infections. Differences and similarities of TB and COVID-19, their immunological features, diagnostics, epidemiological and clinical characteristics and public health implications are discussed.

Management of Tuberculosis: Are the Practices Homogeneous in High-Income Countries?

To evaluate and compare practices regarding the diagnosis, isolation measures, and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in high-income countries and mainly in Europe. A survey was conducted from November 2018 to April 2019 within the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Mycobacterial Infections (ESGMYC). The practices observed were compared to the main international guidelines.

Association of baseline white blood cell counts with tuberculosis treatment outcome: a prospective multicentered cohort study.

Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious cause of death in the world. Cheaper and more accessible TB treatment monitoring methods are needed. Here, we evaluated white blood cell (WBC) absolute counts, lymphocyte, and monocyte proportions during TB treatment, and characterized their association with treatment failure.

Beneficial impact of Baricitinib in COVID-19 moderate pneumonia; multicentre study.

• Baricitinib, an anti-JAK1/JAK2, reduces cytokine release and SARS-Co-V2 entry. • In a retrospective multicenter study baricitinib reduces COVID-19 mortality rate. • Baricitinib reduces intensive care unit admissions of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Epidemic and pandemic viral infections: impact on tuberculosis and the lung: A consensus by the World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders (WAidid), Global Tuberculosis Network (GTN), and members of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Mycobacterial Infections (ESGMYC).

Major epidemics, including some that qualify as pandemics, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), HIV, influenza A (H1N1)pdm/09 and most recently COVID-19, affect the lung. Tuberculosis (TB) remains the top infectious disease killer, but apart from syndemic TB/HIV little is known regarding the interaction of viral epidemics and pandemics with TB. The aim of this consensus-based document is to describe the effects of viral infections resulting in epidemics and pandemics that affect the lung (MERS, SARS, HIV, influenza A (H1N1)pdm/09 and COVID-19) and their interactions with TB.

Systematic review on tuberculosis risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving inhibitors of Janus Kinases.

Introduction: Janus kinases inhibitors (anti-JAKs), including tofacitinib, baricitinib, upadacitinib, and filgotinib, represent a new class of synthetic targeted drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this review, the risk of active tuberculosis (TB) occurrence in patients receiving anti-JAKs was assessed. The literature on this topic, updated to 29 February 2020 was reviewed.

Effect of HIV-infection on QuantiFERON-plus accuracy in patients with active tuberculosis and latent infection.

Objective: HIV-infection increases the risk to progress to active-tuberculosis (TB). Detection of latent TB infection (LTBI) is needed to eventually propose preventive-therapy and reduce TB reservoir. QuantiFERON-TB Plus (QFT-Plus)-test identifies LTBI.

Inhibition of Transglutaminase 2 as a Potential Host-Directed Therapy Against .

Host-directed therapies (HDTs) are emerging as a potential valid support in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Following our recent report indicating that genetic and pharmacological inhibition of transglutaminase 2 (TG2) restricts () replication in macrophages, we aimed to investigate the potentials of the TG2 inhibitors cystamine and cysteamine as HDTs against TB. We showed that both cysteamine and cystamine restricted replication in infected macrophages when provided at equimolar concentrations and did not exert any antibacterial activity when administered directly on cultures.

Transcriptional biomarkers for predicting development of tuberculosis: progress and clinical considerations.

http://bit.ly/35WiozD

Risk of tuberculosis reactivation associated with traditional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and non-anti-tumor necrosis factor biologics in patients with rheumatic disorders and suggestion for clinical practice.

Introduction: Two classes of biologics, anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and non-anti-TNF targeted, are currently available for the treatment of rheumatic diseases.

Areas Covered: Discussion on the need for LTBI diagnosis in rheumatic patients treated csDMARDs and non-anti-TNFs through a review of the literature. The literature, updated to 15 April 2019, on tuberculosis (TB) reactivation risk in patients exposed to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) and non-anti-TNF biologics was reviewed.

The Mycobacterial HBHA Protein: A Promising Biomarker for Tuberculosis.

A major goal in tuberculosis (TB) research is the identification, among the subjects infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), of those with active TB, or at higher risk of developing active disease, from the latently infected subjects. The classical heterogeneity of Mtb infection and TB disease is a major obstacle toward the identification of reliable biomarkers that can stratify Mtb infected subjects based on disease risk. The heparin-binding haemagglutinin (HBHA) is a mycobacterial surface antigen that is implicated in tuberculosis (TB) pathogenesis.

Tuberculosis transmission among children and adolescents in schools and other congregate settings: a systematic review.

Children, especially those aged <5 years, and adolescents are at increased risk of progression to active TB disease when infected. Management of childhood TB outbreaks is crucial for TB elimination especially in low burden countries. We searched the electronic databases MEDLINE-CINHAL-EMBASE up to July 2017 for primary studies reporting on TB incidents which involved teacher/child-caregiver, relative or students diagnosed with TB in a school/childcare setting or in other congregate settings attended by children and adolescents.

First description of agonist and antagonist IP-10 in urine of patients with active TB.

Objectives: Biomarkers for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and clinical management are needed to defeat TB. In chronic hepatitis, patients not responding to interferon/ribavirin treatment had high levels of an antagonist form of IP-10. Recently, antagonist IP-10 has been shown to be involved also in TB pathogenesis.

Acute phase proteins and IP-10 as triage tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: We examined the data reported in studies for diagnostic purposes and to discuss whether their intended use could be extended to triage, as rule-in or rule-out tests to select individuals who should undergo further confirmatory tests.

Methods: We searched Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science with the terms 'acute phase proteins,' 'IP-10,' 'tuberculosis,' 'screening' and 'diagnosis,' extracted the sensitivity and specificity of the biomarkers and explored methodologic differences to explain performance variations. Summary estimates were calculated using random-effects models for overall pooled accuracy.

Interplay of DDP4 and IP-10 as a Potential Mechanism for Cell Recruitment to Tuberculosis Lesions.

Introduction: is one of the world's most successful pathogens equipped to establish itself within the human host as a subclinical infection without overt disease. Unable to eradicate the bacteria, the immune system contains the infection in a granuloma structure. Th1 cells that are essential for infection control are recruited to the site of infection directed by chemokines, predominantly CXCL10.

Preventive therapy for tuberculosis in rheumatological patients undergoing therapy with biological drugs.

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) accounts for almost a quarter of the world population, and, in 5-10% of the subjects with impaired immune-response against M. tuberculosis growth, it may progress to active tuberculosis (TB). In this review, we focus on the need to propose a screening for LTBI including preventive therapy offer in rheumatic patients undergoing therapy with biological drugs.

Impact of antiretroviral and tuberculosis therapies on CD4 and CD8 HIV/M. tuberculosis-specific T-cell in co-infected subjects.

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is a risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) changed HIV clinical management but it is still unclear how pre-existing HIV/Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-specific CD4 and CD8 T-cells are restored.

Aim: to evaluate the impact of ART and TB therapies on the functional and phenotypic profile of Mtb-specific antigen-response of CD4 and CD8 T-cells in prospectively enrolled HIV-TB co-infected patients.

Impaired IFN-α-mediated signal in dendritic cells differentiates active from latent tuberculosis.

Individuals exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) may be infected and remain for the entire life in this condition defined as latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) or develop active tuberculosis (TB). Among the multiple factors governing the outcome of the infection, dendritic cells (DCs) play a major role in dictating antibacterial immunity. However, current knowledge on the role of the diverse components of human DCs in shaping specific T-cell response during Mtb infection is limited.

A T-cell diagnostic test for cystic echinococcosis based on Antigen B peptides.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) immunodiagnosis is still imperfect. We recently set-up a whole-blood test based on the interleukin (IL)-4 response to the native Antigen B (AgB) of Echinococcus granulosus. However, AgB is encoded by a multigene family coding for five putative subunits.

Immune characterization of the HBHA-specific response in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected patients with or without HIV infection.

Introduction: RD1-based Interferon-γ Release Assays (IGRAs) cannot distinguish latent from active tuberculosis (TB) disease. Conversely, a positive response to heparin-binding haemagglutinin (HBHA)-based IGRAs, among TB-infected subjects, correlates with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) containment and low risk of TB progression. The aim of this study was to characterize HBHA-immune responses in HIV-infected and uninfected subjects with active TB or latent TB infection (LTBI).