Low bone mineral density in patients with well-suppressed HIV infection: association with body weight, smoking, and prior advanced HIV disease.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) may both contribute to the higher prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in HIV-infected individuals.

Methods: Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, we compared lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) in 581 HIV-positive (94.7% receiving cART) and 520 HIV-negative participants of the AGEhIV Cohort Study, aged ≥45 years.

HPV seroconversion following anal and penile HPV infection in HIV-negative and HIV-infected MSM.

Background: We assessed human papillomavirus (HPV) seroconversion following anal and penile HPV infection in HIV-negative and HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: MSM aged ≥18 years were recruited in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2010-2011), and followed up semiannually. Antibodies against 7 high-risk HPV types in baseline and 12-month serum samples were tested using a multiplex immunoassay.

In vivo protection by broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies.

Passive immunization studies, including a recent one by Pegu et al., have repeatedly shown that HIV-specific broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) protect rhesus macaques from HIV acquisition. In vitro neutralization potency and in vivo protection correlate very strongly, supporting the quest for an HIV vaccine that induces potent bnAbs.

Assessing the feasibility of hepatitis C virus vaccine trials: results from the Hepatitis C Incidence and Transmission Study-community (HITS-c) vaccine preparedness study.

Efficacy trials of preventive hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine candidates raise challenging scientific and ethical issues. Based on data from the first 3 years of a community-based prospective observational study - the Hepatitis C Incidence and Transmission Study-community (HITS-c) - this paper examines the feasibility of conducting trials of candidate HCV vaccines with people who inject drugs (PWID) in Sydney, Australia. Of the 166 PWID confirmed HCV antibody negative and eligible for enrolment, 156 (94%) completed baseline procedures.

Targeted sequencing by proximity ligation for comprehensive variant detection and local haplotyping.

Despite developments in targeted gene sequencing and whole-genome analysis techniques, the robust detection of all genetic variation, including structural variants, in and around genes of interest and in an allele-specific manner remains a challenge. Here we present targeted locus amplification (TLA), a strategy to selectively amplify and sequence entire genes on the basis of the crosslinking of physically proximal sequences. We show that, unlike other targeted re-sequencing methods, TLA works without detailed prior locus information, as one or a few primer pairs are sufficient for sequencing tens to hundreds of kilobases of surrounding DNA.

Limited role for ASC and NLRP3 during in vivo Salmonella Typhimurium infection.

Background: The inflammasome is an intracellular protein complex triggered by exposure to intracellular pathogens, its components or other endogenous proteins. It leads to the activation of and subsequent release of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18. S.

The allosteric HIV-1 integrase inhibitor BI-D affects virion maturation but does not influence packaging of a functional RNA genome.

The viral integrase (IN) is an essential protein for HIV-1 replication. IN inserts the viral dsDNA into the host chromosome, thereby aided by the cellular co-factor LEDGF/p75. Recently a new class of integrase inhibitors was described: allosteric IN inhibitors (ALLINIs).

Metagenomic analysis of a sample from a patient with respiratory tract infection reveals the presence of a γ-papillomavirus.

Previously unknown or unexpected pathogens may be responsible for that proportion of respiratory diseases in which a causative agent cannot be identified. The application of broad-spectrum, sequence independent virus discovery techniques may be useful to reduce this proportion and widen our knowledge about respiratory pathogens. Thanks to the availability of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology, it became today possible to detect viruses which are present at a very low load, but the clinical relevance of those viruses must be investigated.

Hepatitis C virus infection epidemiology among people who inject drugs in Europe: a systematic review of data for scaling up treatment and prevention.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are a key population affected by hepatitis C virus (HCV). Treatment options are improving and may enhance prevention; however access for PWID may be poor. The availability in the literature of information on seven main topic areas (incidence, chronicity, genotypes, HIV co-infection, diagnosis and treatment uptake, and burden of disease) to guide HCV treatment and prevention scale-up for PWID in the 27 countries of the European Union is systematically reviewed.

Probing the shRNA characteristics that hinder Dicer recognition and consequently allow Ago-mediated processing and AgoshRNA activity.

Recent evidence indicates the presence of alternative pathways for microRNA (miRNA) and short hairpin (shRNA) processing. Specifically, some of these molecules are refractory to Dicer-mediated processing, which allows alternative processing routes via the Ago2 endonuclease. The resulting RNA molecules differ in size and sequence and will thus trigger the silencing of different target RNAs.

Additional gonorrhea and Chlamydia infections found with rapid follow-up screening in men who have sex with men with an indication for HIV postexposure prophylaxis.

Sexually transmitted infection was found in 16.5% of the men who have sex with men with a postexposure prophylaxis indication. Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening was repeated after 14 days.

Influenza and other respiratory viruses involved in severe acute respiratory disease in northern Italy during the pandemic and postpandemic period (2009-2011).

Since 2009 pandemic, international health authorities recommended monitoring severe and complicated cases of respiratory disease, that is, severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We evaluated the proportion of SARI/ARDS cases and deaths due to influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection and the impact of other respiratory viruses during pandemic and postpandemic period (2009-2011) in northern Italy; additionally we searched for unknown viruses in those cases for which diagnosis remained negative. 206 respiratory samples were collected from SARI/ARDS cases and analyzed by real-time RT-PCR/PCR to investigate influenza viruses and other common respiratory pathogens; also, a virus discovery technique (VIDISCA-454) was applied on those samples tested negative to all pathogens.

Development of quality indicators for antimicrobial treatment in adults with sepsis.

Background: Outcomes in patients with sepsis are better if initial empirical antimicrobial use is appropriate. Several studies have shown that adherence to guidelines dictating appropriate antimicrobial use positively influences clinical outcome, shortens length of hospital stay and contributes to the containment of antibiotic resistance.Quality indicators (QIs) can be systematically developed from these guidelines to define and measure appropriate antimicrobial use.

The calcium-binding protein complex S100A8/A9 has a crucial role in controlling macrophage-mediated renal repair following ischemia/reperfusion.

Upon ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced injury, several damage-associated molecular patterns are expressed including the calcium-binding protein S100A8/A9 complex. S100A8/A9 can be recognized by Toll-like receptor-4 and its activation is known to deleteriously contribute to renal I/R-induced injury. To further test this, wild-type and S100A9 knockout mice (deficient for S100A8/A9 complex) were subjected to renal I/R.

No evidence for a protective effect of naturally induced HPV antibodies on subsequent anogenital HPV infection in HIV-negative and HIV-infected MSM.

Objectives: To assess whether HPV serum antibodies detected after natural infection protect against subsequent anal or penile infection with the same HPV type in HIV-negative and HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: MSM aged ≥18 years were recruited in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2010-2011), and followed-up semi-annually. Antibodies against 7 high-risk HPV types in baseline serum samples were tested using a multiplex immunoassay; baseline, 6-, and 12-month anal and penile samples were tested for HPV DNA and genotyped using the SPF10-PCR DEIA/LiPA25 system (version 1).

Cross-sectional study of genital carcinogenic HPV infections in Paramaribo, Suriname: prevalence and determinants in an ethnically diverse population of women in a pre-vaccination era.

Objective: Cervical cancer is caused by carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Prior to the introduction of HPV vaccination in Suriname, we performed a cross-sectional study to estimate the prevalence of and determinants for genital carcinogenic HPV infections.

Methods: Women were recruited at a family planning (FP) clinic and a sexually transmitted infections (STI) clinic.

Six-month incidence and persistence of oral HPV infection in HIV-negative and HIV-infected men who have sex with men.

Objectives: Our aim was to assess incidence and persistence of oral HPV infection in HIV-negative and HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: MSM aged ≥18 years were included in Amsterdam (the Netherlands) in 2010-2011, and followed up 6 months later. Participants completed risk factor questionnaires.

Comparing short to standard duration of antibiotic therapy for patients hospitalized with cellulitis (DANCE): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Recommended therapy duration for patients hospitalized with cellulitis is 10-14 days. Unnecessary use of antibiotics is one of the key factors driving resistance. Recent studies have shown that antibiotic therapy for cellulitis in outpatients can safely be shortened, despite residual inflammation.

Convenient Preparation of Bactericidal Hydrogels by Covalent Attachment of Stabilized Antimicrobial Peptides Using Thiol-ene Click Chemistry.

This report describes the design and synthesis of a bactericidal poly(ethylene glycol)-based (PEG) hydrogel coating with covalently attached antimicrobial peptides (AMP) stabilized against proteolytic degradation. As such, mimics of the highly active AMP HHC10 (H-KRWWKWIRW-NH) were designed for optimal stability in human serum while retaining strong antimicrobial activity against and , the major causative agents of biomaterial associated infection. In order to investigate the selectivity of the AMPs, their hemolytic activity was determined.

Mast cells impair host defense during murine Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common causative pathogen in community-acquired pneumonia. Mast cells (MCs) are located mainly at the host-environment interface where they function as sentinels.

Objective: Our goal was to study the role of MCs during pneumonia caused by S.

Pitfalls in the diagnosis and management of inguinal lymphogranuloma venereum: important lessons from a case series.

Current lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) guidelines mainly focus on anorectal infections. Inguinal LGV infections have been rare in the current epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM), but might require a different approach not yet recommended in current guidelines for the treatment and diagnosis of LGV. We describe 4 inguinal LGV cases.

[The gut microbiota in sickness and health].

The human gut microbiota, formerly known as 'gut flora', may be regarded as an external organ with many physiological functions in metabolism, development of the immune system and defense against pathogens. The adult gut microbiota consist of 1013-1014 micro-organisms. The aggregate genome of these, known as the microbiome, is 100 times larger than the human genome.

Retroviral microRNAs.

Eukaryotic cells and several DNA viruses encode miRNAs to regulate the expression of specific target genes. It has been controversial whether RNA viruses can encode such miRNAs as miRNA excision may lead to cleavage of the viral RNA genome. We will focus on the retrovirus family, HIV-1 in particular, and discuss the production of virus-encoded miRNAs and their putative function in the viral replication cycle.

A thrombomodulin mutation that impairs active protein C generation is detrimental in severe pneumonia-derived gram-negative sepsis (melioidosis).

Background: During severe (pneumo)sepsis inflammatory and coagulation pathways become activated as part of the host immune response. Thrombomodulin (TM) is involved in a range of host defense mechanisms during infection and plays a pivotal role in activation of protein C (PC) into active protein C (APC). APC has both anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling in Rwanda: acceptability among clinic attendees and workers, reasons for testing and predictors of testing.

Introduction: Routine provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) may increase HIV testing rates, but whether PITC is acceptable to health facility (HF) attendees is unclear. In the course of a PITC intervention study in Rwanda, we assessed the acceptability of PITC, reasons for being or not being tested and factors associated with HIV testing.

Methods: Attendees were systematically interviewed in March 2009 as they left the HF, regarding knowledge and acceptability of PITC, history of testing and reasons for being tested or not.