Innate and adaptive immune responses following PD-L1 blockade in treating chronic murine alveolar echinococcosis.

BACKGROUND Programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint blockade is efficacious in certain cancer therapies. OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to provide a picture about the development of innate and adaptive immune responses upon PD-L1 blockade in treating chronic murine AE. METHODS Immune treatment started at 6 weeks post E. multilocularis-infection, and was maintained for 8 weeks with twice per week anti-PD-L1 administration (intraperitoneal). The study included an outgroup-control with mice perorally medicated with albendazole five days/week, and another one with both treatments combined. Assessment of treatment efficacy was based on determining parasite weight, innate and adaptive immune cell profiles, histopathology, and liver tissue cytokine levels. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS Findings showed that the parasite load was significantly reduced in response to PD-L1 blockade, and this blockade a) contributed to T cell activity by increasing CD4+ /CD8+ effector T cells, and decreasing Tregs; b) had the capacity to re-store DCs and Kupffer cells/Macrophages; c) suppressed NKT and NK cells; and thus d) lead to an improved control of E. multilocularis infection in mice. This study suggests that the PD-L1 pathway plays an important role by regulating adaptive and innate immune cells against E. multilocularis infection, with significant modulation of tissue inflammation

A survey investigating the current practice of French health professionals regarding infection risk after monkey bites

International audienceInternational tourism is steadily increasing, with 15% of travellers reporting health problems when they come back. Animal bites represent 2% of consulting causes, of which 20% are due to monkey bites. The Monkey B virus (Macacine alphaherpesvirus 1) is an alphaherpesvirus (Herpesviridae, genus Simplexvirus) enzootic in macaques (Genus Macaca). Zoonotic infections with the Monkey B virus following exposure to macaques are exceptionally rare, but can cause fatal encephalomyelitis in humans. An observational survey was undertaken in 2018 to assess the practice of French health professionals regarding infection risk after monkey bites. French health professionals practicing in vaccination and rabies centres were specifically targeted for this study. Standardized questionnaires were sent by email to a sample of French health professionals. They were asked to participate on a voluntary and anonymous basis. The questionnaires requested epidemiological details and included multiple-choice questions about the infection management of monkey bites. The response rate was 33.5%. The frequency of monkey bites in 2017 was variable with a minority of centres managing more than 6 per year (12%), 46% managing 1-5 monkey bites and 42% none. Most of the monkey bites were described as occurring in South Asia at tourist sites, on naked upper limbs, shortly after the travellers arrived at their destination. Tetanus status verification, rabies post-exposure prophylaxis and antibiotic therapy were said to be prescribed in most cases. Knowledge about the Monkey B virus was reported as scarce for 38% of the participants. The number of monkey bites managed per year per centre varied greatly but practices regarding infectious risk after monkey bites were generally homogeneous. The risk of Monkey B virus transmission did not readily come to mind in the differential diagnosis of infection risk for many French health professionals

Etude des interactions initiales entre moisissures et cellules épithéliales respiratoires dans les pathologies fongiques infectieuses (aspergillose invasive) et immuno-allergiques (pneumopathies d'hypersensibilité)

BESANCON-BU Médecine pharmacie (250562102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Studying smoking benefit in farmer's lung to understand Covid-19.

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Contre: les composés organisuqes volatils d'origine fongique ont un impact sur la santé

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Dysenteric syndrome due to Balantidium coli: a case report.

International audienceA 28-year-old man was hospitalized for a dysenteric syndrome that had developed during the previous days. Physical examination revealed abdominal pains, fever, vomiting and more than ten liquid stools per day. Fresh stool examination showed numerous mobile ciliated trophozoites of Balantidium coli. The patient reported having been on a hike the previous weekend during which he had drunk water through a hydration pouch bladder. Complete resolution was observed after intravenous rehydration and ten days of oral treatment with metronidazole (Flagyl®). Balantidium coli is the largest ciliate protozoan able to infect humans. This parasite is common in pigs and has a worldwide distribution. Human infections, a rare event in industrialised countries, are usually acquired by ingestion of food or water contaminated by mammal faeces. Human B. coli infections are easily treated but may be severe and even fatal if neglected

Lumbar myositis associated with Toxocara spp. infection.

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Molecular Strategies to Diagnose Mucormycosis

Molecular techniques have provided a new understanding of the epidemiology of mucormycosis and improved the diagnosis and therapeutic management of this life-threatening disease. PCR amplification and sequencing were first applied to better identify isolates that were grown from cultures of biopsies or bronchalveolar lavage samples that were collected in patients with Mucorales infection. Subsequently, molecular techniques were used to identify the fungus directly from the infected tissues or from bronchalveolar lavage, and they helped to accurately identify Mucorales fungi in tissue samples when the cultures were negative. However, these tools require invasive sampling (biospsy, bronchalveolar lavage), which is not feasible in patients in poor condition in Hematology or Intensive Care units. Very recently, PCR-based procedures to detect Mucorales DNA in non-invasive samples, such as plasma or serum, have proved successful in diagnosing mucormycosis early in all patients, whatever the clinical status, and these procedures are becoming essential to improving patient outcome

Moisissures et habitat: risques pour la santé et espèces impliquées

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