HIV-2 infection in a migrant from Gambia: the history of the disease combined with phylogenetic analysis revealed the real source of infection

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection prevalence is increasing in some European countries. The increasing migratory flow from countries where HIV-2 is endemic has facilitated the spread of the virus into Europe and other regions. We describe a case of HIV-2 infection in a migrant individual in the Asylum Seeker Centre (ASC) in Italy. The patient's virus was sequenced, and found to be a typical HIV-2 genotype A virus. Bayesian evolutionary analysis revealed that the HIV-2 sequence from migrant dated back to 1986 in a subcluster including sequences from Guinea Bissau. This was coherent with the migrant history who lived in Guinea Bissau from his birth until 1998 when he was 13 years old. Monitoring for HIV-2 infection in migrants from western Africa is necessary using adequate molecular tools to improve the diagnosis and understand the real origin of infection

Low Vitamin D Status at Admission as a Risk Factor for Poor Survival in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19: An Italian Retrospective Study

Preliminary findings suggest a relationship between lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and incidence and severity of COVID-19. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D status at admission and different markers of inflammation, coagulation, and sepsis in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

Environmental sustainability of typical agro-food products: a scientifically sound and user friendly approach

The paper introduces an approach, developed in Agriculture & Quality programme, to evaluate the environmental sustainability of Apulian quality agro-food products that is integrated in the regional quality scheme "Quality Products". It highlights the methodological approach adopted, the sustainability themes identified and the indicators selected. Indicators measurable at the farm/firm level were selected in relation to the following environmental themes: biodiversity, land use and management, energy use and climate change, use of chemical inputs, and responsible management of by-products and waste. A scoring scale was developed for each indicator; going from 0 (unsustainable) to 10 (very sustainable) with 5 corresponding to the sustainability threshold or reference value. The presented approach is both robust and user friendly and is in line with the principle entailing continuous improvement; the key sustainability thresholds will be periodically reviewed and updated. It represents a practical and innovative way to develop an information scheme for typical agri-food products and can be, with some refinement and contextualisation, easily scaled up to other territories

T Lymphocyte Subset Counts and Interferon-Gamma Production in Adults and Children with COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Adults and children exhibit a broad range of clinical outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection, with minimal to mild symptoms, especially in the pediatric age. However, some children present with a severe hyperinflammatory post-infectious complication named multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), mainly affecting previously healthy subjects. Understanding these differences is still an ongoing challenge, that can lead to new therapeutic strategies and avoid unfavorable outcomes. In this review, we discuss the different roles of T lymphocyte subsets and interferon-? (IFN-?) in the immune responses of adults and children. Lymphopenia can influence these responses and represent a good predictor for the outcome, as reported by most authors. The increased IFN-? response exhibited by children could be the starting point for the activation of a broad response that leads to MIS-C, with a significantly higher risk than in adults, although a single IFN signature has not been identified. Multicenter studies with large cohorts in both age groups are still needed to study SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis with new tools and to understand how is possible to better modulate immune responses

Evaluation of S-RBD and high specificity ACE-2-binding antibodies on SARS-CoV-2 patients after six months from infection

The antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 has not yet fully defined, but the availability of sensitive and specific serological assays is crucial to observe the presence of specific antibodies against the human receptor binding domain (S-RBD) and high specificity ACE-2-binding antibodies or neutralizing antibodies (NT) in response to vaccines. Indeed, these peculiar antibodies should prevent viral interaction between RBD and AngiotensinConverting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, located on surface of host cells. In this study, 72 samples from 37 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 35 not-hospitalized patients were analyzed longitudinally. The detection of SRBD and NT antibodies was carried out using CLIA tests. Hospitalized patients showed elevated serum levels of S-RBD (97.22%) and NT (77.78%) antibodies, differently, not-hospitalized, who were paucisymptomatic or asymptomatic patients, showed lower serum levels of SRBD (65.71%) and NT (38.14%) antibodies. The results suggest that the NT serum level is strongly related to disease severity (p < 0.001) and to the serum level of S-RBD antibodies (p < 0.0001)

Resistance to Ceftazidime/Avibactam in Klebsiella pneumoniae KPC-Producing Isolates: A Real-Life Observational Study

Background: Ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ-AVI) resistance amongst Enterobacterales is worryingly increasing worldwide. Objectives: The aim of this study was to collect and describe real-life data on CAZ-AVI-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) isolates in our University Hospital, with the ultimate goal of evaluating possible risk factors related to the acquisition of resistance. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study, including unique Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) isolates resistant to CAZ-AVI (CAZ-AVI-R) and producing only KPC, collected from July 2019 to August 2021 at Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. The pathogen's list was obtained from the microbiology laboratory; clinical charts of the corresponding patients were reviewed to collect demographic and clinical data. Subjects treated as outpatients or hospitalized for <48 h were excluded. Patients were then divided into two groups: S group, if they had a prior isolate of CAZ-AVI-susceptible KP-KPC, and R group, if the first documented isolate of KP-KPC was resistant to CAZ-AVI. Results: Forty-six unique isolates corresponding to 46 patients were included in the study. The majority of patients (60.9%) were hospitalized in an intensive care unit, 32.6% in internal medicine wards and 6.5% in surgical wards. A total of 15 (32.6%) isolates were collected from rectal swabs, representing a colonization. Amongst clinically relevant infections, pneumonia and urinary tract infections were the most commonly found (5/46, 10.9% each). Half of the patients received CAZ-AVI prior to isolation of the KP-KPC CAZ-AVI-R (23/46). This percentage was significantly higher in patients in the S group compared to patients in the R group (69.3% S group vs. 25% R group, p = 0.003). No differences between the two groups were documented in the use of renal replacement therapy or in the infection site. The clinically relevant CAZ-AVI-R KP infections (22/46, 47.8%) were all treated with a combination therapy, 65% including colistin and 55% including CAZ-AVI, with an overall clinical success of 38.1%. Conclusions: Prior use of CAZ-AVI was associated with the emergence of drug resistance

Human Arboviral Infections in Italy: Past, Current, and Future Challenges

: Arboviruses represent a public health concern in many European countries, including Italy, mostly because they can infect humans, causing potentially severe emergent or re-emergent diseases, with epidemic outbreaks and the introduction of endemic circulation of new species previously confined to tropical and sub-tropical regions. In this review, we summarize the Italian epidemiology of arboviral infection over the past 10 years, describing both endemic and imported arboviral infections, vector distribution, and the influence of climate change on vector ecology. Strengthening surveillance systems at a national and international level is highly recommended to be prepared to face potential threats due to arbovirus diffusion

An Innovative and high-speed technology for sweater monitoring of Asinara Gulf (Sardinia- Italy)

Laser induced fluorescenze technique for sea water monitoring allows no-time consuming, non-invasive and non-destructive controls. In this study, the performance of the new shipboard laser spectrofluorometric CAS-PER (Compact and Advanced Laser Spectrometer –ENEA Patent) for monitoring phytoplankton community composition was examined. The prototype CASPER is based on double laser excitation of water samples in the UV (266 nm) and visible (405 nm) spectral region and a double water filtration in order to detect both quantitative data, such as choromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), proteins-like components (tyrosine, tryptophan), algal pigments (chlorophylls a and b, phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, different pigments of the carotenoid groups) and qualitative data on the presence of hydrocarbons and oil pollutants. Sea water samples from different depths have been collected and analyzed from August 2010 through November 2011 in the Gulf of Asinara (N-W Sardinia). Several sampling stations were selected as sites with different degree of pollution. The accuracy and the reliability of data obtained by CASPER have been evaluated comparing the results with other standard measurements such as: Chlorophyll a (Chl a) data obtained by spectrophotometric method and total phytoplankton abundance in terms of density and class composition. Spectral deconvolution technique was developed and integrated with CASPER system to assess and characterize a marker pigments and organic compounds in situ and in vivo. Field studies confirmed CASPER system capability to effectively discriminate characteritistic spectra of fluorescent water constituents, contributing to decrease the time-consuming manual analysis of the water samples in the laboratory

Role of HBcAb Positivity in Increase of HIV-RNA Detectability after Switching to a Two-Drug Regimen Lamivudine-Based (2DR-3TC-Based) Treatment: Months 48 Results of a Multicenter Italian Cohort

: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the presence of anti-hepatitis B (HBV) c antibodies (HBcAb positivity) could influence the control of HIV viremia in patients living with HIV (PLWH) who switch to two-drug antiretroviral therapy (2DR) containing lamivudine (3TC) (2DR-3TC-based). A retrospective multicentre observational study was conducted on 160 PLWH switching to the 2DR-3TC-based regimen: 51 HBcAb-positive and 109 HBcAb-negative patients. The HBcAb-positive PLWH group demonstrated a significantly lower percentage of subjects with HIV viral suppression with target not detected (TND) at all time points after switching (24th month: 64.7% vs. 87.8%, p < 0.0001; 36th month 62.7% vs. 86.8%, p = 0.011; 48th month 57.2% vs. 86.1%, p = 0.021 of the HBcAb-positive and HBcAb-negative groups, respectively). Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of HBcAb positivity (OR 7.46 [95% CI 2.35-14.77], p = 0.004) could favour the emergence of HIV viral rebound by nearly 54% during the entire study follow-up after switching to 2DR-3TC