Association Between Arg753Gln and Arg677Trp Polymorphisms of TLR2 Gene with Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis in an Indonesian Population

Background: Toll-like receptor is a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) that recognize pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) in a microorganism. Macrophages recognize the presence of mycobacteria through Toll-Like Receptor 2 (TLR2) and signaling further lead to the production of cytokines, both proinflammatory TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18 and IFN-γ, as well as anti-inflammatory IL4, IL-10 and TGF-β. TLR2 gene polymorphism is strongly determined by ethnicity and geography. Therefore it is necessary to uncovered the existence and association between Arg753Gln and Arg677Trp TLR2 gene polymorphism with TB susceptibility and its underlying mechanisms in Indonesian population in Bandung West Java. Methods: analytical observational study with cross-sectional design was conducted in Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung from April 2011 to May 2012. Study population consisted of active pulmonary TB patient with positive AFB smear and Latent TB  to ascertain previous MTb exposure. Polymorphism of gen Arg753Gln and Arg677Trp gene was determined with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods. Plasma levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-12 were also compared between active and latent TB group. Results: heterozygote Arg753Gln TLR2 gene polymorphism was found in 9 of 86 pulmonary TB subjects (10.5%) but none in the latent TB group. The Arg677Trp polymorphism was not found in both groups. The odds ratio for Arg753Gln existence was 28.07 (p=0.022). No differences in the levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-12 between active pulmonary TB and latent TB subjects with and without Arg753Gln TLR2 gene polymorphism. Conlusion: Arg753Gln polymorphism of TLR2 gene is a risk factor for active pulmonary TB while Arg677Trp polymorphism is not. The Increased risk is not mediated by the difference in IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-12 serum levels

The quantity and quality of anti-PRP induced by the new Indonesian DTwP-HB-Hib vaccine compared to the Hib vaccine given with the DTwP-HB vaccine

Background A phase II study of DTwP-HB-Hib vaccine compared to Hib (monovalent) vaccine given simultaneously with DTwP-HB vaccine has been done following the success of phase I study in infants, where the new DTwP-HB-Hib has excellent safety profiles and antibody responses in infants. Objective To evaluate the titer (quantity), avidity, and bactericidal capacity (quality of anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate/anti-PRP), of a new combined Bio Farma DTwP-HB-Hib (pentavalent) vaccine, compared to the Hib monovalent vaccine given simultaneously with the DTwP-HB vaccine (DTwP-HB+Hib). Methods The study was a prospective, randomized, open label, phase II trial. Subjects aged 6-11 weeks were allocated according to the randomization list. The pentavalent group received the DTwP-HB-Hib vaccine, while the monovalent group received the Hib monovalent and DTwP-HB vaccines separately. Immunizations were given in three doses with 28-day intervals. Blood specimens were taken before the first dose and 28 days after the last dose. We evaluated anti-PRP titers quantity (geometric mean antibody concentration/GMC) and seroprotection), followed by avidity and bactericidal (quality) testing. Titer and avidity of anti-PRP were tested using a modified version of the improved Phipps ELISA. Bactericidal capacity was evaluated using a Hib killing assay. Immune responses against other antigens in the vaccine were reported separately. Results One hundred five subjects in the pentavalent group and 106 subjects in the Hib monovalent group were tested for anti-PRP titers. Only 102 specimens for each group were available for bactericidal testing, due to insufficient volume for testing. Both vaccines induced similar anti-PRP titers, for GMC and seroprotection. Avidity increases were 82.9% and 76.4% in the pentavalent and Hib monovalent groups, respectively. Bactericidal activities were 94.1% and 89.2%, respectively. Both avidity and bactericidal activity were not significantly different between groups. Conclusion DTwP-HB-Hib vaccine induced anti-PRP quantity and quality comparable to those of the Hib monovalent vaccine given simultaneously with the DTwP-HB vaccine

Optimization and clinical validation of a pathogen detection microarray

New design and optimization of pathogen detection microarrays is shown to allow robust and accurate detection of a range of pathogens. The customized microarray platform includes a method for reducing PCR bias during DNA amplification

External validation of the RISC, RISC-Malawi, and PERCH clinical prediction rules to identify risk of death in children hospitalized with pneumonia

From Crossref journal articles via Jisc Publications RouterBackground Existing scores to identify children at risk of hospitalized pneumonia-related mortality lack broad external validation. Our objective was to externally validate three such risk scores. Methods We applied the Respiratory Index of Severity in Children (RISC) for HIV-negative children, the RISC-Malawi, and the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) scores to hospitalized children in the Pneumonia REsearch Partnerships to Assess WHO REcommendations (PREPARE) data set. The PREPARE data set includes pooled data from 41 studies on pediatric pneumonia from across the world. We calculated test characteristics and the area under the curve (AUC) for each of these clinical prediction rules. Results The RISC score for HIV-negative children was applied to 3574 children 0-24 months and demonstrated poor discriminatory ability (AUC = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.58-0.73) in the identification of children at risk of hospitalized pneumonia-related mortality. The RISC-Malawi score had fair discriminatory value (AUC = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.74-0.77) among 17 864 children 2-59 months. The PERCH score was applied to 732 children 1-59 months and also demonstrated poor discriminatory value (AUC = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.37-0.73). Conclusions In a large external application of the RISC, RISC-Malawi, and PERCH scores, a substantial number of children were misclassified for their risk of hospitalized pneumonia-related mortality. Although pneumonia risk scores have performed well among the cohorts in which they were derived, their performance diminished when externally applied. A generalizable risk assessment tool with higher sensitivity and specificity to identify children at risk of hospitalized pneumonia-related mortality may be needed. Such a generalizable risk assessment tool would need context-specific validation prior to implementation in that setting.11pubpub

Derivation and validation of a novel risk assessment tool to identify children aged 2-59 months at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality in 20 countries

INTRODUCTION: Existing risk assessment tools to identify children at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality have shown suboptimal discriminatory value during external validation. Our objective was to derive and validate a novel risk assessment tool to identify children aged 2-59 months at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality across various settings. METHODS: We used primary, baseline, patient-level data from 11 studies, including children evaluated for pneumonia in 20 low-income and middle-income countries. Patients with complete data were included in a logistic regression model to assess the association of candidate variables with the outcome hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality. Adjusted log coefficients were calculated for each candidate variable and assigned weighted points to derive the Pneumonia Research Partnership to Assess WHO Recommendations (PREPARE) risk assessment tool. We used bootstrapped selection with 200 repetitions to internally validate the PREPARE risk assessment tool. RESULTS: A total of 27 388 children were included in the analysis (mean age 14.0 months, pneumonia-related case fatality ratio 3.1%). The PREPARE risk assessment tool included patient age, sex, weight-for-age z-score, body temperature, respiratory rate, unconsciousness or decreased level of consciousness, convulsions, cyanosis and hypoxaemia at baseline. The PREPARE risk assessment tool had good discriminatory value when internally validated (area under the curve 0.83, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.84). CONCLUSIONS: The PREPARE risk assessment tool had good discriminatory ability for identifying children at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality in a large, geographically diverse dataset. After external validation, this tool may be implemented in various settings to identify children at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality

In-hospital mortality risk stratification in children aged under 5 years with pneumonia with or without pulse oximetry: A secondary analysis of the Pneumonia REsearch Partnership to Assess WHO REcommendations (PREPARE) dataset

Objectives We determined the pulse oximetry benefit in pediatric pneumonia mortality risk stratification and chest-indrawing pneumonia in-hospital mortality risk factors. Methods We report the characteristics and in-hospital pneumonia-related mortality of children aged 2-59 months who were included in the Pneumonia Research Partnership to Assess WHO Recommendations dataset. We developed multivariable logistic regression models of chest-indrawing pneumonia to identify mortality risk factors. Results Among 285,839 children, 164,244 (57.5%) from hospital-based studies were included. Pneumonia case fatality risk (CFR) without pulse oximetry measurement was higher than with measurement (5.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.6-5.9% vs 2.1%, 95% CI 1.9-2.4%). One in five children with chest-indrawing pneumonia was hypoxemic (19.7%, 95% CI 19.0-20.4%), and the hypoxemic CFR was 10.3% (95% CI 9.1-11.5%). Other mortality risk factors were younger age (either 2-5 months [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 9.94, 95% CI 6.67-14.84] or 6-11 months [aOR 2.67, 95% CI 1.71-4.16]), moderate malnutrition (aOR 2.41, 95% CI 1.87-3.09), and female sex (aOR 1.82, 95% CI 1.43-2.32). Conclusion Children with a pulse oximetry measurement had a lower CFR. Many children hospitalized with chest-indrawing pneumonia were hypoxemic and one in 10 died. Young age and moderate malnutrition were risk factors for in-hospital chest-indrawing pneumonia-related mortality. Pulse oximetry should be integrated in pneumonia hospital care for children under 5 years

Assembling a global database of child pneumonia studies to inform WHO pneumonia management algorithm: Methodology and applications

Background The existing World Health Organization (WHO) pneumonia case management guidelines rely on clinical symptoms and signs for identifying, classifying, and treating pneumonia in children up to 5 years old. We aimed to collate an individual patient-level data set from large, high-quality pre-existing studies on pneumonia in children to identify a set of signs and symptoms with greater validity in the diagnosis, prognosis, and possible treatment of childhood pneumonia for the improvement of current pneumonia case management guidelines. Methods Using data from a published systematic review and expert knowledge, we identified studies meeting our eligibility criteria and invited investigators to share individual-level patient data. We collected data on demographic information, general medical history, and current illness episode, including history, clinical presentation, chest radiograph findings when available, treatment, and outcome. Data were gathered separately from hospital-based and community-based cases. We performed a narrative synthesis to describe the final data set. Results Forty-one separate data sets were included in the Pneumonia Research Partnership to Assess WHO Recommendations (PREPARE) database, 26 of which were hospital-based and 15 were community-based. The PREPARE database includes 285 839 children with pneumonia (244 323 in the hospital and 41 516 in the community), with detailed descriptions of clinical presentation, clinical progression, and outcome. Of 9185 pneumonia-related deaths, 6836 (74%) occurred in children <1 year of age and 1317 (14%) in children aged 1-2 years. Of the 285 839 episodes, 280 998 occurred in children 0-59 months old, of which 129 584 (46%) were 2-11 months of age and 152 730 (54%) were males. Conclusions This data set could identify an improved specific, sensitive set of criteria for diagnosing clinical pneumonia and help identify sick children in need of referral to a higher level of care or a change of therapy. Field studies could be designed based on insights from PREPARE analyses to validate a potential revised pneumonia algorithm. The PREPARE methodology can also act as a model for disease database assembly

Global, regional, and national disease burden estimates of acute lower respiratory infections due to respiratory syncytial virus in young children in 2015:a systematic review and modelling study

Background: We have previously estimated that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was associated with 22% of all episodes of (severe) acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) resulting in 55 000 to 199 000 deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2005. In the past 5 years, major research activity on RSV has yielded substantial new data from developing countries. With a considerably expanded dataset from a large international collaboration, we aimed to estimate the global incidence, hospital admission rate, and mortality from RSV-ALRI episodes in young children in 2015. Methods: We estimated the incidence and hospital admission rate of RSV-associated ALRI (RSV-ALRI) in children younger than 5 years stratified by age and World Bank income regions from a systematic review of studies published between Jan 1, 1995, and Dec 31, 2016, and unpublished data from 76 high quality population-based studies. We estimated the RSV-ALRI incidence for 132 developing countries using a risk factor-based model and 2015 population estimates. We estimated the in-hospital RSV-ALRI mortality by combining in-hospital case fatality ratios with hospital admission estimates from hospital-based (published and unpublished) studies. We also estimated overall RSV-ALRI mortality by identifying studies reporting monthly data for ALRI mortality in the community and RSV activity. Findings: We estimated that globally in 2015, 33·1 million (uncertainty range [UR] 21·6–50·3) episodes of RSV-ALRI, resulted in about 3·2 million (2·7–3·8) hospital admissions, and 59 600 (48 000–74 500) in-hospital deaths in children younger than 5 years. In children younger than 6 months, 1·4 million (UR 1·2–1·7) hospital admissions, and 27 300 (UR 20 700–36 200) in-hospital deaths were due to RSV-ALRI. We also estimated that the overall RSV-ALRI mortality could be as high as 118 200 (UR 94 600–149 400). Incidence and mortality varied substantially from year to year in any given population. Interpretation: Globally, RSV is a common cause of childhood ALRI and a major cause of hospital admissions in young children, resulting in a substantial burden on health-care services. About 45% of hospital admissions and in-hospital deaths due to RSV-ALRI occur in children younger than 6 months. An effective maternal RSV vaccine or monoclonal antibody could have a substantial effect on disease burden in this age group

Epidemiologi Tuberkulosis

Tuberkulosis (TB) masih merupakan penyebab utama morbiditas dan mortalitas pada anak di dunia, namun kurang mendapat prioritas dalam penanggulangannya. Data surveilans dan epidemiologi TB pada anak jarang didapat. Hal ini disebabkan berbagai faktor antara lain sulitnya diagnosis TB anak, meningkatnya TB ekstra paru pada anak, tidak adanya standar baku definisi kasus, dan prioritas yang kurang diberikan pada TB anak di banding TB dewasa. Berbagai penelitian menunjukkan prevalensi TB anak tinggi, namun umumnya tanpa konfirmasi pemeriksaan bakteri tahan asam (BTA) positif. Salah satu indikator untuk menilai situasi TB di komunitas adalah dengan Annual Risk of Tuberculosis Infection (ARTI), adalah indeks epidemiologi yang dipakai untuk evaluasi dan monitor keadaan tuberkulosis di suatu komunitas atau negara. Perbedaan angka morbiditas dan mortalitas TB di berbagai negara dipengaruhi oleh beberapa faktor risiko, dibedakan antara risiko infeksi TB dan sakit TB