Respiratory Syncytial Virus Seasonality:A Global Overview

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in children. By the age of 1 year, 60-70% of children have been infected by RSV. In addition, early-life RSV infection is associated with the development of recurrent wheezing and asthma in infancy and childhood. The need for precise epidemiologic data regarding RSV as a worldwide pathogen has been growing steadily as novel RSV therapeutics are reaching the final stages of development. To optimize the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of RSV infection in a timely manner, knowledge about the differences in the timing of the RSV epidemics worldwide is needed. Previous analyses, based on literature reviews of individual reports obtained from medical databases, have fail to provide global country seasonality patterns. Until recently, only certain countries have been recording RSV incidence through their own surveillance systems. This analysis was based on national RSV surveillance reports and medical databases from 27 countries worldwide. This is the first study using original source high-quality surveillance data to establish a global, robust and homogeneous report on global country-specific RSV seasonality

Exploring bovine fecal bacterial microbiota in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve, Northern Mexico

En México la información sobre la microbiota fecal bovina (Bos taurus) es escasa. El presente estudio describe la diversidad y abundancia de bacterias en muestras fecales de bovinos en pastizales, recolectadas en la Reserva de la Biosfera de Mapimí en la parte central del desierto chihuahuense. Las muestras fecales se analizaron mediante secuenciación masiva de siguiente generación de alto rendimiento utilizando la V3-V4 del ARNr 16S en Miseq de Illumina. Se identificaron un total de 17 filos, 24 clases, 33 órdenes, 50 familias, 281 géneros y 297 especies. Firmicutes y Verrucomicrobia fueron los filos más abundantes. Los géneros más abundantes fueron Sporobacter, PAC000748_g (géneros de la familia Ruminococcaceae) y Eubacterium_g23. Se registraron tres géneros (Clostridium, Corynebacterium y Fusobacterium) y una especie (Campylobacter fetus) de bacterias bovinas potencialmente patógenas. Esta información representa una línea base bacteriológica para monitorear el estado de salud intestinal de bovinos en pastoreo y para rastrear posibles interacciones con la microbiota fecal de la fauna nativa itinerante del área.In Mexico, information on the bovine fecal microbiota (Bos taurus) is scarce. The present study describes the diversity and abundance of bacteria in fecal samples from rangeland bovines, collected in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve in the central part of the Chihuahuan desert. Fecal samples were analysed using high-throughput next generation massive sequencing using V3-V4 16S rRNA on Illumina Miseq. A total of 17 phyla, 24 classes, 33 orders, 50 families, 281 genera, and 297 species were identified. Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia were the most abundant phyla. The most abundant genera were Sporobacter, PAC000748_g (genera into the Ruminococcaceae family) and Eubacterium_g23. Three genera (Clostridium, Corynebacterium and Fusobacterium) and one species (Campylobacter fetus) potentially pathogenic bovine bacteria were registered. This information represents a bacteriological baseline for monitoring the grazing bovine intestinal health status, and to trace possible interactions with the fecal microbiota of native roaming wildlife in the area

Native American ancestry significantly contributes to neuromyelitis optica susceptibility in the admixed Mexican population

Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease with a higher prevalence in non-European populations. Because the Mexican population resulted from the admixture between mainly Native American and European populations, we used genome-wide microarray, HLA high-resolution typing and AQP4 gene sequencing data to analyze genetic ancestry and to seek genetic variants conferring NMO susceptibility in admixed Mexican patients. A total of 164 Mexican NMO patients and 1,208 controls were included. On average, NMO patients had a higher proportion of Native American ancestry than controls (68.1% vs 58.6%; p = 5 × 10–6). GWAS identified a HLA region associated with NMO, led by rs9272219 (OR = 2.48, P = 8 × 10–10). Class II HLA alleles HLA-DQB1*03:01, -DRB1*08:02, -DRB1*16:02, -DRB1*14:06 and -DQB1*04:02 showed the most significant associations with NMO risk. Local ancestry estimates suggest that all the NMO-associated alleles within the HLA region are of Native American origin. No novel or missense variants in the AQP4 gene were found in Mexican patients with NMO or multiple sclerosis. To our knowledge, this is the first study supporting the notion that Native American ancestry significantly contributes to NMO susceptibility in an admixed population, and is consistent with differences in NMO epidemiology in Mexico and Latin America.Fil: Romero Hidalgo, Sandra. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Flores Rivera, José. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Rivas Alonso, Verónica. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Barquera, Rodrigo. Max Planck Institute For The Science Of Human History; Alemania. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia; MéxicoFil: Villarreal Molina, María Teresa. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Antuna Puente, Bárbara. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Macias Kauffer, Luis Rodrigo. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Villalobos Comparán, Marisela. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Ortiz Maldonado, Jair. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Yu, Neng. American Red Cross; Estados UnidosFil: Lebedeva, Tatiana V.. American Red Cross; Estados UnidosFil: Alosco, Sharon M.. American Red Cross; Estados UnidosFil: García Rodríguez, Juan Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: González Torres, Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Rosas Madrigal, Sandra. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica; MéxicoFil: Ordoñez, Graciela. Neuroimmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Guerrero Camacho, Jorge Luis. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; MéxicoFil: Treviño Frenk, Irene. American British Cowdray Medical Center; México. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: Escamilla Tilch, Monica. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: García Lechuga, Maricela. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: Tovar Méndez, Víctor Hugo. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: Pacheco Ubaldo, Hanna. Instituto Nacional de Antropología E Historia. Escuela Nacional de Antropología E Historia; MéxicoFil: Acuña Alonzo, Victor. Instituto Nacional de Antropología E Historia. Escuela Nacional de Antropología E Historia; MéxicoFil: Bortolini, María Cátira. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Gallo, Carla. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; PerúFil: Bedoya Berrío, Gabriel. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Rothhammer, Francisco. Universidad de Tarapacá; ChileFil: Gonzalez-Jose, Rolando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz Linares, Andrés. Colegio Universitario de Londres; Reino UnidoFil: Canizales Quinteros, Samuel. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Yunis, Edmond. Dana Farber Cancer Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Granados, Julio. Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran; MéxicoFil: Corona, Teresa. Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía; Méxic

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

D1.2 Handbook of multi-hazard, multi-risk definitions and concepts

This report is the first output of Work Package 1: Diagnosis of the MYRIAD-EU project: Handbook of Multi-hazard, Multi-Risk Definitions and Concepts. The aim of the task was to (i) acknowledge the differences and promote consistency in understanding across subsequent work packages in the MYRIAD-EU project, (ii) improve the accessibility of our work to a broad array of stakeholders and (iii) strengthen consensus across the hazard and risk community through a common understanding of multi-hazard, multi-risk terminology and concepts. The work encompassed a mixed-methods approach, including internal consultations and data-generating exercises; literature reviews; external stakeholder engagement; adopting and building on a rich existing body of established glossaries. 140 terms are included in the glossary, 102 related to multi-hazard, multi-risk, disaster risk management and an additional 38 due to their relevance to the project, acknowledging the need for a common understanding amongst an interdisciplinary project consortium. We also include extended definitions related to concepts particularly of relevance to this project deliverable, including ‘multi-hazard’, ‘hazard interrelationships’, ‘multi-risk’ and ‘direct and indirect loss and risk’. Underpinned by a literature review and internal consultation, we include a specific section on indicators, how these might be applied within a multi-hazard and multi-risk context, and how existing indicators could be adapted to consider multi-risk management. We emphasise that there are a number of established glossaries that the project (and risk community) should make use of to strengthen the impact of the work we do, noting in our literature review a tendency in papers and reports to define words afresh. We conclude the report with a selection of key observations, including terminology matters – for all aspects of disaster risk management, for example communication, data collection, measuring progress and reporting against Sendai Framework targets. At the same time, we discuss when is it helpful to include ‘multi-‘ as a prefix, questioning whether part of the paradigm shift needed to successfully address complex challenges facing an interconnected world is through inherently seeing vulnerability, exposure and disaster risk through the lens of multiple, interrelated hazards. We emphasise that there is likely to be an evolution of the terminology throughout the project lifetime as terms are emerge or shift as the project evolves. Finally, we propose a roadmap for developing and testing draft multi-risk indicators in MYRIAD-EU. The WP1 team would like to acknowledge all the contributions of the consortium on this task and the feedback from the External Advisory Board, in particular the chair of the board Virginia Murray, Head of Global Disaster Risk Reduction at the UK Health Security Agency, and the contribution of Jenty Kirsch-Wood, Head of Global Risk Management and Reporting at UNDRR, for her reflections on the findings of this work

Identification of regulatory variants associated with genetic susceptibility to meningococcal disease.

Non-coding genetic variants play an important role in driving susceptibility to complex diseases but their characterization remains challenging. Here, we employed a novel approach to interrogate the genetic risk of such polymorphisms in a more systematic way by targeting specific regulatory regions relevant for the phenotype studied. We applied this method to meningococcal disease susceptibility, using the DNA binding pattern of RELA - a NF-kB subunit, master regulator of the response to infection - under bacterial stimuli in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. We designed a custom panel to cover these RELA binding sites and used it for targeted sequencing in cases and controls. Variant calling and association analysis were performed followed by validation of candidate polymorphisms by genotyping in three independent cohorts. We identified two new polymorphisms, rs4823231 and rs11913168, showing signs of association with meningococcal disease susceptibility. In addition, using our genomic data as well as publicly available resources, we found evidences for these SNPs to have potential regulatory effects on ATXN10 and LIF genes respectively. The variants and related candidate genes are relevant for infectious diseases and may have important contribution for meningococcal disease pathology. Finally, we described a novel genetic association approach that could be applied to other phenotypes

Plasma lipid profiles discriminate bacterial from viral infection in febrile children

Fever is the most common reason that children present to Emergency Departments. Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection are often non-specific, and there is no definitive test for the accurate diagnosis of infection. The 'omics' approaches to identifying biomarkers from the host-response to bacterial infection are promising. In this study, lipidomic analysis was carried out with plasma samples obtained from febrile children with confirmed bacterial infection (n = 20) and confirmed viral infection (n = 20). We show for the first time that bacterial and viral infection produces distinct profile in the host lipidome. Some species of glycerophosphoinositol, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine and cholesterol sulfate were higher in the confirmed virus infected group, while some species of fatty acids, glycerophosphocholine, glycerophosphoserine, lactosylceramide and bilirubin were lower in the confirmed virus infected group when compared with confirmed bacterial infected group. A combination of three lipids achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.911 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.98). This pilot study demonstrates the potential of metabolic biomarkers to assist clinicians in distinguishing bacterial from viral infection in febrile children, to facilitate effective clinical management and to the limit inappropriate use of antibiotics

Post-intervention Status in Patients With Refractory Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab During REGAIN and Its Open-Label Extension

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether eculizumab helps patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) achieve the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) post-intervention status of minimal manifestations (MM), we assessed patients' status throughout REGAIN (Safety and Efficacy of Eculizumab in AChR+ Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis) and its open-label extension. METHODS: Patients who completed the REGAIN randomized controlled trial and continued into the open-label extension were included in this tertiary endpoint analysis. Patients were assessed for the MGFA post-intervention status of improved, unchanged, worse, MM, and pharmacologic remission at defined time points during REGAIN and through week 130 of the open-label study. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients completed REGAIN and continued into the open-label study (eculizumab/eculizumab: 56; placebo/eculizumab: 61). At week 26 of REGAIN, more eculizumab-treated patients than placebo-treated patients achieved a status of improved (60.7% vs 41.7%) or MM (25.0% vs 13.3%; common OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). After 130 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 88.0% of patients achieved improved status and 57.3% of patients achieved MM status. The safety profile of eculizumab was consistent with its known profile and no new safety signals were detected. CONCLUSION: Eculizumab led to rapid and sustained achievement of MM in patients with AChR+ refractory gMG. These findings support the use of eculizumab in this previously difficult-to-treat patient population. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: REGAIN, NCT01997229; REGAIN open-label extension, NCT02301624. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that, after 26 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 25.0% of adults with AChR+ refractory gMG achieved MM, compared with 13.3% who received placebo

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements