Medical Microbiology and Immunology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Cellular distribution of CD200 receptor in rats and its interaction with cytomegalovirus e127 protein
In this study, we characterized the distribution of inhibitory CD200R in rats. In addition, we investigated if e127, a homologue of rat CD200 expressed by rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV), can suppress immune functions in vitro. RT-PCR analysis was carried out to test the expression of CD200R in different rat tissues and flow cytometry was performed to characterize CD200R at the cellular level. To test the inhibitory functions of e127, a co-culture system was utilized in which immune cells were incubated with e127-expressing cells. The strongest CD200R expression was detected in lymphoid organs such as bone marrow and spleen. Fl...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - July 21, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Contribution of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 to systemic inflammation investigated by a mouse model of cervicovaginal infection with Staphylococcus aureus
In this study, a mouse cervicovaginal infection model was established. Transcervical inoculation with a virulence strain ofS. aureus and its derivative TSST-1-deficient mutant demonstrated that TSST-1 distributed to the bloodstream and spleen, and promoted systemic inflammation without bacteremia. Transcervical administration with the wild-type toxin and a superantigen-deficient mutant of TSST-1 (mTSST-1) demonstrated that the superantigenic activity of TSST-1 was essential to stimulate the systemic inflammation. Furthermore, this activity was not promoted by co-transcervical inoculation with lipopolysaccharides. The circu...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - July 6, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Lopinavir serum concentrations of critically ill infants: a pharmacokinetic investigation in South Africa
AbstractThe role of therapeutic drug monitoring in pediatric antiretroviral therapy is unclear. A little pharmacokinetic datum from clinical practice exists beyond controlled approval studies including clinically stable children. The aim of this study is to quantify LPV exposure of critically ill infants in an ICU and —by identifying risk factors for inadequate exposure—to define sensible indications for TDM in pediatric HIV care; in addition, assume total drug adherence in ICU to compare LPV exposure with a setting of unknown adherence. In this prospective investigation, 15 blood samples from critically ill infants in...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - July 4, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

PA-X: a key regulator of influenza A virus pathogenicity and host immune responses
AbstractPA-X, a fusion protein belonging to influenza A viruses (IAVs), integrating the N-terminal 191 amino acids of PA gene and the ribosomal frame-shifting product that lengthens out to 41 or 61 amino acids. Since its discovery in 2012, multiple functions have been attributed to this small protein, including a process, where wide-spread protein synthesis in infected host cells is shut down (called host shutoff), and viral replication, polymerase activity, viral-induced cell apoptosis, PA nuclear localization, and virulence are modulated. However, many of its proposed functions may be specific to strain, subtype, host, o...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - July 4, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Preventing vertical virus infections: the role of serologic screening of pregnant women
AbstractSeveral virus infections affect the pregnancy itself as well as the foetal development (rubella, PVB19, VZV, HSV, HCMV, HBV, HIV). Prevention can be established by vaccination or an assessment of the immunity status as well as by chemotherapy. The following review provides an update to current aspects focusing on the role of serologic screening. (Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology)
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - July 3, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Recent advances on T-cell exhaustion in malaria infection
AbstractT-cell exhaustion reportedly leads to dysfunctional immune responses of antigen-specific T cells. Investigations have revealed that T cells expand into functionally defective phenotypes with poor recall/memory abilities to parasitic antigens. The exploitation of co-inhibitory pathways represent a highly viable area of translational research that has very well been utilized against certain cancerous conditions. Malaria, at times, evolve into a sustained chronic state where T cells express several co-inhibitory molecules  (negative immune checkpoints) facilitating parasite escape and sub-optimal protective responses...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - June 23, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

A clone of the emergent Streptococcus pyogenes emm89 clade responsible for a large outbreak in a post-surgery oncology unit in France
AbstractAn outbreak of nosocomial infections due toStreptococcus pyogenes (Group AStreptococcus; GAS) occurred in a post-surgery oncology unit and concerned more than 60 patients and lasted 20 months despite enhanced infection control and prophylaxis measures. All GAS strains were characterized (emm genotype, toxin gene profile and pulse-field gel electrophoresis subtype). Selected strains were sequenced and phylogenetic relationship established. Capacity to form biofilm and interaction with human pulmonary epithelial cells and macrophages were determined. Twenty-six GAS strains responsible for invasive infections (II) and...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - June 23, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Vaccine adjuvants CpG (oligodeoxynucleotides ODNs), MPL (3- O -deacylated monophosphoryl lipid A) and naloxone-enhanced Th1 immune response to the Plasmodium vivax recombinant thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) in mice
AbstractDespite considerable efforts toward vaccine development over decades, there is no available effective vaccine againstPlasmodium vivax. Thrombospondin-related adhesive protein ofP. vivax (PvTRAP) is essential for sporozoite motility and invasions into mosquito ’s salivary gland and vertebrate’s hepatocyte; hence, it is a promising target for pre-erythrocytic vaccine. In the current investigation, the role of antibodies and cellular immune responses induced by purified recombinant PvTRAP (rPvTRAP) delivered in three adjuvants, naloxone (NLX), CpG oligo deoxynucleotides ODN1826 (CpG-ODN), and 3-O-deacylated monoph...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - June 9, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Serum cytokine responses in Rickettsia felis infected febrile children, Ghana
In this study, we characterize for the first time the cytokine profile in the acute phase of illness caused byR. felis infection, as well as in plasmodial co-infection, using serum from 23 febrile children  <  15 years of age and 20 age-matched healthy controls from Ghana. Levels of IL-8 (interleukin-8), IP-10 (interferon-γ-induced protein-10), MCP-1 (monocyte chemotactic protein-1), MIP-1α (macrophage inflammatory protein-1α) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) were significantly elevate d inR. felis mono-infection; however, IL-8 and VEGF elevation was not observed in plasmodial co-infections. These r...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - May 8, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Influence of sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling on HCMV replication in human embryonal lung fibroblasts
In this study, the role of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling in HCMV-infected human embryonal lung fibroblasts (HELF) was analyzed. Viral replication depended on the functional activity of sphingosine kinases (SK). During SK inhibition, addition of extracellular S1P restored HCMV replication. Moreover, neutralization of extracellular S1P by anti-S1P antibodies decreased HCMV replication as well. While the application of FTY720 as an functional antagonist of S1P receptor (S1PR)1,3 −5 signaling did not reduce HCMV replication significantly, JTE-013, an inhibitor of S1PR2, decreased viral replication. Furthermore, inh...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - April 26, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Gut microbiome of Moroccan colorectal cancer patients
AbstractAlthough colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of death in Morocco, there are no studies of the microbiome changes associated with the disease in the Moroccan population. The aim of our study was to compare the stool microbiome of Moroccan cancer patients with healthy individuals. We analyzed the microbiome composition of samples from 11 CRC patients and 12 healthy individuals by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Principal coordinate analysis of samples revealed defined cancer versus healthy clusters. Our findings showed that cancer samples had higher proportions of Firmicutes (T = 50.5%;N = 28.4%;p =â...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - April 23, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Prevalence and genetic diversity of norovirus genogroup II in children less than 5  years of age with acute gastroenteritis in Tehran, Iran
This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of GII noroviruses in hospitalized children less than 5  years of age with acute gastroenteritis (AGE). A total of 210 stool specimens were collected from Ali Asghar Children’s Hospital and Bahrami Children’s Hospital in Tehran, from June 2015 to June 2016. The samples were screened by real-time RT-PCR for genogroup II (GII). Positive samples were g enotyped by semi-nested PCR followed by Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Norovirus was identified in 36 (17.1%) of 210 specimens. Based on genetic analysis of RdRp and capsid sequences, the ...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - April 4, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Anti- Candida activity of antidepressants sertraline and fluoxetine: effect upon pre-formed biofilms
AbstractAs an opportunistic fungal pathogenCandida spp. has the ability to form biofilms. The most prescribed drugs forCandida infections, azoles, have shown to be less effective when biofilms are present. In addition, increasing treatment costs and the fact that most prescribed antifungal drugs have only fungistatic activity justify the search for new treatment strategies. One promising approach is third generation antidepressants, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), because of their proven antifungal activity against severalCandida spp. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the ability of two commonly...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - March 19, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Soluble CD163 and soluble CD14 plasma levels but not cellular HIV-DNA decrease during successful interferon-free anti-HCV therapy in HIV-1 –HCV co-infected patients on effective combined anti-HIV treatment
In conclusion, the significant decrease in sCD163 and sCD14 levels in patients cured of HCV infection, regardless of the presence of LLV, suggests a main role for HCV in immune activation in HIV–HCV co-infected patients. (Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology)
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - March 9, 2018 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research