Volume 230, Issue 1, 15 July 2024

FDA approval of the first microbiota therapeutics raises new questions about the future role of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The authors explore these questions and suggest that FMT has unique value for research and to support patient access.

Cytotoxic lymphocytes attach to CD14⁺ monocytes with high inflammasome assembly capability and elevated antigen-presenting potential in COVID-19 progression and convalescent stages, representing a dynamic systemic immune response upon SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Individuals with lymphoma were at risk for reduced or absent vaccine response, even when untreated. Normal circulating immunoglobulins increased the likelihood of response. CART-19 did not permanently impair response, with the presence of Tfh and B cells predicting receptor-binding domain–specific IgG.

In this study, we demonstrated that Treg cells and CXCR3⁺ cTfh cells concordantly shape the nAb responses in people who have recovered from mild but not severe COVID-19. Treg cells limit the nAb responses by limiting CXCR3⁺ cTfh cells function.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been called the deadliest disease event in history. However, in the Netherlands, a comparison accounting for population differences shows that the Spanish flu of 1918–1920 was deadlier than COVID-19 in 2020–2022.

From October 2021 to June 2022, we assessed the association between antibody concentration and COVID-19 illness among patients enrolled in a test-negative study in 7 US states. We found that higher anti–receptor-binding domain antibodies in patients were associated with protection against symptomatic COVID-19.

Among 410 men having sex with men living with human immunodeficiency virus and undergoing annual anal cytology and high-resolution anoscopy, 33% had high-grade anal lesions detected within 2 years; strongest determinants were baseline positivity for human papillomavirus 16 and p16/Ki67.

Predicting abnormal cervical cytology based on vaginal microecological disorders helps clinicians in the early identification of women with HIV, who are at a higher risk of cervical cancer, and this might be a primary prevention strategy.

Perivascular adipose tissue surrounding small subcutaneous vessels from women with HIV has oxidative stress, inflammation, and reduced adiponectin that may contribute to enhanced contractility and microvascular disease.

Under potent INSTI-based therapy, HIV was observed to maintain residual expression below the detection of standard clinical testing, uncovering nonlymphoid-derived viruses in the male genital tract that were highly divergent and distinct from lymphoid-derived variants present in blood.

Carrying the drug resistance mutation K103N at either low or high frequency when starting a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor antiretroviral therapy regimen increases treatment failure risk.

Different subtypes in chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection demonstrated specific clinical features. Generally, patients with CD8⁺ T-cell type had a poor prognosis.

This study aimed to determine if emergency department (ED) data could reflect norovirus trends. A significant correlation was found between reported cases, especially in children, and specific ED visit complaints. ED data can help detect infectious disease trends early.

This study reports preferential detection of high levels of cutavirus DNA with the expression of viral mRNA in large-plaque parapsoriasis. This suggests a potential role for cutavirus in the pathogenesis of the disorder, a premalignant condition of mycosis fungoides.

Influenza infection releases adenosine triphosphate that primes peripheral neutrophils and causes their excessive activation after they infiltrate the lungs. Thus, adenosine triphosphate–induced neutrophil priming may be a therapeutic target to reduce lung tissue damage in severe influenza cases.

With expedited vaccine production, reconsidering existing timelines for seasonal influenza vaccine selection could result in substantial epidemiological advantages, especially when additional data could enhance the antigenic alignment between vaccine and prevalent viruses.

Among US adults, including older adults and persons with high-risk medical conditions, influenza vaccination provided moderate protection against influenza A–associated emergency department or urgent care encounters (vaccine effectiveness [VE], 44%) and hospitalizations (VE, 35%) during the 2022–2023 influenza season.

Hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers mediate 20%–40% of inactivated influenza vaccine efficacy against influenza A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and B/Victoria virus infections.

Humanized mice exposed to a panel of animal atypical scrapie prions showed very low susceptibility, suggesting a limited zoonotic potential. However, 1 isolate adapted into prions phenotypically resembling those causing human sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Further characterization dismissed a causal link.

Developing novel therapeutics for visceral leishmaniasis is a pressing need. We demonstrated that the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin, administered externally, has an antileishmanial effect. However, infection downregulates endogenous cathelicidin by exploiting host protein CREM, which could be a potential drug target.

Comprehensive in vitro and in vivo experiments and analyses in patients with visceral leishmaniasis identify spliced-leader RNA (SL-RNA) as a parasite viability marker. An optimized protocol allows the versatile detection of SL-RNA and other molecular markers for individualized patient management.

This study revealed that SspA-1 of the highly virulent Streptococcus suis 2 strain induces an excessive inflammatory response via TLR2 endosomal and type I IFN signaling, unveiling a novel role of type I IFN in S. suis infection.

This study characterized the 2 glycolipids of Staphylococcus aureus, Glc-DAG and Glc₂-DAG, acting as molecular patterns with opposing activities in Mincle-dependent lung anti-staphylococcal immunity in mice.

Disruption of the capsule biosynthesis gene wcaJ evolved in a patient with recurrent Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase–producing K pneumoniae bloodstream infections. Loss of function in wcaJ led to resistance to complement-mediated killing as well as increased complement binding and osponophagocytosis.

Patients with neurosyphilis at different stages have distinctive patterns of soluble factors in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which are correlated with immune status and neuronal damage. Moreover, CSF biomarker panels were identified that may accurately discriminate neurosyphilis at different stages.

Twelve novel ccr genes were identified in staphylococci and mammaliicocci, forming 12 novel ccr gene complexes and 10 novel SCC elements. The biological activity of 5 groups of novel Ccr recombinases were further demonstrated.

This study compared azithromycin treatment for bacterial diarrhea in children in Botswana to the usual care to evaluate its impact on antibiotic resistance in the gut microbiome. In both treatment groups, azithromycin resistance genes increased in prevalence at 60 days.

This narrative review summarizes the “state of the science” for Chlamydia trachomatis seroassays that have been applied in epidemiologic studies and provides practical considerations for interpreting the literature and employing seroassays in future research.

This review focuses on the B. duncani ICIM model, which serves as a promising resource for advancing research into the biology, pathogenicity, and virulence of intraerythrocytic parasites, as well as a tool to evaluate new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests.

Synergies between funders within the medical countermeasure life cycle are critical to ensure long-term sustainment and availability of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

The Omicron BA.1 variant–specific vaccine NVX-CoV2515 elicited a superior neutralizing antibody response against the Omicron BA.1 subvariant as compared with the prototype vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, when administered as a fourth dose. Safety data were consistent with the established safety profile of NVX-CoV2373.

Fatal COVID-19 is associated robust peripheral inflammation; however, early interferon-led responses in the respiratory mucosa are delayed relative to those that will survive severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

By studying the bone marrow aspiration samples of 20 individuals with prior coronavirus disease 2019, we showed deficient generation of spike-specific long-lived plasma cells in bone marrow as the major contributor to the nondurable humoral immune response to this infection.

CAB + RPV LA is effective in the maintenance of HIV-1 virologic suppression in adults regardless of BMI category, with longer-length needles (≥2 inches) recommend for those with BMI ≥30 kg/m² to accommodate individual body habitus and ensure appropriate administration.

Exposure to Prevotella timonensis, a bacterium associated with vaginal dysbiosis, increased uptake, fusion, and production of HIV-1 by vaginal CD4⁺ T cells, thereby enhancing HIV-1 susceptibility. Pre-exposure of CD4⁺ T cells to antiretroviral inhibitors abolished P timonensis–enhanced HIV-1 infection.

Markers of endothelial cell activation were measured in patients with yellow fever virus infection at the time of presentation. Extremely increased levels of angiopoietin 2 were detected in nonsurvivors vs survivors, suggesting that angiopoietin 2 could serve as a predictive marker for mortality.

This study highlights high antibiotic use and healthcare resource utilization associated with varicella management, particularly in patients with complications. A national varicella vaccination program in England may reduce varicella burden and related complications, medication use, and costs.

We estimated the effect of rotavirus vaccination on duration and quantity of rotavirus shed during rotavirus gastroenteritis in Bangladesh. Virus quantity was lower in symptomatic vaccinated children compared to symptomatic unvaccinated children, but differences in episode duration were small.

Influenza vaccination during pregnancy was protective against influenza infection and influenza hospitalization among infants <6 months of age. Because influenza vaccines are not available for this age group, vaccination during pregnancy can offer passive protection to young infants.

Neutralizing antibodies against respiratory syncytial virus in serum and dried blood are highly correlated, are stable in dried blood for 6 months, and can withstand temperature variation. Dried blood samples are a patient-centered and logistical solution for clinical trials.

One dose of prefusion F protein–based vaccine for older adults administered to ≥60-year-olds induced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses that remained above pre–dose 1 levels for at least 1 year. The vaccine was well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile.

The BronchStart study collected data on 17 899 presentations in children aged <2 years with serious respiratory disease following the lifting of lockdown measures. For infant admissions, 51.3% were not associated with RSV; the majority were in previously healthy term infants.

Modelling study shows that the decline in mpox cases among MSM in the Netherlands was primarily due to infection-induced immunity among those with high sexual activity levels and accelerated by behavioral adaptions. The outbreak could have faded even without vaccination.

Nigeria has the highest number of children missing out on all routine immunization vaccinations—“zero-dose children.” Geospatial models can predict areas with zero-dose and underimmunized children for targeted interventions to achieve the Immunization Agenda 2030 goals.

Adolescent/adult targeted BCG revaccination assumed to prevent sustained Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection may have a positive health impact and be cost-effective in India and South Africa, even if associated with up to 50% increased risk of progression to disease.

DNA repeat regions differentiate subtypes and track Cryptosporidium outbreaks but have high replication slippage rates. Using synthesized DNA, we demonstrate that slippage rates increase with the length of repeat region and can contribute to error rates of up to 20%.

Computational and microbiological techniques were used to identify the steroid drug quinestrol as an inhibitor of cytochrome bd respiratory complexes from Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This drug was bacteriostatic toward both species but was only lethal toward S. aureus.

Prevalence and concentrations of 4 Gardnerella species groups as measured by quantitative PCR were significantly associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV). Detection of multiple Gardnerella species was a risk factor for BV development, and none were a specific marker for BV.

Pneumococcal serotype 3 clinical isolates display variable and clade-dependent biological characteristics in a mouse model of pneumococcal invasive disease and carriage.

A ST700-GPSC10 serotype 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae lineage, currently restricted to the African continent, is characterized by the absence of 6 genes from the capsular polysaccharide locus and decreased susceptibility to opsonophagocytosis, which may explain the spread of this lineage.

Ongoing hepatitis A outbreaks in the United States are associated with a substantial clinical and economic burden. Prevention strategies and efforts to increase awareness and vaccination coverage are needed to reduce the burden of hepatitis A and prevent future outbreaks.