Dynamic changes and clinical value of lipocalin 2 in liver diseases caused by microbial infections

Lipocalin 2(LCN2)plays a pivotal role in iron metabolism,particularly in the context of microbial infection resistance(e.g.,viruses,bacteria,parasites,etc.).LCN2 combats microbial infection by directly assisting the body in competing with microorganisms for iron,inducing immune cells to secrete various cytokines to enhance systemic immune responses,or recruiting neutrophils to infectious sites.The liver serves as the primary organ for LCN2 secretion during microbial infections.This review encapsulates recent advances in dynamic changes,clinical values,and the effects of LCN2 in infectious liver diseases caused by various microbial microorganisms.

Clinical and Bacteriological Profile of Infections in Sickle Cell Children in Two Referral Hospitals in Niamey, Niger

Introduction: Infections are significant causes of mortality in sickle cell children in resource-limited countries. This study aimed to determine the clinical profile and bacterial ecology of infections in children with sickle-cell disease in two referral hospitals in Niamey. Patients and methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted from January 2018 to July 2020 in two referral hospitals in Niamey. All children aged one (1) to 15 years with sickle cell disease admitted for suspected infection, including at least one bacterial culture, were studied. Bacteriological analysis was performed using the appropriate culture media, using BactAlert (Reference 4700003 BTA3D60 BioMérieux). Results: Over 36-months, 350 children with a mean age of 10.9 months were admitted. The sex ratio was 1.2. The SS electrophoretic profile was the most common (93.4%). Immunization status was up to date in 66% of patients. Fever was the common reason for consultation (55.1%). Infection was confirmed in 62 patients (17.7%). The primary diagnoses were bacterial gastroenteritis (24.2%) and urinary tract infection (19.4%). Blood cultures were isolated from Salmonella typhi (13.0%) and Escherichia coli (8.7%). Klebsiella spp (7.1%) and Escherichia coli (5.0%) were detected in cytobacteriological examination of urine. Salmonella typhi (23.5%) and Escherichia coli (5.9%) were isolated on coproculture. Conclusion: Bacterial ecology appears not different from that usually observed in sickle-cell children. Salmonella and Escherichia coli were predominant.

Retrospective study of the incidence, risk factors, treatment outcomes of bacterial infections at uncommon sites in cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND Bacterial infections(BI)negatively affect the natural course of cirrhosis.The most frequent BI are urinary tract infections(UTI),pneumonia,and spontaneousbacterial peritonitis(SBP).AIM To assess the relevance of bacterial infections beyond the commonly recognized types in patients with cirrhosis and to investigate their relationship with other clinical variables.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed patients with cirrhosis and BI treated between 2015 and 2018 at our tertiary care center.BIs were classified as typical and atypical,and clinical as well as laboratory parameters were compared between the two groups.RESULTS In a cohort of 488 patients with cirrhosis,we identified 225 typical BI(95 UTI,73 SBP,72 pulmonary infections)and 74 atypical BIs,predominantly cholangitis and soft tissue infections(21 each),followed by intra-abdominal BIs(n=9),cholecystitis(n=6),head/throat BIs(n=6),osteoarticular BIs(n=5),and endocarditis(n=3).We did not observe differences concerning age,sex,or etiology of cirrhosis in patients with typical vs atypical BI.Atypical BIs were more common in patients with more advanced cirrhosis,as evidenced by Model of End Stage Liver Disease(15.1±7.4 vs 12.9±5.1;P=0.005)and Child-Pugh scores(8.6±2.5 vs 8.0±2;P=0.05).CONCLUSION Atypical BIs in cirrhosis patients exhibit a distinct spectrum and are associated with more advanced stages of the disease.Hence,the work-up of cirrhosis patients with suspected BI requires detailed work-up to elucidate whether typical BI can be identified.

Epigenetic regulation by long noncoding RNAs in osteo-/adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells and degenerative bone diseases

Bone is a complex tissue that undergoes constant remodeling to maintain homeostasis,which requires coordinated multilineage differentiation and proper proliferation of mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs).Mounting evidence indicates that a disturbance of bone homeostasis can trigger degenerative bone diseases,including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.In addition to conventional genetic modifications,epigenetic modifications(i.e.,DNA methylation,histone modifications,and the expression of noncoding RNAs)are considered to be contributing factors that affect bone homeostasis.Long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)were previously regarded as‘transcriptional noise’with no biological functions.However,substantial evidence suggests that lncRNAs have roles in the epigenetic regulation of biological processes in MSCs and related diseases.In this review,we summarized the interactions between lncRNAs and epigenetic modifiers associated with osteo-/adipogenic differentiation of MSCs and the pathogenesis of degenerative bone diseases and highlighted promising lncRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic targets for bone diseases.

The Frequency of Skin Tumors and Infections in Patients with Autoimmune Diseases

Background: Autoimmune diseases are a vast array of organ-specific as well as systemic diseases, whose pathogenesis results from the activation of B and T lymphocytes reacting against antigens of the body’s own tissues (defined as self). Objective: To record skin tumors and infections in all autoimmune diseases gathered together in a one pathological state, compared with renal transplant recipients and normal control. Patients and Methods: Four hundred patients with different autoimmune diseases were examined. Fifty patients with pemphigus (15 males, 35 females) are aged from 20 - 70 (41.23 ± 3.89) years. Fifty patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (50 females) are aged from 17 - 45 (30.58 ± 10.08) years. One hundred patients with vitiligo (59 males, 41 females) are aged from 9 - 71 (42.89 ± 5.28) years. One hundred patients with alopecia areata (42 males, 58 females) are aged from 7 - 52 (38.67 ± 9.52) years. One hundred patients with psoriasis (56 males, 44 females) are aged from 7 - 71 (47.36 ± 8.62) years were evaluated. One hundred twenty kidney transplant recipients’ (101 males, 19 females) ages ranged from 14 - 70 (45.43 ± 4.63) years. All patients were examined thoroughly for any cutaneous manifestations and tumors and the findings were compared with the general population as a control group, which consisted of 500 healthy control individuals whose ages ranged from 20 - 71 (44.53 ± 11.48) years. This case series, descriptive, controlled study was performed in Baghdad Teaching Hospital from June 2014 to October 2015. Results: In renal transplant recipients, the findings were observed as follow herpetic infection in 30(25%), bacterial 12(10%) while fungal 24(20%) patients. These infections appeared early in the course of immunosuppression. While the tumors were noticed, the benign tumors were the commonest manifestations, which included viral warts in 45(37.5%) followed by actinic keratosis 15(12.5%), seborrheic keratosis 14(11.6%), sebaceous hyperplasia 13(10.8%) and keratoacanthoma 1(0.8%). While the malignant tumors were basal cell carcinoma 4(3.3%) followed by squamous cell carcinoma 3(2.5%), and kaposi’s sarcoma 4(3.3%), Bowen’s disease 1(0.8%). These malignancy usually appeared late in the course of immunosuppression. In pemphigus, viral warts were observed in 4(8%) cases;fungal infection was seen in 4(8%) cases and bacterial infections in 2(4%) of cases and herpetic infection in only 1(2%) of case;no tumors were found in all patients. In vitiligo, viral warts were observed in 2(2%) cases, while seborrhic keratosis and sebaceous hyperplasia were observed in 1(1%) case;herpetic and fungal infections were seen in 3(3%) of cases while bacterial infections were recorded in 2(2%) of cases but no tumors were found in all patients. In alopecia areata viral warts were observed in 9(9%) of cases, sebaceous hyperplasia in 1(1%) case, herpetic and bacterial in 3(3%) of cases and fungal in 4(4%) of cases;no tumors were found in all patients. In systemic lupus erythymatosus (SLE) viral warts were observed in 4(8%) of cases, herpetic infection in 12(12%) of cases, fungal infection in 10(20%) of cases, bacterial infection in 3(3%) of cases and sebaceous hyperplasia in only 1(2%) of case, but no tumors were seen. In psoriasis, viral warts were observed in 14(14%) of cases, herpetic infection in 10(10%) of cases, bacterial infection in 3(3%) of cases, fungal infection in 2(2%) of cases, sebaceous hyperplasia in 2(2%) of cases and seborrhiec hyperkeratosis in 1(1%) case, while no tumors were demonstrated. In healthy control individuals, herpetic infection was present in 36(7.2%) and viral warts in 52(10.4%) individuals, fungal infection in 29(5.8%) of individuals and regarding tumors solar keratosis was present in 24(4.8%);basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were present in 2(0.4%) individuals of each. Conclusions: Patients with autoimmune diseases were protected against infections and tumors while kidney transplant recipients had no such protection although all these groups were on prolonged immunosuppression.

Stem cell-like memory T cells:Role in viral infections and autoimmunity

Stem cell-like memory T(TSCM)cells possess stem cell properties including multipotency and self-renewal and are being recognized as emerging players in various human diseases.Advanced technologies such as multiparametric flowcytometry and single cell sequencing have enabled their identification and molecular characterization.In case of chronic viral diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus-1,CD4+T_(SCM) cells,serve as major reservoirs of the latent virus.However,during immune activation and functional exhaustion of effector T cells,these cells also possess the potential to replenish the pool of functional effector cells to curtail the infection.More recently,these cells are speculated to play important role in protective immunity following acute viral infections such as coronavirus disease 2019 and might be amenable for therapeutics by ex vivo expansion.Similarly,studies are also investigating their pathological role in driving autoimmune responses.However,there are several gaps in the understanding of the role of T_(SCM) cells in viral and autoimmune diseases to make them potential therapeutic targets.In this minireview,we have attempted an updated compilation of the dyadic role of these complex T_(SCM) cells during such human diseases along with their biology and transcriptional programs.

Therapeutic Aspects of Chronic Bone Infections and Management Challenges

This study aims to investigate various aspects of the treatment of chronic bone infections and the challenges in their management. The characterization of treatment of 73 patients with chronic bone infection was reported. The four management challenges including consultation delay, immune depression, extreme variety of clinical manifestations and non-use of CT or MRI were discussed in this study. We conducted a retrospective study at Aristide Le Dantec Hospital on 90 cases of chronic bone infection in 73 patients. The mean duration of symptoms before consultation was 36 months. More than half of the patients had a productive fistula at the first consultation. Sickle cell anemia was found in 6 patients. Multiple lesions were found in 10 patients;and long bones were affected in 90% of cases. The bacterial culture was positive in 93.15%. Staphylococcus aureus was the most isolated germ (68.35%). Seventy-two out of seventy-three patients were operated on. The procedure depended on anatomical and radiological lesions. Surgical treatment was associated with antibiotherapy which was firstly probabilistic and secondarily adapted to the results of bacterial culture. A favorable trend was found in 41 patients (56.16%). 32 cases of adverse effects were noted (43.83%), and 27 patients had recurrence after a favorable outcome. Several complications and sequelae were observed demonstrating the tenacity of these chronic infections.

Is there an unrecognised role for Campylobacter infections in(chronic) inflammatory diseases?

Campylobacter species are one of the major causes of global bacterial-related diarrheal disease worldwide. The disease is most frequently associated with the ingestion of contaminated meat, raw milk, pets, contaminated water, and the organism may be frequently cultured from the faeces of chicken and other domesticated farm animals. Of the 17 established Campylobacter species, the most important pathogens for humans are Campylobacter jejuni(C. jejuni), Campylobacter coli(C. coli) and Campylobacter fetus(C. fetus), which are all associated with diarrheal disease. Further, C. jejuni and C. coli are also associated with the neuroparalytic diseases Guillain-Barré syndrome and Miller Fischer syndrome, respectively, whereas C. fetus is linked with psoriatic arthritis. The discovery of both "molecular mimicry" and translocation-related virulence in the pathogenesis of C. jejuni-induced disease, indicates, that Campylobacter-related gastrointestinal infections may not only generate localized, acute intestinal infection in the human host, but may also be involved in the establishment of chronic inflammatory diseases. Indeed, pathogenicity studies on several Campylobacter species now suggest that molecular mimicry and translocation-related virulence is not only related to C. jejuni, but may play a role in human disease caused by other Campylobacter spp. In this review, the authors provide a review based on the current literature describing the potential links between Campylobacter spp. and(chronic) inflammatory diseases, and provide their opinions on the likely role of Campylobacter in such diseases.

Periprosthetic joint infections in femoral neck fracture patients treated with hemiarthroplasty–should we use antibiotic-loaded bone cement?

BACKGROUND Hemiarthroplasty is the most common treatment in elderly patients with displaced intra-capsular femoral neck fracture(FNF).Prosthetic joint infection(PJI)is one of the most feared and frequent complications post-surgery because of the frail health status of these patients and the need for fast track surgery.Therefore,priorities should lie in effective preventive strategies to mitigate this burden.AIM To determine how much the implementation of the routine use of antibioticloaded bone cement(ALBC)as a relatively easy-to-apply amendment to the surgical practice reduces the infection rate in our hemiarthroplasty cohort.METHODS We retrospectively assessed all demographic,health status and treatment-related data of our FNF patients undergoing cemented hemiarthroplasty in the period from 2011 to 2017;241 patients were further analyzed after exclusion of patients with cancer-related sequelae and those who died before the end of the 1-year observation period.The PJI rate as diagnosed on basis of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society(MSIS)criteria 2011 was determined for each included patient and compared in function of the bone cement used for hip stem fixation.Patients were split into a group receiving a plain bone cement in the period from January 2011 to June 2013(non-ALBC group)and into a group receiving an ALBC in the period July 2013 to December 2017(ALBC group).Data analysis was performed with statistical software.We further calculated the cost-efficacy of the implementation of routine use of ALBC in the second group balancing the inhospital infection related treatment costs with the extra costs of use of ALBC.RESULTS In total 241 FNF patients who received cemented hemiarthroplasty in the period from January 2011 to January 2017 were eligible for inclusion in this retrospective study.There were 8 PJI cases identified in the ALBC group among n=94 patients,whereas 28 PJI cases were observed in the non-ALBC group among n=147 patients.The statistical analysis showed an infection risk reduction of 55.3%(in particular due to the avoidance of chronic delayed infections)in the ALBC group(95%CI:6.2%-78.7%;P=0.0025).The cost-evaluation analysis demonstrated a considerable cost saving of 3.500€per patient,related to the implementation of routine use of ALBC in this group.CONCLUSION Use of ALBC is a potent infection preventive factor in FNF patients receiving cemented hemiarthroplasties.It was further found to be highly cost-effective.

The essential roles of m^(6)A modification in osteogenesis and common bone diseases

N6-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)is the most prevalent modification in the eukaryotic transcriptome and has a wide range of functions in coding and noncoding RNAs.It affects the fate of the modified RNA,including its stability,splicing,and translation,and plays an important role in post-transcriptional regulation.Bones play a key role in supporting and pro-tecting muscles and other organs,facilitating the movement of the organism,ensuring blood production,etc.Bone diseases such as osteoarthritis,osteoporosis,and bone tumors are serious public health problems.The processes of bone development and osteogenic differen-tiation require the precise regulation of gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms including histone,DNA,and RNA modifications.As a reversible dynamic epigenetic mark,m^(6)A modifications affect nearly every important biological process,cellular component,and molecular function,including skeletal development and homeostasis.In recent years,studies have shown that m^(6)A modification is involved in osteogenesis and bone-related diseases.In this review,we summarized the proteins involved in RNA m^(6)A modification and the latest progress in elucidating the regulatory role of m^(6)A modification in bone formation and stem cell direc-tional differentiation.We also discussed the pathological roles and potential molecular mech-anisms of m^(6)A modification in bone-related diseases like osteoporosis and osteosarcoma and suggested potential areas for new strategies that could be used to prevent or treat bone de-fects and bone diseases.

TT virus and hepatitis G virus infections in Korean blood donors and patients with chronic liver disease

AIM:To determine the prevalences of TTV and HGV infections among blood donors and patients with chronic liver disease in Korea,to investigate the association of TTV and HGV infections with blood transfusion,and to assess the correlation between TTV and HGV viremia and hepatic damage. METHODS:A total of 391 serum samples were examined in this study.Samples were obtained from healthy blood donors(n=110),hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg)-positive donors(n=112),anti-hepatitis C virus(anti-HCV)-positive donors(n=69),patients with type B chronic liver disease (n=81),and patients with type C chronic liver disease(n=19). Trv DNA was detected using the hemi-nested PCR.HGV RNA was tested using RT-PCR.A history of blood transfusion and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)were also determined. RESULTS:TTV DNA was detected in 8.2%of healthy blood donors,16.1%of HBsAg-positive donors,20.3%of anti- HCV-positive donors,21.0%of patients with type B chronic liver disease,and 21.1%of patients with type C chronic liver disease.HGV RNA was detected in 1.8%of healthy blood donors,1.8%of HBsAg-positive donors,17.4%of anti-HCV-positive donors,13.6%of patients with type B chronic liver disease,and 10.5%of patients with type C chronic liver disease.The prevalence of TTV and HGV infections in HBV- or HCV-positive donors and patients was significantly higher than in healthy blood donors(P<0.05), except for the detection rate of HGV in HBsAg-positive donors which was the same as for healthy donors.There was a history of transfusion in 66.7%of TTV DNA-positive patients and 76.9%of HGV RNA-positive patients(P<0.05).No significant increase in serum ALT and AST was detected in the TTV or HGV-positive donors and patients. CONCLUSION:TTV and HGV infections are more frequently found in donors and patients infected with HBV or HCV than in healthy blood donors.However,there is no significant association between TTV or HGV infections and liver injury.

Viral infections in inflammatory bowel disease:Tips and tricks for correct management

Over the past decades,the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD)has become more targeted,anticipating the use of immune-modifying therapies at an earlier stage.This top-down approach has been correlated with favorable short and long-term outcomes,but it has also brought with it concerns regarding potential infectious complications.This large IBD population treated with immunemodifying therapies,especially if combined,has an increased risk of severe infections,including opportunistic infections that are sustained by viral,bacterial,parasitic,and fungal agents.Viral infections have emerged as a focal safety concern in patients with IBD,representing a challenge for the clinician:they are often difficult to diagnose and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality.The first step is to improve effective preventive strategies,such as applying vaccination protocols,adopt adequate prophylaxis and educate patients about potential risk factors.Since viral infections in immunosuppressed patients may present atypical signs and symptoms,the challenges for the gastroenterologist are to suspect,recognize and diagnose such complications.Appropriate treatment of common viral infections allows us to minimize their impact on disease outcomes and patients’lives.This practical review supports this standard of care to improve knowledge in this subject area.

Nested case-control study on risk factors for opportunistic infections in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND When opportunistic infections occur, patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) commonly display a significantly increased rate of morbidity and mortality.With increasing use of immunosuppressive agents and biological agents,opportunistic infections are becoming a hot topic in the perspective of drug safety in IBD patients. Despite the well-established role of opportunistic infections in the prognosis of IBD patients, there are few epidemiological data investigating the incidence of opportunis-tic infections in IBD patients in China. Besides, the risk factors for opportunistic infection in Chinese IBD patients remain unclear.AIM To predict the incidence of opportunistic infections related to IBD in China, and explore the risk factors for opportunistic infections.METHODS A single-center, prospective study of IBD patients was conducted. The patients were followed for up to 12 mo to calculate the incidence of infections. For each infected IBD patient, two non-infected IBD patients were selected as controls. A conditional logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations between putative risk factors and opportunistic infections, which are represented as odds ratios(OR) and 95% confidence intervals(CIs).RESULTS Seventy(28.11%) out of 249 IBD patients developed opportunistic infections.Clostridium difficile infections and respiratory syncytial virus infections were found in 24 and 16 patients, respectively. In a univariate analysis, factors such as the severity of IBD, use of an immunosuppressant or immunosuppressants, high levels of fecal calprotectin, and C-reactive protein or erythrocyte sedimentation rate were individually related to a significantly increased risk of opportunistic infection. Multivariate analysis indicated that the use of any immunosuppressant yielded an OR of 3.247(95%CI: 1.128-9.341), whereas the use of any two immunosuppressants yielded an OR of 6.457(95%CI: 1.726-24.152) for opportunistic infection. Interestingly, when immunosuppressants were used in combination with infliximab(IFX) or 5-aminosalicylic acid, a significantly increased risk of opportunistic infection was also observed. The relative risk of opportunistic infection was greatest in IBD patients with severe disease activity(OR = 9.090; 95%CI: 1.532-53.941, relative to the remission stage). However, the use of IFX alone did not increase the risk of opportunistic infection.CONCLUSION Factors such as severe IBD, elevated levels of fecal calprotectin, and the use of immunosuppressive medications, especially when used in combination, are major risk factors for opportunistic infections in IBD patients. The use of IFX alone does not increase the risk of opportunistic infection.

Risk of infections associated with biological treatment in inflammatory bowel disease

Tumor necrosis factor-&#x003b1; (TNF-&#x003b1;) inhibitors are biological agents introduced in the late 1990s for the treatment of different immune-mediated diseases as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. The most commonly used TNF-&#x003b1; antagonists are infliximab, adalimumab, and certolizumab pegol, and though highly effective in lowering inflammation, the efficacy must be weighed against the potential for adverse events. The treatment-induced immunosuppression is suspected to increase the risk of infections, including the risk of reactivation of latent tuberculosis, as the TNF-&#x003b1; cytokine plays an important role in the immune function. In this topic highlight a short overview of the infection risk associated with TNF-&#x003b1; inhibiter therapy is outlined with a focus on the overall risk of serious infections, mycobacterial infection and latent viral infections.

Clinical characteristics and 28-d outcomes of bacterial infections in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF),which includes hepatic and multiple extrahepatic organ failure,is a severe emergency condition that has high mortality.ACLF can rapidly progress and requires an urgent assessment of condition and referral for liver transplantation.Bacterial infections (BIs) trigger ACLF and play pivotal roles in the deterioration of clinical course.AIM To investigate the clinical characteristics and 28-d outcomes of first Bis either at admission or during hospitalization in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-ACLF as defined by the Chinese Group on the Study of Severe Hepatitis B(COSSH).METHODS A total of 159 patients with HBV-ACLF and 40 patients with acute decompensation of HBV-related chronic liver disease combined with first BIs were selected for a retrospective analysis between October 2014 and March 2016 The characteristics of BIs,the 28-d transplant-free survival rates,and the independent predictors of the 28-d outcomes were evaluated.RESULTS A total of 194 episodes of BIs occurred in 159 patients with HBV-ACLF.Among the episodes,13.4 To were community-acquired,46.4 To were healthcare-associated,and 40.2% belonged to nosocomial BIs.Pneumonia (40.7%),spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP)(34.5%),and bloodstream infection (BSI)(13.4%) were the most prevalent.As the ACLF grade increased,the incidence of SBP showed a downward trend (P=0.021).Sixty-one strains of bacteria,including 83.6% Gramnegative bacteria and 29.5% multidrug-resistant organisms,were cultivated from 50 patients with ACLF.Escherichia coli (44.3%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (23.0%)were the most common bacteria.As the ACLF grade increased,the 28-d transplant-free survival rates showed a downward trend (ACLF-1,55.7%;ACLF-2,29.3%;ACLF-3,5.4%;P <0.001).The independent predictors of the 28-doutcomes of patients with HBV-ACLF were COSSH-ACLF score (hazard ratio[HR]=1.371),acute kidney injury (HR=2.187),BSI (HR=2.339),prothrombin activity (HR=0.967),and invasive catheterization (HR=2.173).CONCLUSION For patients with HBV-ACLF combined with first BIs,pneumonia is the most common form,and the incidence of SBP decreases with increasing ACLF grade.COSSH-ACLF score,acute kidney injury,BSI,prothrombin activity,and invasive catheterization are the independent predictors of 28-d outcomes.

Epidemiological trends of urinary tract infections,urolithiasis and benign prostatic hyperplasia in 203 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019

Background:Urinary tract infections(UTI),urolithiasis,and benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)are three of the most common nonmalignant conditions in urology.However,there is still a lack of comprehensive and updated epidemiological data.This study aimed to investigate the disease burden of UTI,urolithiasis,and BPH in 203 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019.Methods:Data were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2019,including incident cases,deaths,disabilityadjusted life-years(DALYs)and corresponding age-standardized rate(ASR)from 1990 to 2019.Estimated annual percentage changes(EAPC)were calculated to evaluate the trends of ASR.The associations between disease burden and social development degrees were analyzed using a sociodemographic index(SDI).Results:Compared with 1990,the incident cases of UTI,urolithiasis,and BPH increased by 60.40%,48.57%,and 105.70%in 2019,respectively.The age-standardized incidence rate(ASIR)of UTI increased(EAPC=0.08),while urolithiasis(EAPC=–0.83)and BPH(EAPC=–0.03)decreased from 1990 to 2019.In 2019,the age-standardized mortality rate(ASMR)of UTI and urolithiasis were 3.13/100,000 and 0.17/100,000,respectively.BPH had the largest increase(110.56%)in DALYs in the past three decades,followed by UTI(68.89%)and urolithiasis(16.95%).The burden of UTI was mainly concentrated in South Asia and Tropical Latin America,while the burden of urolithiasis and BPH was recorded in Asia and Eastern Europe.Moreover,the ASIR and SDI of urolithiasis in high-SDI regions from 1990to 2019 were negatively correlated,while the opposite trend was seen in low-SDI regions.In 2019,the ASIR of UTI in females was 3.59 times that of males,while the ASIR of urolithiasis in males was 1.96 times higher than that in females.The incidence was highest in the 30–34,55–59,and 65–69 age groups among the UTI,urolithiasis,and BPH groups,respectively.Conclusions:Over the past three decades,the disease burden has increased for UTI but decreased for urolithiasis and BPH.The allocation of medical resources should be based more on the epidemiological characteristics and geographical distribution of diseases.

What is the best way to manage screening for infections and vaccination of inflammatory bowel disease patients?

The use of biological agents and immunomodulators for inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) is associated with an increased risk of opportunistic infections, in particular of viral or bacterial etiology. Despite the existence of international guidelines, many gastroenterologists have not adopted routine screening and vaccination in those patients with IBD, which are candidate for biologic therapy. Available strategies to screen, diagnose and prevent bacterial and viral infections in patients with IBD prior to start biological therapy are discussed in this review.

Recurrence of urinary tract infections in postmenopausal diabetic women using different antibiotics

Objectives: Postmenopausal women with diabetes mellitus (DM) have an increased incidence of urinary tract infections (UTI) compared to women without DM. The aim of this study is to compare recurrence rates of UTI in postmenopausal women with DM after treatment with nitrofurantoin, the agent of first choice following the Dutch guidelines, with two other common prescribed antibiotics trimethoprim and norfloxacin. Methods: We used a PHARMO database with pharmacy dispensing data. A total of 8534 postmenopausal (>55 years) women with DM who received a first course of nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim or norfloxacin were included. The UTI recurrence rates after treatment with these three different antimicrobial agents were compared. Recurrence was defined as a second prescription for nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim or norfloxacin or a first with fosfomycin, amoxicillin, fluoroquinolones, or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole between 6 and 30 days after inclusion. Results: Postmenopausal women with DM had significantly more UTI recurrences when they were treated with nitrofurantoin (22.7%) compared to trimethoprim (17.7%) or norfloxacin (14.2%) irrespective of the treatment duration. There was a trend that longer treatment duration was associated with higher recurrence rates. Conclusions: Postmenopausal women with DM had more UTI recurrences when they are treated with nitrofurantoin, agent of first choice, compared to trimethoprim or norfloxacin.

Pathogenic Mycoplasma Infections in Chronic Illnesses: General Considerations in Selecting Conventional and Integrative Treatments

The presence of pathogenic mycoplasmas in various chronic illnesses and their successful suppression using conventional and integrative medicine approaches are reviewed. Evidence gathered over the last three decades has demonstrated the presence of pathogenic mycoplasma species in the blood, body fluids and tissues from patients with a variety of chronic clinical conditions: atypical pneumonia, asthma and other respiratory conditions;oral cavity infections;urogenital conditions;neurodegenerative and neurobehavioral diseases;autoimmune diseases;immunosuppressive diseases;inflammatory diseases;and illnesses and syndromes of unknown origin, such as fatiguing illnesses. Only recently have these small intracellular bacteria received attention as possible causative agents, cofactors or opportunistic infections or co-infections in these and other conditions. Their clinical management is often inadequate, primarily because of missed diagnosis, under- and inadequate treatment and the presence of persister or dormant microorganisms due to biofilm, resistence and other mechanisms. Pathogenic Mycoplasma species infections have been suppressed slowly by anti-microbial and integrative treatments, resulting in gradual reductions in morbidity, but not in every patient. Even if mycoplasmas are not a cause or an initial trigger for many chronic illnesses, they appear to play important roles in the inception, progression, morbidity and relapse of chronic illnesses in rather large patient subsets. Ignoring such infections can result in failure to achieve eventual patient recovery, even with application of potentially curative treatments.

Catheter-related infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus in a patient with motor neurone disease:A case report

BACKGROUND Mycobacterium abscessus(M.abscessus)is a rapidly growing mycobacterium and ubiquitous in the environment,which infrequently causes disease in humans.However,it can cause cutaneous or respiratory infections among immunocompromised hosts.Due to the resistance to most antibiotics,the pathogen is formidable and difficult-to-treat.CASE SUMMARY Here,we present a case of catheter-related M.abscessus infections in a patient with motor neurone disease.Catheter and peripheral blood cultures of the patient showed positive results during Gram staining and acid-fast staining.The alarm time of catheter blood culture was 10.6 h earlier than that of peripheral blood.After removal of the peripherally inserted central catheter,secretion and catheter blood culture were positive.M.abscessus was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and 16S rDNA sequencing.CONCLUSION For catheter-related M.abscessus infection,rapid diagnosis and timely and adequate antimicrobial therapy are crucial.