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The Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary... Jun 2024Wild animals, sharing pathogens with domestic animals, play a crucial role in the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Sampling from wild animals poses significant...
Wild animals, sharing pathogens with domestic animals, play a crucial role in the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Sampling from wild animals poses significant challenges, yet it is vital for inclusion in disease surveillance and monitoring programmes. Often, mass surveillance involves serological screenings using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests, typically validated only for domestic animals. This study assessed the diagnostic specificity of commercially available ELISA tests on 342 wild ruminant serum samples and 100 from wild boars. We evaluated three tests for foot-and-mouth disease: two for Peste des petits ruminants, two for Rift Valley fever and one for Capripox virus. Diagnostic specificity was calculated using the formula True Negative/(False Positive + True Negative). Cohen's kappa coefficient measured agreement between tests. Results showed high specificity and agreement across all tests. Specificity for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) ranged from 93.89% for Prionics to 100% for IDEXX, with IDvet showing 99.6%. The highest agreement was between FMD IDvet and IDEXX at 97.1%. Rift Valley fever (RVF) tests, Ingezim and IDvet, achieved specificities of 100% and 98.83%, respectively. The optimal specificity was attained by retesting single reactors and inactivating the complement.Contribution: Commercially available ELISA kits are specific for foot-and-mouth disease and similar transboundary animal diseases and can be used for highly specific wild animal testing.
Topics: Animals; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Animals, Wild; Sensitivity and Specificity; Foot-and-Mouth Disease; Rift Valley Fever; Sus scrofa; Ruminants; Antibodies, Viral
PubMed: 38949427
DOI: 10.4102/ojvr.v91i1.2164 -
Journal of Medical Virology Jul 2024Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a prevalent pathogen responsible for acute viral hepatitis, HEV genotypes 3 and 4 infections causing zoonotic infections. Currently, the...
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a prevalent pathogen responsible for acute viral hepatitis, HEV genotypes 3 and 4 infections causing zoonotic infections. Currently, the nucleotide similarity analysis between humans and pigs for HEV genotype 4 is limited. In this study, stool samples from an HEV-infected patient who is a pig farmer and from pigs were collected to obtain the near full-length genome of HEV, phylogenetic trees were constructed for genotyping, and similarity of HEV sequences was analyzed. The results showed that HEV-RNA was detected in the stool samples from the patient and six pigs (6/30, 20.0%). Both HEV subtype in the patient and pigs was 4b. Additionally, similarity analysis showed that the range was 99.875%-99.944% between the patient and pigs at the nucleotide level. Four isolates of amino acid sequences (ORFs 1-3) from pigs were 100% identical to the patient. Phylogenetic tree and similarity analysis of an additional nine HEV sequences isolated from other patients in this region showed that the HEV sequence from the pig farmer had the closest relationship with the pigs from his farm rather than other sources of infection in this region. This study provides indirect evidences for HEV subtype 4b can be transmitted from pigs to humans at the nucleotide level. Further research is needed to explore the characteristics of different HEV subtypes.
Topics: Animals; Hepatitis E virus; Swine; Phylogeny; Hepatitis E; China; Genome, Viral; Humans; Feces; Swine Diseases; Genotype; RNA, Viral; Male; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 38949212
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29777 -
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary... May 2024The Sunderban area of West Bengal is home to tribal and religious minorities inhabiting various islands. There is a high prevalence of thalassemia among poverty-stricken...
INTRODUCTION
The Sunderban area of West Bengal is home to tribal and religious minorities inhabiting various islands. There is a high prevalence of thalassemia among poverty-stricken residents of this region living with meagre health care facilities. This work was planned to determine the proportion of four viral transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs): HIV-1, HIV-2, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among thalassemia patients attending the sole rural medical college in the region.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thalassemia patients ( = 359, age ranging from 1 year to 60 years) attending the thalassemia clinic or being admitted to the indoor facilities for better management were included in the study. Only patients diagnosed with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and with classical clinical features were included in the study. Blood samples of these patients were tested for HIV as per NACO protocol. For HBV and HCV, samples were first tested serologically; reactive samples were collected and sent in the cold chain to a higher centre for nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for qualitative and quantitative estimation. Clinical and laboratory data was collected, patients were followed up for complications and hospitalisation during the study period, and statistical analysis was performed.
RESULTS
Majority of our patients had E-beta-thalassemia (245, 59.81%), followed by beta-thalassemia major (102, 28.30%). NAAT-confirmed HCV infection (14.21%) infection was the most common, followed by HBV (2.51%), and lastly by HIV-1 (0.58%) infection. Among infected thalassemia patients, the mean HCV RNA was 741063 ± 438514.67 IU/ml while the mean HBV DNA level was 4082863 ± 7298514 IU/ml. Co-infections of HIV-1 and HCV and that of HBV and HCV were noted in one patient each (0.28%). HCV-related liver disease (14.21%) and growth retardation (10.31%) were the most typical complication noted, and death occurred in five patients (1.39%) during the study period.
CONCLUSION
Primary care physicians should know HCV infection is the most common TTI among thalassemia patients in rural eastern India.
PubMed: 38948618
DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1751_23 -
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary... May 2024
PubMed: 38948559
DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1667_23 -
World Journal of Hepatology Jun 2024Delving into the immunological crossroads of liver diseases, this editorial explores the dynamic interplay between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and autoimmune hepatitis...
Delving into the immunological crossroads of liver diseases, this editorial explores the dynamic interplay between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). While HCV primarily manifests as a viral infection impacting the liver, previous studies unveil a captivating connection between HCV and the emergence of AIH. The dance of the immune system in response to HCV appears to set the stage for an intriguing phenomenon-an aberrant autoimmune response leading to the onset of AIH. Evidence suggests a heightened presence of autoimmune markers in individuals with chronic HCV infection, hinting at a potential overlap between viral and autoimmune liver diseases. Navigating the intricate terrain of viral replication, immune response dynamics, and genetic predisposition, this editorial adds a layer of complexity to our understanding of the relationship between HCV and AIH. In this immunological crossroads, we aim to unearth insights into the complex interplay, using a compelling case where AIH and primary sclerosing cholangitis overlapped following HCV treatment with direct-acting antivirals as background.
PubMed: 38948443
DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i6.867 -
World Journal of Experimental Medicine Jun 2024Hepatitis E virus (HEV), responsible for widespread viral hepatitis, infects approximately 2.3 billion individuals globally, with a significant mortality burden in Asia....
Hepatitis E virus (HEV), responsible for widespread viral hepatitis, infects approximately 2.3 billion individuals globally, with a significant mortality burden in Asia. The virus, primarily transmitted through contaminated water and undercooked meat, is often underdiagnosed, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Current HEV treatments, while effective, are limited by adverse effects, necessitating research into safer alternatives. Moreover, HEV's extrahepatic manifestations, impacting the nervous and renal systems, remain poorly understood. This study underscores the imperative for enhanced HEV research, improved diagnostic methods, and more effective treatments, coupled with increased public health awareness and preventive strategies.
PubMed: 38948414
DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v14.i2.90481 -
International Journal of General... 2024The aim of this study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), analyse the risk...
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), analyse the risk factors associated with HBV-associated HCC, and to provide some references to the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.
METHODS
This study retrospectively enrolled 730 patients, including 390 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) as controls, and 340 patients with CHB complicated with HCC as patients. Relevant information and medical records of these participants were collected, including age, sex, cigarette smoking, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), cirrhosis, occupation, ascites, HBV-DNA load, the qualitative analysis of HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, and HBcAb serological markers, and levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), TNM stage, tumor size and tumor number. The test, Chi-square test, non-parametric rank-sum test, logistic regression analyses were used to explore the influencing factors and their degree of association with HCC in patients with HBV.
RESULTS
The proportion of smoking, alcoholism, married status, DM, hypertension, and the rate of HBV-DNA with a viral load of ≥500 copies/mL were significantly higher in the HCC group than in the controls (all <0.05). Cirrhosis was more common among patients with CHB+HCC than in controls (=0.013). The proportion of patients with HBsAg, HBeAb, and HBcAb positive was greater in CHB+HCC group than that in CHB group. Logistic regression analysis indicated that age ≥60 years (OR: 1.835, 95% CI: 1.020-3.302, =0.043), HBeAb positive (OR: 9.105, 95% CI: 4.796-17.288, <0.001), antiviral treatment with entecavir (OR: 2.209, 95% CI: 1.106-4.409, =0.025), and GGT (OR: 1.004, 95% CI: 1.001-1.007, =0.002) were risk factors for HCC in patients with CHB.
CONCLUSION
Advanced age, HBeAb positive, antiviral treatment with entecavir, and GGT were independent risk factors for HCC in HBV patients.
PubMed: 38947567
DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S464083 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Follicular helper T cells are essential for helping in the maturation of B cells and the production of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) during primary viral infections....
INTRODUCTION
Follicular helper T cells are essential for helping in the maturation of B cells and the production of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) during primary viral infections. However, their role during recall responses is unclear. Here, we used hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection in humans as a model to study the recall collaborative interaction between circulating CD4 T follicular helper cells (cTfh) and memory B cells (MBCs) leading to the generation of NAbs.
METHODS
We evaluated this interaction longitudinally in subjects who have spontaneously resolved primary HCV infection during a subsequent reinfection episode that resulted in either another spontaneous resolution (SR/SR, = 14) or chronic infection (SR/CI, = 8).
RESULTS
Both groups exhibited virus-specific memory T cells that expanded upon reinfection. However, early expansion of activated cTfh (CD4CXCR5PD-1ICOSFoxP3) occurred in SR/SR only. The frequency of activated cTfh negatively correlated with time post-infection. Concomitantly, NAbs and HCV-specific MBCs (CD19CD27IgME2-Tet) peaked during the early acute phase in SR/SR but not in SR/CI. Finally, the frequency of the activated cTfh1 (CXCR3CCR6) subset correlated with the neutralization breadth and potency of NAbs.
CONCLUSION
These results underscore a key role for early activation of cTfh1 cells in helping antigen-specific B cells to produce NAbs that mediate the clearance of HCV reinfection.
Topics: Humans; Hepacivirus; T Follicular Helper Cells; Male; Female; Hepatitis C; Memory B Cells; Adult; Middle Aged; Reinfection; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Immunologic Memory; Hepatitis C Antibodies; Hepatitis C, Chronic; Lymphocyte Activation
PubMed: 38947319
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1403769 -
World Journal of Gastroenterology Jun 2024The Baveno VII criteria redefine the management of decompensated liver cirrhosis, introducing the concept of hepatic recompensation marking a significant departure from... (Review)
Review
The Baveno VII criteria redefine the management of decompensated liver cirrhosis, introducing the concept of hepatic recompensation marking a significant departure from the conventional view of irreversible decline. Central to this concept is addressing the underlying cause of cirrhosis through tailored therapies, including antivirals and lifestyle modifications. Studies on alcohol, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis demonstrate the efficacy of these interventions in improving liver function and patient outcomes. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) emerges as a promising intervention, effectively resolving complications of portal hypertension and facilitating recompensation. However, optimal timing and patient selection for TIPS remain unresolved. Despite challenges, TIPS offers renewed hope for hepatic recompensation, marking a significant advancement in cirrhosis management. Further research is needed to refine its implementation and maximize its benefits. In conclusion, TIPS stands as a promising avenue for improving hepatic function and patient outcomes in decompensated liver cirrhosis within the framework of the Baveno VII criteria.
Topics: Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic; Hypertension, Portal; Patient Selection; Treatment Outcome; Antiviral Agents; Liver
PubMed: 38946869
DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i23.2954 -
Advancing Surveillance Strategies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A New Era of Efficacy and Precision.Journal of Clinical and Experimental... 2024Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the few cancers with a 5-year survival that has remained below 20%; however, prognosis differs by tumor stage at diagnosis.... (Review)
Review
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the few cancers with a 5-year survival that has remained below 20%; however, prognosis differs by tumor stage at diagnosis. Curative treatment options among patients with early-stage HCC afford a median survival of 5-10 years. Accordingly, international society guidelines recommend semi-annual HCC surveillance in at-risk patients, including those with cirrhosis or high-risk chronic hepatitis B infection. Surveillance is associated with increased early-stage HCC detection and curative treatments, leading to reduced HCC-related mortality. Abdominal ultrasound has been the cornerstone for HCC surveillance for the past two decades, but recent data have highlighted its suboptimal sensitivity for early-stage HCC detection, particularly in patients with obesity and those with non-viral etiologies of liver disease. The combination of ultrasound plus alpha fetoprotein (AFP) has higher sensitivity for early-stage HCC detection than ultrasound alone, although the combination still misses over one-third of HCC at an early stage. Emerging imaging and blood-based biomarker strategies have promising data in biomarker phase 2 (case-control) and phase 3 (cohort) studies. Beyond ultrasound, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the best-studied imaging strategy, with superior sensitivity and specificity compared to ultrasound in a cohort study. Abbreviated MRI protocols have been proposed to address concerns about MRI radiological capacity, costs, and patient acceptance. Of biomarker strategies, GALAD (a panel including gender, age, AFP, AFP-L3, and DCP) is the best validated, with promising sensitivity for early-stage HCC detection in a national multi-center cohort study. Liquid biopsy biomarkers, including methylated DNA markers, have also shown promising accuracy in case-control studies. Abbreviated MRI and GALAD are now entering prospective trials that examine clinical outcomes such as early-stage HCC detection and screening-related harms, which are essential data to understand for adoption in clinical practice. As additional surveillance strategies become available, it will allow an era of precision surveillance in which optimal surveillance modalities are tailored to individual patient risk and expected test performance.
PubMed: 38946864
DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2024.101448