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Annals of Internal Medicine Jun 2022On 8 December 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for AstraZeneca's Evusheld (tixagevimab copackaged with cilgavimab,...
On 8 December 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for AstraZeneca's Evusheld (tixagevimab copackaged with cilgavimab, administered as concomitant injections) for the prevention of COVID-19 in those who are moderately to severely compromised, are aged 12 years or older, and weigh more than 40 kg. This commentary discusses current appropriate use of this important preventive intervention.
Topics: Antibodies, Monoclonal; COVID-19; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Vaccines
PubMed: 35404669
DOI: 10.7326/M22-1026 -
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... Oct 2022
Topics: Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Latent Infection; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 35724870
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2022.06.010 -
Annals of the American Thoracic Society Aug 2014The interaction between host immunity and infections in the context of a suppressed immune system presents an opportunity to study the interaction of colonization and... (Review)
Review
The interaction between host immunity and infections in the context of a suppressed immune system presents an opportunity to study the interaction of colonization and infection with the development of acute and chronic pulmonary morbidity and mortality. This article summarizes presentations at the Pittsburgh International Lung Conference about comorbid consequences in two categories of immunosuppressed hosts: HIV-infected individuals and lung transplant recipients. Specifically, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary hypertension, and chronic lung rejection after transplant are three diseases that may be consequences of colonization or infection by viruses or fungi, whether HIV itself or the opportunistic infections Pneumocystis and cytomegalovirus. In the fourth section, we discuss unique aspects of infections after lung transplant as well as the battle against multidrug-resistant organisms in this population and theorize that the immunosuppressed population may provide a unique group of patients in which to study ways to overcome nosocomial pathogenic challenges. These host-pathogen interactions serve as models for developing new strategies to reduce acute and chronic morbidity due to colonization and subclinical infection, and potential therapeutic avenues, which are often overlooked in the clinical arena.
Topics: Adaptive Immunity; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Respiratory Tract Infections
PubMed: 25148427
DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201401-038PL -
Annals of the American Thoracic Society Mar 2023Pneumonia imposes a significant clinical burden on people with immunocompromising conditions. Millions of individuals live with compromised immunity because of cytotoxic...
Pneumonia imposes a significant clinical burden on people with immunocompromising conditions. Millions of individuals live with compromised immunity because of cytotoxic cancer treatments, biological therapies, organ transplants, inherited and acquired immunodeficiencies, and other immune disorders. Despite broad awareness among clinicians that these patients are at increased risk for developing infectious pneumonia, immunocompromised people are often excluded from pneumonia clinical guidelines and treatment trials. The absence of a widely accepted definition for immunocompromised host pneumonia is a significant knowledge gap that hampers consistent clinical care and research for infectious pneumonia in these vulnerable populations. To address this gap, the American Thoracic Society convened a workshop whose participants had expertise in pulmonary disease, infectious diseases, immunology, genetics, and laboratory medicine, with the goal of defining the entity of immunocompromised host pneumonia and its diagnostic criteria.
Topics: Humans; Pneumonia; Immunocompromised Host; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Organ Transplantation; Societies
PubMed: 36856712
DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202212-1019ST -
Annual Review of Pathology 2014Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen with worldwide distribution. Serological studies of human populations show a high prevalence of human infection, which... (Review)
Review
Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen with worldwide distribution. Serological studies of human populations show a high prevalence of human infection, which rarely progresses to disease in immunocompetent hosts. However, decreased host immunity places individuals at high risk for cryptococcal disease. The disease can result from acute infection or reactivation of latent infection, in which yeasts within granulomas and host macrophages emerge to cause disease. In this review, we summarize what is known about the cellular recognition, ingestion, and killing of C. neoformans and discuss the unique and remarkable features of its intracellular life, including the proposed mechanisms for fungal persistence and killing in phagocytic cells.
Topics: Animals; Cryptococcosis; Cryptococcus neoformans; Disease Models, Animal; Exocytosis; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Life Cycle Stages; Macrophages; Phagocytes; Virulence
PubMed: 24050625
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-012513-104653 -
FDA Consumer 2001
Topics: Diagnosis, Differential; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Risk Factors
PubMed: 11458545
DOI: No ID Found -
Clinical Rheumatology Jun 2022
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 35381909
DOI: 10.1007/s10067-022-06160-9 -
Respirology (Carlton, Vic.) Aug 2012This review details some of the advances that have been made in the recent decade in the diagnosis, treatment and epidemiology of pulmonary fungal infections. These... (Review)
Review
This review details some of the advances that have been made in the recent decade in the diagnosis, treatment and epidemiology of pulmonary fungal infections. These advances have occurred because of increasing knowledge regarding the fungal genome, better understanding of the structures of the fungal cell wall and cell membrane and the use of molecular epidemiological techniques. The clinical implications of these advances are more rapid diagnosis and more effective and less toxic antifungal agents. For example, the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, as well as histoplasmosis and blastomycosis, has improved with the use of easily performed antigen detection systems in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Treatment of angioinvasive moulds has improved with the introduction of the new azoles, voriconazole and posaconazole that have broad antifungal activity. Amphotericin B is less frequently used, and when used is often given as lipid formulation to decrease toxicity. The newest agents, the echinocandins, are especially safe as they interfere with the metabolism of the fungal cell wall, a structure not shared with humans cells. Epidemiological advances include the description of the emergence of Cryptococcus gattii in North America and the increase in pulmonary mucormycosis and pneumonia due to Fusarium and Scedosporium species in transplant recipients and patients with haematological malignancies. The emergence of azole resistance among Aspergillus species is especially worrisome and is likely related to increased azole use for treatment of patients, but also to agricultural use of azoles as fungicides in certain countries.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Drug Resistance, Fungal; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Opportunistic Infections
PubMed: 22335254
DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2012.02150.x -
Frontiers in Immunology 2019Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common cause of congenital infections and is an important pathogen in immunocompromised individuals. Despite a robust host... (Review)
Review
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common cause of congenital infections and is an important pathogen in immunocompromised individuals. Despite a robust host immune system, HCMV able to replicate, evade host defenses, establish latency for life. A significant portion of HCMV genome dedicated to encode gene products for modulation of host immune response. Growing number of HCMV gene products are being recognized to play role in immune evasion. Information on viral immune evasion mechanisms by which HCMV persists in host will be useful in devising antiviral intervention strategies and development of new vaccines. This minireview provides a brief overview of immune evasion strategy adapted by HCMV by utilizing its gene products in modulation of host immune response.
Topics: Cytomegalovirus; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Humans; Immune Evasion; Immunocompromised Host; Virus Latency; Virus Replication
PubMed: 31244824
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01155 -
Modern Pathology : An Official Journal... Jun 2018Immune compromise may result from genetic abnormalities, HIV/AIDS, or consequences of therapy for neoplastic and autoimmune diseases. Many immunocompromised patients... (Review)
Review
Immune compromise may result from genetic abnormalities, HIV/AIDS, or consequences of therapy for neoplastic and autoimmune diseases. Many immunocompromised patients develop severe gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly diarrhea, accompanied by non-specific or mild endoscopic abnormalities; mucosal biopsy with pathologic interpretation has a major role in the diagnosis and management of these patients. Immunocompromised individuals are at risk for all the diseases that affect those with a healthy immune system, but they are also prone to other illnesses that rarely affect immunocompetent patients. This review discusses the gastrointestinal manifestations of primary and acquired immunodeficiency, chemotherapy-related injury, and infections that show a predilection for immunocompromised patients. Key histologic features and relevant differential diagnoses are emphasized.
Topics: Gastrointestinal Diseases; Gastrointestinal Tract; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
PubMed: 29403083
DOI: 10.1038/s41379-018-0015-9