Search

Abstract Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, results in over 1.2 million cases and 29 thousand deaths annually from sub-Saharan Africa. Combating this disease requires various intervention approaches, such as typhoid conjugate vaccines and improving water, sanitation, and hygiene. Enhancing the effectiveness of these strategies necessitates a deeper understanding of the variation of the typhoid fever across the target region. Although the magnitude and variation of typhoid fever at the country level have been studied globally, sub-national variation remains underexplored. To address this gap, we collected data from 229 published reports on typhoid fever occurrences in sub-Saharan Africa between January 2000 and December 2020. The dataset includes information on the year and geographical location of observation, diagnostic tests used, and the type of studies in which typhoid fever was reported. By analyzing this dataset, we can gain insights into the sub-national heterogeneity of typhoid fever’s burden in the region. This knowledge will be instrumental in designing more effective intervention strategies to combat the disease.

Schistosomiasis, acquired by skin-penetrating cercariae of dioecious digenean schistosomes during freshwater contact, afflicts nearly 260 and 440 million people with active infections and residual morbidity, respectively. About 10 million women at reproductive age contract schistosomiasis during gestation every year. Acute schistosomiasis is characterized by pre-patent pro-inflammatory CD4+ T-helper 1 or CD4+ Th1/T-helper 17 reactivity against immature schistosomulae. Chronic schistosomiasis is dominated by post-patent anti-inflammatory CD4+ T-helper 2 reactivity against ova epitopes. Flukes co-exist in immunocompetent definitive hosts as they are capable of evading their defense mechanisms. Preventive measures should be complemented by vaccination, inducing long-term protection against transmission, infection, and disease recurrence, given the latest advancements in schistosomal vaccines. Vaccines become pivotal when considering constraints of chemotherapy, i.e., lack of protection against re-infection, and evolving resistance or reduced sensitivity. Transmission models for human non-zoonotic schistosomiasis incorporating vaccination available in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science up to 31 December 2023 are presented. Besides conceptual model differences, predictions meant to guide decision- and policymaking reveal continued worm harboring that facilitates transmission besides residual infections. In addition, increased susceptibility to re-infection and rebound morbidity, both shifted to later life stages following the intervention, are forecasted. Consequently, a vaccination schedule is pivotal that considers the optimal age for initial immunization, i.e., pre-schoolchildren or schoolchildren in a cohort-based or population-based manner, while incorporating potential non-adherers promoting ongoing transmission. Longevity over magnitude of vaccine protection to antigenic schistosomal moieties is crucial. Accounting for pre-acquired immunity from natural exposure, in utero priming in addition to herd immunity, and induced by chemotherapy is crucial. Combining, as a multi-component approach, long-term effects of vaccination with short-term effects of chemotherapy as regular repeated vaccine-linked therapy seems most promising to achieve WHO’s endpoints of transmission elimination and morbidity control.

Abstract Background We aimed to assess the prevalence of Salmonella Typhi through DNA and IgM-antibody detection methods as a prelude to extended surveillance activities at sites in Ghana, Madagascar, and Ethiopia. Methods We performed species-specific real-time polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) to identify bacterial nucleic acid, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting HlyE/STY1498-, CdtB/STY1886-, pilL/STY4539- and Vi-antigens in blood and biopsy specimens of febrile and non-febrile subjects. We generated antigen-specific ELISA proxy cut-offs by change-point analyses, and utilized cumulative sum as detection method coupled with 1000 repetitive bootstrap analyses. We computed prevalence rates in addition to odds ratios to assess correlations between ELISA outcomes and participant characteristics. Results Definitive positive RT-PCR results were obtained from samples of febrile subjects originating from Adama Zuria/Ethiopia (1.9%, 2/104), Wolayita Sodo/Ethiopia (1.0%, 1/100), Diego/Madagascar (1.0%, 1/100), and Kintampo/Ghana (1.0%, 1/100), and from samples of non-febrile subjects from Wolayita Sodo/Ethiopia (1%, 2/201). While IgM antibodies against all antigens were identified across all sites, prevalence rates were highest at all Ethiopian sites, albeit in non-febrile populations. Significant correlations in febrile subjects aged

About 250 million people affected, 779 million people at risk of infection, and 440 million people with residual morbidity are globally attributable to schistosomiasis. Highly sensitive and specific, simple, and fast to perform diagnostics are required for detecting trace infections, and applications in resource-poor settings and large-scale assessments. Research assessing isothermal diagnoses of S. japonicum, S. haematobium, S. mansoni, mixed infections, and schistosomal hybrids among clinical human specimens was investigated. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and combined techniques were identified. Both LAMP and RPA reached species-dependent 100% sensitivity, and detection levels within femtogram and nanogram amounts for pure and hybridale breeds. Cross-reactivity among Schistosoma species and co-endemic pathogens was rare, though research on diagnostic markers and primer optimization should continue. Operating with ready-to-use lyophilized reagents, simplified and inexpensive nucleic acid extraction, tolerability to likely inhibitors, and enzyme stability at ambient temperature is advantageous. RPA performed optimal at 35–39 °C within 5–10 min. while LAMP operated at 61–65 °C for up to 120 min.; properties are preferable over assays requiring expensive laboratory equipment. DNA degradation could be prevented by stabilizing substances. A limitation throughout warranting future research is the small sample size reaching a few hundred participants at the maximum. Isothermal diagnostics are highly valuable in detecting trace infections seen subsequent to chemotherapeutic treatment, and among apparently healthy individuals, both constituting likely sources of ongoing pathogen transmission. Its expansion to the vaccine field for assessing parasitological trial endpoints could be considered.

Glutaredoxins (GRXs) are a class of enzymes used in the reduction of protein thiols and the removal of reactive oxygen species. The CPYC active site of GRX is a plausible metal binding site, but was previously theorized not to bind metals due to its cis-proline configuration. We have shown that not only do several transition metals bind to the CPYC active site of the Brucella melitensis GRX but also report a model of a dimeric GRX in the presence of silver. This metal complex has also been characterized using enzymology, mass spectrometry, size exclusion chromatography, and molecular modeling. Metalation of GRX unwinds the end of the helix displaying the CPYC active site to accommodate dimerization in a way that is similar to iron sulfur cluster binding in related homologs and may imply that metal binding is a more common occurrence in this class of oxidoreductases than previously appreciated.

Abstract Background Doxorubicin (Dox) is a widely used chemotherapy, but its effectiveness is limited by dose-dependent side effects. Although lower Dox doses reduce this risk, studies have reported higher recurrence of local disease with no improvement in survival rate in patients receiving low doses of Dox. To effectively mitigate this, a better understanding of the adverse effects of suboptimal Dox doses is needed. Methods Effects of sublethal dose of Dox on phenotypic changes were assessed with light and confocal microscopy. Migratory and invasive behavior were assessed by wound healing and transwell migration assays. MTT and LDH release assays were used to analyze cell growth and cytotoxicity. Flow cytometry was employed to detect cell surface markers of cancer stem cell population. Expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases were probed with qRT-PCR and zymogen assay. To identify pathways affected by sublethal dose of Dox, exploratory RNAseq was performed and results were verified by qRT-PCR in multiple cell lines (MCF7, ZR75-1 and U-2OS). Regulation of Src Family kinases (SFK) by key players in DNA damage response was assessed by siRNA knockdown along with western blot and qRT-PCR. Dasatinib and siRNA for Fyn and Yes was employed to inhibit SFKs and verify their role in increased migration and invasion in MCF7 cells treated with sublethal doses of Dox. Results The results show that sublethal Dox treatment leads to increased migration and invasion in otherwise non-invasive MCF7 breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, these effects were independent of the epithelial mesenchymal transition, were not due to increased cancer stem cell population, and were not observed with other chemotherapies. Instead, sublethal Dox induces expression of multiple SFK—including Fyn, Yes, and Src—partly in a p53 and ATR-dependent manner. These effects were validated in multiple cell lines. Functionally, inhibiting SFKs with Dasatinib and specific downregulation of Fyn suppressed Dox-induced migration and invasion of MCF7 cells. Conclusions Overall, this study demonstrates that sublethal doses of Dox activate a pro-invasive, pro-migration program in cancer cells. Furthermore, by identifying SFKs as key mediators of these effects, our results define a potential therapeutic strategy to mitigate local invasion through co-treatment with Dasatinib.

Introduction The WHO End-TB Strategy calls for the development of novel diagnostics to detect tuberculosis (TB) earlier and more accurately. Better diagnostics, together with tools to predict disease progression, are critical for achieving WHO End-TB targets. The Early Risk Assessment in TB Contacts by new diagnoStic tEsts (ERASE-TB) study aims to evaluate novel diagnostics and testing algorithms for early TB diagnosis and accurate prediction of disease progression among household contacts (HHCs) exposed to confirmed index cases in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.Methods and analysis A total of 2100 HHCs (aged ≥10 years) of adults with microbiologically-confirmed pulmonary TB will be recruited and followed up at 6-month intervals for 18–24 months. At each time point, a WHO symptom screen and digital chest radiograph (dCXR) will be performed, and blood and urine samples will be collected. Individuals screening positive (WHO symptom screen or dCXR) will be requested to provide sputum for Xpert MTB/Rif Ultra. At baseline, HHCs will also be screened for HIV, diabetes (HbA1c), chronic lung disease (spirometry), hypertension and anaemia. Study outcomes will be coprevalent TB (diagnosed at enrolment), incident TB (diagnosed during follow-up) or no TB at completion of follow-up. Novel diagnostics will be validated using fresh and biobanked samples with a nested case–control design. Cases are defined as HHCs diagnosed with TB (for early diagnosis) or with incident TB (for prediction of progression) and will be matched by age, sex and country to HHCs who remain healthy (controls). Statistical analyses will include assessment of diagnostic accuracy by constructing receiver operating curves and calculation of sensitivity and specificity.Ethics and dissemination ERASE-TB has been approved by regulatory and ethical committees in each African country and by each partner organisation. Consent, with additional assent for participants

Abstract The performance of centralized and distributed massive MIMO deployments are studied for simulated indoor office scenarios. The distributed deployments use one of the following precoding methods: (1) local precoding with local channel state information (CSI) to the user equipments (UEs) that it serves, (2) large-scale MIMO with local CSI to all UEs in the network, (3) network MIMO with global CSI. For the distributed deployment (3), it is found that using twice as many base station antennas as data streams provides many of the massive MIMO benefits in terms of spectral efficiency and fairness. This is in contrast to the centralized and distributed deployments using (1) or (2) where more antennas are needed. Two main conclusions are that distributing base stations helps to overcome wall penetration loss; however, a backhaul is required to mitigate inter-cell interference. The effect of estimation errors on the performance is also quantified.

Background Invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) is one of the leading causes of bacteraemia in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to provide a better understanding of the genetic characteristics and transmission patterns associated with multi-drug resistant (MDR) iNTS serovars across the continent.Methods A total of 166 iNTS isolates collected from a multi-centre surveillance in 10 African countries (2010–2014) and a fever study in Ghana (2007–2009) were genome sequenced to investigate the geographical distribution, antimicrobial genetic determinants and population structure of iNTS serotypes–genotypes. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted in the context of the existing genomic frameworks for various iNTS serovars. Population-based incidence of MDR-iNTS disease was estimated in each study site.Results Salmonella Typhimurium sequence-type (ST) 313 and Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 were predominant, and both exhibited high frequencies of MDR; Salmonella Dublin ST10 was identified in West Africa only. Mutations in the gyrA gene (fluoroquinolone resistance) were identified in S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in Ghana; an ST313 isolate carrying blaCTX-M-15 was found in Kenya. International transmission of MDR ST313 (lineage II) and MDR ST11 (West African clade) was observed between Ghana and neighbouring West African countries. The incidence of MDR-iNTS disease exceeded 100/100 000 person-years-of-observation in children aged

Abstract Background Ralstonia mannitolilytica is an emerging opportunistic pathogen that is associated with severe disease, including septic shock, meningitis, and renal transplant infections. Reports on this pathogen are limited, however, especially on the African continent. Case presentation A 2-year-old Akan child was presented to a hospital in the northeastern part of Ghana with a 1-week history of fever and chills. We identified Ralstonia mannitolilytica in her blood culture using both conventional and 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) techniques. The patient’s condition improved clinically upon treatment with cefuroxime. Conclusion Our report highlights the potential of Ralstonia mannitolilytica to cause sepsis and thus emphasizes the need for improved laboratory diagnosis and evidence for use of appropriate antibiotics in rural settings of Africa, where presumptive treatment using antimicrobial agents is rife.

Abstract Background In all societies, the burden and cost of allergic and chronic respiratory diseases are increasing rapidly. Most economies are struggling to deliver modern health care effectively. There is a need to support the transformation of the health care system into integrated care with organizational health literacy. Main body As an example for chronic disease care, MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel NetworK), a new project of the ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) initiative, and POLLAR (Impact of Air POLLution on Asthma and Rhinitis, EIT Health), in collaboration with professional and patient organizations in the field of allergy and airway diseases, are proposing real-life ICPs centred around the patient with rhinitis, and using mHealth to monitor environmental exposure. Three aspects of care pathways are being developed: (i) Patient participation, health literacy and self-care through technology-assisted “patient activation”, (ii) Implementation of care pathways by pharmacists and (iii) Next-generation guidelines assessing the recommendations of GRADE guidelines in rhinitis and asthma using real-world evidence (RWE) obtained through mobile technology. The EU and global political agendas are of great importance in supporting the digital transformation of health and care, and MASK has been recognized by DG Santé as a Good Practice in the field of digitally-enabled, integrated, person-centred care. Conclusion In 20 years, ARIA has considerably evolved from the first multimorbidity guideline in respiratory diseases to the digital transformation of health and care with a strong political involvement.

Abstract The objective of this analysis was to compare the multiplex ImmunoCAP ISAC (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sweden) and the multiplex Alex Allergy Explorer (Macro Array Diagnostics GmbH, Austria) platform on specific IgE to grass pollen (Phl p 1, Phl p 5), tree pollen (Bet v 1), house dust mites (Der p 1, Der p 2) and cat (Fel d 1) allergens in allergic patients. Our findings demonstrate a good correlation of presently used methods to detect serum sIgE. Multiplex testing of allergen-specific IgE can be the method of choice for a prospective component-resolved diagnosis of type I allergy, and the basis for the design and monitoring of a patient-tailored specific therapy.

Background. Public health facilities are used by the majority of South Africans, and healthcare utilisation surveys have been a useful tool to estimate the burden of disease in a given area.Objectives. To describe care-seeking behaviour in a periurban site with a high prevalence of HIV infection, as well as barriers to seeking appropriate healthcare.Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional household survey in 22 wards of the Msunduzi municipality in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, from October to December 2013 using a simple random sample of households selected from a 2011 census enumeration. A primary caregiver/adult decision-maker was interviewed regarding demographic data as well as health status and recent self-reported episodes of selected illnesses and healthcare utilisation.Results. Of the 2 238 eligible premises visited, 1 936 households (87%) with a total of 9 733 members were enrolled in the study. Of these, 635 (7%) reported one or more episodes of infectious illness during the study period. Public health clinics were most frequently consulted for all illnesses (361/635, 57%). Private healthcare (general practitioner, private clinic, private hospital) was sought by 90/635 of individuals (14%), only 13/635 (2%) reported seeking care from traditional healers, religious leaders or volunteers, and 71/635 (11%) did not seek any medical care for acute illnesses. Individuals in the lowest income group were more likely to seek care at public health facilities than those in the highest income group (70% v. 32%).Conclusions. Public health facility-based surveillance may be representative of disease patterns in this community, although surveillance at household level shows that high-income individuals may be excluded because they were more likely to use private healthcare, and the proportion of individuals who died at home would have been missed by facility-based surveillance. Data obtained in such surveys may be useful for public health planning.Â

Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. Here, Park et al. analyse the genomes of 249 S. Typhi isolates from 11 sub-Saharan African countries, identifying genes and plasmids associated with antibiotic resistance and showing that multi-drug resistance is highly pervasive in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract Background The major sources of allergens in the indoor air include house dust mites, dander derived from domestic animals and rodents, cockroach, and several fungi. Mites are the main cause of allergies in some countries with a warmer climate, but the epidemiological significance of mite and cockroach allergens in Central Europe has not been established yet. Methods We assessed sensitization profiles of allergy patients in a Central European region in regard to sensitization to mites and cockroach. We used molecular diagnosis by means of the microarray ISAC, and we investigated 1766 patients with clinical suspicion to an allergic disorder. 1255 of them were positive to at least one allergen component, and this group was subjected to statistical analysis. Results The sensitization to at least one mite-specific molecule (Der p 1, 2, Der f 1, 2) was observed relatively frequently in 32.7% of patients. Specific IgE to mite group 2 molecules is almost fully cross-reactive. Group 1 allergens are also cross-reactive, but in some patients, a species-specific response was observed. Relatively high rate of sensitization both to group 1 and 2 allergens in our patients indicates the greater role of co-sensitizations. Isolated sensitizations to molecules derived from glyciphagid mites Lep d 2 and/or Blo t 5 without sensitization to other mite-derived molecules were observed only exceptionally (in 0.6% of cases). True sensitization to at least one cockroach-specific molecule (Bla g 1, 2, 5) was very rare (in 0.6% of cases), and nearly all of them were co-sensitizations with other noncockroach-derived molecules. Sensitization to an inhaled tropomyosin was observed rarely in 2.2% of patients (Der p 10 in 1.9% and Bla g 7 in 1.5%). Co-sensitization of inhaled tropomyosins with the respective mite- or cockroach-specific molecules was observed only in the minority of patients suggesting the different route of sensitization being more frequent. Conclusions The majority of patients are co-sensitized to several molecules of the respective allergen source. The knowledge of this molecular spectrum of sensitization is important for optimal diagnosis and treatment in respect to allergen content in mite extracts used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. In regard to the sensitization patterns of Central European patients, it is necessary to point out the importance of quantifying at least three major mite components Der f 1, Der p 1 and Der f 2 (or Der p 2).

Causal agents of schistosomiasis are dioecious, digenean schistosomes affecting mankind in 76 countries. Preventive measures are manifold but need to be complemented by vaccination for long-term protection; vaccine candidates in advanced pre-clinical/clinical stages include Sm14, Sm-TSP-2/Sm-TSP-2Al®, Smp80/SchistoShield®, and Sh28GST/Bilhvax®. Natural and anthropogenic changes impact on breaking species isolation barriers favoring introgressive hybridization, i.e., allelic exchange among gene pools of sympatric, interbreeding species leading to instant large genetic diversity. Phylogenetic distance matters, thus the less species differ phylogenetically the more likely they hybridize. PubMed and Embase databases were searched for publications limited to hybridale confirmation by mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and/or nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Human schistosomal hybrids are predominantly reported from West Africa with clustering in the Senegal River Basin, and scattering to Europe, Central and Eastern Africa. Noteworthy is the dominance of Schistosoma haematobium interbreeding with human and veterinary species leading due to hybrid vigor to extinction and homogenization as seen for S. guineensis in Cameroon and S. haematobium in Niger, respectively. Heterosis seems to advantage S. haematobium/S. bovis interbreeds with dominant S. haematobium-ITS/S. bovis-COX1 profile to spread from West to East Africa and reoccur in France. S. haematobium/S. mansoni interactions seen among Senegalese and Côte d’Ivoirian children are unexpected due to their high phylogenetic distance. Detecting pure S. bovis and S. bovis/S. curassoni crosses capable of infecting humans observed in Corsica and Côte d’Ivoire, and Niger, respectively, is worrisome. Taken together, species hybridization urges control and preventive measures targeting human and veterinary sectors in line with the One-Health concept to be complemented by vaccination protecting against transmission, infection, and disease recurrence. Functional and structural diversity of naturally occurring human schistosomal hybrids may impact current vaccine candidates requiring further research including natural history studies in endemic areas targeted for clinical trials.

BackgroundSalmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is a cause of both poultry- and egg-associated enterocolitis globally and bloodstream-invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella (iNTS) disease in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA). Distinct, multi-drug resistant genotypes associated with iNTS disease in sSA have recently been described, often requiring treatment with fluoroquinolone antibiotics. In industrialised countries, antimicrobial use in poultry production has led to frequent fluoroquinolone resistance amongst globally prevalent enterocolitis-associated lineages.Methodology/principal findingsTwenty seven S. Enteritidis isolates from patients with iNTS disease and two poultry isolates, collected between 2007 and 2015 in the Ashanti region of Ghana, were whole-genome sequenced. These isolates, notable for a high rate of diminished ciprofloxacin susceptibility (DCS), were placed in the phyletic context of 1,067 sequences from the Public Health England (PHE) S. Enteritidis genome database to understand whether DCS was associated with African or globally-circulating clades of S. Enteritidis. Analysis showed four of the major S. Enteritidis clades were represented, two global and two African. All thirteen DCS isolates, containing a single gyrA mutation at codon 87, belonged to a global PT4-like clade responsible for epidemics of poultry-associated enterocolitis. Apart from two DCS isolates, which clustered with PHE isolates associated with travel to Spain and Brazil, the remaining DCS isolates, including one poultry isolate, belonged to two monophyletic clusters in which gyrA 87 mutations appear to have developed within the region.Conclusions/significanceExtensive phylogenetic diversity is evident amongst iNTS disease-associated S. Enteritidis in Ghana. Antimicrobial resistance profiles differed by clade, highlighting the challenges of devising empirical sepsis guidelines. The detection of fluoroquinolone resistance in phyletically-related poultry and human isolates is of major concern and surveillance and control measures within the region's burgeoning poultry industry are required to protect a human population at high risk of iNTS disease.

Table of contents ORAL ABSTRACTS Symposium 1: Biochemistry, structure and environment of the allergen: what makes a protein an allergen? O1 Two cell-membrane peptidases carrying galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose are implicated in delayed anaphylactic reactions upon pork kidney ingestion in patients with IgE-antibodies to alpha-Gal Christiane Hilger, Kyra Swiontek, Jörg Fischer, François Hentges, Christiane Lehners, Martine Morisset, Bernadette Eberlein, Tilo Biedermann, Markus Ollert O2 Structure solution of Pla l 1 suggests similar folding of Ole e 1-like family members but distinct immunological properties Sabrina Wildner, Teresa Stemeseder, Regina Freier, Peter Briza, Roland Lang, Eva Batanero, Mayte Villalba, Jonas Lidholm, Thomas Hawranek, Fatima Ferreira, Hans Brandstetter, Gabriele Gadermaier Symposium 2: New allergen molecules in the spotlight O3 Identification of the cysteine protease Amb a 11 as a novel major allergen from short ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) Philippe Moingeon, Rachel Groeme, Julien Bouley, Véronique Bordas, Maxime Le Mignon, Laetitia Bussières, Aurélie Lautrette, Laurent Mascarell, Vincent Lombardi, Véronique Baron-Bodo, Henri Chabre, Thierry Batard, Emmanuel Nony O4 Production and characterization of polybia paulista recombinant antigen 5: a valuable diagnostic tool Karine Marafigo De Amicis, Alexandra Sayuri Watanabe, Daniele Danella Figo, José Roberto Aparecido Dos Santos-Pinto, Mario Sergio Palma, Fabio Fernandes Morato Castro, Jorge Kalil, Therese Wohlschlager, Peter Briza, Sabrina Wildner, Fatima Ferreira-Briza, Gabriele Gadermaier, Keity Souza Santos Symposium 3: Progress in molecular and cellular diagnosis O5 Basophil activation test with recombinant Pru p 3; identifying genuine peach allergic patients Margaretha Faber, Athina Van Gasse, Vito Sabato, Margo M. Hagendorens, Chris H. Bridts, Luc S. De Clerck, Araceli Diaz Perales, Didier Ebo O6 Nanofluidic technology enables rapid, near-patient quantification of allergen-specific IgE Petra Zavadakova, Aurélie Buchwalder, Fabien Rebeaud, Iwan Märki Symposium 4: Relevance of molecular diagnostics for intervention and treatment O7 Longitudinal analysis of Bet v 1-specific epitope repertoires during birch pollen immunotherapy Barbara Gepp, Nina Lengger, Christian Möbs, Wolfgang Pfützner, Christian Radauer, Barbara Bohle O8 A natural CCD-free tool: is polistes sp. venom suitable for polybia paulista diagnosis and therapy? Karine Marafigo De Amicis, Alexandra Sayuri Watanabe, Clovis Eduardo Galvao, Daniele Danella Figo, Jose Roberto Aparecido Santos-Pinto, Mario Sergio Palma, Fabio Fernandes Morato Castro, Jorge Kalil, Fatima Ferreira, Gabriele Gadermaier, Keity Souza Santos Symposium 5: The advent of molecular allergology in epidemiology O9 Peanut oleosins: from identification to diagnostic testing Christian Schwager, Skadi Kull, Frauke Schocker, Jochen Behrends, Wolf-Meinhard Becker, Uta Jappe O10 Endotypes of oral allergy syndrome in childhood: a molecular diagnostic approach Carla Mastrorilli, Salvatore Tripodi, Carlo Caffarelli, Riccardo Asero, Arianna Dondi, Giampaolo Ricci, Carlotta Povesi Dascola, Elisabetta Calamelli, Andrea Di Rienzo Businco, Annamaria Bianchi, Tullio Frediani, Carmen Verga, Iride Dello Iacono, Diego Peroni, Giuseppe Pingitore, Roberto Bernardini, Paolo Maria Matricardi Symposium 6: Molecular AIT: which approaches will make it to market? O11 Mbc4: an innovative molecule to tackle birch pollen and concomitant food allergies Heidi Hofer, Claudia Asam, Michael Hauser, Peter Briza, Martin Himly, Christof Ebner, Fatima Ferreira O12 Challenges and solutions associated with the production of recombinant Bet v 1 allergen as a therapeutic protein Emmanuel Nony, Maxime Le Mignon, Pierrick Lemoine, Karine Jain, Kathy Abiteboul, Monica Arvidsson, Sabina Rak, Philippe Moingeon Clinical Cases: Breakthroughs and headaches from CRD: interactive session CC1 Anaphylaxis caused by lipid transfer proteins: a complex clinical pattern syndrome Inês Mota, Filipe Benito Garcia, Angela Gaspar, Cristina Arêde, Susana Piedade, Graça Sampaio, Graça Pires, Luís Miguel Borrego, Cristina Santa-Marta, Mário Morais-Almeida CC2 IgE sensitization profile in a patient with asteraceae pollen-exotic fruits association Florin-Dan Popescu, Mariana Vieru, Florin-Adrian Secureanu CC3 Food-dependent: exercise induced anaphylaxis. Which component to blame? Rosa Anita Rodrigues Fernandes, Isabel Carrapatoso, Raquel Gomes, Celso Pereira, Ana Todo-Bom CC4 Anaphylaxis to intravenous iron preparations in a patient that tolerates oral administration María Cecilia Martín Fernández De Basoa, Javier Barrios Regio, Juan De Castro Cordova, Antón Fernández Ferreiro CC5 IgE sensitization pattern in an adult patient with oral allergy syndrome to peanuts and pollinosis from southern Romania Florin-Dan Popescu, Mariana Vieru, Florin-Adrian Secureanu CC6 Evidence of specific IgE to plant-derived cross-reactive carbohydrate determinant in a patient with delayed anaphylaxis to red meat Mariana Vieru, Florin-Dan Popescu, Florin-Adrian Secureanu POSTER PRESENTATIONS Poster Session 1: Molecular allergology and epidemiology P1 Atopic children produce stronger and more frequent IgG responses than non-atopic children: longitudinal data from the German MAS birth cohort Olympia Tsilochristou, Serena Perna, Alina Schwarz, Alexander Rohrbach, Antonio Cappella, Laura Hatzler, Carl-Peter Bauer, Ute Hoffmann, Johannes Forster, Fred Zepp, Antje Schuster, Raffael D’amelio, Ulrich Wahn, Thomas Keil, Susanne Lau, Paolo Maria Matricardi P2 The IgG sensitization profiles against 112 allergenic components support the absence of a protective role of IgG in allergic individuals, outside of the context of SIT Pol André Apoil, Claire Mailhol, Anne Broué-Chabbert, Agnès Juchet, Alain Didier, Elodie Carrer, Thomas Lanot, Antoine Blancher P3 The immune response against the timothy grass pollen allergen Phl p 5 in non-allergic humans Almedina Kurtaj, Christoph Hillebrand, Gerda Fichtinger, Martin Danzer, Christian Gabriel, Theresa Thalhamer, Sandra Scheiblhofer, Josef Thalhamer, Richard Weiss P4 Analyzing the cross-reactivity profile of the major ragweed allergen Amb a 1 Martin Wolf, Michael Hauser, Ulrike Pichler, Teresa Twaroch, Gabriele Gadermaier, Christof Ebner, Hidenori Yokoi, Toshiro Takai, Alain Didierlaurent, Adriano Mari, Peter Briza, Heidrun Behrendt, Angela Neubauer, Frank Stolz, Fátima Ferreira, Michael Wallner P5 LTP (Pru p 3) sensitisation in skin prick test: which means in clinical practice? Sara Carvalho, Tatiana Lourenço, Joana Cosme, Fátima Cabral Duarte, Amélia Spínola Santos, Ana Célia Costa, Manuel Pereira Barbosa P6 IgE profiles, allergen exposure and lifestyle of 501 Austrian pupils: investigation of influences on the development of allergic sensitizations Teresa Stemeseder, Eva Klinglmayr, Bettina Schweidler, Lisa Lueftenegger, Stephanie Moser, Patrick Doppler, Roland Lang, Martin Himly, Gertie J. Oostingh, Arne Bathke, Joerg Zumbach, Thomas Hawranek, Gabriele Gadermaier P7 Molecular profiles of sensitization to perennial inhalant allergens in a middle European region Petr Panzner, Martina Vachova, Tomas Vlas, Marek Maly P8 Evolution of the IgE response to house dust mite allergen molecules in childhood Daniela Posa, Serena Perna, Stephanie Hofmaier, Laura Hatzler, Alexander Rohrbach, Carl-Peter Bauer, Ute Hoffmann, Johannes Forster, Fred Zepp, Antje Schuster, Philippe Stock, Ulrich Wahn, Linus Grabenhenrich, Thomas Keil, Susanne Lau, Kuan-Wei Chen, Yvonne Resch, Susanne Vrtala, Rudolf Valenta, Paolo Maria Matricardi P9 Tropomyosin (Pen a1): to include or not to include in skin prick testing? Joana Cosme, Sara Carvalho, Tatiana Lourenço, Amélia Spínola Santos, Manuel Pereira Barbosa Immunoallergy Department - Hospital de Santa Maria – Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal; Immunoallergy Department - Hospital de Santa Maria – Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal P10 Component-resolved IgE profiles in Georgian patients Tamar Abramidze, Nino Lomidze, Maia Gotua P11 Cross reactivity between food and pollen allergens in Lithuania according to spIgE evaluation Austeja Dapkeviciute, Ruta Einikyte, Jolita Norkuniene, Laima Skrickiene, Asta Miskiniene, Violeta Kvedariene P12 Distribution of inhalant allergy in the population of Lithuania Ruta Einikyte, Austeja Dapkeviciute, Jolita Norkuniene, Laima Skrickiene, Asta Miskiniene, Violeta Kvedariene Poster Session 2: Allergen molecules: identification, characterization, structure and function P13 Interference of antigen 5-based cross-reactivity in the diagnosis of hymenoptera venom allergy Maximilian Schiener, Bernadette Eberlein, Carmen Moreno-Aguilar, Gunilla Pietsch, Mareike Mc Intyre, Lea Schwarze, Dennis Rußkamp, Tilo Biedermann, Edzard Spillner, Ulf Darsow, Carsten Schmidt-Weber, Markus Ollert, Simon Blank P14 IgE cross-reactivity between European Hymenoptera and Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) venom allergens Cyril Longé, Andrea Brazdova, Jean-Louis Brunet, Claire Schwartz, Bruno Girodet, François Lavaud, Joelle Birnbaum, Nhân Pham Thi, Magalie Duchateau, Julia Chamot-Rooke, Laurence Guilloux, Marie-Ange Selva, Rémy Couderc, Hélène Sénéchal, Jean-Pierre Sutra, Pascal Poncet P15 Carbohydrate composition of house dust mite extracts and major group 1 and group 2 allergens Steffen Augustin, Linda Pump, Martin Wald, Thomas Eichhorn, Frank Fischer, Christoph Willers P16 Specificity of monoclonal antibodies against cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants Michaela Miehe, Melanie Plum, Sara Wolf, Frederic Jabs, Tim Raiber, Frank Bantleon, Henning Seismann, Thilo Jakob, Edzard Spillner P17 Red meat allergic patients have a selective IgE response to the a-Gal glycan Danijela Apostolovic, Anh Thu Tran, Sara Sanchez-Vidaurre, Tanja Cirkovic Velickovic, Maria Starkhammar, Carl Hamsten, Marianne Van Hage P18 Specificity of non-specific lipid transfer proteins and influence of the ligands on their three-dimensional structure Pawel Dubiela, Piotr Humeniuk, Sabine Pfeifer, Merima Bublin, Tomasz Borowski, Karin Hoffmann-Sommergruber P19 Real-time PCR analysis of Pru av 1 and Pru av 3 allergens Martie C.M. Verschuren, Shanna Bastiaan-Net, Defien Depoortere, Kay Foetisch, Stephan Scheurer, Harry J Wichers, Theo Noij P20 Specificity of anti-Pru av 1 antibodies for the detection of Pru av 1 isoallergens Martie C.M. Verschuren, Shanna Bastiaan-Net, Nikki M.E. Van Uden, Karel Vandenberghe, Kay Foetisch, Stephan Scheurer, Harry J. Wichers H.J., Theo H.M. Noij P21 Enhancing recombinant production yield of Bet v 1 through codon usage harmonization Anargyros Roulias, Maria Alejandra Parigiani, Heidi Hofer, Claudia Asam, Christof Ebner, Fátima Ferreira P22 Structural and dynamic insights into the world of PR-10 allergens Linda Ahammer, Sarina Grutsch, Martin Tollinger Poster Session 3: Allergen molecules: identification, characterization, structure and function P23 Purification of polcalcin from different pollen allergenic sources by antibody-affinity chromatography Raquel Moya, Mª Angeles López-Matas, Raquel Reyes, Jerónimo Carnés P24 Variations of wheat allergens in cultivars measured through a targeted quantitative mass spectrometry approach Colette Larré, Hélène Rogniaux, Roberta Lupi, Sandra Denery-Papini P25 Art v 1, Amb a 4 and Par h 1 defensin-like proteins share similar structural features but distinct immunological and allergenic properties Isabel Maria Pablos, Stephanie Eichhorn, Yoan Machado, Peter Briza, Christof Ebner, Jung-Won Park, Alain Didierlaurent, Naveen Arora, Stefan Vieths, Gabriele Gadermaier, Fatima Ferreira P26 Homogeneity or diversity of IgE-binding proteins in wheat dependant exercise induced anaphylaxis? Sandra Denery-Papini, Charlene Tanaka, Florence Pineau, Roberta Lupi, Martine Drouet, Etienne Beaudouin, Martine Morisset, Susan Altenbach P27 Deciphering the role of disulfide bonds and of repetitive epitopes in immunoglobulin E binding to wheat gliadins Sandra Denery-Papini, Hamza Mameri, Chantal Brossard, Roberta Lupi, Florence Pineau, Jean Charles Gaudin, Denise Anne Moneret-Vautrin, Etienne Beaudouin, Evelyne Paty, Martine Drouet, Olivier Tranquet, Colette Larré P28 Assessment of the allergenicity of soluble fractions from bread and durum wheats genotypes Roberta Lupi, Stefania Masci, Olivier Tranquet, Denise-Anne Moneret-Vautrin, Sandra Denery-Papini, Colette Larré P29 Isolation and characterization of Ara h 12 and Ara h 13: defensins, a novel class of peanut allergens Skadi Kull, Arnd Petersen, Marisa Böttger, Sandra Rennert, Wolf-Meinhard Becker, Susanne Krause, Martin Ernst, Thomas Gutsmann, Johann Bauer, Buko Lindner, Uta Jappe P30 Allergenicity attributes of different peanut market types Stef Koppelman, Shyamali Jayasena, Dion Luykx, Erik Schepens, Danijela Apostolovic, Govardus De Jong, Tom Isleib, Julie Nordlee, Joe Baumert, Steve Taylor, Soheila Maleki P31 The impact of peanut lipids on Ara h 1-induced immune responses in monocytes-derived dendritic cells Chiara Palladino, Barbara Gepp, Sofía Sirvent, Alba Angelina, Merima Bublin, Christian Radauer, Nina Lengger, Thomas Eiwegger, Oscar Palomares, Heimo Breiteneder P32 Compared allergenicity of native and thermally aggregated ovalbumin as large agglomerated particles Mathilde Claude, Roberta Lupi, Grégory Bouchaud, Marie Bodinier, Chantal Brossard, Sandra Denery-Papini P33 Simulation of the gastrointestinal digestion of the hazelnut allergens Cor a 9 and Cor a 11 by an in-vitro model and characterisation of peptidic products including epitopes by HPLC-MS/MS Robin Korte, Julia Bräcker, Jens Brockmeyer P34 Analysis of distribution of rice allergens in brown rice grain and allergenicity of the products containing rice bran Rie Satoh, Reiko Teshima Poster Session 4: Molecular approaches in AIT P35 Production of a recombinant hypoallergenic variant of the major peanut allergen Ara h 2 for allergen-specific immunotherapy Angelika Tscheppe, Dieter Palmberger, Merima Bublin, Christian Radauer, Chiara Palladino, Barbara Gepp, Nina Lengger, Reingard Grabherr, Heimo Breiteneder P36 Mutagenesis of amino acids critical for calcium-binding leads to the generation of a hypoallergenic Phl p 7 variant Marianne Raith, Linda Sonnleitner, Doris Zach, Konrad Woroszylo, Margit Focke-Tejkl, Herbert Wank, Thorsten Graf, Annette Kuehn, Ines Swoboda P37 Are birch pollen allergen immunotherapy induced blocking antibodies protective for cross-reactive allergens? Claudia Asam, Sara Huber, Heidi Hofer, Roland Lang, Thomas Hawranek, Fátima Ferreira, Michael Wallner P38 High success of 58 subcutaneous immunotherapy for pets allergy in a polyallergic cohort of patients: a component resolved individually adapted treatment (CRIAT) Fabienne Gay-Crosier P39 Neutrophils are potential antigen presenting cells in IgE- mediated allergy Dominika Polak, Birgit Nagl, Claudia Kitzmüller, Barbara Bohle P40 Characterization of allergen-specific CD8+ T cells in type I allergy Nazanin Samadi, Claudia Kitzmüller, Rene Geyeregger, Barbara Bohle, Beatrice Jahn-Schmid Poster Session 5: Molecular and cellular diagnostic tests P41 Nanofluidic-based biosensors allow quantification of total circulating IgE from a drop of blood in 5 minutes Aurélie Buchwalder, Ariel Gomez, Fabien Rebeaud, Iwan Märki P42 Allergen microarray for the analysis of serum IgE binding profile and allergenic activity Jaana Haka, Liisa Hattara, Marika Heikkinen, Merja H Niemi, Juha Rouvinen, Petri Saviranta, Pekka Mattila, Kristiina Takkinen, Marja-Leena Laukkanen P43 Generation of a well-characterized panel of periplaneta americana allergens for component resolved diagnosis Stephanie Eichhorn, Isabel Pablos, Bianca Kastner, Bettina Schweidler, Sabrina Wildner, Peter Briza, Jung-Won Park, Naveen Arora, Stefan Vieths, Gabriele Gadermaier, Fatima Ferreira P44 Improved diagnostic sensitivity of recombinant Api m 1 and Ves v 5 in diagnosis of Hymenoptera venom allergy Mira Silar, Julij Selb, Rok Kogovsek, Mitja Kosnik, Peter Korosec P45 Added value of biomarkers of primary sensitization and cross-reactivity in patients with hymenoptera venom allergy Leticia Pestana, Alcinda Campos Melo, Ana Mendes, Maria Elisa Pedro, Manuel Pereira Barbosa, Maria Conceição Pereira Santos P46 Cosensitization to Alt a 1 and Act d 2: more than a fortuitous association? Françoise Bienvenu, Claire Goursaud, Lorna Garnier, Sandrine Jacquenet, Michaël Degaud, Sébastien Viel, Annick Barre, Pierre Rougé, Jacques Bienvenu, Joana Vitte P47 Molecular diagnosis for peanut allergy: ALFA method performs as well as established methods for Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 6, Ara h 9 and CCD Amel Bensalah, Isabelle Cleach, Laurent Mousseau, Chantal Agabriel, Valérie Liabeuf, Joëlle Birnbaum, Jean-Louis Mège, Joana Vitte P48 Evaluation of a food challenge service in relation to specific IgE to molecular components in children with suspected peanut allergy James Gardner, Minal Gandhi, Harsha Kariyawasam, Giuseppina Rotiroti P49 Component resolved diagnosis in cereal allergy Isabel Carrapatoso, Celso Pereira, Frederico Regateiro, Emília Faria, Ana Todo-Bom Poster Session 6: Molecular diagnosis in prevention and therapy P50 Pretreatment molecular sensitizations determine the sIgG4 induction during the updosing of SCIT and may be useful to identify clinically relevant additional sensitizations Johannes Martin Schmid, Ronald Dahl, Hans Juergen Hoffmann P51 Usefulness of recombinant latex allergens in immunotherapy’s decision and follow-up Inês Mota, Filipe Benito Garcia, Angela Gaspar, Mário Morais-Almeida P52 Omega-5-gliadin in the diagnosis of wheat-dependent anaphylaxis induced by ibuprofen but not by exercise Joana Cosme, Letícia Pestana, Amélia Spínola Santos, Manuel Pereira Barbosa P53 Food dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis: a component-resolved and in vitro depletion approach to access IgE cross-reactivity Diana Silva, Teresa Vieira, Ana Maria Pereira, André Moreira, Luís Delgado P54 Olive pollen allergens: what are we missing? Sara Prates, Cátia Alves, Elena Finelli, Paula Leiria Pinto P55 Purified Alt a 1 extract in Alternaria alternata allergy diagnosis Bárbara Kong Cardoso, Cíntia Cruz, Filipa Semedo, Elza Tomaz, Filipe Inácio P56 Use of specific IgE Bos d8 (casein) to aid early introduction of dietary baked milk in children with cows’ milk allergy James Gardner, Santanu Maity, Giuseppina Rotiroti, Minal Gandhi P57 Molecular characterisation and immunoreactivity of a peanut ingredient for use in oral food challenges Ivona Baricevic-Jones, Justin T. Marsh, Phil E. Johnson, Anuradha Balasundaram, Anya-May Hope, Aafke Taekema, Angela Simpson, Aida Semic-Jusufagic, E.N. Clare Mills P58 Specific IgE to recombinant allergens of hazelnut and oral food challenge in children Gourdon Dubois Nelly, Sellam Laetitia, Pereira Bruno, Michaud Elodie, Messaoudi Khaled, Evrard Bertrand, Fauquert Jean-Luc Poster session 7/8: miscellaneous P59 What defines a protein as an allergen? A discussion of sources and sufficiency Richard E. Goodman P60 Cat allergy: relationship between clinical and molecular diagnostic María Cecilia Martín Fernández De Basoa, Antón Fernández Ferreiro, Elena Rodríguez Plata P61 Anaphylaxis to rabbit: the cat came in last Luis Amaral, Borja Bartolomé, Alice Coimbra, Jose L Placido P62 Dog allergy: relationship between clinical and molecular diagnostic María Cecilia Martín Fernández De Basoa, Antón Fernández Ferreiro, Elena Rodríguez Plata P63 Correlation of serum timothy grass-pollen specific IgE levels determined by two immunoblot test systems Mariana Vieru, Florin-Dan Popescu, Florin-Adrian Secureanu, Carmen Saviana Ganea P64 Development of oral food challenge formulations for diagnosis of fish allergy using powdered fish ingredients Carol Ann Costello, Ivona Baricevic-Jones, Martin Sorensen, Clare Mills, Adrian Rogers, Aage Otherhals P65 Fish and peanut allergens interact with plasma membranes of intestinal and bronchial epithelial cells and induce differential gene expression of cytokines and chemokines Tanja Kalic, Isabella Ellinger, Chiara Palladino, Barbara Gepp, Eva Waltl, Verena Niederberger-Leppin, Heimo Breiteneder P66 Interleukin 4 affects fat tissue metabolism and expression of pro-inflammatory factors in isolated rat adipocytes Dawid Szczepankiewicz, Ewa Pruszynska-Oszmalek, Marek Skrzypski, Krzysztof W. Nowak, Aleksandra Szczepankiewicz P67 Ozone induced airway hyperreactivity in PD-L2−/− mice model Gwang-Cheon Jang P68 Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and its receptor as targets for the development of anti-inflammatory inhibitory agents Iva Markovic, Andreas Borowski, Tina Vetter, Andreas Wohlmann, Michael Kuepper, Karlheinz Friedrich P69 The mononuclear phagocyte system in experimentally-induced allergic rhinitis Ibon Eguiluz Gracia, Anthony Bosco, Ralph Dollner, Guro Reinholt Melum, Anya C Jones, Maria Lexberg, Patrick G Holt, Espen Sønderaal Bækkevold, Frode Lars Jahnsen P70 Expression of histamine metabolizing enzymes is increased in allergic children Aleksandra Szczepankiewicz, Paulina Sobkowiak, Marta Rachel, Beata Narozna, Dorota Jenerowicz, Witold Swiatowy, Anna Breborowicz P71 Modifying the glycosylation of human IgE towards oligomannosidic structures does not affect its biological activity Melanie Plum, Sara Wolf, Frank Bantleon, Henning Seismann, Frederic Jabs, Michaela Miehe, Thilo Jakob, Edzard Spillner P72 Flying Labs: an educational initiative to transfer allergy research into high-school settings Michael Wallner, Heidi Hofer, Fatima Ferreira, Reinhard Nestelbacher P73 Clinical significance of antihistamines and Kujin, an anti-allergic Kampo medicine Hiroyuki Fukui

We report the case of a 26 year-old patient presenting with a persistent leukocytosis and CML-like marrow but no evidence of a BCR/ABL1 fusion. Molecular cytogenetics revealed that a portion of the ETV6 locus was inserted into the ABL1 locus. An ETV6/ABL1 fusion transcript could subsequently be confirmed. The patient was started on imatinib and went into complete cytomorphological remission. QRT-PCR measurements showed a 4 log reduction of the ETV6/ABL1 fusion. 15 months later, the disease transformed into ALL and the patient expired. Thus, an ETV6/ABL1 fusion positive MPN has the potential to transform very rapidly into ALL.