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Vibrio cholerae , a Gram-negative bacterium, is widely known as the cause of cholera, an acute diarrheal disease. While only certain strains are capable of causing cholera, non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae strains (NOVC) can lead to non-pathogenic colonization or mild illnesses such as gastroenteritis. In immunocompromised patients, however, NOVC can cause severe infections, including rare cases of bacteremia, especially in those with underlying conditions like liver disease, hematologic disorders, and malignancies. This case report presents a rare instance of NOVC bacteremia in a 71-year-old patient with advanced lung cancer, illustrating the clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, and treatment interventions required. The patient presented with fever, asthenia, and confusion, and was found to have bacteremia caused by NOVC, confirmed through blood cultures and molecular analysis. Treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin led to a rapid clinical improvement and resolution of the infection. This case, along with an overview of similar incidents, underscores the importance of considering NOVC in differential diagnoses for immunocompromised patients presenting with fever, and highlights the necessity of timely diagnosis and targeted antimicrobial therapy to achieve favorable outcomes.

Poor knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV among people with HIV (PLHIV) could worsen life quality. We aimed to investigate their STI and HIV knowledge, disclosure and undetectable = untransmittable (U=U). We proposed an anonymous questionnaire regarding STI and HIV to PLHIV attending ten Italian outpatient infectious diseases clinics. Moreover, disclosure and U=U were investigated. The calculated sample size was 178 people. Considering a missing response of 10%, the final sample size was 196. We enrolled 200 PLHIV (73.5% males), with a median age of 52.5 (IQR 41-59) years. The mean score was 7.61 ± 1.22 with no difference by gender, education, and employment. Significant statistical difference was observed by sexual orientation; bisexuals and those who preferred not to answer had a lower score than heterosexuals and MSM ( p = 0.0032). PLHIV showed poor knowledge about HIV transmission (25% appropriately answered). Nearly 30% responded that virologically suppressed PLHIV could transmit the infection. Finally, 137 (68.5%) and 158 (79.0%) disclosed to the general practitioner and family and friends, respectively. Nearly 52.0% knew the meaning of U=U, and 83.6% highlighted its positive rebound. In conclusion, important knowledge gaps are present among PLHIV regarding U=U, and its implications are little-known. Improving PLHIVs' awareness will undermine self-stigma and enhance life quality.

This comprehensive review examines the unique attributes, distinctions, and clinical implications of ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) and meropenem-vaborbactam (MEM-VAB) against difficult-to-treat Enterobacterales infections. Our manuscript explores these antibiotics' pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, antimicrobial activities, in vitro susceptibility testing, and clinical data. Moreover, it includes a meticulous examination of comparative clinical and microbiological studies, assessed and presented to provide clarity in making informed treatment choices for clinicians. Finally, we propose an expert opinion from a microbiological and a clinical point of view about their use in appropriate clinical settings. This is the first review aiming to provide healthcare professionals with valuable insights for making informed treatment decisions when combating carbapenem-resistant pathogens.

Ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ/AVI) is an antibiotic combination approved for the treatment of several infections caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. Neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are at high risk of developing bacterial infections, and the choice of appropriate antibiotics is crucial. However, the use of antibiotics in neonates carries risks such as antibiotic resistance and disruption of gut microbiota. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of CAZ/AVI in preterm infants admitted to the NICU. Retrospective data from preterm infants with Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia who received CAZ/AVI were analyzed. Clinical and microbiological responses, adverse events, and outcomes were evaluated. Eight patients were included in the study, all of whom showed clinical improvement and achieved microbiological cure with CAZ/AVI treatment. No adverse drug reactions were reported. Previous antibiotic therapies failed to improve the neonates' condition, and CAZ/AVI was initiated based on clinical deterioration and epidemiological considerations. The median duration of CAZ/AVI treatment was 14 days, and combination therapy with fosfomycin or amikacin was administered. Previous case reports have also shown positive outcomes with CAZ/AVI in neonates. However, larger trials are needed to further investigate the safety and efficacy of CAZ/AVI in this population.

Detainees are one of the most vulnerable populations to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This is mostly caused by the lack of knowledge on the topic among the inmates; the lack of prophylaxis; the high percentage of risky behaviors in jail, such as sexual abuse, unprotected sexual intercourses, and injective drug use; and the generally low perception of the risk of transmission. It has also been observed that the problem does not cease to exist at the moment of release, but it also may be aggravated by the weak support system or the total absence of programs for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) to avoid discontinuation of antiretroviral drugs. Difficulty in providing housing and jobs and, therefore, a form of stability for ex-detainees, also contributes to none adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Among the detainees, there are also categories of people more susceptible to discrimination and violence and, therefore, to risky behaviors, such as black people, Hispanics, transgender people, and men who have sex with men (MSM). We reviewed the literature in order to provide a more complete picture on the situation of PLWHA in jail and to also analyze the difficulties of ex-detainees in adhering to HIV therapy.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating skin disease of the apocrine glands. Bibliographic search revealed few studies concerning the association between HS and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). To assess this link, we performed a systematic review of the current knowledge through a careful analysis of the relevant and authoritative medical literature in the field. Results showed that people with HIV are particularly susceptible to developing HS with the characteristic involvement of atypical sites, such as face or thighs, due to HIV-related immunosuppression. Based on the pathogenesis of both conditions and according to our review, we suggest that HIV screening should be routinely performed in suspected cases while monitoring and integrated approach in management are mandatory in the management of HIV-positive patients with HS.

Background: After its 2019 outbreak in Wuhan, scientists worldwide have been studying the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in children. Evidence indicates that children with SARS-CoV-2 infection are more likely to develop upper and lower respiratory tract infections in association with other infectious agents, such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae . Here, we conducted a systematic review of SARS-CoV-2 and Mycoplasma pneumoniae co-infection and their clinical course in children. Methods: We evaluated the published literature on SARS-CoV-2 by using the medical databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science. In the searches, the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms "SARS-CoV-2 and Mycoplasma pneumoniae " AND "co-infection SARS-CoV-2" were used. Studies describing co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children were included in the review. The study was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results: According to the PRISMA guidelines, of the 38 identified studies, 14 were conducted in children (children/adolescents 0-18 years), 6 of which were included in this review. In total, 5867 children under the age of 17 years were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection through real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of nasopharyngeal swabs to detect viral RNA. Elevated serum IgM levels specific to Mycoplasma pneumoniae were observed in 534 children and were associated with a Kawasaki-like illness in one child. To date, all of the children are alive. Conclusion: This study underlines the importance of considering, depending on the clinical context, a possible co-infection between SARS-CoV-2 and atypical bacteria, such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Co-infections with other respiratory pathogens during the pandemic and hospital stay can cause mistakes in clinical diagnostic and drug treatment. Physicians should perform early differential diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in association with other infectious agents. Further studies are needed to have a real incidence of these co-infections and their impact on symptoms, course, and outcome of patients with SARS-CoV-2.

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin and joint disease, with a plethora of comorbidities, characterized by a certain genetic predisposition, and a complex pathogenesis based on the IL-23/IL-17 pathway. There is no doubt that the patients affected by psoriasis are more susceptible to infections as well as that the risk of infection is higher in psoriatic subjects than in the general population. The advent of biotechnological agents on the therapeutic arsenal actually available for the treatment of moderate-to-severe patients, given the fact that the severity of the disease is a predictor of the level of infectious risk, has raised the question of whether these 'new' drugs could be considered a safer option and how they can be used in selected cases. Old and newer strategies in cases of chronic infectious conditions are reviewed under the light of clinical trials and other studies present in literature.

Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis (EFIE) continues to represent a potentially fatal infectious disease characterized by elevated morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in antimicrobial therapy, changing demographics and the reduced availability of useful antibiotics combined with the dissemination of multi-drug resistant strains, the mortality rate remained unchanged in the last decades. Nowadays, optimizing the antibiotic regimen is still of paramount importance. Historically, aminoglycosides were considered as a cornerstone for treatment even though their use is associated with a high risk of kidney failure. It is against this background that, in recent years, several studies have been carried in order to assess the validity of alternative therapeutic approaches, including combinations of beta-lactams, that, acting synergistically, have yielded useful results in different clinical settings. In this scenario, we searched and critically report clinical studies assessing the efficacy and safety of double beta-lactam therapy in treating EFIE.

Severe disease commonly manifests as a systemic inflammatory process. Inflammation is associated withthe enhanced production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and with a marked reduction in the plasma concentrations of protective antioxidant molecules. This imbalance gives rise to oxidative stress, which is greater in patients with more severe conditions such as sepsis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and burns. In these patients, oxidative stress can trigger cell, tissue, and organ damage, thus increasing morbidity and mortality. Ascorbic acid (ASC) is a key nutrient thatserves as an antioxidant and a cofactor for numerous enzymatic reactions. However, humans, unlike most mammals, are unable to synthesize it. Consequently, ASC must be obtained through dietary sources, especially fresh fruit and vegetables. The value of administering exogenous micronutrients, to reestablish antioxidant concentrations in patients with severe disease, has been recognized for decades. Despite the suggestion that ASC supplementation may reduce oxidative stress and prevent several chronic conditions, few large, randomized clinical trials have tested it in patients with severe illness. This article reviews the recent literature on the pharmacological profile of ASC and the role of its supplementation in critically ill patients.