122 results on '"Paniz-Mondolfi AE"'
Search Results
2. Granulomatous Alopecia: A Variant of Alopecia Areata?
- Author
-
Paniz Mondolfi, AE, Cressey, BD, Ahmad, A, Tapia-Centola, B, Cohen, LM, and Mahmoodi, M
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Extensive chromoblastomycosis caused byFonsecaea pedrosoisuccessfully treated with a combination of amphotericin B and itraconazole
- Author
-
Colella Mt, Aranzazu N, Pérez-Alvarez Am, Paniz-Mondolfi Ae, Oliver M, Negrín Dc, and Reyes-Jaimes O
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Pathology ,Antifungal Agents ,Itraconazole ,Mitosporic fungi ,Ascomycota ,Amphotericin B ,medicine ,Humans ,Chromoblastomycosis ,biology ,Dematiaceous ,Clinical course ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,Dermatology ,Fonsecaea pedrosoi ,Chronic infection ,Infectious Diseases ,Drug Therapy, Combination ,Mitosporic Fungi ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Chromoblastomycosis is a chronic infection caused by dematiaceous (dark-colored) fungi which affect the skin and subcutaneous tissues, and is characterized by a wide variety of clinical and dermatological features including papillomatous, verrucous and vegetating lesions. Although it has been described world-wide, most cases originate in tropical and sub-tropical areas. In general, present treatments of the disease are unsatisfactory as one of the most common etiologic agents, Fonsecaea pedrosoi is difficult to manage from a therapeutic point of view. We report a case of extensive chromoblastomycosis of 22 years duration caused by F. pedrosoi and review the clinical course, diagnosis and management of this disease.
- Published
- 2008
4. The emerging role of amiodarone and dronedarone in Chagas disease.
- Author
-
Benaim G, Paniz Mondolfi AE, Benaim, Gustavo, and Paniz Mondolfi, Alberto E
- Abstract
Chagas disease has emerged as an important health problem in the Americas and, with globalization, in other parts of the world. Drug therapy for this parasitic infection has remained largely ineffective, especially in chronic stages of the disease. However, developments in experimental therapy might signal an important advance for the management of patients with Chagas disease. Herein, we review studies on the potential use of the benzofuran derivatives amiodarone and dronedarone in patients with Chagas disease. These agents have a dual role, not only as primary antiarrhythmic drugs, but also as antiparasitic agents. We believe that this 'kill two birds with one stone' approach represents a new tactic for the treatment of Chagas disease using currently approved drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Acute Chagas disease outbreaks in Colombia in 2019.
- Author
-
Segura-Alba ML, Hernandez C, Guerra AP, Luna N, Cortes LJ, Acevedo CR, Ballesteros N, Ayala MS, Vera MJ, Caicedo Diaz RA, Ardila SC, Flórez AC, Patiño LH, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, and Ramírez JD
- Abstract
This study seeks to address the critical knowledge gap surrounding the acute phase of Chagas disease in Colombia, with a specific focus on cases reported in 2019. The acute phase of Chagas disease is a pivotal period for intervention, yet it remains poorly understood, particularly in regions where oral transmission is presumed to be a significant factor. By analyzing these recent cases, our research aims to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamics of Chagas disease during its acute phase in Colombia in 2019. This understanding is essential not only for improving disease management and treatment strategies but also for enhancing public health responses to this neglected tropical disease. In particular, our study highlights the importance of identifying and addressing the unique challenges posed by oral transmission routes, which have been increasingly recognized within Colombia's Chagas disease landscape., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (© 2024 The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. FDA's proposed rule and its regulatory impact on emerging and reemerging neglected tropical diseases in the United States.
- Author
-
Paniz-Mondolfi AE and Ramírez JD
- Subjects
- United States epidemiology, Humans, Tropical Medicine, Neglected Diseases epidemiology, United States Food and Drug Administration legislation & jurisprudence, Communicable Diseases, Emerging epidemiology
- Abstract
Diagnosing infectious diseases significantly influences patient care, aiding in outbreak identification, response, and public health monitoring. However, the range of FDA-approved molecular tests remains notably limited, especially concerning neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Drawing upon our experience as one of the largest healthcare networks in the greater New York metropolitan area, this viewpoint manuscript aims to spotlight the existing diagnostic landscape and unmet clinical needs for 4 emerging NTDs increasingly prevalent in the United States, additionally, it delves into the possible adverse effects of the FDA's Proposed Rule on Laboratory-Developed Tests for these clinical conditions and the broader spectrum of NTDs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Paniz-Mondolfi, Ramírez. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. New daily persistent headache after SARS-CoV-2 infection in Latin America: a cross-sectional study.
- Author
-
Carrión-Nessi FS, Ascanio LC, Pineda-Arapé AG, Omaña-Ávila ÓD, Mendoza-Millán DL, Romero SR, Almao-Rivero AB, Camejo-Ávila NA, Gebran-Chedid KJ, Rodriguez-Saavedra CM, Freitas-De Nobrega DC, Castañeda SA, Forero-Peña JL, Delgado-Noguera LA, Meneses-Ramírez LK, Cotuá JC, Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Forero-Peña DA, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Adult, Adolescent, Male, Cross-Sectional Studies, Latin America epidemiology, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Vaccines, Headache epidemiology, Headache etiology, COVID-19 complications, COVID-19 epidemiology, Headache Disorders diagnosis, Headache Disorders etiology
- Abstract
Background: Persistent headache is a frequent symptom after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and there is currently limited knowledge about its clinical spectrum and predisposing factors. A subset of patients may be experiencing new daily persistent headache (NDPH) after COVID-19, which is among the most treatment-refractory primary headache syndromes., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Latin America to characterize individuals with persistent headache after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and to identify factors associated with NDPH. Participants over 18 years old who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection and reported persistent headache among their symptoms completed an online survey that included demographics, past medical history, persistent headache clinical characteristics, and COVID-19 vaccination status. Based on participants' responses, NDPH diagnostic criteria were used to group participants into NDPH and non-NDPH groups. Participant data was summarized by descriptive statistics. Student's t and Mann-Whitney U tests were used according to the distribution of quantitative variables. For categorical variables, Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used according to the size of expected frequencies. Binomial logistic regression using the backward stepwise selection method was performed to identify factors associated with NDPH., Results: Four hundred and twenty-one participants from 11 Latin American countries met the inclusion criteria. One in four participants met the NDPH diagnostic criteria. The mean age was 40 years, with most participants being female (82%). Over 90% of the participants reported having had mild/moderate COVID-19. Most participants had a history of headache before developing COVID-19 (58%), mainly migraine type (32%). The most predominant clinical characteristics in the NDPH group were occipital location, severe/unbearable intensity, burning character, and radiating pain (p < 0.05). A higher proportion of anxiety symptoms, sleep problems, myalgia, mental fog, paresthesia, nausea, sweating of the face or forehead, and ageusia or hypogeusia as concomitant symptoms were reported in participants with NDPH (p < 0.05). Palpebral edema as a concomitant symptom during the acute phase of COVID-19, occipital location, and burning character of the headache were risk factors associated with NDPH., Conclusion: This is the first study in Latin America that explored the clinical spectrum of NDPH after SARS-CoV-2 infection and its associated factors. Clinical evaluation of COVID-19 patients presenting with persistent headache should take into consideration NDPH., (© 2023. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Microbiome Alterations Driven by Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Two Disjunctive Murine Models.
- Author
-
Castañeda S, Muñoz M, Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Jones KM, Mejia R, Poveda C, and Ramírez JD
- Subjects
- Mice, Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Chagas Disease parasitology, Trypanosoma cruzi, Microbiota
- Abstract
Alterations caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in the composition of gut microbiome may play a vital role in the host-parasite interactions that shapes physiology and immune responses against infection. Thus, a better understanding of this parasite-host-microbiome interaction may yield relevant information in the comprehension of the pathophysiology of the disease and the development of new prophylactic and therapeutic alternatives. Therefore, we implemented a murine model with two mice strains (BALB/c and C57BL/6) to evaluate the impact of Trypanosoma cruzi (Tulahuen strain) infection on the gut microbiome utilizing cytokine profiling and shotgun metagenomics. Higher parasite burdens were observed in cardiac and intestinal tissues, including changes in anti-inflammatory (interleukin-4 [IL-4] and IL-10) and proinflammatory (gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and IL-6) cytokines. Bacterial species such as Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Faecalibaculum rodentium, and Lactobacillus johnsonii showed a decrease in relative abundance, while Akkermansia muciniphila and Staphylococcus xylosus increased. Likewise, as infection progressed, there was a decrease in gene abundances related to metabolic processes such as lipid synthesis (including short-chain fatty acids) and amino acid synthesis (including branched-chain amino acids). High-quality metagenomic assembled genomes of L. johnsonii and A. muciniphila among other species were reconstructed, confirming, functional changes associated with metabolic pathways that are directly affected by the loss of abundance of specific bacterial taxa. IMPORTANCE Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, presenting acute and chronic phases where cardiomyopathy, megaesophagus, and/or megacolon stand out. During the course of its life cycle, the parasite has an important gastrointestinal tract transit that leads to severe forms of CD. The intestinal microbiome plays an essential role in the immunological, physiological, and metabolic homeostasis of the host. Therefore, parasite-host-intestinal microbiome interactions may provide information on certain biological and pathophysiological aspects related to CD. The present study proposes a comprehensive evaluation of the potential effects of this interaction based on metagenomic and immunological data from two mice models with different genetic, immunological, and microbiome backgrounds. Our findings suggest that there are alterations in the immune and microbiome profiles that affect several metabolic pathways that can potentially promote the infection's establishment, progression, and persistence. In addition, this information may prove essential in the research of new prophylactic and therapeutic alternatives for CD., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Diversity and geographical distribution of Leishmania species and the emergence of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and L. (Viannia) panamensis in Central-Western Venezuela.
- Author
-
Delgado-Noguera LA, Hernández-Pereira CE, Castillo-Castañeda AC, Patiño LH, Castañeda S, Herrera G, Mogollón E, Muñoz M, Duran A, Loyo D, Pacheco M, Arena L, Isquiel G, Yepez L, Colmenarez B, Caviedes M, Mendez Y, Herrera S, Ramírez JD, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Animals, Venezuela epidemiology, Mammals, Leishmania infantum genetics, Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous epidemiology, Leishmania braziliensis genetics, Leishmania guyanensis genetics
- Abstract
Transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela reveals diverse and changing epidemiological landscapes, as well as a spectrum of clinical phenotypes presumed to be linked to a variety of Leishmania species. Central-western Venezuela constitutes one of the highest endemic epicenters in the country, and updated molecular epidemiological information is still lacking. Therefore, in this study we aimed to characterize the landscape of circulating Leishmania species across central-western Venezuela through the last two decades, performed comparisons of haplotype and nucleotide diversity, and built a geospatial map of parasite species distribution. A total of 120 clinical samples were collected from patients across the cutaneous disease spectrum, retrieving parasitic DNA, and further characterizing by PCR and sequencing of the HSP70 gene fragment. This data was later collated with further genetic, geospatial and epidemiological analyses. A peculiar pattern of species occurrence including Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis (77.63% N=59), Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (14.47% N=11), Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis (5.26% N=4) and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (2.63% N=2) was revealed, also highlighting a very low genetic diversity amongst all analyzed sequences. Geographical distribution showed that most cases are widely distributed across the greater urban-sub urban area of the Irribaren municipality. L.(L.) amazonensis appears to be widely dispersed throughout Lara state. Statistical analyses failed to reveal significance for any comparisons, leading to conclude a lack of association between the infective Leishmania species and clinical phenotypes. To the best of our knowledge, this is an unprecedented study which addresses comprehensively the geographical distribution of Leishmania species in central-western Venezuela throughout the last two decades, and the first to incriminate L. (L.) infantum as an etiologic agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in this region. Our findings support that Leishmania endemism in central-western Venezuela is caused mainly by L.(L.) amazonensis. Future studies are needed to unveil additional details on the ecological intricacies and transmission aspects of leishmaniasis (i.e. sampling phlebotomines and mammals) and to adopt adequate public health prevention and control strategies and mitigate disease impact in this endemic region., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have not any conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Editorial: Chagas disease novel drug targets and treatments.
- Author
-
Duschak VG, Paniz Mondolfi AE, and Benaim G
- Abstract
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. SARS-CoV-2 infection of kidney tissues from severe COVID-19 patients.
- Author
-
Radovic S, Meng W, Chen L, Paniz Mondolfi AE, Bryce C, Grimes Z, Sordillo EM, Cordon-Cardo C, Guo H, Huang Y, and Gao SJ
- Subjects
- Humans, SARS-CoV-2, Kidney pathology, Necrosis pathology, COVID-19 pathology, Acute Kidney Injury pathology
- Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) manifests diverse clinical pathologies involving multiple organs. While the respiratory tract is the primary SARS-CoV-2 target, acute kidney injury is common in COVID-19 patients, displaying as acute tubular necrosis (ATN) resulting from focal epithelial necrosis and eosinophilia, glomerulosclerosis, and autolysis of renal tubular cells. However, whether any renal cells are infected by SARS-CoV-2 and the mechanism involved in the COVID-19 kidney pathology remain unclear., Methods: Kidney tissues obtained at autopsy from four severe COVID-19 patients and one healthy subject were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay was performed to detect SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S1 and nonstructural protein 8 (NSP8) together with markers of different kidney cell types and immune cells to identify the infected cells., Results: Renal parenchyma showed tissue injury comprised of ATN and glomerulosclerosis. Positive staining of S1 protein was observed in renal parenchymal and tubular epithelial cells. Evidence of viral infection was also observed in innate monocytes/macrophages and NK cells. Positive staining of NSP8, which is essential for viral RNA synthesis and replication, was confirmed in renal parenchymal cells, indicating the presence of active viral replication in the kidney., Conclusions: In fatal COVID-19 kidneys, there are SARS-CoV-2 infection, minimally infiltrated innate immune cells, and evidence of viral replication, which could contribute to tissue damage in the form of ATN and glomerulosclerosis., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Development and characterization of a new monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2 NSP12 (RdRp).
- Author
-
Meng W, Guo S, Cao S, Shuda M, Robinson-McCarthy LR, McCarthy KR, Shuda Y, Paniz Mondolfi AE, Bryce C, Grimes Z, Sordillo EM, Cordon-Cardo C, Li P, Zhang H, Perlman S, Guo H, Gao SJ, Chang Y, and Moore PS
- Subjects
- Humans, Animals, Rats, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Endothelial Cells, RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase genetics, Antiviral Agents metabolism, SARS-CoV-2 metabolism, COVID-19
- Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 NSP12, the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), is required for viral replication and is a therapeutic target to treat COVID-19. To facilitate research on SARS-CoV-2 NSP12 protein, we developed a rat monoclonal antibody (CM12.1) against the NSP12 N-terminus that can facilitate functional studies. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) confirmed the specific detection of NSP12 protein by this antibody for cells overexpressing the protein. Although NSP12 is generated from the ORF1ab polyprotein, IFA of human autopsy COVID-19 lung samples revealed NSP12 expression in only a small fraction of lung cells including goblet, club-like, vascular endothelial cells, and a range of immune cells, despite wide-spread tissue expression of spike protein antigen. Similar studies using in vitro infection also generated scant protein detection in cells with established virus replication. These results suggest that NSP12 may have diminished steady-state expression or extensive posttranslation modifications that limit antibody reactivity during SARS-CoV-2 replication., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. A Robust, Highly Multiplexed Mass Spectrometry Assay to Identify SARS-CoV-2 Variants.
- Author
-
Hernandez MM, Banu R, Shrestha P, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, van de Guchte A, Farrugia K, Sebra R, Gitman MR, Nowak MD, Cordon-Cardo C, Simon V, van Bakel H, Sordillo EM, Luna N, Ramirez A, Castañeda SA, Patiño LH, Ballesteros N, Muñoz M, Ramírez JD, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Humans, Mass Spectrometry, RNA, Nucleotides, Amino Acids, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, COVID-19 diagnosis
- Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants are characterized by differences in transmissibility and response to therapeutics. Therefore, discriminating among them is vital for surveillance, infection prevention, and patient care. While whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is the "gold standard" for variant identification, molecular variant panels have become increasingly available. Most, however, are based on limited targets and have not undergone comprehensive evaluation. We assessed the diagnostic performance of the highly multiplexed Agena MassARRAY SARS-CoV-2 Variant Panel v3 to identify variants in a diverse set of 391 SARS-CoV-2 clinical RNA specimens collected across our health systems in New York City, USA and Bogotá, Colombia (September 2, 2020 to March 2, 2022). We demonstrated almost perfect levels of interrater agreement between this assay and WGS for 9 of 11 variant calls (κ ≥ 0.856) and 25 of 30 targets (κ ≥ 0.820) tested on the panel. The assay had a high diagnostic sensitivity (≥93.67%) for contemporary variants (e.g., Iota, Alpha, Delta, and Omicron [BA.1 sublineage]) and a high diagnostic specificity for all 11 variants (≥96.15%) and all 30 targets (≥94.34%) tested. Moreover, we highlighted distinct target patterns that could be utilized to identify variants not yet defined on the panel, including the Omicron BA.2 and other sublineages. These findings exemplified the power of highly multiplexed diagnostic panels to accurately call variants and the potential for target result signatures to elucidate new ones. IMPORTANCE The continued circulation of SARS-CoV-2 amid limited surveillance efforts and inconsistent vaccination of populations has resulted in the emergence of variants that uniquely impact public health systems. Thus, in conjunction with functional and clinical studies, continuous detection and identification are quintessential to informing diagnostic and public health measures. Furthermore, until WGS becomes more accessible in the clinical microbiology laboratory, the ideal assay for identifying variants must be robust, provide high resolution, and be adaptable to the evolving nature of viruses like SARS-CoV-2. Here, we highlighted the diagnostic capabilities of a highly multiplexed commercial assay to identify diverse SARS-CoV-2 lineages that circulated from September 2, 2020 to March 2, 2022 among patients seeking care in our health systems. This assay demonstrated variant-specific signatures of nucleotide/amino acid polymorphisms and underscored its utility for the detection of contemporary and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Cutaneous leishmaniosis due to Leishmania mexicana in a cat treated with cryotherapy.
- Author
-
Mendoza Y, Colmenares A, Hernández-Pereira CE, Shaban MV, Mogollón A, Morales-Panza RJ, Suarez-Alvarado MJ, Sordillo EM, Kato H, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Animals, Cats, Cryotherapy veterinary, Cat Diseases surgery, Leishmania mexicana, Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous therapy, Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous veterinary
- Abstract
We report the novel use of cryosurgery to treat cutaneous feline leishmaniosis (FeL) in a domestic cat from mid-western Venezuela. Amastigotes, evident by microscopy in aspirates from the nodular, erythematous nose lesions, were identified as Leishmania mexicana by cytochrome b gene sequence analysis. Lesions resolved completely without relapse after 14 months., (© 2022 ESVD and ACVD.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Tele-entomology and tele-parasitology: A citizen science-based approach for surveillance and control of Chagas disease in Venezuela.
- Author
-
Delgado-Noguera LA, Hernández-Pereira CE, Ramírez JD, Hernández C, Velasquez-Ortíz N, Clavijo J, Ayala JM, Forero-Peña D, Marquez M, Suarez MJ, Traviezo-Valles L, Escalona MA, Perez-Garcia L, Carpio IM, Sordillo EM, Grillet ME, Llewellyn MS, Gabaldón JC, and Paniz Mondolfi AE
- Abstract
Chagas Disease (CD), a chronic infection caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, is a Neglected Tropical Disease endemic to Latin America. With a re-emergence in Venezuela during the past two decades, the spread of CD has proved susceptible to, and inhibitable by a digital, real-time surveillance system effectuated by Citizen Scientists in communities throughout the country. The #TraeTuChipo (#BringYourKissingBug) campaign implemented in January 2020, has served as such a strategy counting on community engagement to define the current ecological distribution of CD vectors despite the absence of a functional national surveillance program. This pilot campaign collected data through online surveys, social media platforms, and/or telephone text messages. A total of 79 triatomine bugs were reported from eighteen Venezuelan states; 67 bugs were identified as Panstrongylus geniculatus, 1 as Rhodnius pictipes, 1 as Triatoma dimidiata, and 10 as Triatoma maculata. We analyzed 8 triatomine feces samples spotted from 4 Panstrongylus geniculatus which were confirmed positive by qPCR for T. cruzi . Further molecular characterization of discrete typing units (DTUs), revealed that all samples contained TcI, the most highly diverse and broadly distributed strain of T. cruzi . Moreover, analysis of the mitochondrial 12S gene revealed Myotis keaysi , Homo sapiens, and Gallus gallus as the main triatomine feeding sources. This study highlights a novel Citizen Science approach which may help improve the surveillance systems for CD in endemic countries., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts to declare., (© 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of World Federation of Parasitologists.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Mu variant on vaccine effectiveness: A comparative genomics study at the peak of the third wave in Bogota, Colombia.
- Author
-
Ramirez AL, Luna N, Patiño LH, Castañeda S, Muñoz M, Ballesteros N, Perez J, Correa-Cárdenas CA, Duque MC, Mendez C, Oliveros C, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, and Ramírez JD
- Subjects
- Colombia epidemiology, Genomics, Humans, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 prevention & control, Viral Vaccines
- Abstract
We assessed the circulation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 variants amongst vaccinated military personnel in Bogotá, Colombia to evaluate the mutations of certain variants and their potential for breakthrough infection in vaccinated subjects. We observed that in vaccinated individuals the most frequent infecting lineage was Mu (B.1.621 and B.1.621.1). The above is possibly associated with specific mutations that confer it with vaccine-induced immune escape ability. Our findings highlight the importance of how genomic tracking coupled with epidemiological surveillance can assist in the study of novel emerging variants (e.g., Omicron) and their impact on vaccination efforts worldwide., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. COVID-19-Associated cardiac pathology at the postmortem evaluation: a collaborative systematic review.
- Author
-
Almamlouk R, Kashour T, Obeidat S, Bois MC, Maleszewski JJ, Omrani OA, Tleyjeh R, Berbari E, Chakhachiro Z, Zein-Sabatto B, Gerberi D, Tleyjeh IM, Paniz Mondolfi AE, Finn AV, Duarte-Neto AN, Rapkiewicz AV, Frustaci A, Keresztesi AA, Hanley B, Märkl B, Lardi C, Bryce C, Lindner D, Aguiar D, Westermann D, Stroberg E, Duval EJ, Youd E, Bulfamante GP, Salmon I, Auer J, Maleszewski JJ, Hirschbühl K, Absil L, Barton LM, Ferraz da Silva LF, Moore L, Dolhnikoff M, Lammens M, Bois MC, Osborn M, Remmelink M, Nascimento Saldiva PH, Jorens PG, Craver R, Aparecida de Almeida Monteiro R, Scendoni R, Mukhopadhyay S, Suzuki T, Mauad T, Fracasso T, and Grimes Z
- Subjects
- Aged, Autopsy, Humans, Lung, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Myocarditis epidemiology
- Abstract
Background: Many postmortem studies address the cardiovascular effects of COVID-19 and provide valuable information, but are limited by their small sample size., Objectives: The aim of this systematic review is to better understand the various aspects of the cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 by pooling data from a large number of autopsy studies., Data Sources: We searched the online databases Ovid EBM Reviews, Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science for concepts of autopsy or histopathology combined with COVID-19, published between database inception and February 2021. We also searched for unpublished manuscripts using the medRxiv services operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory., Study Eligibility Criteria: Articles were considered eligible for inclusion if they reported human postmortem cardiovascular findings among individuals with a confirmed SARS coronavirus type 2 (CoV-2) infection., Participants: Confirmed COVID-19 patients with post-mortem cardiovascular findings., Interventions: None., Methods: Studies were individually assessed for risk of selection, detection, and reporting biases. The median prevalence of different autopsy findings with associated interquartile ranges (IQRs)., Results: This review cohort contained 50 studies including 548 hearts. The median age of the deceased was 69 years. The most prevalent acute cardiovascular findings were myocardial necrosis (median: 100.0%; IQR, 20%-100%; number of studies = 9; number of patients = 64) and myocardial oedema (median: 55.5%; IQR, 19.5%-92.5%; number of studies = 4; number of patients = 46). The median reported prevalence of extensive, focal active, and multifocal myocarditis were all 0.0%. The most prevalent chronic changes were myocyte hypertrophy (median: 69.0%; IQR, 46.8%-92.1%) and fibrosis (median: 35.0%; IQR, 35.0%-90.5%). SARS-CoV-2 was detected in the myocardium with median prevalence of 60.8% (IQR 40.4-95.6%)., Conclusions: Our systematic review confirmed the high prevalence of acute and chronic cardiac pathologies in COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 cardiac tropism, as well as the low prevalence of myocarditis in COVID-19., (Copyright © 2022 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. Hotspots for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spread: Lessons from New York City.
- Author
-
Ramírez JD, Castañeda S, Ballesteros N, Muñoz M, Hernández M, Banu R, Shrestha P, Chen F, Shi H, van Bakel H, Simon V, Cordon-Cardo C, Sordillo EM, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Humans, New York City epidemiology, Pandemics, COVID-19 epidemiology, SARS-CoV-2 genetics
- Abstract
The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is still challenging public health systems worldwide, particularly with the emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations that increase their transmissibility and immune escape. This is the case of the variant of concern Omicron that rapidly spread globally. Here, using epidemiological and genomic data we compared the situations in South Africa as the epicenter of emergence, United Kingdom, and with particular interest New York City. This rapid global dispersal from the place of first report reemphasizes the high transmissibility of Omicron, which needed only two weeks to become dominant in the United Kingdom and New York City. Our analyses suggest that as SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, global authorities must prioritize equity in vaccine access and continued genomic surveillance. Future studies are still needed to fully unveil the biological properties of Omicron, but what is certain is that vaccination, large-scale testing, and infection prevention efforts are the greatest arsenal against the COVID-19 pandemic., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. RT-PCR/MALDI-TOF Diagnostic Target Performance Reflects Circulating SARS-CoV-2 Variant Diversity in New York City.
- Author
-
Hernandez MM, Banu R, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, Gray B, Shrestha P, Cao L, Chen F, Shi H, Hanna A, Ramírez JD, van de Guchte A, Sebra R, Gitman MR, Nowak MD, Cordon-Cardo C, Schutzbank TE, Simon V, van Bakel H, Sordillo EM, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Humans, New York City epidemiology, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sensitivity and Specificity, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization, COVID-19 diagnosis, COVID-19 epidemiology, SARS-CoV-2 genetics
- Abstract
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to circulate, multiple variants of concern have emerged. New variants pose challenges for diagnostic platforms because sequence diversity can alter primer/probe-binding sites (PBSs), causing false-negative results. The MassARRAY SARS-CoV-2 Panel (Agena Bioscience) uses RT-PCR and mass spectrometry to detect five multiplex targets across N and ORF1ab genes. Herein, we use a data set of 256 SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens collected between April 11, 2021, and August 28, 2021, to evaluate target performance with paired sequencing data. During this time frame, two targets in the N gene (N2 and N3) were subject to the greatest sequence diversity. In specimens with N3 dropout, 69% harbored the Alpha-specific A28095U polymorphism that introduces a 3'-mismatch to the N3 forward PBS and increases risk of target dropout relative to specimens with 28095A (relative risk, 20.02; 95% CI, 11.36 to 35.72; P < 0.0001). Furthermore, among specimens with N2 dropout, 90% harbored the Delta-specific G28916U polymorphism that creates a 3'-mismatch to the N2 probe PBS and increases target dropout risk (relative risk, 11.92; 95% CI, 8.17 to 14.06; P < 0.0001). These findings highlight the robust capability of MassARRAY SARS-CoV-2 Panel target results to reveal circulating virus diversity, and they underscore the power of multitarget design to capture variants of concern., (Copyright © 2022 Association for Molecular Pathology and American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Food for thought: Eating before saliva collection and interference with SARS-CoV-2 detection.
- Author
-
Hernandez MM, Riollano-Cruz M, Boyle MC, Banu R, Shrestha P, Gray B, Cao L, Chen F, Shi H, Paniz-Perez DE, Paniz-Perez PA, Rishi AL, Dubinsky J, Dubinsky D, Dubinsky O, Baine S, Baine L, Arinsburg S, Baine I, Ramirez JD, Cordon-Cardo C, Sordillo EM, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- COVID-19 Testing, Humans, Nasopharynx, RNA, Viral analysis, RNA, Viral genetics, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, Saliva, Specimen Handling, COVID-19 diagnosis, Nucleic Acids
- Abstract
Saliva is a promising specimen for the detection of viruses that cause upper respiratory infections including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) due to its cost-effectiveness and noninvasive collection. However, together with intrinsic enzymes and oral microbiota, children's unique dietary habits may introduce substances that interfere with diagnostic testing. To determine whether children's dietary choices impact SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection in saliva, we performed a diagnostic study that simulates testing of real-life specimens provided from healthy children (n = 5) who self-collected saliva at home before and at 0, 20, and 60 min after eating 20 foods they selected. Each of 72 specimens was split into two volumes and spiked with SARS-CoV-2-negative or SARS-CoV-2-positive clinical standards before side-by-side testing by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (RT-PCR/MALDI-TOF) assay. Detection of internal extraction control and SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids was reduced in replicates of saliva collected at 0 min after eating 11 of 20 foods. Interference resolved at 20 and 60 min after eating all foods except hot dogs in one participant. This represented a significant improvement in the detection of nucleic acids compared to saliva collected at 0 min after eating (p = 0.0005). We demonstrate successful detection of viral nucleic acids in saliva self-collected by children before and after eating a variety of foods. Fasting is not required before saliva collection for SARS-CoV-2 testing by RT-PCR/MALDI-TOF, but waiting for 20 min after eating is sufficient for accurate testing. These findings should be considered for SARS-CoV-2 testing and broader viral diagnostics in saliva specimens., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Correlation between Identification of β-Lactamase Resistance Genes and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles in Gram-Negative Bacteria: a Laboratory Data Analysis.
- Author
-
Mushtaq A, Chasan R, Nowak MD, Rana M, Ilyas S, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Sordillo EM, Patel G, and Gitman MR
- Subjects
- Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology, Data Analysis, Escherichia coli, Gram-Negative Bacteria genetics, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, beta-Lactam Resistance, beta-Lactamases genetics, Anti-Infective Agents, Ceftriaxone
- Abstract
We reported the frequency of resistance gene detection in Gram-negative blood culture isolates and correlated these findings with corresponding antibiograms. Data were obtained from 1045 isolates tested on the GenMark Dx ePlex Blood Culture Identification Gram-Negative Panels at the Mount Sinai Hospital Clinical Microbiology Laboratory in New York from March 2019 to February 2021. Susceptibilities were performed using Vitek 2 (bioMérieux Clinical Diagnostics) or Microscan (Beckman Coulter Inc.). bla
CTX-M was detected in 26.4% Klebsiella pneumoniae, 23.5% Escherichia coli, and 16.4% Proteus mirabilis isolates. As would be expected, both blaCTX-M and blaCTX-M negative isolates were likely to be susceptible to newer agents while blaCTX-M positive isolates were more likely to be resistant to earlier generations of beta-lactam antibiotics. 3/204 blaCTX-M -positive isolates were found to be ceftriaxone-susceptible. Conversely, 2.8% ceftriaxone nonsusceptible strains were negative for all β-lactamase genes on the ePlex BCID-GN panel, including blaCTX-M . The prevalence of CTX-M-producing Enterobacterales remains high in the United States. A small number of blaCTX-M -positive isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone, and a small number of ceftriaxone nonsusceptible isolates were negative for blaCTX-M . Further studies are needed to determine the optimal management when an isolate is phenotypically susceptible to ceftriaxone, but blaCTX-M is detected. IMPORTANCE There is limited literature on corresponding results obtained from rapid molecular diagnostics with the antibiotic susceptibility profile. We reported a correlation between the results obtained from ePlex and the antibiograms against a large collection of Gram-negative bacteria. We reported that there can be a discrepancy in a small number of cases, but the clinical significance of that is unknown.- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Robust clinical detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants by RT-PCR/MALDI-TOF multitarget approach.
- Author
-
Hernandez MM, Banu R, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, van de Guchte A, Khan Z, Shrestha P, Cao L, Chen F, Shi H, Hanna A, Alshammary H, Fabre S, Amoako A, Obla A, Alburquerque B, Patiño LH, Ramírez JD, Sebra R, Gitman MR, Nowak MD, Cordon-Cardo C, Schutzbank TE, Simon V, van Bakel H, Sordillo EM, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 virology, Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins genetics, Genetic Variation, Genome, Viral genetics, Humans, New York City epidemiology, Phosphoproteins genetics, Polyproteins genetics, RNA, Viral genetics, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, Viral Proteins genetics, COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing methods, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, SARS-CoV-2 isolation & purification, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
- Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has sparked the rapid development of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) diagnostics. However, emerging variants pose the risk for target dropout and false-negative results secondary to primer/probe binding site (PBS) mismatches. The Agena MassARRAY® SARS-CoV-2 Panel combines reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass-spectrometry to probe for five targets across N and ORF1ab genes, which provides a robust platform to accommodate PBS mismatches in divergent viruses. Herein, we utilize a deidentified data set of 1262 SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens from Mount Sinai Health System (New York City) from December 2020 to April 2021 to evaluate target results and corresponding sequencing data. Overall, the level of PBS mismatches was greater in specimens with target dropout. Of specimens with N3 target dropout, 57% harbored an A28095T substitution that is highly specific for the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant of concern. These data highlight the benefit of redundancy in target design and the potential for target performance to illuminate the dynamics of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Epidemiological Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Variants During Social Protests in Cali, Colombia.
- Author
-
Patiño LH, Castañeda S, Muñoz M, Ballesteros N, Ramirez AL, Luna N, Guerrero-Araya E, Pérez J, Correa-Cárdenas CA, Duque MC, Méndez C, Oliveros C, Shaban MV, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, and Ramírez JD
- Abstract
Background: The third wave of the global health crisis attributed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus reached Colombia in March 2021. Over the following 6 months, it was interpolated by manifestations of popular disapproval to the actual political regime-with multiple protests sprouting throughout the country. Large social gatherings seeded novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) variants in big cities and propagated their facile spread, leading to increased rates of hospitalizations and deaths., Methods: In this article, we evaluate the effective reproduction number (Rt) dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in Cali, Colombia, between 4 April 2021 and 31 July 2021 based on the analysis of 228 genomes., Results: Our results showed clear contrast in Rt values between the period of frequent protests (Rt > 1), and the preceding and following months (Rt < 1). Genomic analyses revealed 16 circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages during the initial period-including variants of concern (VOCs) (Alpha, Gamma, and Delta) and variants of interest (VOIs) (Lambda and Mu). Furthermore, we noticed the Mu variant dominating the COVID-19 distribution schema as the months progressed. We identified four principal clusters through phylogenomic analyses-each one of potentially independent introduction to the city. Two of these were associated with the Mu variant, one associated with the Gamma variant, and one with the Lambda variant., Conclusion: Our results chronicle the impact of large group assemblies on the epidemiology of COVID-19 during this intersection of political turmoil and sanitary crisis in Cali, Colombia. We emphasize upon the effects of limited biosecurity strategies (which had characterized this time period), on the spread of highly virulent strains throughout Cali and greater Colombia., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Patiño, Castañeda, Muñoz, Ballesteros, Ramirez, Luna, Guerrero-Araya, Pérez, Correa-Cárdenas, Duque, Méndez, Oliveros, Shaban, Paniz-Mondolfi and Ramírez.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. First wave of COVID-19 in Venezuela: Epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of first cases.
- Author
-
Forero-Peña DA, Carrión-Nessi FS, Mendoza-Millán DL, Omaña-Ávila ÓD, Mejía-Bernard MD, Camejo-Ávila NA, Flora-Noda DM, Velásquez VL, Chacón-Labrador FR, Doval-Fernández JM, Maricuto AL, Grillet ME, Hernández-Villena JV, Vincenti-González MF, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Orejas J, Rodríguez VI, Contreras MB, Guevara RN, Carballo M, Caldera J, Redondo MC, and Landaeta ME
- Subjects
- Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pandemics, Retrospective Studies, SARS-CoV-2, Venezuela epidemiology, COVID-19 diagnosis, COVID-19 epidemiology
- Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has particularly affected countries with weakened health services in Latin America, where proper patient management could be a critical step to address the epidemic. In this study, we aimed to characterize and identify which epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical risk factors defined COVID-19 infection from the first confirmed cases through the first epidemic wave in Venezuela. A retrospective analysis of consecutive suspected cases of COVID-19 admitted to a sentinel hospital was carried out, including 576 patient cases subsequently confirmed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Of these, 162 (28.1%) patients met the definition criteria for severe/critical disease, and 414 (71.2%) were classified as mild/moderate disease. The mean age was 47 (SD 16) years, the majority of which were men (59.5%), and the most frequent comorbidity was arterial hypertension (23.3%). The most common symptoms included fever (88.7%), headache (65.6%), and dry cough (63.9%). Severe/critical disease affected mostly older males with low schooling (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher levels of glycemia, urea, aminotransferases, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed in severe/critical disease patients compared to those with mild/moderate disease. Overall mortality was 7.6% (44/576), with 41.7% (28/68) dying in hospital. We identified risk factors related to COVID-19 infection, which could help healthcare providers take appropriate measures and prevent severe clinical outcomes. Our results suggest that the mortality registered by this disease in Venezuela during the first epidemic wave was underestimated. An increase in fatalities is expected to occur in the coming months unless measures that are more effective are implemented to mitigate the epidemic while the vaccination process is ongoing., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Remitting neuropsychiatric symptoms in COVID-19 patients: Viral cause or drug effect?
- Author
-
Forero-Peña DA, Hernandez MM, Mozo Herrera IP, Collado Espinal IB, Páez Paz J, Ferro C, Flora-Noda DM, Maricuto AL, Velásquez VL, Camejo-Avila NA, Sordillo EM, Delgado-Noguera LA, Perez-Garcia LA, Morantes Rodríguez CG, Landaeta ME, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Chloroquine therapeutic use, Humans, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 complications, Mental Disorders complications, COVID-19 Drug Treatment
- Abstract
Numerous reports of neuropsychiatric symptoms highlighted the pathologic potential of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its relationship the onset and/or exacerbation of mental disease. However, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatments, themselves, must be considered as potential catalysts for new-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms in COVID-19 patients. To date, immediate and long-term neuropsychiatric complications following SARS-CoV-2 infection are currently unknown. Here we report on five patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection with possible associated neuropsychiatric involvement, following them clinically until resolution of their symptoms. We will also discuss the contributory roles of chloroquine and dexamethasone in these neuropsychiatric presentations., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Utility of liquid biopsy in diagnosing isolated cerebral phaeohyphomycosis: illustrative case.
- Author
-
Arrighi-Allisan AE, Vidaurrazaga MM, De Chavez VB, Bryce CH, Rutland JW, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Sordillo EM, Nowak MD, Gitman MR, Fuller R, Baneman E, and Yong RL
- Abstract
Background: Cladophialophora bantiana is a dematiaceous, saprophytic fungus and a rare but reported cause of intracranial abscesses due to its strong neurotropism. Although it predominantly affects immunocompetent individuals with environmental exposure, more recently, its significance as a highly lethal opportunistic infection in transplant recipients has been recognized. Successful treatment requires timely but often challenging diagnosis, followed by complete surgical excision. Next-generation sequencing of microbial cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma is a novel diagnostic method with the potential to identify invasive fungal infections more rapidly and less invasively than conventional microbiological testing, including brain biopsy., Observations: The authors described the case of a recipient of a liver transplant who presented with seizures and was found to have innumerable ring-enhancing intracranial lesions. The Karius Test, a commercially available method of next-generation sequencing of cfDNA, was used to determine the causative organism. Samples from the patient's plasma identified C. bantiana 6 days before culture results of the surgical specimen, allowing optimization of the empirical antifungal regimen, which led to a reduction in the size of the abscesses., Lessons: The authors' findings suggest that microbial cfDNA sequencing may be particularly impactful in improving the management of brain abscesses in which the differential diagnosis is wide because of immunosuppression.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Editorial: Advances in the Molecular Biology of Trypanosomatid Pathogens: New Strategies Against Ancient Enemies.
- Author
-
Benaim G, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Ramírez JD, and Sordillo EM
- Subjects
- Humans, Molecular Biology, Chagas Disease, Leishmaniasis, Trypanosoma cruzi
- Abstract
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. RT-PCR/MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry-based detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva specimens.
- Author
-
Hernandez MM, Banu R, Shrestha P, Patel A, Chen F, Cao L, Fabre S, Tan J, Lopez H, Chiu N, Shifrin B, Zapolskaya I, Flores V, Lee PY, Castañeda S, Ramírez JD, Jhang J, Osorio G, Gitman MR, Nowak MD, Reich DL, Cordon-Cardo C, Sordillo EM, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Benchmarking, COVID-19 virology, COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing instrumentation, COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing methods, Diagnostic Tests, Routine instrumentation, Diagnostic Tests, Routine methods, Humans, Limit of Detection, Nasopharynx virology, Specimen Handling standards, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization instrumentation, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization methods, COVID-19 diagnosis, COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing standards, Diagnostic Tests, Routine standards, RNA, Viral genetics, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, Saliva virology, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization standards
- Abstract
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections continue, there is a substantial need for cost-effective and large-scale testing that utilizes specimens that can be readily collected from both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in various community settings. Although multiple diagnostic methods utilize nasopharyngeal specimens, saliva specimens represent an attractive alternative as they can rapidly and safely be collected from different populations. While saliva has been described as an acceptable clinical matrix for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, evaluations of analytic performance across platforms for this specimen type are limited. Here, we used a novel sensitive RT-PCR/MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry-based assay (Agena MassARRAY®) to detect SARS-CoV-2 in saliva specimens. The platform demonstrated high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity when compared to matched patient upper respiratory specimens. We also evaluated the analytical sensitivity of the platform and determined the limit of detection of the assay to be 1562.5 copies/ml. Furthermore, across the five individual target components of this assay, there was a range in analytic sensitivities for each target with the N2 target being the most sensitive. Overall, this system also demonstrated comparable performance when compared to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva by the cobas® 6800/8800 SARS-CoV-2 real-time RT-PCR Test (Roche). Together, we demonstrate that saliva represents an appropriate matrix for SARS-CoV-2 detection on the novel Agena system as well as on a conventional real-time RT-PCR assay. We conclude that the MassARRAY® system is a sensitive and reliable platform for SARS-CoV-2 detection in saliva, offering scalable throughput in a large variety of clinical laboratory settings., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. SARS-CoV-2 in Transit: Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Genomes From Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia.
- Author
-
Patiño LH, Ballesteros N, Muñoz M, Castañeda S, Hernández C, Gomez S, Florez C, Rico A, Pardo L, Hernandez-Pereira CE, Delgado-Noguera L, Grillet ME, Hernandez MM, Khan Z, van de Guchte A, Dutta J, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, Simon V, van Bakel H, Sordillo EM, Ramírez JD, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Colombia epidemiology, Humans, Phylogeny, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Transients and Migrants
- Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 from Venezuelan migrants living in Colombia., Methods: This study sequenced SARS-CoV-2 from 30 clinical specimens collected from Venezuelan migrants. Genomes were compared with the Wuhan reference genome to identify polymorphisms, reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and perform comparative genomic analyses. Geographic, sociodemographic and clinical data were also studied across genotypes., Results: This study demonstrated the presence of six distinct SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating among Venezuelan migrants, as well as a close relationship between SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences obtained from individuals living in the Venezuelan-Colombian border regions of La Guajira (Colombia) and Zulia (Venezuela). Three clusters (C-1, C-2 and C-3) were well supported by phylogenomic inference, supporting the hypothesis of three potential transmission routes across the Colombian-Venezuelan border. These genomes included point mutations previously associated with increased infectivity. A mutation (L18F) in the N-terminal domain of the spike protein that has been associated with compromised binding of neutralizing antibodies was found in 2 of 30 (6.6%) genomes. A statistically significant association was identified with symptomatology for cluster C2., Conclusion: The close phylogenetic relationships between SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Venezuelan migrants and from people living at the Venezuela-Colombian border support the importance of human movements for the spread of COVID-19 and for emerging virus variants., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. SARS-CoV-2 and Dengue virus co-infection: A case from North Caribbean Colombia.
- Author
-
Villamil-Gómez WE, Rojas-Torres I, Perea-Vásquez LE, Collazos-Torres LA, Murillo-Moreno MA, Morales-Rudas JD, Pagani N, Rodriguez-Morales AJ, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Caribbean Region, Colombia epidemiology, Humans, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Coinfection, Dengue epidemiology, Dengue Virus
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Infectious causes of Alice in Wonderland syndrome.
- Author
-
Perez-Garcia L, Pacheco O, Delgado-Noguera L, Motezuma JPM, Sordillo EM, and Paniz Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Humans, Alice in Wonderland Syndrome etiology, Infections complications
- Abstract
Alice-in-Wonderland syndrome (AIWS) is a perceptual disorder embracing a spectrum of self-experienced paroxysmal body image illusions including most commonly distortions of shape (metamorphopsia), size (macropsia or micropsia), distance (pelopsia or teleopsia), movement, and color among other visual and somesthetic distortions. Depersonalization, derealization, and auditory hallucinations have also been described. Recent reports suggest that infectious diseases are the predominant etiology for AIWS, especially among children. This article reviews current understanding regarding the association between infection and development of AIWS., (© 2021. Journal of NeuroVirology, Inc.)
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Evolution and Epidemic Spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Colombia: A Year into the Pandemic.
- Author
-
Castañeda S, Patiño LH, Muñoz M, Ballesteros N, Guerrero-Araya E, Paredes-Sabja D, Flórez C, Gomez S, Ramírez-Santana C, Salguero G, Gallo JE, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, and Ramírez JD
- Abstract
Current efforts to understand the epidemiology, transmission dynamics and emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants worldwide has enabled the scientific community to generate critical information aimed at implementing disease surveillance and control measures, as well as to reduce the social, economic and health impact of the pandemic. Herein, we applied an epidemic model coupled with genomic analysis to assess the SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in Colombia. This epidemic model allowed to identify the geographical distribution, Rt dynamics and predict the course of the pandemic considering current implementation of countermeasures. The analysis of the incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants carried out across different regions of Colombia allowed visualizing the changes in the geographic distribution of cases. The cumulative incidence during the timeframe March 2020 to March 2021 revealed that Bogotá (8063.0), Quindío (5482.71), Amazonas (5055.68), Antioquia (4922.35) and Tolima (4724.41) were the departments with the highest incidence rate. The highest median Rt during the first period evaluated was 2.13 and 1.09 in the second period; with this model, we identified improving opportunities in health decision making related to controlling the pandemic, diagnostic testing capacity, case registration and reporting, among others. Genomic analysis revealed 52 circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Colombia detected from 774 genomes sequenced throughout the first year of the pandemic. The genomes grouped into four main clusters and exhibited 19 polymorphisms. Our results provide essential information on the spread of the pandemic countrywide despite implementation of early containment measures. In addition, we aim to provide deeper phylogenetic insights to better understand the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in light of the latent emergence of novel variants and how these may potentially influence transmissibility and infectivity.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. COVID-19 Associated Rhino-Orbital Mucormycosis Complicated by Gangrenous and Bone Necrosis-A Case Report from Honduras.
- Author
-
Palou EY, Ramos MA, Cherenfant E, Duarte A, Fuentes-Barahona IC, Zambrano LI, Muñoz-Lara F, Montoya-Ramirez SA, Cardona-Ortiz AF, Valle-Reconco JA, Montenegro-Idrogo JJ, Bonilla-Aldana DK, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, and Rodriguez-Morales AJ
- Abstract
Background: Mucormycosis is a life-threatening invasive fungal infection most commonly observed in immunocompromised patients. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of Mucorales associated infections, now termed COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM), have been reported. Despite an increase in fatality reports, no cases of rhino-orbital CAM complicated with gangrenous bone necrosis have been described in the literature to date., Case: A 56-year-old male with a recent COVID-19 diagnosis developed rhino-orbital mucormycosis after 22 days of treatment with dexamethasone. Cultures and histopathological assessment of tissue biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The patient survived after treatment with amphotericin B., Conclusions: Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection affecting mostly immunocompromised patients. Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, the inappropriate use of steroids, in addition to concurrent risk factors, such as diabetes, has led to an increase in the occurrence of these devastating mycoses, leading to the development of severe presentations and complications, as observed in many cases. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial in order to avoid dissemination and fatal outcomes.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Catheter-related bloodstream infection due to biofilm-producing Capnocytophaga sputigena .
- Author
-
Fabre S, Malik Y, van De Guchte A, Delgado-Noguera LA, Gitman MR, Nowak MD, Sordillo EM, Hernandez MM, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Abstract
Capnocytophaga sputigena is a facultatively-anaerobic bacterium that is part of the human oropharyngeal microflora. Although C. sputigena bacteremia is uncommon, systemic infections have been reported in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. We report a case of catheter-related bloodstream infection by C. sputigena and highlight its enhanced biofilm-forming capacity in vitro ., Competing Interests: The authors report no declarations of interest., (© 2021 The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Laboratory Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia.
- Author
-
Gitman MR, Shaban MV, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, and Sordillo EM
- Abstract
The emergence and rapid proliferation of Coronavirus Disease-2019, throughout the past year, has put an unprecedented strain on the global schema of health infrastructure and health economy. The time-sensitive agenda of identifying the virus in humans and delivering a vaccine to the public constituted an effort to flatten the statistical curve of viral spread as it grew exponentially. At the forefront of this effort was an exigency of developing rapid and accurate diagnostic strategies. These have emerged in various forms over the past year-each with strengths and weaknesses. To date, they fall into three categories: (1) those isolating and replicating viral RNA in patient samples from the respiratory tract (Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests; NAATs), (2) those detecting the presence of viral proteins (Rapid Antigen Tests; RATs) and serology-based exams identifying antibodies to the virus in whole blood and serum. The latter vary in their detection of immunoglobulins of known prevalence in early-stage and late-stage infection. With this review, we delineate the categories of testing measures developed to date, analyze the efficacy of collecting patient specimens from diverse regions of the respiratory tract, and present the up and coming technologies which have made pathogen identification easier and more accessible to the public.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Relapsed Babesia microti Infection Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in a Patient With B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
- Author
-
Rosenblatt J, Leung A, Baneman E, Fuller R, Taimur S, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Malone AK, Kirkman L, and Jacobs SE
- Abstract
A patient with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed babesiosis before allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation while on atovaquone for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis. Despite receiving a prolonged course of atovaquone and azithromycin until whole-blood Babesia microti DNA was no longer detected by polymerase chain reaction, her post-transplant course was complicated by relapsed babesiosis. We investigate the potential host and parasite characteristics causing relapsing/persistent infection., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Molecular evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in New York before the first pandemic wave.
- Author
-
Hernandez MM, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, Alshammary H, Fabre S, Khan Z, van De Guchte A, Obla A, Ellis E, Sullivan MJ, Tan J, Alburquerque B, Soto J, Wang CY, Sridhar SH, Wang YC, Smith M, Sebra R, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Gitman MR, Nowak MD, Cordon-Cardo C, Luksza M, Krammer F, van Bakel H, Simon V, and Sordillo EM
- Subjects
- Humans, Nasopharynx virology, New York epidemiology, Phylogeny, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, SARS-CoV-2 isolation & purification, COVID-19 epidemiology, Pandemics, SARS-CoV-2 physiology
- Abstract
Numerous reports document the spread of SARS-CoV-2, but there is limited information on its introduction before the identification of a local case. This may lead to incorrect assumptions when modeling viral origins and transmission. Here, we utilize a sample pooling strategy to screen for previously undetected SARS-CoV-2 in de-identified, respiratory pathogen-negative nasopharyngeal specimens from 3,040 patients across the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. The patients had been previously evaluated for respiratory symptoms or influenza-like illness during the first 10 weeks of 2020. We identify SARS-CoV-2 RNA from specimens collected as early as 25 January 2020, and complete SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from multiple pools of samples collected between late February and early March, documenting an increase prior to the later surge. Our results provide evidence of sporadic SARS-CoV-2 infections a full month before both the first officially documented case and emergence of New York as a COVID-19 epicenter in March 2020.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Broad Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Cell Tropism and Immunopathology in Lung Tissues From Fatal Coronavirus Disease 2019.
- Author
-
Ramos da Silva S, Ju E, Meng W, Paniz Mondolfi AE, Dacic S, Green A, Bryce C, Grimes Z, Fowkes M, Sordillo EM, Cordon-Cardo C, Guo H, and Gao SJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, COVID-19 immunology, COVID-19 virology, Female, Humans, Immunity, Innate, Lung cytology, Lung immunology, Lung virology, Male, Middle Aged, Pulmonary Alveoli immunology, Pulmonary Alveoli pathology, Pulmonary Alveoli virology, COVID-19 pathology, Lung pathology, SARS-CoV-2 physiology, Viral Tropism immunology
- Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients manifest with pulmonary symptoms reflected by diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), excessive inflammation, and thromboembolism. The mechanisms mediating these processes remain unclear., Methods: We performed multicolor staining for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins and lineage markers to define viral tropism and lung pathobiology in 5 autopsy cases., Results: Lung parenchyma showed severe DAD with thromboemboli. Viral infection was found in an extensive range of cells including pneumocyte type II, ciliated, goblet, club-like, and endothelial cells. More than 90% of infiltrating immune cells were positive for viral proteins including macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils, natural killer (NK) cells, B cells, and T cells. Most but not all infected cells were angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) positive. The numbers of infected and ACE2-positive cells are associated with extensive tissue damage. Infected tissues exhibited high levels of inflammatory cells including macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils, and NK cells, and low levels of B cells but abundant T cells consisting of mainly T helper cells, few cytotoxic T cells, and no regulatory T cells. Robust interleukin-6 expression was present in most cells, with or without infection., Conclusions: In fatal COVID-19 lungs, there are broad SARS-CoV-2 cell tropisms, extensive infiltrated innate immune cells, and activation and depletion of adaptive immune cells, contributing to severe tissue damage, thromboemboli, excess inflammation, and compromised immune responses., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. COVID-19 and helminth infection: Beyond the Th1/Th2 paradigm.
- Author
-
Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Ramírez JD, Delgado-Noguera LA, Rodriguez-Morales AJ, and Sordillo EM
- Subjects
- Animals, Humans, SARS-CoV-2, Th1 Cells immunology, Th2 Cells immunology, COVID-19 immunology, Cytokines immunology, Helminthiasis immunology
- Abstract
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. The Constant Threat of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Emerging Tropical Diseases: Living on the Edge.
- Author
-
Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Faccini-Martínez ÁA, Henao-Martínez AF, Ruiz-Saenz J, Martinez-Gutierrez M, Alvarado-Arnez LE, Gomez-Marin JE, Bueno-Marí R, Carrero Y, Villamil-Gomez WE, Bonilla-Aldana DK, Haque U, Ramirez JD, Navarro JC, Lloveras S, Arteaga-Livias K, Casalone C, Maguiña JL, Escobedo AA, Hidalgo M, Bandeira AC, Mattar S, Cardona-Ospina JA, and Suárez JA
- Abstract
Competing Interests: RB-M was employed by Laboratorios Lokímica, Spain. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Concerns about influenza H5N8 outbreaks in humans and birds: Facing the next airborne pandemic?
- Author
-
Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Bonilla-Aldana DK, and Paniz-Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- Animals, Animals, Wild, Birds, Disease Outbreaks prevention & control, Humans, Pandemics prevention & control, Phylogeny, Influenza A Virus, H5N8 Subtype, Influenza in Birds epidemiology, Influenza in Birds prevention & control, Influenza, Human epidemiology, Influenza, Human prevention & control
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. First report of human infection caused by Colletotrichum chlorophyti occurring in a post-corneal transplant patient with endophthalmitis.
- Author
-
Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Agemy S, Cañete-Gibas C, Gitman MR, Iacob CE, Necula I, Wang CY, Delgado Noguera LA, Sanders C, Wiederhold NP, Sordillo EM, and Nowak MD
- Abstract
Keratomycosis or mycotic keratitis is recognized as one of the major causes of ophthalmic morbidity worldwide. The most common organisms linked to keratomycosis include Candida spp., Fusarium spp., and Aspergillus spp. However, varieties of saprobic fungi have been reported as causative agents of keratomycosis. Amongst these are members of the genus Colletotrichum. Herein we present the first reported case of C. chlorophyti infection in a post-corneal transplant patient, suggesting an increasing role for Colletotrichum species as emerging human pathogens, particularly in the transplant population., Competing Interests: The authors declare not to have any conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Authors.)
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Deciphering the introduction and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Colombian Amazon Basin.
- Author
-
Ballesteros N, Muñoz M, Patiño LH, Hernández C, González-Casabianca F, Carroll I, Santos-Vega M, Cascante J, Angel A, Feged-Rivadeneira A, Palma-Cuero M, Flórez C, Gomez S, van de Guchte A, Khan Z, Dutta J, Obla A, Alshammary HA, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, Hernandez MM, Sordillo EM, Simon V, van Bakel H, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, and Ramírez JD
- Subjects
- COVID-19 ethnology, COVID-19 transmission, Colombia epidemiology, Humans, Indians, South American, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, Spatial Analysis, Time Factors, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 virology, SARS-CoV-2 isolation & purification
- Abstract
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has forced health authorities across the world to take important decisions to curtail its spread. Genomic epidemiology has emerged as a valuable tool to understand introductions and spread of the virus in a specific geographic location., Methodology/principal Findings: Here, we report the sequences of 59 SARS-CoV-2 samples from inhabitants of the Colombian Amazonas department. The viral genomes were distributed in two robust clusters within the distinct GISAID clades GH and G. Spatial-temporal analyses revealed two independent introductions of SARS-CoV-2 in the region, one around April 1, 2020 associated with a local transmission, and one around April 2, 2020 associated with other South American genomes (Uruguay and Brazil). We also identified ten lineages circulating in the Amazonas department including the P.1 variant of concern (VOC)., Conclusions/significance: This study represents the first genomic epidemiology investigation of SARS-CoV-2 in one of the territories with the highest report of indigenous communities of the country. Such findings are essential to decipher viral transmission, inform on global spread and to direct implementation of infection prevention and control measures for these vulnerable populations, especially, due to the recent circulation of one of the variants of concern (P.1) associated with major transmissibility and possible reinfections., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Risk factors for antimony treatment failure in American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Northwestern-Argentina.
- Author
-
García-Bustos MF, González-Prieto G, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Parodi C, Beckar J, Monroig S, Ramos F, Mora MC, Delgado-Noguera LA, Hashiguchi Y, Jaime D, Moreno S, Ruiz-Morales L, Lemir CG, and Barrio A
- Subjects
- Adult, Case-Control Studies, Female, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Treatment Failure, Antiprotozoal Agents therapeutic use, Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous drug therapy, Meglumine Antimoniate therapeutic use
- Abstract
Background: To date, there is no specific literature available on the determinants for therapeutic failure (TF) with meglumine antimoniate (MA) in Northwestern-Argentina. This study aimed to identify epidemiological, clinical, and treatment-related factors that could be involved in TF., Methodology/principal Findings: We performed a case-control study. Cases were represented by patients who showed TF after administration of the first course of MA treatment, whereas, controls were determined as patients who evolved towards healing after the first MA cycle received. Crude Odds Ratios and their corresponding 90% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and risk factors were then tested by multivariate analysis using logistic binary regression. Three hundred and eighty-four patients with a presumptive diagnosis of ACL were recruited, and 153 with a positive diagnosis were selected. We included in the study 71 patients, who underwent specific treatment with MA, presented complete data on response to treatment, and had a minimum post-treatment follow-up of 6 months in cutaneous leishmaniasis, and 12 months in mucosal leishmaniasis. Of these, 34 (47.9%) presented TF. In the initial analysis, TF was significantly associated with the geographical area of disease acquisition (p = 0.036), the presence of mucosal lesions (p = 0.042), the presence of concomitant skin and mucosal lesions (p = 0.002), and lesion age ≥ 6 months (p = 0.018). Risk factors influencing TF in the final multivariate model included the geographical area where the disease was acquired (adjusted Odd Ratio 8.062; 95% CI 1.914-33.959; p = 0.004), and lesion age ≥ 6 months (adjusted Odd Ratio 10.037; 95% CI 1.383-72.843; p = 0.023)., Conclusions/significance: The results of the present study suggest the existence of some risk factors linked to TF in Northwestern-Argentina, which deserve further investigation. Herein we recorded a high percentage of TF and we described clinical and epidemiological characteristics associated with TF that could be taken into account improving the clinical management of patients., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. The Rationale for Use of Amiodarone and its Derivatives for the Treatment of Chagas' Disease and Leishmaniasis.
- Author
-
Benaim G, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, and Sordillo EM
- Subjects
- Animals, Calcium, Dogs, Amiodarone pharmacology, Amiodarone therapeutic use, Chagas Disease drug therapy, Leishmaniasis drug therapy, Trypanocidal Agents, Trypanosoma cruzi
- Abstract
The repurposing or repositioning of previously-approved drugs has become an accepted strategy for the expansion of the pharmacopeia for neglected diseases. Accordingly, amiodarone, an inexpensive and extensively- used class III antiarrhythmic has been proposed as a treatment for Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis. Amiodarone has a potent trypanocidal and leishmanicidal action, mainly acting through the disruption of parasite intracellular Ca
2+ homeostasis, which is a recognized target of different drugs that have activity against trypanosomatids. Amiodarone collapses the mitochondrial electrochemical potential (Δφm) and induces the rapid alkalinization of parasite acidocalcisomes, driving a large increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Amiodarone also inhibits oxidosqualene cyclase activity, a key enzyme in the ergosterol synthesis pathway that is essential for trypanosomatid survival. In combination, these three effects lead to parasite death. Dronedarone, a drug synthesized to minimize some of the adverse effects of amiodarone, displays trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activity through the same mechanisms, but curiously, being more potent on Leishmaniasis than its predecessor. In vitro studies suggest that other recently-synthesized benzofuran derivatives can act through the same mechanisms, and produce similar effects on different trypanosomatid species. Recently, the combination of amiodarone and itraconazole has been used successfully to treat 121 dogs naturally-infected by T. cruzi, strongly supporting the potential therapeutic use of this combination against human trypanosomatid infections., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Kawasaki disease seasonality in Venezuela supports an arbovirus infection trigger.
- Author
-
Paniz-Mondolfi AE, van den Akker T, Márquez-Colmenarez MC, Delgado-Noguera LA, Valderrama O, and Sordillo EM
- Subjects
- Humans, Venezuela epidemiology, Incidence, Infant, Child, Preschool, Cytokines blood, Disease Outbreaks, Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome epidemiology, Seasons, Arbovirus Infections epidemiology, Arbovirus Infections virology
- Abstract
Kawasaki disease (KD) is an inflammatory disease primarily affecting infants and young children, whose etiology remains uncertain. Observational studies of the overlap between KD outbreaks and seasonal peaks of arboviral infections, suggest the possible role of these pathogens as triggers of KD. In Venezuela, regions with the highest reported arboviral infections simultaneously have the highest incidence of KD. One proposed explanation for this association involves the role of proinflammatory mediators, interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor as mediators of coronary endothelial damage. The promotion of inflammation and tissue destruction by these cytokines is thought to contribute to the coronary endothelial damage experienced in KD. The utilization of overlapping KD and arboviral infection trends contribute to the comprehension of KD etiology, with improvements in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Coinfection in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients: Where are influenza virus and rhinovirus/enterovirus?
- Author
-
Nowak MD, Sordillo EM, Gitman MR, and Paniz Mondolfi AE
- Subjects
- COVID-19 virology, Enterovirus pathogenicity, Enterovirus Infections virology, Female, Humans, Influenza, Human virology, Male, Middle Aged, Orthomyxoviridae pathogenicity, Picornaviridae Infections virology, Pneumonia, Viral virology, Rhinovirus pathogenicity, SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity, COVID-19 epidemiology, Coinfection epidemiology, Coinfection virology, Enterovirus Infections epidemiology, Influenza, Human epidemiology, Pandemics, Picornaviridae Infections epidemiology
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Severe rapidly progressive Guillain-Barré syndrome in the setting of acute COVID-19 disease.
- Author
-
Abrams RMC, Kim BD, Markantone DM, Reilly K, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Gitman MR, Choo SY, Tse W, and Robinson-Papp J
- Subjects
- Acute Disease, Aged, Anticoagulants therapeutic use, COVID-19, Coronavirus Infections pathology, Coronavirus Infections therapy, Coronavirus Infections virology, Disease Progression, Enoxaparin therapeutic use, Female, Guillain-Barre Syndrome pathology, Guillain-Barre Syndrome therapy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome virology, Humans, Hyponatremia pathology, Hyponatremia therapy, Hyponatremia virology, New York City, Pandemics, Plasmapheresis, Pneumonia, Viral pathology, Pneumonia, Viral therapy, Pneumonia, Viral virology, SARS-CoV-2, Betacoronavirus pathogenicity, Coronavirus Infections complications, Guillain-Barre Syndrome complications, Hyponatremia complications, Pneumonia, Viral complications
- Abstract
There is concern that the global burden of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection might yield an increased occurrence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). It is currently unknown whether concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection and GBS are pathophysiologically related, what biomarkers are useful for diagnosis, and what is the optimal treatment given the medical comorbidities, complications, and simultaneous infection. We report a patient who developed severe GBS following SARS-CoV-2 infection at the peak of the initial COVID-19 surge (April 2020) in New York City and discuss diagnostic and management issues and complications that may warrant special consideration in similar patients.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Fatal Pulmonary Thromboembolism in SARS-CoV-2-Infection.
- Author
-
Grimes Z, Bryce C, Sordillo EM, Gordon RE, Reidy J, Paniz Mondolfi AE, and Fowkes M
- Subjects
- Alveolar Epithelial Cells ultrastructure, Alveolar Epithelial Cells virology, Autopsy, COVID-19, Coronavirus Infections epidemiology, Fatal Outcome, Humans, Male, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Middle Aged, New York City epidemiology, Pandemics, Pneumonia, Viral epidemiology, Pulmonary Artery pathology, Pulmonary Embolism pathology, SARS-CoV-2, Betacoronavirus, Coronavirus Infections complications, Pneumonia, Viral complications, Pulmonary Embolism etiology
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 detection from nasopharyngeal swab samples by the Roche cobas 6800 SARS-CoV-2 test and a laboratory-developed real-time RT-PCR test.
- Author
-
Pujadas E, Ibeh N, Hernandez MM, Waluszko A, Sidorenko T, Flores V, Shiffrin B, Chiu N, Young-Francois A, Nowak MD, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Sordillo EM, Cordon-Cardo C, Houldsworth J, and Gitman MR
- Subjects
- Humans, RNA, Viral, Reagent Kits, Diagnostic, Reproducibility of Results, SARS-CoV-2 isolation & purification, Sensitivity and Specificity, COVID-19 diagnosis, COVID-19 virology, Nasopharynx virology, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction instrumentation, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction methods, SARS-CoV-2 classification, SARS-CoV-2 genetics
- Abstract
The urgent need to implement and rapidly expand testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has led to the development of multiple assays. How these tests perform relative to one another is poorly understood. We evaluated the concordance between the Roche Diagnostics cobas 6800 SARS-CoV-2 test and a laboratory-developed test (LDT) real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction based on a modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol, for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in samples submitted to the Clinical Laboratories of the Mount Sinai Health System. A total of 1006 nasopharyngeal swabs in universal transport medium from persons under investigation were tested for SARS-CoV-2 as part of routine clinical care using the cobas SARS-CoV-2 test with subsequent evaluation by the LDT. Cycle threshold values were analyzed and interpreted as either positive ("detected" or "presumptive positive"), negative (not detected), inconclusive, or invalid. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 8. The cobas SARS-CoV-2 test reported 706 positive and 300 negative results. The LDT reported 640 positive, 323 negative, 34 inconclusive, and 9 invalid results. When excluding inconclusive and invalid results, the overall percent agreement between the two platforms was 95.8%. Cohen's κ coefficient was 0.904 (95% confidence interval, 0.875-0.933), suggesting almost perfect agreement between both platforms. An overall discordance rate of 4.2% between the two systems may reflect differences in primer sequences, assay limit of detection, or other factors, highlighting the importance of comparing the performance of different testing platforms., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.