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Fletcher AM, Bhattacharyya S. Infectious Myelopathies. Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2024; 30:133-159. [PMID: 38330476 DOI: 10.1212/con.0000000000001393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Infectious myelopathy of any stage and etiology carries the potential for significant morbidity and mortality. This article details the clinical presentation, risk factors, and key diagnostic components of infectious myelopathies with the goal of improving the recognition of these disorders and guiding subsequent management. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Despite our era of advanced multimodal imaging and laboratory diagnostic technology, a causative organism often remains unidentified in suspected infectious and parainfectious myelopathy cases. To improve diagnostic capability, newer technologies such as metagenomics are being harnessed to develop diagnostic assays with a greater breadth of data from each specimen and improvements in infection identification. Conventional assays have been optimized for improved sensitivity and specificity. ESSENTIAL POINTS Prompt recognition and treatment of infectious myelopathy decreases morbidity and mortality. The key diagnostic tools include serologies, CSF analysis, and imaging; however clinical presentation, epidemiologic risk factors, and history of recent illness are all vital to making the proper diagnosis because current laboratory and imaging modalities are often inconclusive. The cornerstone of recommended treatment is targeted antimicrobials with appropriate immune modulation, surgical intervention, supportive care, and interdisciplinary involvement, all of which further improve outcomes for patients with infectious myelopathy.
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Wild M, Karner D, Eickhoff J, Wagner S, Kicuntod J, Chang W, Barry P, Jonjić S, Lenac Roviš T, Marschall M. Combined Treatment with Host-Directed and Anticytomegaloviral Kinase Inhibitors: Mechanisms, Synergisms and Drug Resistance Barriers. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2680. [PMID: 38140021 PMCID: PMC10748244 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15122680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of currently approved antiviral drugs, infections with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) still cause clinically challenging, sometimes life-threatening situations. There is an urgent need for enhanced anti-HCMV drugs that offer improved efficacy, reduced dosages and options for long-term treatment without risk of the development of viral drug resistance. Recently, we reported the pronounced anti-HCMV efficacy of pharmacological inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), in particular, the potential of utilizing drug synergies upon combination treatment with inhibitors of host CDKs and the viral CDK-like kinase pUL97 (vCDK/pUL97). Here, we expand this finding by further assessing the in vitro synergistic antiviral interaction between vCDK and CDK inhibitors towards HCMV as well as non-human cytomegaloviruses. An extension of this synergy approach was achieved in vivo by using the recombinant MCMV-UL97/mouse model, confirming the high potential of combination treatment with the clinically approved vCDK inhibitor maribavir (MBV) and the developmental CDK7 inhibitor LDC4297. Moreover, mechanistic aspects of this synergistic drug combination were illustrated on the levels of intracellular viral protein transport and viral genome replication. The analysis of viral drug resistance did not reveal resistance formation in the case of MBV + LDC4297 combination treatment. Spanning various investigational levels, these new results strongly support our concept, employing the great potential of anti-HCMV synergistic drug treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Wild
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (S.W.); (J.K.)
| | - Dubravka Karner
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Brace Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia; (D.K.); (S.J.); (T.L.R.)
| | - Jan Eickhoff
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Otto-Hahn-Str. 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany;
| | - Sabrina Wagner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (S.W.); (J.K.)
| | - Jintawee Kicuntod
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (S.W.); (J.K.)
| | - William Chang
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California, 3146 Tupper Hall, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (W.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Peter Barry
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California, 3146 Tupper Hall, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (W.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Stipan Jonjić
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Brace Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia; (D.K.); (S.J.); (T.L.R.)
| | - Tihana Lenac Roviš
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Brace Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia; (D.K.); (S.J.); (T.L.R.)
| | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (S.W.); (J.K.)
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Mammas IN, Drysdale SB, Charalampous C, Koletsi P, Papatheodoropoulou A, Koutsaftiki C, Sergentanis T, Merakou K, Kornarou H, Papaioannou G, Kramvis A, Greenough A, Theodoridou M, Spandidos DA. Navigating paediatric virology through the COVID‑19 era (Review). Int J Mol Med 2023; 52:83. [PMID: 37503745 PMCID: PMC10555476 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2023.5286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The present review article presents the key messages of the 8th Workshop on Paediatric Virology organised virtually by the Institute of Paediatric Virology based on the island of Euboea in Greece. The major topics covered during the workshop were the following: i) New advances in antiviral agents and vaccines against cytomegalovirus; ii) hantavirus nephropathy in children; iii) human rhinovirus infections in children requiring paediatric intensive care; iv) complications and management of human adenovirus infections; v) challenges of post‑coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) syndrome in children and adolescents; and vi) foetal magnetic resonance imaging in viral infections involving the central nervous system. The COVID‑19 era requires a more intensive, strategic, global scientific effort in the clinic and in the laboratory, focusing on the diagnosis, management and prevention of viral infections in neonates and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis N. Mammas
- Department of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
- First Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 11527 Athens
- Paediatric Clinic, Aliveri, 34500 Island of Euboea, Greece
| | - Simon B. Drysdale
- Centre for Neonatal and Paediatric Infection, St. George's, University of London, London SW17 0RE
- Department of Paediatrics, St. George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London SW17 0QT, UK
| | | | - Patra Koletsi
- Department of Paediatrics, 'Penteli' Children's Hospital, 15236 Palaia Penteli
- Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), 'Penteli' Children's Hospital, 15236 Palaia Penteli
| | | | - Chryssie Koutsaftiki
- COVID-19 Reference Centre, 'Rafina' Health Care Centre, 19009 Rafina
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens
| | - Theodoros Sergentanis
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens
| | - Kyriakoula Merakou
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens
| | - Helen Kornarou
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens
| | - Georgia Papaioannou
- Department of Paediatric Radiology, 'Mitera' Children's Hospital, 15123 Athens, Greece
| | - Anna Kramvis
- Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, 2193 Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Anne Greenough
- Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Maria Theodoridou
- First Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 11527 Athens
| | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Department of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion
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Bianchino G, Grieco V, Pietrantuono G, Russi S, Del Vecchio L, Falco G, Notarangelo T. Comparative analyses of DNA extraction methods for whole blood quantification of HCMV DNAemia in patients with hematological diseases: false negative cases in manual method. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18740. [PMID: 37554809 PMCID: PMC10404732 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA quantitation in whole blood (WB) by real-time or quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a highly sensitive and reproducible diagnostic procedure for monitoring HCMV DNAemia (DNAemia is the detection of DNA in samples of plasma, whole blood, isolated peripheral blood leukocytes or in buffy-coat specimens) in patients. We provided a comparative analysis of HCMV DNA extraction performance by two different techniques, one performed by an automated extractor and the other by a manual method. We observed that the automated extraction method allowed HCMV DNA detection in the presence of weak viremia while no differences are observed when the viral load is greater. Therefore, automated DNA extraction is a suitable and recommended protocol not only for early detection of HCMV infection but also for more accurate monitoring of HCMV DNAemia during post-therapy follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Bianchino
- IRCCS CROB, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, 85028, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy
| | - Vitina Grieco
- IRCCS CROB, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, 85028, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pietrantuono
- IRCCS CROB, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, 85028, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy
| | - Sabino Russi
- IRCCS CROB, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, 85028, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy
| | - Luigi Del Vecchio
- Biotecnologie Avanzate, CEINGE, Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, “Federico II” University of Naples, Italy
| | - Geppino Falco
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126, Naples, Italy
- Biogem, Istituto di Biologia e Genetica Molecolare, Via Camporeale, 83031, Ariano Irpino (AV), Italy
| | - Tiziana Notarangelo
- IRCCS CROB, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, 85028, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy
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