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Camprubí-Ferrer D, Tomazatos A, Balerdi-Sarasola L, Cobuccio LG, Van Den Broucke S, Horváth B, Van Esbroeck M, Martinez MJ, Gandasegui J, Subirà C, Saloni M, Genton B, Bottieau E, Cadar D, Muñoz J. Assessing viral metagenomics for the diagnosis of acute undifferentiated fever in returned travellers: a multicenter cohort study. J Travel Med 2024; 31:taae029. [PMID: 38381609 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taae029] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Up to 45% of febrile returning travellers remain undiagnosed after a thorough diagnostic work-up, even at referral centres. Although metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a promising tool, evidence of its usefulness in imported fever is very limited. METHODS Travellers returning with fever were prospectively recruited in three referral clinics from November 2017 to November 2019. Unbiased mNGS optimised for virus detection was performed on serum samples of participants with acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI), and results were compared to those obtained by reference diagnostic methods (RDM). RESULTS Among 507 returned febrile travellers, 433(85.4%) presented with AUFI. Dengue virus (n = 86) and Plasmodium spp. (n = 83) were the most common causes of fever. 103/433(23.8%) AUFI remained undiagnosed at the end of the follow-up.Metagenomic next-generation sequencing unveiled potentially pathogenic microorganisms in 196/433(38.7%) AUFI. mNGS identifications were more common in patients with a shorter duration of fever (42.3% in ≤5 days vs 28.7% in >5 days, P = 0.005). Potential causes of fever were revealed in 25/103(24.2%) undiagnosed AUFI and 5/23(21.7%) travellers with severe undiagnosed AUFI. Missed severe aetiologies included eight bacterial identifications and one co-infection of B19 parvovirus and Aspergillus spp.Additional identifications indicating possible co-infections occurred in 29/316(9.2%) travellers with AUFI, and in 11/128(8.6%) travellers with severe AUFI, who had received a diagnosis through RDM. The most common co-infections detected in severe AUFI were caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Serum mNGS was unable to detect >50% of infectious diagnoses achieved by RDM and also yielded 607 non-pathogenic identifications. DISCUSSION mNGS of serum can be a valuable diagnostic tool for selected travellers with undiagnosed AUFI or severe disease in addition to reference diagnostic techniques, especially during the first days of symptoms. Nevertheless, mNGS results interpretation presents a great challenge. Further studies evaluating the performance of mNGS using different sample types and protocols tailored to non-viral agents are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Camprubí-Ferrer
- International Health Department ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Alexandru Tomazatos
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Leire Balerdi-Sarasola
- International Health Department ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Ludovico G Cobuccio
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Balázs Horváth
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Miguel J Martinez
- Microbiology Department, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Gandasegui
- International Health Department ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Carme Subirà
- International Health Department ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Meritxell Saloni
- International Health Department ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Blaise Genton
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dániel Cadar
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jose Muñoz
- International Health Department ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
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Pierreux J, Bottieau E, Florence E, Maniewski U, Bruggemans A, Malotaux J, Martin C, Cox J, Konopnicki D, Guetens P, Verschueren J, Coppens J, Van Esbroeck M, Mutsaers M, Rosanas-Urgell A. Failure of artemether-lumefantrine therapy in travellers returning to Belgium with Plasmodium falciparum malaria: an observational case series with genomic analysis. J Travel Med 2024; 31:taad165. [PMID: 38157311 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taad165] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Failure of artemisinin-based combination therapy is increasingly reported in patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to describe the clinical and genomic characteristics of recent cases of P. falciparum malaria failing artemether-lumefantrine in Belgium. METHODS Travel-related cases of malaria confirmed at the national reference laboratory of the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium, were reviewed. All cases for which attending clinicians reported persistence (beyond Day 3 post-treatment initiation, i.e. early failure) or recrudescence (from Day 7 to 42, i.e. late failure) of P. falciparum parasites despite adequate drug intake were analysed. Both initial and persistent/recurrent samples were submitted to next generation sequencing to investigate resistance-conferring mutations. RESULTS From July 2022 to June 2023, eight P. falciparum cases of failure with artemether-lumefantrine therapy were reported (early failure = 1; late failure = 7). All travellers were returning from sub-Saharan Africa, most (6/8) after a trip to visit friends and relatives. PfKelch13 (PF3D7_1343700) mutations associated with resistance to artemisinin were found in two travellers returning from East Africa, including the validated marker R561H in the patient with early failure and the candidate marker A675V in a patient with late failure. Additional mutations were detected that could contribute to decreased susceptibility to artemisinin in another three cases, lumefantrine in six cases and proguanil in all eight participants. Various regimens were used to treat the persistent/recrudescent cases, with favourable outcome. CONCLUSION Within a 12-month period, we investigated eight travellers returning from sub-Saharan Africa with P. falciparum malaria and in whom artemether-lumefantrine failure was documented. Mutations conferring resistance to antimalarials were found in all analysed blood samples, especially against lumefantrine and proguanil, but also artemisinin. There is a pressing need for systematic genomic surveillance of resistance to antimalarials in international travellers with P. falciparum malaria, especially those experiencing treatment failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Pierreux
- Infectious Diseases Department, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels 1000, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Eric Florence
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Antwerp, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Ula Maniewski
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Anne Bruggemans
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Jiska Malotaux
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Martin
- Infectious Diseases Department, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels 1000, Belgium
| | - Janneke Cox
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Jessa Hospital, Hasselt 3500, Belgium
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Hasselt, Hasselt 3500, Belgium
| | - Deborah Konopnicki
- Infectious Diseases Department, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels 1000, Belgium
| | - Pieter Guetens
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Jacob Verschueren
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Jasmine Coppens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Mathijs Mutsaers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Anna Rosanas-Urgell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
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Balerdi-Sarasola L, Pedro F, Bottieau E, Genton B, Petrone P, Muñoz J, Camprubí-Ferrer D. MALrisk: a machne-learning based tool to predict imported malaria in returned travellers with fever. J Travel Med 2024:taae054. [PMID: 38578987 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taae054] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early diagnosis is key to reducing the morbi-mortality associated with P. falciparum malaria among international travellers. However, access to microbiological tests can be challenging for some healthcare settings. Artificial Intelligence could improve the management of febrile travellers. METHODS Data from a multicentric prospective study of febrile travellers was obtained to build a machine-learning model to predict malaria cases among travellers presenting with fever. Demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory variables were leveraged as features. Eleven machine-learning classification models were evaluated by 50-fold cross-validation in a Training set. Then, the model with the best performance, defined by the Area Under the Curve (AUC), was chosen for parameter optimization and evaluation in the Test set. Finally, a reduced model was elaborated with those features that contributed most to the model. RESULTS Out of eleven machine-learning models, XGBoost presented the best performance (mean AUC of 0.98 and a mean F1 score of 0.78). A reduced model (MALrisk) was developed using only six features: Africa as a travel destination, platelet count, rash, respiratory symptoms, hyperbilirubinemia and chemoprophylaxis intake. MALrisk predicted malaria cases with 100% (95%CI 96-100) sensitivity and 72% (95%CI 68-75) specificity. CONCLUSIONS The MALrisk can aid in the timely identification of malaria in non-endemic settings, allowing the initiation of empiric antimalarials and reinforcing the need for urgent transfer in healthcare facilities with no access to malaria diagnostic tests. This resource could be easily scalable to a digital application and could reduce the morbidity associated with late diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fleitas Pedro
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Blaise Genton
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paula Petrone
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose Muñoz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Leys M, Bottieau E, Rebolledo J, Martin C. Imported malaria: A 20-year retrospective study from a tertiary public hospital in Brussels, Belgium. Infect Dis Now 2024; 54:104856. [PMID: 38311002 DOI: 10.1016/j.idnow.2024.104856] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria continues to cause a significant number of infections in non-endemic regions. In this paper, we describe the epidemiological trend and morbidity of imported malaria diagnosed in a tertiary hospital in Brussels. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study describing a cohort of malaria episodes (in- and outpatients) at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint-Pierre from 1998 to 2017. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected by reviewing medical files. RESULTS A total of 1011 malaria episodes were analyzed. Median age at diagnosis was 35 years, and 66 % of patients were men (672/1011). Malaria cases significantly increased over the two decades (from 17 in 1998 to 79 in 2017). Plasmodium falciparum malaria was most often diagnosed (846/935, 89 %), primarily from Central (530/935, 57 %) and West Africa (324/935, 35 %). Many cases (383/764, 50 %) were diagnosed in patients "visiting friends and relatives". HIV-infected and other immunocompromised patients were significantly more likely to present with severe malaria (at least one severity criteria as defined by the WHO) compared to other patients (24/57, 42 % vs 138/732, 19 %, p < 0.01 and 15/21, 71 % vs 147/767, 19 %, p < 0.001). Severe malaria was diagnosed in 16.9 % and the mortality rate was low (5/1011, 0.5 %). CONCLUSION Imported malaria increased over the years with a large, albeit stable number of cases diagnosed in patients visiting friends and relatives. These findings, along with the high rate of severe malaria in HIV and immunocompromised patients, underscore an urgent need for strengthened malaria surveillance and targeted preventive interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikaël Leys
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), CHU Saint-Pierre, Infectious Diseases Department, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Charlotte Martin
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), CHU Saint-Pierre, Infectious Diseases Department, Brussels, Belgium.
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Tamarozzi F, Mazzi C, Antinori S, Arsuaga M, Becker SL, Bottieau E, Camprubi-Ferrer D, Caumes E, Duvignaud A, Grobusch MP, Jaureguiberry S, Jordan S, Mueller A, Neumayr A, Perez-Molina JA, Salas-Coronas J, Salvador F, Tomasoni LR, van Hellemond JJ, Vaughan SD, Wammes LJ, Zammarchi L, Buonfrate D, Huits R, van Lieshout L, Gobbi F. Consensus definitions in imported human schistosomiasis: a GeoSentinel and TropNet Delphi study. Lancet Infect Dis 2024:S1473-3099(24)00080-X. [PMID: 38467128 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(24)00080-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Terminology in schistosomiasis is not harmonised, generating misunderstanding in data interpretation and clinical descriptions. This study aimed to achieve consensus on definitions of clinical aspects of schistosomiasis in migrants and returning travellers. We applied the Delphi method. Experts from institutions affiliated with GeoSentinel and TropNet, identified through clinical and scientific criteria, were invited to participate. Five external reviewers revised and pilot-tested the statements. Statements focusing on the definitions of acute or chronic; possible, probable, or confirmed; active; and complicated schistosomiasis were managed through REDCap and replies managed in a blinded manner. Round 1 mapped the definitions used by experts; subsequent rounds were done to reach consensus, or quantify disagreement, on the proposed statements. Data were analysed with percentages, medians, and IQRs of a 5-point Likert scale. The study was terminated on the basis of consensus or stability-related and time-related criteria. 28 clinicians and scientists met the criteria for experts. 25 (89%) of 28 experts replied to Round 1, 18 (64%) of 28 to Round 2, 19 (68%) of 28 to Round 3, and 21 (75%) of 28 to at least two rounds. High-level consensus (79-100% agreement and IQRs ≤1) was reached for all definitions. Consensus definitions will foster harmonised scientific and clinical communication and support future research and development of management guidelines for schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Tamarozzi
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy.
| | - Cristina Mazzi
- Clinical Research Unit, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | - Spinello Antinori
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Arsuaga
- National Referral for Imported Diseases Unit, Hospital La Paz-Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sören L Becker
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Eric Caumes
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Duvignaud
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; University of Bordeaux, INSERM UMR 1219, IRD EMR 271, Bordeaux Population Health Research Centre, Bordeaux, France
| | - Martin P Grobusch
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam Public Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Stephane Jaureguiberry
- Université de Paris Saclay, AP-HP, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations, Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | - Sabine Jordan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Mueller
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Klinikum Würzburg Mitte (Medical Mission Hospital), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Neumayr
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Jose A Perez-Molina
- National Referral Centre for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, University Hospital Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquin Salas-Coronas
- CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Tropical Medicine Unit, Hospital Universitario Poniente, El Ejido, Almería, Spain; Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Fernando Salvador
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; International Health Unit Vall d'Hebron-Drassanes, Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lina R Tomasoni
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Jaap J van Hellemond
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Stephen D Vaughan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Linda J Wammes
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Lorenzo Zammarchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Dora Buonfrate
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | - Ralph Huits
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | - Lisette van Lieshout
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Federico Gobbi
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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Bierbrier R, Javelle E, Norman FF, Chen LH, Bottieau E, Schwartz E, Leder K, Angelo KM, Stoney RJ, Libman M, Hamer DH, Huits R, Connor BA, Simon F, Barkati S. Chikungunya infection in returned travellers: results from the geosentinel network, 2005-2020. J Travel Med 2024; 31:taae005. [PMID: 38195993 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taae005] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chikungunya is an important travel-related disease because of its rapid geographical expansion and potential for prolonged morbidity. Improved understanding of the epidemiology of travel-related chikungunya infections may influence prevention strategies including education and vaccination. METHODS We analysed data from travellers with confirmed or probable chikungunya reported to GeoSentinel sites from 2005 to 2020. Confirmed chikungunya was defined as a compatible clinical history plus either virus isolation, positive nucleic acid test or seroconversion/rising titre in paired sera. Probable chikungunya was defined as a compatible clinical history with a single positive serology result. RESULTS 1202 travellers (896 confirmed and 306 probable) with chikungunya were included. The median age was 43 years (range 0-91; interquartile range [IQR]: 31-55); 707 (58.8%) travellers were female. Most infections were acquired in the Caribbean (28.8%), Southeast Asia (22.8%), South Central Asia (14.2%) and South America (14.2%). The highest numbers of chikungunya cases reported to GeoSentinel were in 2014 (28.3%), 2015 (14.3%) and 2019 (11.9%). The most frequent reasons for travel were tourism (n = 592; 49.3%) and visiting friends or relatives (n = 334; 27.7%). The median time to presentation to a GeoSentinel site was 23 days (IQR: 7-52) after symptom onset. In travellers with confirmed chikungunya and no other reported illnesses, the most frequently reported symptoms included musculoskeletal symptoms (98.8%), fever/chills/sweats (68.7%) and dermatologic symptoms (35.5%). Among 917 travellers with information available, 296 (32.3%) had a pretravel consultation. CONCLUSIONS Chikungunya was acquired by international travellers in almost 100 destinations globally. Vector precautions and vaccination where recommended should be integrated into pretravel visits for travellers going to areas with chikungunya or areas with the potential for transmission. Continued surveillance of travel-related chikungunya may help public health officials and clinicians limit the transmission of this potentially debilitating disease by defining regions where protective measures (e.g. pretravel vaccination) should be strongly considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Bierbrier
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- The J. D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Emilie Javelle
- Unité Parasitologie et Entomologie, Département Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, 13005 Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, 13284 Marseille, France
| | - Francesca F Norman
- National Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, CIBERINFEC, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lin Hwei Chen
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine, Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eli Schwartz
- The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University , 6997801 Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
| | - Karin Leder
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University and Victorian Infectious Disease Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Kristina M Angelo
- Travelers' Health Branch, Division of Global Migration and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Rhett J Stoney
- Travelers' Health Branch, Division of Global Migration and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Michael Libman
- The J. D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Davidson H Hamer
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02218, USA
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02218, USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Policy and Research, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston, MA 02218, USA
| | - Ralph Huits
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, 37024 Verona, Italy
| | - Bradley A Connor
- Weill Cornell Medical College and the New York Center for Travel and Tropical Medicine, New York, NY 10022, USA
| | | | - Sapha Barkati
- The J. D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
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7
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Van Dijck C, Crozier I, Vercauteren K, Brosius I, Mbala-Kingebeni P, Dodd L, Bottieau E, Tshiani Mbaya O, Nussenblatt V, Neyts J, Liesenborghs L. Beware of drug resistance: Let's not lose tecovirimat against mpox. Clin Microbiol Infect 2024; 30:276-278. [PMID: 37741622 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Van Dijck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ian Crozier
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Koen Vercauteren
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Isabel Brosius
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Placide Mbala-Kingebeni
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Lori Dodd
- National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Olivier Tshiani Mbaya
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA; Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Veronique Nussenblatt
- National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven VirusBank Platform, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laurens Liesenborghs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium.
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Bottieau E, Mbow M, Brosius I, Roucher C, Gueye CT, Mbodj OT, Faye BT, De Hondt A, Smekens B, Arango D, Burm C, Tsoumanis A, Paredis L, Van Herrewege Y, Potters I, Richter J, Rosanas-Urgell A, Cissé B, Mboup S, Polman K. Antimalarial artesunate-mefloquine versus praziquantel in African children with schistosomiasis: an open-label, randomized controlled trial. Nat Med 2024; 30:130-137. [PMID: 38177851 PMCID: PMC10803269 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02719-4] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis treatment entirely relies on a single drug, praziquantel, prompting research into alternative therapeutics. Here we evaluated the efficacy and safety of the antimalarial combination artesunate-mefloquine for the treatment of schistosomiasis in a proof-of-concept, pragmatic, open-label, randomized controlled trial in primary schools of six villages endemic for schistosomiasis in northern Senegal. Children (6-14 years) were eligible if Schistosoma eggs were detected by microscopy in urine and/or stool. In total, 726 children were randomized 1:1 to praziquantel (standard care: 40 mg kg-1 single dose; n = 364) or to artesunate-mefloquine (antimalarial dosage: artesunate 4 mg kg-1 and mefloquine 8 mg kg-1 daily for three consecutive days; n = 362). Eight children not meeting the inclusion criteria were excluded from efficacy analysis. Median age of the remaining 718 participants was 9 years; 399 (55.6%) were male, and 319 (44.4%) female; 99.3% were infected with Schistosoma haematobium and 15.2% with S. mansoni. Primary outcomes were cure rate, assessed by microscopy, and frequency of drug-related adverse effects of artesunate-mefloquine versus praziquantel at 4 weeks after treatment. Cure rate was 59.6% (208/349) in the artesunate-mefloquine arm versus 62.1% (211/340) in the praziquantel arm. The difference of -2.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) -9.8 to 4.8) met the predefined criteria of noninferiority (margin set at 10%). All drug-related adverse events were mild or moderate, and reported in 28/361 children receiving artesunate-mefloquine (7.8%; 95% CI 5.4 to 11.0) versus 8/363 (2.2%; 95% CI 1.1 to 4.3) receiving praziquantel (P < 0.001). Artesunate-mefloquine at antimalarial dosage was moderately safe and noninferior to standard-care praziquantel for the treatment of schistosomiasis, predominantly due to S. haematobium. Multicentric trials in different populations and epidemiological settings are needed to confirm these findings. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03893097 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Moustapha Mbow
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
- Department of Immunology, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Isabel Brosius
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Clémentine Roucher
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Cheikh Tidiane Gueye
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ousmane Thiam Mbodj
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Babacar Thiendella Faye
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Annelies De Hondt
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Bart Smekens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Diana Arango
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christophe Burm
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Achilleas Tsoumanis
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Linda Paredis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Yven Van Herrewege
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Idzi Potters
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Joachim Richter
- Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna Rosanas-Urgell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Badara Cissé
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Souleymane Mboup
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Katja Polman
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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9
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Stelzle D, Makasi CE, Schmidt V, Van Damme I, Trevisan C, Ruether C, Fleury A, Noh J, Handali S, Dorny P, Magnussen P, Zulu G, Mwape KE, Bottieau E, Gabriël S, Ngowi BJ, Winkler AS. Evaluation of a point-of-care test for the diagnosis of Taenia solium neurocysticercosis in rural southern Tanzania: a diagnostic accuracy study. Lancet Infect Dis 2024; 24:98-106. [PMID: 37660709 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00378-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocysticercosis is a common cause of epilepsy in Taenia solium-endemic areas in sub-Saharan Africa but is often undiagnosed because of an absence of affordable diagnostic tools. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a T solium cysticercosis antibody-detecting lateral-flow point-of-care assay (TS POC test) for the neuroimaging-based diagnosis of neurocysticercosis. METHODS Patients with epileptic seizures or severe progressive headache were recruited consecutively from three hospitals in southern Tanzania. All patients were tested with the TS POC test. All patients positive for cysticercosis on the TS POC test and every tenth patient who was negative for cysticercosis received a brain CT examination and underwent reference testing for T solium cysticercosis (ie, rT24H-EITB, LLGP-EITB, and antigen ELISA). The primary outcome of the study was the sensitivity of the TS POC test for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis. FINDINGS Of the 601 recruited participants, 102 (17%) tested positive for cysticercosis with the TS POC test. Overall, 48 (62%) of the 77 patients positive for cysticercosis and five (17%) of the 29 patients negative for cysticercosis on the TS POC test had CT-confirmed neurocysticercosis. The TS POC test yielded a sensitivity of 49% (uncertainty interval [UI] 41-58) for neurocysticercosis. Sensitivity was similar to that of the rT24H-EITB (44%, UI 37-51) and the antigen ELISA (50%, 43-56). For the subset of neurocysticercosis cases with at least one active (ie, vesicular) lesion, sensitivity was above 98% for the TS POC test, the rT24H-ETIB, and the antigen ELISA. INTERPRETATION The TS POC test showed promising results for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis in patients with vesicular lesions, which need to be confirmed in a larger study. This test could be considered to support policies on screening patients with suspected neurocysticercosis in clinical settings, which would allow appropriate referral for neuroimaging and early treatment. FUNDING German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. TRANSLATION For the Swahili translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Stelzle
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Charles E Makasi
- National Institute for Medical Research, Muhimbili Medical Research Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University, College of Tumaini University, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Veronika Schmidt
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Inge Van Damme
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology, and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Chiara Trevisan
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology, and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Ruether
- Department of Neuroradiology, RoMed Clinic Rosenheim, Rosenheim, Germany
| | - Agnès Fleury
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Environmental Toxicology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas - UNAM, Ciudad de México, Mexico; Neurocysticercosis Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México, México
| | - John Noh
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sukwan Handali
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pascal Magnussen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Kabemba E Mwape
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sarah Gabriël
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology, and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bernard J Ngowi
- National Institute for Medical Research, Muhimbili Medical Research Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - Andrea S Winkler
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Community Medicine and Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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10
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Van Den Broucke S, Vandecasteele S, Van Esbroeck M, Dorny P, Dermauw V, De Jong T, Bottieau E, Vereecken H, Potters I, Paredis L. Juvenile Fasciola gigantica emerging through the skin in a returning traveller. J Travel Med 2023; 30:taad033. [PMID: 36897274 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taad033] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
We describe a patient presenting with eosinophilia and liver lesions. A juvenile Fasciola gigantica emerged through the skin, an occurrence which has been only described in two patients so far. Ectopic manifestations usually appear shortly after infection, whereas the time before emergence was more than 1 year in our patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Van Den Broucke
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Helminthology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Veronique Dermauw
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Helminthology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Theodorus De Jong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Helminthology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Henk Vereecken
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Idzi Potters
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Linda Paredis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Helminthology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Kronenburgstraat 43, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
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11
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Vandeputte M, van Henten S, van Griensven J, Bottieau E. Which trial do we need? A collaborative platform trial for cutaneous leishmaniasis amongst international travellers. Clin Microbiol Infect 2023; 29:1237-1240. [PMID: 37230249 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Vandeputte
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Saskia van Henten
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Johan van Griensven
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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12
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Van Den Broucke S, Dorny P, Van Esbroeck M, Bottieau E. Microscopic Detection of Intestinal Sarcocystis Infection Diagnosed in International Travelers at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium, from 2001 to 2020. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2023; 109:327-331. [PMID: 37277109 PMCID: PMC10397430 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although a stay in tropical regions is considered a risk factor for acquiring Sarcocystis infection, to date intestinal sarcocystosis has never been described in returning travelers. We did a retrospective cross-sectional study, retrieving all Sarcocystis spp. microscopy-positive stool results of individuals who attended the travel clinic of the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp in the period from 2001 to 2020. We reviewed the medical records and report on the epidemiology and clinical features of intestinal sarcocystosis in international travelers. In 57 (0.09%) of 60,006 stool samples, oocysts or sporocysts of Sarcocystis spp. were found, often together with other intestinal infections. Twenty-two (37%) individuals were asymptomatic, 17 (30%) had intestinal ± extraintestinal symptoms, and 18 (32%) had extraintestinal symptoms only. Only one traveler had symptoms suggestive of acute gastrointestinal sarcocystosis without an alternative diagnosis. Intestinal Sarcocystis infection predominated in male travelers. At least 10 travelers most likely acquired intestinal Sarcocystis in Africa, where it was never described before. In a national reference travel clinic in Europe, the presence of intestinal Sarcocystis oocysts is a rare finding, predominant in male travelers. Infection with this parasite infrequently leads to suggestive clinical manifestations such as acute gastrointestinal symptoms. Our data strongly suggest that Sarcocystis can be acquired throughout tropical areas, including Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Medical Helminthology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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13
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Mertes H, Rezende AM, Brosius I, Naesens R, Michiels J, deBlock T, Coppens J, Van Dijck C, Bomans P, Bottieau E, Van Esbroeck M, Ariën KK, Liesenborghs L, Vercauteren K. Tecovirimat Resistance in an Immunocompromised Patient With Mpox and Prolonged Viral Shedding. Ann Intern Med 2023; 176:1141-1143. [PMID: 37487213 DOI: 10.7326/l23-0131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Mertes
- Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Ziekenhuisnetwerk Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Antonio Mauro Rezende
- Clinical Virology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Isabel Brosius
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Reinout Naesens
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention & Control, Ziekenhuisnetwerk Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Johan Michiels
- Virology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tessa deBlock
- Clinical Virology Unit and Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jasmine Coppens
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christophe Van Dijck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Peter Bomans
- Department of Pneumology, Ziekenhuisnetwerk Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kevin K Ariën
- Virology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Laurens Liesenborghs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Koen Vercauteren
- Clinical Virology Unit and Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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14
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Stelzle D, Makasi C, Welte TM, Ruether C, Schmidt V, Gabriel S, Bottieau E, Fleury A, Ngowi BJ, Winkler AS. Report of three patients with extensive neurocysticercosis in rural southern Tanzania: neurological, serological and neuroradiological findings. J Med Case Rep 2023; 17:311. [PMID: 37408061 DOI: 10.1186/s13256-023-03974-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is common in eastern Africa, but disease presentation varies considerably. Most patients have single or few NCC-typical lesions in their brain but some present with a large number of lesions. We present three patients with positive antibody-based serology for Taenia solium cysticercosis screened at the Vwawa district hospital, Mbozi district, southern Tanzania, in whom extensive NCC was confirmed by neuroimaging. CASE PRESENTATIONS Patient 1 was a 55-year-old female from the tribe Malila smallholder farmer who has had four generalized tonic-clonic epileptic seizures over a period of 11 years and one episode of transient left hemiparesis one year before seizure onset. The patient also reported monthly to weekly episodes of severe, progressive, unilateral headache. The computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain showed 25 NCC lesions of which 15 were in the vesicular stage. Patient 2 was a 30-year-old male from tribe Nyha mechanic who reported monthly episodes of moderate to severe, progressive, bilateral headache, but no epileptic seizures. The CT scan showed 63 NCC lesions of which 50 were in the vesicular stage. Patient 3 was a 54-year-old female from the tribe Malila smallholder farmer who suffered from frequent generalized tonic-clonic epileptic seizures with potential signs of focal seizure onset. She also reported weekly to daily episodes of severe, progressive, unilateral headache. The CT scan showed 29 NCC lesions of which 28 were in the vesicular stage. CONCLUSIONS Clinical presentation of NCC with multiple brain lesions varies considerably ranging from few epileptic seizures and severe headache to severe epilepsy with frequent epileptic seizures. Individuals with neurological signs/symptoms that may be due to NCC, based for example on epidemiological criteria or serological evidence of cysticercosis, are recommended to undergo neuroimaging before anthelminthic treatment is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Stelzle
- Center for Global Health, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - C Makasi
- Muhimbili Medical Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Faculty of Medicine, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - T M Welte
- Center for Global Health, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - C Ruether
- Department of Neuroradiology, RoMed Clinic Rosenheim, Rosenheim, Germany
| | - V Schmidt
- Center for Global Health, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - S Gabriel
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - E Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - A Fleury
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México/Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - B J Ngowi
- Muhimbili Medical Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- University of Dar Es Salaam, Mbeya College of Health and Allies Sciences, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - A S Winkler
- Center for Global Health, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Community Medicine and Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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15
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Huits R, Angelo KM, Amatya B, Barkati S, Barnett ED, Bottieau E, Emetulu H, Epelboin L, Eperon G, Medebb L, Gobbi F, Grobusch MP, Itani O, Jordan S, Kelly P, Leder K, Díaz-Menéndez M, Okumura N, Rizwan A, Rothe C, Saio M, Waggoner J, Yoshimura Y, Libman M, Hamer DH, Schwartz E. Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes Among Travelers With Severe Dengue : A GeoSentinel Analysis. Ann Intern Med 2023; 176:940-948. [PMID: 37335991 PMCID: PMC10760980 DOI: 10.7326/m23-0721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dengue virus is a flavivirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and is an important cause of illness worldwide. Data on the severity of travel-associated dengue illness are limited. OBJECTIVE To describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes among international travelers with severe dengue or dengue with warning signs as defined by the 2009 World Health Organization classification (that is, complicated dengue). DESIGN Retrospective chart review and analysis of travelers with complicated dengue reported to GeoSentinel from January 2007 through July 2022. SETTING 20 of 71 international GeoSentinel sites. PATIENTS Returning travelers with complicated dengue. MEASUREMENTS Routinely collected surveillance data plus chart review with abstraction of clinical information using predefined grading criteria to characterize the manifestations of complicated dengue. RESULTS Of 5958 patients with dengue, 95 (2%) had complicated dengue. Eighty-six (91%) patients had a supplemental questionnaire completed. Eighty-five of 86 (99%) patients had warning signs, and 27 (31%) were classified as severe. Median age was 34 years (range, 8 to 91 years); 48 (56%) were female. Patients acquired dengue most frequently in the Caribbean (n = 27 [31%]) and Southeast Asia (n = 21 [24%]). Frequent reasons for travel were tourism (46%) and visiting friends and relatives (32%). Twenty-one of 84 (25%) patients had comorbidities. Seventy-eight (91%) patients were hospitalized. One patient died of nondengue-related illnesses. Common laboratory findings and signs were thrombocytopenia (78%), elevated aminotransferase (62%), bleeding (52%), and plasma leakage (20%). Among severe cases, ophthalmologic pathology (n = 3), severe liver disease (n = 3), myocarditis (n = 2), and neurologic symptoms (n = 2) were reported. Of 44 patients with serologic data, 32 confirmed cases were classified as primary dengue (IgM+/IgG-) and 12 as secondary (IgM-/IgG+) dengue. LIMITATIONS Data for some variables could not be retrieved by chart review for some patients. The generalizability of our observations may be limited. CONCLUSION Complicated dengue is relatively rare in travelers. Clinicians should monitor patients with dengue closely for warning signs that may indicate progression to severe disease. Risk factors for developing complications of dengue in travelers need further prospective study. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, International Society of Travel Medicine, Public Health Agency of Canada, and GeoSentinel Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Huits
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Verona, Italy (R.H.)
| | - Kristina M Angelo
- Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (K.M.A.)
| | - Bhawana Amatya
- CIWEC Hospital and Travel Medicine Center, Kathmandu, Nepal (B.A.)
| | - Sapha Barkati
- J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (S.B.)
| | - Elizabeth D Barnett
- Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (E.D.B., M.L.)
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium (E.B.)
| | - Hannah Emetulu
- International Society of Travel Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (H.E., A.R.)
| | - Loïc Epelboin
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit and CIC Inserm 1424, Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne, Cayenne, French Guiana (L.E.)
| | - Gilles Eperon
- Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (G.E.)
| | - Line Medebb
- Aix Marseille University, AP-HM, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France (L.M.)
| | - Federico Gobbi
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Verona, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.G.)
| | - Martin P Grobusch
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (M.P.G.)
| | - Oula Itani
- Institut Pasteur, Centre Médical, Centre d'Infectiologie Necker-Pasteur, Paris, France (O.I.)
| | - Sabine Jordan
- Division of Tropical Medicine, I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, and Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany (S.J.)
| | - Paul Kelly
- BronxCare Hospital Center, Bronx, New York (P.K.)
| | - Karin Leder
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, and Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia (K.L.)
| | - Marta Díaz-Menéndez
- Tropical Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz-Carlos III, IdIPAz, and CIBERINFECT, Madrid, Spain (M.D.)
| | - Nobumasa Okumura
- Center Hospital of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan (N.O.)
| | - Aisha Rizwan
- International Society of Travel Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (H.E., A.R.)
| | - Camilla Rothe
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany (C.R.)
| | - Mauro Saio
- Doctor's Plaza, Nairobi Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya (M.S.)
| | - Jesse Waggoner
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (J.W.)
| | | | - Michael Libman
- Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (E.D.B., M.L.)
| | - Davidson H Hamer
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Policy and Research, Boston University, and National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston, Massachusetts (D.H.H.)
| | - Eli Schwartz
- The Center of Geographical Medicine and Tropical Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer, and Ramat Gan & Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel (E.S.)
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16
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Postovskaya A, Vujkovic A, de Block T, van Petersen L, van Frankenhuijsen M, Brosius I, Bottieau E, Van Dijck C, Theunissen C, van Ierssel SH, Vlieghe E, Bartholomeus E, Mullan K, Adriaensen W, Vanham G, Ogunjimi B, Laukens K, Vercauteren K, Meysman P. Leveraging T-cell receptor - epitope recognition models to disentangle unique and cross-reactive T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 during COVID-19 progression/resolution. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1130876. [PMID: 37325653 PMCID: PMC10264683 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1130876] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the general agreement on the significance of T cells during SARS-CoV-2 infection, the clinical impact of specific and cross-reactive T-cell responses remains uncertain. Understanding this aspect could provide insights for adjusting vaccines and maintaining robust long-term protection against continuously emerging variants. To characterize CD8+ T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 epitopes unique to the virus (SC2-unique) or shared with other coronaviruses (CoV-common), we trained a large number of T-cell receptor (TCR) - epitope recognition models for MHC-I-presented SARS-CoV-2 epitopes from publicly available data. These models were then applied to longitudinal CD8+ TCR repertoires from critical and non-critical COVID-19 patients. In spite of comparable initial CoV-common TCR repertoire depth and CD8+ T-cell depletion, the temporal dynamics of SC2-unique TCRs differed depending on the disease severity. Specifically, while non-critical patients demonstrated a large and diverse SC2-unique TCR repertoire by the second week of the disease, critical patients did not. Furthermore, only non-critical patients exhibited redundancy in the CD8+ T-cell response to both groups of epitopes, SC2-unique and CoV-common. These findings indicate a valuable contribution of the SC2-unique CD8+ TCR repertoires. Therefore, a combination of specific and cross-reactive CD8+ T-cell responses may offer a stronger clinical advantage. Besides tracking the specific and cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2 CD8+ T cells in any TCR repertoire, our analytical framework can be expanded to more epitopes and assist in the assessment and monitoring of CD8+ T-cell response to other infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Postovskaya
- Adrem Data Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Biomedical Informatics Research Network Antwerp (BIOMINA), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Antwerp Unit for Data Analysis and Computation in Immunology and Sequencing (AUDACIS), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Clinical Virology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alexandra Vujkovic
- Adrem Data Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Antwerp Unit for Data Analysis and Computation in Immunology and Sequencing (AUDACIS), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Clinical Virology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tessa de Block
- Clinical Virology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lida van Petersen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Isabel Brosius
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christophe Van Dijck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for Health Economics Research & Modeling Infectious Diseases (CHERMID), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Caroline Theunissen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sabrina H. van Ierssel
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Erika Vlieghe
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Esther Bartholomeus
- Antwerp Unit for Data Analysis and Computation in Immunology and Sequencing (AUDACIS), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kerry Mullan
- Adrem Data Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Biomedical Informatics Research Network Antwerp (BIOMINA), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Antwerp Unit for Data Analysis and Computation in Immunology and Sequencing (AUDACIS), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Wim Adriaensen
- Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Guido Vanham
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Benson Ogunjimi
- Antwerp Unit for Data Analysis and Computation in Immunology and Sequencing (AUDACIS), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for Health Economics Research & Modeling Infectious Diseases (CHERMID), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Antwerp Center for Translational Immunology and Virology (ACTIV), Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Paediatrics, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kris Laukens
- Adrem Data Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Biomedical Informatics Research Network Antwerp (BIOMINA), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Antwerp Unit for Data Analysis and Computation in Immunology and Sequencing (AUDACIS), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Koen Vercauteren
- Clinical Virology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pieter Meysman
- Adrem Data Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Biomedical Informatics Research Network Antwerp (BIOMINA), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Antwerp Unit for Data Analysis and Computation in Immunology and Sequencing (AUDACIS), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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17
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Brosius I, Dijck CV, Coppens J, Vandenhove L, Bangwen E, Vanroye F, Verschueren J, Zange S, Bugert J, Michiels J, Bottieau E, Soentjens P, van Griensven J, Kenyon C, Ariën KK, Esbroeck MV, Vercauteren K, Liesenborghs L. Presymptomatic viral shedding in high-risk mpox contacts: A prospective cohort study. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28769. [PMID: 37212312 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The risk of infection after exposure to clade IIb mpox virus (MPXV) is unknown, and potential presymptomatic shedding of MPXV remains to be demonstrated. High-risk contacts of mpox patients were followed-up in a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Individuals reporting sexual contact, >15 min skin-to-skin contact, or living in the same household with an mpox patient were recruited in a sexual health clinic in Antwerp, Belgium. Participants kept a symptom diary, performed daily self-sampling (anorectal, genital, and saliva), and presented for weekly clinic visits for physical examination and sampling (blood and oropharyngeal). Samples were tested for MPXV by PCR. Between June 24 and July 31, 2022, 25 contacts were included, of which 12/18 (66.0%) sexual and 1/7 (14.0%) nonsexual contacts showed evidence of infection by MPXV-PCR. Six cases had typical mpox symptoms. Viral DNA was detected as early as 4 days before symptom onset in 5 of them. In 3 of these cases, replication-competent virus was demonstrated in the presymptomatic phase. These findings confirm the existence of presymptomatic shedding of replication-competent MPXV and emphasize the high risk of transmission during sexual contact. Sexual contacts of mpox cases should abstain from sex during the incubation period, irrespective of symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Brosius
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christophe Van Dijck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jasmine Coppens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Leen Vandenhove
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eugene Bangwen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Fien Vanroye
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jacob Verschueren
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sabine Zange
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Johan Michiels
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Patrick Soentjens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Johan van Griensven
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chris Kenyon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Kevin K Ariën
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Koen Vercauteren
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Laurens Liesenborghs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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18
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Díaz-Menéndez M, Angelo KM, de Miguel Buckley R, Bottieau E, Huits R, Grobusch MP, Gobbi FG, Asgeirsson H, Duvignaud A, Norman FF, Javelle E, Epelboin L, Rothe C, Chappuis F, Martinez GE, Popescu C, Camprubí-Ferrer D, Molina I, Odolini S, Barkati S, Kuhn S, Vaughan S, McCarthy A, Lago M, Libman MD, Hamer DH. Dengue outbreak amongst travellers returning from Cuba-GeoSentinel surveillance network, January-September 2022. J Travel Med 2023; 30:taac139. [PMID: 36573483 PMCID: PMC10166199 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taac139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Increasing numbers of travellers returning from Cuba with dengue virus infection were reported to the GeoSentinel Network from June to September 2022, reflecting an ongoing local outbreak. This report demonstrates the importance of travellers as sentinels of arboviral outbreaks and highlights the need for early identification of travel-related dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Díaz-Menéndez
- Tropical Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz Carlos III, CIBERINFECT, Pso de la Castellana, 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Kristina M Angelo
- Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Rosa de Miguel Buckley
- Tropical Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz Carlos III, CIBERINFECT, Pso de la Castellana, 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155 Nationalestraat, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Ralph Huits
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Via don A. Sempreboni, 5, 37024 Negrar, Verona, Italy
| | - Martin P Grobusch
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Center, AMC, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity, Amsterdam Public Health, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Federico Giovanni Gobbi
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Via don A. Sempreboni, 5, 37024 Negrar, Verona, Italy
| | - Hilmir Asgeirsson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexandre Duvignaud
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Hôpital Pellegrin, CHU Bordeaux, Place Amélie Raba Léon, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Francesca F Norman
- Unidad de Medicina Tropical-Servicio de Enfermedades Infecciosas-Hospital Ramon y Cajal, C'tra de Calmenar Km. 9,1, Madrid 08001, Spain
| | - Emilie Javelle
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Loïc Epelboin
- Centre Hospitalier Andree Rosemon, Av des flamboyants, Cayenne 97036, France
| | - Camilla Rothe
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstrasse 5, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Francois Chappuis
- Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 6 rue Gabrielle Perret Gentil, Geneva 1205, Switzerland
| | - Gabriela Equihua Martinez
- Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health-Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Spandauer Damm 130, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Corneliu Popescu
- Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dionisie Lupu St., 37, Sector 2, Bucharest 050474, Romania
- Dr Victor Babes Clinical Hospital and Infectious Diseases, Strada Gheorghe Adam 13, Timișoara 300310, Romania
| | - Daniel Camprubí-Ferrer
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clinic Universitat de Barcelona, Roselló, 132, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Israel Molina
- Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, P° Vall d'Hebron 119, Barcelona 08035, Spain
| | - Silvia Odolini
- University Division of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia 25123, Italy
| | - Sapha Barkati
- J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, 1001 boul Decarie, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Susan Kuhn
- Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Stephen Vaughan
- Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Anne McCarthy
- The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Mar Lago
- Tropical Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz Carlos III, CIBERINFECT, Pso de la Castellana, 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Michael D Libman
- J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, 1001 boul Decarie, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Davidson H Hamer
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health; Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine; Center for Infectious Disease Policy and Research, Boston University; and National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Crosstown 308, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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19
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Camprubí-Ferrer D, Cobuccio L, Van Den Broucke S, Balerdi-Sarasola L, Genton B, Bottieau E, Navero-Castillejos J, Martinez MJ, Jay C, Grange A, Borland S, Vaughn M, Rodriguez-Valero N, Almuedo-Riera A, D'Acremont V, Subirà C, Alba T, Cruz A, Van Esbroeck M, Smith C, Hillman A, Hanberg B, Trauscht R, Spampanato N, Muñoz J. Clinical evaluation of BioFire® multiplex-PCR panel for acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses in travellers: a prospective multicenter study. J Travel Med 2023; 30:7093091. [PMID: 36988415 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taad041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying the causes of Acute Undifferentiated Febrile Illness(AUFI) is key to improve the management of returning travellers with fever. We evaluated a BioFire®FilmArray® prototype panel of multiplex nucleic acid amplification tests(NAAT) targeting different relevant pathogens in travellers returning with fever. METHODS Prospective, multicenter study to evaluate a prototype panel in whole blood samples of adult international travellers presenting with AUFI in three European travel Clinics/Hospitals (November2017-November2019). We evaluated 15 target analytes: Plasmodium spp., P.falciparum, P.knowlesi, P.malariae, P.ovale, P.vivax, chikungunya virus, dengue virus, Zika virus, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia spp., Leptospira spp., Orientia tsutsugamushi, Rickettsia spp., Salmonella spp. Results were compared with composite reference standards(CRS) for each target infection, including direct methods (smear microscopy, rapid diagnostic test(RDT), reference NAAT, blood cultures) and indirect methods(paired serology). FINDINGS Among 455 travellers with AUFI, 229 target infections were diagnosed; the prototype panel detected 143 (overall sensitivity and specificity of 62.5% and 99·8%, respectively). The panel identified all Plasmodium infections(n = 82). Sensitivity for dengue(n = 71) was 92·9%; 80·8% and 68·5% compared to RDT, NAAT and CRS. Compared to direct methods and CRS, respectively, the prototype panel detected 4/4 and 4/6 chikungunya, 2/2 and 4/29 Leptospira spp., 1/1 and 1/6 O.tsutsugamushi, 2/2 and 2/55 Rickettsia spp., but 0/2 and 0/10 Zika, 0/1 and 0/11 A.phagocytophylum, 0/3 Borrelia spp. diagnosed by serology and 1/7 Salmonella spp. diagnosed by blood cultures. 77/86 (89·5%) infections not detected by the panel were diagnosed by serology. INTERPRETATION The prototype panel allowed rapid and reliable diagnosis for malaria, dengue and chikungunya. Further improvements are needed to improve its sensitivity for Zika and important travel-related bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ludovico Cobuccio
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Blaise Genton
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | - Corinne Jay
- bioMérieux, Centre Christophe Mérieux, Parc PolyTec, Grenoble, France
| | - Anne Grange
- bioMérieux, Centre Christophe Mérieux, Parc PolyTec, Grenoble, France
| | - Stéphanie Borland
- bioMérieux, Centre Christophe Mérieux, Parc PolyTec, Grenoble, France
| | - Mike Vaughn
- BioFire Diagnostics, LLC,a bioMérieux company, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | | | - Valérie D'Acremont
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carme Subirà
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tessa Alba
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Angeline Cruz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Crystal Smith
- BioFire Diagnostics, LLC,a bioMérieux company, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Ashley Hillman
- BioFire Diagnostics, LLC,a bioMérieux company, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Brandon Hanberg
- BioFire Diagnostics, LLC,a bioMérieux company, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Rob Trauscht
- BioFire Diagnostics, LLC,a bioMérieux company, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Jose Muñoz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Stelzle D, Makasi C, Schmidt V, Trevisan C, Van Damme I, Ruether C, Dorny P, Magnussen P, Zulu G, Mwape KE, Bottieau E, Prazeres da Costa C, Prodjinotho UF, Carabin H, Jackson E, Fleury A, Gabriël S, Ngowi BJ, Winkler AS. Efficacy and safety of antiparasitic therapy for neurocysticercosis in rural Tanzania: a prospective cohort study. Infection 2023:10.1007/s15010-023-02021-y. [PMID: 36961623 PMCID: PMC10037392 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-023-02021-y] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neurocysticercosis is common in regions endemic for Taenia solium. Active-stage neurocysticercosis can be treated with antiparasitic medication, but so far no study on efficacy and safety has been conducted in Africa. METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study on treatment of neurocysticercosis in Tanzania between August 2018 and January 2022. Patients were initially treated with albendazole (15 mg/kg/d) for 10 days and followed up for 6 months. Additionally in July 2021, all participants who then still had cysts were offered a combination therapy consisting of albendazole (15 mg/kg/d) and praziquantel (50 mg/kg/d). Antiparasitic treatment was accompanied by corticosteroid medication and anti-seizure medication if the patient had experienced epileptic seizures before treatment. RESULTS Sixty-three patients were recruited for this study, of whom 17 had a complete follow-up after albendazole monotherapy. These patients had a total of 138 cysts at baseline, of which 58 (42%) had disappeared or calcified by the end of follow-up. The median cyst reduction was 40% (interquartile range 11-63%). Frequency of epileptic seizures reduced considerably (p < 0.001). Three patients had all active cysts resolved or calcified and of the remaining 14, eight received the combination therapy which resolved 63 of 66 cysts (95%). Adverse events were infrequent and mild to moderate during both treatment cycles. CONCLUSION Cyst resolution was unsatisfactory with albendazole monotherapy but was very high when it was followed by a combination of albendazole and praziquantel.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Stelzle
- Center for Global Health, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
| | - C Makasi
- National Institute for Medical Research, Muhimbili Medical Research Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - V Schmidt
- Center for Global Health, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - C Trevisan
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - I Van Damme
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Service of Foodborne Pathogens, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - C Ruether
- Department of Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - P Dorny
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - P Magnussen
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - G Zulu
- Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - K E Mwape
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - E Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - C Prazeres da Costa
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Center for Global Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Infection and Research (DZIF), Munich, Germany
| | - U F Prodjinotho
- Center for Global Health, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Center for Global Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - H Carabin
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, École de Santé Publique de l'université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP) de l'université de Montréal et du CIUSS du Centre Sud de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - E Jackson
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP) de l'université de Montréal et du CIUSS du Centre Sud de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - A Fleury
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas-UNAM/Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía/Facultad de Medicina-UNAM, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - S Gabriël
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - B J Ngowi
- National Institute for Medical Research, Muhimbili Medical Research Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- University of Dar es Salaam, Mbeya College of Health and Allies Sciences, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - A S Winkler
- Center for Global Health, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Neurology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
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21
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Martin C, Bottieau E, Delforge M, Dauby N. Do people living with HIV travel safely? Assessment of travel patterns and advice-seeking behaviour in a cohort of people living with HIV in Belgium. HIV Med 2023. [PMID: 36883615 DOI: 10.1111/hiv.13470] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pre-travel counselling has demonstrated its efficacy in decreasing travel-related health complications. The current profile of people living with HIV (PLWH) in Europe [increasing age, visiting friends and relatives (VFR)] makes pre-travel counselling crucial. We aimed to survey the self-reported travel patterns and advice-seeking behaviour among PLWH followed up at the HIV Reference Centre (HRC) of Saint-Pierre Hospital, Brussels. METHODS A survey was conducted in all PLWH presenting at the HRC from February to June 2021. The survey covered demographic elements, travel and pre-travel consultation habits over the last 10 years, or since the diagnosis of HIV if it was made less than 10 years earlier. RESULTS The survey was completed by 1024 PLWH (35% women, median age 49 years, the majority being virologically controlled). A substantial number of PLWH were involved in VFR travel in low-resource countries and 65% sought pre-travel advice before travelling: if not, it was because they did not know it was necessary (91%). CONCLUSION Travel is common among PLWH. Raising awareness of the importance of pre-travel counselling should be a routine part of every healthcare encounter and especially during regular contact with HIV physicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Martin
- Infectious Diseases Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marc Delforge
- Infectious Diseases Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Dauby
- Infectious Diseases Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Environmental Health Research Centre, Public Health School, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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22
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Van Dijck C, De Baetselier I, Kenyon C, Liesenborghs L, Vercauteren K, Van Esbroeck M, De Baetselier I, Kenyon C, Brosius I, Liesenborghs L, Van den Bossche D, Florence E, van Griensven J, Bottieau E, Soentjens P, Berens-Riha N, Vanbaelen T, Van Frankenhuijsen M, Vandenbruaene M, Huyst V, Wouters K, Apers L, Kint I, Caluwaerts S, Coppens J, Van Esbroeck M, Vercauteren K. Mpox screening in high-risk populations finds no asymptomatic cases. Lancet Microbe 2023; 4:e132-e133. [PMID: 36509096 PMCID: PMC9733947 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(22)00357-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Van Dijck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Irith De Baetselier
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chris Kenyon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Laurens Liesenborghs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Koen Vercauteren
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
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23
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Hens M, Brosius I, Berens-Riha N, Coppens J, Van Gestel L, Rutgers J, Kenyon C, Soentjens P, van Henten S, Bracke S, Vanbaelen T, Vandenhoven L, Bottieau E, Vercauteren K, Van Esbroeck M, Liesenborghs L, Van Dijck C, Van Esbroeck M, Brosius I, Liesenborghs L, Van Gestel L, Rutgers J, Kenyon C, De Baetselier I, Coppens J, Van den Bossche D, Florence E, Vercauteren K, van Griensven J, Bottieau E, Soentjens P, Berens-Riha N, van Henten S, Bracke S, Vanbaelen T, Vandenhoven L, Van Frankenhuijsen M, Vandenbruaene M, Huyst V, Wouters K, Apers L, Kint I, Caluwaerts S, Vanroye F, Verschueren J, Ariën K. Characteristics of confirmed mpox cases among clinical suspects: A prospective single-centre study in Belgium during the 2022 outbreak. New Microbes New Infect 2023; 52:101093. [PMID: 36874154 PMCID: PMC9982023 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2023.101093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The presentation of mpox clade IIb during the 2022 outbreak overlaps with a range of other diseases. Understanding the factors associated with mpox is important for clinical decision making. Methods We described the characteristics of mpox patients who sought care at Belgian sexual health clinic. Furthermore we compared their characteristics to those of patients with a clinical suspicion of mpox but who tested negative on polymerase chain reaction. Results Between May 23 and September 20, 2022, 155 patients were diagnosed with mpox, and 51 patients with suspected symptoms tested negative. All mpox patients self-identified as men and 148/155 (95.5%) as gay or bisexual MSM. Systemic symptoms were present in 116/155 (74.8%) patients. All but 10 patients (145/155, 93.5%) presented with skin lesions. Other manifestations were lymphadenopathy (72/155, 46.5%), proctitis (50/155, 32.3%), urethritis (12/155, 7.7%), tonsillitis (2/155, 1.3%). Complications involved bacterial skin infection (13/155, 8.4%) and penile oedema with or without paraphimosis (4/155, 2.6%). In multivariable logistic regression models, the presence of lymphadenopathy (OR 3.79 95% CI 1.44-11.49), skin lesions (OR 4.35 95% CI 1.15-17.57) and proctitis (OR 9.41 95% CI 2.72-47.07) were associated with the diagnosis of mpox. There were no associations with age, HIV status, childhood smallpox vaccination, number of sexual partners and international travel. Conclusions The presence of proctitis, lymphadenopathies and skin lesions should increase clinical suspicion of mpox in patients with compatible symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Hens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Isabel Brosius
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nicole Berens-Riha
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jasmine Coppens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Liesbeth Van Gestel
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jojanneke Rutgers
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chris Kenyon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Patrick Soentjens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Saskia van Henten
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Stefanie Bracke
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Thibaut Vanbaelen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Leen Vandenhoven
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Koen Vercauteren
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Laurens Liesenborghs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christophe Van Dijck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.,Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Belgium
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24
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Camprubí-Ferrer D, Oteo JA, Bottieau E, Genton B, Balerdi-Sarasola L, Portillo A, Cobuccio L, Van Den Broucke S, Santibáñez S, Cadar D, Rodriguez-Valero N, Almuedo-Riera A, Subirà C, d'Acremont V, Martinez MJ, Roldán M, Navero-Castillejos J, Van Esbroeck M, Muñoz J. Doxycycline responding illnesses in returning travellers with undifferentiated non-malaria fever: a European multicentre prospective cohort study. J Travel Med 2023; 30:6657742. [PMID: 35932455 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taac094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diagnosis of undifferentiated non-malaria fevers (NMF) in returning travellers is a great challenge. Currently, there is no consensus about the use of empirical antibiotics in returning travellers with undifferentiated NMF. Although studies in endemic areas showed that a wide range of pathogens implicated in undifferentiated NMF are treatable with doxycycline, the role of doxycycline in returning travellers with fever still has to be explored. METHODS Prospective European multicentre cohort study of febrile international travellers (November 2017-November 2019). Immunological and molecular diagnostic techniques for doxycycline responding illnesses (DRI) agents such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, spotted fever group Rickettsia spp., typhus group Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella spp., Orientia tsutsugamushi, Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia recurrentis and Leptospira spp. were systematically performed in all patients with undifferentiated NMF. We estimated the prevalence and predictive factors of DRI in returning travellers with undifferentiated NMF. RESULTS Among 347 travellers with undifferentiated NMF, 106 (30·5%) were finally diagnosed with DRI. Only 57 (53·8%) of the 106 DRI infections were diagnosed by the standard of care. The main causes of DRI were: 55 (51·9%) Rickettsia spp., 16 (15·1%) C. burnetii; 15 (14·2%) Bartonella spp.; 13 (12·3%) Leptospira spp. and 10 (9·5%) A. phagocytophilum. The only predictive factor associated with DRI was presenting an eschar (aOR 39·52, 95%CI 4·85-322·18). Features of dengue such as retro-orbital pain (aOR 0·40, 95%CI 0·21-0·76) and neutropenia (aOR 0·41, 95%CI 0·21-0·79) were negatively associated with DRI. CONCLUSIONS Although DRI are responsible for 30% of undifferentiated NMF cases in travellers, those are seldom recognized during the first clinical encounter. Empirical treatment with doxycycline should be considered in returning travellers with undifferentiated fever and negative tests for malaria and dengue, particularly when presenting severe illness, predictive factors for rickettsiosis or no features of dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José Antonio Oteo
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño 26006, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Blaise Genton
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel 4051, Switzerland
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland
| | | | - Aránzazu Portillo
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño 26006, Spain
| | - Ludovico Cobuccio
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel 4051, Switzerland
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland
| | | | - Sonia Santibáñez
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño 26006, Spain
| | - Dániel Cadar
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Centre for Tropical Pathogens, Hamburg 20359, Germany
| | | | - Alex Almuedo-Riera
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Carme Subirà
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Valérie d'Acremont
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel 4051, Switzerland
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland
| | | | - Montserrat Roldán
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | | | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Jose Muñoz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
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25
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Berens-Riha N, Bracke S, Rutgers J, Burm C, Van Gestel L, Hens M, Kenyon C, Bottieau E, Soentjens P, Brosius I, Van Esbroeck M, Vercauteren K, van Griensven J, van Dijck C, Liesenborghs L. Persistent morbidity in Clade IIb mpox patients: interim results of a long-term follow-up study, Belgium, June to November 2022. Euro Surveill 2023; 28:2300072. [PMID: 36795501 PMCID: PMC9936596 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.7.2300072] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
While mpox was well characterised during the 2022 global Clade IIb outbreak, little is known about persistent morbidity. We present interim results of a prospective cohort study of 95 mpox patients assessed 3-20 weeks post-symptom onset. Two-thirds of participants had residual morbidity, including 25 with persistent anorectal and 18 with genital symptoms. Loss of physical fitness, new-onset/worsened fatigue and mental health problems were reported in 36, 19 and 11 patients, respectively. These findings require attention by healthcare providers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Matilde Hens
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chris Kenyon
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium,University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christophe van Dijck
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium,These authors contributed equally to this work and share last authorship
| | - Laurens Liesenborghs
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium,These authors contributed equally to this work and share last authorship
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26
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Angelo KM, Smith T, Camprubí-Ferrer D, Balerdi-Sarasola L, Díaz Menéndez M, Servera-Negre G, Barkati S, Duvignaud A, Huber KLB, Chakravarti A, Bottieau E, Greenaway C, Grobusch MP, Mendes Pedro D, Asgeirsson H, Popescu CP, Martin C, Licitra C, de Frey A, Schwartz E, Beadsworth M, Lloveras S, Larsen CS, Guagliardo SAJ, Whitehill F, Huits R, Hamer DH, Kozarsky P, Libman M. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with monkeypox in the GeoSentinel Network: a cross-sectional study. Lancet Infect Dis 2023; 23:196-206. [PMID: 36216018 PMCID: PMC9546520 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(22)00651-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The early epidemiology of the 2022 monkeypox epidemic in non-endemic countries differs substantially from the epidemiology previously reported from endemic countries. We aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics among individuals with confirmed cases of monkeypox infection. METHODS We descriptively analysed data for patients with confirmed monkeypox who were included in the GeoSentinel global clinical-care-based surveillance system between May 1 and July 1 2022, across 71 clinical sites in 29 countries. Data collected included demographics, travel history including mass gathering attendance, smallpox vaccination history, social history, sexual history, monkeypox exposure history, medical history, clinical presentation, physical examination, testing results, treatment, and outcomes. We did descriptive analyses of epidemiology and subanalyses of patients with and without HIV, patients with CD4 counts of less than 500 cells per mm3 or 500 cells per mm3 and higher, patients with one sexual partner or ten or more sexual partners, and patients with or without a previous smallpox vaccination. FINDINGS 226 cases were reported at 18 sites in 15 countries. Of 211 men for whom data were available, 208 (99%) were gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men (MSM) with a median age of 37 years (range 18-68; IQR 32-43). Of 209 patients for whom HIV status was known, 92 (44%) men had HIV infection with a median CD4 count of 713 cells per mm3 (range 36-1659; IQR 500-885). Of 219 patients for whom data were available, 216 (99%) reported sexual or close intimate contact in the 21 days before symptom onset; MSM reported a median of three partners (IQR 1-8). Of 195 patients for whom data were available, 78 (40%) reported close contact with someone who had confirmed monkeypox. Overall, 30 (13%) of 226 patients were admitted to hospital; 16 (53%) of whom had severe illness, defined as hospital admission for clinical care rather than infection control. No deaths were reported. Compared with patients without HIV, patients with HIV were more likely to have diarrhoea (p=0·002), perianal rash or lesions (p=0·03), and a higher rash burden (median rash burden score 9 [IQR 6-21] for patients with HIV vs median rash burden score 6 [IQR 3-14] for patients without HIV; p<0·0001), but no differences were identified in the proportion of men who had severe illness by HIV status. INTERPRETATION Clinical manifestations of monkeypox infection differed by HIV status. Recommendations should be expanded to include pre-exposure monkeypox vaccination of groups at high risk of infection who plan to engage in sexual or close intimate contact. FUNDING US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, International Society of Travel Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M Angelo
- Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Teresa Smith
- Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA,Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | | | | | - Marta Díaz Menéndez
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Hospital Universitario La Paz Carlos III, CIBERINFECT, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Sapha Barkati
- J D MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre Duvignaud
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Hôpital Pellegrin, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Kristina L B Huber
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christina Greenaway
- J D MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada,Division of Infectious Disease, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Martin P Grobusch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands,Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Diogo Mendes Pedro
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal,Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Hilmir Asgeirsson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden,Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Corneliu Petru Popescu
- Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania,Dr Victor Babeș Clinical Hospital and Infectious Diseases, Timișoara, Romania
| | - Charlotte Martin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Albie de Frey
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Eli Schwartz
- Center of Geographical Medicine and Tropical Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer, Israel,Ramat Gan and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Susana Lloveras
- Francisco J Muñiz Infectious Disease Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carsten S Larsen
- Department of Infectious Disease, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sarah Anne J Guagliardo
- Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Florence Whitehill
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ralph Huits
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Davidson H Hamer
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, and Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy and National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Michael Libman
- J D MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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27
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Peeters M, Schenk J, De Somer T, Roskams T, Locus T, Klamer S, Subissi L, Suin V, Delwaide J, Stärkel P, De Maeght S, Willems P, Colle I, Van Hoof M, Van Acker J, Van Steenkiste C, Moreno C, Janssens F, Reynders M, Steverlynck M, Verlinden W, Lasser L, de Galocsy C, Geerts A, Maus J, Gallant M, Van Outryve S, Marot A, Reynaert H, Decaestecker J, Bottieau E, Schreiber J, Mulkay JP, de Goeij S, Salame M, Dooremont D, Dastis SN, Boes J, Nijs J, Beyls J, Hens N, Nevens F, Van Gucht S, Vanwolleghem T. Viral clade is associated with severity of symptomatic genotype 3 hepatitis E virus infections in Belgium, 2010-2018. J Hepatol 2023; 78:67-77. [PMID: 36075495 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS HEV genotype (gt) 3 infections are prevalent in high-income countries and display a wide spectrum of clinical presentations. Host - but not viral - factors are reported to be associated with worse clinical outcomes. METHODS Demographic, clinical, and biochemical data laboratory-confirmed HEV infections (by PCR and/or a combination of IgM and IgG serology) at the Belgian National Reference Centre between January 2010 and June 2018 were collected using standardised case report forms. Genotyping was based on HEV open reading frame 2 sequences. Serum CXCL10 levels were measured by a magnetic bead-based assay. H&E staining was performed on liver biopsies. RESULTS A total of 274 HEV-infected individuals were included. Subtype assignment was possible for 179/218 viraemic cases, confirming gt3 as dominant with an almost equal representation of clades abchijklm and efg. An increased hospitalisation rate and higher peak serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase were found in clade efg-infected individuals in univariate analyses. In multivariable analyses, clade efg infections remained more strongly associated with severe disease presentation than any of the previously identified host risk factors, being associated with a 2.1-fold higher risk of hospitalisation (95% CI 1.1-4.4, p = 0.034) and a 68.2% higher peak of bilirubin levels (95% CI 13.3-149.9, p = 0.010), independently of other factors included in the model. In addition, acute clade efg infections were characterised by higher serum CXCL10 levels (p = 0.0005) and a more pronounced liver necro-inflammatory activity (p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS In symptomatic HEV gt3 infections, clade efg is associated with a more severe disease presentation, higher serum CXCL10 levels, and liver necro-inflammatory activity, irrespective of known host risk factors. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION The protocol was submitted to clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04670419). IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS HEV genotype (gt) 3 infections display a wide spectrum of clinical presentations currently ascribed to host factors. Here we examined the role of viral factors on liver disease outcomes by combining viral phylogeny with clinical, biochemical, cytokine, and histological data from 274 Belgian adults infected with HEV presenting between 2010 and 2018. HEV gt 3 clade efg infections were associated with a more severe disease presentation, higher serum CXCL10 levels and liver necro-inflammatory activity, irrespective of known host risk factors. HEV gt3 clade-dependent clinical outcomes call for broad HEV gt3 subtyping in clinical practice and research to help identify those at higher risk for worse outcomes and to further unravel underlying virus-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Peeters
- Sciensano, Infectious Diseases in Humans, Viral Diseases, National Reference Centre of Hepatitis Viruses, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Julie Schenk
- University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Antwerp, Belgium; Hasselt University, Data Science Institute, Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Thomas De Somer
- University Hospital Antwerp, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Antwerp, Belgium; Maria Middelares Hospital, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tania Roskams
- KU Leuven, Pathology, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tatjana Locus
- Sciensano, Infectious Diseases in Humans, Viral Diseases, National Reference Centre of Hepatitis Viruses, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sofieke Klamer
- Sciensano, Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lorenzo Subissi
- Sciensano, Infectious Diseases in Humans, Viral Diseases, National Reference Centre of Hepatitis Viruses, Brussels, Belgium; European Public Health Microbiology Training Program (EUPHEM), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vanessa Suin
- Sciensano, Infectious Diseases in Humans, Viral Diseases, National Reference Centre of Hepatitis Viruses, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean Delwaide
- University Hospital Liege, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Liege, Belgium
| | - Peter Stärkel
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (CUSL), Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Isabelle Colle
- A.S.Z. Aalst, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Aalst, Belgium; Ghent University Hospital, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marc Van Hoof
- Clinique Saint-Luc, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Bouge, Belgium
| | - Jos Van Acker
- AZ Sint-Lucas, Clinical Microbiology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Christophe Van Steenkiste
- University Hospital Antwerp, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Antwerp, Belgium; Maria Middelares Hospital, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Christophe Moreno
- CUB Hôpital Erasme, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Filip Janssens
- Jessa Hospital, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Marijke Reynders
- AZ Sint-Jan Brugge-Oostende AV, Medical Microbiology, Laboratory Medicine, Brugge, Belgium
| | | | - Wim Verlinden
- University Hospital Antwerp, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Antwerp, Belgium; Vitaz, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium; University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics, Viral Hepatitis Research Group, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Luc Lasser
- CHU Brugmann, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Anja Geerts
- Ghent University Hospital, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Maus
- ZNA Middelheim, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marie Gallant
- Jan Yperman Ziekenhuis, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Ieper, Belgium
| | | | - Astrid Marot
- CHU UCL Namur, Université Catholique de Louvain, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yvoir, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Reynaert
- University Hospital UZ Brussel, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Jonas Schreiber
- CHIREC Delta Hospital, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Mikhaël Salame
- Centre Hospitalier Régional Haute Senne, Soignies, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Jochen Nijs
- Sint-Trudo Ziekenhuis, Department of Gastroenterology, Sint-Truiden, Belgium
| | - Jan Beyls
- Sint-Andriesziekenhuis, Department of Gastroenterology, Tielt, Belgium
| | - Niel Hens
- University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Antwerp, Belgium; Hasselt University, Data Science Institute, Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Frederik Nevens
- University Hospitals KU Leuven, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven Van Gucht
- Sciensano, Infectious Diseases in Humans, Viral Diseases, National Reference Centre of Hepatitis Viruses, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Thomas Vanwolleghem
- University Hospital Antwerp, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Antwerp, Belgium; University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics, Viral Hepatitis Research Group, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Berens-Riha N, De Block T, Rutgers J, Michiels J, Van Gestel L, Hens M, Kenyon C, Bottieau E, Soentjens P, van Griensven J, Brosius I, Ariën KK, Van Esbroeck M, Rezende AM, Vercauteren K, Liesenborghs L. Severe mpox (formerly monkeypox) disease in five patients after recent vaccination with MVA-BN vaccine, Belgium, July to October 2022. Euro Surveill 2022; 27:2200894. [PMID: 36695462 PMCID: PMC9716643 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2022.27.48.2200894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination is important in containing the 2022 mpox (formerly monkeypox) epidemic. We describe five Belgian patients with localised severe symptoms of proctitis and penile oedema, occurring between 4 and 35 days after post-exposure preventive vaccination or after one- or two-dose off-label pre-exposure preventive vaccination with MVA-BN vaccine. Genome sequencing did not reveal evidence for immune escape variants. Healthcare workers and those at risk should be aware of possible infections occurring shortly after vaccination and the need for other preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Matilde Hens
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Chris Kenyon
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium,University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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29
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Tamarozzi F, Rodari P, Salas-Coronas J, Bottieau E, Salvador F, Soriano-Pérez MJ, Cabeza-Barrera MI, Van Esbroeck M, Treviño B, Buonfrate D, Gobbi FG. A large case series of travel-related Mansonella perstans (vector-borne filarial nematode): a TropNet study in Europe. J Travel Med 2022; 29:6567953. [PMID: 35417002 PMCID: PMC9635058 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taac048] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infection with Mansonella perstans is a neglected filariasis, widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by an elusive clinical picture; treatment for mansonellosis is not standardized. This retrospective study aimed to describe the clinical features, treatment schemes and evolution, of a large cohort of imported cases of M. perstans infection seen in four European centres for tropical diseases. METHODS Mansonella perstans infections, diagnosed by identification of blood microfilariae in migrants, expatriates and travellers, collected between 1994 and 2018, were retrospectively analysed. Data concerning demographics, clinical history and laboratory examinations at diagnosis and at follow-up time points were retrieved. RESULTS A total of 392 patients were included in the study. Of the 281 patients for whom information on symptoms could be retrieved, 150 (53.4%) reported symptoms, abdominal pain and itching being the most frequent. Positive serology and eosinophilia were present in 84.4% and 66.1%, respectively, of those patients for whom these data were available. Concomitant parasitic infections were reported in 23.5% of patients. Treatment, administered to 325 patients (82.9%), was extremely heterogeneous between and within centres; the most commonly used regimen was mebendazole 100 mg twice a day for 1 month. A total of 256 (65.3%) patients attended a first follow-up, median 3 months (interquartile range 2-12) after the first visit; 83.1% of patients having received treatment based on mebendazole and/or doxycycline, targeting Wolbachia, became amicrofilaremic, 41.1-78.4% of whom within 12 months from single treatment. CONCLUSIONS Lack of specific symptoms, together with the inconstant positivity of parasitological and antibody-based assays in the infected population, makes the clinical suspicion and screening for mansonellosis particularly difficult. Prospective studies evaluating prevalence of infection in migrants from endemic areas, infection-specific morbidity, presence of Wolbachia endosymbionts in M. perstans populations from different geographical areas and efficacy of treatment regimens are absolutely needed to optimize the clinical management of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Tamarozzi
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | - Paola Rodari
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Fernando Salvador
- Tropical Medicine Unit Vall d'Hebron-Drassanes, Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Begoña Treviño
- Tropical Medicine Unit Vall d'Hebron-Drassanes, Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dora Buonfrate
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | - Federico G Gobbi
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
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30
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Mande G, Akonda I, De Weggheleire A, Brosius I, Liesenborghs L, Bottieau E, Ross N, Gembu GC, Colebunders R, Verheyen E, Ngonda D, Leirs H, Laudisoit A. Enhanced surveillance of monkeypox in Bas-Uélé, Democratic Republic of Congo: the limitations of symptom-based case definitions. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 122:647-655. [PMID: 35809857 PMCID: PMC9628793 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.06.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Following an outbreak of cases of vesicular-pustular rash with fever, evocative of human monkeypox, in Bas-Uélé province, Democratic Republic of Congo, surveillance was strengthened. METHODS Households with at least one active generalized vesicular-pustular rash case were visited, and contact and clinical history information were collected from all household members. Whenever possible, skin lesions were screened by polymerase chain reaction for the monkeypox virus, followed by the varicella-zoster virus, when negative for the former. RESULTS Polymerase chain reaction results were obtained for 77 suspected cases, distributed in 138 households, of which 27.3% were positive for monkeypox, 58.4% positive for chickenpox, and 14.3% negative for both. Confirmed monkeypox cases presented more often with monomorphic skin lesions on the palms of the hands and on the soles of the feet. Integrating these three features into the case definition raised the specificity to 85% but would miss 50% of true monkeypox cases. A predictive model fit on patient demographics and symptoms had 97% specificity and 80% sensitivity but only 80% and 33% in predicting out-of-sample cases. CONCLUSION Few discriminating features were identified and the performance of clinical case definitions was suboptimal. Rapid field diagnostics are needed to optimize worldwide early detection and surveillance of monkeypox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaspard Mande
- University of Kisangani, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, BP 2012, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo.
| | | | - Anja De Weggheleire
- Outbreak research team, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Isabel Brosius
- Outbreak research team, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Laurens Liesenborghs
- Outbreak research team, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Outbreak research team, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Noam Ross
- Ecohealth Alliance, 520 8(th) Avenue, 10018 New York, NY, United States of America.
| | - Guy-Crispin Gembu
- University of Kisangani, Faculty of Science and Center for Biodiversity Monitoring, BP2012, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo.
| | - Robert Colebunders
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Campus drie Eiken, Gouverneur Kinsbergen Centrum, Doornstraat 331, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Erik Verheyen
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken.
| | - Dauly Ngonda
- University of Kisangani, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, BP 2012, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo.
| | - Herwig Leirs
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken.
| | - Anne Laudisoit
- Ecohealth Alliance, 520 8(th) Avenue, 10018 New York, NY, United States of America; Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken.
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31
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Van Duffel L, Yansouni CP, Jacobs J, Van Esbroeck M, Ramadan K, Buyze J, Tsoumanis A, Barbé B, Boelaert M, Verdonck K, Chappuis F, Bottieau E. ACCURACY OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND PROCALCITONIN FOR DIAGNOSING BACTERIAL INFECTIONS AMONG SUBJECTS WITH PERSISTENT FEVER IN THE TROPICS. Open Forum Infect Dis 2022; 9:ofac434. [PMID: 36092831 PMCID: PMC9454028 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In low-resource settings, inflammatory biomarkers can help identify patients with acute febrile illness who do not require antibiotics. Their use has not been studied in persistent fever (defined as fever lasting for ≥7 days at presentation). Methods C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) levels were measured in stored serum samples of patients with persistent fever prospectively enrolled in Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nepal, and Sudan. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed for identifying all bacterial infections and the subcategory of severe infections judged to require immediate antibiotics. Results Among 1838 participants, CRP and PCT levels were determined in 1777 (96.7%) and 1711 (93.1%) samples, respectively, while white blood cell (WBC) count was available for 1762 (95.9%). Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for bacterial infections were higher for CRP (0.669) and WBC count (0.651) as compared with PCT (0.600; P <.001). Sensitivity for overall and severe bacterial infections was 76.3% (469/615) and 88.2% (194/220) for CRP >10 mg/L, 62.4% (380/609) and 76.8% (169/220) for PCT >0.1 µg/L, and 30.5% (184/604) and 43.7% (94/215) for WBC >11 000/µL, respectively. Initial CRP level was <10 mg/L in 45% of the participants who received antibiotics at first presentation. Conclusions In patients with persistent fever, CRP and PCT showed higher sensitivity for bacterial infections than WBC count, applying commonly used cutoffs for normal values. A normal CRP value excluded the vast majority of severe infections and could therefore assist in deciding whether to withhold empiric antibiotics after cautious clinical assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Van Duffel
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital , AUSL of Romagna, Forlì , Italy
| | - Cedric P Yansouni
- JD MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre , Montreal , Canada
| | - Jan Jacobs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation , KU Leuven, Leuven , Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Kadrie Ramadan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Jozefien Buyze
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Achilleas Tsoumanis
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Barbara Barbé
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Marleen Boelaert
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Kristien Verdonck
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Francois Chappuis
- Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine , Antwerp , Belgium
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32
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Huits R, Van Ierssel S, Rosanas-Urgell A, Van den Bossche D, Bottieau E. Parvovirus B19-associated transient aplastic crisis following P. falciparum malaria and post-artesunate delayed haemolysis in a returning traveller. J Travel Med 2022; 29:6553802. [PMID: 35325172 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taac042] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
We report a case of parvovirus B19-associated transient aplastic crisis following Plasmodium falciparum malaria and post-artesunate delayed haemolysis. Concomitant parvovirus B19 infection is an established cause of exacerbation of malaria-related anaemia in endemic countries, but a rare and potentially life-threatening condition in returning travellers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Huits
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sabrina Van Ierssel
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Anna Rosanas-Urgell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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33
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Bottieau E, Van Duffel L, El Safi S, Koirala KD, Khanal B, Rijal S, Bhattarai NR, Phe T, Lim K, Mukendi D, Kalo JRL, Lutumba P, Barbé B, Jacobs J, Van Esbroeck M, Foqué N, Tsoumanis A, Parola P, Yansouni CP, Boelaert M, Verdonck K, Chappuis F. Etiological spectrum of persistent fever in the tropics and predictors of ubiquitous infections: a prospective four-country study with pooled analysis. BMC Med 2022; 20:144. [PMID: 35491421 PMCID: PMC9059373 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02347-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Persistent fever, defined as fever lasting for 7 days or more at first medical evaluation, has been hardly investigated as a separate clinical entity in the tropics. This study aimed at exploring the frequencies and diagnostic predictors of the ubiquitous priority (i.e., severe and treatable) infections causing persistent fever in the tropics. METHODS In six different health settings across four countries in Africa and Asia (Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC], Nepal, and Cambodia), consecutive patients aged 5 years or older with persistent fever were prospectively recruited from January 2013 to October 2014. Participants underwent a reference diagnostic workup targeting a pre-established list of 12 epidemiologically relevant priority infections (i.e., malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, enteric fever, leptospirosis, rickettsiosis, brucellosis, melioidosis, relapsing fever, visceral leishmaniasis, human African trypanosomiasis, amebic liver abscess). The likelihood ratios (LRs) of clinical and basic laboratory features were determined by pooling all cases of each identified ubiquitous infection (i.e., found in all countries). In addition, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of five antibody-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs): Typhidot Rapid IgM, Test-itTM Typhoid IgM Lateral Flow Assay, and SD Bioline Salmonella typhi IgG/IgM for Salmonella Typhi infection, and Test-itTM Leptospira IgM Lateral Flow Assay and SD Bioline Leptospira IgG/IgM for leptospirosis. RESULTS A total of 1922 patients (median age: 35 years; female: 51%) were enrolled (Sudan, n = 667; DRC, n = 300; Nepal, n = 577; Cambodia, n = 378). Ubiquitous priority infections were diagnosed in 452 (23.5%) participants and included malaria 8.0% (n = 154), tuberculosis 6.7% (n = 129), leptospirosis 4.0% (n = 77), rickettsiosis 2.3% (n = 44), enteric fever 1.8% (n = 34), and new HIV diagnosis 0.7% (n = 14). The other priority infections were limited to one or two countries. The only features with a positive LR ≥ 3 were diarrhea for enteric fever and elevated alanine aminotransferase level for enteric fever and rickettsiosis. Sensitivities ranged from 29 to 67% for the three RDTs targeting S. Typhi and were 9% and 16% for the two RDTs targeting leptospirosis. Specificities ranged from 86 to 99% for S. Typhi detecting RDTs and were 96% and 97% for leptospirosis RDTs. CONCLUSIONS Leptospirosis, rickettsiosis, and enteric fever accounted each for a substantial proportion of the persistent fever caseload across all tropical areas, in addition to malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV. Very few discriminative features were however identified, and RDTs for leptospirosis and Salmonella Typhi infection performed poorly. Improved field diagnostics are urgently needed for these challenging infections. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT01766830 at ClinicalTrials.gov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Lukas Van Duffel
- Infectious Diseases Operative Unit, Santa Maria delle Croci Hospital, AUSL Romagna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Sayda El Safi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | | | - Basudha Khanal
- B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | - Suman Rijal
- B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | | | - Thong Phe
- Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Kruy Lim
- Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Deby Mukendi
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.,Service de neurologie, Université de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Jean-Roger Lilo Kalo
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Pascal Lutumba
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Barbara Barbé
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jan Jacobs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nikki Foqué
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Achilleas Tsoumanis
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Philippe Parola
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection & Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Cedric P Yansouni
- JD MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marleen Boelaert
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kristien Verdonck
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - François Chappuis
- Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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34
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Van Bortel W, Van den Poel B, Hermans G, Vanden Driessche M, Molzahn H, Deblauwe I, De Wolf K, Schneider A, Van Hul N, Müller R, Wilmaerts L, Gombeer S, Smitz N, Kattenberg JH, Monsieurs P, Rosanas-Urgell A, Van Esbroeck M, Bottieau E, Maniewski-Kelner U, Rebolledo J. Two fatal autochthonous cases of airport malaria, Belgium, 2020. Euro Surveill 2022; 27. [PMID: 35451360 PMCID: PMC9027149 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2022.27.16.2100724] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We report an outbreak investigation of two fatal cases of autochthonous Plasmodium falciparum malaria that occurred in Belgium in September 2020. Various hypotheses of the potential source of infection were investigated. The most likely route of transmission was through an infectious exotic Anopheles mosquito that was imported via the international airport of Brussels or the military airport Melsbroek and infected the cases who lived at 5 km from the airports. Based on genomic analysis of the parasites collected from the two cases, the most likely origin of the Plasmodium was Gabon or Cameroon. Further, the parasites collected from the two Belgian patients were identical by descent, which supports the assumption that the two infections originated from the bite of the same mosquito, during interrupted feeding. Although airport malaria remains a rare event, it has significant implications, particularly for the patient, as delayed or missed diagnosis of the cause of illness often results in complications and mortality. Therefore, to prevent such severe or fatal outcomes, we suggest a number of public health actions including increased awareness among health practitioners, especially those working in the vicinity of airports, and increased surveillance of exotic mosquito species at airports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wim Van Bortel
- Unit of Entomology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.,Outbreak Research Team, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Bea Van den Poel
- Clinical Laboratory, Jan Portaels General Hospital, Vilvoorde, Belgium
| | - Greet Hermans
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Department of General Internal Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Helmut Molzahn
- Intensive Care Unit, Jan Portaels General Hospital, Vilvoorde, Belgium
| | - Isra Deblauwe
- Unit of Entomology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Katrien De Wolf
- Unit of Entomology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Anna Schneider
- Unit of Entomology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nick Van Hul
- Unit of Entomology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ruth Müller
- Unit of Entomology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Leen Wilmaerts
- Veterinary Service, Military Hospital Queen Astrid, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie Gombeer
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Barcoding Facility for Organisms and Tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Smitz
- Royal Museum for Central Africa, Barcoding Facility for Organisms and Tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo), Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Johanna Helena Kattenberg
- Unit of Malariology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pieter Monsieurs
- Unit of Malariology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Anna Rosanas-Urgell
- Unit of Malariology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ula Maniewski-Kelner
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Javiera Rebolledo
- Department of epidemiology and infectious diseases, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
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35
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Tournoy TK, Rosanas-Urgell A, Van Esbroeck M, Bottieau E, Huits R. Plasmodium malariae after successful treatment of P. falciparum malaria with artemether-lumefantrine. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 119:56-58. [PMID: 35358721 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.03.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a case of Plasmodium malariae malaria in a traveler returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Belgium. This occurred despite successful artemether-lumefantrine treatment for Plasmodium falciparum three weeks earlier and in absence of re-exposure in an endemic area. We discuss possible explanations for this unusual observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tijs K Tournoy
- Ghent University Hospital - Ghent Belgium, Corneel Heymanslaan 10.
| | - Anna Rosanas-Urgell
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp - Antwerp Belgium, Kronenburgstraat 43.
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp - Antwerp Belgium, Kronenburgstraat 43.
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp - Antwerp Belgium, Kronenburgstraat 43.
| | - Ralph Huits
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp - Antwerp Belgium, Kronenburgstraat 43.
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Camprubí-Ferrer D, Cobuccio L, Van Den Broucke S, Genton B, Bottieau E, d'Acremont V, Rodriguez-Valero N, Almuedo-Riera A, Balerdi-Sarasola L, Subirà C, Fernandez-Pardos M, Martinez MJ, Navero-Castillejos J, Vera I, Llenas-Garcia J, Rothe C, Cadar D, Van Esbroeck M, Foque N, Muñoz J. Causes of fever in returning travelers: a European multicenter prospective cohort study. J Travel Med 2022; 29:6510556. [PMID: 35040473 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taac002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Etiological diagnosis of febrile illnesses in returning travelers is a great challenge, particularly when presenting with no focal symptoms [acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses (AUFI)], but is crucial to guide clinical decisions and public health policies. In this study, we describe the frequencies and predictors of the main causes of fever in travelers. METHODS Prospective European multicenter cohort study of febrile international travelers (November 2017-November 2019). A predefined diagnostic algorithm was used ensuring a systematic evaluation of all participants. After ruling out malaria, PCRs and serologies for dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses were performed in all patients presenting with AUFI ≤ 14 days after return. Clinical suspicion guided further microbiological investigations. RESULTS Among 765 enrolled participants, 310/765 (40.5%) had a clear source of infection (mainly traveler's diarrhea or respiratory infections), and 455/765 (59.5%) were categorized as AUFI. AUFI presented longer duration of fever (p < 0.001), higher hospitalization (p < 0.001) and ICU admission rates (p < 0.001). Among travelers with AUFI, 132/455 (29.0%) had viral infections, including 108 arboviruses, 96/455 (21.1%) malaria and 82/455 (18.0%) bacterial infections. The majority of arboviral cases (80/108, 74.1%) was diagnosed between May and November. Dengue was the most frequent arbovirosis (92/108, 85.2%). After 1 month of follow-up, 136/455 (29.9%) patients with AUFI remained undiagnosed using standard diagnostic methods. No relevant differences in laboratory presentation were observed between undiagnosed and bacterial AUFI. CONCLUSIONS Over 40% of returning travelers with AUFI were diagnosed with malaria or dengue, infections that can be easily diagnosed by rapid diagnostic tests. Arboviruses were the most common cause of AUFI (above malaria) and most cases were diagnosed during Aedes spp. high season. This is particularly relevant for those areas at risk of introduction of these pathogens. Empirical antibiotic regimens including doxycycline or azithromycin should be considered in patients with AUFI, after ruling out malaria and arboviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ludovico Cobuccio
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Blaise Genton
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Valérie d'Acremont
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Carme Subirà
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Isabel Vera
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jara Llenas-Garcia
- Internal Medicine - Infectious Diseases, Vega Baja Hospital, Orihuela, Alicante, Spain.,Clinical Medicine Department, University Miguel Hernández, Elche, Alicante, Spain
| | - Camilla Rothe
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Dániel Cadar
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Centre for Tropical Pathogens, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nikki Foque
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jose Muñoz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Dal-Ré R, Becker SL, Bottieau E, Holm S. Availability of oral antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 infection and the requirement for an ethical prescribing approach. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 2022; 22:e231-e238. [PMID: 35364019 PMCID: PMC8963769 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(22)00119-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The first two oral antivirals, molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir–ritonavir, are now becoming available in many countries. These medicines will be indicated to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in non-hospitalised patients who are at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19. These antivirals should be prescribed within 5 days of symptom onset, and after SARS-CoV-2 infection has been confirmed. However, the availability of these antivirals will be scarce for some time due to manufacturing constraints. Each country should establish a policy on the conditions under which these antivirals can be prescribed. Such a policy should be based on the fulfilment of five ethical elements: transparency, relevance, appeals, enforcement, and fairness. Following the principles of distributive justice, molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir–ritonavir should be prescribed according to a hierarchy of predicted efficacy, ideally on the basis of an evidence-based scoring system. The placebo-controlled randomised trials that supported the temporary authorisation of these two antivirals were conducted in unvaccinated patients with COVID-19, so an evidence-based prescription practice would only use these drugs for unvaccinated patients until further data become available. However, in the countries that authorised these antivirals in 2021 (the UK and the USA), both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients meeting particular requirements have access to these antivirals. Due to the complexity of prioritisation, national health authorities should start issuing their draft policies as soon as possible and these policies should be regularly updated. The effectiveness of these antivirals against the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 must be urgently assessed. Once implemented, molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir–ritonavir must show their effectiveness and safety in the real world, and health systems must be adequately adapted for the correct use of these antivirals.
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Laumen JGE, Van Dijck C, Abdellati S, De Baetselier I, Serrano G, Manoharan-Basil SS, Bottieau E, Martiny D, Kenyon C. Antimicrobial susceptibility of commensal Neisseria in a general population and men who have sex with men in Belgium. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9. [PMID: 34997050 PMCID: PMC8741786 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03995-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-pathogenic Neisseria are a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes for pathogenic Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at risk of co-colonization with resistant non-pathogenic and pathogenic Neisseria. We assessed if the antimicrobial susceptibility of non-pathogenic Neisseria among MSM differs from a general population and if antimicrobial exposure impacts susceptibility. We recruited 96 participants at our center in Belgium: 32 employees, 32 MSM who did not use antibiotics in the previous 6 months, and 32 MSM who did. Oropharyngeal Neisseria were cultured and identified with MALDI-TOF–MS. Minimum inhibitory concentrations for azithromycin, ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin were determined using E-tests® and compared between groups with non-parametric tests. Non-pathogenic Neisseria from employees as well as MSM were remarkably resistant. Those from MSM were significantly less susceptible than employees to azithromycin and ciprofloxacin (p < 0.0001, p < 0.001), but not ceftriaxone (p = 0.3). Susceptibility did not differ significantly according to recent antimicrobial exposure in MSM. Surveilling antimicrobial susceptibility of non-pathogenic Neisseria may be a sensitive way to assess impact of antimicrobial exposure in a population. The high levels of antimicrobial resistance in this survey indicate that novel resistance determinants may be readily available for future transfer from non-pathogenic to pathogenic Neisseria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolein Gyonne Elise Laumen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium.,Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Christophe Van Dijck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium.,Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Saïd Abdellati
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Irith De Baetselier
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gabriela Serrano
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles, Pôle Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Delphine Martiny
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles, Pôle Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Université de Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Chris Kenyon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium. .,Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
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Kourouma K, Grovogui FM, Delamou A, Chérif MS, Ingelbeen B, Beavogui AH, van Griensven J, Bottieau E. Management of febrile illness in rural Guinea over a seven-year period: A retrospective study. PLOS Glob Public Health 2022; 2:e0001133. [PMID: 36962689 PMCID: PMC10021211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Febrile illnesses constitute a major clinical challenge in tropical settings. We aimed to assess the frequency, presentation and management of febrile illness at two health facilities in Forécariah, Guinea, with a focus on appropriateness of antibiotic prescription. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a retrospective study conducted in patient files in a health center and a district hospital. Proportions of antibiotic prescription were determined by age group and syndromes as well as appropriateness of antibiotic prescription using the WHO model list (2019). RESULTS From 2014 to 2020, 23,583 of 62,185 (38.0%) visits were related to febrile illness. Most patients with fever were female (56.1%) and evaluated at the health center (81.0%). Gastrointestinal (40.6%) and respiratory syndromes (36.8%), and undifferentiated fever (30.0%) were the most common presentations. Malaria was confirmed in 61.3% of the cohort. Overall, the rate of antibiotic prescription was high (14,834/23,583, 62.9%), mostly among patients aged <5 years (5,285/7,566, 69.9%), those with respiratory (7,577/8,684, 87.3%) and gastrointestinal (6,324/9,585, 66.0%) syndromes. Moreover, 7,432/14,465 (51.4%) patients with malaria were also prescribed an antibiotic. Penicillin (42.0%), cotrimoxazole (26.3%) and quinolones (18.7%) were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics. Overall, appropriateness of antibiotic prescription was low (38.3%), and even more so in patients with respiratory (29.1%) and gastrointestinal (25.8%) syndromes. CONCLUSIONS Febrile illness is a major cause of consultation in rural Guinea. Rate of antibiotic prescription was high, even in confirmed malaria and was often considered inappropriate. There is a pressing need to investigate the etiological spectrum and improve the diagnostic approach of febrile illness in Guinea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karifa Kourouma
- Centre National de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah (CNFRSR) Forécariah, Maferinyah, Guinea
| | - Fassou Mathias Grovogui
- Centre National de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah (CNFRSR) Forécariah, Maferinyah, Guinea
| | - Alexandre Delamou
- Centre National de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah (CNFRSR) Forécariah, Maferinyah, Guinea
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases (CEA-PCMT), University Gamal Abdel Nasser of Conakry, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Mahamoud Sama Chérif
- Centre National de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah (CNFRSR) Forécariah, Maferinyah, Guinea
- Regional Direction of Health, Faranah, Guinea
| | - Brecht Ingelbeen
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Abdoul Habib Beavogui
- Centre National de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah (CNFRSR) Forécariah, Maferinyah, Guinea
| | - Johan van Griensven
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
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Mubanga C, Trevisan C, Van Damme I, Schmidt V, Phiri IK, Zulu G, Noh J, Handali S, Mambo R, Chembensofu M, Masuku M, Reynders D, Jansen F, Bottieau E, Magnussen P, Winkler AS, Dorny P, Mwape KE, Gabriel S. Challenges Encountered When Evaluating an Antibody-Detecting Point-of-Care Test for Taeniosis in an Endemic Community in Zambia: A Prospective Diagnostic Accuracy Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11112039. [PMID: 34829386 PMCID: PMC8625551 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11112039] [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: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Taenia solium taeniosis diagnosis is challenging because current tests perform sub-optimally and/or are expensive, require sophisticated equipment, infrastructure and trained manpower, and therefore are not community deployable. A recently-developed, multi-strip, T. solium point-of-care test (TS POC) for simultaneous detection of tapeworm (TS POC T) and cysticercus (TS POC CC) human antibodies was evaluated for diagnostic accuracy on consecutively recruited community participants in Sinda district, Zambia. All participants were tested using the TS POC test. All test-positives and 20% of the test-negative participants were invited to give a blood and stool sample for reference testing. Three different reference tests were used for taeniosis diagnosis: recombinant rES33 enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (rES33 EITB), copro PCR and copro Ag ELISA. Bayesian analysis with probabilistic constraints was used to estimate sensitivity and specificity. In total, 1254 participants were tested with the TS POC test, of whom 13 tested positive using the TS POC T. Based on 161 participants with complete data, the estimated sensitivity and specificity for the TS POC T test were 38% (95% CI: 5–93%) and 99% (95% CI: 98–100%), respectively. The challenge of highly variable inter-assay performance is highlighted. We recommend either increasing the sensitivity or redesigning the test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chishimba Mubanga
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia or (C.M.); (I.K.P.); (G.Z.); (R.M.); (M.C.); (M.M.); (K.E.M.)
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (C.T.); (I.V.D.)
| | - Chiara Trevisan
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (C.T.); (I.V.D.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; (F.J.); (P.D.)
| | - Inge Van Damme
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (C.T.); (I.V.D.)
| | - Veronika Schmidt
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.S.); (A.S.W.)
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Isaac K. Phiri
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia or (C.M.); (I.K.P.); (G.Z.); (R.M.); (M.C.); (M.M.); (K.E.M.)
| | - Gideon Zulu
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia or (C.M.); (I.K.P.); (G.Z.); (R.M.); (M.C.); (M.M.); (K.E.M.)
- Eastern Provincial Health Office, Ministry of Health, Chipata 510023, Zambia
| | - John Noh
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA; (J.N.); (S.H.)
| | - Sukwan Handali
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA; (J.N.); (S.H.)
| | - Richard Mambo
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia or (C.M.); (I.K.P.); (G.Z.); (R.M.); (M.C.); (M.M.); (K.E.M.)
- Eastern Provincial Health Office, Ministry of Health, Chipata 510023, Zambia
| | - Mwelwa Chembensofu
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia or (C.M.); (I.K.P.); (G.Z.); (R.M.); (M.C.); (M.M.); (K.E.M.)
| | - Maxwell Masuku
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia or (C.M.); (I.K.P.); (G.Z.); (R.M.); (M.C.); (M.M.); (K.E.M.)
| | - Dries Reynders
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Famke Jansen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; (F.J.); (P.D.)
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Pascal Magnussen
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Andrea S. Winkler
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.S.); (A.S.W.)
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; (F.J.); (P.D.)
| | - Kabemba E. Mwape
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia or (C.M.); (I.K.P.); (G.Z.); (R.M.); (M.C.); (M.M.); (K.E.M.)
| | - Sarah Gabriel
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (C.T.); (I.V.D.)
- Correspondence:
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Broucke SVD, Bogaerts P, Vrydaghs N, Micalessi I, Van Esbroeck M, Bottieau E. A couple returning from Peru with persistent fever: think of histoplasmosis. Int J Infect Dis 2021; 113:268-270. [PMID: 34715360 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A couple presented with fever and strikingly similar symptoms starting exactly on the same day after returning from an adventurous journey in Peru. Symptom onset was 12 days after exposure to bats from a hollow tree. The further evolution underscores the disparate disease course of Histoplasmosis in different individuals, despite similar radiological findings. Our case highlights the importance of careful history taking in returning travelers since exposure to bat (or fowl) excrement can be easily overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Bogaerts
- Internal Medicine, Pneumologie, AZ Klina Brasschaat, Belgium
| | | | - Isabel Micalessi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Belgium.
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Bottieau E, Huits R, Van Den Broucke S, Maniewski U, Declercq S, Brosius I, Theunissen C, Feyens AM, Van Esbroeck M, van Griensven J, Clerinx J, Soentjens P. Human filariasis in travelers and migrants: a retrospective 25-year analysis at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 74:1972-1978. [PMID: 34463732 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Information on human filariasis in international travelers is scarce. We describe the epidemiology, clinical presentation and outcome of these infections in a reference travel clinic over the past decades. METHODS We reviewed all cases of filariasis diagnosed at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium, from 1994 to 2018. Diagnosis was obtained by either parasitological methods (confirmed) or strict clinical case definitions (probable). We assessed the characteristics of cases at diagnosis and response to therapy within three to 12 months. RESULTS A total of 320 patients (median age: 41 years; 71% males) were diagnosed with 327 filarial infections (Wuchereria bancrofti = 6; Onchocerca volvulus = 33, Loa loa = 150, Mansonella perstans = 130; unspecified species = 8). Diagnosis was confirmed in 213/320 (67%) patients. European long-term travelers accounted for 166 patients (52%) and visitors/migrants from tropical countries for another 110 (34%). Central Africa was the likely region of acquisition for 294 (92%) patients. The number of filariasis cases decreased from 21.5/year in average in the nineties to 6.3/year in the last decade, when loiasis became predominant. Cases reported symptoms in > 80% of all filarial infections but mansonellosis (45/123 single infections; 37%). Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis cases responded well to conventional therapy. However, 30% of patients with loiasis and mansonellosis experienced treatment failure (with diethylcarbamazine and levamisole-mebendazole, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The burden and species distribution of filariasis in travelers evolved in the past decades. Most presentations were symptomatic. Case management would benefit from more effective therapies for loiasis and mansonellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ralph Huits
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Ula Maniewski
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Steven Declercq
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Isabel Brosius
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Caroline Theunissen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Anne-Marie Feyens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Johan van Griensven
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jan Clerinx
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Patrick Soentjens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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Trevisan C, Damme IV, Ngowi B, Schmidt V, Stelzle D, Møller KS, Kabululu M, Makasi CE, Magnussen P, Bottieau E, Abatih E, Johansen MV, Ngowi H, Ndawi B, Mwape KE, Zulu G, Dorny P, Winkler AS, Gabriël S. Trial Design of a Prospective Multicenter Diagnostic Accuracy Study of a Point-of-Care Test for the Detection of Taenia solium Taeniosis and Neurocysticercosis in Hospital-Based Settings in Tanzania. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11091528. [PMID: 34573870 PMCID: PMC8470609 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11091528] [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: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Taenia solium diagnosis is challenging as trained personnel, good diagnostic tools, and infrastructure is lacking in resource-poor areas. This paper aims to describe the study trial design adopted to evaluate a newly developed rapid point-of-care test that simultaneously detects taeniosis and neurocysticercosis (TS POC) in three district hospitals in Tanzania. The two-stage design included three types of patients: patients with specific neurological signs and symptoms (group 1); patients with complaints compatible with intestinal worm infections (group 2); patients with other symptom(s) (group 3). For group 1, all patients were tested using the TS POC test (stage 1), after which all positive, and a subset of negative, patients were selected for laboratory reference tests, clinical examination, and a brain computed tomography (CT) scan (stage 2). For groups 2 and 3, a similar design was adopted, but clinical examination and a brain CT scan (stage 2) were only performed in patients who were TS POC test-positive for cysticercosis. Due to the lack of a gold standard, a Bayesian approach was used to determine test accuracy for taeniosis and cysticercosis. For neurocysticercosis, a composite case definition was used as the reference standard. If successful, this study will help the future developments (commercialization and implementation) of the rapid test and improve patient management and disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Trevisan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium;
- Correspondence: (C.T.); (S.G.)
| | - Inge Van Damme
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium;
| | - Bernard Ngowi
- National Institute for Medical Research, Muhimbili Medical Research Centre Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam 11101, Tanzania; (B.N.); (C.E.M.)
- Department of Public Health, University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania, Dar es Salaam 65015, Tanzania
| | - Veronika Schmidt
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.S.); (D.S.); (A.S.W.)
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Dominik Stelzle
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.S.); (D.S.); (A.S.W.)
- Chair of Epidemiology, Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 80809 Munich, Germany
| | - Karen Schou Møller
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark;
| | - Mwemezi Kabululu
- Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI)-Uyole, Mbeya P.O. Box 6191, Tanzania;
| | - Charles E. Makasi
- National Institute for Medical Research, Muhimbili Medical Research Centre Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam 11101, Tanzania; (B.N.); (C.E.M.)
| | - Pascal Magnussen
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Emmanuel Abatih
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Sciences and Statistics, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | | | - Helena Ngowi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3021, Tanzania;
| | | | - Kabemba E. Mwape
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia; (K.E.M.); (G.Z.)
| | - Gideon Zulu
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia; (K.E.M.); (G.Z.)
- Eastern Provincial Health Office, Ministry of Health, Lusaka 30205, Zambia
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Andrea S. Winkler
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.S.); (D.S.); (A.S.W.)
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah Gabriël
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium;
- Correspondence: (C.T.); (S.G.)
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Ravinetto R, Caillet C, Zaman MH, Singh JA, Guerin PJ, Ahmad A, Durán CE, Jesani A, Palmero A, Merson L, Horby PW, Bottieau E, Hoffmann T, Newton PN. Preprints in times of COVID19: the time is ripe for agreeing on terminology and good practices. BMC Med Ethics 2021; 22:106. [PMID: 34320970 PMCID: PMC8320096 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-021-00667-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Over recent years, the research community has been increasingly using preprint servers to share manuscripts that are not yet peer-reviewed. Even if it enables quick dissemination of research findings, this practice raises several challenges in publication ethics and integrity. In particular, preprints have become an important source of information for stakeholders interested in COVID19 research developments, including traditional media, social media, and policy makers. Despite caveats about their nature, many users can still confuse pre-prints with peer-reviewed manuscripts. If unconfirmed but already widely shared first-draft results later prove wrong or misinterpreted, it can be very difficult to "unlearn" what we thought was true. Complexity further increases if unconfirmed findings have been used to inform guidelines. To help achieve a balance between early access to research findings and its negative consequences, we formulated five recommendations: (a) consensus should be sought on a term clearer than 'pre-print', such as 'Unrefereed manuscript', "Manuscript awaiting peer review" or ''Non-reviewed manuscript"; (b) Caveats about unrefereed manuscripts should be prominent on their first page, and each page should include a red watermark stating 'Caution-Not Peer Reviewed'; (c) pre-print authors should certify that their manuscript will be submitted to a peer-review journal, and should regularly update the manuscript status; (d) high level consultations should be convened, to formulate clear principles and policies for the publication and dissemination of non-peer reviewed research results; (e) in the longer term, an international initiative to certify servers that comply with good practices could be envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Ravinetto
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Céline Caillet
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Jerome Amir Singh
- Howard College School of Law, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Philippe J Guerin
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Aasim Ahmad
- Bioethics Group, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.,The Kidney Centre Post Graduate Training Institute, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Carlos E Durán
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Amar Jesani
- Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, Mumbai, India.,Yenepoya University, Mangalore, India
| | - Ana Palmero
- Center for the Study of the State and Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Ministry of Health of Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Merson
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter W Horby
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - E Bottieau
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tammy Hoffmann
- Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Paul N Newton
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.,Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
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45
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Buonfrate D, Fittipaldo A, Vlieghe E, Bottieau E. Clinical and laboratory features of Strongyloides stercoralis infection at diagnosis and after treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Microbiol Infect 2021; 27:1621-1628. [PMID: 34325063 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical and laboratory characterization of Strongyloides stercoralis infection at diagnosis and after treatment is still poorly defined. OBJECTIVES The primary objective was to describe the pattern and frequency of clinical and laboratory characteristics associated with S. stercoralis infection. The secondary objectives were (a) comparison of characteristics reported in endemic versus non-endemic areas; and (b) the evaluation of the resolution of identified characteristics after treatment. METHODS We searched PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS and CENTRAL up to May 2021. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the treatment of S. stercoralis infection and prospective observational studies reporting data on symptoms caused by strongyloidiasis in individuals diagnosed with a highly specific test. Quality assessment was performed to assess the risk of bias. Demographic and clinical data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Meta-analysis was done by pooling the proportion of participants with symptoms with random effects model. RESULTS Twenty studies were included: nine RCTs and 13 observational studies. Overall, symptoms were reported in 50.4% cases (95% CI 47.6-53.1), and were more often reported in non-endemic (58.6%, 95% CI 55.0-62.2) than in endemic (35.7%, 95% CI 31.4-39.9) areas. The removal of an article of lower quality did not impact on figures. Frequency of symptoms tended to reduce after treatment. Three studies reported the proportion of participants with eosinophilia before and after treatment: 76.9% of participants (95% CI 73.4-80.4) had eosinophilia at diagnosis, reducing to 27.4% (95% CI 24.0-30.7) after treatment. CONCLUSIONS About half of infected people complain at least of one symptom and almost 70% have eosinophilia. The frequency of symptoms and eosinophilia decreased after treatment, though the association with cure is not clearly defined. Providing relief from symptoms and eosinophilia is another reason, in addition to prevention of disseminated disease, for promoting screening and treatment of individuals with strongyloidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora Buonfrate
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
| | - Andrea Fittipaldo
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy
| | - Erika Vlieghe
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium; Department of General Internal Medicine Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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Roucher C, Brosius I, Mbow M, Faye BT, De Hondt A, Smekens B, Arango D, Burm C, Tsoumanis A, Paredis L, van Herrewege Y, Potters I, Cisse B, Mboup S, Polman K, Bottieau E. Evaluation of Artesunate-mefloquine as a Novel Alternative Treatment for Schistosomiasis in African Children (SchistoSAM): protocol of a proof-of-concept, open-label, two-arm, individually-randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e047147. [PMID: 34168029 PMCID: PMC8231067 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alternative drugs and diagnostics are needed for the treatment and control of schistosomiasis. The exclusive use of praziquantel (PZQ) in mass drug administration programmes may result in the emergence of drug resistance. PZQ has little activity against Schistosoma larvae, thus reinfection remains a problem in high-risk communities. Furthermore, the insufficient sensitivity of conventional microscopy hinders therapeutic response assessment. Evaluation of artesunate-mefloquine (AM) as a Novel Alternative Treatment for Schistosomiasis in African Children (SchistoSAM) aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the antimalarial combination artesunate-mefloquine, re-purposed for the treatment of schistosomiasis, and to assess the performance of highly sensitive novel antigen-based and DNA-based assays as tools for monitoring treatment response. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The SchistoSAM study is an open-label, two-arm, individually randomised controlled non-inferiority trial, with a follow-up of 48 weeks. Primary school-aged children from the Richard Toll district in northern Senegal, an area endemic for Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium, are allocated to the AM intervention arm (3-day courses at 6-week intervals) or the PZQ control arm (single dose of 40 mg/kg). The trial's primary endpoints are the efficacy (cure rate (CR), assessed by microscopy) and safety (frequency and pattern of drug-related adverse events) of one AM course versus PZQ at 4 weeks after treatment. Secondary endpoints include (1) cumulative CR, egg reduction rate and safety after each additional course of AM, and at weeks 24 and 48, (2) prevalence and severity of schistosomiasis-related morbidity and (3) malaria prevalence, incidence and morbidity, both after 24 and 48 weeks. CRs and intensity reduction rates are also assessed by antigen-based and DNA-based diagnostic assays, for which performance for treatment monitoring is evaluated. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethics approval was obtained both in Belgium and Senegal. Oral assent from the children and signed informed consent from their legal representatives was obtained, prior to enrolment. The results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03893097; pre-results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Roucher
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Isabel Brosius
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Moustapha Mbow
- Department of Immunology, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Annelies De Hondt
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Bart Smekens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Diana Arango
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Christophe Burm
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Achilleas Tsoumanis
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Linda Paredis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Yven van Herrewege
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Idzi Potters
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Badara Cisse
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Souleymane Mboup
- Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Katja Polman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
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Soentjens P, Berens-Riha N, Van Herrewege Y, Van Damme P, Bottieau E, Ravinetto R. Vaccinating children in high-endemic rabies regions: what are we waiting for? BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2020-004074. [PMID: 33568394 PMCID: PMC7878157 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Soentjens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium .,Centre for Infectious Diseases, MHKA, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Nicole Berens-Riha
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Yven Van Herrewege
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Pierre Van Damme
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Raffaella Ravinetto
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
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Van Damme I, Trevisan C, Mwape KE, Schmidt V, Magnussen P, Zulu G, Mubanga C, Stelzle D, Bottieau E, Abatih E, Phiri IK, Johansen MV, Chabala C, Winkler AS, Dorny P, Gabriël S. Trial Design for a Diagnostic Accuracy Study of a Point-of-Care Test for the Detection of Taenia solium Taeniosis and (Neuro)Cysticercosis in Community Settings of Highly Endemic, Resource-Poor Areas in Zambia: Challenges and Rationale. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11071138. [PMID: 34206654 PMCID: PMC8306489 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11071138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Field-applicable, high-quality, and low-cost diagnostic tools are urgently needed for Taenia solium. The aim of this paper is to describe the design, challenges, and rationale for the design of a diagnostic accuracy study in low-resource community settings in Zambia. The trial was designed as a prospective study with a two-stage design to evaluate a new point-of-care test (TS POC) for the detection of taeniosis and (neuro)cysticercosis. Participants within randomly selected households were tested with the TS POC test (index test). Participants who tested TS POC positive for taeniosis and/or cysticercosis and a subset of the negatives were requested to give blood and stool samples for reference testing, and to undergo clinical examination and a cerebral CT scan. The difficulties of conducting a clinical trial in settings with limited research and neuroimaging infrastructure as well as peculiarities specifically related to the disease (low prevalence of taeniosis and the lack of a gold standard) were taken into consideration for the design of this study. The two-stage design increased the efficiency of the study by reducing the number of samples, clinical examinations, and CT scans. Simplified flows and sampling processes were preferred over complex follow-up and randomization systems, aiming to reduce bias and increase the generalizability of the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inge Van Damme
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (C.T.); (C.M.)
- Correspondence: (I.V.D.); (S.G.)
| | - Chiara Trevisan
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (C.T.); (C.M.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Kabemba E. Mwape
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia; (K.E.M.); (G.Z.); (I.K.P.)
| | - Veronika Schmidt
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.S.); (D.S.); (A.S.W.)
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Pascal Magnussen
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Gideon Zulu
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia; (K.E.M.); (G.Z.); (I.K.P.)
- Ministry of Health, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
| | - Chishimba Mubanga
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (C.T.); (C.M.)
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia; (K.E.M.); (G.Z.); (I.K.P.)
| | - Dominik Stelzle
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.S.); (D.S.); (A.S.W.)
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Emmanuel Abatih
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Sciences and Statistics, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Isaac K. Phiri
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia; (K.E.M.); (G.Z.); (I.K.P.)
| | | | - Chishala Chabala
- Paediatrics and Child Health, Children’s Hospital, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka 10101, Zambia;
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
| | - Andrea S. Winkler
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.S.); (D.S.); (A.S.W.)
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Sarah Gabriël
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (C.T.); (C.M.)
- Correspondence: (I.V.D.); (S.G.)
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Neumayr A, Schunk M, Theunissen C, Van Esbroeck M, Mechain M, Hatz C, Mørch K, Soriano Pérez MJ, Sydow V, Sothmann P, Kuenzli E, Rothe C, Bottieau E. Efficacy and tolerability of quinacrine monotherapy and albendazole plus chloroquine combination therapy in nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis: a TropNet study. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:1517-1523. [PMID: 34115100 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Giardiasis failing nitroimidazole first-line treatment is an emerging clinical problem in returning European travelers. We present data on the efficacy and tolerability of two second-line treatment regimens. METHODS Prospective, open-label, multi-center study assessing the efficacy and tolerability of quinacrine monotherapy (100mg TID for 5 days) and albendazole plus chloroquine combination therapy (400mg BID plus 155mg BID for 5 days) in nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis, defined as cases with persisting or relapsing infection despite single or repeated courses of nitroimidazole treatment. The defined endpoints were the clinical outcome, assessed by a questionnaire, at week 5 after treatment and the parasitological outcome, assessed by microscopy of 2 stool samples, ≥2-≤5 weeks after treatment. RESULT 106 patients were included in the study. Quinacrine achieved clinical and parasitological cure in 81% (59/73) and 100% (56/56), respectively. Albendazole plus chloroquine achieved clinical and parasitological cure in 36% (12/33) and 48% (12/25), respectively. All patients (9/9) who clinically and parasitologically failed albendazole plus chloroquine treatment and opted for re-treatment with quinacrine achieved clinical cure. Mild to moderate treatment-related adverse events were reported by 45% and 30% of patients treated with quinacrine and albendazole plus chloroquine, respectively. One patient treated with quinacrine developed severe neuropsychiatric side effects. The majority of nitroimidazole-refractory Giardia infections (57%) were acquired in India. CONCLUSION Quinacrine was a highly effective treatment in nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis, but patients should be cautioned on the low risk of severe neuropsychiatric adverse event. Albendazole plus chloroquine had a low cure rate in nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis. Nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis was primarily seen in travelers returning from India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Neumayr
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mirjam Schunk
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Centre, Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline Theunissen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marjan Van Esbroeck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Mechain
- Section Tropical Medicine and Clinical International Health, Division of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Medicine, University Hospital Centre, Bordeaux, France
| | - Christoph Hatz
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kristine Mørch
- Department of Medicine, Norwegian National Advicory Unit on Tropical Infectious Diseases, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Véronique Sydow
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Sothmann
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Centre, Munich, Germany
| | - Esther Kuenzli
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Camilla Rothe
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Centre, Munich, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Bottieau
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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50
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Camprubí-Ferrer D, Portillo A, Santibáñez S, Almuedo-Riera A, Rodriguez-Valero N, Subirà C, Martinez MJ, Navero-Castillejos J, Fernandez-Pardos M, Genton B, Cobuccio L, Van Den Broucke S, Bottieau E, Muñoz J, Oteo JA. Incidence of human granulocytic anaplasmosis in returning travellers with fever. J Travel Med 2021; 28:6218787. [PMID: 33839778 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taab056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although tick-borne pathogens have been reported as an important cause of imported fever, the incidence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), in travellers is unknown. METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study to investigate the aetiologies of fever in returning travellers (November 2017-July 2019). Polymerase chain reaction for msp2 gene amplification and indirect immunofluorescence assay for A. phagocitophilum were performed in all returning travellers with undifferentiated non-malarial fever. RESULTS Among 141 travellers included, 8 patients were diagnosed with probable or confirmed HGA. The overall incidence rate of HGA was 19.9 cases/1000 person-week of travel. The main destination of travel was Asia, accounting for 62.5% patients with HGA. Co-infections were found in 37.5% of patients with HGA. CONCLUSIONS Diagnosis of HGA and empirical treatment with doxycycline should be considered in travellers with fever.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aránzazu Portillo
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - Sonia Santibáñez
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | | | | | - Carme Subirà
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel J Martinez
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Blaise Genton
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.,Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, 1010, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Jose Muñoz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Antonio Oteo
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, 26006 Logroño, Spain
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