UNLABELLED: Rapid antigen tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 are commonly used for the diagnosis of Covid-19. Previously published data showed a wide range of sensitivity and specificity of RATs, but these studies were performed on relatively small numbers of samples and using only limited numbers of virus variants. The aim of the study was to evaluate the main parameters of a commonly used RAT for 4 different virus variants in comparison with PCR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A set of 2874 samples obtained from Covid-19 patients were examined both by PCR and RAT. Two commercial PCR kits (Generi Biotech, Diana Biotechnologies) and one RAT - Abbott PanbioTM COVID 19 Ag Rapid - were compared for their sensitivity and specificity in samples positive for one of the four different SARS-CoV-2 variants - B.1.258 (n = 496), Alpha (n = 645), Delta/Delta+ (n = 687), and Omicron (n = 1046). RESULTS: The sensitivity of PanbioTM COVID19 Ag Rapid test varied from 80.0 % in Omicron to 88.92 % in Alpha variants. The specificities of the RAT for all variants reached above 93 %. Statistically significant differences were found between the results from RAT assay in select virus variants. In addition, significantly higher sensitivity (p < 0.05) was detected in samples with higher viral loads than in those with lower. CONCLUSION: Despite the different sensitivity and specificity of PanbioTM COVID19 Ag Rapid test (Abbott ®) for different SARS-CoV-2 variants, this test sensitivity was proven to be always above the 80 % suggested by WHO, which makes it suitable for common use, regardless of the virus variability.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Aside from the general population, the COVID-19 pandemic has also affected a group of patients in palliative oncology care. In this study, long-term immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination were monitored in a cohort of patients in palliative oncology care. This non-randomized, prospective, and open-label pilot study recruited patients from the Palliative Oncology Program and included 147 patients, of which 80 were females (54.4%) and 67 males (45.6%). The overall evaluation included current health status, SARS-CoV-2 anti-S IgG titer, and neutralizing antibodies using the SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization test (VNT). Anti-S IgG antibody analysis revealed high (H) antibody levels in 35.7% (n = 10) and very high (VH) levels in 39.3% (n = 11) of patients after the second vaccination dose. Similarly, after the third dose, H was found in 29.6% (n = 32) and VH in 55.5% (n = 60) of patients. High and very high anti-S IgG antibody levels were consistent with high VNT titers (>2560) and H antibody levels in 17.1% (n = 12) or VH in 82.9% (n = 58) of patients. Patients with two or more doses showed H and VH antibody levels at a median of 451 and 342 days after vaccination, respectively. In this clinical trial, patients showed high and very high levels of anti-S IgG antibodies over a longer period of time. These patients did not show reduced immunological responses to the COVID-19 vaccine challenge. We can assume that prevention through vaccination can reduce the risk of complications or death from COVID-19 in patients in early palliative oncology care.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 virus is mainly based on direct detection. Determination of specific antibodies has been used mostly for epidemiological reasons. However, select immunoassays showed good correlation to plaque reduction virus neutralization test (PRNT) in smaller patient cohorts, which suggests their potential as predictors of virus neutralization titer. A total of 3,699 samples from Covid-19 patients were included in the multicentric study performed in the Czech Republic. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels were evaluated by 8 commercial antibody assays. Simultaneously, PRNT evaluations were performed with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.258 variant. All immunoassays showed an overall high true positive diagnostic value ranging from 79.17 to 98.04%. Several commercial EIA methods showed highly positive correlation between the assay results and PRNT levels, e.g., Liaison CoV-2 TrimericS IgG DiaSorin (Spearman r = 0.8833; Architect SASRS-CoV-2 IgG Abbott (r = 0.7298); NovaLisa SARS-CoV-2 IgG NovaTec (r = 0.7103) and Anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA IgG Euroimmun (r = 0.7094). While this correlation was less positive for other assays, those, conversely, presented higher true positive values. For most immunoassays, the positive percent agreement of the results was ≥ 95% in sera exhibiting PRNT levels of 1:80 and higher. The assays tested have shown variable correlation to PRNT. Those possessing high positive predictive values serve well as qualitative tests, while others can be utilised as quantitative tests highly predictive of neutralization antibody levels.
Although Francisella (F.) tularensis is a well-described and understood zoonotic pathogen, its importance in Central Europe is relatively minor and, as such, tularaemia may be missed in the differential diagnosis. The annual incidence of tularaemia in the Czech Republic is relatively stable with up to 100 reported cases per year, except in the epidemic years 1998 and 1999 with 225 and 222 reported cases, respectively. It is, however, higher in comparison with the neighbouring countries. The common route of transmission in Central Europe is handling infected animals. Tularaemia is not commonly recognized as a tick-borne disease. Here we report two rare cases of a tick bite-associated ulceroglandular form of tularaemia in 2.5-year-old and 6.5-year-old children presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy. The unusual and interesting features of those cases are the young age and relatively uncommon route of transmission suggesting possible changes in the epidemiology of tularaemia in the Czech Republic. Therefore, the infection with F. tularensis should be considered in the differential diagnosis after a tick bite even in infants.
- MeSH
- Francisella tularensis * MeSH
- kousnutí klíštětem * komplikace MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lymfadenopatie * MeSH
- nemoci přenášené klíšťaty * epidemiologie MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- tularemie * epidemiologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- kazuistiky MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Závěrečná zpráva o řešení grantu Agentury pro zdravotnický výzkum MZ ČR
nestr.
Eighty percent of adult population is infected with BK polyomavirus (BKV). After primary infection which usually occurs in childhood, virus establish lifelong persistency in kidney with occasional reactivation. While in immunocompetent subject the infection or reactivation is clinically inapparent, in immunocompromised patients may cause severe complications. Reactivation BKV is observed in about 30% kidney transplant recipients, uncontrolled infection may lead to polyomavirus nephropathy (PVAN) and loss of graft. The factors affecting progression of infection are not yet well understood. The aim of this study is evaluate the genetic variation of BKV, as well as prevalence of various BKV genotypes and the type-specific antibodies in kidney donors and recipients and clarify risk factors for the progression of BKV infection and for the development of PVAN.
Polyomavirem BK (BKV) je infikováno 80% dospělé populace. Po primární infekci, která proběhne většinou v dětství, zůstává virus celoživotně latentní v ledvinách, může však opakovaně docházet k jeho reaktivaci. Zatímco u imunokompetentních jedinců jsou primoinfekce či reaktivace klinicky inaparentní, u imunodeficientních pacientů mohou způsobit závažné komplikace. K reaktivaci BKV dochází asi u 30 % příjemců ledviny, nekontrolovaná infekce může vést ke vzniku polyomavirové nefropatie (PVAN) a ke ztrátě štěpu. Faktory ovlivňující progresi infekce nejsou dosud zcela jasné. Cílem této studie je stanovit genetickou variabilitu BKV, stejně jako výskyt jednotlivých genotypů BKV a typově specifických protilátek u dárců a příjemců ledvin, a objasnit rizikové faktory progrese BKV infekce a rozvoje PVAN.
- Klíčová slova
- genetická variabilita, genetic variability, kidney transplantation, transplantace ledvin, antibodies, BK polyomavirus, polyomavirová nefropatie, BKV sérotyp, protilátky, BK polyomavirus, polyomavirus-associated nephropathy, BKV serotype,
- NLK Publikační typ
- závěrečné zprávy o řešení grantu AZV MZ ČR
x
x
- MeSH
- Bacteroidetes patogenita MeSH
- Firmicutes patogenita MeSH
- kolorektální nádory epidemiologie etiologie mikrobiologie terapie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mikrobiota fyziologie imunologie MeSH
- netěsnost anastomózy etiologie mikrobiologie MeSH
- střeva krevní zásobení mikrobiologie patologie MeSH
- střevní mikroflóra * fyziologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- přehledy MeSH
BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 is almost exclusively performed by PCR or antigen detection. The detection of specific antibodies has not yet been considered in official diagnostic guidelines as major laboratory evidence for a case definition. The aim the present study is to analyze antibody responses in outpatient and inpatient cohorts of COVID-19 patients in the Czech Republic over a 12-month period, and assess the potential of antibodies as a diagnostic tool. METHODS: A total of 644 patients was enrolled in the prospective study. IgA, IgM and IgG antibody levels, as well as virus neutralization titers, were analyzed over a 12-month period. RESULTS: Our study showed low antibody positivity levels at the admission. However, at 2 weeks after infection, 98.75% and 95.00% of hospitalized patients were IgA and IgG positive, respectively. Even in the outpatient cohort characterized by milder disease courses, the IgG antibody response was still sustained at 9 and 12 months. The data show a high correlation between the IgG levels and virus neutralization titers (VNTs). Samples from later time-points showed positive antibody responses after vaccination in both cohorts characterized by high IgG levels and VNT over 1:640. The samples from unvaccinated persons indicated a relatively high level of reinfection at 6.87%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the detection of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 shows an increasing sensitivity from week 2 after infection and remains highly positive over the 12-month period. The levels of IgG antibodies correlate significantly with the VNTs. This suggests that the serological data may be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * diagnóza epidemiologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- prospektivní studie MeSH
- protilátky virové MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
- tvorba protilátek * MeSH
- vakcinace MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
We stratified post-COVID patients into four newly established clinical groups based on the presence or absence of at least one subjective respiratory symptom and at least one objective sign of pulmonary involvement. Nearly half of outpatients and one third of hospitalized post-COVID patients had objective signs of pulmonary involvement without accompanying subjective respiratory symptoms three months after diagnosis.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * komplikace epidemiologie patologie MeSH
- hospitalizace MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- plíce patofyziologie MeSH
- prospektivní studie MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
Introduction: Fluoroquinolones are a frequently prescribed class of antibiotics, which has been blacklisted in recent years because of a growing evidence of the connection with serious undesirable effects, infections Clostridioides difficile, and a connection with the occurrence of multiresistant strains.Methods: In the University Hospital Hradec Kralove in the course of the years 2009-2019, several antibiotic stewardship restrictive and educational interventions were performed by the Antibiotic Centre aiming to decrease quinolone antibiotics administration. The data of the consumption of quinolone antibiotics were retrospectively evaluated and correlated with the development of sensitivity and occurrence of multiresistance of selected bacteria in the hospital.Results: In the period under investigation, consumption of fluoroquinolone antibiotics significantly decreased (p<0.001) in 10 years by 71.8% to 26.7 DDD/1000 patient day. Sensitivity of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to fluoroquinolones in the period under investigation increased by 4.8% (respectively by 15%); on the other hand, sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus decreased by 4.2% to 85.5% share of sensitive strains. The incidence of the multiresistant isolates Pseudomonas aeruginosa decreased by 8.1%, but the occurrence of ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae was increased in the period under investigation. The occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus did not show a stable trend and finally it was moderately increased by 2.9%.Conclusion: Implementation of programmes of antimicrobial stewardship for hospitalized patients resulted in a decrease and a rationalization of fluoroquinolone administration. The reduction of their consumption in our hospital resulted in a statistically insignificant increase in the sensitivity of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but not Staphylococcus aureus.
Fosfomycin represents a relatively old antibiotic, but it is experiencing a comeback in recent years. According to some studies, the increasing therapeutic use of this drug led to a rapid increase in the levels of resistance in bacteria causing urinary tract infection. In the presented study, levels of resistance to fosfomycin in more than 3500 bacterial isolates before and after fosfomycin introduction into therapeutic use in the Czech Republic and the clinical efficacy of treatment in 300 patients using this drug were assessed. The results show that the resistance levels to fosfomycin in Escherichia coli isolates before and after the drug registration were not significantly different (3.4% and 4.4%, respectively). In some other Gram-negative rods, such as otherwise susceptible Enterobacter, resistance to fosfomycin increased significantly from 45.6% to 76.6%. Fosfomycin treatment of urinary tract infections showed an excellent seven-day clinical efficacy (79.7%). However, when used to treat recurrent or complicated urinary tract infections, fosfomycin treatment was associated with high levels of infection relapse, leading to relapse in a total of 20.4% of patients during the first two months. This indicates that fosfomycin exhibits good efficacy only for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
