We present the results of an association study involving hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with a clinical background during the 3rd pandemic wave of COVID-19 in Slovakia. Seventeen single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in the eleven most relevant genes, according to the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, were investigated. Our study confirms the validity of the influence of LZTFL1 and 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS)1/OAS3 genetic variants on the severity of COVID-19. For two LZTFL1 SNVs in complete linkage disequilibrium, rs17713054 and rs73064425, the odds ratios of baseline allelic associations and logistic regressions (LR) adjusted for age and sex ranged in the four tested designs from 2.04 to 2.41 and from 2.05 to 3.98, respectively. The OAS1/OAS3 haplotype 'gttg' carrying a functional allele G of splice-acceptor variant rs10774671 manifested its protective function in the Delta pandemic wave. Significant baseline allelic associations of two DPP9 variants in all tested designs and two IFNAR2 variants in the Omicron pandemic wave were not confirmed by adjusted LR. Nevertheless, adjusted LR showed significant associations of NOTCH4 rs3131294 and TYK2 rs2304256 variants with severity of COVID-19. Hospitalized patients' reported comorbidities were not correlated with genetic variants, except for obesity, smoking (IFNAR2), and hypertension (NOTCH4). The results of our study suggest that host genetic variations have an impact on the severity and duration of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Considering the differences in allelic associations between pandemic waves, they support the hypothesis that every new SARS-CoV-2 variant may modify the host immune response by reconfiguring involved pathways.
- MeSH
- 2',5'-oligoadenylátsynthetasa genetika MeSH
- COVID-19 * genetika epidemiologie virologie MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- genetická predispozice k nemoci MeSH
- jednonukleotidový polymorfismus * MeSH
- kohortové studie MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 * genetika MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Slovenská republika MeSH
Bronchial asthma is a heterogeneous respiratory condition characterized by chronic airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness and airway structural changes (known as remodeling). The clinical symptoms can be evoked by (non)specific triggers, and their intensity varies over time. In the past, treatment was mainly focusing on symptoms' alleviation; in contrast modern treatment strategies target the underlying inflammation, even during asymptomatic periods. Components of airway remodeling include epithelial cell shedding and dysfunction, goblet cell hyperplasia, subepithelial matrix protein deposition, fibrosis, neoangiogenesis, airway smooth muscle cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Among the other important, and frequently forgotten aspects of airway remodeling, also loss of epithelial barrier integrity, immune defects in anti-infectious defence and mucociliary clearance (MCC) dysfunction should be pointed out. Mucociliary clearance represents one of the most important defence airway mechanisms. Several studies in asthmatics demonstrated various dysfunctions in MCC - e.g., ciliated cells displaying intracellular disorientation, abnormal cilia and cytoplasmic blebs. Moreover, excessive mucus production and persistent cough are one of the well-recognized features of severe asthma and are also associated with defects in MCC. Damaged airway epithelium and impaired function of the ciliary cells leads to MCC dysfunction resulting in higher susceptibility to infection and inflammation. Therefore, new strategies aimed on restoring the remodeling changes and MCC dysfunction could present a new therapeutic approach for the management of asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases.
- MeSH
- bronchiální astma * farmakoterapie MeSH
- hyperplazie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mukociliární clearance fyziologie MeSH
- remodelace dýchacích cest * MeSH
- zánět MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
We aimed to characterize Clostridioides difficile isolates cultured during a six-month single-center study from stool samples of patients with C. difficile infection (CDI) genotyped by the Xpert®C. difficile/Epi assay by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotyping, toxin genes' detection and multi-locus variable number tandem repeats analysis (MLVA). The susceptibility to metronidazole, vancomycin and moxifloxacin was determined by agar dilution. In addition, the presence of Thr82Ile in the GyrA and a single nucleotide deletion at position (Δ117) in the tcdC gene were investigated. Between January 1 and June 30, 2016, of 114 CDIs, 75 cases were genotyped as presumptive PCR ribotype (RT) 027 infections using a commercial assay. C. difficile isolates cultured from presumptive RT027 stool samples belonged to RT176. These isolates carried genes for toxin A (tcdA), B (tcdB), binary (cdtA/B) and had Δ117 in the tcdC gene. Using MLVA, the 71/75 isolates clustered into two clonal complexes (CCs). Of these, 39 isolates (54.9%) were from patients hospitalized in acute care and 32 isolates (45.1%) were isolated from patients hospitalized in the long-term care department. All isolates were susceptible to metronidazole and vancomycin, and 105 isolates were resistant to moxifloxacin (92%) carrying Thr83Ile in the GyrA. An outbreak of RT176 CDIs, suspected as RT027, was recognized in a Slovakian hospital. In order to monitor the emergence and spread of RT027-variants, the identification of a presumptive RT027 CDI should be confirmed at a strain level by PCR ribotyping.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
AIM: To obtain standardized epidemiological data for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in Slovakia. METHODS: Between October and December 2016, 36 hospitals in Slovakia used the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) surveillance protocol. RESULTS: The overall mean CDI incidence density was 2.8 (95% confidence interval 1.9-3.9) cases per 10 000 patient-days. Of 332 CDI cases, 273 (84.9%) were healthcare-associated, 45 (15.1%) were community-associated, and 14 (4.2%) were cases of recurrent CDI. A complicated course of CDI was reported in 14.8% of cases (n=51). CDI outcome data were available for 95.5% of cases (n=317). Of the 35 patients (11.1%) who died, 34 did so within 30 days after their CDI diagnosis. Of the 78 isolates obtained from 12 hospitals, 46 belonged to PCR ribotype 001 (59.0%; 11 hospitals) and 23 belonged to ribotype 176 (29.5%; six hospitals). A total of 73 isolates (93.6%) showed reduced susceptibility to moxifloxacin (ribotypes 001 and 176; p< 0.01). A reduced susceptibility to metronidazole was observed in 13 isolates that subsequently proved to be metronidazole-susceptible when, after thawing, they were retested using the agar dilution method. No reduced susceptibility to vancomycin was found. CONCLUSIONS: These results show the emergence of C. difficile ribotypes 027 and 176 with a predominance of ribotype 001 in Slovakia in 2016. Given that an almost homogeneous reduced susceptibility to moxifloxacin was detected in C. difficile isolates, this stresses the importance of reducing fluoroquinolone prescriptions in Slovak healthcare settings.
- MeSH
- antibakteriální látky farmakologie MeSH
- Clostridioides difficile klasifikace účinky léků genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- incidence MeSH
- klostridiové infekce epidemiologie mikrobiologie MeSH
- kojenec MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- moxifloxacin farmakologie MeSH
- ribotypizace MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- Check Tag
- kojenec MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Slovenská republika MeSH
Background: There are inconsistent data on the risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in the literature. Aims: To use two C. difficile infection (CDI) case-control study groups to compare risk factors in hospitalized patients with diarrhea across different countries. Methods: A multi-center group of CDI cases/controls were identified by standardized testing from seven countries from the prior EUropean, multi-center, prospective bi-annual point prevalence study of CLostridium difficile Infection in hospitalized patients with Diarrhea (EUCLID). A second group of CDI cases/controls was identified from a single center in Germany [parallel study site (PSS)]. Data were extracted from the medical notes to assess CDI risk factors. Univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify and compare risk factors between the two groups. Results: There were 253 and 158 cases and 921 and 584 controls in the PSS and EUCLID groups, respectively. Significant variables from univariate analyses in both groups were age ≥65, number of antibiotics (OR 1.2 for each additional antibiotic) and prior hospital admission (all p < 0.001). Congestive heart failure, diabetes, admission from assisted living or Emergency Department, proton pump inhibitors, and chronic renal disease were significant in PSS (all p < 0.05) but not EUCLID. Dementia and admitted with other bacterial diseases were significant in EUCLID (p < 0.05) but not PSS. Following multivariate analyses, age ≥ 65, number of antibiotics and prior hospital admission were consistently identified as CDI risk factors in each individual group and combined datasets. Conclusion: Our results show that the same CDI risk factors were identified across datasets. These were age ≥ 65 years, antibiotic use and prior hospital admission. Importantly, the odds of developing CDI increases with each extra antibiotic prescribed.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
We assessed the long-term persistence of humoral immunity against diphtheria in adults with childhood vaccination and the immunogenicity of a booster dose considering demographic, behavioural and vaccinating factors. We conducted a trial in 200 healthy Slovak adults aged 24-65 years, immunised against diphtheria in childhood and against tetanus at regular 10-15 year intervals, and receiving a dose of a tetanus-diphtheria toxoid vaccine. The response was determined by ELISA antibody concentrations of paired sera before and at 4 weeks post-vaccination. A seroprotection rate of 21% (95% confidence interval, CI 15.6-27.3%) was found in adults up to 59 years since the last vaccination with seroprotective levels of antibodies against diphtheria ≥0.1 IU/mL and a geometric mean concentration of 0.05 IU/mL. Conversely, seropositive levels ≥0.01 IU/mL were observed in 98% of adults (95% CI 95-99.5%). Booster-induced seroprotection was achieved in 78% of adults (95% CI 71.6-83.5%) clearly depending on pre-booster antibody levels correlating with age and time since the last vaccination. Moreover, only 54.2% of smokers and 53.3% of patients on statins exhibited seroprotection. Booster vaccination against diphtheria was unable to confer seroprotection in all recipients of only childhood vaccination.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Larva migrans cutanea je parazitárna kožná infekcia spôsobená larvami rôznych helmintov, najčastejšie zo skupiny nematód (oblé červy). Ide o najčastejšie kožné ochorenie cestovateľov vracajúcich sa z tropických a subtropických oblastí sveta. Človek sa nakazí kontaktom s pôdou kontaminovanou stolicou infikovaných zvierat. Morské plážové prostredie preto vystavuje návštevníkov potencionálnej újme na zdraví spôsobenej morskými alebo suchozemskými červami. V krajinách, ako je Česká a Slovenská republika, sa toto ochorenie vyskytuje len ako importované z iných krajín sveta, najčastejšie ide o obľúbené dovolenkové destinácie. Okrem prezentovanej kazuistiky sa v článku zaoberáme aj súčasnými možnosťami liečby kožnej formy larvy migrans.
Larva migrans cutanea is a parasitic skin infection caused by the larvae of various helminths, mostly from the group of nematodes (roundworms). It is the most common skin disease of travelers returning from tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Human can become infected by contact with contaminated soil by the faeces of infected animals. Marine beach environment therefore exposes visitors to potential injury caused by the marine and terrestrial worms. In countries such as the Czech and Slovak Republic, the disease occurs only as imported from other countries in the world, the most common from a favorite holiday destinations. In addition to the presented case study in the article we are also dealing with the current treatment options of cutaneous larva migrans.
- MeSH
- albendazol farmakologie MeSH
- cestování MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- larva migrans * diagnóza parazitologie patofyziologie terapie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- parazitární onemocnění kůže * diagnóza patofyziologie terapie MeSH
- výsledek terapie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- kazuistiky MeSH
Alveokokóza je život ohrozujúca tkanivová parazitóza spôsobená larválnym štádiom pásomnice Echinococcus multilocularis. Môžeme ju zaradiť medzi helmitozoonózy, tzn. parazitózy prenosné zo zvieraťa na človeka, kde človek hrá úlohu akcidentálneho hostiteľa. Primárna lokalizácia parazita je výlučne v pečeni, pričom v ojedinelých prípadoch môže dôjsť k sekundárnej diseminácii z primárneho ložiska v pečeni a vzniku sekundárnej formy alveokokózy. Sekundárna forma alveokokózy sa najčastejšie vyskytuje v pľúcach a mozgu. Kazuistika prezentuje 21-ročného pacienta s alveolárnou echinokokózou pečene komplikovanou sekundárnou pľúcnou formou alveokokózy. Autori zdôrazňujú potrebu dôkladného vyšetrenia pľúc a CNS zobrazovacími vyšetreniami.
Alveococcosis is a life threatening tissue parasitosis caused by the larvae of Echinococcus multilocularis, also termed taenia. It results in helminthozoonosis, a parasitosis in which the parasite is transmitted from animals to humans, and where humans act as the accidental hosts. The primary location of the parasite is in the liver, but in rare cases, this can lead to secondary dissemination and the formation of a secondary form of alveococcosis, which most commonly occurs in the lungs and brain. In this case report, we present a case of a 21-year-old patient with alveolar echinococcosis of the liver, complicated by secondary formation of pulmonary lesions. We emphasize the need for a thorough examination of the lungs and the CNS using imaging methods in patients suspected of suffering from alveococcosis.
- MeSH
- diferenciální diagnóza MeSH
- echinokokóza jater * diagnóza etiologie komplikace terapie MeSH
- echinokokóza plic diagnóza etiologie patologie terapie MeSH
- hepatektomie využití MeSH
- hospitalizace MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- počítačová rentgenová tomografie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- kazuistiky MeSH
Úvod. Popálenie medúzou nie je v strednej Európe časté. Prázdninová prímorská turistika však prináša aj na naše zdravotnícke pracoviská rôzne nezvyčajné chorobné prejavy. Kúpanie sa v mori je častou príčinou výskytu popálenia medúzou a zmien v koži, ktoré biopticky nie sú presne opísané. Cieľ. Autori sa zamerali na sledovanie morfologických a numerických zmien niektorých druhov zápalových buniek v koži 59-ročnej pacientky po 10 dňoch od popálenia medúzou. Na porovnanie kožných zmien sa jej na bioptické vyšetrenie odobrala lezionálna aj nelezionálna koža. Metódy. Obidve excízie kože sa skúmali pomocou imunohistochemických metód na detekciu antigénu CD68, CD163, CD30, CD4, CD3, CD8, CD20 a CD1a, na detekciu histiocytov, niektorých klonov lymfocytov a Langerhansových buniek kože prezentujúcich antigén, antigén CD117, toluidínová modrá a chlóracetátesteráza na detekciu mastocytov a neutrofilov. Materiál bol vyšetrený aj imunofluorescenčnými metódami na dôkaz IgA, IgM, IgG, C3, C4, albumínu a fibrinogénu. Reprezentatívne zorné polia sa dokumentovali mikroskopickým fotoaparátom Leica DFC 420 C. Získané snímky z obidvoch vzoriek kože sa spracovali morfometrickou analýzou pomocou softvéru Vision Assistant. Získané hodnoty boli spracované štatisticky metódou Studentovho t-testu. Výsledky. Priemerné hodnoty buniek v lezionálnej a v nelezionálnej vzorke boli nasledujúce - CD117-2,64/0,37, CD68-6,86/1,63, CD163-3,13/2,23, CD30- 1,36/0,02, CD4-3,51/0,32, CD8-8,22/0,50, CD3-10,69/0,66, CD20-0,56/0,66, CD1a-7,97/0,47. Mierne zmnožené boli eozinofily v lezionálnej koži. Zvýšené hodnoty sledovaných druhov buniek v lezionálnej excízii v porovnaní s nelezionálnou vzorkou kože boli v ôsmich prípadoch štatisticky významné na hladine p = 0,033 až 0,001. Štatisticky nevýznamný rozdiel bol dokázaný iba medzi hodnotami CD163+ histiocytov. Záver. Autori určili počty sledovaných zápalových buniek v lezionálnej koži po popálení medúzou a porovnali ich s nelezionálnou kožou pacientky. Zistili štatisticky významné zvýšenie hladiny vybraných zápalových buniek a numericky dokumentovali zmeny celularity v zápalovom ložisku spôsobené hypersenzitívnou reakciou po poranení medúzou v intervale 10 dní po ataku.
Introduction. Jellyfish burning is not commonly part of the professional finding in the central Europe health care laboratory. Holiday seaside tourism includes different and unusual presentations of diseases for our worklplaces. Sea water-sports and leisure is commonly connected with jellyfish burning and changes in the skin, that are not precisely described. Aim. Authors focused their research on detection of morphological and quantitative changes of some inflammatory cells in the skin biopsy of a 59-years-old woman ten days after a jellyfish stinging. Because of a comparison of findings the biopsy was performed in the skin with lesional and nonlesional skin. Methods. Both excisions of the skin were tested by imunohistochemical methods to detect CD68, CD163, CD30, CD4, CD3, CD8, CD20 a CD1a, to detect histiocytes, as well as several clones of lymphocytes and Langerhans cells (antigen presenting cells of skin), CD 117, toluidin blue and chloracetase esterase to detect mastocytes and neutrophils. Material was tested by immunofluorescent methods to detect IgA, IgM, IgG, C3, C4, albumin and fibrinogen. Representative view-fields were documented by microscope photocamera Leica DFC 420 C. Registered photos from both samples of the skin were processed by morphometrical analysis by the Vision Assistant software. A student t-test was used for statistical analysis of reached results. Results. Mean values of individual found cells in the sample with lesion and without lesion were as follows: CD117 -2.64/0.37, CD68-6.86/1.63, CD163-3.13/2.23, CD30-1.36/0.02, CD4-3.51/0.32, CD8-8.22/0.50, CD3-10.69/0.66, CD20-0.56/0.66, CD1a-7.97/0.47 respectively. Generally mild elevation of eosinofils in lesional skin was detected. Increased values of tested cells seen in excision from lesional skin when compared with nonlesional ones were statistically significant in eight case at the level p = 0.033 to 0.001. A not statistically significant difference was found only in the group of CD163+ histiocytes. Conclusion. Authors detected numbers of inflammatory cells in lesional skin after the stinging by a jellyfish and compared them with the numbers of cells in the nonlesional skin of the same patient. Statistically significant differences were seen in the level of selected inflammation cells and numerically documented changes of cellularity in the inflammatory focus were caused by a hypersensitivity reaction after jellyfish injury in the period of 10 days after attack.
- MeSH
- imunohistochemie využití MeSH
- kontaktní dermatitida * diagnóza etiologie patologie MeSH
- kousnutí a bodnutí MeSH
- kožní manifestace MeSH
- kůže patologie MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Scyphozoa MeSH
- živočišné jedy * škodlivé účinky MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- kazuistiky MeSH
