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Bibliography on: covid-19

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Robert J. Robbins is a biologist, an educator, a science administrator, a publisher, an information technologist, and an IT leader and manager who specializes in advancing biomedical knowledge and supporting education through the application of information technology. More About:  RJR | OUR TEAM | OUR SERVICES | THIS WEBSITE

RJR: Recommended Bibliography 01 Aug 2025 at 01:43 Created: 

covid-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2), a virus closely related to the SARS virus. The disease was discovered and named during the 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak. Those affected may develop a fever, dry cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath. A sore throat, runny nose or sneezing is less common. While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some can progress to pneumonia and multi-organ failure. The infection is spread from one person to others via respiratory droplets produced from the airways, often during coughing or sneezing. Time from exposure to onset of symptoms is generally between 2 and 14 days, with an average of 5 days. The standard method of diagnosis is by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab or sputum sample, with results within a few hours to 2 days. Antibody assays can also be used, using a blood serum sample, with results within a few days. The infection can also be diagnosed from a combination of symptoms, risk factors and a chest CT scan showing features of pneumonia. Correct handwashing technique, maintaining distance from people who are coughing and not touching one's face with unwashed hands are measures recommended to prevent the disease. It is also recommended to cover one's nose and mouth with a tissue or a bent elbow when coughing. Those who suspect they carry the virus are recommended to wear a surgical face mask and seek medical advice by calling a doctor rather than visiting a clinic in person. Masks are also recommended for those who are taking care of someone with a suspected infection but not for the general public. There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, with management involving treatment of symptoms, supportive care and experimental measures. The case fatality rate is estimated at between 1% and 3%. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). As of 29 February 2020, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the United States are areas having evidence of community transmission of the disease.

Created with PubMed® Query: ( SARS-CoV-2 OR COVID-19 OR (wuhan AND coronavirus) AND review[SB] ) NOT pmcbook NOT ispreviousversion

Citations The Papers (from PubMed®)

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RevDate: 2025-07-31

Li J, Cheng G, Qin X, et al (2025)

Streptococcus pneumoniae β-lactam resistance: epidemiological trends, molecular drivers, and innovative control strategies in the post-pandemic era.

Clinical microbiology reviews [Epub ahead of print].

SUMMARYStreptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is a major human pathogen that can cause severe diseases such as meningitis and bacteremia. β-lactam antibiotics are the most essential antimicrobial agents for treating S. pneumoniae infections, but the resistance has become a significant challenge in clinical therapy. Analyses reveal notable regional disparities in the prevalence of β-lactam resistance in S. pneumoniae. The use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines effectively reduces the spread of highly resistant clones, indirectly improving resistance patterns. Interestingly, resistance is inversely correlated with bacterial invasiveness, suggesting mutual selective pressures. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced the evolution of S. pneumoniae resistance by altering host immune states and healthcare resource allocation. Immunocompromised patients face a higher risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, driving increased antimicrobial use that fuels the rise of resistance. Beyond the single-molecular mechanism, the resistance gene acquisition order plays a critical role in the successful resistance evolution. Analyzing the dynamic principles and key nodes involved in the evolution of drug resistance could offer novel insights for developing precise antibacterial treatment strategies. Current research efforts focus on the development of novel antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, lysins, and other innovative therapeutic agents. Artificial intelligence shows immense potential in the screening of antimicrobial drugs and the prediction of resistance mechanisms. This review synthesizes recent advances in the epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and management of β-lactam resistance in S. pneumoniae, with the aim of informing evidence-based antimicrobial stewardship and accelerating the development of innovative therapeutics to combat this evolving public health threat.

RevDate: 2025-07-31

Wang Q, Tan S, Fu X, et al (2025)

Advancing lung organoids toward clinical applications: a global perspective on research focus and future directions.

Frontiers in medicine, 12:1611304.

BACKGROUND: Lung organoids have emerged as a promising tool for studying lung development, function, and disease pathology. The present study aimed to analyze the current status and development trends of lung organoid research over the past years, present visual representations, and provide references for future research directions using bibliometric analysis.

METHODS: Information on articles on lung organoids extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection, such as year of publication, journal, country, institution, author, and keywords, was analyzed. R, VOSviewer, and SCImago Graphica were used to visualize publication trends, co-authorship analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and hotspot evolution.

RESULTS: The number of global publications has increased from 1 in 2011 to 929 in 2024. The Nature produced the highest number of citations (2,675 citations). The United States (8,155 citations and 281 publications), University Medical Center Utrecht (2083 citations and 11 publications), and Clevers H (2,711 citations and 21 publications) were the most influential countries, institutions, and authors, respectively. Co-occurrence cluster analysis of the top 54 keywords formed four clusters: (1) idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, (2) lung cancer, (3) cystic fibrosis, (4) COVID-19.

CONCLUSION: Overall, research on lung organoids continues to increase. The United States of America and the Netherlands dominated global studies. The analysis of pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer and COVID-19 occupied a prominent position of research in this area. The research hotspots for lung organoids are disease model and microphysiological systems. Standardization, accurate disease modeling, and ethics and safety remain pressing challenges that need to be addressed in this field.

RevDate: 2025-07-31
CmpDate: 2025-07-31

Øvretveit J (2025)

Applying implementation science to infectious disease emergency preparedness and response.

Frontiers in public health, 13:1622618.

Some infectious disease outbreaks present an emergency and a potential disaster scenario. Examples include a new virus similar to or more infectious and deadly than COVID-19 or Ebola, such as the 2025 MERS-like virus. Although good practices for general emergency preparedness and management can be used to plan, there are different and less-known preparations and responses needed for some infectious disease outbreaks and continuing and evolving crises. The objectives of this article are to provide guidance about how to plan and respond to these types of emergencies more effectively by using implementation science knowledge as well as lessons from COVID-19 and other infectious disease emergencies. This narrative review gives guidance for healthcare service delivery leaders at different levels of a healthcare system and easy to understand and use resources for leaders to improve their infectious disease emergency preparedness and operational actions in a disaster scenario. The implementation science guidance covers: interventions, adaptation to context, iteration, coordination for alignment, facilitation, and how to use behavior and organization change models and theories. It also provides researchers with an overview of issues and frameworks to help focus their research designs and data collection to study intervention implementation processes and outcomes for infectious disease outbreaks.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Adhikary K, Paul A, Madan A, et al (2025)

Personalized precision: Revolutionizing cancer treatment with mRNA-based vaccines in melanoma therapy.

Advances in immunology, 166:137-167.

Biological and societal issues are involved when we refer to a condition as cancer, which connotes loss, complexity, and uncertainty. In recent decades, the number of melanomas has climbed. Cancer treatment vaccines have induced immune responses against tumor-associated but not tumor-specific antigens. Cancer therapy may use mRNA vaccines after COVID-19 pandemic regulation advancements. Therapy mRNA cancer vaccines as advanced immunotherapies gain prominence. Using messenger RNA, the mRNA-4157/V940 cancer vaccine encodes 34 patient-specific tumor euroantigens. mRNA-4157/V940, like the COVID-19 vaccination, instructs the immune system to distinguish healthy and malignant cells using messenger RNA. T cell responses are tailored to a patient's tumor mutational pattern using this unique immunization. The drug suppresses PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2. T lymphocytes activated by pembrolizumab may affect cancer and non-cancerous cells. Early clinical trials suggest pembrolizumab and mRNA-4157/V940 may boost T cell-mediated cancer killing. Knowing the status and problems of melanoma therapeutic mRNA cancer vaccines in clinical trials is critical. In this chapter, we have focused on preclinical and clinical advances that have revealed mRNA melanoma vaccine manufacturing issues and solutions.

RevDate: 2025-07-31
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Sung WJ, JA Baaijens (2025)

Algorithms for Short-Read Viral Haplotype Reconstruction: Challenges, Solutions, and Perspectives.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2955:89-109.

RNA viruses, such as HIV, HCV, and SARS-CoV-2, show high levels of intrahost genetic diversity. Many different haplotypes can be present in a single infection, which can be studied using next-generation sequencing. However, full-length haplotype reconstruction from short reads is computationally challenging due to the presence of low-frequency mutants, as well as sequencing errors. Moreover, reads may not be long enough to span regions between neighboring mutations. Finally, the sequencing depths needed to discover such low-frequency mutants result in large datasets, which require highly efficient algorithms. In this review, we provide an overview of current strategies to address these challenges and identify potential directions for increasing the accuracy and efficiency of viral haplotype reconstruction. Such developments will be key to advancing our understanding of viral evolution, improving treatment strategies, and informing public health interventions.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Grad R, MH Ebell (2025)

Top 20 Research Studies of 2024 for Primary Care Physicians.

American family physician, 112(1):34-41.

This article summarizes the top 20 research studies of 2024 identified as POEMs (patient-oriented evidence that matters). Based on a network meta-analysis, the oral antibiotics most likely to be effective for community-acquired pneumonia are telithromycin (not available in the United States), azithromycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and the quinolones levofloxacin and nemonoxacin (not available in the United States). The oral antivirals molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir reduce hospitalizations in immunocompromised patients with COVID-19. In average-risk infants, a single dose of nirsevimab reduces hospitalizations due to respiratory syncytial virus. Amoxicillin with or without clavulanate is more effective than placebo for children with symptoms of acute sinusitis. Benzyl benzoate 25% is highly effective for scabies in adolescents and adults. Lactobacillus-containing probiotics reduce the incidence of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in premenopausal women with frequent UTIs. Low-dose amitriptyline is effective as second-line therapy for irritable bowel syndrome. For patients with uncomplicated gallstones, conservative management is a reasonable option. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are better than older drugs at improving patient-oriented outcomes for type 2 diabetes. Continuous or intermittent glucose monitoring is minimally effective for control of type 2 diabetes and can be harmful. Phentermine-topiramate and GLP-1 receptor agonists are the most effective drugs for promoting weight loss. Semaglutide is effective for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with obesity and no diabetes. SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists decrease cardiovascular death in older adults with type 2 diabetes and heart failure. Beta blockers do not prevent subsequent events after myocardial infarction in patients with preserved ejection fraction. For patients who do not quit smoking after a trial of varenicline or combined nicotine replacement therapy, a higher dose of either drug can increase quit rates. e-Cigarettes increase abstinence from smoking, but long-term vaping is a consequence for some. Oral naltrexone and acamprosate are safe and effective treatments for alcohol use disorder. Cognitive behavior therapy can reduce fatigue attributed to long COVID. New monoclonal antibodies for Alzheimer disease are harmful, expensive, and minimally effective. Clinicians may choose to deliver bad news in person or by telephone, using their judgment or patient preference to decide which is best for the patient.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Yfantopoulos J, A Chantzaras (2025)

The Economics of prevention and quality of care: policy insights from the EU's COVID-19 response.

Expert review of pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research [Epub ahead of print].

INTRODUCTION: Prevention and quality of care are increasingly recognized as fundamental drivers of sustainable, high-performing health systems. Both have demonstrated cost-effectiveness and long-term benefits, yet remain underfunded and fragmented across many European Union Member States. The COVID-19 pandemic offered a natural stress test, revealing significant variation in investment patterns, system responsiveness, and outcome efficiency.

AREAS COVERED: This article integrates economic theory, empirical evidence, and policy analysis to explore how prevention and quality jointly shape system value. It includes analyses of prevention expenditure trends, elasticity to GDP and health spending, and cross-country efficiency indicators across EU Member States (2019-2022). The findings draw from Eurostat data and a targeted review of economic literature on cost-effectiveness and value-based care.

EXPERT OPINION: Empirical results confirm that prevention is income- and budget-elastic, but efficiency and impact depend on institutional capacity and governance. The underuse of economic tools in quality planning and prevention prioritization hampers performance. Embedding efficiency metrics, dynamic modeling, and performance-based allocation into policy frameworks is essential to enhance value and resilience. In the coming years, prevention and quality should be better embedded in fiscal planning and system performance, not just as public health imperatives - but as economic necessities.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Jiang Z, Zhou Q, Shu H, et al (2025)

Impact of COVID-19 on physical activity patterns in non-professional populations in Asia: a mini review of pre-, during, and post-pandemic periods.

Frontiers in public health, 13:1604185.

This mini-narrative review examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity (PA) patterns across Asian countries, including regions such as Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Pre-pandemic (before 2019), Asia experienced gradually increasing PA participation rates, characterized predominantly by outdoor activities, gym workouts, and organized group exercises, driven by growing fitness awareness and the availability of facilities for exercise. During the pandemic (2020-2022), widespread declines in regular exercise occurred due to restrictions, causing a substantial shift toward indoor, home-based, and online-based PA. Low PA adversely affects cardiovascular health, immune function, obesity, metabolic conditions, and psychological well-being. Although home-based exercise modalities partially mitigated these impacts, their effectiveness remained limited compared to pre-pandemic routines. In the post-pandemic period (2022-2025), PA in Asia partially recovered, with some regions, such as Hong Kong and South Korea, reporting PA levels surpassing pre-pandemic baselines due to widespread adoption of hybrid exercise models. This recovery has fostered lasting changes toward hybrid exercise models, combining traditional and digital modalities, resulting in positive health outcomes across the cardiovascular, immune, metabolic, and psychological domains. Future public health strategies should emphasize flexible, diverse, and accessible exercise options, and further research should explore the sustainability and implications of these evolving exercise behaviors.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

SeyedAlinaghi S, Afzalian A, Mojdeganlou H, et al (2025)

COVID-19 and its association with meteorological, climate, and environmental factors: A systematic review.

Journal of public health research, 14(3):22799036251358298.

COVID-19 transmission can be influenced by various factors, including weather and climate conditions, population density, and the availability of medical facilities. To gain a deeper understanding of this topic, an in-depth analysis of recent studies is needed. Our objective was to investigate previous systematic reviews that have examined the seasonal variation of COVID-19 and the impact of climate on its transmission and mortality. Online databases that included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane were searched using relevant keywords up to November 2021. Negative associations were found between temperature and COVID-19 spread and mortality (6/9 studies, 66.6%). These negative correlations imply a decrease in the spread and mortality of COVID-19 with an increase in temperature. Similarly, seven systematic reviews reported a negative correlation between humidity and transmission or mortality of COVID-19 (7/9 studies, 77.7%). COVID-19 spread was not associated with precipitation (three studies) but was negatively correlated with sunlight or UV radiation (two studies), COVID-19 incidence and mortality were positively associated with wind speed (one study). One study reported that the effect of air pressure and UV radiation on COVID-19 activity was unknown. The effects of air pollution, seasonal changes, wind speed, precipitation, and UV radiation on COVID-19 incidence or mortality remain unclear. However, factors proposed as having the greatest influence on COVID-19 incidence or mortality include air pollution, wind speed, and wastewater. Sunlight exposure and warm climates likely assist with reducing COVID-19 incidence or mortality, with the infection having a winter seasonality.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Haile SR, D Kronthaler (2025)

Potential for Bias in Prevalence Estimates when Not Accounting for Test Sensitivity and Specificity: A Systematic Review of COVID-19 Seroprevalence Studies.

International journal of public health, 70:1608343.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many studies of seroprevalence. A number of methods exist in the statistical literature to correctly estimate disease prevalence or seroprevalence in the presence of diagnostic test misclassification, but these methods seem to be not routinely used in the public health literature. We aimed to examine how widespread the problem is in recent publications, and to quantify the magnitude of bias introduced when correct methods are not used.

METHODS: A systematic review was performed to estimate how often public health researchers accounted for diagnostic test performance in estimates of seroprevalence.

RESULTS: Of the seroprevalence studies sampled, 77% (95% CI 72%-82%) failed to account for sensitivity and specificity. In high impact journals, 72% did not correct for test characteristics, and 34% did not report sensitivity or specificity. The most common type of correction was the Rogen-Gladen formula (57%, 45%-69%), followed by Bayesian approaches (32%, 21%-44%). Rates of correction increased slightly over time, but type of correction did not change.

CONCLUSION: Researchers conducting studies of prevalence should report sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic test and correctly account for these characteristics.

RevDate: 2025-07-31
CmpDate: 2025-07-31

da Fonseca RN, Maggioli MF, de Oliveira Hübner S, et al (2025)

Antiviral effects of flavonoids on animal viruses.

Virology, 610:110596.

Flavonoids, plant-derived compounds widely recognized for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties, also exhibit significant antiviral effects against various animal viruses. This review highlights the promising antiviral mechanisms of flavonoids, which include disrupting viral replication, blocking cell entry, and modulating immune responses. Notably, flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol, and genistein have been shown to effectively inhibit viruses of veterinary importance, such as African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV), and Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV), among others. Although most studies demonstrate efficacy in vitro, the limited in vivo research underscores the need to further explore flavonoids' antiviral potential in real-world applications. The immunomodulatory effects observed in some cases, where flavonoids regulate cytokine expression and reduce inflammation, suggest a dual action that could benefit both antiviral and anti-inflammatory responses. This body of research suggests that flavonoids could provide an option for managing animal viral infections. Yet, standardized methodologies and more in vivo studies are needed to validate these findings for veterinary use.

RevDate: 2025-07-31
CmpDate: 2025-07-31

Gallo M, Lasagna A, Renzelli V, et al (2025)

Vaccination of people with solid tumors and diabetes: existing evidence and recommendations. A position statement from a multidisciplinary panel of scientific societies.

Journal of endocrinological investigation, 48(8):1717-1738.

Diabetes and cancer are two of the most common public health concerns worldwide. The complex interplay of these two conditions is a growing area of research, as patients with diabetes are at increased risk for developing cancer, and vice versa. Furthermore, both patient populations show increased risk of many communicable infectious diseases and their adverse consequences, while vaccination can play a crucial role in their prevention, improving patient outcomes. Vaccination should represent a standard part of care for patients with cancer, diabetes, and both the diseases simultaneously, including people undergoing cancer treatment or in remission. Several international guidelines provide recommendations for vaccinating people with cancer or diabetes, but the two conditions have not been specifically evaluated together. Here we present a multidisciplinary consensus position paper on vaccination in patients with cancer and diabetes. The position paper is the result of a collaborative effort between experts from the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM), Italian Association of Medical Diabetologists (AMD), Italian Society of Diabetology (SID), Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE), and Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF). The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art knowledge on vaccination in patients with cancer and diabetes. It discusses the importance of vaccination in preventing infections, focuses attention on the need to consider the unique challenges faced by patients with cancer and diabetes when it comes to vaccine administration, and highlights the need for coordinated care to optimize treatment outcomes. Overall, the consensus position paper provides healthcare professionals caring for patients with cancer and diabetes recommendations on the use of various vaccines, including influenza, COVID-19, HZV, and HPV vaccines, as well as guidance on how to address common concerns and challenges related to vaccine administration.

RevDate: 2025-07-31

Zavalichi MA, Ionescu G, Arsenescu Georgescu CM, et al (2025)

The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in COVID-19: a systematic review.

Archives of medical science : AMS, 21(3):897-918.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a major worldwide challenge, with a great impact on health systems and economic mechanisms. SARS-CoV-2, the pathogenic agent that generates COVID-19, creates a wide variety of organ dysfunctions, from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to acute myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism. Mechanical circulatory support devices such as extracorporeal membrane circulatory oxygenation (ECMO) have shown their efficacy in maintaining organ perfusion in respiratory and cardiac impairments. With this review, we aimed to assess the impact of ECMO use in COVID-19 patients with ARDS.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a systematic review to find studies using ECMO in COVID-19. Comorbidities, side effects, and survival rate to discharge were analysed. The literature search was done using PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase (Elsevier), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Wiley) and clinicaltrials.gov databases (inception (December 2019) to October 16, 2021), by 2 authors.

RESULTS: We included 33 studies from 10 countries with a total of 4760 patients receiving ECMO for COVID-19. The survival rate varied from 9% to 90.6% at discharge. The most serious adverse events were acute kidney injury (up to 87%), major bleeding (up to 92.1%), strokes or cerebral haemorrhage (up to 34%). Other complications such as pulmonary embolism, peripheral bleeding, or sepsis had a major impact on survival rates.

CONCLUSIONS: ECMO in COVID-19 patients may be a useful rescue therapy instrument, but due to the great variability of studies and still unknown mechanisms and effects of SARS-CoV-2, further studies need to be done.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Duff E, Pijl E, Fehr C, et al (2025)

The Impact of Post-COVID-19 Condition on Frontline Healthcare Workers: A Scoping Review.

The Canadian journal of infectious diseases & medical microbiology = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses et de la microbiologie medicale, 2025:1790795.

The main goal of this integrative scoping review was to address the knowledge gap and inform policy and research regarding the impact of post-COVID-19 conditions on frontline healthcare workers (HCWs). An integrative scoping review using Arksey and O'Malley's framework examined post-COVID-19 conditions in frontline HCWs. We searched CINAHL, EMBASE, APA PsycINFO, PubMed, Social Science Database, ProQuest, Social Science Journals, and Web of Science, including dissertations, conference proceedings, and government publications for gray literature. A preestablished data extraction tool was developed to capture relevant information about post-COVID-19 conditions in HCWs. Of the total 42 studies, the majority were cross-sectional in design (29) and conducted mainly in countries such as Italy (4), India (3), and Brazil (3). Study findings reveal that a substantial proportion of HCWs in various countries were diagnosed with post-COVID-19 condition, which included persistent symptoms affecting physical and mental well-being. Persistent symptoms, particularly fatigue and anxiety, were associated with a poorer quality of life, decreased work ability, and impaired health-related quality of life among HCWs. Fatigue was a frequently reported symptom in many studies, often accompanied by weakness, muscle pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. The evidence generated through this research examining post-COVID-19 conditions among HCWs is a foundation for informing policy in the healthcare workforce. These findings also address the gap in research on the broader impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on employers and the healthcare workforce.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Passmore H, Craft S, Krieger R, et al (2025)

Innovations at the intersection of homelessness and substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review.

Harm reduction journal, 22(1):132 pii:10.1186/s12954-025-01235-7.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in substance use and harm reduction services for people experiencing homelessness (PEH) as well as opportunities to innovate. Pandemic-era innovations may offer insights on more effective approaches to the intertwined issues of homelessness and substance use beyond the pandemic. We present findings from a scoping literature review of articles describing interventions related to substance use and homelessness that emerged during the pandemic.

METHODS: We conducted a scoping literature review to identify articles on pandemic-era innovations related to substance use and homelessness. We completed a comprehensive search for articles in nine academic and grey literature databases in November 2022, and a second database search in September 2023. We screened titles, abstracts, and full text using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We extracted data on study design, location, participants, and outcomes.

RESULTS: Database searches yielded 812 unique articles; 68 met inclusion criteria. Most articles discussed interventions addressing opioid use (n = 60). Commonly described interventions included telemedicine-based prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), homeless services site-based MOUD provision, managed alcohol programs, supervised consumption services, and safer supply prescribing. Articles reported few intervention-related adverse effects, though study designs (e.g., non-experimental, observational studies lacking comparison groups) presented limitations to effectiveness outcome assessment. Surmountable challenges associated with interventions included inequitable access to technology for PEH.

CONCLUSIONS: Innovations in programs that provide substance use treatment and harm reduction services to PEH were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further evidence is needed to determine which COVID-19 pandemic-related innovations were most impactful and how they should be prioritized and continued post-pandemic.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Hernandez-Ruiz YG, Lopatynsky-Reyes EZ, Ulloa-Gutierrez R, et al (2025)

100-Day Mission for Future Pandemic Vaccines, Viewed Through the Lens of Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070773.

The 100-Day Mission, coordinated by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and endorsed by significant international stakeholders, aims to shorten the timeframe for developing and implementing vaccines to 100 days after the report of a new pathogen. This ambitious goal is outlined as an essential first step in improving pandemic preparedness worldwide. This review highlights the mission's implementation potential and challenges by examining it through the lens of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which often face barriers to equitable vaccine access. This article explores the scientific, economic, political, and social aspects that could influence the mission's success, relying on lessons learned from previous pandemics, such as the Spanish flu, H1N1, and COVID-19. We also examined important cornerstones like prototype vaccine libraries, accelerated clinical trial preparedness, early biomarkers identification, scalable manufacturing capabilities, and rapid pathogen characterization. The review also explores the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement and the significance of Phase 4 surveillance in ensuring vaccine safety. We additionally evaluate societal issues that disproportionately impact LMICs, like vaccine reluctance, health literacy gaps, and digital access limitations. Without intentional attempts to incorporate under-resourced regions into global preparedness frameworks, we argue that the 100-Day Mission carries the risk of exacerbating already-existing disparities. Ultimately, our analysis emphasizes that success will not only rely on a scientific innovation but also on sustained international collaboration, transparent governance, and equitable funding that prioritizes inclusion from the beginning.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Gulova SM, Veselkina US, IV Astrakhantseva (2025)

Adaptation of the Vaccine Prophylaxis Strategy to Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus.

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070761.

The emergence of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus closely related to SARS-CoV and officially known as Betacoronavirus pandemicum precipitated a substantial surge in vaccine development that culminated during the global COVID-19 pandemic. At present, there are dozens of vaccines for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 being utilized across the globe. However, only 10 of these vaccines have been authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO). These include mRNA-based, viral vector, subunit and whole-virion inactivated vaccines. At the current end of the pandemic, there has been a decline in the global vaccination rate, both for the general population and for those most at risk of severe illness from the virus. This suggests that the effectiveness of the vaccines may be waning. The decline occurs alongside a decrease in testing and sequencing for SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the process of tracking viruses becomes increasingly complex, thereby providing a selective advantage for SARS-CoV-2 and allowing it to evolve stealthily. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of viral evolution and vaccine development. We also discuss ways to overcome viral variability and test universal vaccines for all SARS-CoV-2 variants.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Wang C, Peng L, Huang X, et al (2025)

Impact of Vaccination and Public Health Measures on the Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infections in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis.

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070747.

Background: Starting in early 2022, SARS-CoV-2 Omicron has driven large outbreaks in China, a predominantly infection-naive population with high inactivated vaccine coverage. This unique context provided a substantially less-confounded opportunity to evaluate how vaccination, public health, and social measures influenced severity. Methods: We systematically reviewed 86 studies (224 severity estimates) published from 2022 to 2024, reporting symptom and clinical severity outcomes (fever, cough, and sore throat; symptomatic, severe/critical, and fatal illness) of Omicron infections in China. Using meta-regression, we evaluated the associations of study setting, age group, vaccination status, predominant subvariants, and Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT) indices, including the Government Response Index (GRI), Containment and Health Index (CHI), and the Stringency Index (SI), with infection outcomes, adjusting for key confounders. Results: We found the primary or booster series of inactivated vaccines conferred strong protection against severe/critical illness (pooled relative risk (RR) 0.17 [95% CI: 0.09-0.33]) but did not reduce symptom frequency (RR 0.99 [95% CI: 0.95-1.02]). Each 10-unit increase in GRI or CHI was associated with 7% (95% CI: 1-12%) and 6% (95% CI: 1-10%) lower odds of symptomatic infection and 3% (95% CI: 1-4%) lower odds of severe/critical illness. Later subvariants (BA.5, BF.7, and XBB) showed 24-38% higher odds of upper respiratory symptoms versus BA.1. Conclusions: The data collection context significantly impacted severity estimates, with higher estimates from emergency hospitals. Overall, inactivated vaccines provided strong protection against severe/critical outcomes while stringent public health measures were associated with lower severity. Our findings underscore the importance of consistent and standardized protocols to produce reliable estimates of SARS-CoV-2 severity in evolving epidemiological contexts.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Zhang Y, Zhang H, Lv K, et al (2025)

Retinal Vascular Occlusion Following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Comprehensive Review of Observational Study and Pathophysiological Mechanisms.

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070733.

Background: Retinal vascular occlusion (RVO) and retinal artery occlusion (RAO) have been reported as rare adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination, raising concerns about vaccine safety. This review synthesizes cohort and case-control studies assessing the association between COVID-19 vaccines and RVO/RAO, while exploring potential pathophysiological mechanisms. Methods: We analyzed large-scale population-based studies from South Korea, Europe, and the TriNetX database, focusing on odds ratios (OR), hazard ratios (HR), and relative risks (RR) across mRNA and adenoviral vector vaccines. Pathological processes were hypothesized based on molecular and clinical evidence. Results: Studies investigating the association between COVID-19 vaccination and retinal vascular occlusion show conflicting results; some studies report no association (e.g., OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.60-1.45), others suggest reduced risk (e.g., OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.64-0.99), and one indicates increased risk over two years (HR 2.19, 95% CI 2.00-2.39). Adenoviral vector vaccines, particularly ChAdOx1, show higher RAO incidence in specific cohorts. Proposed mechanisms include vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) via anti-PF4 antibodies, spike protein-mediated endothelial dysfunction, and adjuvant-driven inflammation. Conclusions: While causality remains unproven, temporal heterogeneity and vaccine type-specific risks warrant further investigation. Longitudinal studies with robust controls are needed to clarify these associations in the post-pandemic context.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Baralić M, Stojanović N, Gajić S, et al (2025)

Kidney Involvement in SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Peritoneal Dialysis as the Preferred Modality.

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070723.

Patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) represent a uniquely vulnerable population due to intrinsic immunological dysfunction and a high prevalence of comorbid conditions. This review examines the complex interplay between natural and vaccine-induced immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in this group, focusing on viral entry, immune activation, and immune evasion mechanisms. Particular attention is given to the impaired cellular and humoral responses seen in PD patients, including reduced T-cell function, diminished antibody production, and abnormal cytokine signaling, all of which contribute to an elevated risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. The immunogenicity and clinical efficacy of various vaccine platforms, including inactivated, vector-based, and mRNA formulations, are critically assessed, with an emphasis on the role of booster doses in enhancing protection amid waning immunity and evolving viral variants. Furthermore, the review highlights the advantages of PD as a home-based modality that is compatible with telemedicine and may reduce the risk of viral exposure. These insights underscore the importance of developing individualized vaccination strategies, maintaining close immunological surveillance, and implementing innovative dialysis care approaches to improve clinical outcomes during the ongoing pandemic and future public health crises. Tailored booster strategies and telemedicine-integrated care models are essential for improving outcomes in this high-risk population.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Thöne P, Egger M, Gruber MS, et al (2025)

Safety, Immunogenicity, and Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccines in Radiation-Oncology Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070715.

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly threatened cancer patients and oncologic care. The rollout of vaccines emerged as a critical milestone, despite the initial lack of evidence regarding their safety and efficacy in this population. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the current evidence on COVID-19 vaccination in patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT). Methods: PubMed, Livivo, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were systematically reviewed for relevant publications on COVID-19 vaccination in the context of radiation oncology, published by 19 April 2024. The treatment effects were calculated as the proportion of seroconverted individuals. Results: A total of 22 studies published between 2021 and 2024 were included, covering various aspects of vaccination, including safety, tolerability, qualitative and quantitative humoral responses, cellular responses, vaccination efficacy, and booster vaccinations. Notably, patients undergoing RT exhibited a high willingness to receive vaccination. Vaccination was overall well tolerated and safe, with a low incidence of side effects, which were primarily mild. The primary meta-analysis showed a seroconversion proportion of 91% [95% CI: 84-96%] overall, with a somewhat higher proportion of 93% in patients receiving RT alone, compared to 90% in patients receiving either RT or RT combined with chemotherapy. Furthermore, immunization during RT led to a sustained increase in antibody titers, with a notable long-term persistence of IgG. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccines demonstrate excellent safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy in patients receiving RT, who also exhibit a high willingness to be vaccinated. The outcomes observed are comparable to those in healthy controls and superior to those seen in patients receiving other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. The vaccination of radiation oncology patients in future pandemics or epidemics is strongly advocated even during active treatment.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Nguyen HN, Vanderzee IO, F Wen (2025)

The Application of Single-Cell Technologies for Vaccine Development Against Viral Infections.

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070687.

The development of vaccines against viral infections has advanced rapidly over the past century, propelled by innovations in laboratory and molecular technologies. These advances have expanded the range of vaccine platforms beyond live-attenuated and inactivated vaccines to include recombinant platforms, such as subunit proteins and virus-like particles (VLPs), and more recently, mRNA-based vaccines, while also enhancing methods for evaluating vaccine performance. Despite these innovations, a persistent challenge remains: the inherent complexity and heterogeneity of immune responses continue to impede efforts to achieve consistently effective and durable protection across diverse populations. Single-cell technologies have emerged as transformative tools for dissecting this immune heterogeneity, providing comprehensive and granular insights into cellular phenotypes, functional states, and dynamic host-pathogen interactions. In this review, we examine how single-cell epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and multi-omics approaches are being integrated across all stages of vaccine development-from infection-informed discovery to guide vaccine design, to high-resolution evaluation of efficacy, and refinement of cell lines for manufacturing. Through representative studies, we highlight how insights from these technologies contribute to the rational design of more effective vaccines and support the development of personalized vaccination strategies.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Dong C, Li Z, Tan D, et al (2025)

Research and Clinical Progress of Therapeutic Tumor Vaccines.

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070672.

Therapeutic cancer vaccines are a new growth point of biomedicine with broad industrial prospects in the post-COVID-19 era. Many large international pharmaceutical companies and emerging biotechnology companies are deploying different tumor therapeutic cancer vaccine projects, focusing on promoting their clinical transformation, and the vaccine industry has strong momentum for development. Such vaccines are also the core engine and pilot site for the development of new vaccine targets, new vectors, new adjuvants, and new technologies, which play a key role in promoting the innovation and development of vaccines. Various therapeutic cancer vaccines, such as viral vector vaccines, bacterial vector vaccines, cell vector vaccines, peptide vaccines, and nucleic acid vaccines, have all been applied in clinical research. With the continuous development of technology, therapeutic cancer vaccines are evolving towards the trends of precise antigens, efficient carriers, diversified adjuvants, and combined applications. For instance, the rapidly advancing mRNA-4157 vaccine is a typical representative that combines personalized antigens with efficient delivery vectors (lipid nanoparticles, LNPs), and it also shows synergistic advantages in melanoma patients treated in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this article, we will systematically discuss the current research and development status and clinical research progress of various therapeutic cancer vaccines.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Al Hashimi F, Shuaib SE, Bragazzi NL, et al (2025)

COVID-19 Vaccine Timing and Co-Administration with Influenza Vaccines in Canada: A Systematic Review with Comparative Insights from G7 Countries.

Vaccines, 13(7): pii:vaccines13070670.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Despite significant advancements in vaccine development and distribution, the optimal timing and integration of COVID-19 vaccination in Canada remain crucial to public health. As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve, determining effective timing strategies for booster doses is necessary to sustain immunity, especially in high-risk populations. This systematic review aims to critically evaluate the timing and co-administration strategies of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada, comparing them with approaches in other G7 nations.

METHODS: The review seeks to identify best practices to inform national vaccination policies, with a particular focus on synchronizing COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccinations. We systematically searched Scopus, PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science (17 August 2021 to 7 July 2024) using the PECOS framework. Two independent reviewers screened titles/abstracts, extracted key data on immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety, and performed a narrative synthesis on timing and co-administration outcomes.

RESULTS: Evidence summarized across G7 countries reveals that most nations are converging on annual or flexible booster schedules tailored to high-risk groups, often aligning COVID-19 vaccination with influenza campaigns. Countries like Canada, the UK, and the US have integrated these efforts, while others maintain more independent or heterogeneous approaches. In addition, timely booster doses, whether administered annually or more frequently in high-risk settings, consistently reduce infection rates and hospitalizations.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings collectively support the continued evolution of COVID-19 vaccination programs toward integrated, seasonally aligned strategies. Future public health efforts can build on these lessons not only to sustain protection against SARS-CoV-2 but also to strengthen preparedness for other respiratory infections.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Aljabali AAA, Lundstrom K, Hromić-Jahjefendić A, et al (2025)

The XEC Variant: Genomic Evolution, Immune Evasion, and Public Health Implications.

Viruses, 17(7): pii:v17070985.

Narrative review synthesizes the most current literature on the SARS-CoV-2 XEC variant, focusing on its genomic evolution, immune evasion characteristics, epidemiological dynamics, and public health implications. To achieve this, we conducted a structured search of the literature of peer-reviewed articles, preprints, and official surveillance data from 2023 to early 2025, prioritizing virological, clinical, and immunological reports related to XEC and its parent lineages. Defined by the distinctive spike protein mutations, T22N and Q493E, XEC exhibits modest reductions in neutralization in vitro, although current evidence suggests that mRNA booster vaccines, including those targeting JN.1 and KP.2, retain cross-protective efficacy against symptomatic and severe disease. The XEC strain of SARS-CoV-2 has drawn particular attention due to its increasing prevalence in multiple regions and its potential to displace other Omicron subvariants, although direct evidence of enhanced replicative fitness is currently lacking. Preliminary analyses also indicated that glycosylation changes at the N-terminal domain enhance infectivity and immunological evasion, which is expected to underpin the increasing prevalence of XEC. The XEC variant, while still emerging, is marked by a unique recombination pattern and a set of spike protein mutations (T22N and Q493E) that collectively demonstrate increased immune evasion potential and epidemiological expansion across Europe and North America. Current evidence does not conclusively associate XEC with greater disease severity, although additional research is required to determine its clinical relevance. Key knowledge gaps include the precise role of recombination events in XEC evolution and the duration of cross-protective T-cell responses. New research priorities include genomic surveillance in undersampled regions, updated vaccine formulations against novel spike epitopes, and long-term longitudinal studies to monitor post-acute sequelae. These efforts can be augmented by computational modeling and the One Health approach, which combines human and veterinary sciences. Recent computational findings (GISAID, 2024) point to the potential of XEC for further mutations in under-surveilled reservoirs, enhancing containment challenges and risks. Addressing the potential risks associated with the XEC variant is expected to benefit from interdisciplinary coordination, particularly in regions where genomic surveillance indicates a measurable increase in prevalence.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Debat H, N Bejerman (2025)

An Update on RNA Virus Discovery: Current Challenges and Future Perspectives.

Viruses, 17(7): pii:v17070983.

The relentless emergence of RNA viruses poses a perpetual threat to global public health, necessitating continuous efforts in surveillance, discovery, and understanding of these pathogens. This review provides a comprehensive update on recent advancements in RNA virus discovery, highlighting breakthroughs in technology and methodologies that have significantly enhanced our ability to identify novel viruses across diverse host organisms. We explore the expanding landscape of viral diversity, emphasizing the discovery of previously unknown viral families and the role of zoonotic transmissions in shaping the viral ecosystem. Additionally, we discuss the potential implications of RNA virus discovery on disease emergence and pandemic preparedness. Despite remarkable progress, current challenges in sample collection, data interpretation, and the characterization of newly identified viruses persist. Our ability to anticipate and respond to emerging respiratory threats relies on virus discovery as a cornerstone for understanding RNA virus evolution. We address these challenges and propose future directions for research, emphasizing the integration of multi-omic approaches, advanced computational tools, and international collaboration to overcome barriers in the field. This comprehensive overview aims to guide researchers, policymakers, and public health professionals in navigating the intricate landscape of RNA virus discovery, fostering a proactive and collaborative approach to anticipate and mitigate emerging viral threats.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Tan BEK, Tham SK, CL Poh (2025)

mRNA Vaccine Development in the Fight Against Zoonotic Viral Diseases.

Viruses, 17(7): pii:v17070960.

Zoonotic diseases are transmitted from animals to humans, and they impose a significant global burden by impacting both animal and human health. It can lead to substantial economic losses and cause millions of human deaths. The emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic diseases are heavily influenced by both anthropogenic and natural drivers such as climate change, rapid urbanization, and widespread travel. Over time, the unprecedented rise of new and re-emerging zoonotic diseases has prompted the need for rapid and effective vaccine development. Following the success of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, mRNA-based platforms hold great promise due to their rapid design, swift development and ability to elicit robust immune responses, thereby highlighting their potential in combating emerging and pre-pandemic zoonotic viruses. In recent years, several mRNA vaccines targeting emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viral diseases, such as rabies, Nipah, Zika, and influenza, have advanced to clinical trials, demonstrating promising immunogenicity. This review explores recent advances, challenges, and future directions in developing mRNA vaccines against emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viral diseases.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Elsharabassi YK, Swaidan NT, MM Emara (2025)

Potential Resistance Mechanisms Exhibited by Cystic Fibrosis Patients Against SARS-CoV-2.

Viruses, 17(7): pii:v17070919.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic. The virus primarily spreads through person-to-person contact via aerosols and droplets, contributing to high case numbers and related morbidities. SARS-CoV-2 targets the respiratory tract, causing acute respiratory distress syndrome, particularly in immunocompromised individuals such as those with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a life-threatening genetic disorder caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, leading to impaired respiratory function and recurrent severe respiratory symptoms. Despite their potential vulnerability, CF patients have shown a lower incidence of severe COVID-19, suggesting protective factors against SARS-CoV-2. Differential expression of the ACE2 receptor, crucial for viral entry, and other host factors, such as TMPRSS2, may play a role in this resistance to SARS-CoV-2. Analyzing the genomics and transcriptomics profiles of CF patients could provide insights into potential resistance mechanisms. The potential resistance mechanisms include blood and extracellular ATP levels, a deleted/dysfunctional CFTR gene, ACE and ACE2 regulation and expression, ACE and ACE2 polymorphism effects, host proteins and SARS-CoV-2 interactions, and SMN1 and ACE/ACE2 interactions. This review discusses the underlying factors and potential resistance mechanisms contributing to CF patients' responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The review provides an opportunity to further investigate future therapy and research through understanding the underlying potential resistance mechanisms exhibited by CF patients against SARS-CoV-2, including ACE and ACE2 polymorphisms.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Mahajan S, Mahajan S, S Patgiri (2025)

Association and Interaction of Epstein-Barr Virus with SARS-CoV-2 Infection-A Review.

Viruses, 17(7): pii:v17070903.

Despite the significant decrease in SARS-CoV-2-related mortality, COVID-19 continues to impose a high public health burden due to the high rate of post-COVID-19 pathological conditions, broadly termed Long COVID, that continue for any period of time and are generally multisystemic. However, recent studies have strengthened the evidence that the reactivation of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the post-COVID-19 era has significantly contributed to the exacerbation and prolongation of Long COVID symptoms. The mechanism and pathophysiology of EBV reactivation in Long COVID patients still need further exploration due to limited studies. This review summarises the various studies linking EBV reactivation in Long COVID along with its pathophysiology and novel therapeutics for EBV in a post-COVID-19 era.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Triggle CR, R MacDonald (2025)

COVID-19 and a Tale of Three Drugs: To Repurpose, or Not to Repurpose-That Was the Question.

Viruses, 17(7): pii:v17070881.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that earlier in February 2020 the WHO had named COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). There were neither drugs nor vaccines that were known to be effective against the virus, stimulating an urgent worldwide search for treatments. An evaluation of existing drugs by 'repurposing' was initiated followed by a transition to de novo drug discovery. Repurposing of an already approved drug may accelerate the introduction of that drug into clinical use by circumventing early, including preclinical studies otherwise essential for a de novo drug and reducing development costs. Early in the pandemic three drugs were identified as repurposing candidates for the treatment of COVID-19: (i) hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus; (ii) ivermectin, an antiparasitic approved for both human and veterinary use; (iii) remdesivir, an anti-viral originally developed to treat hepatitis C. The scientific evidence, both for and against the efficacy of these three drugs as treatments for COVID-19, vied with public demand and politicization as unqualified opinions clashed with evidence-based medicine. To quote Hippocrates, "There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance".

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Pawłowska M, Nuszkiewicz J, Jarek DJ, et al (2025)

Ferroptosis and Metabolic Dysregulation: Emerging Chemical Targets in Cancer and Infection.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 30(14):.

The distinctive nature of ferroptosis is that it is induced chemically and signifies a regulated cell death dependent on iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. The mechanism of ferroptosis involves oxidative damage to the membrane lipids. It differs from apoptosis and necroptosis, triggering metabolic changes in the iron-lipid homeostasis and antioxidant defense, such as glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Herein, the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in the tumorigenesis process and infection-related diseases are presented. It also discusses metabolic reprogramming as a factor that modifies the levels of cell-sensitizing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), iron dysregulation, and oxidative stress in aggressive cancers and inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, tuberculosis, and COVID-19. Particular attention is given to chemical modulators of ferroptosis, including synthetic inducers and inhibitors, as well as bioactive natural compounds. Our focus is on the significance of analytical tools, such as lipidomics and metabolomics, in understanding the phenomenon of ferroptosis. Finally, we explore novel therapeutic approaches targeting ferroptosis in cancer and infectious diseases, while navigating both the opportunities and challenges in drug development. The review then draws on chemical biology and disease pathology to propose promising areas of study for ferroptosis-related therapies.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Tufeu M, Herkenne C, YN Kalia (2025)

Trends and Commonalities of Approved and Late Clinical-Phase RNA Therapeutics.

Pharmaceutics, 17(7): pii:pharmaceutics17070903.

Background/Objectives: After many years of research and the successful development of therapeutic products by a few industrial actors, the COVID-19 vaccines brought messenger RNAs, as well as other nucleic acid modalities, such as antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering RNA, and aptamers, into the spotlight, eliciting renewed interest from both academia and industry. However, owing to their structure, relative "fragility", and the (usually) intracellular site of action, the delivery of these therapeutics has frequently proven to be a key limitation, especially when considering endosomal escape, which still needs to be overcome. Methods: By compiling delivery-related data on approved and late clinical-phase ribonucleic acid therapeutics, this review aims to assess the delivery strategies that have proven to be successful or are emerging, as well as areas where more research is needed. Results: In very specific cases, some strategies appeared to be quite effective, such as the N-acetylgalactosamine moiety in the case of liver delivery. Surprisingly, it also appears that for some modalities, efforts in molecular design have led to more "drug-like" properties, enablingthe administration of naked nucleic acids, without any form of encapsulation. This appears to be especially true when local administration, i.e., by injection, is possible, as this provides de facto targeting and a high local concentration, which can compensate for the small proportion of nucleic acids that reach the cytoplasm. Conclusions: Nucleic acid-based therapeutics have come a long way in terms of their physicochemical properties. However, due to their inherent limitations, targeting appears to be crucial for their efficacy, even more so than for traditional pharmaceutical modalities.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Shen Y, Eades W, Dinh L, et al (2025)

Carboxylesterase Factors Influencing the Therapeutic Activity of Common Antiviral Medications Used for SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Pharmaceutics, 17(7): pii:pharmaceutics17070832.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19, remains a major global health threat. The virus enters host cells by binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Several small-molecule antiviral drugs, including molnupiravir, favipiravir, remdesivir, and nirmatrelvir have been shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and are approved for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections. Nirmatrelvir inhibits the viral main protease (M[pro]), a key enzyme for processing polyproteins in viral replication. In contrast, molnupiravir, favipiravir, and remdesivir are prodrugs that target RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which is crucial for genome replication and subgenomic RNA production. However, undergoing extensive metabolism profoundly impacts their therapeutic effects. Carboxylesterases (CES) are a family of enzymes that play an essential role in the metabolism of many drugs, especially prodrugs that require activation through hydrolysis. Molnupiravir is activated by carboxylesterase-2 (CES2), while remdesivir is hydrolytically activated by CES1 but inhibits CES2. Nirmatrelvir and remdesivir are oxidized by the same cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme. Additionally, various transporters are involved in the uptake or efflux of these drugs and/or their metabolites. It is well established that drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters are differentially expressed depending on the cell type, and these genes exhibit significant polymorphisms. In this review, we examine how CES-related cellular and genetic factors influence the therapeutic activities of these widely used COVID-19 medications. This article highlights implications for improving product design, targeted inhibition, and personalized medicine by exploring genetic variations and their impact on drug metabolism and efficacy.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Coşkun N, Demir R, Canbolat AA, et al (2025)

Polyphenols as Antiviral Agents: Their Potential Against a Range of Virus Types.

Nutrients, 17(14): pii:nu17142325.

Polyphenols are structurally diverse plant metabolites that have attracted significant interest. Their compositions are versatile, depending on their structures, including the number of rings in the polyphenol composition. Based on these attributes, polyphenols can be classified as flavanols, anthocyanins, flavones, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and lignans. Polyphenols mainly possess inhibition of viral replication, interference with viral protein synthesis, and modulation of immune responses, providing significant antiviral effects against several viruses, including herpes simplex virus, hepatitis C virus, and influenza. They are crucial for medical compounds in diverse, versatile treatments, namely in diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative problems. Plants are the primary source of bioactive molecules, which are valued for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral activities. Especially, polyphenols are extracted as the most abundant bioactive compounds of plants. Moreover, viral infections are one of the major factors in illnesses and diseases, along with bacteria and fungi. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies report antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, Mayaro virus, dengue virus, herpesvirus, and influenza A virus, though clinical validation remains limited. Additionally, inhibition of viral entry, interference with viral replication, modulation of host immune response, and direct virucidal effects were examined.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Gokalsing E, Ferrolho J, Gibson MS, et al (2025)

Efficacy of GS-441524 for Feline Infectious Peritonitis: A Systematic Review (2018-2024).

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland), 14(7): pii:pathogens14070717.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a severe viral disease with a very high fatality rate. GS-441524 is an adenosine analogue that acts as an antiviral and has shown promise in FIP treatment. However, its commercialization in some regions is not yet authorized. To evaluate the efficacy of GS-441524 based on the published literature, a systematic review was conducted. This systematic review was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar for studies published from 2018 onwards. Following PRISMA guidelines, 11 studies (totaling 650 FIP cases treated with GS-441524 alone or in combination) were included. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by FIP form, clinical signs, and dosage. The overall treatment success rate was 84.6%. This rate was higher when GS-441524 was combined with other antivirals and lower in cases of wet FIP or those with neurological complications. Combination therapy with other antivirals may improve outcomes in complicated FIP cases, although further studies are needed. The GS-441524 dosages associated with the best outcomes were 5-10 mg/kg once daily (or equivalent subcutaneous dose), adjusted for FIP type, severity, and presence of neurological/ocular signs. Higher dosages can be used for severe cases or to prevent relapse, but splitting into twice-daily dosing may be necessary to avoid absorption issues. In summary, this synthesis indicates that GS-441524 is a highly promising treatment for FIP, with a high success rate among treated cases. Nevertheless, randomized controlled trials are needed to establish evidence-based therapeutic protocols tailored to different FIP presentations.

RevDate: 2025-07-30

Anugu A, Singh P, Kashyap D, et al (2025)

PROTAC-Based Antivirals for Respiratory Viruses: A Novel Approach for Targeted Therapy and Vaccine Development.

Microorganisms, 13(7): pii:microorganisms13071557.

The global burden of respiratory viral infections is notable, which is attributed to their higher transmissibility compared to other viral diseases. Respiratory viruses are seen to have evolved resistance to available treatment options. Although vaccines and antiviral drugs control some respiratory viruses, this control is limited due to unexpected events, such as mutations and the development of antiviral resistance. The technology of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has been emerging as a novel technology in viral therapeutics. These are small molecules that can selectively degrade target proteins via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. PROTACs as a therapy were initially developed against cancer, but they have recently shown promising results in their antiviral mechanisms by targeting viral and/or host proteins involved in the pathogenesis of viral infections. In this review, we elaborate on the antiviral potential of PROTACs as therapeutic agents and their potential as vaccine components against important respiratory viral pathogens, including influenza viruses, coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2), and respiratory syncytial virus. Advanced applications of PROTAC antiviral strategies, such as hemagglutinin and neuraminidase degraders for influenza and spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, are detailed in this review. Additionally, the role of PROTACs in targeting cellular mechanisms within the host, thereby preventing viral pathogenesis and eliciting an antiviral effect, is discussed. The potential of PROTACs as vaccines, utilizing proteasome-based virus attenuation to achieve a robust protective immune response, while ensuring safety and enhancing efficient production, is also presented. With the promises exhibited by PROTACs, this technology faces significant challenges, including the emergence of novel viral strains, tissue-specific expression of E3 ligases, and pharmacokinetic constraints. With advanced computational design in molecular platforms, PROTAC-based antiviral development offers an alternative, transformative path in tackling respiratory viruses.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Aernout I, Verbeke R, Thery F, et al (2025)

Challenges and opportunities in mRNA vaccine development against bacteria.

Nature microbiology [Epub ahead of print].

The global surge in antimicrobial resistance presents a critical threat to public health, emphasizing the urgent need for the development of new and more effective bacterial vaccines. Since the success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, this vaccine strategy has rapidly advanced, with most efforts focused on cancer immunotherapy and targeting viral pathogens. Recently, mRNA vaccines have entered the early phases of clinical development for bacterial diseases. However, bacteria present greater biological complexity compared with viruses, posing additional challenges for vaccine design, such as antigen selection, immune response and mRNA construct design. Here, we discuss critical aspects in the development of bacterial mRNA vaccines, from antigen selection to construct design. We also highlight the current preclinical landscape and discuss remaining translational challenges and future potential for mRNA vaccines against bacterial infections.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Castro MC, Ponmattam J, EA FitzGerald (2025)

Shocks and health care in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Frontiers in public health, 13:1604424.

BACKGROUND: The Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) is one of the most disaster-prone regions worldwide, and the frequency and intensity of disasters is expected to increase. We propose typologies of shocks considering healthcare resilience to examine how the risk of shocks varies across LAC and how previous shocks and their impacts in LAC fit into these categories.

METHODS: We classify shocks into natural, anthropogenic and climate-related, and build on the literature to develop a 2×2 classification considering health care resilience and trust in government. Using the INFORM risk we categorize countries into risk groups considering indicators of governance and access to healthcare as proxies for trust in government and health care resilience, respectively. We discuss the 2×2 classification considering examples of health impacts of shocks, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of national responses, and use excess death ratios during the COVID-19 pandemic to demonstrate how health impacts correspond to the 2×2 typology.

RESULTS: Based on the available literature, the proposed 2×2 classification reflects the recent consequences of shocks in LAC countries. Overall, areas where healthcare access and trust in government were weak had the most devastating impacts. However, strong access to healthcare is not a sufficient condition determining the impact of a shock, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the most part, countries lack a detailed shock management plan.

DISCUSSION: Countries in the LAC region have historically been unprepared to manage shocks. In the absence of a comprehensive and multisectoral shock management plan, countries will continue to act in a reactive way, after a shock, as most of the examples discussed in our analysis illustrate. A shock management plan is an important step to build resilient health systems.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Li J, Zhang C, Li B, et al (2025)

New Advances in Small Molecules Targeted at Viral Capsid-Genome Binding.

International journal of molecular sciences, 26(14):.

The capsid protein plays a crucial role in the viral life cycle. By interacting with the viral genome, it facilitates the assembly of the nucleocapsid, ultimately leading to the formation of the viral particle. Therefore, interfering with or disrupting the interaction between the capsid protein and viral genome can effectively inhibit viral replication and infection. This review focuses on elucidating the binding mechanisms between the capsid protein and the viral genome, as well as their potential applications as therapeutic targets. In particular, it summarizes the research progress on small-molecule drugs targeting the capsid-genome binding sites of dengue virus, HBV, and SARS-CoV-2. Notably, this review provides a detailed discussion on the mechanisms by which these small-molecule inhibitors interfere with the capsid-genome interaction, aiming to offer inspiration for the future development of novel antiviral drugs targeting the capsid-genome binding.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Vail KJ, Macha BN, Hellmers L, et al (2025)

Modeling Virus-Associated Central Nervous System Disease in Non-Human Primates.

International journal of molecular sciences, 26(14):.

While viral pathogens are often subdivided into neurotropic and non-neurotropic categories, systemic inflammation caused by non-neurotropic viruses still possesses the ability to alter the central nervous system (CNS). Studies of CNS disease induced by viral infection, whether neurotropic or not, are presented with a unique set of challenges. First, because brain biopsies are rarely necessary to diagnose viral-associated neurological disorders, antemortem tissue samples are not readily available for study and human pathological studies must rely on end-stage, postmortem evaluations. Second, in vitro models fail to fully capture the nuances of an intact immune system, necessitating the use of animal models to fully characterize pathogenesis and identify potential therapeutic approaches. Non-human primates (NHP) represent a particularly attractive animal model in that they overcome many of the limits posed by more distant species and most closely mirror human disease pathogenesis and susceptibility. Here, we review NHP infection models of viruses known to infect and/or replicate within cells of the CNS, including West Nile virus, the equine encephalitis viruses, Zika virus, and herpesviruses, as well as those known to alter the immune status of the brain in the absence of significant CNS penetrance, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the current era of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and the coronavirus of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2. This review focuses on viruses with an established role in causing CNS disease, including encephalitis, meningitis, and myelitis and NHP models of viral infection that are directly translatable to the human condition through relevant routes of infection, comparable disease pathogenesis, and responses to therapeutic intervention.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Szataniak I, K Packi (2025)

Melatonin as the Missing Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Immune Dysregulation: A Narrative Review.

International journal of molecular sciences, 26(14):.

Sleep deprivation impairs immune function, and melatonin has emerged as a key mediator in this process. This narrative review analyzes 50 studies published between 2000 and 2025 to determine the extent to which reduced melatonin synthesis contributes to immune dysregulation. Consistent sleep loss lowers melatonin levels, which correlates with elevated proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6 and TNF-α), increased oxidative stress, and reduced immune cell activity, including that of natural killer (NK) cells and CD4+ lymphocytes. Melatonin regulates immune pathways, including NF-κB signaling. It also supports mitochondrial health and helps maintain gut barrier integrity. These effects are particularly relevant in vulnerable populations, including older adults and shift workers. Experimental findings also highlight melatonin's therapeutic potential in infections like SARS-CoV-2, where it modulates inflammatory responses and viral entry mechanisms. Despite the heterogeneity of study methodologies, a consistent correlation emerges between circadian disruption, melatonin suppression, and immune imbalance. These findings underscore melatonin's dual role as a chronobiotic and immunomodulator. Addressing sleep loss and considering melatonin-based interventions may help restore immune homeostasis. More clinical trials are needed to determine the best dosing, long-term efficacy, and population-specific strategies for supplementation. Promoting healthy sleep is crucial for preventing chronic inflammation and diseases associated with immune dysfunction.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

Lee OJ, A Keating (2025)

Mesenchymal stromal cells: an update.

Current opinion in hematology, 32(5):270-278.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are widely utilized in preclinical and clinical studies, with over 1500 clinical trials, including applications in Covid-19 treatment. This review consolidates recent advances in understanding MSC biology, mechanisms of action, and clinical utility.

RECENT FINDINGS: This review discusses recent progress made in understanding MSC biology, including immunomodulatory mechanisms mediated by microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs. Clinically, MSC therapies have shown promise in treating conditions like Covid-19-associated ARDS and several MSC therapeutic products have been approved. Single-cell analyses have shed light on MSC heterogeneity, revealing tissue-specific and conserved subpopulations influenced by the extracellular matrix. The FDA's updated recommendations on potency assays emphasize a holistic approach to quality control, reinforcing the need for a universal reference standard to improve reproducibility and clinical outcomes. In addition, to better understand their limited success in randomized clinical trials, we highlight the importance of a universal reference standard for MSC potency.

SUMMARY: MSCs offer significant therapeutic potential, but addressing challenges in heterogeneity and potency standardization is essential. Advances in understanding their immune properties and clinical applications provide opportunities to refine and expand their use in regenerative medicine.

RevDate: 2025-07-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-30

de Paula MML, Oliveira RTR, ED Hottz (2025)

Platelets and platelet-leukocyte interactions in infectious diseases.

Current opinion in hematology, 32(5):261-269.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Platelets are essential effector cells in the immune continuum. Understanding platelet roles during infectious diseases is paramount to understanding pathological and protective immune responses. In this review, we compiled recent data about platelets in immune response to infectious diseases.

RECENT FINDINGS: Platelets recognize and respond to pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and parasites, contributing to the assembly of the immune response. Platelet activation and platelet-leukocyte aggregates formation have been observed in naturally infected humans and in experimental models of diseases. In this review we discuss recent findings on the mechanisms and outcomes of platelet activation and platelet-leukocyte interaction in infectious diseases and response to vaccine. Pathogens may modulate platelet response to escape immune surveillance, but platelets still contribute to host defense. We compiled evidence of platelet mediated-pathological responses, but also their contributions to pathogen clearance. We focused on the participation of platelets in pathophysiological and protective responses in infectious diseases of global impact such as COVID-19, HIV-1, viral hemorrhagic fevers, bacterial sepsis and parasite infections.

SUMMARY: Platelets contribute to protective and pathological responses by regulating innate and adaptive immunity through activation, hyperaggregability and directly interacting with pathogens. Even though many mechanisms underlying platelet roles in infectious disease have been revealed, much remains to be investigated.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Vlasova-St Louis I, Fang D, Amer Y, et al (2023)

COVID-19-Omics Report: From Individual Omics Approaches to Precision Medicine.

Reports (MDPI), 6(4): pii:reports6040045.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became apparent that precision medicine relies heavily on biological multi-omics discoveries. High throughput omics technologies, such as host genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, metabolomics/lipidomics, and microbiomics, have become an integral part of precision diagnostics. The large number of data generated by omics technologies allows for the identification of vulnerable demographic populations that are susceptible to poor disease outcomes. Additionally, these data help to pinpoint the omics-based biomarkers that are currently driving advancements in precision and preventive medicine, such as early diagnosis and disease prognosis, individualized treatments, and vaccination. This report summarizes COVID-19-omic studies, highlights the results of completed and ongoing omics investigations in individuals who have experienced severe disease outcomes, and examines the impact that repurposed/novel antiviral drugs, targeted immunotherapeutics, and vaccines have had on individual and public health.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Pennisi F, Borlini S, Cuciniello R, et al (2025)

Improving Vaccine Coverage Among Older Adults and High-Risk Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Hospital-Based Strategies.

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 13(14): pii:healthcare13141667.

Background/Objectives: Adult vaccination remains suboptimal, particularly among older adults and individuals with chronic conditions. Hospitals represent a strategic setting for improving vaccination coverage among these high-risk populations. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated hospital-based interventions aimed at enhancing vaccine uptake in adults aged ≥60 years or 18-64 years with at-risk medical conditions. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Searches in PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus identified studies published in the last 10 years evaluating hospital-based interventions reporting vaccination uptake. The risk of bias was assessed using validated tools (NOS, RoB 2, ROBINS-I, QI-MQCS). A meta-analysis was conducted for categories with ≥3 eligible studies reporting pre- and post-intervention vaccination coverage in the same population. Results: We included 44 studies. Multi-component strategies (n = 21) showed the most consistent results (e.g., pneumococcal uptake from 2.2% to 43.4%, p < 0.001). Reminder-based interventions (n = 4) achieved influenza coverage increases from 31.0% to 68.0% and a COVID-19 booster uptake boost of +38% after SMS reminders. Educational strategies (n = 11) varied in effectiveness, with one study reporting influenza coverage rising from 1.6% to 12.2% (+662.5%, OR 8.86, p < 0.01). Standing order protocols increased pneumococcal vaccination from 10% to 60% in high-risk adults. Hospital-based catch-up programs improved DTaP-IPV uptake from 56.2% to 80.8% (p < 0.001). For patient education, the pooled OR was 2.11 (95% CI: 1.96-2.27; p < 0.001, I[2] = 97.2%) under a fixed-effects model, and 2.47 (95% CI: 1.53-3.98; p < 0.001) under a random-effects model. For multi-component strategies, the OR was 2.39 (95% CI: 2.33-2.44; p < 0.001, I[2] = 98.0%) with fixed effects, and 3.12 (95% CI: 2.49-3.92; p < 0.001) with random effects. No publication bias was detected. Conclusions: Hospital-based interventions, particularly those using multi-component approaches, effectively improve vaccine coverage in older and high-risk adults. Embedding vaccination into routine hospital care offers a scalable opportunity to reduce disparities and enhance population-level protection. Future policies should prioritize the institutional integration of such strategies to support healthy aging and vaccine equity.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Kostorz-Nosal S, Kowaliński M, Spyra A, et al (2025)

The Application of Ultrasonography in the Detection of Airway Obstruction: A Promising Area of Research or Unnecessary Gadgetry?.

Life (Basel, Switzerland), 15(7): pii:life15071003.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the utilization of transthoracic ultrasonography (TTU) in the evaluation of pulmonary field artefacts has become standard practice among clinicians. However, there is a considerable lack of knowledge regarding the assessment of diaphragm mobility in the context of various lung diseases. Although numerous conditions are known to affect diaphragm mobility, including neurological, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, it appears that pulmonary diseases may also limit the mobility of this major respiratory muscle. Despite the evidence of diaphragm mobility disorders in patients diagnosed with lung cancer, there is a discrepancy in the literature regarding the function of the diaphragm in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A shared aetiological factor frequently results in the co-occurrence of the aforementioned diseases. It is, however, possible to detect patients whose obstructive airway disease is caused only by the compression of infiltrative and nodal lesions rather than COPD. Bilateral TTU of diaphragmatic mobility in correlation with other available pulmonary function tests and radiological imaging may prove to be a valuable approach to isolating lung cancer patients with COPD overdiagnosis. Conversely, the overdiagnosis of COPD has been implicated in the potentially unnecessary and harmful use of inhaled medications with their adverse effects (e.g., cardiac arrhythmias, limb tremor, cough, and pneumonia), the failure to decrease obstruction in cases of other lung disorders, and the potential to contribute to the delayed diagnosis of the underlying condition responsible for the respiratory symptoms. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the utilization of ultrasound in the evaluation of diaphragm movement impairments for the detection of obstructions while also delineating the underlying limitations of this technique. Moreover, we propose a diagnostic algorithm for the purpose of excluding unilateral obstruction resulting from infiltrative neoplastic masses based on the ultrasound assessment of diaphragmatic mobility.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Liu Q (2025)

Early Warning Signs for Monitoring Airborne Respiratory Virus Transmission.

International journal of environmental research and public health, 22(7): pii:ijerph22071151.

Airborne respiratory viruses (e.g., influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and SARS-CoV-2) continue to pose a serious threat to global public health due to their ability to spread through multiple transmission pathways. Among these, aerosol transmission stands out as a key route, particularly in enclosed environments. However, current monitoring systems have major limitations in sensitivity, standardization, and high time resolution. This study provides a summary of the latest information on the monitoring technologies for respiratory virus aerosols. It discusses the technical and ethical challenges in real-world applications. In addition, this study proposes practical solutions and future development pathways. The aim of this study is to provide theoretical support for building a dynamic, precise, and effective early warning system for monitoring variants of airborne respiratory viruses.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Liscano Y, Anillo Arrieta LA, Montenegro JF, et al (2025)

Early Warning of Infectious Disease Outbreaks Using Social Media and Digital Data: A Scoping Review.

International journal of environmental research and public health, 22(7): pii:ijerph22071104.

Background and Aim: Digital surveillance, which utilizes data from social media, search engines, and other online platforms, has emerged as an innovative approach for the early detection of infectious disease outbreaks. This scoping review aimed to systematically map and characterize the methodologies, performance metrics, and limitations of digital surveillance tools compared to traditional epidemiological monitoring. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-SCR guidelines. Scientific databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched, incorporating both empirical studies and systematic reviews without language restrictions. Key elements analyzed included digital sources, analytical algorithms, accuracy metrics, and validation against official surveillance data. Results: The reviewed studies demonstrate that digital surveillance can provide significant lead times (from days to several weeks) compared to traditional systems. While performance varies by platform and disease, many models showed strong correlations (r > 0.8) with official case data and achieved low predictive errors, particularly for influenza and COVID-19. Google Trends and X (formerly Twitter) emerged as the most frequently used sources, often analyzed using supervised regression, Bayesian models, and ARIMA techniques. Conclusions: While digital surveillance shows strong predictive capabilities, it faces challenges related to data quality and representativeness. Key recommendations include the development of standardized reporting guidelines to improve comparability across studies, the use of statistical techniques like stratification and model weighting to mitigate demographic biases, and leveraging advanced artificial intelligence to differentiate genuine health signals from media-driven noise. These steps are crucial for enhancing the reliability and equity of digital epidemiological monitoring.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Komeiha M, Artyukh I, Ogundele OJ, et al (2025)

Unveiling the Impact: A Scoping Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic's Effects on Racialized Populations in Canada.

International journal of environmental research and public health, 22(7): pii:ijerph22071054.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on racialized communities and individuals in Canada.

METHODS: This review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and the PRISMA-ScR guidance on reporting scoping reviews. Ovid MEDLINE ALL, Embase Classic + Embase, CINAHL (Ebsco platform), PsycINFO, and Cochrane were searched for documents that were published after March 2020 and that reported on the social and economic impacts and health outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic on generally healthy racialized populations that reside in Canada.

SYNTHESIS: A total of 39 documents were included in this review. Our results show racialized communities faced greater social, economic, and health impacts from the pandemic. These impacts were manifested in the form of high COVID-19 morbidity and mortality rates, increased discrimination, worsening mental health, difficulty in accessing healthcare, and challenges related to accessing food and basic necessities.

CONCLUSION: Canadian racialized groups have been inequitably affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to pre-existing inequalities and emerging discrimination. Responsive policy action and robust pandemic preparedness efforts are indispensable in adopting a proactive stance to prevent racialized populations from bearing a disproportionate burden of negative health crises in the future. This necessitates addressing pre-existing disparities and targeting social and economic vulnerability areas. By doing so, we can mitigate the reported social, economic, and health impacts experienced by racialized groups, including challenges related to accessing basic necessities, deteriorating mental health, and barriers to healthcare access.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Eke SM, A Cua (2025)

Invisible Engines of Resistance: How Global Inequities Drive Antimicrobial Failure.

Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland), 14(7): pii:antibiotics14070659.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is considered a global healthcare emergency in the 21st century. Although the evolution of microorganisms through Darwinian mechanisms and antibiotic misuse are established drivers, the structural socioeconomic factors of AMR remain insufficiently explored. This review takes on an analytical perspective, drawing upon a wide spectrum of evidence to examine the extent to which socioeconomic factors contribute to the global proliferation of AMR, with an emphasis on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The analytical review at hand was carried out through a search for relevant articles and reviews on PubMed, Google Scholar, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization database using combinations of the keywords "antimicrobial resistance," "socioeconomic factors," "low- and middle-income countries," "surveillance," "healthcare access," and "agriculture." Preference was given to systematic reviews, high-impact primary studies, and policy documents published in peer-reviewed journals or by reputable global health organizations. Our analysis identifies a complex interplay of systemic vulnerabilities that accelerate AMR in resource-limited settings. A lack of regulatory frameworks regarding non-prescription antibiotic use enables the proliferation of multi-drug-resistant microorganisms. Low sewer connectivity facilitates the environmental dissemination of resistance genes. Proper antibiotic selection is hindered by subpar healthcare systems and limited diagnostic capabilities to deliver appropriate treatment. Additionally, gender disparities, forced migration, and climate-driven zoonotic transmission compound the burden. During the COVID-19 pandemic, antimicrobial misuse surged, further amplifying resistance trends. AMR is not solely a biological phenomenon, but a manifestation of global inequity. Mitigation requires a transformation of policy directed toward a "One Health" strategy that incorporates socioeconomic, environmental, and health system reforms. Strengthening surveillance, investing in infrastructure, regulating pharmaceutical practices, and promoting health equity are essential to curb the rising tide of resistance.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Camps J, Iftimie S, Jiménez-Franco A, et al (2025)

Metabolic Reprogramming in Respiratory Viral Infections: A Focus on SARS-CoV-2, Influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Biomolecules, 15(7): pii:biom15071027.

Respiratory infections caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza virus, and respiratory syncytial virus pose significant global health challenges, leading to high morbidity and mortality, particularly in vulnerable populations. Despite their distinct virological characteristics, these viruses exploit host cellular metabolism to support replication, modulate immune responses, and promote disease progression. Emerging evidence shows that they induce metabolic reprogramming, shifting cellular energy production toward glycolysis to meet the bioenergetic demands of viral replication. Additionally, alterations in lipid metabolism, including enhanced fatty acid synthesis and disrupted cholesterol homeostasis, facilitate viral entry, replication, and immune evasion. The dysregulation of mitochondrial function and oxidative stress pathways also contributes to disease severity and long-term complications, such as persistent inflammation and immune exhaustion. Understanding these metabolic shifts is crucial for identifying new therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers for early disease detection, prognosis, and patient stratification. This review provides an overview of the metabolic alterations induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza virus, and respiratory syncytial virus, highlighting shared and virus-specific mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Chrostek L, B Cylwik (2025)

Hyaluronic Acid in Immune Response.

Biomolecules, 15(7): pii:biom15071008.

This review summarizes the available evidence on hyaluronic acid's (HA's) role in immune response. HA is one of many components in the extracellular matrix that transmits signals from the extracellular microenvironment to cellular effector systems in immune cells. The final effect of these interactions depends on the type of cells and receptors used and the size of HA particles. HA's activation of intracellular signaling pathways leads to an immune response involving the release of pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. These play a crucial role in defense mechanisms, such as protecting against pathogens and tissue healing after injuries. HA, as a signaling particle, is also involved in the intensification of the cytokine storm during COVID-19. Multifold increases in HA content in the lungs and the strength of its impact on the immune system define an "HA storm". The molecular mechanisms involved in inflammation and initiation, including the promotion of cancer, also begin in the microenvironment, and hyaluronic acid is a key element. In this paper, we focus on intra- and intercellular signaling pathways using HA participation rather than injection preparation based on HA use for esthetic treatment.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Richardson E, Mo CC, Calabretta E, et al (2025)

Defibrotide for Protecting Against and Managing Endothelial Injury in Hematologic Malignancies and COVID-19.

Biomolecules, 15(7): pii:biom15071004.

Defibrotide, which is approved for treating hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD)/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS), exhibits pleiotropic anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, and fibrinolytic properties, conferring broad endothelial protective effects. Given these mechanisms, defibrotide has potential utility in various conditions involving endothelial injury or activation. In this review we outline the endothelial-protective mechanisms of defibrotide and comprehensively summarize current evidence supporting its applications in hematologic malignancies, including the prevention and treatment of hepatic VOD/SOS, graft-versus-host disease, and transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy. Additionally, we discuss its role in mitigating key toxicities linked to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and bispecific antibodies, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). We also explore emerging evidence on defibrotide's potential in SARS-CoV-2 infection-associated endotheliopathies, including acute COVID-19 and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection ("long-COVID"), and the endothelial protective activity of defibrotide in these settings. Finally, we highlight potential future applications of defibrotide in hematologic malignancies and viral infections, emphasizing its multimodal mechanism of action.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Rizzo R, Fusto G, Marino S, et al (2025)

Molecular and Neurobiological Imbalance from the Use of Technological Devices During Early Child Development Stages.

Children (Basel, Switzerland), 12(7): pii:children12070909.

Background/Objectives: Digital technologies have become increasingly integrated into the daily lives of children and adolescents, largely because their interactive and visually engaging design is particularly suited to the younger users. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this trend, significantly lowering the average age of access to the digital devices. However, scientific consensus remains divided regarding the developmental impact of digital media use-particularly its cognitive, motor, and emotional consequences-depending on whether the use is passive or active. This review aims to explore these effects across developmental stages, focusing on both behavioral and neurobiological dimensions, and to identify emerging risks and protective factors associated with digital engagement. Methods: A PRISMA review was conducted on the impact of digital media use among pre-school children and adolescents. Behavioral, psychosocial, and neurobiological aspects were examined, with specific attention to epigenetic changes, techno-stress, digital overstimulation, and immersive technologies (e.g., virtual and augmented reality). Results: The findings suggest that passive digital consumption is more often associated with negative outcomes, such as impaired attention and emotional regulation, especially in younger children. Active and guided use may offer cognitive benefits. Neurobiological research indicates that chronic exposure to digital stimuli may affect stress regulation and neural development, possibly via epigenetic mechanisms. Effects vary across developmental stages and individual vulnerabilities. Conclusions: A nuanced understanding of digital engagement is essential. While certain technologies can support development, excessive or unguided use may pose risks. This review provides age-specific recommendations to foster balanced and healthy technology use in children and adolescents.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Cárdenas-Rodríguez N, Ignacio-Mejía I, Mejía-Barradas CM, et al (2025)

Post-COVID Condition and Neuroinflammation: Possible Management with Antioxidants.

Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 14(7): pii:antiox14070840.

Post-COVID condition (PCC) is a complex syndrome characterized by the persistence of diverse symptoms-including respiratory, neurological, and psychiatric manifestations-that last for weeks or months after acute Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Epidemiological data indicate a higher prevalence among women and older adults, with significant impacts on daily functioning. The pathophysiology of PCC is multifactorial, involving immune dysregulation, viral persistence, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress, all of which contribute to sustained neuroinflammation. This narrative review examines the clinical features, risk factors, and current evidence on antioxidant-based interventions as potential therapeutic strategies for PCC. A wide range of compounds-including vitamins, polyphenols, and endogenous antioxidants-have shown promise in mitigating neuroinflammation and oxidative damage in both clinical and experimental settings. Antioxidants may help restore redox balance and improve neurological outcomes in affected patients. However, further clinical research is essential to determine their efficacy, safety, and optimal therapeutic protocols.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Kim B, N Han (2025)

Periodontal Pathobionts and Respiratory Diseases: Mechanisms of Interaction and Implications for Interdisciplinary Care.

Biomedicines, 13(7): pii:biomedicines13071741.

Periodontitis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease that has been increasingly recognized for its systemic impacts, including its connection to respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), asthma, lung cancer, and COVID-19. This review explores the potential role of periodontal pathobionts, particularly Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Treponema denticola (Td), Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), and Tannerella forsythia (Tf), in respiratory health. These pathobionts contribute to respiratory diseases by facilitating pathogen adhesion, inducing epithelial cell apoptosis, and promoting inflammation. The review also highlights the beneficial effects of periodontal treatment in reducing pathobiont burden and systemic inflammation, thereby mitigating the risk of respiratory complications. This interdisciplinary approach underscores the need to consider oral health as a critical component in managing and preventing respiratory diseases, with future research needed to further clarify these associations and develop targeted interventions.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Caliman Sturdza OA, Filip F, Terteliu Baitan M, et al (2025)

Deep Learning Network Selection and Optimized Information Fusion for Enhanced COVID-19 Detection: A Literature Review.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 15(14): pii:diagnostics15141830.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 increased the need for speedy diagnostic tools, which led scientists to conduct extensive research on deep learning (DL) applications that use chest imaging, such as chest X-ray (CXR) and computed tomography (CT). This review examines the development and performance of DL architectures, notably convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and emerging vision transformers (ViTs), in identifying COVID-19-related lung abnormalities. Individual ResNet architectures, along with CNN models, demonstrate strong diagnostic performance through the transfer protocol; however, ViTs provide better performance, with improved readability and reduced data requirements. Multimodal diagnostic systems now incorporate alternative methods, in addition to imaging, which use lung ultrasounds, clinical data, and cough sound evaluation. Information fusion techniques, which operate at the data, feature, and decision levels, enhance diagnostic performance. However, progress in COVID-19 detection is hindered by ongoing issues stemming from restricted and non-uniform datasets, as well as domain differences in image standards and complications with both diagnostic overfitting and poor generalization capabilities. Recent developments in COVID-19 diagnosis involve constructing expansive multi-noise information sets while creating clinical process-oriented AI algorithms and implementing distributed learning protocols for securing information security and system stability. While deep learning-based COVID-19 detection systems show strong potential for clinical application, broader validation, regulatory approvals, and continuous adaptation remain essential for their successful deployment and for preparing future pandemic response strategies.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Abdul Manan H, de Jesus R, Thaploo D, et al (2025)

Mapping the Olfactory Brain: A Systematic Review of Structural and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Changes Following COVID-19 Smell Loss.

Brain sciences, 15(7): pii:brainsci15070690.

BACKGROUND: Olfactory dysfunction (OD)-including anosmia and hyposmia-is a common and often persistent outcome of viral infections. This systematic review consolidates findings from structural and functional MRI studies to explore how COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2-induced smell loss alters the brain. Considerable heterogeneity was observed across studies, influenced by differences in methodology, population characteristics, imaging timelines, and OD classification.

METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify MRI-based studies examining COVID-19's SARS-CoV-2 OD. Twenty-four studies were included and categorized based on imaging focus: (1) olfactory bulb (OB), (2) olfactory sulcus (OS), (3) grey and white matter changes, (4) task-based brain activation, and (5) resting-state functional connectivity. Demographic and imaging data were extracted and analyzed accordingly.

RESULTS: Structural imaging revealed consistent reductions in olfactory bulb volume (OBV) and olfactory sulcus depth (OSD), especially among individuals with OD persisting beyond three months, suggestive of inflammation and neurodegeneration in olfactory-associated regions like the orbitofrontal cortex and thalamus. Functional MRI studies showed increased connectivity in early-stage OD within regions such as the piriform and orbitofrontal cortices, possibly reflecting compensatory activity. In contrast, prolonged OD was associated with reduced activation and diminished connectivity, indicating a decline in olfactory processing capacity. Disruptions in the default mode network (DMN) and limbic areas further point to secondary cognitive and emotional effects. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) findings-such as decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased mean diffusivity (MD)-highlight white matter microstructural compromise in individuals with long-term OD.

CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19's SARS-CoV-2 olfactory dysfunction is associated with a range of cerebral alterations that evolve with the duration and severity of smell loss. Persistent dysfunction correlates with greater neural damage, underscoring the need for longitudinal neuroimaging studies to better understand recovery dynamics and guide therapeutic strategies.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Thiha N, Soe PP, Win HH, et al (2025)

Exploring the psychological impact on children and adolescents during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic-a systematic review.

BMC psychology, 13(1):842.

RevDate: 2025-07-28

Yogendra R, Perlowski A, Johng B, et al (2025)

Perioperative and anesthetic considerations for post-acute sequelae of COVID (PASC)/long COVID.

Perioperative medicine (London, England), 14(1):80.

Post-acute sequelae of COVID (PASC), commonly known as long COVID, presents with a broad spectrum of medical conditions and symptoms persisting beyond 3 months post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, affecting over 18 million Americans and 65 million people worldwide. Despite its prevalence, to date, there are no specific clinical guidelines for the perioperative management of PASC patients. PASC is a complex, multisystemic condition leading to neurological, respiratory, and endocrine sequelae, potentially resulting from persistent viral presence, immune dysregulation, and/or end-organ damage. This manuscript discusses the implications of these sequelae on anesthesia practice, emphasizing the need for vigilance in pre-operative assessments to identify PASC and associated conditions through detailed patient history, understanding of off-label medication use, and familiarity with medical terminologies like POTS, MCAS, and brain fog. Key perioperative considerations include cautious use of anesthetics, especially in patients with neurological and cardiovascular complications. Pulmonary management strategies for PASC patients, such as lung-protective ventilation and non-invasive post-operative support, could mitigate any perioperative respiratory complications. Finally, we underscore the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to manage PASC patients effectively during surgery, advocating for personalized anesthetic plans and calling for more evidence-driven guidelines for this emerging patient group as research progresses.

RevDate: 2025-07-28

Xiang C, Park AY, Weber SE, et al (2025)

The impact of genetic immune disorders on infections including COVID-19, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer.

Nature immunology [Epub ahead of print].

Inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) are rare genetic anomalies that cause defective immune function. Over 500 IEIs have been identified to date, affecting millions of patients globally. These IEIs reveal the complex interplay between genetics, the environment and microorganisms that determine immune disease phenotypes. Progress in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of IEIs provides a genetic framework for a functional understanding of the human immune system, disease pathogenesis and successful therapeutic interventions. This Review describes how IEIs impact infectious diseases, particularly coronavirus disease 2019, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer.

RevDate: 2025-07-28

Cao YF, Zhong H, Liu ZP, et al (2025)

Lonicera japonica Thunb. in acute lung injury: A systematic review of bioactive components and multi-target mechanisms.

Fitoterapia pii:S0367-326X(25)00390-9 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Acute lung injury (ALI), characterized by dysregulated host-pathogen interactions and hyperinflammatory responses, poses a critical clinical burden in viral infections such as influenza and COVID-19. Lonicera japonica Thunb. (LJT), a cornerstone herb in traditional medicine for respiratory ailments exhibits multi-component synergy with documented anti-ALI properties. However, its phytochemical determinants and polypharmacological mechanisms remain underexplored.

PURPOSE: This review aims to systematically decode the bioactive phytoconstituents of LJT driving ALI protection and establish their multi-target mechanisms through integrative pharmacology.

METHODS: The information was compiled from major scientific databases such as the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Elsevier, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Web of Science. Relevant literature was extracted from the above databases using the keywords "acute lung injury," "Lonicera japonica," "anti-inflammatory," "chlorogenic acid."

RESULTS: LJT's bioactive matrix orchestrates ALI mitigation via: 1) TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB axis suppression, reducing TNF-α, IL-6, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation; 2) Nrf2/HO-1-mediated oxidative stress resolution; 3) direct antiviral effects against influenza. terpenoids enhances bioavailability and target engagement.

CONCLUSION: This mechanistic elucidation positions LJT as a promising multi-target phytotherapeutic against the cytokine storm phase of ALI.

RevDate: 2025-07-28

Ulsamer A, Pomare Montin D, Bocciero V, et al (2025)

Interleukin-6 removal and clinical effects of Oxiris: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Blood purification pii:000547587 [Epub ahead of print].

Introduction Sepsis is a life-threatening condition associated with high mortality due to an unregulated host immune response. Extracorporeal blood purification (EBP) therapies have been proposed as adjunctive treatments to immunomodulate patients; however, none have been consistently shown to be effective in reducing mortality. In several observational studies, Oxiris has been associated with cytokine reduction and a potential benefit in influencing inflammatory diseases. This meta-analysis explores the association between cytokine removal and clinical efficacy of the Oxiris membrane using interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a biomarker. Methods This review includes articles on EBP with Oxiris membranes in adult patients with sepsis/septic shock or COVID-19. No time or language restrictions were applied to the systematic literature search. Data extraction and statistical analysis were limited to the cytokines and clinical data reported in the included articles. The most representative cytokine was IL-6 and the selected outcomes included VIS (Vasoactive-Inotropic Score), SOFA score, procalcitonin (PCT) and c-reactive protein (CRP). The review used meta-analysis and unpaired t-test to estimate differences between groups of patients treated with or without Oxiris. Results The study found no significant differences in demographics between the intervention and control groups at baseline. Intervention group showed a significant reduction in vasoactive inotropic score, norepinephrine dose, SOFA score, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein. Conclusion We reviewed 8 studies in which IL-6 was significantly reduced in the Oxiris group compared to the control. This meta-analysis found that the use of the Oxiris membrane resulted in significant clinical improvement during treatment.

RevDate: 2025-07-27

Inguva PK, Mukherjee S, Walker PJ, et al (2025)

Mechanistic modeling of lipid nanoparticle formation for the delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics.

Biotechnology advances pii:S0734-9750(25)00129-6 [Epub ahead of print].

Nucleic acids such as mRNA have emerged as a promising therapeutic modality with the capability of addressing a wide range of diseases. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) as a delivery platform for nucleic acids were used in the COVID-19 vaccines and have received much attention. While modern manufacturing processes which involve rapidly mixing an organic stream containing the lipids with an aqueous stream containing the nucleic acids are conceptually straightforward, detailed understanding of LNP formation and structure is still limited and scale-up can be challenging. Mathematical and computational methods are a promising avenue for deepening scientific understanding of the LNP formation process and facilitating improved process development and control. This article describes strategies for the mechanistic modeling of LNP formation, starting with strategies to estimate and predict important physicochemical properties of the various species such as diffusivities and solubilities. Subsequently, a framework is outlined for constructing mechanistic models of reactor- and particle-scale processes. Insights gained from the various models are mapped back to product quality attributes and process insights. Lastly, the use of the models to guide development of advanced process control and optimization strategies is discussed.

RevDate: 2025-07-27

Cuevas FI (2025)

Commentary: Processes of pre-clinical and clinical vaccine development public data sharing within the NIAID collaborative influenza vaccine innovation centers (CIVICs).

Vaccine, 62:127547 pii:S0264-410X(25)00844-8 [Epub ahead of print].

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic increased efforts for rapid data sharing and dissemination among researchers as well as to data repositories. Researchers and studies prioritized data sharing, which increased understanding of SARS-CoV-2's pathology. Eventually, this effort to maximize collaboration and data dissemination, led to the development of mRNA vaccines. This successful effort has highlighted the importance of data sharing and the implementation of data management policies, including the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Data Sharing Policy of 2023. Moreover, programs such as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) funded Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers (CIVICs), have beta-tested this policy, with the help of the Statistical, Data Management and Coordination Center (SDMCC) and its data standards, and deemed it useful. However, the process has also initiated pertinent discussion on potential improvements and optimizations for the future of data sharing. Here, I use the CIVICs data sharing reporting standards and process as a data sharing example, and suggest logistical improvements to propose a better-equipped model for the vaccinology community.

RevDate: 2025-07-27

Martino EA, Vigna E, Bruzzese A, et al (2025)

Vaccination in Multiple Myeloma: Challenges and Strategies.

European journal of haematology [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy characterized by profound immunosuppression resulting from both disease-related mechanisms and treatment-induced immune dysfunction. This compromised immune status markedly increases susceptibility to infections, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in MM patients. While vaccination represents a cornerstone of infection prevention, standard immunization strategies often yield suboptimal responses in this population.

OBJECTIVES: This review synthesizes current evidence on the immunological barriers and clinical effectiveness of vaccination in MM. We evaluate vaccines targeting influenza, Streptococcus pneumoniae, SARS-CoV-2, and other relevant pathogens, and explore determinants influencing vaccine efficacy, including optimal timing, formulation, and patient-specific immune parameters.

METHODS: A comprehensive literature review was conducted, encompassing clinical trials, retrospective cohort studies, expert consensus guidelines, and population-based data. Extracted outcomes included serological responses, infection-related events, and vaccine safety in MM patients.

RESULTS: Patients with MM exhibit impaired vaccine responses due to hypogammaglobulinemia, T- and B-cell dysfunction, and therapy-induced lymphodepletion. Despite modest immunogenicity, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines reduce respiratory infections and hospitalizations. Sequential administration of PCV13 followed by PPSV23, as well as post-autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) three-dose regimens, is associated with reduced pneumonia incidence. COVID-19 vaccines elicit variable responses, particularly in patients on anti-CD38 or BCMA-targeted therapies, highlighting the need for booster doses and, in selected cases, prophylactic monoclonal antibodies. Vaccines against herpes zoster, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type B are also recommended, particularly around ASCT. Immunophenotypic markers such as CD19+ B-cell and CD4+ T-cell counts are predictive of vaccine responsiveness, supporting immune profiling as a tool for individualized vaccination planning.

CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination remains a critical component of infection prevention in MM. Although immunogenicity may be attenuated, clinical benefits-namely, reduced infection burden and healthcare utilization-support broad vaccine implementation. A personalized approach, considering the treatment phase, disease control, and immune status, is essential to optimize vaccine effectiveness. Ongoing research into high-dose, adjuvanted, and next-generation vaccines is critical to enhance protection in this vulnerable population.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Banerjee B, Halder S, Kumar S, et al (2025)

Genomic insights into bacteriophages: a new frontier in AMR detection and phage therapy.

Briefings in functional genomics, 24:.

The misuse and overprescription of antibiotics have accelerated the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), rendering many antibiotics ineffective and leading to significant clinical challenges. The conventional treatment methods have become progressively challenging, posing a threat of evolving into an impending silent pandemic. The long track record of bacteriophages combating bacterial infections has renewed hope into the potential therapeutic benefits of bacteriophages. Bacteriophage therapy offers a promising alternative to antibiotics, particularly against multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. This article explores the promise of phages as a potential means to combat superbugs from the perspective of the genomic and transcriptomic landscape of the phages and their bacterial host. Advances in bacteriophage genomics have expedited the detection of new phages and AMR genes, enhancing our understanding of phage-host interactions and enabling the identification of potential treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At the same time, holo-transcriptomic studies hold potential for discovering disease and context-specific transcriptionally active phages vis-à-vis disease severity. Holo-transcriptomic profiling can be applied to investigate the presence of AMR-bacteria, highlighting COVID-19 and Dengue diseases, in addition to the globally recognized ESKAPE pathogens. By simultaneously capturing phage, bacterial and host transcripts, this approach enables a better comprehension of the bacteriophage dynamics. Moreover, insight into these defence and counter-defence interactions is essential for augmenting the adoption of phage therapy at scale and advancing bacterial control in clinical settings.

RevDate: 2025-07-28

Balakrishnan R, Subbarayan R, Shrestha R, et al (2025)

Intersection of COVID-19 and Alzheimer's Disease: Genetic Insights and Neuropathological Consequences.

Biochemical genetics [Epub ahead of print].

The potential link between viral infections and the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been debated for several years. The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has raised concerns regarding its potential role in predisposing individuals to AD or aggravating its progression. The widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has introduced novel aspects to AD research, driving comprehensive investigations into the possible correlation between COVID-19 and neuropathological manifestations observed in patients with AD. This review explores the complex connection between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease by examining both the direct effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the brain and the indirect impacts of the infection on the overall health of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. An overview of COVID-19 is provided, followed by a detailed discussion of Alzheimer's disease, including its clinical presentation and neuropathological consequences. Moreover, our review aimed to identify key candidate genes, such as ACE2, TMPRSS2, OAS1, and APOE4, which have been implicated in COVID-19 and AD. We analyzed data from multiple genomic and transcriptomic databases to elucidate the genetic factors underlying the association between these two conditions. Furthermore, with advancements in contemporary genomic technologies, this review highlights potential genetic mutations and variations that may serve as crucial biomarkers, risk predictors, and therapeutic targets. Elucidating these molecular interactions could offer critical insights for advancing future research and formulating innovative therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer's disease within the framework of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Manes MT, Giubilato S, Francese M, et al (2025)

[Individual's eHealth literacy: an update].

Giornale italiano di cardiologia (2006), 26(8):604-610.

The escalation in demand for digital health services, particularly highlighted by recent global health crises, has emphasized the significance of eHealth literacy (eHL). This concept encompasses the skills necessary to effectively search for, comprehend, evaluate, and apply online health information to solve health-related issues. eHL not only facilitates navigation through the digital health landscape but also broadens the understanding of the digital divide within the context of health information accessibility. In this review, we encompassed individual eHL definitions and tools, focusing on the role of eHL during the COVID-10 outbreak, and with regard to gender, age and social inequalities.

RevDate: 2025-07-29

Mathew A, Dongre R, Kim SH, et al (2025)

The Clinical Applications of Psilocybin Therapies and Post-COVID Syndrome: A Comprehensive Narrative Review.

Cureus, 17(6):e86659.

The coronavirus variant (causing the COVID-19 disease) that led to a pandemic sent global shockwaves, resulting in long-term effects on physical, mental, and social well-being and impacting both individuals and communities. With the pandemic's notable impact on mental health, one such potential treatment discussed in recent literature is psilocybin. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring prodrug compound found in select mushrooms shown to reduce clinical symptoms of certain mental health disorders. In this study, we review the status and usage of psilocybin in clinical practice preceding and following the COVID-19 pandemic. The search criteria for the study included psilocybin or psychedelics or psychedelic-therapy psychiatry and long-haul COVID. The search spanned English articles from January 2020 to April 2024, utilizing the PsychInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, and PubMed databases. Two reviewers independently screened each record to decide if a study met the inclusion criteria and to account for bias. Each article researched different pathologies, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and COVID-19. The manuscripts collectively emphasize that there is evidence that psilocybin has a role in the treatment of said pathologies, with relatively safe outcomes if administered under proper medical supervision. Psilocybin use was followed up for a relatively long period after some trials, but further research is warranted to draw a more definitive conclusion regarding the therapeutic uses of psilocybin. Our review reflects that barriers to using psilocybin therapeutically for long-haul COVID-19 exist, which significantly impacts the scope of our research. While evidence suggests its efficacy in mental health conditions such as depression and mood disorders, more robust clinical trials are needed. Current literature supports the pharmacological basis that psilocybin may be effective in treating COVID-19 sequelae. Psilocybin's role in inhibiting SARS-Cov-2 protease shows promise, but ultimately, in vitro validation will be necessary before wider approval of the drug. Lastly, large clinical trials comparing psilocybin to standard care and assessing symptom relief in long-term COVID patients may help validate the findings seen in much of the current literature.

RevDate: 2025-07-29
CmpDate: 2025-07-29

Siefken K, Pratt M, Mejía-Grueso J, et al (2025)

Chance or Strategy? Assessing the Unanticipated Policy Window for Active Transportation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.

Journal of physical activity & health, 22(8):989-999.

UNLABELLED: Physical activity (PA) policy is essential for promoting population-level PA by coordinating efforts across various sectors. Global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic can open policy windows, enabling rapid implementation of innovative policies. This study examined how policy windows shaped active transportation (AT) policies during the pandemic, resulting in infrastructural changes.

METHODS: A systematic review using PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest-Coronavirus Research Database, Web of Science, WHO COVID-19 Research Database, PsycInfo, and SPORTDiscus conducted to characterize AT policy during the pandemic (2020-2023). Descriptive analyses were conducted in Stata. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42025644930.

RESULTS: The search retrieved 3879 articles; 1162 were duplicates, leaving 2716 eligible. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 were selected for data extraction. Findings demonstrate the pandemic's influence on AT policy implementation and its impact on the built environment, such as the creation of bicycle lanes and pedestrian-friendly spaces. While these policies indirectly impacted PA, many were transient and unintended. Regional disparities in case-study cities highlighted mobility alternatives to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Enablers and challenges for effective policy implementation were identified.

CONCLUSION: The pandemic catalyzed global AT policies, demonstrating that urgency and political willpower can expedite policy enactment. Rapid urban infrastructure changes highlighted the potential for swift policy implementation during health emergencies, facilitating utilitarian PA. AT emerged as a practical solution, allowing essential movement. Addressing the immediate crisis proved more effective in implementing AT policies than prepandemic efforts focused on the physical inactivity's health burden. Understanding local sustainability determinants can inform future urban planning for integrating AT initiatives sustainably.

RevDate: 2025-07-28

Joodaki M, Seif F, Afzalnia A, et al (2025)

COVID-19 vaccines and neurological disorders: A narrative review of immune responses and adverse reactions.

AIMS neuroscience, 12(2):222-249 pii:neurosci-12-02-013.

COVID-19 vaccines have been effective in providing strong immunity within a relatively short time frame, significantly reducing both the severity of the disease and associated mortality. However, post-vaccination complications, particularly neurological disorders, have been reported. Among the more frequently documented neurological complications are acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), multiple sclerosis (MS), transverse myelitis (TM), optic neuritis (ON), Bell's palsy (BP), and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). The precise role of COVID-19 vaccines in triggering the onset or relapse of these conditions remains uncertain. Immunological processes involving cytokines, chemokines, antibodies, and immune cells are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of these neurological side effects. This review examines the immune responses triggered by COVID-19 vaccines and their potential role in the development of such complications. Despite reports of neurological side effects, these cases remain rare, and the overall benefits of vaccination in curbing the pandemic and preventing severe illness far exceed the risks. It is vital to sustain the progress of global vaccination efforts while continuously evaluating the risk-benefit ratio, particularly for individuals with underlying conditions. Ongoing research and surveillance are crucial for creating safer vaccines and identifying individuals who may be more susceptible to adverse reactions, ensuring broader protection against COVID-19.

RevDate: 2025-07-28

Bajić D, Todorović N, Popović ML, et al (2025)

Immunity's core reset: Synbiotics and gut microbiota in the COVID-19 era.

Innate immunity, 31:17534259251362023.

The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in shaping immune responses, and its connection to immunity has never been more relevant than in the COVID-19 era. The interaction between gut microbes and the immune system, known as microbiome-immunity crosstalk, influences both how the body responds to infections and how well it recovers. COVID-19, whether in its acute phase or lingering as long COVID, has been linked to disturbances in the gut microbiome. During infection, many patients experience dysbiosis-an imbalance in gut bacteria-that can contribute to immune dysfunction and excessive inflammation. This imbalance may not only worsen the severity of the disease but also prolong recovery, leading to persistent symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and digestive issues. Long COVID, in particular, has been associated with ongoing immune dysregulation, where the body's defense system remains in a state of heightened activation, causing chronic inflammation. Given the strong link between gut health and immunity, there is growing interest in strategies to restore microbial balance. Synbiotics-combinations of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and prebiotics (nutrients that support them)-are being explored as a potential therapeutic approach. By replenishing beneficial gut microbes, synbiotics may help regulate immune responses, reduce inflammation, and support overall recovery from COVID-19. Emerging research suggests that improving gut health could enhance the body's ability to fight infections and recover more efficiently. As we continue to understand the long-term impact of COVID-19, focusing on the gut microbiome offers a promising path forward. Supporting a balanced and diverse microbiome through diet, lifestyle, and targeted interventions like synbiotics may provide a natural way to strengthen immunity and improve health outcomes in both acute and long COVID cases.

RevDate: 2025-07-27

Zhang J, Guo J, Li J, et al (2025)

The Role of Emerging/Re-Emerging RNA Viruses in Bone-Related Diseases With a Focus on DENV, CHIKV, and SARS-CoV-2.

Reviews in medical virology, 35(4):e70053.

Emerging and re-emerging RNA viruses represent a persistent and evolving global health threat. While primarily recognized for their acute systemic or respiratory illnesses, a growing body of evidence implicates several of these pathogens in the development or exacerbation of bone-related diseases. This review critically describes the multifaceted roles of selected major RNA viruses-Dengue Virus (DENV), Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)- in bone-related diseases. It discusses the current understanding of the clinical manifestations, ranging from arthralgia and arthritis to more severe outcomes such as osteopenia, osteoporosis, and bone erosions. The review describes the potential pathogenic mechanisms, including direct viral infection of bone cells (osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes), as well as virus-induced dysregulation of host immune responses that lead to pro-inflammatory cytokine storms and altered signalling pathways, collectively driving aberrant bone remodelling. By discussing current knowledge, this review aims to highlight the significant, yet often underappreciated, impact of these RNA viruses on bone health, identify existing knowledge gaps, and underscore the need for further mechanistic research to inform targeted therapeutic and preventive strategies that reduce bone morbidity in affected populations.

RevDate: 2025-07-28
CmpDate: 2025-07-27

Amlaev KR, A Abdullah (2025)

[THE RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES].

Problemy sotsial'noi gigieny, zdravookhraneniia i istorii meditsiny, 33(3):445-447.

The article presents modern data on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors. The tendency of increasing mortality from NCDs due to increase in the number and aging of the population is noted. The data is presented testifying that, in addition to biological risk factors, influence of environmental factors is increasing, including atmospheric and household air pollution, the levels of which are high in a significant number of countries. It is emphasized that green spaces (e.g., trees, grass, forests and parks) and blue spaces (e.g., lakes, rivers, ponds, etc.) provide beneficial effect on human health, being in fact protective factors for NCDs. The NCD risk factors are found to interact closely with each other: air pollution, depression, tobacco smoking, high blood pressure and obesity have been linked to all NCDs. The evidence is provided that presence of behavioral risk factors for NCDs exacerbates severity of infectious pathology, particularly COVID-19 and other infectious diseases (influenza, HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, etc.). Given that NCD risk factors can occur in early childhood, promoting healthy lifestyles among expectant mothers and adolescents should be a priority to reduce NCD risks, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

RevDate: 2025-07-27

Morgenstern C, Rawson T, Routledge I, et al (2025)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) mathematical models and disease parameters: a systematic review.

The Lancet. Microbe pii:S2666-5247(25)00072-2 [Epub ahead of print].

SARS-CoV-1 was the first documented coronavirus to cause an acute epidemic in humans and remains a priority pathogen owing to the risk of re-emergence. Robust estimates of key epidemiological parameters are essential to guide outbreak responses and inform mathematical models. Existing systematic reviews have been limited in scope, warranting a comprehensive and up-to-date review. We conducted a systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42023393345) of studies of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) transmission models and parameters characterising the transmission, evolution, natural history, severity, risk factors, and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-1. Information was extracted using a custom database and quality assessment tool. We extracted data on 519 parameters, 243 risk factors, and 112 models from 289 papers. We found that SARS is characterised by high lethality (case-fatality ratio, 10·9%), transmissibility (R0 range, 1·1-4·59), and superspreading events (approximately 91% of SARS-CoV-1 infections can be attributed to 20% of individuals who were most infectious). Infection risk was the highest among health-care workers and close contacts of infected individuals. Severe disease and death were associated with age and existing comorbidities. The natural history of SARS was poorly characterised, except for the incubation and mean onset-to-hospitalisation delays. The extracted data were compiled into our associated R package, epireview, which can be updated to incorporate novel findings, thus providing a key resource for informing response to future coronavirus outbreaks. By making data accessible through an updatable database, we support rapid, evidence-informed responses to potential re-emergence of SARS-CoV-1 or related coronaviruses.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Chen J, Deng S, Xu X, et al (2025)

Regional and type-specific variations in the global seasonality of human parainfluenza viruses and the influence of climatic factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The Lancet. Global health, 13(8):e1425-e1435.

BACKGROUND: Human parainfluenza viruses (hPIVs) are common viral causes of acute respiratory infections, resulting in substantial global disease burden. Seasonal patterns of hPIV epidemics can vary by geographical region and viral type, although these patterns are not well understood at a global level. We aimed to characterise regional and type-specific variations in hPIV seasonality and assess the potential role of climatic factors in explaining these variations.

METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we collected monthly aggregated seasonal activity data for hPIV and its four types (hPIV-1, hPIV-2, hPIV-3, and hPIV-4) from various sources, including a systematic search of Embase, MEDLINE, and Ovid Global Health, for literature published between Jan 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2024; unpublished data contributed by an established collaborative network; and public viral surveillance datasets from online platforms. We included studies that continuously tested hPIVs throughout their study period and reported seasonal activity in defined geographical locations on a monthly basis (or if monthly data could be derived from reports). We excluded published studies if they had fewer than 20 cases, focused on specific medical conditions, or contained duplicate data from published literature or publicly available datasets. A prespecified collection template was used to collect data from members in the collaborative network. We extracted site-specific monthly case counts of combined hPIVs and each viral type and used the annual average percentage approach to assess relative circulating strength, epidemic onset and peak month, and epidemic duration by virus type and latitude. We identified type-specific transmission zones of countries with similar circulating patterns with the k-means method. A local regression model (selected by leave-one-out cross-validation) was used to explore climatic factors associated with variations in hPIV monthly circulating activity. The study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42023370261.

FINDINGS: We included 115 records in total: 103 studies identified from the published literature, five studies contributed by collaborators, and data from seven public surveillance datasets. We included 306 719 cases from 141 sites in 64 countries. We found that hPIV-3 exhibited distinctive seasonal patterns compared with the other three hPIV types. In temperate regions, hPIV-3 seasons typically occurred in spring, summer, and winter, with a median onset in April (IQR April-May) in the northern temperate region and July (July-July) in the southern temperate region. hPIV-1, hPIV-2, and hPIV-4 seasons typically occurred in autumn, winter, and summer, with median onsets between August and October in the northern temperate region and between April and May in the southern temperate region. Both epidemic onset and peak timing for hPIV-1, hPIV-2, and hPIV-4 were less consistent in tropical and subtropical regions than in temperate regions, whereas the seasonality of hPIV-3 remained generally consistent across regions. Northern temperate and subtropical countries typically clustered in shared transmission zones for hPIV-1, hPIV-2, and hPIV-3 with a few exceptions, as did countries in the southern hemisphere. Nevertheless, hPIV-1 and hPIV-4 peak timings were delayed as latitude increased in the northern hemisphere (Pearson's r=0·62 [p=0·0012] for hPIV-1 and r=0·53 [p=0·049] for hPIV-4). Type-specific climate models yielded better fits (with greater area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values) than models for combined hPIVs. In temperate regions, higher hPIV-1, hPIV-2, and hPIV-4 activity correlated with declining temperature and increasing relative humidity (all p values <0·0001), whereas higher hPIV-3 activity was correlated with rising temperature (rs=0·61; p<0·0001). In subtropical and tropical regions, the climate models showed suboptimal performance. Exploratory analyses showed differential timing shifts in hPIV epidemics across six included countries following the lifting of COVID-19 non-pharmacological interventions.

INTERPRETATION: Our results characterise both between-type and regional variations in hPIV seasonality and the differential effects of monthly temperature variability and relative humidity on the global seasonality of different hPIV types. These findings have important implications for development of global hPIV surveillance and epidemic prediction in diverse locations. Substantial gaps in hPIV type-specific seasonality data remain in many countries, highlighting the need to expand surveillance to improve characterisation and prediction of hPIV epidemics.

FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China.

RevDate: 2025-07-25

Buchrits S, Trieman G, Giladi O, et al (2025)

Infectious complications in CLL/SLL patients receiving Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors - systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Annals of hematology [Epub ahead of print].

The development of Bruton Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors (BTKis) has revolutionized the management of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). However, increased infection rates have been reported in patients receiving BTKis in multiple clinical trials. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of infections associated with BTKis compared to other therapeutic regimens in CLL/SLL patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted. We included trials comparing BTKi-containing regimens (e.g., BTKi alone or combined with anti-CD20 or venetoclax) to other therapeutic regimens, as well as studies comparing different BTKis or BTKi combinations. Primary outcomes were the risk of any infection and grade 3-4 infections. Secondary outcomes included pneumonia, sepsis, septic shock, COVID-19, fungal infections, fatal infections, bacteremia, and febrile neutropenia. Pooled risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using fixed or random effects models based on heterogeneity. Eighteen trials encompassing 8,324 patients were included. BTKi-containing regimens, either as monotherapy or combined with anti-CD20 or venetoclax, were not associated with a significantly increased risk of any infection compared to other regimens [BTKi + anti-CD20 or venetoclax: RR 0.93 (95% CI: 0.79-1.09, I[2] = 46%), 3 trials; BTKi monotherapy: RR 1.12 (95% CI: 0.94-1.34, I[2] = 73%), 3 trials]. Similarly, BTKi monotherapy was not associated with an increased risk of grade 3-4 infections [RR 1.05 (95% CI: 0.76-1.44, I[2] = 61%), 5 trials]. The risk of sepsis was not significantly increased with BTKi regimens [BTKi + anti-CD20: RR 0.48 (95% CI: 0.12-1.84, I[2] = 69%), 4 trials; BTKi monotherapy: RR 0.50 (95% CI: 0.25-1.01, I[2] = 0%), 5 trials]. However, pneumonia risk was increased in the BTKi + anti-CD20 vs other regimens, [RR 2.18; 95% CI 1.29-3.70; I[2] = 3%, 4 trials]. The risk of febrile neutropenia was reduced in trials comparing BTKi-containing regimens to other therapies. BTKi-containing regimens were not associated with an increased risk of overall infections or grade 3-4 infections compared to other regimens. However, an elevated risk of pneumonia was observed with BTKi combinations, highlighting the need for careful consideration when selecting treatment regimens for CLL/SLL patients.

RevDate: 2025-07-25

Mir S, Peters M, Penny G, et al (2025)

From Challenge to Cure: A Look at Feline Infectious Peritonitis and Emerging Treatment Strategies and Breakthroughs.

Veterinary sciences, 12(7):.

BACKGROUND: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a complex and devastating viral disease in cats caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV). While FCoV is commonly encountered and typically innocuous, the emergence of a mutated variant can lead to the development of FIP, a severe and often fatal condition.

METHOD AND RESULTS: This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the etiological factors, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and challenges associated with FIP. Additionally, it underscores the critical need for further research to enhance diagnostic capabilities and develop effective therapeutic interventions.

CONCLUSION: By shedding light on the intricate dynamics of FIP, this review paper aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the disease via fostering therapeutic advancements that can improve outcomes for afflicted felines.

RevDate: 2025-07-25

Orr R, Canetti EFD, Gough S, et al (2025)

Police Fitness: An International Perspective on Current and Future Challenges.

Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 13(7):.

Poor officer fitness can lead to decreased occupational task performance, injuries, increased absenteeism, and a variety of negative health sequalae further adding to the challenges of staffing law enforcement agencies. Optimizing the physical fitness for both serving officers and new recruits is critical as their loss is, and will increasingly be, difficult to replace. However, maintaining and recruiting a physically fit workforce faces several challenges. For serving officers, shiftwork is known to decrease motivation to exercise and negatively impact sleep and diet. Additional factors impacting their fitness includes age-related declines in fitness, increasing obesity, long periods of sedentarism, and negative COVID-19 effects. Concurrently, recruiting physically fit recruits is challenged by declining levels of fitness, reduced physical activity, and increasing obesity in community youth. Ability-based training (ABT), individualizing physical conditioning training based on the existing fitness levels of individuals within a group, offers a potential solution for delivering physical conditioning to groups of applicants, recruits, and officers with a range of physical fitness capabilities. Law enforcement agencies should consider implementing ABT during academy training and ongoing fitness maintenance to minimize injury risk and optimize task performance.

RevDate: 2025-07-25

Appiah GA, Babason JJ, Dziworshie AY, et al (2025)

Is Ghana Prepared for Another Arboviral Outbreak? Evaluating the 2024 Dengue Fever Outbreak in the Context of Past Yellow Fever, Influenza, and COVID-19 Outbreaks.

Tropical medicine and infectious disease, 10(7):.

Arboviruses are a growing concern in many nations. Several reports of arboviral outbreaks have been recorded globally in the past decade alone. Repeated arboviral outbreaks in developing countries have consistently highlighted vulnerabilities in disease surveillance and response systems, exposing critical gaps in early detection, contact tracing, and resource allocation. The 2024 Dengue fever outbreak in Ghana, which recorded 205 confirmed cases out of 1410 suspected cases, underscored the urgent need to evaluate the country's preparedness for arboviral outbreaks, given the detection of competent vectors in the country. A retrospective analysis of Ghana's 2009-2013 pandemic influenza response plan revealed significant deficiencies in emergency preparedness, raising concerns about the country's ability to manage emerging arboviral threats. This review assessed Ghana's current arboviral outbreak response and preparedness by examining (a) the effectiveness of vector control measures, (b) the role of early warning systems in mitigating outbreaks, (c) laboratory support and diagnostic capabilities, and (d) community engagement strategies. It highlights the successes made in previous outbreaks and sheds light on several gaps in Ghana's outbreak response efforts. This review also provides recommendations that can be implemented in many countries across Africa as they brace themselves for any arboviral outbreak.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Shiozawa S (2025)

Pathogenesis of Autoimmunity/Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).

Cells, 14(14):.

SLE is characterized by the generation of a variety of autoantibodies including anti-dsDNA autoantibodies, causing damage in various organs. If autoimmunity is defined by the generation of a variety of autoantibodies against the self, SLE is the only disease to qualify. Identification of the SLE-causing factor must fulfill the following criteria: (i) the factor induces SLE, (ii) the factor is operating in active SLE and (iii) SLE heals after removal of the factor. All candidate factors are reviewed from this viewpoint in this review. As to the cause of SLE, high levels of interferon α can induce SLE; however, interferon α in most patients did not reach this high level. BAFF (B cell activating factor of the TNF family) is increased in SLE. BAFF itself induced some manifestation of SLE, whereas removal of interferon α or BAFF by an antibody (Ab) did not heal SLE. BXSB male mice with a duplicated TLR7 gene develop SLE; however, the gene Sle1 is also required for the development of SLE. In addition, sanroque mice develop a variety of autoantibodies and SLE; the sanroque mutation, which disrupts one of the repressors of ICOS, results in increased CCR7[lo] CXCR5[+]Tfh cells, IL-21 and SLE. ICOS[+]T follicular helper (Tfh) cells increase in SLE and SLE-model (NZBxNZW)F1 mice, and the blockade of Tfh development ameliorated SLE, indicating the importance of Tfh cells in the pathogenesis of SLE. Self-organized criticality theory shows that SLE is caused by repeated infection, wherein SLE-inducing pathogens can vary individually depending on one's HLA; however, the pathogen presented on HLA stimulates the T cell receptor (TCR) strongly beyond self-organized criticality. This stimulation generates TCR-revised, autoreactive DOCK8[+]Tfh cells, which induced a variety of autoantibodies and SLE. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is an example pathogen because SLE occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. DOCK8[+]Tfh cells and SLE decreased after conventional or anti-DOCK Ab therapies. Thus, DOCK8[+]Tfh cells newly generated after repeated infection fulfill the criteria (i), (ii) and (iii) as the cause of SLE.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Van Zant W, P Ray (2025)

Democratization of Point-of-Care Viral Biosensors: Bridging the Gap from Academia to the Clinic.

Biosensors, 15(7):.

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent viral outbreaks have highlighted the need for viral diagnostics that balance accuracy with accessibility. While traditional laboratory methods remain essential, point-of-care solutions are critical for decentralized testing at the population level. However, a gap persists between academic proof-of-concept studies and clinically viable tools, with novel technologies remaining inaccessible to clinics due to cost, complexity, training, and logistical constraints. Recent advances in surface functionalization, assay simplification, multiplexing, and performance in complex media have improved the feasibility of both optical and non-optical sensing techniques. These innovations, coupled with scalable manufacturing methods such as 3D printing and streamlined hardware production, pave the way for practical deployment in real-world settings. Additionally, software-assisted data interpretation, through simplified readouts, smartphone integration, and machine learning, enables the broader use of diagnostics once limited to experts. This review explores improvements in viral diagnostic approaches, including colorimetric, optical, and electrochemical assays, showcasing their potential for democratization efforts targeting the clinic. We also examine trends such as open-source hardware, modular assay design, and standardized reporting, which collectively reduce barriers to clinical adoption and the public dissemination of information. By analyzing these interdisciplinary advances, we demonstrate how emerging technologies can mature into accessible, low-cost diagnostic tools for widespread testing.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Robles-Aguilar P, Ruiz-Fernández MD, S Bermudo-Fuenmayor (2025)

Digital Health Experiences of Primary Care Nurses: A Qualitative Meta-synthesis.

International nursing review, 72(3):e70069.

AIM: To analyze primary care nurses' experiences of integrating and using digital health in their daily practice.

BACKGROUND: The integration of digital health in primary care, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has transformed nursing practices with a view to provide better support and services to patients.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization defines "digital health" as the use of electronic technologies to improve health. Its 2020-2025 strategy seeks to integrate these technologies into health systems to facilitate communication between professionals, patients, and authorities. Tools such as telehealth, electronic records, artificial intelligence, and big data are transforming the role of nurses, who must become familiar with them for their performance.

METHODS: Qualitative studies on digital health in primary care nursing were reviewed following the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) guidelines and using the Joanna Briggs Institute for Qualitative Research (JBI-QARI) criteria.

RESULTS: Eleven articles were analyzed using thematic coding according to Thomas and Harden's approach, identifying three main themes: adaptation to digital health, nurses' perspective on digital health, and nurse-patient digital interaction.

DISCUSSION: The integration of digital health has required nurses to adapt quickly. They have expressed both benefits and challenges, highlighting the importance of adequate training, personalization in the use of digital tools, information security, and optimization of technological infrastructure.

It is essential to assess the current competencies of nurses in digital health in order to meet their needs. Health systems should incorporate new technologies into clinical practice guidelines and health programs to improve and update the continuity and quality of care in primary care. Health policies should support the continuing education of nurses and the effective integration of technology.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Menon S, KG Koura (2025)

Artificial intelligence for tuberculosis control: a scoping review of applications in public health.

Journal of global health, 15:04192.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an important tool in global health, improving disease diagnosis and management. Despite advancements, tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where diagnostic methods are limited. In this scoping review, we aim to examine the potential role of AI in TB control.

METHODS: We conducted a search on 25 August 2024 for the past five years, in the PubMed database using keywords related to AI and TB. We included laboratory-based and observational studies focussing on AI applications in TB, excluding non-original research.

RESULTS: There were 34 eligible studies, identifying eight overarching aspects associated with TB control, including active case finding (ACF), triage, pleural effusion diagnosis, multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB, differential diagnosis distinguishing active TB from TB infection and other pulmonary communicable diseases, TB and other pulmonary communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), treatment outcome prediction, pleural effusion, and predictions of regional and national trends. AI may transform TB control through enhanced ACF methods and triage, improving detection rates in high-burden regions. With high accuracy, AI may diagnose pleural diagnosis, differentiate TB active and TB infection, TB and non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease, COVID-19, and pulmonary NCDs. AI applications may facilitate the prediction of treatment success and adverse effects. Furthermore, AI-driven hotspot mapping may identify undiagnosed TB cases at rates surpassing traditional notification methods. Lastly, predictive modelling and clinical decision support systems may improve the management of MDR-TB.

CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review highlights the potential of AI-driven predictions in national TB programmes to enhance diagnostics, track trends, and strengthen public health surveillance. While promising for reducing transmission and supporting TB care in low-resource settings, these models require large-scale validation to ensure real-world applicability, especially for high-risk groups.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Dai D, Gois PF, Simpson D, et al (2025)

Global geographic and socioeconomic disparities in COVID-associated acute kidney injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Journal of global health, 15:04166.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and severe complication of COVID-19, which significantly increases the risk of mortality. There has been a wide range of AKI prevalence reported throughout the pandemic, reflecting differences in geographic location, patient characteristics, and health care resources. We aimed to provide a global overview of the COVID-19 AKI prevalence reported in published studies to uncover geographic and socioeconomic disparities.

METHODS: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for full-text articles published in English reporting the prevalence of AKI from January 2020 to November 2023. All studies defined AKI according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Clinical characteristics were extracted and examined from 334 studies that met the inclusion criteria. With significant study heterogeneity, random-effect models were estimated. We reported pooled AKI prevalence by country, region, and income level. Meta-regression further examined the relationship between COVID-associated AKI and geographic location.

RESULTS: After removing studies that utilised the same data, 345 796 patients from 246 studies were included, covering 49 countries. Of 246 studies, 137 came from high-income countries, whereas only three were conducted in low-income countries. Among non-intensive care unit (ICU) patients, low-income countries had the lowest COVID-19 AKI prevalence (14.1%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 11.4-17.2). Among ICU patients, lower-middle-income countries had the lowest COVID-19 AKI prevalence (27.9%;95% CI = 19.4-38.4).

CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows significant geographic and socioeconomic disparities in the prevalence of COVID-associated AKI, with a higher prevalence in high-income countries and a lower prevalence in low- and lower-middle-income countries. This study is the most comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis highlighting global disparities in COVID-associated AKI prevalence. Further studies are needed to explain the reasons behind these differences.

RevDate: 2025-07-25

Khorramnia S, Navidi Z, Sarkoohi A, et al (2025)

Remdesivir Versus Sotrovimab in Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Health science reports, 8(7):e71118.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Remdesivir and Sotrovimab have emerged as potential treatment options for patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to evaluate and compare the effectiveness and safety of these two drugs in the context of COVID-19 management.

METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, medRxiv, and Google Scholar up to July 2024. The effectiveness outcomes examined included mortality rate, hospitalization rate, emergency department visits, ICU admission, and adverse events. The risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions was evaluated using a standardized tool, and data from the identified studies were meticulously analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software.

RESULTS: The analysis incorporated a total of 9 studies involving 7841 patients. The meta-analysis findings indicated no significant disparity between the Remdesivir and Sotrovimab groups concerning mortality rate (odds ratio [OR] = 3.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50-24.11, p = 0.20), hospitalization rate (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 0.85-5.22, p = 0.10), emergency department visit (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.11-5.62, p = 0.82), and intensive care unit (2.37, 95% CI: 0.18-29.90, p = 0.50). Moreover, comparable rates of adverse events were observed across both groups (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.39-2.47, p = 0.97). The certainty of evidence for these findings was rated as low or moderate.

CONCLUSION: The study findings suggest that there is no significant difference in effectiveness between Remdesivir and Sotrovimab in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Further research is needed to provide a more comprehensive comparison of these interventions for COVID-19.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Aoki A, Sugiura K, T Akiyama (2025)

Overview of the Japanese mental health services through legislation, policies and recent initiatives: a narrative review.

International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 37(3-4):397-408.

In Japan, mental health legislation and policies have evolved, and mental health services have progressively developed in the post-World War II era. This review introduces two essential laws: the Act on Mental Health and Welfare for Persons with Mental Disorders or Disabilities and the Act on Providing Comprehensive Support for the Daily Life and Life in Society of Persons with Disabilities. It also outlines the changes in mental health policy over the past decades, beginning with the Vision for the Reform of Mental Health and Medical Welfare of 2004, which advocated for a 'transition from hospital-centered care to community-centered care'. The article further presents current practices in mental health-related areas under the community-based integrated care system that also addresses mental disorders-the latest approach to the care of individuals with mental disorders. The changes in the past few decades aimed at promoting community-based care. As a result, while outpatient and home-based services have flourished, the number of psychiatric beds remains high, which is a persisting challenge. Finally, the article discusses the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and mental health services, a policy shift and the necessity of considering mental health in related policies raised by the pandemic in Japan.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Okasha T, Shaker NM, DA El-Gabry (2025)

Mental health services in Egypt, the Middle East, and North Africa.

International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 37(3-4):306-314.

This review provides insight into the contemporary challenges and initiatives in mental health care across Egypt, the Middle East, and North Africa (MENA) region. It examines the structural barriers, including fragmented public health systems and inadequate resource allocation, which hinder access to mental health services. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges, prompting innovative approaches like telepsychiatry and the establishment of specialized psychiatric hospitals. Despite advancements in psychiatric education and research, disparities persist, particularly in rural mental health care. Limited funding, workforce shortages, and barriers to accessing medications and post-hospitalization support further compound the issue. International and local efforts aim to address these challenges, with a focus on enhancing child and adolescent mental health services and supporting populations affected by the refugee crisis. Policy reforms, increased financial allocation, and workforce development are essential for overcoming these obstacles and ensuring equitable access to quality mental health care throughout the MENA region. This review underscores the urgent need for collaborative action to improve mental health outcomes and reduce disparities in the region.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Rojnic Kuzman M, S Medved (2025)

Mental health services in Croatia-current perspectives and future challenges.

International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 37(3-4):221-228.

We examine the current state and challenges of mental health services in the Republic of Croatia, a Central European country with a population of 3.87 million. Croatia's healthcare system delivers mental health services across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, largely supported by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, which administers the country's universal healthcare system, ensuring wide accessibility. Key policy frameworks include the Strategic Framework for the Development of Mental Health until 2030 and the Action Plan in Addictions. However, challenges persist, including a lack of community-based approaches, underfunding, and workforce shortages, particularly in child and adolescent psychiatry. The paper also highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Croatia's 2020 earthquake on mental health services, emphasizing a transition toward telepsychiatry and mobile psychiatric teams. Additionally, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is underscored as a significant public health issue in Croatia.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Richter D, Hepp U, Jäger M, et al (2025)

Mental health care services in Switzerland - the post-pandemic state.

International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 37(3-4):315-321.

Mental health care in Switzerland is at a relatively high level worldwide. Nevertheless, as in many other countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the entire healthcare system and psychiatry in particular. In addition, the care of people with mental disorders in Switzerland is characterised by numerous special features that distinguish the country from most Western systems. The article provides an overview of the following aspects of mental health care: Epidemiology, pandemic-related developments, health policy and funding, as well as the structure and specific aspects of outpatient, intermediate and inpatient care. Finally, it analyses numerous challenges facing mental health care in Switzerland.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Wiegand HF, Hölzel L, Tüscher O, et al (2025)

Mental health services in Germany - Structures, outcomes and future challenges.

International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 37(3-4):253-270.

This narrative review provides an overview of the structure, financing models, and challenges facing the German mental healthcare system for adults. The German mental healthcare system is divided into distinct sectors, including inpatient, outpatient, rehabilitation, and regional complementary services, each with its own financing mechanisms. Statutory health insurance, covering about 88% of the population, funds the majority of the system. Germany allocates 13% of its GDP to healthcare-one of the highest proportions globally-with over 10% of this directed toward mental health. Key challenges include an overemphasis on inpatient services, poor coordination between inpatient and outpatient sectors, insufficient severity-based treatment allocation, limited adherence to clinical guidelines, and a lack of digitalization and routine outcome evaluations. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a temporary reduction in service use and intensified issues with inter-sector collaboration. In the long-term, a healthcare workforce shortage further complicates care delivery. Proposed solutions include regional budgets for integrated care, outcome-based quality assurance, stepped-care models to optimize treatment allocation, and digital infrastructure improvements for better data sharing and transparency. These reforms aim to enhance patient-centered care, improve outcomes, and make more efficient use of resources.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Malerba M, Purghè B, Ragnoli B, et al (2025)

Molecular profiling of exhaled breath condensate in respiratory diseases.

Annals of medicine, 57(1):2537910.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory disorders, , continue to pose a major global health burden. Their complexity and heterogeneity challenge accurate diagnosis, effective monitoring, and therapeutic decision-making. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) provides a reliable, non-invasive means of sampling the molecular environment of the airways.

AIM: This review presents the state-of-the-art in EBC-based omics approaches-particularly metabolomics and proteomics-to characterize molecular signatures associated with chronic respiratory (e.g. asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and rhinitis) and infectious diseases (e.g. COVID-19).

RESULTS: We critically examine findings from studies applying nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and sensor-based technologies to analyze EBC across various respiratory conditions. NMR, valued for its reproducibility and minimal sample preparation, consistently discriminates among disease phenotypes, identifies distinct metabotypes, and monitors treatment response over time. MS-based approaches afford enhanced sensitivity and specificity, enabling detailed profiling of inflammatory mediators, such as lipid-derived eicosanoids and amino acid derivatives. Proteomic studies reveal protein-level alterations associated with inflammation and tissue remodeling. In COVID-19 and long COVID, metabolomic and volatile compound profiling distinguishes affected individuals from healthy controls suggesting clinical potential. However, inconsistent sample processing and lack of analytical standardization remain limiting factors.

CONCLUSIONS: EBC profiling shows clear promise for improving diagnosis, monitoring, and stratification in respiratory medicine. Yet, translation into clinical practice is hindered by limited standardization and validation. Broader, longitudinal studies will be essential to establish robust molecular signatures across disease states. This review underscores the timely need to implement breathomics investigations to gain mechanistic insight into the underlying biology of respiratory diseases.

RevDate: 2025-07-24
CmpDate: 2025-07-24

Sarkar M (2025)

Tuberculosis infection prevention and control.

The Indian journal of tuberculosis, 72(3):394-400.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the second leading infectious cause of death worldwide, only surpassed by corona virus infection (COVID-19). It is mainly transmitted by the airborne route via droplet nuclei of 1-5 μm in diameter. The four key pillars of TB elimination are "Detect-Treat-Prevent-Build." There are enough evidences of healthcare-associated transmission of TB. Prevention of TB transmission in the healthcare settings is thus an important strategy. The goal of TB infection prevention and control (IPC) is to reduce the likelihood that populations may contract M.tuberculosis by using variety of strategies. The strategies include three levels hierarchy of controls. These include administrative controls, environmental controls, and respiratory protection. This review will discuss the various strategies for TB infection prevention and controls.

RevDate: 2025-07-24
CmpDate: 2025-07-24

Meagher T (2025)

Long Covid in Year 5: Some Progress, Still Many Questions.

Journal of insurance medicine (New York, N.Y.), 52(2):61-65.

Long Covid was first described in 2020. Five years later, progress in disease characterization has been considerable, and definitions continue to evolve. Several disease mechanisms are under study, and evidence for multiple endotypes is accumulating. No clinical biomarker has been identified, nor has an effective therapy been developed. Overlap with other post-infectious syndromes, particularly myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, is now more evident. For most individuals, symptoms of long Covid progressively disappear over time. Recurrent Covid-19 infections are now an important contributor to the pool of affected individuals. While symptoms limit activity in as many as 20%, inability to work is less common. The anticipated surge of disability claims from insured individuals has not materialized.

RevDate: 2025-07-24

Jabs M, Pennesi JL, Baillie S, et al (2025)

Validated eating disorder screening tools for paediatric populations: A systematic review.

Psychiatry research, 351:116631 pii:S0165-1781(25)00279-3 [Epub ahead of print].

IMPORTANCE: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rise in paediatric eating disorder (ED) cases, highlighting the need for validated screening tools, particularly for pre-adolescent children, to enable early detection.

OBJECTIVE: This review aims to systematically evaluate the validation and psychometric properties of screening tools for assessing EDs in the paediatric population, with a focus on pre-adolescents (under 12 years).

EVIDENCE REVIEW: A systematic search of Medline (OVID) and PsycInfo (OVID) databases was conducted following Cochrane Rapid Review Guidelines, registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023465366). Studies were selected based on seven criteria, including ED diagnoses (anorexia nervosa, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder) in children under 12. A random 20% sample was cross-checked for errors. Data extraction followed a pre-defined template with additional independent checks. The primary outcome was the predictive validity of the screening tools.

RESULTS: Of 3,911 citations screened, 28 studies (N=25,444) were included, with six focusing on children under 12 (N=1,430). The methods varied, with 18 studies using clinical interviews and 10 using validated questionnaires. Most tools achieved a Level 3 rating on The Rational Clinical Examination Levels of Evidence, indicating methodological limitations. The child version of the Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) had the most evidence, though it has not been validated for DSM-5 criteria.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: There is a significant gap in validated ED screening tools for children under 12. Future research should focus on developing tools for this population to improve early detection and treatment outcomes.

RevDate: 2025-07-24
CmpDate: 2025-07-24

Legrand NM, Bull RA, Hajarizadeh B, et al (2025)

Surveillance of Viral Respiratory Infections within Maximum-Security Prison, Australia.

Emerging infectious diseases, 31(8):1527-1536.

Limited surveillance data have hindered understanding of SARS-CoV-2 transmission within prisons. We integrated routine surveillance data with viral sequencing to investigate transmission dynamics and associated factors during a Delta variant outbreak in a maximum-security prison in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Infection incidence and associated factors were determined by using person-time and Cox regression. We generated transmission chains by integrating epidemiologic and viral sequencing data. Of 1,562 patients, SARS-CoV-2 infection was diagnosed in 169 (11%), predominantly acquired in prison and asymptomatic. Prisonwide testing identified substantial unrecognized transmission, and 4 subvariants indicated multiple viral introductions. Infection was associated with housing location, having a cellmate (regardless of infection status), and vaccination status. Our findings underscore the inadequacy of symptom-based testing and the efficacy of entry-quarantine, strategic housing, extensive testing, and vaccination in reducing transmission. This integrated approach to surveillance and genomic sequencing offers a valuable model for enhancing infectious disease surveillance in correctional settings.

RevDate: 2025-07-24

Janas PP, Rozario C, Lucas CD, et al (2025)

The long reach of influenza and other respiratory viruses: from acute epithelial injury to post-viral lung disease.

Clinical microbiology reviews [Epub ahead of print].

SUMMARYRespiratory viral infections cause extensive cell death in the lung epithelium, resulting from both direct viral action and exuberant immune responses. Recovery following viral infection requires rapid and coordinated repair programs, ensuring the replacement of the damaged tissue through proliferation, migration, and differentiation of respiratory epithelial progenitor cells. Viral infection and the resulting inflammatory milieu alter host gene expression. Notably, growing evidence indicates that these infections can induce long-term changes in epithelial progenitor cells, which persist even after the infection has resolved. These alterations may play a key role in the development of post-viral lung disease (PVLD). In this review, we discuss current knowledge regarding respiratory viral infections and how these may alter the gene expression and function of epithelial progeny cells arising from the surviving progenitors. We do so by exploring the influenza virus as an example and comparing it with what is known about other important respiratory viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus (HRV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). We highlight the impact of respiratory viral infection and ensuing inflammation on lung epithelial memory, considering the importance of viral strains, and discuss potential new therapeutic strategies that could maximize long-term lung health.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Timoteo EF, Silva DF, Oliveira TM, et al (2025)

Real-time telerehabilitation for chronic respiratory disease and post-COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Journal of telemedicine and telecare, 31(7):991-1004.

IntroductionTelerehabilitation may facilitate access and adherence to pulmonary rehabilitation. Given the heterogeneity in existing telerehabilitation studies, it is still necessary to identify the most effective, safe, and cost-efficient strategy for clinical implementation, as well as the necessary level of supervision during telerehabilitation. The aim of this review was to determine the effectiveness and safety of real-time telerehabilitation for chronic respiratory diseases and post-COVID-19 compared to no-rehabilitation, center-based rehabilitation or asynchronous telerehabilitation.MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted in six databases until 30 April 2023. Clinical trials of real-time telerehabilitation supervised via videoconference in adults with diagnosis of any chronic respiratory disease or post-COVID-19 were included.ResultsTwelve studies with 1540 participants were included. Very-low to moderate certainty evidence showed no difference between real-time telerehabilitation and center-based pulmonary rehabilitation. Studies included in this review reported high adherence rates to real-time telerehabilitation and completion rate, with no difference compared to center-based pulmonary rehabilitation. When compared to no-rehabilitation, the results of this review provide low-certainty evidence that real-time telerehabilitation may have a potential effect on exercise capacity at the end of the intervention, with no better results in others outcomes. No studies comparing real-time telerehabilitation with asynchronous telerehabilitation were found.ConclusionReal-time telerehabilitation is safe and it seems to promote similar effects to center-based pulmonary rehabilitation. However, the certainty of this evidence ranged from very-low to moderate. Therefore, real-time telerehabilitation offers an alternative to center-based pulmonary rehabilitation models. This review provides a clear definition of real-time telerehabilitation, facilitating results interpretation and clinical applicability.

RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25

Hu J, Xiong J, Jiang J, et al (2024)

Clinical Application of MRI in Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Current medical imaging, 20:e15734056274864.

BACKGROUND: Currently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to remain in the pandemic stage, leading to severe challenges in the global public healthcare system. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods have played an important role in the diagnosis of COVID-19 and the structural evaluation of the affected organs. Reviewing and summarizing the application of MRI has significant clinical implications for COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to analyze literature related to the application of MRI in COVID-19 using bibliometric tools, to explore the research status, hotspots, and developmental trends in this field, and to provide a reference for the application of MRI in the clinical diagnosis and evaluation of COVID-19.

METHODS: We used the Web of Science Core Collection database to search and collect relevant literature on the use of MRI in COVID-19. The authors, institutes, countries, journals, and keyword modules of the bibliometric analysis software CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to analyze and plot the network map.

RESULTS: A total of 1506 relevant articles were shortlisted through the search; the earliest study was published in 2019, showing an overall upward trend every year. The research was mainly presented as published articles. Clinical neurology was found to be the primary discipline. The United States had the highest publication volume and influence in this field. Countries around the world cooperated more closely. The Cureus Journal of Medical Science was the main periodical to publish articles. Institutes, such as Harvard Medical School, Mayo Clinic, and Massachusetts General Hospital, have published a large number of papers. Some of the high-frequency keywords were "COVID-19", "SARS-CoV-2", "magnetic resonance", "myocarditis", and "cardiac magnetic resonance imaging". The keyword clustering study showed that the current research mainly focuses on five "hot" directions.

CONCLUSION: There is a need to strengthen cross-teamwork and multidisciplinary collaboration in the future to completely explore the positive role of MRI in COVID-19 and to discover breakthroughs for the challenges in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.

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RJR Experience and Expertise

Researcher

Robbins holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in the life sciences. He served as a tenured faculty member in the Zoology and Biological Science departments at Michigan State University. He is currently exploring the intersection between genomics, microbial ecology, and biodiversity — an area that promises to transform our understanding of the biosphere.

Educator

Robbins has extensive experience in college-level education: At MSU he taught introductory biology, genetics, and population genetics. At JHU, he was an instructor for a special course on biological database design. At FHCRC, he team-taught a graduate-level course on the history of genetics. At Bellevue College he taught medical informatics.

Administrator

Robbins has been involved in science administration at both the federal and the institutional levels. At NSF he was a program officer for database activities in the life sciences, at DOE he was a program officer for information infrastructure in the human genome project. At the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, he served as a vice president for fifteen years.

Technologist

Robbins has been involved with information technology since writing his first Fortran program as a college student. At NSF he was the first program officer for database activities in the life sciences. At JHU he held an appointment in the CS department and served as director of the informatics core for the Genome Data Base. At the FHCRC he was VP for Information Technology.

Publisher

While still at Michigan State, Robbins started his first publishing venture, founding a small company that addressed the short-run publishing needs of instructors in very large undergraduate classes. For more than 20 years, Robbins has been operating The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project, a web site dedicated to the digital publishing of critical works in science, especially classical genetics.

Speaker

Robbins is well-known for his speaking abilities and is often called upon to provide keynote or plenary addresses at international meetings. For example, in July, 2012, he gave a well-received keynote address at the Global Biodiversity Informatics Congress, sponsored by GBIF and held in Copenhagen. The slides from that talk can be seen HERE.

Facilitator

Robbins is a skilled meeting facilitator. He prefers a participatory approach, with part of the meeting involving dynamic breakout groups, created by the participants in real time: (1) individuals propose breakout groups; (2) everyone signs up for one (or more) groups; (3) the groups with the most interested parties then meet, with reports from each group presented and discussed in a subsequent plenary session.

Designer

Robbins has been engaged with photography and design since the 1960s, when he worked for a professional photography laboratory. He now prefers digital photography and tools for their precision and reproducibility. He designed his first web site more than 20 years ago and he personally designed and implemented this web site. He engages in graphic design as a hobby.

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With the world now in the middle of a new and rapidly spreading pandemic, now is the time to read this book, originally published in 2012, that describes animal infections and the next human pandemic (that's actually the book's subtitle). You would be hard pressed to find a more relevant explanation of how this got started and why there will be more after this one. R. Robbins

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Collection of publications by R J Robbins

Reprints and preprints of publications, slide presentations, instructional materials, and data compilations written or prepared by Robert Robbins. Most papers deal with computational biology, genome informatics, using information technology to support biomedical research, and related matters.

Research Gate page for R J Robbins

ResearchGate is a social networking site for scientists and researchers to share papers, ask and answer questions, and find collaborators. According to a study by Nature and an article in Times Higher Education , it is the largest academic social network in terms of active users.

Curriculum Vitae for R J Robbins

short personal version

Curriculum Vitae for R J Robbins

long standard version

RJR Picks from Around the Web (updated 11 MAY 2018 )