Implementation of self-monitoring of blood glucose for patients with insulin-dependent diabetes at a rural non-communicable disease clinic in Neno, Malawi

BACKGROUND

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is a widely accepted standard of practice for management of insulin-dependentdiabetes, yet is largely unavailable in rural sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This prospective cohort study is the first known report ofimplementation of SMBG in a rural, low-income country setting.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate adherence and change in clinical outcomes with SMBG implementation at two rural hospitals in Neno, Malawi.

METHODS

Forty-eight patients with type 1 and insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes were trained to use glucometers and logbooks. Participantsmonitored preprandial glucose daily at rotating times and overnight glucose once a week. Healthcare providers were trained to evaluateglucose trends, and adjusted insulin regimens based on results. Adherence was measured as the frequency with which patients checked anddocumented blood glucose at prescribed times, while clinical changes were measured by change in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) over a6-month period.

RESULTS

Participants brought their glucometers and logbooks to the clinic 95 - 100% of the time. Adherence with measuring glucose valuesand recording them in logbooks eight times a week was high (mean (standard deviation) 69.4% (15.7) and 69.0% (16.6), respectively). MeanHbA1c decreased from 9.0% (75 mmol/mol) at enrolment to 7.8% (62 mmol/mol) at 6 months (mean difference 1.2% (95% confidenceinterval (CI) 0.6 - 2.0; p=0.0005). The difference was greater for type 1 diabetes (1.6%; 95% CI 0.6 - 2.7; p=0.0031) than for type 2 diabetes(0.9%; 95% CI 0.1 - 1.9; p=0.0630). There was no documented increase in hypoglycaemic events, and no hospitalisations or deaths occurred.

CONCLUSION

SMBG is feasible for patients with insulin-dependent diabetes in a rural SSA population, and may be associated with improvedHbA1c levels. Despite common misconceptions, all patients, regardless of education level, can benefit from SMBG. Further research onlong-term retention of SMBG activities and the benefits of increasing frequency of monitoring is warranted.

Glycopeptidolipid Defects Leading to Rough Morphotypes of Mycobacterium abscessus Do Not Confer Clinical Antibiotic Resistance

Mycobacterium abscessus is an emerging pathogen causing severe pulmonary infections. Within chronically infected patients, M. abscessus isolates undergo molecular changes leading to increased virulence and antibiotic resistance. Specifically, mutations in glycopeptidolipid (GPL) synthesis genes, leading to the rough phenotype, are associated with invasive, nonremitting infections and a severe clinical course. It has been unclear whether GPL defects confer antibiotic resistance independently of other molecular changes. We used transposon technology to isolate a rough (GPL-defective; Tn MABS_4099cZeoR) mutant and compare it to a fully isogenic parent strain (ATCC 19977) bearing wild-type zeocin resistance (WTZeoR). Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of Tn_4099cZeoR and WTZeoR were tested and compared using the Sensititre RAPMYCOI antimicrobial susceptibility test plate. MICs were evaluated within clinically relevant values according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) standards. We found that M. abscessus with rough colony morphotype (Tn_4009c) had comparable antibiotic susceptibility to its smooth isogenic WT counterpart. Small differences (a 1:2 dilution) in MICs were found for imipenem, cefoxitin, and tigecycline, yet those small differences did not change the clinical susceptibility report for these antibiotics, as they fell within the same CLSI cutoffs for resistance. While small alternations in susceptibility to imipenem, cefoxitin, and tigecycline were noted, we conclude that the GPL mutations in M. abscessus did not confer clinically significant antibiotic resistance. Increased antibiotic resistance in the clinical setting may occur in an unrelated and parallel manner to GPL mutations. IMPORTANCE Mycobacterium abscessus chronically infects patients with preexisting lung diseases, leading to progressive deterioration in pulmonary function. The common perception among clinicians is that the rough phenotype is associated with progressive disease and severe clinical course, manifested as a widespread inflammatory response and resistance to antibacterials. However, as clinical isolates accumulate hundreds of mutations over the prolonged course of infection, it is unclear whether the rough phenotype per se is responsible for the antibiotic resistance seen in late-stage infections, or whether the resistance is related to other genetic changes in the bacteria. Previous studies mostly compared rough and smooth clinical isolates. Here, for the first time, we compared WT smooth bacteria to a specific rough, GPL-associated, otherwise-isogenic mutant. We determined that the rough morphotype had essentially identical antibiotic susceptibilities as the parent strain. The mechanistic basis for the antibiotic resistance observed in rough clinical isolates is therefore most probably related to other genetic determinants.

Cardiologic Manifestations in Omicron-Type Versus Wild-Type COVID-19: A Systematic Echocardiographic Study

Background Information about the cardiac manifestations of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is limited. We performed a systematic prospective echocardiographic evaluation of consecutive patients hospitalized with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 infection and compared them with similarly recruited patients were propensity matched with the wild-type variant. Methods and Results A total of 162 consecutive patients hospitalized with Omicron COVID-19 underwent complete echocardiographic evaluation within 24 hours of admission and were compared with propensity-matched patients with the wild-type variant (148 pairs). Echocardiography included left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic, right ventricular (RV), strain, and hemodynamic assessment. Echocardiographic parameters during acute infection were compared with historic exams in 62 patients with the Omicron variant and 19 patients with the wild-type variant who had a previous exam within 1 year. Of the patients, 85 (53%) had a normal echocardiogram. The most common cardiac pathology was RV dilatation and dysfunction (33%), followed by elevated LV filling pressure (E/e' ≥14, 29%) and LV systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%, 10%). Compared with the matched wild-type cohort, patients with Omicron had smaller RV end-systolic areas (9.3±4 versus 12.3±4 cm²; P=0.0003), improved RV function (RV fractional-area change, 53.2%±10% versus 39.7%±13% [P<0.0001]; RV S', 12.0±3 versus 10.7±3 cm/s [P=0.001]), and higher stroke volume index (35.6 versus 32.5 mL/m²; P=0.004), all possibly related to lower mean pulmonary pressure (34.6±12 versus 41.1±14 mm Hg; P=0.0001) and the pulmonary vascular resistance index (P=0.0003). LV systolic or diastolic parameters were mostly similar to the wild-type variant-matched cohort apart from larger LV size. However, in patients who had a previous echocardiographic exam, these LV abnormalities were recorded before acute Omicron infection, but not in the wild-type cohort. Numerous echocardiographic parameters were associated with higher in-hospital mortality (LV ejection fraction, stroke volume index, E/e', RV S'). Conclusions In patients with Omicron, RV function is impaired to a lower extent compared with the wild-type variant, possibly related to the attenuated pulmonary parenchymal and/or vascular disease. LV systolic and diastolic abnormalities are as common as in the wild-type variant but were usually recorded before acute infection and probably reflect background cardiac morbidity. Numerous LV and RV abnormalities are associated with adverse outcome in patients with Omicron.

An outbreak of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections among hospital personnel with high mRNA vaccine uptake

Real-world studies have demonstrated impressive effectiveness of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine in preventing symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. We describe an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infections in a hospital with high vaccine uptake. We found a low secondary attack rate (7%), suggesting low infectivity of vaccinated persons with vaccine breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Systematic lung ultrasound in Omicron-type vs. wild-type COVID-19

AIMS

Preliminary data suggested that patients with Omicron-type-Coronavirus-disease-2019 (COVID-19) have less severe lung disease compared with the wild-type-variant. We aimed to compare lung ultrasound (LUS) parameters in Omicron vs. wild-type COVID-19 and evaluate their prognostic implications.

METHODS AND RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-two consecutive patients with Omicron-type-COVID-19 underwent LUS within 48 h of admission and were compared with propensity-matched wild-type patients (148 pairs). In the Omicron patients median, first and third quartiles of the LUS-score was 5 [2-12], and only 9% had normal LUS. The majority had either mild (≤5; 37%) or moderate (6-15; 39%), and 15% (≥15) had severe LUS-score. Thirty-six percent of patients had patchy pleural thickening (PPT). Factors associated with LUS-score in the Omicron patients included ischaemic-heart-disease, heart failure, renal-dysfunction, and C-reactive protein. Elevated left-filling pressure or right-sided pressures were associated with the LUS-score. Lung ultrasound-score was associated with mortality [odds ratio (OR): 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.18; P = 0.03] and with the combined endpoint of mortality and respiratory failure (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.07-1.22; P < 0.0001). Patients with the wild-type variant had worse LUS characteristics than the matched Omicron-type patients (PPT: 90 vs. 34%; P < 0.0001 and LUS-score: 8 [5, 12] vs. 5 [2, 10], P = 0.004), irrespective of disease severity. When matched only to the 31 non-vaccinated Omicron patients, these differences were attenuated.

CONCLUSION

Lung ultrasound-score is abnormal in the majority of hospitalized Omicron-type patients. Patchy pleural thickening is less common than in matched wild-type patients, but the difference is diminished in the non-vaccinated Omicron patients. Nevertheless, even in this milder form of the disease, the LUS-score is associated with poor in-hospital outcomes.

Left atrial remodelling after septal myectomy is associated with a reduced 5-year risk of atrial fibrillation in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Background

Left atrial diameter (LAD) is an established predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF) and adverse outcomes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, the impact of LAD remodelling after surgical myectomy on the development of late onset AF is still poorly understood.

Purpose

To investigate the association between LAD remodelling and new occurrence of AF in the first five years after surgical myectomy in a large patient population with HCM.

Methods

1177 HCM patients without a history of AF, subjected to surgical myectomy at two referral centres between 2001 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Paired echocardiographic studies before and shortly after surgical myectomy were available in 894 (76%) patients and 889 (75%) patients had complete LAD measurements, defined as the anteroposterior diameter at end-systole from parasternal long axis view. LAD was considered normal when ≤40mm. Late onset AF was determined as AF documented between one month and 5 years follow up after myectomy. Patients were grouped as having normal LAD pre- and post-myectomy (group 1), enlarged pre-myectomy LAD but normal post-myectomy LAD (group 2), and those with enlarged LAD post-myectomy (group 3). Cox proportional hazards models were applied to evaluate the impact of LAD on late onset AF.

Results

Late onset AF was detected in 63 (7%) patients, 56% male, with an incidence of 1%/year. Patients with AF were older (56±13 vs. 52±14 years, p=0.03), had a larger post-surgery LAD (44±7 vs. 41±6 mm, p&lt;0.001) and a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (58±6 vs. 61±6%, p=0.002) compared to patients without AF. Postoperative left ventricular maximal wall thickness (14±4 mm vs. 15±4mm, p=0.53), left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (6% vs. 8%, p=0.49) or moderate/severe mitral regurgitation (13% vs. 9%, p=0.29) were similar between patients with and without late onset AF. Among the 227 patients in group 1, late onset AF occurred in only 5 (3%), in comparison to 8 (5%) of 182 patients in group 2, and in 36 (10%) of the 480 patients in group 3 (p=0.006). Using group 1 as reference, the hazard ratio for developing AF was 2.1 (95% CI 0.7–6.5, p=0.15) for patients in group 2 and 3.5 (95% CI 1.4–9.4, p=0.005) for patients in group 3.

Conclusion

In our study we were able to show that the overall post-myectomy 5-year risk for developing AF was 1%/year. Normal LAD and reverse LAD remodelling correlated with a lower risk for developing late onset AF, whereas a higher risk was associated with enlarged post-myectomy LAD. These results highlight the possible clinical benefit of LAD remodelling after myectomy in reducing late onset AF.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Bloodstream Infections in Central Israel: A Case-Control Study

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) infection continues to be a significant cause of morbidity. In addition to gastroenteritis (GE), NTS may cause bloodstream infections (BSI). Our goals were to characterize the demographics, clinical characteristics and outcome of NTS-BSI in central Israel. The study was a retrospective, case-control study conducted at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center between 2001−2018. Cases with NTS-BSI were matched by age and compared with two control groups, hospitalized patients with NTS-GE and patients with E. coli BSI. The NTS-BSI group included 34 patients who were compared with 69 and 68 patients in the NTS-GE and E. coli BSI groups, respectively. In the NTS-BSI group, the median age was 59 years, with 20% of patients below 20 years of age. Diarrhea was less common in NTS-BSI patients compared with NTS-GE: 53% vs. 80% (p < 0.01). Compared with NTS-GE patients, NTS-BSI patients had a higher rate of recent antimicrobial use: 21% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.03, respectively. They also had a slightly higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score, and history of past malignancy and steroid use, but these differences were not statistically significant. Antimicrobial treatment was documented in 30/34 of the NTS-BSI patients vs. 55/69 of the NTS-GE patients (p < 0.001). NTS-BSI patients had higher rates of in-hospital death (23% vs. 4%, p < 0.01) and a longer length of stay (8 vs. 4 days, p < 0.001) compared with NTS-GE. There was no significant difference in the outcome compared with the E. coli BSI group. In conclusion, our study found relatively low rates of pediatric cases compared with previous studies in Israel. NTS-BSI patients had slightly higher rates of comorbidities compared with NTS-GE patients, and a similar prognosis to E. coli BSI patients.

Invasive Fusobacterium Infections in Children: A Retrospective Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

The past decade has witnessed a rise in Fusobacterium infections. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology, clinical and demographic characteristics and outcomes associated with Fusobacterium infections in hospitalized children in central Israel.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of children <18 years old who had been admitted with a diagnosis of invasive Fusobacterium infection (IFI) between January 2010 and April 2020. Clinical, laboratory and microbiologic data were retrieved. IFI diagnosis was based upon microbiological identification in any specimen by culture or by 16S ribosomal RNA polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Fifty-one children (26 boys) with a median age of 3 years (range, 5-16 years) were included. Hospitalizations for IFI increased from 19 of 100,000 admissions between 2010 and 2015 to 50 of 100,000 between 2016 and 2020, representing a 2.5-fold increase. Most of the infections were from an otogenic source (n = 28, 55%) followed by an oropharyngeal/respiratory source (n = 21, 41%). The most common complications were subperiosteal and epidural abscesses (41% and 37%, respectively). Thrombosis was diagnosed in 11 children, 10 of whom had sinus vein thrombosis. All had an otogenic source. Children with otogenic compared with all other infection sources were significantly younger (median age of 1.9 vs. 3 years; P < 0.001). Forty-seven children (92%) underwent a surgical intervention. All patients survived, one with neurologic sequelae.

CONCLUSIONS

The admissions for IFI in children increased 2.5-fold during the last decade. The most common source is otogenic, especially among younger children, and it is associated with high complication rates. Current management, including combinations of antibiotics and surgical interventions, leads to favorable outcome.

Hypertriton Production in p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

The study of nuclei and antinuclei production has proven to be a powerful tool to investigate the formation mechanism of loosely bound states in high-energy hadronic collisions. The first measurement of the production of _{Λ}^{3}H in p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV is presented in this Letter. Its production yield measured in the rapidity interval -1<y<0 for the 40% highest-multiplicity p-Pb collisions is dN/dy=[6.3±1.8(stat)±1.2(syst)]×10^{-7}. The measurement is compared with the expectations of statistical hadronization and coalescence models, which describe the nucleosynthesis in hadronic collisions. These two models predict very different yields of the hypertriton in charged particle multiplicity environments relevant to small collision systems such as p-Pb, and therefore the measurement of dN/dy is crucial to distinguish between them. The precision of this measurement leads to the exclusion with a significance larger than 6.9σ of some configurations of the statistical hadronization model, thus constraining the theory behind the production of loosely bound states at hadron colliders.

Drivers of adaptive evolution during chronic SARS-CoV-2 infections

In some immunocompromised patients with chronic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, considerable adaptive evolution occurs. Some substitutions found in chronic infections are lineage-defining mutations in variants of concern (VOCs), which has led to the hypothesis that VOCs emerged from chronic infections. In this study, we searched for drivers of VOC-like emergence by consolidating sequencing results from a set of 27 chronic infections. Most substitutions in this set reflected lineage-defining VOC mutations; however, a subset of mutations associated with successful global transmission was absent from chronic infections. We further tested the ability to associate antibody evasion mutations with patient-specific and virus-specific features and found that viral rebound is strongly correlated with the emergence of antibody evasion. We found evidence for dynamic polymorphic viral populations in most patients, suggesting that a compromised immune system selects for antibody evasion in particular niches in a patient’s body. We suggest that a tradeoff exists between antibody evasion and transmissibility and that extensive monitoring of chronic infections is necessary to further understanding of VOC emergence.

Analysis of mutations that arise in chronic SARS-CoV-2 infections shows both overlap and differences with mutations present in pandemic viral variants of concern, highlighting their distinct drivers of evolution.

Polarization of Λ and Λ[over ¯] Hyperons along the Beam Direction in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s]_{NN}=5.02 TeV

The polarization of the Λ and Λ[over ¯] hyperons along the beam (z) direction, P_{z}, has been measured in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV recorded with ALICE at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The main contribution to P_{z} comes from elliptic flow-induced vorticity and can be characterized by the second Fourier sine coefficient P_{z,s2}=⟨P_{z}sin(2φ-2Ψ_{2})⟩, where φ is the hyperon azimuthal emission angle and Ψ_{2} is the elliptic flow plane angle. We report the measurement of P_{z,s2} for different collision centralities and in the 30%-50% centrality interval as a function of the hyperon transverse momentum and rapidity. The P_{z,s2} is positive similarly as measured by the STAR Collaboration in Au-Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV, with somewhat smaller amplitude in the semicentral collisions. This is the first experimental evidence of a nonzero hyperon P_{z} in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC. The comparison of the measured P_{z,s2} with the hydrodynamic model calculations shows sensitivity to the competing contributions from thermal and the recently found shear-induced vorticity, as well as to whether the polarization is acquired at the quark-gluon plasma or the hadronic phase.

Clinical features and outcomes of bacteremic and non-bacteremic Campylobacteriosis: a case-control study

PURPOSE

Campylobacter bloodstream infection (C-BSI) is uncommon, and its clinical significance is unclear. The aim of the study was to determine risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with Campylobacter BSI.

METHODS

We performed a single center retrospective case-control study comparing patients with C-BSI (cases) and patients with nonbacteremic Campylobacter enteritis (controls), from January 2007 through June 2020. Case and control patients were matched by age and sex at a ratio of 1:2. Demographic, clinical, and microbiological characteristics were compared between groups.

RESULTS

We identified 76 patients with C-BSI and matched them with 149 nonbacteremic patients with Campylobacter enteritis. Rates of C-BSI increased tenfold in 2014 following the introduction of BacTAlert FA/FN Plus blood culture bottles. Baseline variables significantly associated with C-BSI on multivariable logistic regression were fever, absence of diarrhea and recent exposure to antibiotics. Compared with controls, C-BSI was associated with higher 30-day mortality (12% vs. 2%, P = 0.003), more frequent need for intensive care (6.6% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.032) and longer hospital stay (median, 5 days vs. 3 days, P = 0.003). There was a high proportion of immunocompromised patients in both groups (55%).

CONCLUSIONS

C-BSI is identified with increasing frequency, reflecting both changes in epidemiology and improved sensitivity of blood culture systems. Our findings indicate that detection of Campylobacter spp. in blood culture is associated with significantly higher rates of death and other adverse outcomes.

Measurement of the Groomed Jet Radius and Momentum Splitting Fraction in pp and Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

This article presents groomed jet substructure measurements in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector. The soft drop grooming algorithm provides access to the hard parton splittings inside a jet by removing soft wide-angle radiation. We report the groomed jet momentum splitting fraction, z_{g}, and the (scaled) groomed jet radius, θ_{g}. Charged-particle jets are reconstructed at midrapidity using the anti-k_{T} algorithm with resolution parameters R=0.2 and R=0.4. In heavy-ion collisions, the large underlying event poses a challenge for the reconstruction of groomed jet observables, since fluctuations in the background can cause groomed parton splittings to be misidentified. By using strong grooming conditions to reduce this background, we report these observables fully corrected for detector effects and background fluctuations for the first time. A narrowing of the θ_{g} distribution in Pb-Pb collisions compared to pp collisions is seen, which provides direct evidence of the modification of the angular structure of jets in the quark-gluon plasma. No significant modification of the z_{g} distribution in Pb-Pb collisions compared to pp collisions is observed. These results are compared with a variety of theoretical models of jet quenching, and provide constraints on jet energy-loss mechanisms and coherence effects in the quark-gluon plasma.

SARS-CoV-2 Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses of Patients With HIV After Vaccination With BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in the Tel-Aviv Medical Center

Background

Little is known about vaccine efficacy and sustainability among people with HIV (PWH). We estimated humoral and cellular immune responses postvaccination with BNT162b2 mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine among PWH in Tel-Aviv Medical Center.

Methods

The vaccine humoral response was evaluated by measuring immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers of antispike receptor-binding domain antibodies (anti-RBD IgG). Cellular response was assessed by stimulating donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells with pooled complete S-peptide mix.

Results

One hundred thirty-six PWH who completed 2 doses of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine were tested for anti-RBD IgG and compared with 61 vaccinated health care workers (HCWs). The antibody titers were similar between the groups (median, 118 BAU/mL for PWH and 101.4 BAU/mL for HCWs; P = .231), although the mean time from second vaccine was 4.5 months in PWH and 6.7 months in HCWs (P < .0001). Longer time from second vaccine dose was associated with decreased antibody level, as were CD4 counts <300 cells/µL compared with higher CD4 counts (25.1 BAU/mL vs 119.3 BAU/mL, respectively; P = .047). There was no difference in cellular immune response between vaccinated PWH, convalescent unvaccinated PWH, and vaccinated HCWs.

Conclusions

The humoral immune response of PWH was comparable to that of HCWs after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. Cellular immune response did not differ between vaccinated PWH, convalescent PWH, and vaccinated HCWs. PWH with CD4 counts <300 cells/µL (n = 9) had lower antibody titers compared with patients with counts >300 cells/µL (n = 127).

Emergence of Mycobacterium canariasense infections in central Israel

In 2018, Mycobacterium canariasense bloodstream infection was diagnosed in Israel. Further investigation had identified additional five cases in three medical centers, including isolates from blood (1), cornea (1), and sputum (3). Isolates were susceptible to all the antimicrobial tested. All but one isolate was related by whole-genome phylogeny.

Measurement of Prompt D^{0}, Λ_{c}^{+}, and Σ_{c}^{0,++}(2455) Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The p_{T}-differential production cross sections of prompt D^{0}, Λ_{c}^{+}, and Σ_{c}^{0,++}(2455) charmed hadrons are measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV. This is the first measurement of Σ_{c}^{0,++} production in hadronic collisions. Assuming the same production yield for the three Σ_{c}^{0,+,++} isospin states, the baryon-to-meson cross section ratios Σ_{c}^{0,+,++}/D^{0} and Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} are calculated in the transverse momentum (p_{T}) intervals 2<p_{T}<12 and 1<p_{T}<24  GeV/c. Values significantly larger than in e^{+}e^{-} collisions are observed, indicating for the first time that baryon enhancement in hadronic collisions also extends to the Σ_{c}. The feed-down contribution to Λ_{c}^{+} production from Σ_{c}^{0,+,++} is also reported and is found to be larger than in e^{+}e^{-} collisions. The data are compared with predictions from event generators and other phenomenological models, providing a sensitive test of the different charm-hadronization mechanisms implemented in the models.

Measurement of the Cross Sections of Ξ_{c}^{0} and Ξ_{c}^{+} Baryons and of the Branching-Fraction Ratio BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e})/BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}π^{+}) in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The p_{T}-differential cross sections of prompt charm-strange baryons Ξ_{c}^{0} and Ξ_{c}^{+} were measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=13  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The Ξ_{c}^{0} baryon was reconstructed via both the semileptonic decay (Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}) and the hadronic decay (Ξ^{-}π^{+}) channels. The Ξ_{c}^{+} baryon was reconstructed via the hadronic decay (Ξ^{-}π^{+}π^{+}) channel. The branching-fraction ratio BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e})/BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}π^{+})=1.38±0.14(stat)±0.22(syst) was measured with a total uncertainty reduced by a factor of about 3 with respect to the current world average reported by the Particle Data Group. The transverse momentum (p_{T}) dependence of the Ξ_{c}^{0}- and Ξ_{c}^{+}-baryon production relative to the D^{0} meson and to the Σ_{c}^{0,+,++}- and Λ_{c}^{+}-baryon production are reported. The baryon-to-meson ratio increases toward low p_{T} up to a value of approximately 0.3. The measurements are compared with various models that take different hadronization mechanisms into consideration. The results provide stringent constraints to these theoretical calculations and additional evidence that different processes are involved in charm hadronization in electron-positron (e^{+}e^{-}) and hadronic collisions.

C-reactive protein velocity discriminates between acute viral and bacterial infections in patients who present with relatively low CRP concentrations

Background

To assess the utility of C-reactive protein (CRP) velocity to discriminate between patients with acute viral and bacterial infections who presented with relatively low CRP concentrations and were suspected of having a bacterial infection.

Methods

We analyzed a retrospective cohort of patients with acute infections who presented to the emergency department (ED) with a relatively low first CRP measurement (CRP1) ≤ 31.9 mg/L and received antibiotics shortly after. We then calculated C-reactive protein velocity (CRPv), milligram per liter per hour, for each patient based on CRP1 and the second CRP value (CRP2) measured within the first 24 h since admission. Finally, we compared CRPv between patients with bacterial and viral infections.

Results

We have presently analyzed 74 patients with acute bacterial infections and 62 patients with acute viral infections at the mean age of 80 and 66 years respectively, 68 male and 68 female. CRP1 did not differ between both groups of patients (16.2 ± 8.6 and 14.8 ± 8.5 for patients with viral and bacterial infections respectively, p value = 0.336). However, the CRP2 was significantly different between the groups (30.2 ± 21.9 and 75.6 ± 51.3 for patients with viral and bacterial infections respectively, p-value < 0.001) and especially the CRPv was much higher in patients with acute bacterial infections compared to patients with acute viral infections (0.9 ± 1.2 and 4.4 ± 2.7 respectively, p-value < 0.001).

Conclusion

CRPv and CRP2 are useful biomarkers that can discriminate significantly between patients who present with acute bacterial and viral infections, and relatively low CRP concentration upon admission who were suspected of having a bacterial infection.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-021-06878-y.

A hospital-wide outbreak of IMI-17-producing Enterobacter ludwigii in an Israeli hospital

Background

To describe the course and intervention of an hospital-wide IMI-Producing Enterobacter ludwigii outbreak.

Methods

This was an outbreak interventional study, done at a tertiary care center in Tel-Aviv, Israel. Data was collected on the course of the outbreak and the demographic and clinical characteristics of all patients involved in the outbreak. The intervention measures included patients’ cohorting, contact isolation precautions, environmental cleaning and screening of contacts. The molecular features and phylogeny of outbreak-related isolates were studied by whole-genome based analysis.

Results

The outbreak included 34 patients that were colonized by IMI-Producing E. ludwigii and were identified in 24 wards throughout the hospital. Colonization was identified in the first 72 h of admission in 13/34 patients (38.2%). Most patients (91.2%) were admitted from home and had relatively low level of comorbidities. The majority of them (88%) had no recent use of invasive catheters and none had previous carriage of other multi-drug resistant bacteria. All available isolates harbored the bla_IMI-17 allele and belonged to Sequence-Type 385. With the exception of two isolates, all isolates were closely related with less than a 20-SNP difference between them.

Conclusions

This outbreak had most likely originated in the community and subsequently disseminated inside our institution. More studies are required in order to elucidate the epidemiology of IMI-Producing E. ludwigii and the possible role of environmental sources in its dissemination.

Λ_{c}^{+} Production and Baryon-to-Meson Ratios in pp and p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV at the LHC

The prompt production of the charm baryon Λ_{c}^{+} and the Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} production ratios were measured at midrapidity with the ALICE detector in pp and p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. These new measurements show a clear decrease of the Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} ratio with increasing transverse momentum (p_{T}) in both collision systems in the range 2<p_{T}<12  GeV/c, exhibiting similarities with the light-flavor baryon-to-meson ratios p/π and Λ/K_{S}^{0}. At low p_{T}, predictions that include additional color-reconnection mechanisms beyond the leading-color approximation, assume the existence of additional higher-mass charm-baryon states, or include hadronization via coalescence can describe the data, while predictions driven by charm-quark fragmentation processes measured in e^{+}e^{-} and e^{-}p collisions significantly underestimate the data. The results presented in this Letter provide significant evidence that the established assumption of universality (colliding-system independence) of parton-to-hadron fragmentation is not sufficient to describe charm-baryon production in hadronic collisions at LHC energies.

Evolution of spike mutations following antibody treatment in two immunocompromised patients with persistent COVID-19 infection

Immunocompromised patients have an increased risk of persistent COVID‐19 disease. We report here the clinical course of two patients with hematologic malignancies hospitalized due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. In both patients, viral evolution including new spike gene mutations that occurred following treatment with anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies preparations, including convalescent plasma and bamlanivimab. These cases demonstrate the possibility of antibody‐resistant SARS‐CoV‐2 infections evolution in immunocompromised patients.

Patients with hematologic malignancies are at risk of persistent SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Using anti‐SRAS‐CoV‐2 antibody preparations in immunocompromised patients may lead to the evolution of antibody‐resistant SRAS‐CoV‐2 infections.

Antibody‐resistant SRAS‐CoV‐2 infections might have severe epidemiological implications.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in COVID-19 compared with Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection

A high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is considered an unfavorable prognostic factor in various diseases, including COVID-19. The prognostic value of NLR in other respiratory viral infections, such as Influenza, has not hitherto been extensively studied. We aimed to compare the prognostic value of NLR in COVID-19, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection (RSV). A retrospective cohort of COVID-19, Influenza and RSV patients admitted to the Tel Aviv Medical Center from January 2010 to October 2020 was analyzed. Laboratory, demographic, and clinical parameters were collected. Two way analyses of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the association between NLR values and poor outcomes among the three groups. ROC curve analyses for each virus was applied to test the discrimination ability of NLR. 722 COVID-19, 2213 influenza and 482 RSV patients were included. Above the age of 50, NLR at admission was significantly lower among COVID-19 patients (P < 0.001). NLR was associated with poor clinical outcome only in the COVID-19 group. ROC curve analysis was performed; the area under curve of poor outcomes for COVID-19 was 0.68, compared with 0.57 and 0.58 for Influenza and RSV respectively. In the COVID-19 group, multivariate logistic regression identified a high NLR (defined as a value above 6.82) to be a prognostic factor for poor clinical outcome, after adjusting for age, sex and Charlson comorbidity score (odds ratio of 2.9, P < 0.001). NLR at admission is lower and has more prognostic value in COVID-19 patients, when compared to Influenza and RSV.