Infections

Background: * WHIMS (Warts, Hypogammaglobulinemia, Infections, and Myelokathexis Syndrome) is caused by various genetic changes that increase the activity of the chemokine receptor, CXCR4. Excessive function of this receptor causes mature neutrophils (part of the white blood cells) to be retained within the bone marrow rather than being released to the blood and is one of the causes of severe inherited neutropenia (low white blood counts). In neutropenia, the body is less able to fight off infection. Patients with WHIMS usually are at risk for skin, soft tissue, sinus, and lung infections, which can result in loss of hearing, teeth, and lung function. * Current treatment for WHIMS consists of regular injections of a white blood cell growth stimulating medication called granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), and supplemental immunoglobulin (antibody). These therapies are expensive, nonspecific, have significant side effects and toxicities, and do not fully correct all problems, especially warts and cancers related to human papillomavirus (HPV). * A drug called Mozobil has been approved for use in combination with G-CSF to increase the number of stem cells that can be collected prior to bone marrow transplantation. Mozobil may offer a specific and well-tolerated new treatment for WHIMS and other syndromes characterized by neutropenia. Objectives: * To evaluate whether Mozobil is safe and effective to treat neutropenia (low white blood cell count) in patients with WHIMS. * To determine an appropriate treatment dose of Mozobil, within currently approved dosage levels. Eligibility: \- Individuals between 18 and 75 years of age who have been diagnosed with WHIMS and have a history of severe infections. Design: * Potential participants will undergo a screening with a medical history, physical examination, questionnaire, heart and lung function scans, and blood and urine samples. Tests will also be done for hepatitis B and C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), as well as to check neutrophil function. * Patients who are being treated with G-CSF will stop injections for 2 days before being admitted to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center. * Patients may participate in a Dose Escalation study and receive increasing doses of Mozobil over 5 days of treatment until their white blood cell count improves sufficiently or the maximum approved dose is reached. Blood samples will be taken regularly throughout the treatment process. Patients will then receive an additional dose of Mozobil at the maximum approved dose or the dose sufficient to cause improvement, before restarting the G-CSF injections. * Patients may also participate in a long-term Chronic Dosing study and receive Mozobil once or twice a day for up to a maximum of 60 months.

The Hyper IgE Syndromes (HIES) are primary immunodeficiencies resulting in eczema and recurrent skin and lung infections. Autosomal dominant Hyper IgE syndrome (AD-HIIES; Job's syndrome) is caused by STAT3 mutations, and is a multi-system disorder with skeletal, vascular, and connective tissue manifestations. Understanding how STAT3 mutations cause these diverse clinical manifestations is critical to our complete understanding of bone metabolism, bronchiectasis, dental maturation, and atherosclerosis. Bi-allelic mutations in DOCK8 cause a combined immunodeficiency previously described as autosomal-recessive Hyper IgE syndrome. These individuals suffer from extensive viral infections as well as have a high incidence of malignancy and mortality. The pathogenesis of this disease and long-term natural history is being investigated. Therefore, we seek to enroll patients and families with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of HIES syndrome for extensive phenotypic and genotypic study as well as disease management. Patients will be carefully examined by a multidisciplinary team and followed longitudinally. Through these studies we hope to better characterize the clinical presentation of STAT3-mutated HIES, DOCK8 deficiency and other causes of the hyper IgE phenotype, and to be able to identify further genetic etiologies, as well as understand the pathogenesis of HIES. We seek to enroll 300 patients and 300 relatives....

A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Panzyga for Prevention of Major Infection in Patients with Hypogammaglobulinemia and Autoimmune or Rheumatic Conditions Receiving Treatment with B-cell Depletion Therapy

BTI-203 is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, Phase 2 proof-of-concept (POC) study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rhu-pGSN plus standard of care (SOC) in subjects with moderate-to-severe ARDS (P/F ratio ≤150) due to pneumonia or other infections. Potential subjects hospitalized with pneumonia or other infections are to be screened within 24 hours of diagnosis of ARDS.

This is a Phase III clinical randomized control trial to investigate differences between patient with an infected nonunion treated by PO vs. IV antibiotics. The study population will be 250 patients, 18 years or older, being treated for infected nonunion after internal fixation of a fracture with a segmental defect less than one centimeter. Patients will be randomly assigned to either the treatment (group 1) PO antibiotics for 6 weeks or the control group (group 2) IV antibiotics for 6 weeks. The primary hypothesis is that the effectiveness of oral antibiotic therapy is equivalent to traditional intravenous antibiotic therapy for the treatment of infected nonunion after fracture internal fixation, when such therapy is combined with appropriate surgical management. Clinical effectiveness will be measured as the primary outcome as the number of secondary re-admissions related to injury and secondary outcomes of treatment failure (re-infection, nonunion, antibiotic complications) within the first one year of follow-up, as defined by specified criteria and determined by a blinded data assessment panel. In addition, treatment compliance, the cost of treatment, the number of surgeries required, the type and incidence of complications, and the duration of hospitalization will be measured.

In this pilot study, prospectively acquired clinician-collected and participant-collected vaginal swab specimens will be obtained from up to 1000 individuals with signs and symptoms of vaginitis to develop and validate a bacterial vaginosis diagnostic algorithm and evaluate the performance of the Nanopath assay. The Nanopath assay is an amplification-free molecular test that detects pathogens associated with vaginitis. The performance of the Nanopath assay will be assessed by comparing Nanopath assay results to previously FDA-cleared commercial tests and yeast culture.

The aim of this Quality Initiative (QI) demonstration project is to develop a model to increase guideline-driven care for patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIED) infection. Multidisciplinary teams will be established to carry out the multifaceted intervention. This program seeks to improve early identification and diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and faster time to treatment of CIED infection.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether showering with surgical drain tubes in place after first stage breast reconstruction causes increased risk of infection. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is there an increased risk of infection/complications with showering 48 hours after drain tubes are in place * Does showering after 48 hours with drain tubes in place affect quality of life.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of CKD is increasing worldwide and is assumed to also dramatically increase in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Key shortcomings of available data on CKD in SSA are as follows: (i) Available data are based on single measurements and, therefore, cannot distinguish between harmless transient deterioration in kidney function and chronic kidney damage; (ii) Accurate information regarding renal protein loss, an important and early marker of kidney disease, is lacking; (iii) Cardiovascular risk factors for CKD, such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes, are often not searched for. Likewise non-classic potential risk factors, such as endemic infectious diseases, socioeconomic status and lifestyle have not been consistently recorded; (iv) Information to interrogate linked interaction over time between risk factors and development of CKD is unavailable. With this project, situated in a region representative of semi-rural SSA, we aim to fill this knowledge gap and (i) establish guideline conform prevalence data of CKD and its major cardiovascular risk factors, as well as (ii) prospectively define the incidence of cardiovascular- and non-classic risk factors of CKD. The data from (i) and (ii) is used to develop predictive models. A prospective cohort of 1200 individuals in a primary care facility will serve as study population. The population is representing a society in transition from rural to more urban lifestyle. In the pilot study, participants will be followed for one years and undergo the clinical and biomedical testing required to capture CKD and its classic and non-classic risk factors over time.

To research and develop new state of the art diagnostic biomarkers on the LumiraDx Platform that are comparable to the approved gold standard reference methods and will radically enhance clinicians and patients ability to monitor health conditions and improve outcomes by delivering the results near patient at the point of care.

A challenge to intermittent vancomycin dosing in young infants is the avoidable delay caused by the need to wait until steady state (i.e. when the drug concentrations are in equilibrium) to measure a vancomycin concentration, as this generally occurs 24 to 48 hours after starting treatment. If the target concentration is not achieved, the dose needs to be adjusted, resulting in further delays in an infant achieving the concentration required to treat their infection. The purpose of this study is to assess the use of early therapeutic drug monitoring (first-dose trough) and, if needed, early dose adjustment, in achieving target vancomycin concentrations at steady state. A dose adjustment calculator (available through a web application) will be used to determine the need for dose adjustment (based on predicted steady state concentration) and recommend an adjusted dose if required.

Normally, after this surgery, skin is stitched in the usual simple way, with no quilting, and two drains are put in to remove serosa, one under the arm and one on the chest. In this study, the investigator will use a different type of stitch called a quilting stitch, which helps stick the skin to the chest muscle so there is less serosa collection. The investigator will compare two groups: * Group A: Quilting stitches with two drains (one under the arm and one on the chest). * Group B: Quilting stitches with one drain only (under the arm).

A single-centre, non-profit experimental clinical trial. The aim of the study is to estimate the prevalence of a range of infections and infectious diseases in a cohort of asylum seekers staying in initial reception centres, who have been in Italy for at least 2 months but no more than 36 months. The infections of interest are: latent tuberculosis and active tuberculosis, HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis, strongyloidiasis, schistosomiasis, filariasis, and intestinal helminthiasis.

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether the wireless electroceutical dressing (WED) called PowerHeal™ Bioelectric Bandage, improves care of infected wounds by clearing the infection and helping the wound heal better. The main hypotheses it aims to answer are: 1. WED promotes wound closure, as determined by wound area measurement 2. WED manages wound infection in civilian and military wounds in Ukraine, as determined by clinical assessment of wound infection by measuring the numbers and types of relevant microbes. Researchers will compare to see if PowerHeal™ Bioelectric Bandage the dressing used in the SOC group Participants will get their dressings changed per the protocol, wound image and swab will be taken.

In low and middle-income countries, children admitted to hospital are not similarly ill, and do not all have a comparable prognosis. In fact, understanding at first encounter their risk of developing adverse outcomes (including mortality) could allow a more focused management and the tailoring of specific interventions to decrease in hospital mortality, and post discharge adverse longer-term outcomes. This clinical trial, part of the EChiLiBRiST larger project ("Development and validation of a quantitative point-of-care test for the measurement of severity biomarkers to improve risk stratification of fever syndromes and enhance child survival") has the two-fold objective of: 1. Assessing whether a POINT-OF-CARE rapid triaging test (PoC RTT) based on the quantitative measurement at the bedside of the "prognostic" biomarker sTREM-1 (soluble-triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1) can reliably identify those admitted children with a higher risk of adverse outcomes; and 2. Assessing whether the therapeutic intervention (the L-arginine precursor, L-Citrulline, key in the nitric oxide biosynthesis), administered orally for 28 days to those children aged 1-\<60 months identified as "moderate-to-high risk" by the prognostic biomarker can improve outcomes as compared to those receiving an indistinguishable placebo. This second objective will be assessed in a prospective multi-country, multi-site, individually randomised, two-arm, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial involving \~888 children 1-\<60m of age admitted to hospital and determined to be at high risk of adverse outcomes by their baseline sTREM-1 levels. The trial will compare the efficacy of a twice-daily dose of L-citrulline syrup vs placebo (200-300mg/kg/day depending on weight-band; for 28 days) in reducing adverse outcomes in children with severe disease. The trial will be running independently but in parallel in two high-mortality settings in Mozambique and in Ethiopia.

Appropriate antimicrobial therapy is essential to ensuring positive patient outcomes. Inappropriate or suboptimal utilization of antibiotics can lead to increased length of stay, multidrug-resistant infections, and mortality. Critically ill intensive care patients are at risk of antibiotic failure and secondary infections associated with incorrect antibiotic use. Initiating effective therapy for infections based upon patients' risk factors, collection of appropriate cultures, daily evaluation of clinical status, and laboratory data, including antibiotic time outs, and shortened duration of therapy are ways to improve patients outcomes. Antimicrobial stewardship teams can assist ICU providers in managing and implementing these tactics. ICUs would benefit from employing empiric guidelines for antibiotic use, collecting appropriate specimens and implementing molecular diagnostics, optimizing the dosing of antibiotics, and reducing the duration of total therapy.

Background. Bacillus cereus group (Bc) comprises twenty-six closely related species of spore-forming environmental bacteria. Recently, increased sepsis and septic shock caused by Bc were reported in preterm neonates (PN), and the mortality rate can reach up to 30%. Using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) increasingly used to characterize Bc strains, The team aimed to determine an accurate identification to the species level of the strains involved in Bc invasive infections in preterm neonates in France and study their virulome profile.Methods. The team performed WGS for 40 neonate clinical strains responsible for invasive infections in PN. A screening of virulence genes was performed to characterize strains associated with poor prognosis. Clinical data were collected and all clinical and genomic findings were analyzed for risk factors for death. "

Transplants have improved clinical conditions for many patients with haematological diseases and end-stage organ diseases. However, immunosuppressive therapies that are necessary for avoiding organ rejection have a crucial impact in the occurrence of opportunistic infections. Despite the development of effective antimicrobial agents, infectious diseases are still related to mortality and morbidity in immunocompromised patients. Immune function assays can be adopted for monitoring T-cell function and eventually modify immunosuppression. Given the inverse relationship between cellular immune reconstitution and risk of infection, many transplant centers prospectively monitor immune recovery post-transplant. Some basic methods are useful, including white blood cells and T-lymphocyte subsets count. Given the complexity of immune responses required to resolve infections, functional assays are necessary and the only available FDA-approved one is Cyclex-Immuknow. Viral infections are common in patients with T-cell deficiencies and are of particular concern in those receiving high dose steroids. Opportunistic infections are common during the period of highest immunosuppression while community acquired infections, including fungal and respiratory viruses infections, have to be considered in the long-term period. Reduced CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte counts correlate with risk of opportunistic infection, including human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Moreover, a decrease in human Rhinovirus (HRV) load in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (HSCTRs) was associated with a significant increase in T-CD4+, T-CD8+ and NK lymphocytes, suggesting that cellular immunity have a crucial role in viral clearance and infectious control. A recent study showed that poor NK-cell cytotoxic activity is associated with increased risk for severe infections in kidney-graft recipients, suggesting that assessment of NK-cell function may be used as a predictor of infection in immunocompromised patients. Moreover, it has been recently reported that NKG2C genotype influences receptor function and NKG2C+ NK cell number in HCMV seropositive subjects. In detail, NKG2C genotype is significantly associated with HCMV viremia frequency and related disease after lung transplant and with symptomatic CMV infection after kidney transplant. Beside the use of non-specific immunological markers, the lack of standardized quantitative measures of protective immune functions specific for different opportunistic pathogens represents a challenge for clinicians. Overall, a comprehensive approach based on the use of combined non-specific and pathogen-specific immune assays may help in the definition of a composite immune risk profile of immunocompromised patients. The ultimate goal of this research is the definition of algorithms of infectious risk in immunocompromised patients, leading to a more adherent administration of immunosuppressive and antimicrobial therapies as well as to a personalized strategy of patients' management. Moreover, the design of new immunological assays that can be standardized and used in the clinical practice will be obtained. Currently, even if an immunological monitoring of immunocompromised patients is recommended, no standardized assays and protocols are available, especially for the use of antigen-specific or functional assays. The introduction of diagnostics algorithms will be useful for the stratification of patients at high risk of infections that will be monitored more frequently in order to prevent severe infections. Similarly, the administration of immunosuppressive drugs or ad hoc therapies might be tailored according to the risk of infections or complications. Objective is to identify a composite immune score measured either before or one month after transplant/chemotherapy able to define the risk for clinically significant infections (e.g. infections requiring antimicrobial therapy or hospitalization) during the following three months. Primary endpoint: To identify a composite immune score measured either before or one month after transplant/chemotherapy able to define the risk for clinically significant infections (e.g. infections requiring antimicrobial therapy or hospitalization) during the following three months. Secondary endpoints: * To evaluate the prognostic effect of the immunological score measured before or at first month after transplant/chemotherapy on the risk of severe infection during the following 6-12 months * To compare the role of the composite immunological score with specific assays against each pathogen. * To develop simple and rapid assays using whole blood to evaluate specific pathogen responses

Sepsis is the second leading cause of maternal death in the U.S. Labor and postpartum are particularly vulnerable risk periods. The goal of this multi-center, multidisciplinary study is to evaluate a maternal sepsis safety bundle.

This single-center, interventional study will compare 30-day postoperative infection rates in pediatric tonsillectomy performed with either head-only draping or traditional full-body draping. Secondary analyses will evaluate differences in waste production, material and disposal costs, and provider attitudes between the two draping techniques. This study will randomize participants 1:1 to either the head-only draping cohort (intervention) or the full-body draping cohort (control).

This randomized controlled double-blind study will compare the effect of a commercially available goat milk formula to a cow's milk formula on gastrointestinal symptoms and tolerance, and infections in infants.

The goal of this pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial is to compare management of suspected infection in nursing home residents with dementia The main questions it aims to answer whether residents with dementia in nursing homes randomized to use a multicomponent intervention to optimize suspected infection management ( versus usual care) use less antibiotics and fewer burdensome interventions.

Assessment of immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of GNG-DE in comparison with the reference drug

Couples and Microbial Diversity (CLARITY) - study is a prospective study that investigates the risks and dynamics of different microbes and transmission among couples to optimize the prevention and control strategies as well as improvement for infertility treatments. The study will be conducted at the Infertility Clinic of Tampere University Hospital, Tampere Finland; and will recruit 200 couples undergoing infertility investigations and treatments. Oral and genital tract samples will be collected at baseline and every six months during a two-year follow-up period. Background information will be obtained through a secure online questionnaire. Couples who achieve pregnancy will be followed according to the CLARITY protocol until delivery, after which families will transition to the CLARITY-Baby extension study. Samples from both the newborn and parents will be collected at delivery and again at six months postpartum, accompanied by an online follow-up questionnaire completed by the parents.

Infectious complications represent the most common postoperative adverse events following esophagectomy for cancer, such as pneumonia (15% of cases). These complications increase immediate risks, lengthen hospital stays, and worsen patient quality of life. The population includes patients admitted to intensive care after esophagectomy for cancer between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2024. The study focuses on this population due to the increasing incidence of esophageal cancer, the increased use of surgery for these indications, and the importance of postoperative infections in these complex procedures, despite their understudied nature in the current literature. Identifying modifiable risk factors could lead to corrective measures and thus improve the prognosis of postoperative patients. The research focuses primarily on the incidence, types, factors, and prognosis associated with the occurrence of infections after esophagectomy for cancer. It also includes an analysis of the pathogens involved, their resistance profiles, and the antibiotic therapies used in first-line probabilistic treatment.