A role for human leucocyte antigens in the susceptibility to SARS‐Cov‐2 infection observed in transplant patients

We analysed data from 80 patients who tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA who had previously been HLA typed to support transplantation. Data were combined from two adjacent centres in Manchester and Leeds to achieve a sufficient number for early analysis. HLA frequencies observed were compared against two control populations: first, against published frequencies in a UK deceased donor population (n = 10,000) representing the target population of the virus, and second, using a cohort of individuals from the combined transplant waiting lists of both centres (n = 308), representing a comparator group of unaffected individuals of the same demographic. We report a significant HLA association with HLA‐ DQB1*06 (53% vs. 36%; p < .012; OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.94–3.22) and infection. A bias towards an increased representation of HLA‐A*26, HLA‐DRB1*15, HLA‐DRB1*10 and DRB1*11 was also noted but these were either only significant using the UK donor controls, or did not remain significant after correction for multiple tests. Likewise, HLA‐A*02, HLA‐B*44 and HLA‐C*05 may exert a protective effect, but these associations did not remain significant after correction for multiple tests. This is relevant information for the clinical management of patients in the setting of the current SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic and potentially in risk‐assessing staff interactions with infected patients.     

2008—2017年云南省手足口病流行特征及主要病原学分析

目的 分析云南省手足口病动态流行特征,为制订有效防控措施提供依据。方法 用描述性流行病学方法分析云南省10年疫情和病原检测资料。结果 10年来,该病发病率总体呈上升趋势并呈现出隔年高发的特点;每年4、5、6月出现发病高峰,10月后手足口疫情会有“翘尾”的现象;玉溪、昆明、红河等地是本省手足口病高发地区;病例以散居儿童和幼托儿童为主,散居儿童病例构成呈逐年上升的趋势,而幼托儿童和学生稳中有降;其它肠道病毒所占比例呈逐年上升的趋势。结论 2008—2017年云南省手足口病发病存在明显的季节性、地区聚集性和人群分布特点,病原谱也有所变化,相关部门要加强该病的监测和防控。     

The role of human rhinovirus (HRV) species on asthma exacerbation severity in children and adolescents

Objective: It is recognized that human rhinovirus (HRV) infection is an important factor in asthma exacerbations requiring hospitalization in children. However, previous studies have disagreed on the differential impact of various HRV species. We sought to assess the impact of HRV species on the severity of asthma exacerbations in children and adolescents. We also examined whether the effect of HRV species on severity was modified by age and gender. Methods: Virus strain was determined for 113 children with HRV detectable at the time of admission for asthma exacerbation. Patient characteristics were collected on admission and exacerbation severity was scored using several validated scales. Results: HRV species by itself was not associated with moderate/severe vs. mild exacerbations. Boys with HRV-C infections were more likely (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.2–13.4) to have a moderate/severe exacerbation than girls with HRV-C (p = 0.04 for interaction term). Higher odds were observed in younger boys (3 years old: OR: 9.1, 95% CI: 1.8–47.1 vs 5 years old: OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 0.9–11.8 vs 7 years old: OR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.2–6.6). In contrast, children with HRV-C infection and sensitized to pollen during the pollen season were less likely to have moderate/severe exacerbations (p = 0.01 for the interaction term). Conclusion: Acute asthma exacerbations are more likely to be moderate/severe in boys under 5 years of age who had HRV-C infection on admission. The opposite was found in children with sensitization to pollen during pollen season.     

半巢式聚合酶链反应快速诊断单纯疱疹病毒性脑炎及病毒分型

目的：进一步提高ＰＣＲ诊断方法的特异性和敏感性。方法：在单纯疱疹病毒（ＨＳＶ）ＴＫ基因区设计了一对外层公用此物和内层分型引物,建立了半巢式ＰＣＲ检测和分型ＨＳＶ的方法。用该方法检测了天津地区６４例病毒性脑炎患者（病脑组）,和４６例其他中枢神经系统疾病患者（对照组）的脑脊液（ＣＳＦ）标本。结果：病例组阳性率为１５．６３％（１０／６４）,其中９例为ＨＳＶ－１感染,１例为ＨＳＶ－２感染。对照组阳性率为２     

Diagnosis of HDV: From virology to non-invasive markers of fibrosis

Hepatitis D viral infection in humans is a disease that requires the establishment of hepatitis B, relying on hepatitis B surface Ag and host cellular machinery to replicate and propagate the infection. Since its discovery in 1977, substantial progress has been made to better understand the hepatitis D viral life cycle, pathogenesis and modes of transmission along with expanding on clinical knowledge related to prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. The availability of serologic diagnostic assays for hepatitis D infection has evolved over time with current widespread availability, improved detection and standardized reporting. With human migration, the epidemiology of hepatitis D infection has changed over time. Thus, the ability to use diagnostic assays remains essential to monitor the global impact of hepatitis D infection. Separately, while liver biopsy remains the gold standard for the staging of this rapidly progressive and severe form of chronic viral hepatitis, there is an unmet need for clinical monitoring of chronic hepatitis D infection for management of progressive disease. Thus, exploration of the utility of non-invasive fibrosis markers in hepatitis D is ongoing. In this review, we discuss the virology, the evolution of diagnostics and the development of non-invasive markers for the detection and monitoring of fibrosis in patients with hepatitis D infection.