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PLoS One 2022 11;17(5):e0267949. Epub 2022 May 11.

Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique.

Background: Meningitis remains an important cause of morbi-mortality in adults in sub-Saharan Africa. Data on the etiological investigation of meningitis in adults in Mozambique is limited and most studies were conducted in southern Mozambique. Identification of the etiology of meningitis in adults are crucial to guide prevention and treatments strategies. Read More

BMC Microbiol 2022 05 5;22(1):123. Epub 2022 May 5.

Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China.

Background: Haemophilus influenzae was the most aggressive pathogen and formed a major cause of bacterial meningitis and pneumonia in young children and infants, which need medical emergency requiring immediate diagnosis and treatment. However, From isolation to identification of H. influenzae, the traditional diagnose strategy was time-consuming and expensive. Read More

Adv Ther 2022 Apr 28. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Institute Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015, Paris, France.

Introduction: COMBAT is a prospective, multicentre cohort study that enrolled consecutive adults with community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) in 69 participating centres in France between February 2013 and July 2015 and followed them for 1 year.

Methods: Patients aged at least 18 years old, hospitalised with CABM were followed during their hospitalisation and then contacted by phone 12 months after enrolment. Here we present the prevalence of sequelae at 12 months in a subgroup of patients with meningococcal meningitis. Read More

Trop Med Int Health 2022 Apr 28. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand.

Objectives: To conduct the first pre-Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) type b (Hib) immunisation programme-based epidemiological study using national health data.

Methods: We analysed National Health Security Office data, which cover 72% of the Thai population. The study population included children aged <18 years admitted for Hi disease from 2015 to 2019. Read More

Antibiotics (Basel) 2022 Apr 3;11(4). Epub 2022 Apr 3.

Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan 73657, Taiwan.

This study was conducted to compare the number of cases of airborne/droplet-transmitted notifiable infectious disease (NID) between the pandemic period (defined as from January 2020 to December 2021) and the pre-pandemic period (defined as the period from January 2018 to December 2019). The annual case numbers of airborne/droplet-transmitted NIDs from 2018 to 2021 were collected for comparison. Fourteen airborne/droplet-transmitted NIDs including measles, rubella, pertussis, influenza with severe complications, invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD), Q fever, mumps, meningococcal meningitis, varicella, legionellosis, invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b infection, hantavirus syndrome, TB, and multidrug-resistant TB (MDRTB), were included for the analysis. Read More

mBio 2022 Apr 14:e0055022. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae are the principal causes of bacterial meningitis. It is unexplained why only occasional individuals develop invasive infection, while the vast majority remain healthy and develop immunity when encountering these pathogens. A capsular polysaccharide and an IgA1 protease are common to these pathogens. Read More

Neurohospitalist 2022 Apr 25;12(2):268-272. Epub 2021 Aug 25.

Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.

Community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) morbidity and mortality remains high in those infected. Rapid diagnosis and treatment is paramount to reducing mortality and improving outcome. This retrospective cohort study aims to assess the time from presentation to diagnosis and treatment of vaccine preventable CABM as well as identify possible factors associated with delays in diagnosis and antibiotic administration. Read More

Acta Paediatr 2022 Apr 13. Epub 2022 Apr 13.

Pediatrics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.

Aim: To compare the characteristics, mortality and sequelae at hospital discharge of childhood bacterial meningitis (BM) caused by the three "classical" agents Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae or Streptococcus pneumoniae versus BM due to other aetiology in Finland, Latin America and Angola.

Methods: This observational study is a secondary analysis of data from five prospective treatment trials on non-neonatal BM in Finland, Latin America and Angola in 1984-2017.

Results: Of the 1568 cases, 1459 (93%) were caused by the classics, 80 (5%) by other Gram-negative and 29 (2%) by other Gram-positive bacteria. Read More

PLoS One 2022 11;17(4):e0265487. Epub 2022 Apr 11.

Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Clinical Research unit (MORU), Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Background: Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children but there are no published data on the treatment outcomes of ABM in Afghanistan.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study over one year, February 2020 to January 2021 in a tertiary care hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan. AMB was diagnosed clinically and on lumbar puncture findings. Read More

Front Microbiol 2022 24;13:856884. Epub 2022 Mar 24.

Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.

Recent reports have indicated a rise of invasive disease caused by serotype a (Hia) in North America and some European countries. The whole-genome sequences for a total of 410 invasive Hia isolates were obtained from 12 countries spanning the years of 1998 to 2019 and underwent phylogenetic and comparative genomic analysis in order to characterize the major strains causing disease and the genetic variation present among factors contributing to virulence and antimicrobial resistance. Among 410 isolate sequences received, 408 passed our quality control and underwent genomic analysis. Read More

Front Microbiol 2022 14;13:870651. Epub 2022 Mar 14.

Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017. Read More

J Family Med Prim Care 2022 Feb 16;11(2):593-598. Epub 2022 Feb 16.

Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Background And Objectives: Prompt and accurate diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) is critical for patient management. We designed and evaluated two sets of multiplex-PCR assays for the simultaneous detection of six major etiologies of ABM i.e. Read More

J Intern Med 2022 Mar 27. Epub 2022 Mar 27.

Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell biology (MTC), Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Background: Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a rare but severe infection. Few population-based studies have characterised BM episodes and sequelae over long periods.

Methods: This was a population-based observational cohort study with national coverage, using data on aetiological pathogens, sex, premorbid conditions, steroid pretreatment, severe sequelae and birth, death and diagnosis dates collected from 10,339 patients with BM reported to the National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden between 1964 and 2014. Read More

Lancet Reg Health West Pac 2022 May 16;22:100430. Epub 2022 Mar 16.

China Center for Health Development Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.

Background: Vaccination against (pneumococcus) and type b (Hib) is not included in China's national immunization programme. To inform China's immunization polices, we estimated annual national, regional, and provincial childhood mortality and morbidity attributable to pneumococcus and Hib in 2010-17.

Methods: We estimated proportions of pneumonia and meningitis deaths and cases attributable to pneumococcus and Hib using evidence from vaccine clinical trials and surveillance studies of bacterial meningitis and pathogen-specific case fatality ratios (CFR). Read More

J Clin Microbiol 2022 04 21;60(4):e0211121. Epub 2022 Mar 21.

Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Preventiongrid.416738.f, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

To monitor the burden and changes in Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) disease, direct real-time PCR (drt-PCR) assays have been developed for Hi detection in monoplex form and its six serotypes in triplex form, directly from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens. These assays target the gene for the species detection (Hi-) and serotype-specific genes in region II of the capsule biosynthesis locus (Hi-abf and Hi-cde), identified through comparative analysis of Hi and non-Hi whole-genome sequences. The lower limit of detection (LLD) is 293 CFU/mL for the Hi- assay and ranged from 11 to 130 CFU/mL for the triplex serotyping assays. Read More

Front Immunol 2022 25;13:840399. Epub 2022 Feb 25.

Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China.

() can elicit serious inflammatory responses and cause meningitis in piglets. Previous epigenetic studies have indicated that alterations in host DNA methylation may modify the inflammatory response to bacterial infection. However, to date, genome-wide analysis of the DNA methylome during meningitis caused by infection is still lacking. Read More

Expert Rev Vaccines 2022 May 29;21(5):659-674. Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Global Medical Affairs Neisseria, GSK, Rueil-Malmaison, France.

Introduction: Social deprivation is associated with poorer healthcare access. Vaccination is among the most effective public health interventions and achieving equity in vaccination access is vitally important. However, vaccines are often reimbursed by public funds only when recommended in national immunization programs (NIPs), which can increase inequity between high and low socioeconomic groups. Read More

J Glob Health 2022 5;12:04014. Epub 2022 Mar 5.

Centre for Global Health, Edinburgh Medical School, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

Background: Type B (Hib) meningitis caused significant public health concern for children. Recent assessment in 2015 suggests vaccination has virtually eliminated invasive Hib diseases. However, many countries launched their programs after 2010, and few are yet to establish routine Hib immunisations. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 02 24;12(1):3189. Epub 2022 Feb 24.

Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, IDIBELL-UB, Feixa Llarga s/n, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907, Barcelona, Spain.

Haemophilus influenzae is an opportunistic pathogen adapted to the human respiratory tract. Non-typeable H. influenzae are highly heterogeneous, but few studies have analysed the genomic variability of capsulated strains. Read More

Lancet 2022 02;399(10326):718

Research Department of Infection, University College London, London, UK; Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.

Lancet 2022 02;399(10326):717-718

Department of Microbiology, Black Country Pathology Services, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Wolverhampton WV10 OQP, UK.

Ulster Med J 2022 Jan 11;91(1):9-18. Epub 2022 Feb 11.

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK.

Background: Several meningococcal vaccines have been recently introduced into the infant and adolescent vaccination schedules in Northern Ireland to promote immunity to protecting against meningococcal septicaemia and meningococcal meningitis. Maintained vaccination uptake is vital in securing individual protection as well as herd immunity. Several social factors have been described in influencing vaccine uptake and therefore it was the aim of this study to examine possible correlations between meningococcal vaccine uptake rates and indicators of social deprivation in Northern Ireland. Read More

Genome Biol 2022 02 3;23(1):22. Epub 2022 Feb 3.

Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23B, 51010, Tartu, Estonia.

Background: The human pathogen Haemophilus influenzae was the main cause of bacterial meningitis in children and a major cause of worldwide infant mortality before the introduction of a vaccine in the 1980s. Although the occurrence of serotype b (Hib), the most virulent type of H. influenzae, has since decreased, reports of infections with other serotypes and non-typeable strains are on the rise. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2022 04;41(4):e120-e125

From the Arctic Investigations Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska.

Background: In 2019, 5 cases of invasive Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) occurred in the Anchorage region of Alaska over a period of 16 days. No cases had occurred in Alaska in the preceding 26 months.

Methods: Alaska Hib isolates from 2005 through 2019 were analyzed using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Read More

Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022 12 12;18(1):2013693. Epub 2022 Jan 12.

GSK, Wavre, Belgium.

Otitis media (OM) is a common disease of childhood and available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), with different compositions, could have different impact on OM reduction. This systematic literature review evaluated available data describing the efficacy, effectiveness, and impact of 10-valent pneumococcal protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) and 13-valent PCV (PCV13) on OM outcomes. Statistically significant reductions in all-cause and complicated OM, tympanostomy tube placement and OM-related hospitalizations were consistently observed after the introduction of PHiD-CV and PCV13. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2022 02;41(2):108-111

From the Department of Pediatric Infectology.

Background: Since the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines, invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae serotype a (Hia) has been reported with increasing frequency.

Methods: This study is based on hospital-based surveillance for Hia meningitis over a 5-year period.

Results: Thirty-five patients with H. Read More

Cureus 2021 Dec 1;13(12):e20086. Epub 2021 Dec 1.

Endocrinology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, USA.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by tumors of parathyroid, anterior pituitary, and pancreatic islet cells. Pituitary adenomas in MEN1 can be aggressive and invade surrounding structures including the skull base. However, acute bacterial meningitis in patients with newly diagnosed macroprolactinomas is an exceptional finding. Read More

Ceylon Med J 2021 06;66(2):65-72

Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Background: The lack of rapid and sensitive test remains a key issue in diagnosing meningitis and affordability impedes using the molecular techniques. However, conventional PCR is currently becoming more affordable.

Objectives: Optimize and establish a multiplex PCR and to compare the above PCR to Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture and antigen detection in sensitivity and specificity for the detection of bacterial meningitis. Read More

Pathogens 2021 Dec 10;10(12). Epub 2021 Dec 10.

Posgrado en Microbiología, Laboratorio de Microbiología Hospitalaria y de la Comunidad, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico.

is the causal agent of invasive pediatric diseases, such as meningitis, epiglottitis, pneumonia, septic arthritis, pericarditis, cellulitis, and bacteremia (serotype b). Non-typeable (NTHi) strains are associated with localized infections, such as otitis media, conjunctivitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia, and can cause invasive diseases, such as as meningitis and sepsis in immunocompromised hosts. Enolase is a multifunctional protein and can act as a receptor for plasminogen, promoting its activation to plasmin, which leads to the degradation of components of the extracellular matrix, favoring host tissue invasion. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2022 03;41(3):192-198

Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford and Oxford National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Background: Invasive bacterial disease (IBD; including pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children in low-income countries.

Methods: We analyzed data from a surveillance study of suspected community-acquired IBD in children <15 years of age in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 2005 to 2013 before introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV). We detailed the serotype-specific distribution of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and incorporated antigen and PCR testing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with meningitis. Read More