Publications

Authors: Christie CD, Thorne C, Anzinger J, Bailey H, Palmer P, Morgan O, Bryan L, Mair S, Pierre R, Onyonyor A, Mitchell P, Melbourne-Chambers R, Webster-Kerr K, Lindo J, Lundin R, Brown D, Bispo A, Nastouli E, Giaquinto C

Published in: International Symposium on Zika Virus Research, June 4th – 6th 2018, Marseille – France

Authors: Blohm GM, Lednicky JA, Márquez M, et al.

Published in: Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(7):1120-1121

Authors: Rinaldi S, Cotugno N, Pallikkuth S, Pahwa R, Palma P, Pahwa S

Published in: J Immunol. 2018; 200(1):166

Abstract Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in vertically HIV-infected children provides an opportunity to limit the size of HIV reservoir. However, how the time of ART initiation impacts host HIV-specific immune responses is still poorly understood.

Authors: Violari A, Chan M, Otwombe KN, Panchia R, Jean-Philippe P, Gibb D, Cotton M, Babiker A

Published: Oral presentation at 25th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, March 4th – 7th, 2018 – Boston. 

Authors: Cameron M, Rinaldi S, Richardson B, Cotugno N, Williams S, Pallikkuth S, de Armas LR, Cameron C, Pahwa R, Palma P, Pahwa S

Published: 25th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, March 4th – 7th, 2018 – Boston. P_868

Abstract The study explores the impact of early ART on host immune response looking at HIV-specific CD4 T cell functionality and host transcriptome analysis.

Authors: Chan M, Tagarro A, Zangari P, Ferns B, Foster C, De Rossi A, Nastouli E, Ángeles Muñoz-Fernández M, Gibb D, Rossi P, Giaquinto C, Babiker A , Palma P, Rojo Conejo P

Published: 25th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, March 4th – 7th, 2018 – Boston. P_ 866

Abstract The study focused on the determinants of low viral reservoir in a large cohort of European early treated HIV-1 infected children.

Authors: Bollen P, Colbers A, Schalkwijk S, Velthoven-Graafland K, Konopnicki D, Weizsacker K, Hidalgo Tenorio C, van Crevel R, Burger D, on behalf of the PANNA network

Published: Oral presentation at 19th edition of the International Workshop on Clinical Pharmacology of Antiviral Therapy, May 22nd-24th 2018, Baltimore

Authors: Colbers A, Schalkwijk S, Konopnicki D, Rockstroh  J, Burger D, on behalf of the PANNA network

Published: Oral presentation at 19th edition of the International Workshop on Clinical Pharmacology of Antiviral Therapy, May 22nd-24th 2018, Baltimore.

Authors: Rocca S, Zangari P, Cotugno N, et al.

Published in: J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc.2018; 28. doi:10

Background Assays to estimate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoir size require large amounts of blood, which represents a drawback especially in pediatric settings. We investigated whether HIV-antibody repertoire could estimate the viral reservoir size. Moreover, we assessed the magnitude of HIV-antibody response as a predictor of time of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation.

Authors: Cotugno N, Morrocchi E, Pepponi I, Rocca S, Cameron M, Rinaldi S, Di Cesare S, Pallikkuth S, Bernardi S, Klein N, Ananworanich J, Rossi P, Pahwa S, Palma P

Published:  25th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, March 4th – 7th, 2018 – Boston. P_ 866

Abstract This fascinating study investigates whether HIV specific B cells persist in seronegative HIV infected seronegative patients and what are the associated gene signatures after re-encountering the virus.

Authors: Tagarro A, Chan M, Zangari P, et al; on behalf of the EPIICAL Consortium

Published in: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2018;79(2):269-276

Background Future strategies aiming to achieve HIV-1 remission are likely to target individuals with small reservoir size.

Setting We retrospectively investigated factors associated with HIV-1 DNA levels in European,

Authors: Judd A, Chappell E, Turkova A; for European Pregnancy and Paediatric HIV Cohort Collaboration (EPPICC) Study Group in EuroCoord.

Published in: PLoS Med. 2018;15(1): e1002491

Background Published estimates of mortality and progression to AIDS as children with HIV approach adulthood are limited. We describe rates and risk factors for death and AIDS-defining events in children and adolescents after initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in 17 middle- and high-income countries,

Authors: IeDEA and COHERE Cohort Collaborations.

Published in: Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(6):893-903.

Background Early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), at higher CD4 cell counts, prevents disease progression and reduces sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We describe the temporal trends in CD4 cell counts at the start of cART in adults from low-income,

Authors: Germovesk E, Lutsar I, Kipepr K, et al.; for NeoMero Consortium

Published in: J Antimicrob Chemother. 2018;73(7):1908-1916

Background Sepsis and bacterial meningitis are major causes of mortality and morbidity in neonates and infants. Meropenem a broad-spectrum antibiotic, is not licensed for use in neonates and infants below 3 months of age and sufficient information on its plasma and CSF disposition and dosing in neonates and infants is lacking.

Authors: Tacconelli E, Sifakis F, Harbarth S, et al; for EPI-Net COMBACTE-MAGNET Group

Published in: Lancet Infect Dis. 2018;18(3):e99-e106.

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance poses a growing threat to public health and the provision of health care. Its surveillance should provide up-to-date and relevant information to monitor the appropriateness of therapy guidelines, antibiotic formulary, antibiotic stewardship programmes, public health interventions,

Authors: Donà D, Zingarella S, Gastaldi A, et al.

Published in: PLoS One. 2018;13(2):e0193581. 

Background Italian pediatric antimicrobial prescription rates are among the highest in Europe. As a first step in an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, we implemented a Clinical Pathway (CP) for Community Acquired Pneumonia with the aim of decreasing overall prescription of antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum.

Materials and Methods The CP was implemented on 10/01/2015.

Authors: Chiappini E, Galli L, Lisi C, et al.

Published in: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2018;79(1):54-61.

Background Strategies for prevention of HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) have been continuously optimized. However, cases of vertical transmission continue to occur in high-income countries.

Objectives To investigate changes in PMTCT strategies adopted by Italian clinicians over time and to evaluate risk factors for transmission.

Authors: Mallewa J, Szubert AJ, Mugyenyi P, et al.

Published in: Lancet HIV. 2018;5(5):e231-e240

Background In sub-Saharan Africa, severely immunocompromised HIV-infected individuals have a high risk of mortality during the first few months after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). We hypothesise that universally providing ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) would increase early weight gain, thereby reducing early mortality compared with current guidelines recommending ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for severely malnourished individuals only.

Authors: Kityo C, Szubert AJ, Siika A, et al.

Published in: PLoS Med. 2018; 15(12):e1002706

Background In sub-Saharan Africa, individuals infected with HIV who are severely immunocompromised have high mortality (about 10%) shortly after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). This group also has the greatest risk of morbidity and mortality associated with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS),

Authors: Post FA, Szubert AJ, Prendergast AJ, et al; for Reduction of early mortality in HIV-infected adults and children starting an antiretroviral therapy (REALITY) trial team

Published in: Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(2):S132-S139

Background In sub-Saharan Africa, 20%-25% of people starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) have severe immunosuppression; approximately 10% die within 3 months. In the Reduction of EArly mortaLITY (REALITY) randomized trial,

Authors: Siika A, McCabe L, Bwakura-Dangarembizi M, et al; for REALITY Trial Team

Published in: Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(2):S140-S146

Authors: Favarato G, Bailey H, Burns F, et al.

Published in: Eur J Public Health. 2018;28(1):55-60

Authors: European Pregnancy and Paediatric HIV Cohort Collaboration (EPPICC) Study Group in EuroCoord.

Published in: Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(4):594-603.

Background Global data on durability of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children with HIV is limited. We assessed time to switch to second-line therapy in 16 European countries and Thailand.

Methods Children <18-years initiating combination ART (≥2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) plus non-NRTI (NNRTI) or boosted-protease inhibitor (PI)) were included.

Authors: Soriano-Arandes A, Rivero-Calle I, Nastouli E, et al.

Published in: Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2018;16(3):243-254

Introduction: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has caused the most challenging worldwide infectious epidemic outbreak in recent months. ZIKV causes microcephaly and other congenital malformations. There is a need to perform updated systematic reviews on ZIKV infection periodically because this epidemic is bringing up new evidence with extraordinary speed.

Authors: Zangari P, Palma P, Cotugno N, et al.

Published in: J Virus Erad.2018;4: 51–54

Abstract: The first EPIICAL General Assembly meeting was held in an atmosphere of growing optimism. Many novel and exciting proposals for HIV research studies were discussed and are described above. The consortium aims to maintain this integrated developmental research on NDMTs,

Authors: Rinaldi S, Cotugno N, Pallikkuth S, Palma P, Pahwa S; on behalf of the EPIICAL Consortium

Published: 8th Conference on HIV Persistence

Background Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in vertically HIV-infected children provides an opportunity to limit the size of reservoir, but whether and how the time of ART treatment initiation can durably impact host immune responses associated with HIV infection is still unknown.

Authors: Luck SE, Wieringa JW, Blazquez-Gamero D, et al.

Published in: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2017;36(12):1205-1213

Authors: European Pregnancy and Paediatric HIV Cohort Collaboration (EPPICC) study group in EuroCoord.

Published in: Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2017;73(4):463-468

Authors: Bernays S, Paparini S, Seeley J, Namukwaya Kihika S, Gibb D, Rhodes T.

Published in: BMJ Open. 2017;7(2):e012934

Authors: Namukwaya S, Paparini S, Seeley J, Bernays S.

Published in: Front Public Health. 2017;5:343.

Abstract: Despite great advances in pediatric HIV care, rates and the extent of full disclosure of HIV status to infected children remain low especially in resource-constrained setting. The World Health Organisation recommends that, by the age of 10-12 years old,

Authors: Hakim J, Musiime V, Szubert AJ; REALITY Trial Team

Published in: N Engl J Med. 2017;377(3):233-245

Background In sub-Saharan Africa, among patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the rate of death from infection (including tuberculosis and cryptococcus) shortly after the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is approximately 10%.

Methods In this factorial open-label trial conducted in Uganda,

Authors: Theys K, Libin P, Dallmeier K, et al.

Published in: PLoS Pathog. 2017;13(9):e1006528

Authors: James-Powell T, Brown Y, Christie CDC, et al.

Published in: West Indian Med J, 2017; 66:10-19 

Authors: Halai UA, Nielsen-Saines K, Moreira ME, et al.

Published in: Clin Infect Dis. 2017;65(6):877-883

Authors: Sáfadi MA, Nascimento-Carvalho CM

Published in: Pediatr Infect Dis J.2017;36(3):333-336

Abstract After remaining related to few sporadic cases in limited regions for more than half century since its discovery, Zika virus (ZIKV) was recently introduced into the Western Hemisphere, first in Brazil and then spreading very rapidly in the Americas. Unexpectedly, an increased incidence of microcephaly and other neurologic malformations in fetuses born to mothers infected with ZIKV during pregnancy was reported in Brazil,

Authors: Garcez PP, Nascimento JM, de Vasconcelos JM, et al.

Published in: Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 23;7:40780

Abstract Zika virus (ZIKV) has been associated with microcephaly and other brain abnormalities; however, the molecular consequences of ZIKV to human brain development are still not fully understood. Here we describe alterations in human neurospheres derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells infected with the strain of Zika virus that is circulating in Brazil.

Authors: Sacramento CQ, de Melo GR, de Freitas CS, et al.

Published in: Sci Rep.2017 Jan 18;7: 40920

Abstract Zika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family, along with other agents of clinical significance such as dengue (DENV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses. Since ZIKV causes neurological disorders during fetal development and in adulthood,

Authors: Gaskell KM, Houlihan C, Nastouli E, Checkly AM

Published in: Emerg Infect Dis.2017;23(1):137-139

Abstract Zika virus is normally transmitted by mosquitos, but cases of sexual transmission have been reported. We describe a patient with symptomatic Zika virus infection in whom the virus was detected in semen for 92 days. Our findings support recommendations for 6 months of barrier contraceptive use after symptomatic Zika virus infection.

Authors: Melbourne-Chambers R., Christie CD, Greenaway E., Bullock R

Published in: West Indian Med J.2016;65(3):425-430

Abstract Dengue, Chikungunya Fever (CHIKV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) are all transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and are currently circulating in Jamaica. Jamaica has been experiencing a ZIKV epidemic since February 2016. At the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI),

Authors: Iovine NM, Lednicky J, Cherabuddi K,  et al.

Published in: Clin Infect Dis. 2017;64(1): 72–75.

Abstract Zika virus and dengue virus serotype 2 were isolated from a patient with travel to Haiti who developed fever, rash, arthralgias, and conjunctivitis. The infecting Zika virus was related to Venezuelan and Brazilian strains but evolved along a lineage originating from strains isolated in 2014 in the same region of Haiti.

Authors: Fuller TL, Calvet G, Genaro Estevam C, et al.

Published in: PLoS One. 2017;12(11):e0188002

Abstract: The burden of arboviruses in the Americas is high and may result in long-term sequelae with infants disabled by Zika virus infection (ZIKV) and arthritis caused by infection with Chikungunya virus (CHIKV).

Authors: Donà D, Luise D, Da Dalt L, Giaquinto C.

Published in: Int J Pediatr; 2017: 4239268. 

Abstract: Background. Pneumonia represents an important threat to children’s health in both developed and developing countries. In the last 10 years, many national and international guidelines on the treatment of pediatric CAP have been published,

Authors: Schalkwijk S, Colbers A, Konopnicki D, et al.

Published in: Clin Infect Dis. 2017; 65(8):1335-1341.

Authors: Judd A, Lodwick R, Noguera-Julian A, et al.. Pursuing Later Treatment Options II (PLATO II) Project Team for the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE) in EuroCoord.

Published in: HIV Med. 2017;18(3):171-180

Authors: Nelson B, Melbourne-Chambers R, Christie CDC

Published in: West Indian Med J. Published Online: December 20, 2017

Abstract Zika Virus is neurotropic. We report two children from the Caribbean island of Grenada, a three-year-old with acute neuro-inflammation who had intractable seizures, meningo-encephalitis, CSF pleocytosis and Zika IgM positive acute serology and a four-year-old with acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis manifesting as generalized seizures,

Authors: Schwarz ER

Published in: Curr Opin Virol. 2017;27:71-77

Abstract Measles, mumps, and rubella have recently taken the stage as re-emerging diseases of public health importance-particularly in regards to the consequences seen with perinatal infections. Effective vaccination strategies have successfully reduced the spread of measles, mumps, and rubella in the United States, but a current trend of increased vaccination hesitancy,

Authors: da Silva IRF, Frontera JA, Bispo de Filippis AM, Nascimento OJMD

Published in: JAMA Neurol.2017;74(10):1190-1198

Authors: Bosch I, de Puig H, Hiley M, et al.

Published in: Sci Transl Med. 2017 Sep 27;9(409)

Authors: Barreto-Vieira DF, Jacome FC, da Silva MAN, et al.

Published in: PLoS One. 2017;12(9):e0184397

Authors: Balmaseda A, Stettler K, Medialdea-Carrera R, et al.

Published in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017;114(31):8384-8389