Suchergebnisse

In December 2019, in Wuhan (China), a highly pathogenic coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, dramatically emerged. This new virus, which causes severe pneumonia, is rapidly spreading around the world, hence it provoked the COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency launched by SARS-CoV-2 also had, and still has, devastating socio-economic aspects. Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups of people is crucial for the adaptation of governments' responses. Growing scientific evidence suggests that it is essential to keep the attention on people after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection; indeed, some clinical manifestations are frequently present even after recovery. There is consensus on the need to define which symptoms persist after the infection and which disabilities may arise after COVID-19. Recent reviews, case reports, and original contributions suggest that various organs may be affected, and neurological symptoms are present in about one third of patients with COVID-19. Neurological complications after severe COVID-19 infection might include delirium, brain inflammation, stroke, and nerve damage. In the recent pandemic, neurologists and neurobiologists have a chance to study key features of infection neurology. Furthermore, the psychological impact of the pandemic should not be underestimated, although there is currently no definition for this condition.

IntroductionSince the introduction of HAART the desire to become a mother in women with HIV has become a viable option due to the drastic reduction in vertical transmission. The aim of this study was to look at the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and safety of antiretroviral drugs and rate of vertical transmission in our cohort in the Munster region, Ireland.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed all pregnant women with HIV who attended the ID clinic from January 2002 to April 2012. Patients' demographics, pertinent laboratory data, and pharmacy records were reviewed and statistically analysed.Results105 HIV‐positive women, with a total of 165 pregnancies, were seen from January 2002 to April 2012 at Cork University Hospital: 46 patients were previously known to be HIV‐infected at their first pregnancy and 59 were diagnosed during antenatal screening (median of 32 week gestation at diagnosis). The median age at the time of pregnancy was 32 and the HIV transmission was 90% sexual: 39 women were from Europe/Asia and 66 were African; only two women were HCV co‐infected and one was HBV co‐infected. Of the patients diagnosed with HIV prior to pregnancy, 13 were on treatment, all of whom had no detectable virus at the start and during pregnancy. The median CD4+ at the start of pregnancy was 490 cells/µl. The median weeks of gestation at the start of HAART was 28 before 2006 and 20 after 2006, in accordance with National Guidelines. The HAART regime used was in line with current Guidelines. 18 pregnancies ended in miscarriage before week 12 gestation and 2 pregnancies resulted in intrauterine death at 28 weeks. 145 pregnancies progressed to delivery at full term but 10 infants were born before the 37th week, with one baby born at 23 weeks: 63 had SVD and 82 underwent C‐section, of whom 12 emergency C‐section due to prolonged membrane rupture. Most of the C‐sections were planned due to obstetric reasons. 2 infants were born HIV+: in one case the mother was a late presenter at 38 of gestation; and in other the mother had poor compliance with viral load detectable at the time of labour. The overall number of pregnancies per year has been stable over the ten years (average of 14 pregnancies per year).ConclusionThe use of cART with high level of adherence and a close clinical management during pregnancy has shown to dramatically reduce the vertical transmission of HIV in our cohort.

Background: This prospective, multicentre, observational INVIDIa-2 study is investigating the clinical efficacy of influenza vaccination in advanced-cancer patients receiving immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), enrolled in 82 Italian centres, from October 2019 to January 2020. The primary endpoint was the incidence of influenza-like illness (ILI) until 30 April 2020. All the ILI episodes, laboratory tests, complications, hospitalizations and pneumonitis were recorded. Therefore, the study prospectively recorded all the COVID-19 ILI events. Patients and methods: Patients were included in this non-prespecified COVID-19 analysis, if alive on 31 January 2020, when the Italian government declared the national emergency. The prevalence of confirmed COVID-19 cases was detected as ILI episode with laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2. Cases with clinical-radiological diagnosis of COVID-19 (COVID-like ILIs), were also reported. Results: Out of 1257 enrolled patients, 955 matched the inclusion criteria for this unplanned analysis. From 31 January to 30 April 2020, 66 patients had ILI: 9 of 955 cases were confirmed COVID-19 ILIs, with prevalence of 0.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3–2.4], a hospitalization rate of 100% and a mortality rate of 77.8%. Including 5 COVID-like ILIs, the overall COVID-19 prevalence was 1.5% (95% CI: 0.5–3.1), with 100% hospitalization and 64% mortality. The presence of elderly, males and comorbidities was significantly higher among patients vaccinated against influenza versus unvaccinated (p = 0.009, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001). Overall COVID-19 prevalence was 1.2% for vaccinated (six of 482 cases, all confirmed) and 1.7% for unvaccinated (8 of 473, 3 confirmed COVID-19 and 5 COVID-like), p = 0.52. The difference remained non-significant, considering confirmed COVID-19 only (p = 0.33). Conclusion: COVID-19 has a meaningful clinical impact on the cancer-patient population receiving ICIs, with high prevalence, hospitalization and an alarming mortality rate among symptomatic cases. ...