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To evaluate the performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) for tuberculous meningitis (TBM) and to identify additional indicators to improve diagnostic accuracy. An accuracy study was conducted. During 2011-2019, 243 TBM with 140 non-TBM in three TB-designated facilities in China were enrolled. Microbiological evidence of M tuberculosis (Mtb) in CSF was used as the reference. Additional indicators were identified by Boosted-Classification and Regression Tree (CART), the improvement of diagnostic performance was evaluated by ROC. The diagnostic sensitivity of Xpert was 71.1 % for definite TBM, and 5.5 % for probable/possible TBM. The positive rate of Xpert was improved with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) increasing volume and was associated with CSF color (yellow). The additional indicators obtained by CART were CSF lactate and glucose and increased the sensitivity to 96.1 % (definite TBM) and 84.6 % (probable/possible TBM). The diagnostic performance of Xpert was satisfactory in definite TBM and would significantly be improved by the additional use of CSF lactate and glucose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virus pandemics have happened, are happening and will happen again. In recent decades, the rate of zoonotic viral spillover into humans has accelerated, mirroring the expansion of our global footprint and travel network, including the expansion of viral vectors and the destruction of natural spaces, bringing humans closer to wild animals. Once viral cross-species transmission to humans occurs, transmission cannot be stopped by cement walls but by developing barriers based on knowledge that can prevent or reduce the effects of any pandemic. Controlling a local transmission affecting few individuals is more efficient that confronting a community outbreak in which infections cannot be traced. Genetic detection, identification, and characterization of infectious agents using next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been proven to be a powerful tool allowing for the development of fast PCR-based molecular assays, the rapid development of vaccines based on mRNA and DNA, the identification of outbreaks, transmission dynamics and spill-over events, the detection of new variants and treatment of vaccine resistance mutations, the development of direct-acting antiviral drugs, the discovery of relevant minority variants to improve knowledge of the viral life cycle, strengths and weaknesses, the potential for becoming dominant to take appropriate preventive measures, and the discovery of new routes of viral transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease represented with multiple non specific symptoms and caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Despite its dissemination and worsening trends researchers are still searching for the best treatment option. Timely diagnosis is the key to get more appropriate treatment regimen. Several clinical trials are ongoing to determine the efficacy and safety of existing and new therapies against Coronavirus Disease -2019 (COVID-19). These include corticosteroids, antivirals, monoclonal antibodies, interferon Alpha 2b and other immune modulators. In addition to treatment, efficacious and safe vaccines are required to slow viral transmission and to prevent further morbidity and mortality. The vaccination is useful tool to get control over the virus. Although, mass immunisation campaigns are ongoing in many countries, global coverage is crucial for getting the pandemic under control. This descriptive review collated the information on current diagnostics tools for determination of COVID-19 infection and available preventive and therapeutic strategies based on the ongoing clinical trials data and published literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2). The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province, and has since spread globally, resulting in the ongoing 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed incredible tension on healthcare systems around the globe. Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms may include muscle pain, diarrhea, sore throat, loss of smell, and abdominal pain. It is challenging for doctors and physicians to distinguish COVID-19 from other acute respiratory tract infections via clinical symptoms because those who are infected display a wide range of symptoms. An effective, point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tool could ease healthcare system strain, protect healthcare professionals, and support quarantine efforts. With a lack of effective medical treatments or vaccines for COVID-19, early identification and patient isolation has been the most effective means of disease management to slow the spread of the pandemic. COVID-19 testing involves analyzing samples to assess the current or past presence of SARS-CoV-2. The two main branches detect either the presence of the virus or of antibodies produced in response to infection. Test analysis is often performed in automated, high-throughput, medical laboratories by medical laboratory scientists. In this article, we have discussed the currently used diagnostic tests for detection of Coronavirus and COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing optimal T-cell response assays to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical for measuring the duration of immunity to this disease and assessing the efficacy of vaccine candidates. These assays need to target conserved regions of SARS-CoV-2 global variants and avoid cross-reactivity to seasonal human coronaviruses. To contribute to this effort, we employed an in silico immunoinformatics analysis pipeline to identify immunogenic peptides resulting from conserved and highly networked regions with topological importance from the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike proteins. A total of 57 highly networked T-cell epitopes that are conserved across geographic viral variants were identified from these viral proteins, with a binding potential to diverse HLA alleles and 80 to 100% global population coverage. Importantly, 18 of these T-cell epitope derived peptides had limited homology to seasonal human coronaviruses making them promising candidates for SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell immunity assays. Moreover, two of the NC-derived peptides elicited effector/polyfunctional responses of CD8+ T cells derived from SARS-CoV-2 convalescent patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial respiratory chain is the main site of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the cell. Although mitochondria possess a powerful antioxidant system, an excess of ROS cannot be completely neutralized and cumulative oxidative damage may lead to decreasing mitochondrial efficiency in energy production, as well as an increasing ROS excess, which is known to cause a critical imbalance in antioxidant/oxidant mechanisms and a "vicious circle" in mitochondrial injury. Due to insufficient energy production, chronic exposure to ROS overproduction consequently leads to the oxidative damage of life-important biomolecules, including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and amino acids, among others. Different forms of mitochondrial dysfunction (mitochondriopathies) may affect the brain, heart, peripheral nervous and endocrine systems, eyes, ears, gut, and kidney, among other organs. Consequently, mitochondriopathies have been proposed as an attractive diagnostic target to be investigated in any patient with unexplained progressive multisystem disorder. This review article highlights the pathomechanisms of mitochondriopathies, details advanced analytical tools, and suggests predictive approaches, targeted prevention and personalization of medical services as instrumental for the overall management of mitochondriopathy-related cascading pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]