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Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe but treatable mental disorder that develops after a life-threatening traumatic event. Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) hospitalisation is a potentially traumatic experience, especially in severe cases. Furthermore, the unprecedented context of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic, with daily media bombardment about COVID-19 mortality, may have amplified life-threatening perception also in patients with moderate infection. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of PTSD at 3-month follow-up in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 infection.Design: In this cohort follow-up study conducted in a large Italian academic COVID-19 hospital, 115 recruited survivors were contacted by telephone 3 months after discharge to home care. The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 was administered. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyse risk factors for the development of PTSD.Key Results: A total of 10.4% of the sample received a PCL-5-based diagnosis of PTSD. Other 8.6% of the sample received a diagnosis of subthreshold PTSD, which leads to significant levels of distress and impairment. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that previous psychiatric diagnosis (odds ratio (OR) = 6.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.7-78.6, p < 0.001) and obesity (OR = 3.51, 95% CI: 1.4-857.9, p = 0.03) were risk factors for developing PTSD. Chronic pulmonary diseases approached significance as a risk factor (OR = 6.03, 95% CI: 1.0-37.1, p = 0.053). Male sex was a protective factor (OR=0.04, 95% CI: 0.0-0.041, p = 0.007).Conclusions: PTSD and subthreshold PTSD rates in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 are worrying. Female sex and pre-existing mental disorders are established risk factors for PTSD, while the prospective association with obesity needs further investigation. Clinicians treating COVID-19 should consider screening for PTSD at follow-up assessments in patients discharged from the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals affected by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) may experience psychiatric symptoms, including depression and suicidal ideation, that could lead to chronic impairment and a reduction in quality of life. Specifically, depressive disorder shows high incidence and may lead to chronic impairment and a reduction in the quality of life. To date, no studies on the presence of suicidality and quantitative analysis of depressive symptoms and their risk factors have yet been published. In this study, we aim to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms and related risk factors at 3 months after discharge to home care following hospitalization for COVID-19 infection. Methods: Participants were contacted three months after hospital discharge from one of the five COVID-19 hospitals in Rome, as part of a larger project on health outcomes in COVID-19 inpatients (Long Term Neuropsychiatric Disorder in COVID-19 Project), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was administered by telephone interview. Results: Of 115 participants, 14.8% (N = 17) received a PHQ-9-based diagnosis of depression, and n = 7 of them scored 1 or more on the item on suicidality. A linear regression model showed the predictive role of female sex, pulmonary chronic condition and previous mental disorder in the development of depressive disorder; the latter was confirmed also by binary logistic regression. Severity indexes of disease (length of hospitalization and intensive care treatment) were found not to be associated with the development of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: A small but clinically meaningful number of participants in the current study reported that they experienced symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation 3 months post-discharge from their COVID-19 hospitalization. In particular, given the findings that a history of prior psychiatric disorders was predictive of the development of depression symptoms, clinicians should carefully monitor for the presence of all psychiatric symptoms at follow-up visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• More than 90% of post-COVID participants showed no cognitive or psychiatric disorders, and 75% showed ≥ 2 fatigue symptoms. • Compared to the Control group, the post-COVID group showed lower posterior resting state EEG alpha source activities. • This effect was more significant in the post-COVID patients with ≥ 2 fatigue symptoms, possibly related to vigilance and allostatic dysfunctions. Several persons experiencing post-covid-19 (post-COVID) with "brain fog" (e.g., fatigue, cognitive and psychiatric disorders, etc.) show abnormal resting-state electroencephalographic (rsEEG) rhythms reflecting a vigilance dysfunction. Here, we tested the hypothesis that in those post-COVID persons, abnormal rsEEG rhythms may occur even when cognitive and psychiatric disorders are absent. The experiments were performed on post-COVID participants about one year after hospitalization for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Inclusion criteria included a "brain fog" claim, no pre-infection, and actual organic chronic disease. Matched controls (no COVID) were also enrolled. All participants underwent clinical/neuropsychological assessment (including fatigue assessment) and rsEEG recordings. The eLORETA freeware estimated regional rsEEG cortical sources at individual delta (<4 Hz), theta (4–7 Hz), and alpha (8–13 Hz) bands. Beta (14–30 Hz) and gamma (30–40 Hz) bands were pre-fixed. More than 90% of all post-COVID participants showed no cognitive or psychiatric disorders, and 75% showed ≥ 2 fatigue symptoms. The post-COVID group globally presented lower posterior rsEEG alpha source activities than the Control group. This effect was more significant in the long COVID-19 patients with ≥ 2 fatigue symptoms. In post-COVID patients with no chronic diseases and cognitive/psychiatric disorders, "brain fog" can be associated with abnormal posterior rsEEG alpha rhythms and subjective fatigue. These abnormalities may be related to vigilance and allostatic dysfunctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In a setting of free access to HIV care, we compared the early treatment outcomes of HIV-infected undocumented migrants (UMs), documented migrants (DMs), and Italian subjects. Methods: The clinical data of 640 Italians and 245 migrants who started combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) at an HIV clinic in Milan, Italy, were reviewed. The migrants were mainly Latin Americans (83 DMs and 56 UMs) or sub-Saharan Africans (52 DMs and 11 UMs), but a minority were of other origin (33 DMs and 10 UMs). Retention in follow-up and HIV suppression were compared between UMs, DMs, and natives 12 months ± 90 days after start of cART. Results: There were no significant between-group differences in the stage of HIV infection at the start of cART or the type of regimen received. The Latin American DMs and UMs included a higher proportion of transgender women than the other ethnic groups (P < 0.001). The UMs were less frequently followed up after 12 months than the DMs and natives (P = 0.004) and were more frequently permanently lost to follow-up (P < 0.001). UM status was an independent predictor of lost to follow-up (adjusted odds ratio 8.05, P < 0.001). The DMs and UMs were less frequently HIV suppressed after 12 months than the natives (78% and 80.7% vs 90.5%, P = 0.001), and Latin American migrants were significantly less likely to be virologically suppressed than the natives (adjusted odds ratio 0.30, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Despite their free access to cART, subgroups of migrants facing multiple levels of vulnerability still have difficulties in gaining optimal HIV care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms are the predominant clinical manifestations of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Infecting intestinal epithelial cells, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 may impact on host's microbiota and gut inflammation. It is well established that an imbalanced intestinal microbiome can affect pulmonary function, modulating the host immune response ("gut-lung axis"). While effective vaccines and targeted drugs are being tested, alternative pathophysiology-based options to prevent and treat COVID-19 infection must be considered on top of the limited evidence-based therapy currently available. Addressing intestinal dysbiosis with a probiotic supplement may, therefore, be a sensible option to be evaluated, in addition to current best available medical treatments. Herein, we summed up pathophysiologic assumptions and current evidence regarding bacteriotherapy administration in preventing and treating COVID-19 pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The available data concerning hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Uganda are limited, particularly in the case of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). HBV is not routinely tested when starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to determine the prevalence, the correlates of the risk of HBV infection, and the association with outcomes of ART among PLWH attending a busy HIV clinic in a referral hospital in Northern Uganda. Patients and methods: From April to June 2016, a random sample of 1000 PLWH attending the outpatients' clinic of St. Mary's Hospital, Gulu, Uganda were systematically selected to undergo a rapid hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test after administering a questionnaire in this cross-sectional study. HIV care parameters were obtained from client files. Multivariate logistic regression and general linear model were used for the analysis. Results: 950 of the 985 evaluable patients (77% females; mean age 42.8 years) were receiving ART. The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 7.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.2–9.6%), and was significantly lower among the females (6.8% vs 11.7%; p = 0.020). The factors independently associated with higher HBV infection were having lived in an internally displaced persons' camp (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.76, 95% CI 1.03–2.98; p = 0.036) and having shared housing with HBV-infected people during childhood (aOR 3.30, 95% CI 1.49–7.32; p = 0.003). CD4+ T cell counts were significantly lower in HBV patients (p = 0.025), and co-infection was associated with a poorer CD4+ T cell response to ART (AOR 0.88; 95% CI 0.79–0.98; p = 0.030). Conclusions: The observed prevalence of HBV among the PLWH may be underestimated or a signal of HBV decline in the region. The factors favouring horizontal HBV transmission identified suggest extending HBV screening and vaccine prophylaxis among PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A wide debate is ongoing regarding the role of cutaneous dysbiosis in the pathogenesis and evolution of difficult-to-treat chronic wounds. Nowadays, probiotic treatment considered as an useful tool to counteract dysbiosis but the evidence in regard to their therapeutic use in the setting of difficult-to-treat cutaneous ulcers is still poor.Aim: CLINICAL REPORT: An 83-year-old woman suffering a critical limb ischemia and an infected difficult-to-treat ulcerated cutaneous lesion of the right leg, was complementary treated with local application of a mixture of probiotic bacteria.Methods: Microbiological and metabolomic analysis were conducted on wound swabs obtained before and after bacteriotherapy.Results: During the treatment course, a progressive healing of the lesion was observed with microbiological resolution of the polymicrobial infection of the wound. Metabolomic analysis showed a significant difference in the local concentration of propionate, 2-hydroxyisovalerate, 2-oxoisocaproate, 2,3-butanediol, putrescine, thymine, and trimethylamine before and after bacteriotherapy.Conclusion: The microbiological and metabolomic results seem to confirm the usefulness of complementary probiotic treatment in difficult-to-treat infected wounds. Further investigations are needed to confirm these preliminary findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]