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Background and Aims: Several studies reported the effect of COVID-19 on inducing gut dysbiosis, which is also correlated with disease severity. This study aims to investigate the effect of a nutraceutical formula on the shift of microbiota profiles and, secondly, on the clinical–pathological parameters of acute and post-acute COVID-19 patients. Methods: In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted at National Institute for Infectious diseases (INMI) Lazzaro Spallanzani (Italy), 52 patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a multistrain synbiotic formula (Kebirah®) or placebo orally for 35 days at COVID-19 diagnosis. Health professionals, investigators, and patients were masked to group assignments. The V3–V4 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to study the gut microbiota composition in the two groups. Results: Supplementation with Kebirah® prevented the decrease in the Shannon diversity index of gut microbiota, which was instead observed in patients receiving the placebo. In addition, decreases in lymphocyte count and haemoglobin levels were observed only in the placebo group and not in the treated group, which was also characterised by an amelioration of the gut microbial profile, with an enrichment in beneficial bacteria and a preservation of species diversity. Conclusions: Our data suggest that modulating the gut microbiota in acute disease through administration of a specific symbiotic formula could be a useful strategy in the frame of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

BackgroundImmunity and clinical protection induced by mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been shown to decline overtime. To gather information on the immunity profile deemed sufficient in protecting against hospitalization, we tested IgG levels, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secretion, and neutralizing antibodies 180 days (d180) after the second shot of BNT162b vaccine, in HW.MethodsA total of 392 subjects were enrolled. All received BioNTech/Pfizer from February 2020 to April 2021. The vaccine-specific humoral response was quantitatively determined by testing for IgG anti-S1 domain of SARS-CoV-spike protein. Live virus microneutralization (MN) was evaluated by an assay performing incubation of serial 2-fold dilution of human serum samples, starting from 1:10 to 1:5120, with an equal volume of Wuhan strain and Delta VOC viral solution and assessing the presence/absence of a cytopathic effect. SARS-CoV-2-spike protein-specific T-cell response was determined by a commercial IFN-γ release assay.ResultsIn 352 individuals, at d180, IgG levels decreased substantially but no results below the assay's positivity threshold were observed. Overall, 22 naive (8.1%) had values above the highest threshold. Among COVID-naive, the impact of age, which was observed at earlier stages, disappeared at d180, while it remained significant for 81 who had experienced a previous infection. Following the predictive model of protection by Khoury, we transformed the neutralizing titers in IU/ml and used a 54 IU/ml threshold to identify subjects with 50% protective immunity. Overall, live virus MN showed almost all subjects with previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 neutralized the virus as compared to 33% of naive double-dosed subjects (p < 0.0001). All previously exposed subjects had strong IFN-γ secretion (>200 mIU/ml); among 271 naive, 7 (2.58%) and 17 (6.27%) subjects did not show borderline or strong secretion, respectively.ConclusionsIn naive subjects, low IgG titers are relatively long-lasting. Only a third of naive subjects maintain neutralizing responses. After specific stimulation, a very limited number of naive were unable to produce IFN-γ. The results attained in the small group of subjects with breakthrough infection suggest that simultaneous neutralizing antibody titers

The vaginal microbiota plays a critical role in the health of the female genital tract, and its composition contributes to gynecological disorders and infertility. Lactobacilli are the dominant species in the female genital tract: their production of lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins prevents the invasion and growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Several factors such as hormonal changes, age of reproduction, sexual practices, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and antimicrobial drugs use can cause imbalance and dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiota. This review aims to highlight the impact of the vaginal microbiota in Assisted Reproductive Technology techniques (ART) and it examines the factors that influence the vaginal microbiota, the consequences of dysbiosis, and potential interventions to restore a healthy female genital tract.

Background: LC has been associated with hyporesponsiveness to several vaccines. Nonetheless, no data on complete serological and B- and T-cell immune response are currently available. Aims: To assess, in comparison with healthy controls of the same age and gender, both humoral and cellular immunoresponses of patients with LC after two or three doses of the mRNA Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and to investigate clinical features associated with non-response. Material and methods: 179 patients with LC of CTP class A in 93.3% and viral etiology in 70.1% of cases were longitudinally evaluated starting from the day before the first dose to 4 weeks after the booster dose. Their antibody responses were compared to those of healthcare workers without co-morbidities. In a subgroup of 40 patients, B- and T-cell responses were also compared to controls. Results: At d31, d90 and d180 after BNT162b2 vaccine, no detectable SARS-CoV-2 IgG response was observed in 5.9%, 3.9% and 7.2% of LC patients as compared to 0 controls (p < 0.03). A delay in B-cell and lack of prompt T-cell response compared to healthcare workers was also registered. A significant correlation between antibody titers and cellular response was observed. A MELD score > 8 was the only independent predictor of poor d31 response (p = 0.028). Conclusions: Our results suggest that cirrhotic patients have a slower and in

Purpose: Clinical significance and durability of serological response after mRNA COVID-19 vaccines is under investigation. Data on early virological response are limited. To iden-tify potential predictors of antibody durability, circulating antibody levels were longitudinally ex-plored in healthcare workers included in a follow-up program for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Meth-ods: Subjects meeting the inclusion criteria signed an informed consent. Serum samples were col-lected at baseline, before the first BNT162b2 vaccine, at days 7, 21, 31, 90, and 180 days after the first dose. Serological evaluation was performed by QuantiVac Euroimmune anti-S1 antibody as-say. Only subjects followed-up until day 90 are here considered. Results: Of 340 taken into consid-eration, 265 subjects were naive, and 75 COVID-19 experienced. The former showed a progres-sive increase in their antibody levels before day 90 decline, while the latter showed antibody levels reaching a plateau at day 7 and slightly declining at day 90. All showed antibody levels higher than the assay cut-off at day 31 and 90. Among naive, 108 had an early response whose predic-tors were younger age and female gender (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91–0.96, p < 0.0001; and OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.48–4.51, p = 0.0009). Naive subjects experienced a day 30/90 decline in antibody levels, whereas experienced did not. Early response was an independent predictor of higher day 30/90 antibody levels decline (OR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.04–4.02; p = 0.037). Conclusions: Our results suggest that in healthcare workers early response might be inversely associated with antibody levels 90 days after BNT162b2 vaccine.

Background and Aims: The WHO has solicited all countries to eliminate HCV by 2030. The Italian government started routine screening for HCV infection in January 2021, initially targeting subjects born between 1969 and 1989. With the aim of achieving micro-elimination, we designed a hospital-wide project focusing on inpatients born from 1935 to 1985 and conducted it in our institution. Method: All inpatients aged 35 to 85, admitted from 10 February 2020 to 9 February 2021 for many different diseases and conditions underwent HCV antibody (HCVAb) testing by third-generation ELISA. When positive, reflex HCV RNA testing and genotyping were performed. Clinical history, fibrosis diagnosis, laboratory data and concomitant medications were available for all. Results: The HCV screening rate of inpatients was 100%. In total, 11,748 participants were enrolled, of whom 53.50% were male. The HCVAb positivity rate was 3.03%. The HCVAb rate increased with age and was higher for patients born between 1935 and 1944 (4.81%). The rate of HCV RNA positivity was 0.97%. The vast majority (80.70%) of HCV RNA-positive participants were 55 or older; in about 40% of cases, HCV RNA-positive patients were unaware of their infection. Although 16 patients died after HCV chronic infection diagnosis (two due COVID-19) or HCV treatment prescription (one due to COVID-19), 74.56% of patient HCV diagnoses were linked to HCV treatment, despite their co-morbidities. All patients older than 65 who died had an active HCV infection. Conclusion: The present study revealed a rate of active HCV infections among inpatients lower than what has been reported in the past in the general population; this appears to be a result of the widespread use of pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). The overall rate of active infection was lower than the rate observed in the 1935–1954 cohort. The high rate of inpatients unaware of HCV infections and the high number of deaths among subjects with an active HCV infection born from 1935 to 1954, suggest that, at least in southern Italy, targeted screening of this birth cohort may be required to reduce the number of undiagnosed cases and hidden infections.