Search

Background: It is crucial to assess the levels of protection generated by natural infection or SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, mainly in individuals professionally exposed and in vulnerable groups. Measuring T-cell responses may complement antibody tests currently in use as correlates of protection. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of a validated assay of T-cell responses., Methods: Twenty health-care-workers (HCW) were included. Antibody test to SARS-CoV-2 N and S-proteins in parallel with a commercially available whole-blood-interferon-gamma-release-assay (IGRA) to S-peptides and two detection methods, CLIA and ELISA were determined., Results: IGRA test detected T-cell responses in naturally exposed and vaccinated HCW already after first vaccination dose. The correlation by the two detection methods was very high ( R  > 0.8) and sensitivity and specificity ranged between 100 and 86% and 100-73% respectively. Even though there was a very high concordance between specific antibody levels and the IGRA assay in the ability to detect immune response to SARS-CoV-2, there was a relatively low quantitative correlation. In the small group primed by natural infection, one vaccine dose was sufficient to reach immune response plateau. IGRA was positive in one, with Ig(S) antibody negative vaccinated immunosuppressed HCW illustrating another advantage of the IGRA-test., Conclusion: Whole-blood-IGRA-tests amenable to automation and constitutes a promising additional tool for measuring the state of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2; they are applicable to large number of samples and may become a valuable correlate of protection to COVID-19, particularly for vulnerable groups at risk of being re-exposed to infection, as are health-care-workers., (© 2021 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: It is crucial to assess the levels of protection generated by natural infection or SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, mainly in individuals professionally exposed and in vulnerable groups. Measuring T-cell responses may complement antibody tests currently in use as correlates of protection. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of a validated assay of T-cell responses., Methods: Twenty health-care-workers (HCW) were included. Antibody test to SARS-CoV-2 N and S-proteins in parallel with a commercially available whole-blood-interferon-gamma-release-assay (IGRA) to S-peptides and two detection methods, CLIA and ELISA were determined., Results: IGRA test detected T-cell responses in naturally exposed and vaccinated HCW already after first vaccination dose. The correlation by the two detection methods was very high (R>0.8) and sensitivity and specificity ranged between 100 and 86% and 100-73% respectively. Even though there was a very high concordance between specific antibody levels and the IGRA assay in the ability to detect immune response to SARS-CoV-2, there was a relatively low quantitative correlation. In the small group primed by natural infection, one vaccine dose was sufficient to reach immune response plateau. IGRA was positive in one, with Ig(S) antibody negative vaccinated immunosuppressed HCW illustrating another advantage of the IGRA-test., Conclusion: Whole-blood-IGRA-tests amenable to automation and constitutes a promising additional tool for measuring the state of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2; they are applicable to large number of samples and may become a valuable correlate of protection to COVID-19, particularly for vulnerable groups at risk of being re-exposed to infection, as are health-care-workers., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Mycoplasma genitalium is a major cause of urethritis and other genital syndromes. Antibiotic resistance, especially to macrolides, is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the rate of macrolide resistance in M. genitalium among a 2016-2017 cohort of patients in Barcelona, Spain; and to compare this estimate with previous data from 2013 to 2014 in this region., Methods: The study was conducted retrospectively with M. genitalium-positive samples collected between December 2016 and February 2017 at the Hospital Vall d'Hebron Microbiology Department. Genotypic markers of macrolide resistance were primarily detected using the ResistancePlus® MG molecular assay (SpeeDx). Mutations were then confirmed by sequencing., Results: Macrolide resistance-mediating mutations were detected in 30/83 infections (36.1% [95% CI, 25.9%-47.4%]). This resistance was more frequent among men who have sex with men (55.0% [95% CI, 38.5%-70.7%]) compared to heterosexual men (27.3% [95% CI, 10.7%-50.2%]) and women (9.5% [95% CI, 1.3%-30.4%]), p<0.001. Additionally, macrolide resistance did not significantly increase in this cohort when compared with previous investigations., Conclusion: Despite the current notable rate of macrolide resistance in M. genitalium, resistance did not significantly increase between 2013-2014 and 2016-2017 in our region. Nevertheless, strict local surveillance and the implementation of rapid diagnostic tests that combine the detection of the bacterium and resistance-mediating mutations may facilitate the optimization of antibiotic administration and reduce the transmission of resistance in M. genitalium., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.)