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My aim is to discuss the rhetoric of expertise as objective, and ideology-and value-free, on the example of environmental policy. The first section introduces examples of the common rhetorical figure of expert, ideology-free environmental protection, revealing their presuppositions. The second introduces objects of comparison - the cartoonish proposals of wiping out humanity - with the aim of showing that the two groups of proposals assume an analogous rhetoric. The third section discusses some prominent features of various proposals of ‘population control’, along with the links to the current surge of so-called eco-fascism. The aim is to show that all these phenomena represent a scale of the idea of ideology-free environmentalism. The concluding section discusses the distorted understanding of expertise, ideology, and politics, central to examples given in the previous sections, as leading to deplorable ignorance or callous cynicism, and therefore, in effect, a moral failure.

Hypervirulent strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) can cause atypical multilocular infections in otherwise healthy patients. Diagnosis of infection caused by hvKP is based mainly on clinical findings and laboratory results, including detection of virulence genes. It typically manifests as hepatic abscess with metastatic spread. Treatment is based on surgical intervention in combination with targeted antimicrobial therapy. The occurrence of hvKP infection is relatively common in Asia, and while still rare in Europe, incidence is increasing. The article aims to provide a short overview of the issue and increase awareness of the possible occurrence of hvKP infections.

Although vaccines against COVID-19 are effective tools in preventing severe disease, recent studies have shown enhanced protection after vaccine boosters. The aim of our study was to examine the dynamics and duration of both humoral and cellular immune responses following a three-dose regimen of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. In a longitudinal prospective study we enrolled 86 adults who received the BNT162b2 vaccine, 35 unvaccinated individuals with a history of mild COVID-19 and a control group of 30 healthy SARS-CoV-2 seronegative persons. We assessed the SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses and IgG production up to 12 months post the third BNT162b2 dose in 24 subjects. The vaccinated group had significantly higher IgG antibody levels after two doses compared to the convalescent group (p<0.001). After the third dose, IgG levels surged beyond those detected after the second dose (p<0.001). Notably, these elevated IgG levels were maintained 12 months post the third dose. After two doses, specific T cell responses were detected in 87.5% of the vaccinated group. Additionally, there was a significant decrease before the third dose. However, post the third dose, specific T cell responses surged and remained stable up to the 12-month period. Our findings indicate that the BNT162b2 vaccine induces potent and enduring humoral and cellular responses, which are notably enhanced by the third dose and remain persistant without a significant decline a year after the booster. Further research is essential to understand the potential need for subsequent boosters., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Arientová, Matúšková, Bartoš, Holub and Beran.)

Dysregulated systemic immune responses during infectious spondylodiscitis (IS) may impair microbial clearance and bone resorption. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine whether circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs) are elevated during IS and whether their frequency is associated with alterations in T cells and the presence of markers of bone resorption in the blood. A total of 19 patients hospitalized with IS were enrolled in this prospective study. Blood specimens were obtained during hospitalization and 6 weeks and 3 months after discharge. Flow cytometric analysis of CD4 and CD8 T cell subsets, the percentage of Tregs and serum levels of collagen type I fragments (S-CrossLap) were performed. Out of 19 enrolled patients with IS, microbial etiology was confirmed in 15 (78.9%) patients. All patients were treated with antibiotics for a median of 42 days, and no therapy failure was observed. Next, a significant serum C-reactive protein (S-CRP) decrease during the follow-up was observed, whereas the frequencies of Tregs remained higher than those of controls at all-time points (p < 0.001). In addition, Tregs demonstrated a weak negative correlation with S-CRP and S-CrossLap levels were within the norm at all-time points. Circulating Tregs were elevated in patients with IS and this elevation persisted even after the completion of antibiotic therapy. Moreover, this elevation was not associated with treatment failure, altered T cells, or increased markers of bone resorption., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is one of the most frequent bloodstream infections. High mortality of SAB can be significantly reduced by regular infectious disease (ID) consultations and appropriate clinical management. Because the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a negative impact on hospital ID service, it can be assumed that it has also led to decreased quality of care for SAB patients., Methods: This study enrolled all (n = 68) patients with proven SAB who were hospitalized in Military University Hospital, Prague, in 2019 and 2020 and the quality of care indicators for SAB patients were compared., Results: A total of 33 and 35 patients with SAB were hospitalized in our hospital in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The significant difference between the pandemic year 2020 and year 2019 was in ID consultations performed (74% vs. 100%; p = 0.002) and fulfilment of all quality of care indicators (66% vs. 93%; p = 0.012). Next, higher in-hospital mortality was observed in 2020 than in 2019 (6% vs. 23%; p = 0.085). There was no significant difference in the percentages of patients with performed echocardiographic examinations (66% vs. 83%; p = 0.156) and collected follow-up blood cultures (85% vs. 94%; p = 0.428). In addition, there was no difference between the two years in the adequate antibiotic therapy, sources, and bacterial origin of SAB., Conclusions: The quality of care of SAB patients significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic in our institution., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The study was aimed at the characterization of humoral immunity in acute SARS-CoV-2 infection., Background: Humoral immunity plays a central role in the protection from infection due to SARS-CoV-2, causative agent of coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19)., Patients and Methods: In 24 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the functional subsets of circulating B-lymphocytes and SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA and IgG antibodies were analyzed using a flow cytometry and immunoassays, respectively., Results: Circulating plasmablasts and memory B-lymphocytes were significantly elevated and regulatory B-lymphocytes significantly decreased in the patients in comparison with 11 age- and sex-matched SARS-CoV-2 seronegative healthy adults. Next, circulating plasmablasts correlated negatively with the levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies, which were detectable in 9 out of 15 tested patients. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA antibodies were detectable in 13 of 15 tested patients and did not demonstrate correlation with any B-lymphocyte subset., Conclusion: Severe course of COVID-19 is associated with significant changes of phenotypes of circulating B-lymphocytes and elevated circulating plasmablasts correlate with decreased SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 14).

Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with altered cell-mediated immune response., Objective: The aim of the study was to characterize functional alterations in CD4 + T cell subsets and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) during chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Methodology . The expression levels of the lineage-defining transcriptional factors (TFs) T-bet, Gata3, Ror γ t, and Foxp3 in circulating CD4 + T cells and percentages of MDSCs in peripheral blood were evaluated in 33 patients with CHC, 31 persons, who had spontaneously cleared the HCV infection, and 30 healthy subjects. Analysis . The CD4+ T cells TFs T-bet (T-box expressed in T cells), Foxp3 (Forkhead box P3 transcription factor), Gata3 (Gata-binding protein 3), and Ror γ t (retinoic-acid-related orphan receptor gamma) and activation of CD8+ T cells, as well as percentages of MDSCs, were measured by multicolor flow cytometry after intracellular and surface staining of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with fluorescent monoclonal antibodies., Result: The patients with CHC had significantly lower percentages of CD4 + T cells expressing Ror γ t and Gata3 and higher percentages of Foxp3-expressing CD4 + T cells than healthy controls and persons who spontaneously cleared HCV infection. The ratios of T-bet + /Gata3 + and Foxp3 + /Ror γ t + CD4 + T cells were the highest in the patients with CHC. In the patients with CHC, the percentages of Gata3 + and Ror γ t + CD4 + T cells and the percentages of T-bet + CD4 + T cells and CD38 + /HLA-DR + CD8 + T cells demonstrated significant positive correlations. In addition, the percentage of CD38 + /HLA-DR + CD8 + T cells correlated negatively with the percentage of MDSCs., Conclusion: Chronic HCV infection is associated with downregulation of TFs Gata3 and Ror γ t polarizing CD4+ T cells into Th2 and Th17 phenotypes together with upregulation of Foxp3 responsible for induction of regulatory T cells suppressing immune response., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Michal Holub et al.)

In our study we present an overview of the use of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing technology on the background of Enteric fever. Unlike traditional methods (e.g., qPCR, serological tests), the nanopore sequencing technology enables virtually real-time data generation and highly accurate pathogen identification and characterization. Blood cultures were obtained from a 48-year-old female patient suffering from a high fever, headache and diarrhea. Nevertheless, both the initial serological tests and stool culture appeared to be negative. Therefore, the bacterial isolate from blood culture was used for nanopore sequencing (ONT). This technique in combination with subsequent bioinformatic analyses allowed for prompt identification of the disease-causative agent as Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Paratyphi A. The National Reference Laboratory for Salmonella (NIPH) independently reported this isolate also as serovar Paratyphi A on the basis of results of biochemical and agglutination tests. Therefore, our results are in concordance with certified standards. Furthermore, the data enabled us to assess some basic questions concerning the comparative genomics, i.e., to describe whether the isolated strain differs from the formerly published ones or not. Quite surprisingly, these results indicate that we have detected a novel and so far, unknown variety of this bacteria.

Aims: To process data from the first wave of Covid-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) collected in the Infectious Diseases Clinic (IDC) of the First Faculty of Medicine and Central Military Hospital, Prague. To analyse some clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of Covid-19 in the context of the Czech Republic and to compare them with the data from the most recent literature., Patients and Methods: This retrospective study analysed data on patients admitted to the IDC between 12 March 2020 and 5 May 2020. The study cohort included 53 patients with Covid-19, 25 females and 28 males, with an average age of 57 years. The parameters analysed were clinical symptoms, average length of hospital stay, complications, and death. Additional data concerned the age, weight, smoking habits, history of comorbidities, and selected laboratory results.  These data were compared between groups of patients differing in severity of the course of Covid-19. Finally, imaging findings, serology results, and therapy outcomes were studied. Statistical analysis was performed using the SigmaStat software., Results: Eleven (20.8%) patients had a mild course of the disease, 16 (30.2%) patients had a moderate course, 22 (41.5%) patients had a severe course, and four (7.5%) patients had a critical course. The study patients presented with the following clinical symptoms: fever in 88.5% of cases, cough in 84.6% of cases, difficulty breathing in 77.4% of cases, diarrhoea in 23.1% of cases, chest pain in 17.3% of cases, and anosmia in 11.5% of cases. The average length of hospital stay was eight days. The most common complication was a bacterial superinfection, reported in 17 (32.1%) study patients. The overall case fatality rate for Covid-19 in our study was 5.7%. The average age of the study cohort was 57 years, and patients with a severe course of the disease were of older average age than those with a less severe course of the disease (p &lt; 0.05). The predominant comorbidities were hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The analysis of the baseline laboratory data showed significant differences between the groups of patients differing in severity of the course of Covid-19 in CRP, procalcitonin, and d-dimers but not in lymphocyte count. High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan of the lungs was performed in 22 patients, and 21 of them had typical findings for Covid-19. The average MuLBSTA score for Covid-19 pneumonia severity in our study cohort was 11.5 points and was not associated with the severity of the course of the disease. Serology tests were performed in 43 study patients, with 29 (67.4%) of them turning out positive in the first test and other five (11.6%) testing positive when retested. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was given experimentally as monotherapy or in combination with azithromycin (AZI) to 24 (45.3%) patients. Two patients on HCQ therapy also received inosinum pranobexum (isoprinosine) for severe lymphopenia, one patient received convalescent plasma, six patients were given AZI alone, and one patient was treated with inosinum pranobexum alone. Altogether 37.7% of study patients were prescribed other antibiotics for confirmed or suspected bacterial superinfection. Standard clinical and pharmaceutical care was provided to patients with particular focus on the safety of off-label drug use. HCQ was with drawn in three patients due to a prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc)., Conclusions: In the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, our study patients showed comorbidities and risk factors which are consistent with the international literature, but the course of the disease was mostly moderate to severe, with a low proportion of critically ill patients and fatal outcomes. As soon as new information became available, new diagnostic and therapeutic options were introduced into routine practice. Based on our experience, we are well prepared for a possible second wave of SARS-CoV-2 in terms of the diagnostics, but the therapeutic options still remain very limited.

Objectives: Genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is controlled by HSV-specific T cells in the genital tract, and the role of systemic T cell responses is not fully understood. Thus, we analysed T cell responses in patients with recurrent genital herpes (GH)., Methods: T cell responses to HSV-1 and HSV-2 native antigens and the expression of HLA-DR and CD38 molecules on circulating CD8+ T cells were analysed in adults with high frequency of GH recurrences (19 patients) and low frequency of GH recurrences (7 patients) and 12 HSV-2 seronegative healthy controls. The study utilized the interferon- γ Elispot assay for measurement of spot-forming cells (SFC) after ex vivo stimulation with HSV antigens and flow cytometry for analysis of the expression of activation markers in unstimulated T cells., Results: The patients with high frequency of GH recurrences (mean number of recurrences of 13.3 per year) had significantly enhanced HSV-specific T cell responses than the HSV-2 seronegative healthy controls. Moreover, a trend of higher numbers of SFC was observed in these patients when compared with those with low frequency of GH recurrences (mean number of recurrences of 3.3 per year). Additionally, no differences in CD38 and HLA-DR expression on circulating CD8+ T cells were found among the study groups., Conclusions: Frequency of GH recurrences positively correlates with high numbers of systemic HSV-specific T cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Michal Holub et al.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of calprotectin and calgranulin C and routine biomarkers in patients with bacterial sepsis (BS). The initial serum concentrations of calprotectin and calgranulin C were significantly higher in patients with BS (n = 66) than in those with viral infections (n = 24) and the healthy controls (n = 26); the level of calprotectin was found to be the best predictor of BS, followed by the neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLCR) and the level of procalcitonin (PCT). The white blood cell (WBC) count and the NLCR rapidly returned to normal levels, whereas PCT levels normalized later and the increased levels of calprotectin, calgranulin C, and C-reactive protein persisted until the end of follow-up. Our results suggest that the serum levels of calprotectin are a reliable biomarker of BS and that the WBC count and the NLCR are rapid predictors of the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The microbial etiology and source of sepsis influence the inflammatory response. Therefore, the plasma levels of cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10), chemokines (CCL2/MCP-1, MIP-1 β ), heparin-binding protein (HBP), soluble CD14 (sCD14), and cortisol were analyzed in blood from septic patients obtained during the first 96 hours of intensive care unit hospitalization. The etiology was established in 56 out of a total of 62 patients enrolled in the study. Plasma concentrations of MCP-1, sCD14, IL-6, and IL-10 were significantly higher in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP; n = 10) and infective endocarditis (IE; n = 11) compared to those with bacterial meningitis (BM; n = 18). Next, cortisol levels were higher in IE patients than in those with BM and CAP, and at one time point, cortisol was also higher in patients with gram-negative sepsis when compared to those with gram-positive infections. Furthermore, cortisol and MCP-1 levels correlated positively with the daily measured SOFA score. In addition, HBP levels were significantly higher in patients with IE than in those with BM. Our findings suggest that MCP-1, sCD14, IL-6, IL-10, cortisol, and HBP are modulated by the source of sepsis and that elevated MCP-1 and cortisol plasma levels are associated with sepsis-induced organ dysfunction.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is the most common cause of severe bloodstream infections with high incidence and lethality. The diagnosis of SAB must be followed by an appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic management. The aim of the study was to identify clinical and epidemiological characteristics of SAB cases treated in the Central Military Hospital Prague and to assess compliance with the guidelines for diagnosis and thera-py. A total of 65 patients with S. aureus blood culture positivity were enrolled in the retrospective study. Sixty SAB cases (92%) were caused by MSSA strains, and MRSA strains were detected in five patients (8%). The source of the infection was confirmed in 83% of patients. The average case fatality rate in the study cohort was 28%. The analysis of the quality of care suggested both diagnostic and therapeutic insufficiencies in 65% of SAB patients. Overall, the result of the study supports the importance of the role of infectious disease specialists played in the bedside management of patients with SAB.

The article discusses new definitions for sepsis and septic shock called Sepsis-3. The definitions are put in the historical and factual context of the 1992 definition and their extended 2003 version. Also mentioned are potential impacts on clinical practice, with it-being clear that the new definition shifts the sepsis issues more to intensive care as it emphasizes organ failure. In prehospital care, emergency departments and general wards of hospitals where patients are triaged, a new scoring system, the so-called quick SOFA, may be used. In this approach, stress is placed on impaired consciousness, a drop in systolic pressure and tachypnea but its role in more precise identification is yet to be verified in common clinical practice.

The aim was to analyze T-regulatory cells (Tregs), activated CD8(+) T cells, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF)-β in hepatitis C patients. We enrolled 31 patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, 30 seropositive persons with spontaneous HCV elimination, and 23 healthy volunteers. The patients were examined at the beginning of the interferon-alpha (IFN-α)-based therapy (baseline) and at weeks 4 (W4) and 12 (W12) of the therapy. The percentage of Tregs and the expression of activation markers CD38 and HLA-DR on CD8(+) T cells were analyzed in the peripheral blood by flow cytometry. Serum levels of TGF-β were measured in a multiplex assay using flow cytometry. The percentage of Tregs in patients was higher than in controls and seropositive persons. Similarly, the percentage of CD8(+) T cells expressing CD38 and HLA-DR was higher in patients compared with controls and seropositive persons. Chronic HCV infection is associated with elevated circulating Tregs and activated CD8(+) T cells. During IFN-α-based therapy these cells gradually increase, whereas TGF-β serum levels decrease., (© 2016 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)