| 1. |
- Glans, Hedvig, et al.
(författare)
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Cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in Sweden from 1996-2016 : A retrospective study of clinical characteristics, treatments and outcomes 11 Medical and Health Sciences 1103 Clinical Sciences
- 2018
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Ingår i: BMC Infectious Diseases. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2334. ; 18:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Leishmaniasis is a neglected and poorly reported parasitic infection transmitted by sand flies in tropical and subtropical regions. Knowledge about leishmaniasis has become important in non-endemic countries due to increased migration and travel. Few studies of the clinical management of cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in non-endemic regions have been published to date. In this study, we aimed to evaluate patient characteristics, clinical manifestations and treatments of leishmaniasis in Sweden, over a 20-year period. Methods: A retrospective observational nationwide study was performed using medical records of patients diagnosed with leishmaniasis in Sweden from 1996 to 2016. Cases with culture and polymerase chain reaction verified leishmaniasis were identified at the Public Health Agency of Sweden. Results: In total, 165 cases of leishmaniasis were diagnosed from 1996 to 2016. Medical records from 156 patients (95%) were available for review and included in the study. Cutaneous leishmaniasis was the dominant manifestation (n = 149, 96%), and in 66 patients (44%) cutaneous leishmaniasis was due to Leishmania tropica. Other manifestations were mucocutaneous (n = 4, 3%), visceral (n = 2, 1%) and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (n = 1, 1%). During this time period, the number of cases increased, especially after 2013. Most patients (n = 81, 52%) were migrants who were infected in their countries of origin (from 2013 to 2016, mainly Syria or Afghanistan). Other groups were Swedish tourists (25%) and returning workers (13%). The time from collection of the diagnostic sample to the start of treatment was less than one month in 81 (66%) patients and under three months in 124 patients (96%). Among the 149 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis, 125 patients received antileishmanial treatment, and in 88 of these patients (70%) cure was achieved, regardless of treatment. Conclusions: The number of leishmaniasis cases diagnosed in Sweden increased between 1996 and 2016, mainly in migrants from endemic countries. Although leishmaniasis is a rare disease in Sweden, patients appear to be diagnosed early and treated according to current European guidelines, resulting in an overall high cure rate.
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| 2. |
- Guery, Romain, et al.
(författare)
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Clinical diversity and treatment results in tegumentary leishmaniasis : A European clinical report in 459 patients
- 2021
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Ingår i: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1935-2727 .- 1935-2735. ; 15:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is frequent in travellers and can involve oro-nasal mucosae. Clinical presentation impacts therapeutic management. Methodology Demographic and clinical data from 459 travellers infected in 47 different countries were collected by members of the European LeishMan consortium. The infecting Leishmania species was identified in 198 patients. Principal findings Compared to Old World CL, New World CL was more frequently ulcerative (75% vs 47%), larger (3 vs 2cm), less frequently facial (17% vs 38%) and less frequently associated with mucosal involvement (2.7% vs 5.3%). Patients with mucosal lesions were older (58 vs 30 years) and more frequently immunocompromised (37% vs 3.5%) compared to patients with only skin lesions. Young adults infected in Latin America with L. braziliensis or L. guyanensis complex typically had an ulcer of the lower limbs with mucosal involvement in 5.8% of cases. Typically, infections with L. major and L. tropica acquired in Africa or the Middle East were not associated with mucosal lesions, while infections with L. infantum, acquired in Southern Europe resulted in slowly evolving facial lesions with mucosal involvement in 22% of cases. Local or systemic treatments were used in patients with different clinical presentations but resulted in similarly high cure rates (89% vs 86%). Conclusion/Significance CL acquired in L. infantum-endemic European and Mediterranean areas displays unexpected high rates of mucosal involvement comparable to those of CL acquired in Latin America, especially in immunocompromised patients. When used as per recommendations, local therapy is associated with high cure rates.
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| 3. |
- Ingefors, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Low 30-day mortality and low carbapenem-resistance in a decade of Acinetobacter bacteraemia in South Sweden
- 2022
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Ingår i: Infection Ecology and Epidemiology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2000-8686. ; 12:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The aim of this study was to provide a descriptive account of carbapenem resistance and risk factors for mortality from invasive Acinetobacter infections in the south of Sweden.Methods: Blood isolates with growth of Acinetobacter species between 2010 and 2019 in Skåne county were subtyped using MALDI-TOF and subjected to susceptibility testing against clinically relevant antibiotics. Association between risk factors and 30-day mortality were analysed in univariate and multivariate logistic regression models.Results: There were 179 bacteraemia episodes in 176 patients included in the study. The 30-day all-cause mortality was 16%. In all, two percent of Acinetobacter strains were carbapenem resistant. Independent risk factors associated with 30-day mortality in the multivariate regression model were Acinetobacter growth in all blood cultures drawn at the day of bacteraemia onset (OR 5.0, 95% CI: 1.8 to 13.7, p= 0.002), baseline functional capacity (1-4 points, OR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.2 to 3.4, p= 0.010) and correct empiric antibiotics at time of culture (OR 3.5 95% CI: 1.0 to 11.8, p= 0.045).Conclusion: This study on Acinetobacter bacteraemia in South Sweden found low 30-day mortality and low carbapenem-resistance rates compared to previous international studies which may be due to a higher rate of contaminant findings.
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| 4. |
- Ivarsson, Anna Clara, et al.
(författare)
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Head-to-head comparison of two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) kits for diagnosis of malaria in a non-endemic setting
- 2023
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Ingår i: Malaria Journal. - 1475-2875. ; 22:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Light microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) have long been the recommended diagnostic methods for malaria. However, in recent years, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) techniques have been shown to offer superior performance, in particular concerning low-grade parasitaemia, by delivering higher sensitivity and specificity with low laboratory capacity requirements in little more than an hour. In this study, the diagnostic performance of two LAMP kits were assessed head-to-head, compared to highly sensitive quantitative real time PCR (qPCR), in a non-endemic setting. Methods: In this retrospective validation study two LAMP kits; Alethia® Illumigene Malaria kit and HumaTurb Loopamp™ Malaria Pan Detection (PDT) kit, were evaluated head-to-head for detection of Plasmodium-DNA in 133 biobanked blood samples from suspected malaria cases at the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of Region Skåne, Sweden to determine their diagnostic performance compared to qPCR. Results: Of the 133 samples tested, qPCR detected Plasmodium DNA in 41 samples (defined as true positives), and the two LAMP methods detected 41 and 37 of those, respectively. The results from the HumaTurb Loopamp™ Malaria PDT kit were in complete congruence with the qPCR, with a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 91.40–100%) and specificity of 100% (95% CI 96.07–100%). The Alethia® Illumigene Malaria kit had a sensitivity of 90.24% (95% CI 76.87–97.28) and a specificity of 95.65% (95% CI 89.24–98.80) as compared to qPCR. Conclusions: This head-to-head comparison showed higher performance indicators of the HumaTurb Loopamp™ Malaria PDT kit compared to the Alethia® illumigene Malaria kit for detection of malaria.
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| 5. |
- Karlsson Söbirk, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Human Chemokines as Antimicrobial Peptides with Direct Parasiticidal Effect on Leishmania mexicana In Vitro.
- 2013
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 8:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chemokines and chemokine receptor-mediated effects are important mediators of the immunological response and cure in human leishmaniasis. However, in addition to their signalling properties for leukocytes, many chemokines have also been shown to act directly as antimicrobial peptides on bacteria and fungi. We screened ten human chemokines (CXCL2, CXCL6, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, CCL2, CCL3, CCL20, CCL27, CCL28) for antimicrobial effects on the promastigote form of the protozoan parasite Leishmania mexicana, and observed direct parasiticidal effects of several, CCL28 being the most potent. Damage to the plasma membrane integrity could be visualised by entrance of propidium iodide, as measured with flow cytometry, and by scanning electron microscopy, which showed morphological changes and aggregation of cells. The findings were in concordance with parasiticidal activity, measured by decreased mitochondrial activity in an MTT-assay. This is the first report of direct antimicrobial activity by chemokines on parasites. This component of immunity against Leishmania parasites identified here warrants further investigation that might lead to new insight in the mechanisms of human infection and/or new therapeutic approaches.
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| 6. |
- Karlsson Söbirk, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Imported leishmaniasis in Sweden 1993-2016
- 2018
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Ingår i: Epidemiology and Infection. - 0950-2688. ; 146:10, s. 1267-1274
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Sweden, leishmaniasis is an imported disease and its epidemiology and incidence were not known until now. We conducted a retrospective, nationwide, epidemiological study from 1993 to 2016. Probable cases were patients with leishmaniasis diagnoses reported to the Swedish Patient registry, collecting data on admitted patients in Swedish healthcare since 1993 and out-patient visits since 2001. Confirmed cases were those with a laboratory test positive for leishmaniasis during 1993-2016. 299 probable cases and 182 confirmed cases were identified. Annual incidence ranged from 0.023 to 0.35 per 100 000 with a rapid increase in the last 4 years. Of 182 laboratory-verified cases, 96 were diagnosed from 2013 to 2016, and in this group, almost half of the patients were children under 18 years. Patients presented in different healthcare settings in all regions of Sweden. Cutaneous leishmaniasis was the most common clinical manifestation and the majority of infections were acquired in Asia including the Middle East, specifically Syria and Afghanistan. Leishmania tropica was responsible for the majority of cases (42%). A combination of laboratory methods increased the sensitivity of diagnosis among confirmed cases. In 2016, one-tenth of the Swedish population were born in Leishmania-endemic countries and many Swedes travel to these countries for work or vacation. Swedish residents who have spent time in Leishmania-endemic areas, could be at risk of developing disease some time during their lives. Increased awareness and knowledge are needed for correct diagnosis and management of leishmaniasis in Sweden.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Rasmussen, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
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Clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis aggregate human platelets.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Microbes and Infection. - : Elsevier BV. - 1769-714X .- 1286-4579. ; 12, s. 295-301
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many endocarditis pathogens activate human platelets and this has been proposed to contribute to virulence. Here we report for the first time that many clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis, a common pathogen in infective endocarditis, aggregate human platelets. 84 isolates from human blood and urine were screened for their ability to aggregate platelets from four different donors. Platelet aggregation occurred for between 11 and 65 % of isolates depending on the donor. In one donor, a significantly larger proportion of isolates from blood than from urine caused platelet aggregation. Median time to aggregation was 11minutes and had a tendency to be shorter for blood isolates as compared to urine isolates. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was shown to be essential in mediating activation and aggregation. Platelet aggregation could be abolished by an IgG-specific proteinase (IdeS), by an antibody blocking FcRgammaIIa on platelets, or by preabsorption of plasma with an E. faecalis isolate. Fibrinogen binding to bacteria or platelets does not contribute to platelet activation or aggregation under our experimental conditions. These results indicate that platelet activation and aggregation by E. faecalis is dependent on both host and bacterial factors and that it may be involved in the pathogenesis of invasive disease with this organism.
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| 10. |
- Sunnerhagen, Torgny, et al.
(författare)
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Campylobacter infections with and without bacteraemia- a comparative retrospective population-based study
- 2024
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Ingår i: Open Forum Infectious Diseases. - 2328-8957. ; 11:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundBacteraemia with species in the genus Campylobacter is rare, and knowledge of the disease course in comparison to Campylobacter enteritis is limited.MethodsThis is a retrospective population-based study. Episodes of Campylobacter bacteraemia, and Campylobacter enteritis with a concurrent negative blood culture, that occurred between 2015 and 2022 in southern Sweden were identified through the laboratory database. Medical records were reviewed and clinical features between patients with bacteraemic Campylobacter infections were compared with patients with Campylobacter spp. found in faeces.ResultsA total of 29 bacteraemic infections with Campylobacter and 119 patients with Campylobacter spp. found in faeces were included. Patients with Campylobacter bacteraemia were statistically significantly older compared to patients with only enteritis (72 years, IQR 58-62 years, and 58 years, IQR 33-67 years, respectively, p < 0.0001). Eleven patients with bacteraemia developed sepsis within 48 hours from blood culturing and no patient died within 30 days from hospital admission.ConclusionsCampylobacter bacteraemia is rare and occurs mainly in the elderly with co-morbidities. In comparison to Campylobacter infections limited to the gastrointestinal tract, patients with bacteraemic Campylobacter infections are older and seem more prone to develop sepsis. Classical gastroenteritis symptoms in bacteraemic patients with Campylobacter may be absent.
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