A5033496360- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis
- Toxoplasma gondii Research Studies
- Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis
- Parvovirus B19 Infection Studies
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Neonatal Health and Biochemistry
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
- Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Diabetes and associated disorders
- RNA regulation and disease
- Infectious Diseases and Mycology
- Blood groups and transfusion
- Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia detection and treatment
- Legionella and Acanthamoeba research
- Hematological disorders and diagnostics
- Autoimmune and Inflammatory Disorders
- Nuclear Structure and Function
- Neonatal and Maternal Infections
- Orthopedic Infections and Treatments
University of Bologna
2014-2025
Azienda USL di Bologna
2021-2025
Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi
2010-2023
Fondazione Monte di Bologna and Ravenna
2016
Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta
2012
Institut Pasteur
1996-1997
University of Cambridge
1997
Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida et les Hépatites Virales
1997
Ministero della Salute
1997
Agence Nationale de la Recherche
1997
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) accounts for more than 20% of (TB) cases. Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) is a fully automated amplification system, which excellent results in the diagnosis pulmonary TB highly endemic countries have been recently reported. We aimed to assess performance system diagnosing EPTB low incidence setting. investigated with large number consecutive extrapulmonary clinical specimens (1,476, corresponding 1,068 patients) including both...
ABSTRACT The envelope glycoproteins of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) virions are incompletely characterized. We have analyzed complex formation between glycoprotein M (gM or gpUL100) and a second glycoprotein. gM-homologous proteins conserved throughout the herpesvirus family represent type III membrane containing multiple hydrophobic sequences. In extracellular HCMV particles, gM was found to be complexed through disulfide bonds protein with an apparent molecular mass 50 60 kDa. 50- 60-kDa...
Human aging is characterized by expanded and altered adaptive immune responses to human CMV (HCMV). It unclear whether this expansion has its origins in age-related homeostatic disturbances or viral reactivation, anti-CMV surveillance may still be effective, what are the consequences of response for health longevity. We conducted an observational cross-sectional study groups HCMV-seropositive subjects aged >or=65 y variable status compare intensity Ab against HCMV with those EBV CD4(+)...
Background Diagnosis of pulmonary (PTB) and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in smear-negative patients can be difficult. We assessed retrospectively the performance Xpert MTB/RIF system (Xpert, Cepheid) diagnosing (TB), which represents most common form TB a low incidence setting. Methods Performance was compared to acid-fast microscopic examination using Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stain with culture-confirmed TB. Results 386 Mycobacterium (MTB) culture-positive samples were detected out 5170...
Human cytomegalvirus (HCMV) ORF UL73 is a polymorphic locus, encoding the viral glycoprotein gpUL73-gN, component of gC-II envelope complex. The previously identified gN genomic variants, denoted gN-1, gN-2, gN-3 and gN-4, were further investigated in this work by analysing large panel HCMV clinical isolates collected from all over world (223 samples). Sequencing phylogenetic analysis confirmed existence four genotypes, but also allowed identification novel subgroup belonging to genotype,...
We have studied the effect of liposome encapsulation pigeon cytochrome-c (PCC) on its processing and presentation by peritoneal exudate cells B-cell hybridomas to antigen specific T in vitro. Encapsulation PCC liposomes modestly increased when macrophage was presenting cell but totally eliminated B hybridoma as determined IL-2 response. Using radiolabeled PCC, correlated with an increase uptake rate liposomal antigen. The elimination due inability this type internalize degrade encapsulated...
Chemokines play a major role in inflammatory responses and affect hematopoiesis both negatively positively. We show that fresh isolates laboratory strains (Towne Ad-169) of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) induce production the CC chemokine RANTES fibroblasts. Induction extracellular occurred as early 8 h after infection, peaked around 24 was almost undetectable by 48 72 h. Upregulation absence viral DNA synthesis, suggesting it due to immediate-early-early HCMV gene expression. CMV infection...
A fundamental step in the efficient production of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) progeny is viral egress from nucleus to cytoplasm infected cells. In family Herpesviridae, this process involves alteration nuclear lamina components by two highly conserved proteins, whose homologues HCMV are named pUL50 and pUL53. This study showed that infection induced mislocalization lamins pUL53 play a role event. At late stages infection, both lamin A/C B an irregular distribution on rim, coincident with...
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading cause of congenital infection, with morbidity and mortality at birth sequelae. Both host viral factors may affect outcome infection. CMV strain virulence depend on genetic variability in "key genes," such as UL73, which encodes envelope glycoprotein gN. This study aimed to ascertain role gN variants markers pathogenicity prognosis newborns congenitally infected CMV.Seventy-four were monitored for symptoms disease during long-term follow-up. The...
Background The new Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay (Ultra, Cepheid, Sunnyvale, USA) is a cartridge-based automated diagnostic test that can simultaneously identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and resistance to Rifampicin (RIF). With respect the previous version (Xpert), IS6110/IS1081 repetitive elements probes have been added allowing detection of lower MTB load, defined by semi-quantitative category "trace" with indeterminate RIF resistance. aim this study was evaluate performance on...
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), remains a major global health challenge. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) offers an invaluable tool for understanding genetic diversity and drug resistance profiles of MTBC. This study provides comprehensive WGS dataset 2,520 MTBC isolates collected from four Italian regions-Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio-between 2017 2020. The includes genomic data along with associated metadata, such as geographic location...
Clinical isolates of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) show differences in tissue tropism, severity clinical manifestations and ability to establish persistent or latent infections, characteristics that are thought be related genomic variation among strains. This work analysed the variants a new HCMV polymorphic locus, open reading frame (ORF) UL73. ORF encodes envelope glycoprotein gpUL73 (gN), which associates high molecular mass complex with its counterpart, gM, induces neutralizing antibody...
The diagnosis of latent or active tuberculosis in children is often challenging. Recently, interferon-γ release assays have been licensed, but their diagnostic accuracy young remains questionable as frequent false-negative indeterminate results reported.We performed a multicenter, retrospective study 0-24 months age who were tested at least once with QuantiFERON-TB Gold-in-tube (QTF-IT) ± tuberculin skin test (TST), to analyze its use and performance clinical practice.Eight-hundred...
Legionella spp. are widespread bacteria in aquatic environments with a growing impact on human health. Between the 61 species, pneumophila is most prevalent diseases; contrary, non- species less detected clinical diagnosis or during environmental surveillance due to their slow growth culture and absence of specific rapid diagnostic/analytical tools. Reliable isolate identification essential estimate source infection, undertake containment measures, determine treatment. Matrix-assisted laser...
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL53 belongs to a family of conserved herpesvirus genes. In this work, the expression and localization gene product was analysed. Results obtained showed that pUL53 is new structural protein. infected human fibroblasts, localizes in cytoplasmic perinuclear granular formations together with other viral proteins. nucleus, forms patches at nuclear periphery co-localizes lamin B internal membrane level. Immunoelectron microscopy studies have disclosed...
ABSTRACT The use of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRAs) for the diagnosis tuberculosis (TB) infection in children is still under debate because concerns about immature immune response children. aim this study was to investigate quantitative values QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) test, a commercially available IGRA, large cohort screened TB infection. A retrospective analysis conducted on samples from 517 aged 0 14 years old at Pediatric Unit S. Orsola-Malpighi University...
The diagnostic accuracy of Quantiferon-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) is uncertain in the pediatric population, while tuberculin skin test (TST) still conventionally used despite its limitations. aim this study was to compare performance QFT-IT with TST a large cohort children screened for tuberculosis (TB) infection because contact tracing, suspected TB, arrival from endemic country or immunosuppressive therapy.A retrospective analysis conducted on 517 0-14 years age evaluated at unit S....
Legionella spp. are Gram-negative bacteria that inhabit freshwater environments representing a serious risk for human health. pneumophila ( Lp ) is the species most frequently responsible severe pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. consists of 15 serogroups (Sgs), usually identified by monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. With regard to serogrouping, it well phenotyping methods do not have sufficiently high discriminating power, while genotypic although very effective, expensive and...
Immunological tests, including the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) assay, represent an important aid for diagnosing active tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infections in children, but concerns about their use children <5 years of age persist. This is a multicenter retrospective study comparing population 226 to 521 adults with pulmonary or extrapulmonary TB.