2024年 · 第04卷第04期

Forty years have passed since the initial discovery and isolation of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in 1984.^[1,2]At the end of 2022, approximately 85.6 million people had been infected with the virus, and 40.4 million had died from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related illnesses globally.^[3]An estimated 39.0 million people live with HIV (PLH) worldwide.^[3]In 2021, the United Nations issued a new political declaration on HIV/AIDS, which commits to urgent and transformative actions to end AIDS by 2030.^[4]This political declaration urges countries to provide a combination of people-centered and effective HIV prevention options to 95% of all people at risk of HIV and to ensure that 95% of PLH know their HIV status, 95% of PLH who know their status receive HIV treatment, and 95% of PLH who undergo HIV treatment achieve viral suppression by 2025 ( "95-95-95-95" targets).^[4]

This year marks a new era for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention for infants in China, as it is the first time since the detection of RSV that we have an option, namely, the long-acting monoclonal antibody nirsevimab, to prevent the infection and associated disease burden. We highly support the recent Chinese expert consensus that recommends nirsevimab as a new strategy for preventing RSV infections among infants born before or during their first RSV season, whether or not they have risk conditions putting them at higher risk of severe RSV disease.^[1]

Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is a major global health issue leading to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently available treatments have limited efficacy in completely eradicating the virus.^[1]The persistence of HBV is largely due to the virus’s ability to induce a dysfunctional state in CD8+ T cells. One of the critical questions is why HBV-specific CD8+ T cells become dysfunctional and how this dysfunction can be reversed.^[2,3]

Although COVID-19 no longer constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern", which still has being spreading around the world at a low level. Small molecule drugs are the main antiviral treatment for novel coronavirus recommended in China. Although a variety of small-molecule antiviral drugs against COVID-19 have been listed in China, there is no specific drug recommendation for special populations. Society of Bacterial Infection and Resistance of Chinese Medical Association, together with the National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, and the National Center for Respiratory Medicine, organized domestic experts in various fields such as respiratory, virology, infection, critical care, emergency medicine and pharmacy to release Expert Consensus on the Clinical Application of Oral Small-Molecule Antiviral Drugs against COVID-19. The main content of this consensus includes the introduction of seven small-molecule antiviral drugs against COVID-19, focusing on the drug recommendations for 14 special groups such as the elderly, patients with complicated chronic diseases, tumor patients, pregnant women, and children, and providing suggestions for clinicians to standardize drug use.

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Since infections can lead to adverse outcomes in autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBD), this study aimed to analyze infection characteristics in AIBD, predict infection risk factors and provide probable suggestions to infection prevention, which will spot a light on early discovery and prevention of infections in AIBD patients.

This is a retrospective study of the medical records of inpatients diagnosed with AIBD at the Department of Infectious Diseases and Dermatology, Huashan Hospital from January 2017 to December 2021. We collected patients’ clinical manifestations and laboratory examination results. Risk factors for infections were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression.

A total of 263 AIBD patients were included in the study. The overall incidence of infection was 42.2% (111/263). Pemphigus had a higher infection rate (74/142, 52.1%) than bullous pemphigoid (37/121, 30.6%). Among the patients with infections, 49.5% (55/111) had bacterial infections, 13.5% (15/111) had fungal infections, 2.7% (3/111) had virus infections, and 34.2% (38/111) had mixed infections. Staphylococcus aureus and Candida were the most common pathogens in localized infections, while Cryptococcus and Candida were predominant in systemic infections. In the multivariate logistic model, pemphigus (odds ratio [OR] = 2.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.41-4.63), hypoalbuminemia (OR = 3.78, 95% CI 1.68-8.50), and systemic glucocorticoid treatment (OR = 4.67, 95% CI 2.51-8.68) were independent risk factors for infection in AIBD patients. Bullous pemphigoid (OR = 3.99, 95% CI 1.03-15.45), high-dose (average > 24 mg/day) compared to low-dose (average ≤ 6 mg/day) and medium-dose (average 6-24 mg/day) systemic glucocorticoid treatment (OR = 19.31, 95% CI 3.32-112.28, and OR = 5.71, 95% CI 1.37-23.79) were associated with increased risk factors of systemic infection in AIBD patients with systemic glucocorticoid treatment. A methylprednisolone dose averaging 14 mg/day over the past three months had a 75.0% positive predictive value for infections in AIBD patients.

The incidence of infection in AIBD patients is high, with a broad spectrum of pathogens and infection locations. AIBD patients undergoing systemic glucocorticoid treatment, especially those receiving high doses in the previous three months, should be cautious about infection.

While some studies have reported the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on immune recovery and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoirs in persons living with HIV (PLWH), their findings remain inconsistent. Furthermore, limited data exist on the safety of multiple COVID-19 vaccines among PLWH. This study aimed to investigate the safety of heterological COVID-19 vaccine administration in PLWH receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) and its effects on HIV reservoirs and immune recovery. Such an investigation can help provide a basis for vaccinations against COVID-19 in PLWH.

In this cross-sectional study, PLWH receiving ART were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Fifth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital from September 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. Fifty-three PLWH receiving ART were vaccinated against COVID-19, with 35 receiving an inactivated vaccine (IN group) and 18 receiving a recombinant protein (CHO cells) vaccine (CHO group) as the third dose. We assessed the changes in liver and kidney functions, blood lipids, and other laboratory parameters at 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, and 13 months after the first vaccination dose. We also monitored CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell counts using flow cytometry at 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, and 13 months after the first vaccination dose, as well as levels of cell-associated HIV DNA (CA HIV DNA) and cell-associated HIV RNA (CA HIV RNA) in peripheral blood using the corresponding quantitative detection kits at 0, 2, and 8 months after the first vaccination dose.

No severe adverse events related to either type of COVID-19 vaccine were observed in HIV patients, irrespective of their CD4⁺ T cell levels. Both the IN and CHO groups showed significant increases in CD4⁺ T cell counts during follow-up, CD4⁺ T cells increased from 438 ± 45 cells/μL to 557 ± 48 cells/μL in the CHO group, while in the IN group, it increased from 448 ± 34 cells/μL to 572 ± 39 cells/μL (both P < 0.001). CA HIV DNA initially decreased and then increased in both groups. CA HIV RNA levels showed significantly decreased in both group after three doses of vaccination (P < 0.01 in CHO group and P < 0.001 in IN group). CD8⁺ T cells increased from 608 ± 77 cells/μL to 812 ± 116 cells/μL in the CHO group (P < 0.01), while in the IN group, it increased from 702 ± 71 cells/μL to 852 ± 68 cells/μL(P < 0.001) from baseline to the 13 month of following up.

Our data suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccine is safe for PLWH on ART, although it may affect HIV reservoirs and CD8⁺ T cell counts.

Schistosomiasis is a prevalent health issue in numerous countries in Africa, Asia, and South America. Data regarding the coinfection of schistosomiasis with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is limited, yet this coinfection is prevalent in regions where schistosomiasis is endemic. The extent of the coinfection issue is evident in countries with a high prevalence of both diseases, such as Egypt. Coinfections with schistosomiasis result in more pronounced liver damage compared with an HCV infection alone. Schistosomiasis has been found to disrupt HCV-specific T-cell responses, resulting in high viral load, increased likelihood of HCV chronicity, and accelerated development of comorbidities in individuals with coinfection. Introducing new, directly acting antivirals for HCV treatment resulted in a marked shift in the disease landscape. This shift may have an impact on the incidence of coinfection with schistosomiasis. This review emphasizes the notable influence of schistosomiasis on the vulnerability to HCV coinfection, the gravity of the consequent liver pathology, and the effectiveness of HCV antiviral therapy.

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, renowned for its successes in cancer treatment, is now entering the field of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) therapy, presenting both opportunities and challenges. With the emergence of broadly neutralizing antibodies, multi-target CARs, and T cell receptor-like antibodies aimed at increasing specificity in targeting HIV reservoirs, CAR-T therapy is synergizing with other cutting-edge treatments, including gene-editing technologies, therapeutic vaccines, and latency-reversing agents, in pursuit of a potential functional cure. In this review, we delve into the role of CAR-T therapy in HIV treatment, highlighting its potential to overcome clinical obstacles. We discuss advancements in targeting strategies within CAR constructs and the intricate regulation of T cell proliferation and chemotaxis. Moreover, we explore the use of diverse immune cells, such as gamma-delta T cells and natural killer cells. We review advanced biotechnologies, manufacturing innovations, viral mechanisms, and immune microenvironments. We also discuss the current research landscape and potential future applications of CAR-T therapy against HIV, which remains a critical global health challenge.

West Nile virus (WNV) is an important arbovirus that affects both animals and humans. It is a flavivirus member of the Flaviviridae family and is primarily spread byCulexmosquitoes. The main enzootic cycle of WNV occurs between birds and mosquitoes, with horses and humans serving as dead-end hosts. Although most human infections are inapparent, the virus can cause flu-like malaise (20%) and severe neuroinvasive disorders (<1%), and there is no specific treatment or approved human vaccines.^[1]WNV was first reported in 1937 in a febrile woman in the West Nile District of Uganda. Over the decades, WNV has caused numerous outbreaks worldwide, ranging from mild febrile illness to severe meningoencephalitis, particularly in the elderly.^[2]