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opencc-zeroNov 2020View details →

Preparatory immunity: Seasonality of mucosal skin defenses and Batrachochytrium infections in Southern leopard frogs

<ol> <li>Accurately predicting the impacts of climate change on wildlife health requires a deeper understanding of seasonal rhythms in host–pathogen interactions. The amphibian pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), exhibits seasonality in incidence; however, the role that biological rhythms in host defences play in defining this pattern remains largely unknown.</li> <li>The aim of this study was to examine whether host immune and microbiome defences against Bd correspond with infection risk and seasonal fluctuations in temperature and humidity.</li> <li>Over the course of a year, five populations of Southern leopard frogs (Rana [Lithobates] sphenocephala) in Tennessee, United States, were surveyed for host immunity, microbiome and pathogen dynamics. Frogs were swabbed for pathogen load and skin bacterial diversity and stimulated to release stored antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Secretions were analysed to estimate total hydrophobic peptide concentrations, presence of known AMPs and effectiveness of Bd growth inhibition in vitro. The diversity and proportion of bacterial reads with a 99% match to sequences of isolates known to inhibit Bd growth in vitro were used as an estimate of predicted anti‐Bd function of the skin microbiome.</li> <li> Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis dynamics followed the expected seasonal fluctuations—peaks in cooler months—which coincided with when host mucosal defences were most potent against Bd. Specifically, the concentration and expression of stored AMPs cycled synchronously with Bd dynamics. Although microbiome changes followed more linear trends over time, the proportion of bacteria that can function to inhibit Bd growth was greatest when risk of Bd infection was highest.</li> <li>We interpret the increase in peptide storage in the fall and the shift to a more anti‐Bd microbiome over winter as a preparatory response for subsequent infection risk during the colder periods when AMP synthesis and bacterial growth is slow and pathogen pressure from this cool‐adapted fungus is high. Given that a decrease in stored AMP concentrations as temperatures warm in spring likely means greater secretion rates, the subsequent decrease in prevalence suggests seasonality of Bd in this host may be in part regulated by annual immune rhythms, and dominated by the effects of temperature.</li> </ol>

opencc-zeroDec 2020View details →

Disentangling interactions among mercury, immunity, and infection in a Neotropical bat community

<ol> <li>Contaminants such as mercury are pervasive and can have immunosuppressive effects on wildlife. Impaired immunity could be important for forecasting pathogen spillover risks, as many land-use changes that generate mercury contamination also bring wildlife into close contact with humans and domestic animals. However, the interactions among contaminants, immunity, and infection are difficult to study in natural systems, and empirical tests of possible directional relationships remain rare.</li> <li>We capitalized on extreme mercury variation in a diverse bat community in Belize to test association among contaminants, immunity, and infection. By comparing a previous dataset of bats sampled in 2014 with new data from 2017, representing a period of rapid agricultural land conversion, we first confirmed bat species more reliant on aquatic prey had higher fur mercury. Bats in the agricultural habitat also had higher mercury in recent years. We then tested covariation between mercury and cellular immunity and determined if such relationships mediated associations between mercury and common bacterial pathogens . As bat ecology can dictate exposure to mercury and pathogens, we also assessed species-specific patterns in mercury–infection relationships.</li> <li>Across the bat community, individuals with higher mercury had fewer neutrophils but not lymphocytes, suggesting stronger associations with innate immunity. However, the odds of infection for hemoplasmas and Bartonella spp. were generally lowest in bats with high mercury, and relationships between mercury and immunity did not mediate infection patterns. Mercury also showed species- and clade-specific relationships with infection, being associated with especially low odds for hemoplasmas in Pteronotus mesoamericanus and Dermanura phaeotis. For Bartonella spp., mercury was associated with particularly low odds in the genus Pteronotus but high odds in the Stenodermatinae.</li> <li> Synthesis and application: Lower general infection risk in bats with high mercury despite weaker innate defense suggests contaminant-driven loss of pathogen habitat (i.e., anemia) or vector mortality as possible causes. Greater attention to these potential pathways could help disentangle relationships among contaminants, immunity, and infection in anthropogenic habitats and help forecast disease risks. Our results also suggest contaminants may increase infection risk in some taxa but not others, emphasizing the importance of considering surveillance and management at different phylogenetic scales.</li> </ol>

opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

Data from: Effect of HIV and malaria parasites co-infection on immune-hematological profiles among patients attending anti-retroviral treatment (ART) clinic in Infectious Disease Hospital Kano, Nigeria

Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and malaria co-infection may present worse health outcomes in the tropics. Information on HIV/malaria co-infection effect on immune-hematological profiles is critical for patient care and there is a paucity of such data in Nigeria. Objective To evaluate immune-hematological profiles among HIV infected patients compared to HIV/malaria co-infected for ART management improvement. Methods This was a cross sectional study conducted at Infectious Disease Hospital, Kano. A total of 761 consenting adults attending ART clinic were randomly selected and recruited between June and December 2015. Participants' characteristics and clinical details including two previous CD4 counts were collected. Venous blood sample (4ml) was collected in EDTA tube for malaria parasite diagnosis by rapid test and confirmed with microscopy. Hematological profiles were analyzed by Sysmex XP-300 and CD4 count by Cyflow cytometry. Data was analyzed with SPSS 22.0 using Chi-Square test for association between HIV/malaria parasites co-infection with age groups, gender, ART, cotrimoxazole and usage of treated bed nets. Mean hematological profiles by HIV/malaria co-infection and HIV only were compared using independent t-test and mean CD4 count tested by mixed design repeated measures ANOVA. Statistical significant difference at probability of <0.05 was considered for all variables. Results Of the 761 HIV infected, 64% were females, with a mean age of ± (SD) 37.30 (10.4) years. Prevalence of HIV/malaria co-infection was 27.7% with Plasmodium falciparum specie accounting for 99.1%. No statistical significant difference was observed between HIV/malaria co-infection in association to age (p = 0.498) and gender (p = 0.789). A significantly (p = 0.026) higher prevalence (35.2%) of co-infection was observed among non-ART patients compared to (26%) ART patients. Prevalence of co-infection was significantly lower (20.0%) among cotrimoxazole users compared to those not on cotrimoxazole (37%). The same significantly lower co-infection prevalence (22.5%) was observed among treated bed net users compared to those not using treated bed nets (42.9%) (p = 0.001). Out of 16 hematology profiles evaluated, six showed significant difference between the two groups (i) packed cell volume (p = <0.001), (ii) mean cell volume (p = 0.005), (iii) mean cell hemoglobin concentration (p = 0.011), (iv) absolute lymphocyte count (p = 0.022), (v) neutrophil percentage count (p = 0.020) and (vi) platelets distribution width (p = <0.001). Current mean CD4 count cell/μl (349±12) was significantly higher in HIV infected only compared to co-infected (306±17), (p = 0.035). A significantly lower mean CD4 count (234.6 ± 6.9) was observed among respondents on ART compared to non-ART (372.5 ± 13.2), p<0.001, mean difference = -137.9). Conclusion The study revealed a high burden of HIV and malaria co-infection among the studied population. Co-infection was significantly lower among patients who use treated bed nets as well as cotrimoxazole chemotherapy and ART. Six hematological indices differed significantly between the two groups. Malaria and HIV co-infection significantly reduces CD4 count. In general, to achieve better management of all HIV patients in this setting, diagnosing malaria, prompt antiretroviral therapy, monitoring CD4 and some hematology indices on regular basis is critical.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Resveratrol supplementation reduces oxidative stress and modulates the immune response in free-living animals during a viral infection

1. Diet quality may have an important effect on the regulation of oxidative status and the immune system during an infectious disease. However, the relationship among intake of specific dietary molecules, an individual's oxidative status and the occurrence and progress of a viral disease remains almost unexplored in free-living organisms. 2. Here, we study a wild, long-lived animal, the Magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens to investigate: i) the differences in a number of physiological traits (biomarkers of blood oxidative status, corticosterone (CORT), immunity, and inflammation) between sick and healthy nestlings; and ii) whether experimentally increased intake of resveratrol (a polyphenol with antioxidant and antiviral properties) affects these physiological markers during the progress of a severe viral disease. 3. Birds with visible clinical signs showed higher oxidative damage, hemolysis and hemagglutination scores, and lower antioxidant defenses in comparison to birds without clinical signs. At the end of the experiment, supplemented birds showed: i) increased plasma haptoglobin levels and circulating antioxidant defenses; ii) reduced generation of lipid oxidative damage; and iii) negligible to no influence on immune markers, baseline CORT levels, and activity of antioxidant enzymes. 4. Our work illustrates how the availability of specific organic molecules in the diet may constrain the individuals' capacity to cope with viral infections in free-living animals.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Food limitation constrains host immune responses to nematode infections

Trade-offs in the allocation of finite-energy resources among immunological defences and other physiological processes are believed to influence infection risk and disease severity in food-limited wildlife populations. However, this prediction has received little experimental investigation. Here we test the hypothesis that food limitation impairs the ability of wild field voles (Microtus agrestis) to mount an immune response against parasite infections. We conducted a replicated experiment on vole populations maintained in large outdoor enclosures during boreal winter, using food supplementation and anthelmintic treatment of intestinal nematodes. Innate immune responses against intestinal parasite infections were compared between food-supplemented and non-supplemented voles. Voles with high food availability mounted stronger immune responses against intestinal nematode infections than food-limited voles. No food effects were seen in immune responses to intracellular coccidian parasites, possibly owing to their ability to avoid activation of innate immune pathways. Our findings demonstrate that food availability constrains vole immune responses against nematode infections, and support the concept that spatio-temporal heterogeneity in food availability creates variation in infectious disease susceptibility.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Comparison of the immune response during acute and chronic Staphylococcus aureus infection

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are able to grow in a planktonic state that is associated with acute infections and in biofilms that are associated with chronic infections. Acute infections, such as skin infections, are often self-limiting. However, chronic infections, such as implant infections, can be difficult to clear and may require surgical intervention. The host immune response may contribute to the different outcomes often associated with these two disease types. We used proteomic arrays and two murine models for an initial, descriptive characterization of the contribution of the host immune response to outcomes of acute versus chronic S. aureus disease. We compared the immune responses between a model of self-limiting skin and soft tissue infection caused by the planktonic form of S. aureus versus a model of surgical mesh implant infection, which we show to be caused by a bacterial biofilm. The significantly altered host cytokines and chemokines were largely different in the two models, with responses diminished by 21 days post-implantation in surgical mesh infection. Because bacterial levels remained constant during the 21 days that the surgical mesh infection was followed, those cytokines that are significantly increased during chronic infection are not likely effective in eradicating biofilm. Comparison of the levels of cytokines and chemokines in acute versus chronic S. aureus infection can provide a starting point for evaluation of the role of specific immune factors that are present in one disease manifestation but not the other.

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Infection of HSV1 in innate lymphoid cells leads to alienation of the mechanism of T/B-cell activation in the adaptive immune response-image

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opencc-by-4.0Apr 2024View details →

opencc-zeroFeb 2022View details →

Data from: Physiological and transcriptional immune responses of a non-model arthropod to infection with different entomopathogenic groups

Insect immune responses to multiple pathogen groups including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and entomopathogenic nematodes have traditionally been documented in model insects such as Drosophila melanogaster, or medically important insects such as Aedes aegypti. Despite their potential importance in understanding the efficacy of pathogens as biological control agents, these responses are infrequently studied in agriculturally important pests. Additionally, studies often neglect to investigate responses against different pathogen groups, and typically focus on only a single time point during infection. As such, a robust understanding of immune system responses over the time of infection is often lacking. This study was conducted to understand how 3rd instar larvae of the major insect pest Helicoverpa zea responded over time to infection by four different pathogenic groups: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and entomopathogenic nematodes. Physiological immune responses were assessed at 4-, 24-, and 48-hours post-infection by measuring hemolymph phenoloxidase concentrations, hemolymph prophenoloxidase concentrations, hemocyte counts, and encapsulation ability. Transcriptional immune responses were measured at 24-, 48-, and 72-hours post-infection by quantifying the expression of PPO2, Argonaute-2, JNK, Dorsal, and Relish. This gene set covers the major known immune pathways: phenoloxidase cascade, siRNA, JNK pathway, Toll pathway, and IMD pathway. Our results indicate H. zea has an extreme immune response to Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria, a mild response to Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus, and no detectable response to either the fungus Beauveria bassiana or Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes.

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Intramuscular prime/intranasal boost vaccination to induce sterilizing immunity against influenza A virus infection

Primary data of manuscript

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2024View details →

opencc-zeroSep 2021View details →

Stronger population differentiation at infection-sensing than infection-clearing innate immune loci in songbirds: different selective regimes for different defenses

Parasite-mediated selection is widespread at loci involved in immune defence, but different defences may experience different selective regimes. For defences involved in clearing infections, purifying selection favouring a single most efficacious allele likely predominates. However, for defences involved in sensing and recognizing infections, evolutionary arms races may make positive selection particularly important. This could manifest primarily within populations (e.g., balancing selection maintaining variation) or among them (e.g., spatially varying selection enhancing population differences in allele frequencies). We genotyped three toll-like receptors (TLR; involved in sensing infections) and three avian beta-defensins (involved in clearing infections) in 96 song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) from three breeding populations that differ in disease resistance. Variation-based indicators of selection (proportion of variable sites, proportion of nonsynonymous SNPs, proportion of sites bearing signatures of positive or purifying selection, rare allele frequencies) did not differ appreciably between the two locus types. However, differentiation was generally higher at infection-sensing than infection-clearing loci. Allele frequencies differed markedly at TLR3, driven by a variant predicted to alter protein function. Geographically structured variants at infection-sensing loci may reflect local adaptation to spatially heterogeneous parasite communities. Selective regimes experienced by infection-sensing versus infection-clearing loci may differ primarily due to parasite-mediated population differentiation.

A Comparison of Fluconazole and Ketoconazole in the Treatment of Fungal Infections of the Throat in Patients With Weakened Immune Systems

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT00002304. IPD Sharing: Not stated. Countries: 2. Publications: 1.

Analytical Treatment Interruption (ATI) to Assess the Immune System's Ability to Control HIV in Participants Who Became HIV-infected During the HVTN 704/HPTN 085 AMP Study

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT04801758. IPD Sharing: Not stated. Countries: 2. Publications: 0.

Evaluating the Safety and Immune Response to Two Pneumococcal Vaccines in HIV-Infected Pregnant Women

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT01443117. IPD Sharing: Not stated. Countries: 0. Publications: 2.

closedIPD-NOFeb 2026View details →

Adaptive Immune Responses and Repertoire in Influenza Vaccination and Infection (SLVP031)

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT03028987. IPD Sharing: NO. Countries: 1. Publications: 0.

Evaluation of the Association of Polymorphisms in the Innate Immune System With the Risk for Blastomycosis Dermatitidis Infection in Patients Not Infected With HIV and Complications Associated With Bl

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT00001702. IPD Sharing: Not stated. Countries: 1. Publications: 3.

Immune Response to Influenza Vaccine in HIV-Infected Individuals

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT00069914. IPD Sharing: Not stated. Countries: 1. Publications: 3.

closedIPD-NOFeb 2026View details →

Innate and Acquired Immunity to Influenza Infection and Immunization (SLVP029)

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT03028974. IPD Sharing: NO. Countries: 1. Publications: 0.

controlledIPD-YESFeb 2026View details →

Study to Evaluate the Safety and Immune Response of an Investigational Vaccine for the Prevention of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) and (hMPV) Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Participants Aged 6

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT06583031. IPD Sharing: YES. Countries: 1. Publications: 0.

Safety of and Immune Response to a Pneumococcal Vaccine (PncCV) in HIV Infected and Uninfected Children

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT00099658. IPD Sharing: Not stated. Countries: 0. Publications: 7.

Innate Immunity and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection in Children

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT00593918. IPD Sharing: Not stated. Countries: 1. Publications: 0.