Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection最新文献

{"title":"Incidence and impact of invasive fungal infection comparing post-transplant cyclophosphamide with cyclosporine plus methotrexate GVHD prophylaxis in allogeneic HSCT.","authors":"Yao-Chung Liu, Ting-An Lin, Nai-Wen Fan, Po-Shen Ko, Hao-Yuan Wang, Chun-Kuang Tsai, Sheng-Hsuan Chien, Chia-Jen Liu, Liang-Tsai Hsiao","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.11.012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmii.2024.11.012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In recent years, haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haploHSCT) with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) has become increasingly prevalent. However, the precise impact of invasive fungal disease (IFD) in relation to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis and donor type remains to be elucidated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, we analyzed data from 580 HSCT patients, comprising 80 patients who received haploidentical grafts and 500 patients who received grafts from other donor types. PTCy was exclusively administered to haploidentical HSCT recipients, while cyclosporine A (CsA) in combination with short-course methotrexate (scMTX) was used for patients receiving grafts from other donors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The IFD rate by PTCy and CsA plus scMTX was 15 % and 15.6 %, respectively. At 6 months and 1 year post-transplant, the cumulative incidence of IFD was 9.4 % and 14.8 % for the PTCy group, and 7.9 % and 12.3 % for the CsA plus scMTX group, respectively. Both groups exhibited poor survival outcomes associated with IFD. Identified risk factors for IFD included age ≥ 45 years, disease relapse, and grade III-IV acute GVHD. Aspergillus spp. and Candida spp. were the most commonly isolated pathogens. High rate of cytomegalovirus reactivation was also noticed in PTCy or CsA plus scMTX group, but not a risk factor for IFD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The similar IFD rate between haploHSCT with PTCy and others with CsA plus scMTX was documented, with Aspergillus spp. and Candida spp. as the most common pathogens. Further research is needed to investigate IFD following haploHSCT with PTCy and to explore differences with other types of allogeneic HSCT.</p>","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142775053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel Diguanylate cyclase VdcR has multifaceted regulatory functions in the pathogenicity of Vibrio vulnificus.","authors":"Yi-Wen Chen, Tien-Sheng Tseng, Kai-Ting Chen, Shu-Jung Lai","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.11.013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmii.2024.11.013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram-negative pathogen that infects humans through foodborne or wound infections. Victims of V. vulnificus infections face significant health risks, including cellulitis and septicemia, which have rapid disease progression and high mortality rates. Diguanylate cyclase is responsible for producing the secondary messenger cyclic di-GMP. It plays a crucial role in regulating various bacterial physiological processes, such as motility, toxicity, and pathogenicity, through transcriptional regulation and affecting cyclic di-GMP levels. However, the DGC-mediated pathogenicity regulation in V. vulnificus is still unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The vdcR gene in V. vulnificus was studied using a deletion strain (ΔVdcR) and an overexpression strain (oeVdcR) to understand its role in regulating the bacterium's pathogenicity. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay and RT-qPCR confirmed VdcR's impact on phosphodiesterase gene expression. To investigate how VdcR affects pathogenicity, V. vulnificus variant strains were assays for hemolysis, metalloprotease activity, cytotoxicity, resistance to phagocytosis, and lethality assays of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans after infection.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study discovered a virulence-associated diguanylate cyclase, VdcR, which serves as a transcriptional regulator to induce phosphodiesterases and reduce the accumulation of cyclic di-GMP. VdcR expression resulted in low hemolysis, metalloprotease, and cytotoxicity activity. It also improved the cell adhesion ability and anti-phagocytosis activity to infect the host cell and escape the macrophage phagocytosis. The constitutively expressed VdcR in V. vulnificus caused low mortality rates in Caenorhabditis elegans survival assays.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The above evidence demonstrated that VdcR suppresses the pathogenicity in V. vulnificus YJ016.</p>","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142775029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drug monitoring was conducted for rifapentine among people with HIV receiving dolutegravir containing antiretroviral therapy and latent tuberculosis treatment.","authors":"Jeng-Hung Chen, Yi-Chun Lin, Cheng-Pin Chen, Shu-Hsing Cheng, Hui-Chun Hu, Hsiu-Wen Yeh, Hui-Ting Shieh, Chien-Yu Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.11.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmii.2024.11.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The proportion of trough plasma concentration of dolutegravir (DTG) above protein adjusted 90 % inhibition concentration (IC90) (0.064 mg/L) was 98.1 % across all visits during the twelve doses of once-weekly rifapentine and isoniazid (3HP) in people with HIV (PWH). Furthermore, the participants maintained a high rate of HIV viral suppression (98 %) within 6 months after completing 3HP.</p>","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142677858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Putative pathogenic factors underlying Streptococcus oralis opportunistic infections","authors":"Jing-Yi Ren, Hong-Qiang Yu, Sheng Xu, Wen-Juan Zhou, Zhong-Hao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.09.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmii.2024.09.001","url":null,"abstract":", belonging to the viridans group streptococci (VGS), has been considered a component of the normal flora predominantly inhabiting the oral cavity. In recent years, a growing body of literature has revealed that dental procedures or daily tooth brushing activities can cause the spread of from the oral cavity into various body sites leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections such as infective endocarditis (IE) and meningitis. However, very little is currently known about the pathogenicity of . Thus, the aim of this review is to update the current understanding of the pathogenic potential of to pave the way for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections.","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":"251 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142207777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clofazimine and QT prolongation in the treatment of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: Findings of aDSM in Taiwan","authors":"Chou-Jui Lin ,&nbsp;Jin-Hua Chen ,&nbsp;Shun-Tien Chien ,&nbsp;Yi-Wen Huang ,&nbsp;Chih-Bin Lin ,&nbsp;Jen-Jyh Lee ,&nbsp;Chih-Hsin Lee ,&nbsp;Ming-Chih Yu ,&nbsp;Chen-Yuan Chiang","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.08.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.08.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Bedaquiline, delamanid and fluoroquinolones are associated with increased QTcF. Whether clofazimine is associated with QTcF prolongation is less clear.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>All patients with rifampicin-resistant TB enrolled between May 2017 and Dec 2019 were included. ECGs were performed at baseline, month 1, month 3 and month 6 for patients treated with conventional regimens, and at additional timepoint for patients treated with bedaquiline, delamanid and short regimen. We estimated the maximum increase of QTcF and constructed cox proportional hazards models to assess factors associated with QTcF≥501ms.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Among 321 patients, 59 (18.4%) patients had QTcF≥501ms during a mean follow-up of 242 days (median 189, range 4–1091). The median maximum increase of QTcF was 43.4 ms (IQR 31.3–65.9) in patients treated with clofazimine. Treatment with clofazimine was significantly associated with QTcF≥501ms as compared to without clofazimine (adjusted hazards ratio (adjHR) 4.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.01–9.44). Among patients not treated with bedaquiline and delamanid, those treated with clofazimine and a fluoroquinolone (adjHR 3.43, 95% CI 1.61–7.34) and those treated with clofazimine and high dose moxifloxacin (adjHR 6.54, 95% CI 2.43–17.60) had a significantly higher risk of QTcF≥501ms as compared to those treated with a fluoroquinolone without other QTcF prolonging agents. Four (1.6%) patients had documented ventricular tachycardia, in which one was Torsade de pointes. One patient was found to have sudden death during hospitalization.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Clofazimine was significantly associated with an increased risk of QTcF prolongation. QTcF≥501ms was potentially associated with fatal event and needed to be managed cautiously.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":"57 5","pages":"Pages 791-800"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1684118224001464/pdfft?md5=09591c0da3b02e01c30cbeef369b0c1b&pid=1-s2.0-S1684118224001464-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142006010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bacterial profile, and independent predictors for healthcare-associated pneumonia persistently caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria for patients with the preceding multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pneumonia in Taiwan","authors":"Li-Kuo Kuo ,&nbsp;Hou-Tai Chang ,&nbsp;Shun-Chung Hsueh ,&nbsp;I-Min Liu ,&nbsp;Po-Chuen Hsieh ,&nbsp;Shio-Shin Jean","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><p>To understand the microbial profile and investigate the independent predictors for healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) pertinaciously caused by isolates of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB).</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Multicenter ICU patients who received appropriate antibiotic treatments for preceding pneumonia due to MDR GNB isolates and subsequently developed HCAP caused by either MDR GNB (n = 126) or non-MDR GNB (n = 40) isolates in Taiwan between 2018 and 2023 were enrolled. Between the groups of patients with HCAP due to MDR GNB and non-MDR GNB, the proportions of the following variables, including demographic characteristics, important co-morbidities, nursing home residence, physiological severity, intervals between two hospitalizations, steroid use, the tracheostomy tube use alone, ventilator support, and the predominant GNB species involving HCAP, were analyzed using the chi-square test. Logistic regression was employed to explore the independent predictors for HCAP persistently caused by MDR GNB in the aforementioned variables with a <em>P</em>-value of &lt;0.15 in the univariate analysis.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>MDR-<em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em>, <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>, and <em>Acinetobacter baumannii</em> complex were the three predominant species causing HCAP. Chronic structural lung disorders, diabetes mellitus, intervals of ≤30 days between two hospitalizations, use of the tracheostomy tube alone, and prior pneumonia caused by MDR <em>A. baumannii</em> complex were shown to independently predict the HCAP tenaciously caused by MDR GNB. Conversely, the preceding pneumonia caused by MDR <em>P. aeruginosa</em> was a negative predictor.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Identifying predictors for HCAP persistently caused by MDR GNB is crucial for prescribing appropriate antibiotics.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":"57 5","pages":"Pages 801-811"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S168411822400121X/pdfft?md5=1df95c0509fa51081cc6f881e4d055d5&pid=1-s2.0-S168411822400121X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141989612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human Strongyloides stercoralis infection","authors":"Ruibing Yang, Meiyining Xu, Lichao zhang, Yao Liao, Yuheng Liu, Xiaoyan Deng, Lifu Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.010","url":null,"abstract":"is an important soil-transmitted helminth occurring world-wide and affecting 30–100 million people. Because many cases are asymptomatic and sensitive diagnostic methods are lacking, infection is frequently underdiagnosed. The increasing incidence of autoimmune and wasting diseases and increased use of immunosuppressive agents, as well as the increased use of immunosuppressants and cytotoxic drugs, have increased infection and their mortality. This review provides information about epidemiology, life cycle, aetiology, pathology, comorbidities, immunology, vaccines, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, control and makes some recommendations for future prevention and control of this important parasite.","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141969217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"RAGE participates in the intracellular transport of Campylobacter jejuni cytolethal distending toxin","authors":"Yu-Fang Chang ,&nbsp;Yi-Ping Huang ,&nbsp;Chia-Huei Chou ,&nbsp;Mao-Wang Ho ,&nbsp;Hwai-Jeng Lin ,&nbsp;Chun-Ya Chen ,&nbsp;Hui-Yu Wu ,&nbsp;Yi-Ru Lai ,&nbsp;Yuan-Haw Lee ,&nbsp;Cheng-Hsun Chiu ,&nbsp;Chih-Ho Lai","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) belongs to the genotoxin family and is closely related to <em>Campylobacter jejuni</em>-associated gastroenteritis. We recently reported that CDT triggers the danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) signaling to exert deleterious effects on host cells. However, how CDT traffics in cells and the mechanism of CDT intoxication remain to be elucidated.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Recombinant CDT subunits (CdtA, CdtB, and CdtC) were purified, and their activity was characterized in gastrointestinal cells. Molecular approaches and image tracking were employed to analyze the delivery of CDT in host cells.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>In this study, we found that CDT interacts with the receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) to enter the cells. Our results further showed that CdtB transport in cells through the dynamin-dependent endocytic pathway and lysosome is involved in this process. Conversely, blockage of RAGE signaling resulted in a reduction in CDT-arrested cell cycles, indicating that RAGE is involved in CDT intracellular transport and its subsequent pathogenesis.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Our results demonstrate that RAGE is important for CDT trafficking in the cells. These findings expand our understanding of important issues related to host cell intoxication by <em>C. jejuni</em> CDT.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":"57 5","pages":"Pages 709-719"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S168411822400118X/pdfft?md5=a3484fdd0b8722779904c781aae8d6e9&pid=1-s2.0-S168411822400118X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142006011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with candidemia during the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights from experience in the Omicron era","authors":"Geng-Lou Lin ,&nbsp;Po-Hsun Chang ,&nbsp;Ing-Kit Lee ,&nbsp;Yi-Chun Chen ,&nbsp;Chen-Hsiang Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>In Taiwan, COVID-19 outbreaks caused by the Omicron variant occurred in 2022. We investigated the incidence of candidemia during COVID-19 pandemic and the mortality of candidemia patients with COVID-19 in Taiwan.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>The incidence of candidemia and fluconazole susceptibility of <em>Candida</em> species before (2015–2019) and during COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023) at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital were investigated. The associated factors with mortality in candidemia patients during COVID-19 pandemic were analyzed. Candidemia patients who had COVID-19 within the prior 90 days (case group, n = 34) were propensity-score matched for age, ICU admission, and abdominal surgery in a 1:4 ratio with candidemia patients without COVID-19 (control group, n = 136).</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01–1.03), ICU stay (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.29–2.62), higher Charlson comorbidity index (AOR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03–1.13), corticosteroid use (AOR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.04–2.17) were associated with increased risk of mortality; abdominal surgery (AOR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.29–0.74) and infected by <em>Candida parapsilosis</em> (AOR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38–0.98) were associated with decreased risk of mortality. After matching, there was no significant difference in mortality rates between the case and control groups. The incidence of candidemia increased from 196 to 278 patients/100,000 admissions during COVID-19 pandemic, while the causative species of candidemia and fluconazole susceptibility rates were similar.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>While the incidence of candidemia increased during COVID-19 pandemic, there was no significant difference in mortality between candidemia patients with and without COVID-19 in the Omicron era.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":"57 5","pages":"Pages 812-821"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1684118224001257/pdfft?md5=723511a1fb812240f021457f122de9e3&pid=1-s2.0-S1684118224001257-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141918207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Higher hepatitis B core-specific T cell response is associated with a lower risk of clinical relapse after discontinuation of oral antiviral treatment","authors":"Tai-Chung Tseng ,&nbsp;Huei-Ru Cheng ,&nbsp;Tung-Hung Su ,&nbsp;Ping-Hung Lin ,&nbsp;Chih-Chiang Wang ,&nbsp;Hung-Chih Yang ,&nbsp;Cheng-Shiue Tsai ,&nbsp;Chun-Jen Liu ,&nbsp;Pei-Jer Chen ,&nbsp;Jia-Horng Kao","doi":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmii.2024.07.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific T cell response is a major host immune response to control the virus. However, it is still unclear how it affects long-term outcomes of chronic hepatitis B patients, especially those who stop nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) therapy. We aimed to explore whether the HBV-specific T cell response at the end of treatment (EOT) was associated with clinical outcomes.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>In a prospective cohort study, 51 HBeAg-negative patients who discontinued NA therapy were enrolled.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>In a mean follow-up of 25.3 months, 25 patients developed clinical relapse. We found that a stronger hepatitis B core (HBc)-specific T cell response at EOT was associated with a lower risk of clinical relapse. Compared to the low-response group, the high-response group had a lower risk of clinical relapse with hazard ratio of 0.21 (95% CI: 0.05–0.88). The high HBc-specific T cell response was associated with reduced surge of HBV DNA and HBcrAg during the first year of follow-up. The T cell response at EOT was comparable between different NA treatments. Notably, the overall HBV-specific T cell response could be partially restored along with clinical relapse; however, such reinvigorated T cell response was not associated with HBsAg seroclearance.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>A higher HBc-specific T cell response at EOT was associated with lower risk of clinical relapse and reduced surge of HBV DNA and HBcrAg levels off NA therapy.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56117,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection","volume":"57 5","pages":"Pages 700-708"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1684118224001233/pdfft?md5=6392c5baa333bdf05483b950e1f21702&pid=1-s2.0-S1684118224001233-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141940246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}