15 research outputs found
Evaluation of the new 2.0 version of the Roche SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test
No full text<p>We evaluated the new 2.0 version of the Roche Diagnostics SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT 2.0) for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Our evaluation material comprised of nasopharyngeal samples of 140 persons positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) and of 100 persons negative for SARS-CoV-2 NAAT. The sensitivity limit of the RAT 2.0 was further estimated with the additional selected samples of 27 persons with high NAAT cycle threshold (Ct) value representing low viral load. For the detection of possible cross-reactions in the RAT 2.0, routine respiratory samples positive for influenza A (N = 5), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (N = 4), or combined RSV and human coronavirus OC43 (N = 1) were included in the study material. The overall sensitivity of the RAT 2.0 was 92.1% and specificity 100%. When evaluating the samples with NAAT Ct value ≤ 30, the sensitivity was 97.0%. All samples for cross-reactivity testing containing other viruses instead of SARS-CoV-2 remained negative in RAT 2.0. According to our findings, this RAT 2.0 offers a reliable tool for the diagnostics of acute COVID-19 in this pandemic environment.</p>Non peer reviewe
Novel Biomarkers: Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor and Procalcitonin- and Histological Chorioamnionitis after Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes
No full textFetal inflammatory response syndrome or infection after preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) increases neonatal morbidity in preterm deliveries. Biochemical markers from the amniotic fluid (AF) have been used to evaluate possible intra-amniotic infection during the asymptomatic phase after PPROM. This study aimed to describe whether soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) or procalcitonin (PCT) from AF or maternal sera could reveal fetal inflammatory response or infection after PPROM. AF and maternal serum samples were collected weekly after PPROM (23+ 0 − 34+ 6 gestational weeks) until delivery from twenty women and two women with possible chorioamnionitis with intact membranes. Levels of suPAR, PCT, interleukin-6 (IL-6), glucose, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and bacterial PCR were determined from AF and suPAR and PCT and IL-6 from maternal sera. Fetal infection or inflammation response were determined by the histology of the placenta after delivery. AF glucose was significantly lower and AF LDH higher in the fetal site histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) group, while AF suPAR concentrations tended to be higher in this group. AF suPAR correlated significantly with AF glucose and LDH. Based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, AF glucose had the best predictability for fetal site histological chorioamnionitis. The findings of AF PCT were insignificant considering HCA. AF glucose had the highest accuracy in predicting fetal site histologic chorioamnionitis. AF suPAR may be a promising marker; however, our findings were limited by a small study population.Peer reviewe
Effect of aging on the transcriptomic changes associated with the expression of the HERV-K (HML-2) provirus at 1q22
No full textPregestational overweight and obesity are associated with differences in gut microbiota composition and systemic inflammation in the third trimester
No full textThe obesity epidemic is a global challenge, and the velocity of propagation is high in the population at reproductive age. Overweight and obesity during pregnancy have been associated with high birth weight and an increased risk of childhood obesity, reinforcing the risk of other non-communicable diseases. Obesity involves chronic low-grade systemic inflammation. New biomarkers for early detection of obesity risk are urgently required. The aim of this study was to identify the connection between pregestational BMI (pre-BMI) status and inflammatory biomarkers during the third trimester of pregnancy and their association with intestinal microbiota composition. Fifty-four pregnant women were classified according to pre-pregnancy BMI as normoweight, overweight, or obese. Weight gain, inflammatory biomarkers (hs_CRP, haptoglobin, and suPAR), and microbiota composition were assessed during the third trimester. A significant lower weight gain for obese mothers and a positive correlation between pre-BMI and inflammatory biomarkers were detected (Spearman's correlation). Haptoglobin levels were significantly higher in overweight and obese mothers. Higher Firmicutes levels and a higher ratio Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes were observed in the overweight and obese subjects. High hs_CRP and haptoglobin levels were also correlated with decreased microbiota diversity (Shannon index), whereas haptoglobin and hs_CRP values were correlated with several microbiota components, such as Ruminococcus gnavus and Faecalibacterium, and with specific phyla in the normoweight and overweight mothers; no significant associations with microbiota were found for suPAR. In conclusion, haptoglobin and hs_CRP reflected pregestational BMI status and related microbiota components, but haptoglobin was a better biomarker for microbiota associated with overweight. suPAR was associated with low grade inflammation dependent on pre-pregnancy BMI, but it was not related to deviated microbiota profiles
Relative abundance of bacterial taxa at various taxonomic levels in association with pre-BMI status.
No full textRelative abundance of bacterial taxa at various taxonomic levels in association with pre-BMI status.</p
Maternal and pregnancy clinical characteristics.
No full textMaternal and pregnancy clinical characteristics.</p
Serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers in pregnant women at third trimester.
No full text(a) Haptoglobin (Haptog); (b) soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), and (c) high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels in normoweight (N/W), overweight (O/W), and obese (O/O) pregnant women. *Significant differences compared to N/W with p value < 0.05 (Mann Whitney U test).</p
Associations between inflammatory biomarkers with microbiota diversity (Shannon index) and richness (Chao1 index).
No full textSpearman's rank correlation coefficient (Rho) for (a) hs_CRP and (b) haptoglobin. No associations were found for suPAR.</p
Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in gut microbiota at third trimester of pregnancy.
No full textNormoweight (N/W), overweight (O/W), and obese (O/O) mothers. *Significant differences compared to N/W with p value < 0.05 (Mann Whitney U test).</p
Associations between microbiome and serum biomarkers and pregestational BMI.
No full textHeatmap generated from Spearman rank test correlation analysis shows associations between hs_CRP, haptog, suPAR and pre-BMI and abundance (Square root transformed data) of specific bacterial genera. Red to blue scale: positive to negative associations.</p
