Pelvic Hydatid Cyst with Hydroureteronephrosis: A Rare Case Report

Hydatid cyst is a parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus or Echinococcus multilocularis. Humans are accidentally infected with the parasite. The cyst is usually found in the liver and lungs and rarely occurs in other body parts. The present article describes a rare case of pelvic hydatid cyst in a young man who presented with nausea, vomiting, and right abdominal pain. Two large cystic masses were discovered during a CT scan in the patient’s pelvic region, resulting in right urinary tract hydroureteronephrosis. Additionally, the antibody index was used to confirm the presence of a primary hydatid cyst.

COVID19 vaccine type and humoral immune response in patients receiving dialysis

Background Patients on dialysis vaccinated with the attenuated adenovirus SARS-CoV-2 vaccine might mount an impaired response to vaccination. Methods We evaluated the humoral vaccination response among 2,099 fully vaccinated patients receiving dialysis. We used commercially available assays (Siemens) to assess prevalence of no response or diminished response to COVID-19 vaccination by vaccine type. We defined no seroconversion as lack of change from negative to positive in total RBD Ig antibody, no detectable response on semiquantitative RBD IgG antibody (index value <1) as no RBD IgG response, and a semiquantitative RBD IgG index value <10 as diminished RBD IgG response Results Of the 2,099 fully vaccinated patients on dialysis, the proportion receiving the mRNA1273, BNT162b2, and Ad26.COV2.S were 62% (n=1316), 20% (n=416) and 18% (n=367), respectively. A third (33.3%) of patients receiving the attenuated adenovirus Ad26.COV2.S vaccine failed to seroconvert and an additional 36% had no detectable or diminished IgG response even 28-60 days post vaccination. Conclusions One in three fully vaccinated patients receiving dialysis had evidence of an impaired immune response to the attenuated adenovirus Ad26.COV2.S vaccine.

Comparison of three serological chemiluminescence immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2, and clinical significance of antibody index with disease severity

Background The clinical significance of the quantitative value of antibodies in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remains mostly unidentified. We investigated the dynamics and clinical implications of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody over time using three automated chemiluminescence immunoassays targeting either nucleocapsids or spikes. Methods A total of 126 specimens were collected from 23 patients with confirmed and indeterminate COVID-19 identified by molecular tests. SARS-CoV-2 antibody index was measured using SARS-CoV2 IgG reagent from Alinity (Abbott) and Access (Beckman Coulter) and SARS-CoV2 Total (IgG + IgM) from Atellica (Siemens). Results Three immunoassays showed strong correlations with each other (range of Pearson’ s correlation coefficient (r) = 0.700–0.854, P < 0.001). Eleven (8.7%) specimens showed inconsistencies. SARS-CoV-2 IgG showed a statistically significantly higher value in patients with severe disease than that in non-severe disease patients (P < 0.001) and was significantly associated with clinical markers of disease severity. Conclusion The quantitative value of the SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody measured using automated immunoassays is a significant indicator of clinical severity in patients with COVID-19.

Difference in the Source of Anti-AQP4-IgG and Anti-MOG-IgG Antibodies in CSF in Patients With Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

ObjectiveTo elucidate the differences in the source and in the level of intrathecal synthesis between anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies (AQP4-IgG) and anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (MOG-IgG).MethodsThirty-eight patients with MOG-IgG-associated disease and 36 with AQP4-IgG-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) were studied for the antibody titers in the sera and cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) simultaneously collected in the acute attacks. The quotients between CSF and serum levels of albumin, total IgG, and each disease-specific antibody were calculated. Intrathecal production level in each disease-specific antibody was evaluated by calculating antibody index from these quotients.ResultsEleven of the 38 patients with MOG-IgG were positive for the antibody only in the CSF, while no patient with AQP4-IgG showed CSF-restricted AQP4-IgG. Blood-brain barrier compromise as shown by raised albumin quotients was seen in 75.0% of MOG-IgG-positive cases and 43.8% of AQP4-IgG-positive cases. Moreover, MOG-IgG quotients were more than 10 times higher than AQP4-IgG quotients (effect size r = 0.659, p < 0.0001). Elevated antibody index (>4.0) was confirmed in 12 of 21 with MOG-IgG, whereas it was seen only in one of 16 with AQP4-IgG (φ = 0.528, p < 0.0001). The CSF MOG-IgG titers (rho = +0.519, p = 0.001) and antibody indexes for MOG-IgG (rho = +0.472, p = 0.036) correlated with the CSF cell counts but not with clinical disability.ConclusionsIntrathecal production of MOG-IgG may occur more frequently than that of AQP4-IgG. This finding implies the different properties of B-cell trafficking and antibody production between MOG-IgG-associated disease and AQP4-IgG-positive NMOSD.

Serodiagnosis of Lyme borreliosis—is IgM in serum more harmful than helpful?

Interpretation of serological findings in suspected Lyme borreliosis (LB) may be challenging and IgM reactivities in serum are often unspecific (false positive). There is a risk for overdiagnosis of LB, inadequate use of antibiotics, and potential delay of proper diagnosis. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic value of IgM analysis in serum and IgM antibody index (AI) in LB diagnosis. This was a retrospective observational study regarding Borrelia-specific antibodies in serum and Borrelia-specific AI in LB investigations being made during 2017 in Jönköping County, Sweden. Medical records of 610 patients with detectable anti-Borrelia antibodies in serum (IgM and/or IgG) and 15 patients with elevated Borrelia-specific AI were retrospectively scrutinized, and the compliance to current European recommendations was assessed. Among the 610 patients, only 30% were tested according to the European recommendations. Within this group of tests taken correctly, 50% of the LB diagnoses in patients with isolated IgM reactivity in serum were retrospectively assessed as incorrect (LB unlikely). Three pediatric patients with clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) had elevated IgM AI alone. Serological testing without distinct clinical signs/symptoms consistent with LB contributes to most misdiagnoses. Isolated IgM positivity in serum shows limited clinical value and needs further assessment before being reported by the laboratory. Detection of IgM in combination with IgG antibodies in serum shows no clinical enhancement for correct LB diagnosis compared to isolated IgG positivity. However, Borrelia-specific IgM AI may be important for sensitivity in early LNB.

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence survey estimates are affected by anti-nucleocapsid antibody decline

We analyzed 21,676 residual specimens from Ontario, Canada collected between March-August, 2020 to investigate the effect of antibody decline on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence estimates. Testing specimens orthogonally using the Abbott (anti-nucleocapsid) and then the Ortho (anti-spike) assays, seroprevalence estimates ranged from 0.4%-1.4%, despite ongoing disease activity. The geometric mean concentration (GMC) of antibody-positive specimens decreased over time (p=0.015), and the GMC of antibody-negative specimens increased over time (p=0.0018). The association between the two tests decreased each month (p&lt;0.001), suggesting anti-N antibody decline. Lowering the Abbott antibody index cut-off from 1.4 to 0.7 resulted in a 16% increase in positive specimens.

Lyme neuroborreliosis in Swedish children—PCR as a complementary diagnostic method for detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in cerebrospinal fluid

The aim of this study was to evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic method for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in CSF of Swedish children with LNB. This study was performed retrospectively on CSF and serum samples collected from children evaluated for LNB (n = 233) and controls with other specific neurological disorders (n = 59) in a Swedish Lyme endemic area. For anti-Borrelia antibody index, the IDEIA Lyme Neuroborreliosis kit (Oxoid) was used. Two in-house real-time PCR assays targeting the 16S rRNA gene were evaluated (TaqMan® and LUX™). Among patients classified as LNB cases (n = 102), five children (5%) were Borrelia PCR-positive in CSF with the TaqMan® assay. In the Non-LNB group (n = 131), one patient was Borrelia PCR positive with the TaqMan® assay. Among controls (n = 59), all CSF samples were PCR negative. When amplifying and sequencing ospA, we found B. garinii (n = 2), B. afzelii (n = 2), B. bavariensis (n = 1), and one untypable (n = 1). With the LUX™ technology, all CSF samples were PCR negative. The TaqMan® assay could detect only few cases (n = 6) of B. burgdorferi s.l. in CSF among children with LNB and the sensitivity was very low (5%). However, using larger CSF volumes and centrifugation of samples, the PCR technique could still be useful as a complementary diagnostic method when evaluating LNB. Furthermore, detection of spirochete DNA in clinical matrices, including CSF, is the method of choice for studying epidemiological aspects of LNB, a tick-borne emerging disease.