BK Viremia After Renal Transplantation
Terminal Renal FailureBK Virus InfectionHypothesis: Early detection, and treatment, of BK virus infection after kidney transplantation will prevent BK virus associated kidney transplant injury. BK virus associated nephropathy (BKVN) is estimated to cause a progressive kidney transplant injury in 1-10% of renal transplant recipients. Diagnostic and monitoring strategies for BKVN is still being developed. Detectable virus in the blood by polymerase change reaction-test (PCR) is predictive of BKVN. Additionally, PCR provides a objective estimate of the degree of infection. If early detection and treatment of BK virus infection is effective in preventing subsequent kidney transplant injury has not been studied. However, renal injury and dysfunction develops late in the natural course of BKVN and it seems likely that screening in combination with early treatment would be beneficial for long-term transplant survival. There is no established treatment for BK virus infection. Nevertheless, in kidney transplanted patients diagnosed with BK virus infection, immunosuppression is reduced to allow the patients own immune system to handle the virus. However, reduction of immunosuppression has not been associated with rejection. This indicate that these patients were over-immunosuppressed, predisposing them to BKVN. Therefore, to compare the degree of immunosuppression in BKVN patients (over-immunosuppressed) to other patients (not over-immunosuppressed) could yield interesting information. One possibility would be to quantify these patients specific cellular immune response to BK virus but also to other viruses (T cell reactivity). Leflunomide (Arava) is an immunosuppressive drug, approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and has been used in more than 300,000 patients worldwide. Furthermore, leflunomide has been used safely in humans after clinical kidney and liver transplantation for more than 300 days. In addition to leflunomide's value in preventing rejection, it has been shown to exert inhibitory effects on different viruses. Recently published pilot studies suggest that leflunomide treatment of patients with BKVN significantly reduces the amount of BK virus in blood and prevents recurrence of kidney transplant injury. At Karolinska University Hospital, leflunomide has been used for treatment of BKVN and, in some of the patients, renal function has stabilized and BK virus load has decreased significantly.
Treating Kidney Donors With Valganciclovir to Reduce Viral Transmission to Recipients
EBV ViremiaCMV ViremiaThe aim of our study is to reduce viral (CMV and EBV) transmission from donor to recipient. The discovery that anti-retroviral therapy to mothers with HIV reduced transmission of the virus to their babies was pivotal to the prevention of AIDS and so along the same lines the investigators will test the hypothesis that 14 days of the anti-viral Valganciclovir (VAL) to kidney donors prior to the transplant compared to placebo will reduce EBV and CMV viremia in the 1st year posttransplant in pediatric kidney recipients.
Cell Mediated Immunity for Secondary Prophylaxis in CMV SOT Patients
Cytomegalovirus ViraemiaThis study will evaluate whether a test for Cytomegalovirus (CMV) specific cell-mediated immunity can be used to determine whether patients who complete a course of therapy for CMV viremia need secondary antiviral prophylaxis. Subjects that have negative CMV CMI will receive antiviral prophylaxis for 2 months and those with positive CMV CMI will have their prophylaxis stopped.
Evaluation of HCV Viremia Testing Approaches Among PWID in Georgia
Hepatitis CChronicThis study will evaluate two novel approaches to improve access to Hepatitis C virus (HCV) confirmatory viremia testing. Both approaches are "Harm reduction site-based (HRS)" because HCV viremia testing will be initiated and test results will be provided at the HRSs. These approaches will be compared to the current standard of care (control) in which anti-HCV-positive individuals must travel to a HCV treatment centre for HCV viremia testing. The investigators hypothesize that improving access to viremia testing improves linkage to care and reduces loss to follow-up among those who screen anti-HCV-positive.
Cell-Mediated Immunity Based Primary Prophylaxis for CMV Infection in Organ Transplant Recipients...
Cytomegalovirus ViraemiaThe study will prospectively determine the clinical utility of CMV cell-mediated immunity using the Quantiferon test. The investigators will use the assay results to tailor the duration of CMV prophylaxis in solid organ transplant patients.
Monitored Antiretroviral Pause in Chronic HIV-Infected Subjects With Long-Lasting Suppressed Viremia...
HIV SeropositivityProspective, open-label, single arm, non-randomized, proof-of-concept study. Eligible patients will sign a written informed consent and will be followed-up at screening, baseline (ART interruption) and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48 weeks thereafter or at ART resumption. The study visits will include: general clinical assessment, routine laboratory tests including: creatinine, phosphorus, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, CD4+ cell count and CD4+/CD8+ ratio. Additional 30 mL of peripheral blood will be withdrawn at study visits for further virological, and immunological investigations and for bio-banking purposes. During follow-up, the occurrence of two consecutive HIV-1 RNA values >50 copies/mL or the occurrence of stage B or C AIDS-defining events or any serious non-AIDS clinical event at least potentially related to treatment interruption will be criteria for ART resumption. All patients with HIV-RNA<50 copies/mL at week 48 (end of the study) will resume their baseline ART regimen. The main demographic, clinical and therapy information will be accurately recorded at the study visits in an electronic Case Report Form.
CMV Infection and Immune Intervention After Transplantation
CMV ViremiaTransplantation InfectionAllogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is an effective or even the only way to cure blood malignant diseases. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a serious early complication of allo-HSCT. Its high incidence and poor prognosis can cause a series of terminal organ diseases such as CMV pneumonia, encephalitis, and enteritis,which seriously affecting the prognosis of patients post allo-HSCT. Our data show that rapid reconstruction of NK cells after transplantation can reduce the incidence of CMV infection. Patients with a rapid reconstruction of NKG2C after transplantation have a low CMV infection rate, and patients with strong secretion of IFN-gamma of NK after transplantation have low CMV infection. Our previous research showed that trophoblast cells transfected with IL-21 and 4-1BBL can achieve a large number of clinical-grade expansion of NK cells (mIL-21 / 4-1BBL NK cells), and mIL-21 / 4-1BBL NK cells It is safe to treat patients with minimal residual disease (MRD) positive AML after transplantation, and can induce MRD to turn negative. Previous studies have shown that adoptive infusion of expanded NK cells after haplotype transplantation is safe and can improve the functional reconstruction of NK cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that the infusion of NK cells can improve the antiviral capacity of NK cells, thereby effectively reducing the CMV infection. Incidence.
CMV Glycoprotein B (gB) Vaccine Long Term Antibody Response
ViraemiaThe purpose of this study is to see how well the antibody levels found months to years after patients entered a previous randomised placebo-controlled trial of a glycoprotein B vaccine against cytomegalovirus have persisted and to have the previous samples retested using different methods which have been further developed in different laboratories. Also, to prepare monoclonal antibodies from the B lymphocytes of these patients and define their strength. If potent antibodies are identified, the investigators would like to consider developing them further to see if they can protect future transplant patients against cytomegalovirus.
Validation of a Proteomic Signature and Assessment of Viremia in Children With Fever Without Source...
Infectious DiseaseFever1 moreThe study is an observational blinded Validation study in pediatric patients below 3 years old with a diagnosis of Fever Without Source (FWS). In this study the investigators aim to validate the performance of a proteomic signature aiding the physicians to discriminate between viral and bacterial infections in febrile children. The study will also assess the prevalence of Human Enteroviruses (HEV), Human Parechoviruses (HPeV), Adenovirus (AdV) and Human Herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) viremia, as well as Kingella Kingae bacteremia in the study cohort.
Prospective Survey of CMV, Herpesviruses Infections and Diseases in Allo-HSCT
Hematologic DiseasesStem Cell Transplant Complications2 moreProspective observational study of epidemiological surveillance, multicenter, non-profit, spontaneous, Italian with objective to describe the incidence of CMV infections and diseases in adult and pediatric patients undergoing allo-HSCT during the first 6 months from transplant. This study will evaluate approximately 1500 subjects (with competitive enrolment) from GITMO investigational centers.