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Viruses
Special Issues
Opportunistic Viral Infections 2nd Edition
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Opportunistic Viral Infections 2nd Edition

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Virology and Viral Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2024 | Viewed by 4756

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Carlo Contini

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Infectious Diseases and Dermatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Interests: SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19; HIV-related opportunistic infections; chlamydia and mycoplasma human infections; cytokines and pathogenesis of infectious diseases; sepsis markers; epidemics of infectious and tropical diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For many years we have been accustomed to associating certain opportunistic viral infections with HIV/AIDS infection, the pandemic still ongoing around the world that causes thousands of new infections every day and still has a high mortality and lethality rate. AIDS has taught us a great deal about opportunistic infections due to microorganisms that are rare or in themselves often endowed with little virulence, but which multiply to become aggressive pathogens in immunocompromised individuals as a result of infections, therapies or situations leading to immunodepression. Today, however, we must not forget other opportunistic infections that arise in people who do not have HIV/AIDS, but who have frailty because they are affected by non-infectious diseases which require lengthy treatment with anti-tumor, biotechnological and chemotherapeutic drugs in general. Among these, herpesvirus, HBV, HPV, JC and some coronaviruses are just a few examples.

In this Special Issue, we will aim to focus on the most recent advances in opportunistic viral infections from the epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic point of view with special regard to the immunocompromised host, the frail and transplanted individual.

Prof. Dr. Carlo Contini
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • epidemiology of opportunistic viral infections
  • immunocompromised individuals (HIV/AIDS, transplants, tumors, chemotherapeutics, biotechnological drugs, etc.)
  • advances in diagnosis, management and treatment of opportunistic viral infections
  • JC virus
  • HPV
  • CMV, EBV and other herpesvirus
  • human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)
  • hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV)
  • polyomavirus
  • new Coronavirus including SARS-CoV-2
  • emerging viruses (arbovirus other zoonotic virus)

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 531 KiB  
Article
Clinical–Epidemiological Profile of COVID-19 Patients Admitted during Three Waves of the Pandemic in a Tertiary Care Center, in Belém, Pará, Amazon Region of Brazil
by Ana Beatriz Nunes Pereira, Fernando Sérgio Henriques Pereira, Júlio Éden Davi Lopes Araújo, Rangel Pereira Brasil, Angélica Menezes Bessa Oliveira, Sandra Souza Lima, Ricardo Roberto de Souza Fonseca, Rogério Valois Laurentino, Aldemir Branco Oliveira-Filho and Luiz Fernando Almeida Machado
Viruses 2024, 16(8), 1233; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16081233 - 31 Jul 2024
Viewed by 571
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease with a broad clinical spectrum, which may result in hospitalization in healthcare units, intensive care, and progression to death. This study aimed to describe and compare the clinical and epidemiological profile of COVID-19 during the [...] Read more.
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease with a broad clinical spectrum, which may result in hospitalization in healthcare units, intensive care, and progression to death. This study aimed to describe and compare the clinical and epidemiological profile of COVID-19 during the three waves of the disease, in patients admitted to a public hospital in the city of Belém, Pará, in the Amazon region of Brazil. Methods: This descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study was population-based on individuals who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19, confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and who were interviewed and monitored at the public hospital, from February 2020 to April 2022. Results: The prevalence was male patients, older than 60 years. The most frequent symptoms were dyspnea, cough, and fever. Systemic arterial hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity followed by diabetes mellitus. Less than 15% of patients were vaccinated. The nasal oxygen cannula was the most used oxygen therapy interface followed by the non-rebreathing reservoir mask. Invasive mechanical ventilation predominated and the median time of invasive mechanical ventilation ranged from 2 to 6 days among waves. As for the hospital outcome, transfers prevailed, followed by deaths and discharges. Conclusion: The presence of comorbidities, advanced age, and male sex were important factors in the severity and need for hospitalization of these patients, and the implementation of the vaccination policy was an essential factor in reducing the number of hospital admissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opportunistic Viral Infections 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 868 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Herpesviridae Family Members, BK Virus, and Adenovirus in Children and Adolescents with Nephrotic Syndrome
by Silvia Mendonça Ferreira Menoni, Lucas Lopes Leon, Rodrigo Gonçalves de Lima, Anna Cristina Gervásio de Brito Lutaif, Liliane Cury Prates, Lilian Monteiro Pereira Palma, Sandra Cecília Botelho Costa, Vera Maria Santoro Belangero and Sandra Helena Alves Bonon
Viruses 2024, 16(7), 1017; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16071017 - 25 Jun 2024
Viewed by 831
Abstract
Since the significance of viral infections in children and adolescents with nephrotic syndrome (NS) is yet to be defined, this study intended to estimate the occurrence, pattern, and outcomes of some DNA viral infections in children with NS. Methods: A prospective study was [...] Read more.
Since the significance of viral infections in children and adolescents with nephrotic syndrome (NS) is yet to be defined, this study intended to estimate the occurrence, pattern, and outcomes of some DNA viral infections in children with NS. Methods: A prospective study was conducted to determine the genome identification of the viruses Epstein-Barr (EBV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6 type A and type B) and 7 (HHV-7), polyomavirus (BKV), and human adenovirus (HAdV) in plasma and urine samples of pediatric patients with NS. Results: A total of 35 patients aged 1 to 18 years with NS and under immunosuppressant drugs participated in the study. Plasma and urine samples were collected at regular intervals during a median follow-up of 266 days (range 133–595), and DNA was analyzed to detect the selected DNA viruses. Eleven patients (31.4%) had active virus infections, and patterns were classified as coinfection, recurrent, and consecutive. Of these, six patients (54.5%) presented viral coinfection, six (54.5%) viral recurrence, and seven patients (63.3%) had viral consecutive infection. Ten of the eleven patients with active infection had a proteinuria relapse (91%) and eight (72.7%) were hospitalized (p = 0.0022). Active HCMV infection was the most frequent infection and was observed in six patients (54.5%), three of the eleven patients (27.2%) had suspected HCMV disease in the gastrointestinal tract, and one had HHV-7 coinfection. The frequency of other infections was: 9% for HHV-6, 45.5% for BKV, 27.3% for HHV-7, 18.2% for EBV, and 18.2% for HAdV. Conclusion: viral infections, especially HCMV, can be an important cause of morbidity and nephrotic syndrome relapse in children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opportunistic Viral Infections 2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 402 KiB  
Article
Vitamin D Levels and SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Medically Underserved Populations in the Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study
by Makella S. Coudray, Shantoy Hansel, Salvatore Alesci, William A. Meyer III, Robert H. Christenson, Latrice G. Landry, Christina Edwards, Gary Puckrein, Derrick J. Forney and Ola Akinboboye
Viruses 2024, 16(4), 639; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16040639 - 19 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1359
Abstract
Background: Extant literature presents contradictory findings on the role of vitamin D on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study included an examination of the relationship between vitamin D levels and SARS-CoV-2 infection among the Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study (MRCIS) cohort, a diverse population [...] Read more.
Background: Extant literature presents contradictory findings on the role of vitamin D on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study included an examination of the relationship between vitamin D levels and SARS-CoV-2 infection among the Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study (MRCIS) cohort, a diverse population of medically underserved persons presenting at five Federally qualified health centers in the United States. Methods: We conducted a descriptive analysis to explore the relationship between vitamin D levels and SARS-CoV-2 infection among medically underserved participants. A combined molecular and serologic assessment was used to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vitamin D was examined as both a categorical (vitamin D status: deficient, insufficient, optimal) and continuous (vitamin D level) variable. Chi-squared testing, polynomial regression models, and logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between vitamin D and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: The overall SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among participants was 25.9%. Most participants were either vitamin D deficient (46.5%) or insufficient (29.7%), and 23.8% had an optimal level. Vitamin D status was significantly associated with key SARS-CoV-2 infection risk factors. As mean vitamin D levels increased, the proportion of participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased. For every 10 ng/mL increase in vitamin D levels the odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased by 12% when adjusting for race/ethnicity and age (main effect model). Participants who identified as Hispanic/Latino or Black non-Hispanic had approximately two times increased odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection when adjusting for age and vitamin D levels compared to white non-Hispanics. However, when additional factors were added to the main effect model, the relationship between vitamin D levels and SARS-CoV-2 infection did not remain significant. Conclusion: Vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hispanic/Latino and Black, non-Hispanic compared to White, non-Hispanic participants were at increased odds for infection, after adjusting for race/ethnicity and age. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opportunistic Viral Infections 2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 1207 KiB  
Article
High Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Drug Resistance Mutations to Lamivudine among People with HIV/HBV Coinfection in Rural and Peri-Urban Communities in Botswana
by Bonolo B. Phinius, Motswedi Anderson, Irene Gobe, Margaret Mokomane, Wonderful T. Choga, Basetsana Phakedi, Tsholofelo Ratsoma, Gorata Mpebe, Joseph Makhema, Roger Shapiro, Shahin Lockman, Rosemary Musonda, Sikhulile Moyo and Simani Gaseitsiwe
Viruses 2024, 16(4), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16040592 - 11 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1494
Abstract
(1) Background: We aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) in people with HBV and human immunodeficiency virus (HBV/HIV) in Botswana. (2) Methods: We sequenced HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from participants with HBV/HIV from the Botswana Combination [...] Read more.
(1) Background: We aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) in people with HBV and human immunodeficiency virus (HBV/HIV) in Botswana. (2) Methods: We sequenced HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from participants with HBV/HIV from the Botswana Combination Prevention Project study (2013–2018) using the Oxford Nanopore GridION platform. Consensus sequences were analyzed for genotypic and mutational profiles. (3) Results: Overall, 98 HBV sequences had evaluable reverse transcriptase region coverage. The median participant age was 43 years (IQR: 37, 49) and 66/98 (67.4%) were female. Most participants, i.e., 86/98 (87.8%) had suppressed HIV viral load (VL). HBV RAMs were identified in 61/98 (62.2%) participants. Most RAMs were in positions 204 (60.3%), 180 (50.5%), and 173 (33.3%), mostly associated with lamivudine resistance. The triple mutations rtM204V/L180M/V173L were the most predominant (17/61 [27.9%]). Most participants (96.7%) with RAMs were on antiretroviral therapy for a median duration of 7.5 years (IQR: 4.8, 10.5). Approximately 27.9% (17/61) of participants with RAMs had undetectable HBV VL, 50.8% (31/61) had VL < 2000 IU/mL, and 13/61 (21.3%) had VL ≥ 2000 IU/mL. (4) Conclusions: The high prevalence of lamivudine RAMs discourages the use of ART regimens with 3TC as the only HBV-active drug in people with HIV/HBV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Opportunistic Viral Infections 2nd Edition)
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