Infection and Immunity nieuws
Nov 1: Increased use of pre-exposure prophylaxis may end the HIV epidemic in the Netherlands
An increase in the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV transmission in men who have sex with men could eliminate HIV from this population in the Netherlands in the long term. This conclusion is drawn this week on the basis of a mathematical modeling study lead by Dutch investigators in the scientific journal AIDS.
Read moreOct 31: Overactive immune system disrupts bone healing after fracture
When a person sustains several injuries at the same time after a serious accident, an overall acute inflammatory response often occurs in the victim's body. A lot of 'aggressive' white blood cells (especially neutrophils) end up in the bloodstream, and quickly move towards damaged tissues. PhD student Okan Bastian states that this general inflammatory response can disrupt bone healing, because neutrophils adversely affect bone-forming stem cells. This disturbance might be prevented by inhibiting the migration of neutrophils towards the bone fracture.
Read moreOct 25: Bacteria in the nose and pharynx are related to risk of respiratory infections in babies
The bacterial composition of the nose and pharynx of young children and elderly people seems to influence the risk and severity of respiratory infections. This conclusion is drawn by Wouter de Steenhuijsen Piters, who will be awarded a PhD on October 25 in Utrecht.
Read moreOct 16: Interleukin-1 blockade effective as a starting treatment in systemic juvenile arthritis
Nienke ter Haar has investigated the role of different types of white blood cells and demonstrated that a new treatment strategy for patients with systemic juvenile arthritis with interleukin-1 blockade (IL-1 blockade, with the new biological drug anakinra) is the first choice, with most patients achieving rapid and long-term reduction of disease symptoms. She also concludes that neutrophilic granulocytes (a type of immune cells) play an important role in the early disease mechanisms of the disease, and that IL-1 blockade is an effective treatment for restoring neutrophils.
Read moreOct 4: Innovative research in salivary gland biopsies in patients with Sjögren's syndrome
Research in salivary gland tissue is essential in the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome (after rheumatoid arthritis the most common autoimmune disease). The fluid in which salivary gland biopsies are stored contains more than 100 (perhaps even thousands) different inflammatory substances and measuring them could be used in the future in the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease. This conclusion draws Sofie Blokland who defended her PhD thesis on October 4 in Utrecht.
Read moreSep 26: Online training for general practitioners reduces antibiotic use in children
A targeted online training program for general practitioners (GPs), together with an information booklet for parents, resulted in fewer antibiotic prescriptions for children with respiratory tract infections. Unnecessary antibiotic use can thus be reduced relatively easy, and offers advantages such as a lower risk of antibiotic resistance, fewer side effects and less health care costs. Anne Dekker draws these conclusions in het research, on which she will be awarded a PhD on 27 September in Utrecht.
Read moreSep 7: Complications from chronic Q-fever cause extra mortality
In patients who have developed a proven chronic form of Q-fever, complications are found in over 60 percent of cases and a quarter of these patients died within 3 years due to the infection. These results have been described by Sonja van Roeden of the UMC Utrecht who was awarded a PhD in Utrecht this week.
Read moreSep 6: Tiger mosquito more often spends holiday in the Netherlands
Exotic mosquitos are no longer an exception in the Netherlands. The numbers are not very high yet, but they are being reported more and more often. Exotic mosquitoes can spread viruses that make people sick. Researchers from University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht and the National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM) want to know what health risks this entails for the Netherlands. That is why they are asking the help of travelers who are going to exotic countries in the coming year where these mosquitoes are already spreading diseases such as dengue and zika.
Read moreSep 3: Immune system goes wild after serious accident
Poorly reacting white blood cells disrupt the immune system of trauma patients causing serious complications and mortality. The degree of insensitivity of immune cells to environmental signals may be a useful marker for predicting serious complications, according to Kathelijne Groeneveld, who was awarded a PhD in Utrecht last week.
Read moreAug 30: Maternal vaccine can prevent infant mortality due to RSV infection
A respiratory infection with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of hospitalization in young children. Vaccination of pregnant women seems a good strategy to prevent life-threatening RSV infections in infants immediately after birth up to several months thereafter. This was concluded by Nienke Scheltema in her research on which she will be awarded a PhD in Utrecht on August 30.
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