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Research
Ancestral SARS-CoV-2, but not Omicron, replicates less efficiently in primary pediatric nasal epithelial cellsChildren typically experience more mild symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) when compared to adults. There is a strong body of evidence that children are also less susceptible to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with the ancestral viral isolate.
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Evaluation of the implementation and clinical effects of an intervention to improve medical follow-up and health outcomes for Aboriginal children hospitalised with chest infectionsAboriginal children hospitalised with acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) are at-risk of developing bronchiectasis, which can progress from untreated protracted bacterial bronchitis, often evidenced by a chronic (>4 weeks) wet cough following discharge. We aimed to facilitate follow-up for Aboriginal children hospitalised with ALRIs to provide optimal management and improve their respiratory health outcomes.
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Novel intranasal phage-CaEDTA-ceftazidime/avibactam triple combination therapy demonstrates remarkable efficacy in treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infectionGiven the rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, alternative treatments are needed. Anti-pseudomonal phage therapy shows promise, but its clinical application is limited due to the development of resistance and a lack of biofilm penetration.
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Bacteriophage: A new therapeutic player to combat neutrophilic inflammation in chronic airway diseasesPersistent respiratory bacterial infections are a clinical burden in several chronic inflammatory airway diseases and are often associated with neutrophil infiltration into the lungs. Following recruitment, dysregulated neutrophil effector functions such as increased granule release and formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) result in damage to airway tissue, contributing to the progression of lung disease.
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Macrophage PD-1 associates with neutrophilia and reduced bacterial killing in early cystic fibrosis airway diseaseMacrophages are the major resident immune cells in human airways coordinating responses to infection and injury. In cystic fibrosis, neutrophils are recruited to the airways shortly after birth, and actively exocytose damaging enzymes prior to chronic infection, suggesting a potential defect in macrophage immunomodulatory function.
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Antenatal creatine supplementation reduces persistent fetal lung inflammation and oxidative stress in an ovine model of chorioamnionitisChorioamnionitis is a common antecedent of preterm birth and induces inflammation and oxidative stress in the fetal lungs. Reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in the fetal lungs may improve respiratory outcomes in preterm infants. Creatine is an organic acid with known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
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Lung structural and functional impairments in young children with cystic fibrosis diagnosed following newborn screening – A nationwide observational studyNon-invasive and sensitive clinical endpoints are needed to monitor onset and progression of early lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). We compared lung clearance index (LCI), FEV1, functional and structural lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes in Swiss children with CF diagnosed following newborn screening.
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Current and novel therapies for management of Acinetobacter baumannii-associated pneumoniaAcinetobacter baumannii is a common pathogen associated with hospital-acquired pneumonia showing increased resistance to carbapenem and colistin antibiotics nowadays. Infections with A. baumannii cause high patient fatalities due to their capability to evade current antimicrobial therapies, emphasizing the urgency of developing viable therapeutics to treat A. baumannii-associated pneumonia.
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Real world effectiveness of early ensitrelvir treatment in patients with SARS-CoV-2, a retrospective case seriesEnsitrelvir, a 3C-like protease inhibitor, received emergency approval in Japan in November 2022 for treating non-hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. However, confirmation of its real-world clinical effectiveness is limited.
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Global change, climate change, and asthma in children: Direct and indirect effects - A WAO Pediatric Asthma Committee ReportThe twenty-first century has seen a fundamental shift in disease epidemiology with anthropogenic environmental change emerging as the likely dominant factor affecting the distribution and severity of current and future human disease. This is especially true of allergic diseases and asthma with their intimate relationship with the natural environment.