Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important public health problem, occurring mainly in Latin America. The disease has a major social and economical effect, negatively impacting the life of the infected individuals, and bringing great costs to public health. An early and accurate diagnosis is essential for administration of early treatment. In addition, prognostic tests may aid disease management, decreasing hospitalization costs. However, the serological diagnostic scenario for CD still faces several challenges, making the development of new diagnostic kits a pressing matter. Facing this scenario, several researchers have expanded efforts in developing and testing new antigens, such as recombinant proteins and recombinant multiepitope proteins, with promising results. These recombinant antigens offer several advantages, such as improved sensitivity and specificity, in addition to facilitated scaling. Also, it has been possible to observe a rising number of studies using ELISA and point-of-care platforms, employing these antigens in the past few years. Among them, recombinant proteins were the most applied antigens, demonstrating great capacity to discriminate between positive and negative samples. Although fewer in number, recombinant multiepitope proteins also demonstrated an improved diagnostic performance. Indeed, a great number of studies employing these antigens showed sensitivity and specificity values above 90%, greatly impacting diagnostic accuracy. Nevertheless, despite the good results found, it is still possible to observe some bottlenecks in the development of new antigens, such as the scarcity of tests with sera from the acute phase and the variability of results in different geographic areas. In this sense, aiming to contribute to control and health programs, the continuous search for a more accurate serological diagnosis is essential, both for the acute and chronic phases of the disease.

The single variable domains of camelid heavy-chain only antibodies, known as nanobodies, have taken a long journey since their discovery in 1989 until the first nanobody-based drug\'s entrance to the market in 2022. On account of their unique properties, nanobodies have been successfully used for diagnosis and therapy against various diseases or conditions. Although research on the application of recombinant antibodies has focused on human medicine, the development of nanobodies has paved the way for incorporating recombinant antibody production in favour of veterinary medicine. Currently, despite many efforts in developing these biomolecules with diversified applications, significant opportunities exist for exploiting these highly versatile and cost-effective antibodies in veterinary medicine. The present study attempts to identify existing gaps and shed light on paths for future research by presenting an updated review on camelid nanobodies with potential applications in veterinary medicine.

Global HIV infections due to HIV-1 recombinants are increasing and impede prevention and treatment efforts. Key populations suffer most new HIV infections, but their role in the spread of HIV-1 recombinants is unknown. We conducted a global analysis of the associations between key populations and HIV-1 recombinants.
We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Global Health for HIV-1 subtyping studies published from 1/1/1990 to 31/12/2015. Unpublished data was collected through a global survey. We included studies with HIV-1 subtyping data of key populations collected during 1990-2015. Key populations assessed were heterosexual people (HET), men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID), vertical transmissions (VERT), commercial sex workers (CSW), and transfusion-associated infections (BLOOD). Logistic regression was used to determine associations of key populations with HIV-1 recombinants. Subgroup analyses were performed for circulating recombinant forms (CRFs), unique recombinant forms (URFs), regions, and time periods.
Eight hundred and eighty five datasets including 77,284 participants from 83 countries were included. Globally, PWID were associated with the greatest odds of recombinants and CRFs (OR 2.6 [95% CI 2.46-2.74] and 2.99 [2.83-3.16]), compared to HET. CSW were associated with increased odds of recombinants and URFs (1.59 [1.44-1.75] and 3.61 [3.15-4.13]). VERT and BLOOD were associated with decreased odds of recombinants (0.58 [0.54-0.63] and 0.43 [0.33-0.56]). MSM were associated with increased odds of recombinants in 2010-2015 (1.43 [1.35-1.51]). Subgroup analyses supported our main findings.
As PWID, CSW, and MSM are associated with HIV-1 recombinants, increased preventative measures and HIV-1 molecular surveillance are crucial within these key populations.
PROSPERO [CRD42017067164].

Caliciviruses are single stranded RNA viruses, non-enveloped structurally, that are implicated in the non-bacterial gastroenteritis in various mammal species. Particularly in swine, viral gastroenteritis represents a major problem worldwide, responsible for significant economic losses for the pig industry. Among the wide range of viruses that are the proven or suspected etiological agents of gastroenteritis, the pathogenicity of the members of Caliciviridae family is among the less well understood. In this context, the present review presents and discusses the current knowledge of two genera belonging to this family, namely the Norovirus and the Sapovirus, in relation to swine. Aspects such as pathogenicity, clinical evidence, symptoms, epidemiology and worldwide prevalence, genomic diversity, identification tools as well as interchanging hosts are not only reviewed but also critically evaluated. Generally, although often asymptomatic in pigs, the prevalence of those microbes in pig farms exhibits a worldwide substantial increasing trend. It should be mentioned, however, that the factors influencing the symptomatology of these viruses are still far from well established. Interestingly, both these viruses are also characterized by high genetic diversity. These high levels of molecular diversity in Caliciviridae family are more likely a result of recombination rather than evolutionary or selective adaptation via mutational steps. Thus, molecular markers for their detection are mostly based on conserved regions such as the RdRp region. Finally, it should be emphasized that Norovirus and the Sapovirus may also infect other domestic, farm and wild animals, including humans, and therefore their surveillance and clarification role in diseases such as diarrhea is a matter of public health importance as well.

The control of poultry diseases has relied heavily on the use of many live and inactivated vaccines. However, over the last 30 yr, recombinant DNA technology has been used to generate many novel poultry vaccines. Fowlpox virus and turkey herpesvirus are the two main vectors currently used to construct recombinant vaccines for poultry. With the use of these two vectors, more than 15 recombinant viral vector vaccines against Newcastle disease, infectious laryngotracheitis, infectious bursal disease, avian influenza, and Mycoplasma gallisepticum have been developed and are commercially available. This review focuses on current knowledge about the safety and efficacy of recombinant viral vectored vaccines and the mechanisms by which they facilitate the control of multiple diseases. Additionally, the development of new recombinant vaccines with novel vectors will be briefly discussed.
Estudio Recapitulativo- Revisión acerca de las vacunas con vectores recombinantes para la avicultura. El control de las enfermedades en la avicultura se ha basado en gran medida en el uso de varias vacunas vivas e inactivadas. Sin embargo, durante los últimos 30 años, la tecnología de ADN recombinante se ha utilizado para generar nuevas vacunas avícolas. El virus de la viruela aviar y el virus del herpes del pavo son los dos vectores principales que se utilizan actualmente para construir vacunas recombinantes para la avicultura. Con el uso de estos dos vectores, se han desarrollado y están disponibles comercialmente más de 15 vacunas con vectores virales recombinantes contra la enfermedad de Newcastle, la laringotraqueítis infecciosa, enfermedad infecciosa de la bolsa, influenza aviar y Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Esta revisión se enfoca en el conocimiento actual sobre la seguridad y eficacia de las vacunas con vectores virales recombinantes y los mecanismos por los cuales facilitan el control de múltiples enfermedades. Además, se discutirá brevemente el desarrollo de nuevas vacunas recombinantes con nuevos vectores.

More than 400 million years of natural selection acting throughout the arthropoda has resulted in highly specialized and energetically efficient processes to produce protein-based fibers with properties that are a source of inspiration for all. As a result, for over 80 years researchers have been inspired by natural silk production in their attempts to spin artificial silks. While significant progress has been made, with fibers now regularly outperforming silkworm silks, surpassing the properties of superior silks, such as spider dragline, is still an area of considerable effort. This review provides an overview of the different approaches for artificial silk fiber spinning and compares all published fiber properties to date which has identified future trends and challenges on the road towards replicating high performance silks.

UNASSIGNED: Long-acting (LA) recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) products with extended dosing intervals have been developed for the treatment of hemophilia A; however, no direct head-to-head trial has been conducted to compare the efficacy of these products.
UNASSIGNED: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify published Phase III clinical trials of prophylactic LA rFVIII treatment in previously treated patients aged ≥12 years, with moderate-to-severe hemophilia A (endogenous FVIII levels ≤2%). Studies that did not meet these criteria, or did not report the included outcomes, were excluded. Bleeding rates and consumption were extracted and summarized; only data for the dosing frequencies indicated in the US product labels (which are similar to those indicated in the European Medicines Agency labels) were included.
UNASSIGNED: Five articles met the inclusion criteria; these studies only included patients with severe hemophilia A. Treatment length, reported outcomes and dose (range: 20-65 IU/kg) varied between studies. Median annualized bleeding rate (ABR) (IQR) reported in the relevant studies was 1.14 (0.00-4.30), rVIII-SingleChain 2 or 3 times weekly; 1.6 (0.0-4.7), rFVIIIFc 2 times weekly followed by every 3-5 days; 1.9 (0.0-5.8), BAX855 2 times weekly; 1.18 (0.00-4.25), N8-GP every 4 days; 1.9 (0.0-5.2) and 4.1 (2.0-10.6), BAY 94-9027 2 times weekly for the cohort who experienced >1 or <1 bleed in the study run-in phase, respectively. Median spontaneous ABR was 0.0 across studies reporting relevant data. Reported consumption was comparable among all LA products.
UNASSIGNED: The primary limitation of this systematic review was the variation in study design and not all studies reported all desired outcomes, which limited the quantity of data available.
UNASSIGNED: This systematic review identified pivotal trial data for LA rFVIII products. Real-world evidence is needed to understand how these products perform in clinical practice.

The impact of seasonal influenza has been under-appreciated in Asia and surveillance data lags in most other regions. The variety of influenza circulation patterns in Asia - largely due to the range of climates - has also only recently been recognized and its effect on the burden of disease is not fully understood. Recent reports that clinical protection wanes in the weeks after influenza vaccination emphasize the importance of optimally timing vaccination to local epidemiology. It also raises questions as to whether influenza vaccines should be administered more frequently than annually and what may be the benefits in Asia of access to new vaccines with enhanced immunogenicity and effectiveness. This review will summarize influenza surveillance data from Asian countries over 2011-2018, and consider the implications for vaccination strategies in different parts of Asia.

Aims: Prophylaxis with standard-acting recombinant factor IX (rFIX) in hemophilia B patients requires frequent injections. Extended half-life (EHL) products allow for prolonged dosing intervals, and so reduce this treatment burden. Three technologies are employed to extend the half-life of FIX; glycopegylation, Fc-fusion, and albumin fusion. rIX-FP is a novel albumin fusion protein, which allows for a prolonged dosing interval of up to 14 days. A systematic review and indirect statistical comparison was performed to evaluate the efficacy of both EHL and standard-acting rFIX products compared with rIX-FP in Phase III trials for prophylaxis in adult hemophilia B patients. Materials and methods: A systematic search was conducted in both EMBASE and PubMed to identify Phase III trials of prophylactic rFIX treatment in previously treated hemophilia B patients aged ≥12 years (FIX ≤2%). Annualized bleeding rate (ABR), spontaneous ABR (AsBR), and joint ABR (AjBR) data were extracted from each study. A z-test was performed using the mean of each parameter, and the mean difference in outcome between studies was calculated. Results: Seven articles investigating six rFIX products were identified. Median ABR, AsBR, and AjBR ranged from 0-3.0, 0-1.0, and 0-1.1 (means = 0.8-4.26, 0.13-2.6, and 0.34-2.85), respectively. rIX-FP achieved the lowest median and mean values in all three parameters. Z-tests showed that mean ABR was significantly lower for rIX-FP 7-day prophylaxis compared with the majority of standard-acting and other EHL rFIX products. Limitations: The low number of appropriate trials available for comparison limits the quantity of data available for comparison, and restricts the use of methods of adjustment for variance in study design or patient characteristics. However, these limitations are shared with similar analyses published in this field. Conclusion: This indirect comparison of Phase III trials indicates that rIX-FP efficacy compares favorably vs other rFIX products for prophylaxis in hemophilia B.

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster (HZ) incidence is linked to immunosuppression. Patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) on systemic therapy might be at an increased risk for HZ.
OBJECTIVE: To assess HZ risk in patients with psoriasis and PsA by systemic treatment and provide recommendations regarding HZ vaccination.
METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed for HZ in patients with psoriasis and PsA. HZ vaccination guidelines were reviewed, and the medical board of the National Psoriasis Foundation made consensus recommendations in psoriasis and PsA patients using graded evidence.
RESULTS: In total, 41 studies met inclusion criteria. Systemic corticosteroids (strong, 1), tofacitinib (strong, 1), and combination therapy with biologic and conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (weak, 2a) carry increased HZ risk while monotherapy does not. There is insufficient evidence to determine risk with interleukin 12/23, 17, and 23 inhibitors or apremilast (weak, 2a). Recombinant zoster vaccine is recommended for all psoriasis and PsA patients >50 years old and patients <50 years old on tofacitinib, systemic steroids, or combination systemic treatment. Vaccination of patients <50 years old on other systemic therapies may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
CONCLUSIONS: There was significant heterogeneity between studies.
CONCLUSIONS: HZ risk depends on disease severity and treatment class. Recombinant zoster vaccine should be given to all psoriasis and PsA patients >50 years old and younger patients at increased risk.