OBJECTIVES Recent reports suggest efficacy of anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) therapy in Behçet's disease. However, the switching of anti-TNF-α agents for treatment failure remains unexplored. Our aims were to describe the efficacy and safety of a second anti-TNF-α agent in Behçet's disease patients after failure of a first agent. METHODS In this retrospective case series, 34 Behçet...

Most poxviruses, including variola, the causative agent of smallpox, express a secreted protein of 35 kDa, vCCI, which binds CC-chemokines with high affinity. This viral protein competes with the host cellular CC-chemokine receptors (CCRs), reducing inflammation and interfering with the host immune response. Such proteins or derivatives may have therapeutic uses as anti-inflammatory agents. We ...

Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of deadly malaria disease. It is an intracellular eukaryote and completes its multi-stage life cycle spanning the two hosts viz, mosquito and human. In order to habituate within host environment, parasite conform several strategies to evade host immune responses such as surface antigen polymorphism or modulation of host immune system and it is mediat...

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a major regulation mechanism of fundamental biological processes, not only in eukaryotes but also in bacteria. A growing body of evidence suggests that Ser/Thr phosphorylation play important roles in the physiology and virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological agent of tuberculosis. This pathogen uses 'eukaryotic-like' Ser/Thr protein kinases...

The survival and persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis depends on its capacity to manipulate multiple host defense pathways, including the ability to actively inhibit the death by apoptosis of infected host cells. The genetic basis for this anti-apoptotic activity and its implication for mycobacterial virulence have not been demonstrated or elucidated. Using a novel gain-of-function genetic...

Clostridium botulinum, a Gram-positive, anaerobic spore-forming bacteria, is distinguished by its significant clinical applications as well as its potential to be used as bioterror agent. Growing cells secrete botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), the most poisonous of all known poisons. While BoNT is the causative agent of deadly neuroparalytic botulism, it also serves as a remarkably effective treatme...

The increased resistance of campylobacters to antibiotics required the identification and isolation novel antimicrobials able inhibit its virulence, cause less or no display host toxicity. Acquiring all this knowledge was only possible through a better understanding their antibacterial potency biological mechanisms involved attenuating bacterial virulence factors. This review describes most rec...

Streptococcus suis bacteria are one of the most serious health problems for pigs and an emerging zoonotic agent in humans working swine industry. S. express capsular polysaccharides (CPS) a major bacterial virulence factor that define serotypes. Oligosaccharides resembling CPS serotypes 2, 3, 9, 14 have been synthesized, glycans related to 2 9 were placed on glycan array surfaces screen blood f...