Browsing by Author "Karen Bohmwald"

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    Pharmacological management of human respiratory syncytial virus infection
    (2020) Kalergis, Alexis M.; Jorge A. Soto; Nicolás M. S. Gálvez; Catalina A. Andrade; Ayleen Fernandez; Karen Bohmwald; Bueno Ramirez, Susan Marcela
    Introduction: Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is the primary viral cause of respiratory diseases, leading to bronchiolitis and pneumonia in vulnerable populations. The only current treatment against this virus is palliative, and no efficient and specific vaccine against this pathogen is available. Areas covered: The authors describe the disease symptoms caused by hRSV, the economic and social impact of this infection worldwide, and how this infection can be modulated using pharmacological treatments, preventing and limiting its dissemination. The authors discuss the use of antibodies as prophylactic tools -such as palivizumab- and the use of nonspecific drugs to decrease the symptoms associated with the infection -such as bronchodilators, corticoids, and antivirals. They also discuss current vaccine candidates, new prophylactic treatments, and new antivirals options, which are currently being tested. Expert opinion: Today, many researchers are focused on developing different strategies to modulate the symptoms induced by hRSV. However, to achieve this, understanding how current treatments are working and their shortcomings needs to be further elucidated.
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    Understanding the Neurotrophic Virus Mechanisms and Their Potential Effect on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Development
    (2024) Felipe R. Uribe; Valentina P. I. González; Alexis Kalergis; Jorge A. Soto; Karen Bohmwald
    Central nervous system (CNS) pathologies are a public health concern, with viral infections one of their principal causes. These viruses are known as neurotropic pathogens, characterized by their ability to infiltrate the CNS and thus interact with various cell populations, inducing several diseases. The immune response elicited by neurotropic viruses in the CNS is commanded mainly by microglia, which, together with other local cells, can secrete inflammatory cytokines to fight the infection. The most relevant neurotropic viruses are adenovirus (AdV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), enterovirus (EV), Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), and the newly discovered SARS-CoV-2. Several studies have associated a viral infection with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) manifestations. This article will review the knowledge about viral infections, CNS pathologies, and the immune response against them. Also, it allows us to understand the relevance of the different viral proteins in developing neuronal pathologies, SLE and NPSLE.