Tick-borne encephalitis is a neuroinfection widely distributed in the Euro–Asia region. Primarily, the virus is transmitted by the bite of infected ticks. From 2000–2019, the total number of confirmed cases in Europe reported to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control was 51,519. The number of cases decreased in 2014 and 2015; however, since 2015, a growing number of cases have been observed, with the involvement of countries in which TBE has not been previously reported. The determinant factors for the spread of TBE are host population size, weather conditions, movement of hosts, and local regulations on the socioeconomic dynamics of the local and travelling people around the foci areas. The mean incidence rate of tick-borne encephalitis from 2000–2019 in Europe was 3.27, while the age-adjusted mean incidence rate was 2.19 per 100,000 population size. This review used several articles and data sources from the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control.

Background: Among over 100 types ofHerpesviridaeviruses, eight can infect humans: herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1, HSV-2), varicella zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human herpesviruses 6, 7, and 8 (HHV-6, HHV-7, HHV-8). After initial infection, the viruses remain latent for the lifetime of the host. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of six different herpesviruses: HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV, CMV, and HHV-6 in trigeminal and facial nerve ganglia among a random group of Polish population.Methods: The studied group consisted of 47 individuals (40 male, seven female); mean age of 47.4 ± 16.5 years) who died of independent causes (suicide, traffic accident, and poisoning, among others). Bilateral trigeminal and facial nerve ganglia of each cadaver were collected during the autopsy. Herpesviruses were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction technique.Results: Herpesviruses were found in trigeminal and/or facial ganglia in 30/47 (63.8%) of cadavers. HHV-6 was the most prevalent of the herpesviruses and was found in nearly half of cadavers (n= 22; 46.8%), followed by HSV-1 (n= 7; 14.9%), VZV (n= 4; 8.5%), EBV (n= 4; 8.5%), HSV-2 (n= 2; 4.3%), and CMV (n= 1; 2.1%). Facial nerve ganglia (n= 23; 48.9%) were more often infected than trigeminal ganglia (n= 13; 27.7%).Discussion: The results of this study have revealed a common presence of the herpesviruses in trigeminal and facial nerve ganglia among a random group of Polish population. Furthermore, the data also demonstrate simultaneous infection of the ganglia with different herpesviruses. This study has contributed to the knowledge of prevalence and localization of herpesviruses in different structures of the nervous system.

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the pulmonary function tests (PFT) in COVID-19 convalescents six months after recovery. Additionally, the research question was whether PFT should be performed routinely in post-COVID-19 patients. Methods: A total of 39 patients with a history of COVID-19 6 months prior to the study were included in the study (Group I). Individuals were hospitalized or treated in the outpatients department. The control group (Group II) consisted of 39 healthy patients without a COVID-19 history. Each subject completed a questionnaire interview and underwent laboratory and pulmonary function examinations. Results: Six months after COVID-19 recovery, patients mainly complained about cough (46%, n = 18), shortness of breath (23%, n = 9), weakness (13%, n = 5), and memory/concentration disorders (8%, n = 3). In the group of patients complaining of persistent cough present 6 months after COVID-19, the following PFT parameters were decreased: FEV1, FVC, FRC, TLC, and DLCO (p < 0.05) in comparison with patients without this symptom. Conclusions: Persistent shortness of breath is not necessarily associated with pulmonary function impairment in patients 6 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and hence it requires appropriate differential diagnosis. Patients with a cough persisting 6 months after the acute phase of COVID-19 may benefit from PFT.

Despite the availability of numerous lipid-lowering agents, the treatment of lipid disorders remains a public health challenge. A substantial portion of patients, especially those with severe dyslipidemia or familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), fail to achieve the LDL-C goal. The leading causes of suboptimal LDL-C control include underprescription and poor adherence; however, in rare cases, it may result from an unusual biological response to treatment. In the presented case, a 78-year-old female with a history of transient ischemic attack and myocardial infarction was diagnosed with a heterozygous variant of FH and true statin intolerance following trials of simvastatin, rosuvastatin and pitavastatin. Initially, inclisiran was added to ezetimibe, leading to an unexpected increase in LDL-C. Due to the patient’s refusal of another statin re-challenge and the unavailability of bempedoic acid, nutraceuticals were introduced. After 6 months, inclisiran was discontinued because only a 22% reduction in LDL-C was achieved, likely attributable to the nutraceutical’s effect. Another PCSK9 inhibitor, evolocumab, was subsequently initiated. Shortly after the treatment onset, the patient complained of paraesthesia in the upper extremities and discontinued therapy. LDL-C levels increased by 7% after one month of treatment with evolocumab. The patient refused treatment with lipid apheresis. Possible causes of poor response to PCSK9 inhibitors include elevated lipoprotein(a) and FH.