Genc Sulcebe

University of Medicine Tirana

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Erkena Shyti

Academy of Sciences of Albania

Zamira Ylli

University of Medicine Tirana

Alban Ylli

University of Medicine Tirana

Fabian Cenko

University of Virginia

Alicia Sanchez‐Mazas

University of Geneva

Jonida Dashi-Pasholli

Academy of Sciences of Albania

Margarita Kurti-Prifti

Academy of Sciences of Albania

José Manuel Nunes

University of Geneva

Melissa J. Perry

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Stéphane Bühler

University Hospital of Geneva

Cooperative Institutions

University of Tirana

University of Medicine Tirana

Mother Teresa Hospital

University of Geneva

Inserm

Hôpital Saint-Louis

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

University Hospital of Geneva

Albanian University

Institute of Immunology

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Dynamics of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in the Albanian Population: Impact of Infection and Vaccine-Induced Immunity during the COVID-19 Pandemic

IJID Regions (2024)

Genc Sulcebe Alban Ylli Fabian Cenko Margarita Kurti-Prifti Erkena Shyti

Pandemic

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

10.1016/j.ijregi.2024.100440

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The Diagnostic Value of Flow Cytometry Imunophenotyping in an Albanian Patient Population with a Preliminary Clinical Diagnosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences (2014)

Valentina Semanaj Arbi Pecani Teuta Dedej Alma Barbullushi Zamira Ylli

Objective: Based on the flow cytometry multiparametric immunophenotyping methodology we studied some useful cell marker criteria needed for the practical differentiation of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia from other chronic limphoproliferative diseases with a leukemic component.Materials and Methods: The applied methodology is a four color flow cytometry multiparametric immunophenotyping technique using EDTA blood samples taken from 84 consecutive patients diagnosed with CLL through a preliminary clinical and white blood cell examination. The following fluorescent stained monoclonal antibodies were used: CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8, CD11c, CD19, CD20, CD23, CD25, FMC7 and kappa/lambda light chains.Results: From the 84 individuals tested, 2 out of them (2.4%) resulted with a abnormal T-cell population while 82 (97.6%) showed a pathological B cell line. 58 (69.1%) patients resulted with typical CLL markers (CD19+CD5+CD23+) while 5 (5.9%) of them presented a non typical chronic lymphocytic leukemia profile (CD19+CD5+CD23-). 19 (22.6%) out of patients displayed an abnormal CD19+CD5- B cell population. A statistically significant correlation was found between the clinical stage of CLL and the positivity for the CD38 marker (p=0.04).Conclusion: Flow cytometry immunophenotyping is a fundamental examination for the final diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The expression of CD38+ in CLL patients stands for a more advanced clinical stage.

CD5

Immunophenotyping

CD23

10.3889/oamjms.2014.009

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Diagnostic and prognostic significance of different antinuclear antibodies in more than 1000 consecutive Albanian patients with rheumatic diseases.

PubMed (1992)

Genc Sulcebe K Morcka

In an unselected population of 1390 consecutive Albanian patients with rheumatic diseases (RD) and other miscellaneous non-rheumatic diseases (MNRD), for whom antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing was requested, we calculated the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of ANA positive results, ANA titres over 1:100, anti-native DNA (nDNA), anti-Sm, anti-U1 RNP, anti-SSA (Ro) anti-SSB (La) and anti-non-identified extractable nuclear antigen (NIENA) antibodies. The PPVs of these ANA types were found to be appreciable only for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); only the positive predictive value of ANA for SLE (26.4%) was lower than that for RA (34.3%). The anti-snRNP (Sm/U1RNP) positive SLE patients were more likely to have over 4 of the ARA criteria for SLE, ANA titres over 1:100, and anti-nDNA antibodies, in contrast with the anti-snRNP negative subgroup. On the other hand, the anti-ENA positive and anti-nDNA positive SLE patients generally showed higher frequencies of renal disease, over 4 of the criteria for SLE and ANA titres over 1:100, compared to anti-ENA positive and anti-nDNA negative patients. Our data suggest that the association of anti-snRNP antibodies with a more severe form of SLE is not to be attributed to these antibodies themselves, but rather to their close association with the concomitant presence of anti-nDNA antibodies.

Concomitant

Extractable nuclear antigens

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Estimating the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies: Understanding population-level immunity in Albania at the end of the Alpha variant wave

Journal of Global Health (2022)

Fabian Cenko Alban Ylli Margarita Prifti Erkena Shyti Erina Lazri

Population based immunity research progressed rapidly in Albania during the early phases of the pandemic, a time when the Alpha phase was declining and the Delta phase was just beginning.

Seroprevalence

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Alpha (finance)

Coronavirus Infections

10.7189/jogh.12.03054

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The Diagnostic Value of ANA and Anti-SMA in Suspected Patients with Autoimmune Hepatitis

South East European Journal of Immunology (2023)

Margarita Prifti-Kurti Genc Sulcebe Zamira Ylli

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an unknown chronic disease characterized by hepatocellular inflammation with a tendency to progress to cirrhosis. AIH can present with symptoms of acute hepatitis with symptoms of chronic liver disease. AIH occurs globally; it is more commonly found in females. Autoantibodies such as antinuclear, smooth muscle, liver kidney microsome, and soluble liver antigen are used to aid in the diagnosis of AIH, which presents with a variety of symptoms that also contribute to the classification of AIH. AIM: Evaluation of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-smooth muscle antibodies (SMA) positivity in hepatic diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, viral hepatitis, and extra-hepatic diseases, providing better markers for the early diagnosis of AIH-type 1. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 207 individuals. 62.4% of them were female. Regarding the diagnoses, we grouped them into 4 groups: hepatic diseases (n = 73), viral hepatitis B and C (n = 54), gastrointestinal diseases (n = 34), and extra-hepatic diseases (n = 46). Serum levels of ANA and anti-SMA were measured using an indirect immunofluorescence method following the manufacturer’s instructions (Aesku Diagnostics, Germany). Fluorescence intensity was interpreted semi-quantitatively based on negative control (0) and positive control (+4). RESULTS: The positivity of ANA and anti-SMA resulted as follows: In hepatic diseases 34.2% and 48%, in viral hepatitis B and C, ANA positivity was 14.8% and SMA positivity was 22.2%; in gastrointestinal diseases, ANA and SMA positivity were, respectively, 11.8% and 20.6%; and in extrahepatic diseases, positivity of ANA resulted in 32.6% and SMA in 26%. When compared to the viral hepatitis patient group, the ANA specificity for hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) was 85.2% and that of anti-SMA was 77.8%. The analysis of 46 extrahepatic patient groups provided an ANA specificity of 67.4% and an anti-SMA specificity of 74% for HAI. The comparison to gastrointestinal disease showed that ANA specificity for HAI was 88.2% and anti-SMA specificity was 79.4%. CONCLUSION: Diagnosing AIH is difficult because the clinical spectrum ranges from an asymptomatic presentation to an acute and severe disease. So in all cases, AIH must be suspected. Both males and females can develop AIH, but the disease is more common in females. Based on our diagnostic parameters, we can say that ANA and anti-SMA provide moderate sensitivity for AIH, but they are more specific to AIH type 1.

Autoimmune Hepatitis

Viral Hepatitis

Liver disease

10.3889/seejim.2023.6056

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Anti-phenolic glycolipid 1 IgM antibodies in leprosy patients and in their household contacts

Leprosy Review (1990)

Genc Sulcebe Mikel Nakuçi

Though they have no apparent protective action, the specific antibodies are important markers of the infection with My cobacterium ieprae.For their detection we employed an ELISA method using as substrate a synthetic immunodominant disaccharide of phenolic glycolipid I antigen of M. ieprae, conjugated with bovine serum albumin (D-BSA).Increased levels of anti-D-BSA antibodies of the IgM class were detected in 61• 5% of the 13 leprosy patients and in 13•3% of their 53 household contacts, whereas they were not fo und in any of the 37 normal blood donors.A strong correlation (r = -0'846) was fo und between the antibody levels and the duration of the disease among the 12 patients with lepromatous leprosy.These preliminary data demonstrate the usefulness of this method for epidemiological studies and for the detection of cases with subclinical infection.

Mycobacterium leprae

Bovine serum albumin

Subclinical infection

Serum Albumin

10.5935/0305-7518.19900031

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Citations (6)

HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 allele and haplotype frequencies in a population of 432 healthy unrelated individuals from Albania

Human Immunology (2016)

Genc Sulcebe Erkena Shyti

HLA-A

10.1016/j.humimm.2016.06.001

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Citations (10)

Dynamics of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in the Albanian Population: Impact of Infection and Vaccine-Induced Immunity during the COVID-19 Pandemic Year from August 2021 to August 2022

Genc Sulcebe Alban Ylli Fabian Cenko Margarita Kurti-Prifti Erkena Shyti

Understanding the dynamics of humoral immune responses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial for optimizing vaccine strategies. This study aimed to investigate the impact of infection and vaccine-induced immunity on the Albanian population from August 2021 to August 2022. Two independent samples from the Albanian general population were analyzed using an ELISA method to assess IgG class anti-Spike (S1) and anti-Nucleocapsid (N) SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The results revealed a robust immune response among vaccinated individuals with prior COVID-19 infection who received only one vaccine dose. In the 2022 cohort, most individuals who received one vaccine dose achieved comparable seropositivity and antibody levels to those who received two doses. However, individuals aged 61 and over required two or three vaccine doses to reach the same level of immune response as the younger population. Notably, the time elapsed since infection or vaccination did not significantly impact the immune response. These findings highlight the importance of hybrid immunity and suggest that one vaccine dose may be sufficient for most individuals with prior COVID-19 infection. However, additional doses are necessary for optimal protection in older individuals. This study provides unique insights into humoral immune response dynamics that can be used to refine ongoing COVID-19 population vaccination strategies for middle-income countries with low vaccination coverage.

Pandemic

Vaccine efficacy

Herd Immunity

Humoral immunity

10.20944/preprints202308.0151.v1

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Diagnostic Value of Specific Auto-Antibody Markers in Albanian Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

International Journal of Health Sciences and Research (2014)

Margarita Kurti Zamira Ylli Elizana Petrela Genc Sulcebe

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic role of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, rheumatoid factor including RF isotypes and antinuclear antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: This prospective study, conducted during the time interval from November 2010 to November 2012, included 126 consecutive patients sent from the Rheumatology Clinic of the University Hospital Center of Tirana. In all the RA patients, ACPA, RF screen, RF IgA, IgM, IgG isotypes and ANA were tested using respectively ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence methods. Results: The age of RA patients ranged from 17 to 78 years and 84% of them were females. The prevalence rates of ACPA, RF and ANA were 54.4 %, 44.4 % and 39.7% respectively. 35% of patients resulted positive for both specific serological markers (ACPA and RF). Positive results with two or three RF isotypes detected together were observed in 38.8% of patients. The RF isotype pattern IgM +/ IgA+ was found in 13.5% of patients, whereas RF isotype patterns IgA+/ IgG+ and IgM+/IgG+ have been detected at a rate of 1.6% respectively. The most frequent pattern (IgA+/IgM+/IgG+) RF was in 22.2% of RF screen positive patients. Conclusion: The RF and ACPA positivity rates in the RA Albanian patients were found lower compared to the results reported in other populations. The ACPA positivity resulted higher compared to RF. An IgA RF positivity, combined with IgM RF positivity, are more frequently found than other RF isotypes. The specific RA markers studied, provide an important support for the diagnosis of RA.

Rheumatoid factor

Isotype

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HLA-NET: A REAL EXAMPLE OF 'NETWORKING IN IMMUNOGENETICS'

Tissue Antigens (2013)

Alicia Sanchez‐Mazas Stéphane Bühler U Bekmane Søren Buus Claas Fhj.

Immunogenetics

Net (polyhedron)

Histocompatibility Testing

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