A diagnostic study comparing conventional and real-time PCR for Strongyloides stercoralis on urine and on faecal samples

Abstract Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted helminth with a wide distribution in tropical and subtropical areas. The diagnosis of S. stercoralisinfection can be challenging, due to the low sensitivity of microscopic examination of stool samples and coproculture. In the last decade, different in-house molecular biology techniques for S. stercoralis have been implemented. They demonstrated good accuracy, although sensitivity does not seem sufficiently high yet. Recently, a novel PCR technique has been evaluated for the detection of S. stercoralis DNA in urine. Aim of this work was to compare the sensitivity of the real-time PCR (qPCR) on feces routinely used at the Centre for Tropical Disease (CTD) of Negrar, Verona, Italy, with that of the novel based PCR on urine. As secondary objective, we evaluated a Urine Conditioning Buffer ® (Zymoresearch) with the aim of improving nucleic acid stability in urine during sample storage/transport at ambient temperatures. Patients attending the CTD and resulting positive at routine screening with serology for S. stercoralis were invited, previous written consent, to supply stool and urine samples for molecular biology. A convenience sample of 30 patients was included. The sensitivity of qPCR on feces resulted 63%, and that of based PCR on urine was 17%. In all the samples treated with the Urine Conditioning Buffer ® there was no detectable DNA. In conclusion, the sensitivity of the novel technique resulted low, and needs further implementation before being considered as a valid alternative to the validated method

The AMMA mulid network for aerosol characterization in West Africa

Three ground based portable low power consumption microlidars (MULID) have been built and deployed at three remote sites in Banizoumbou (Niger), Cinzana (Mali) and M'Bour (Senegal) in the framework of the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA) project for the characterization of aerosols optical properties. A description of the instrument and a discussion of the data inversion method, including a careful analysis of measurement uncertainties (systematic and statistical errors) are presented. Some case studies of typical lidar profiles observed over the Banizoumbou site during 2006 are shown and discussed with respect to the AERONET 7-day back-trajectories and the biomass burning emissions from the Combustion Emission database for the AMMA campaign

Addressing health care disruption in rural Mozambique due to extreme climate events: mobile units tackling cyclones, vaccine-preventable diseases, and beyond

Floods, and cyclones are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity worldwide due to global warming. Mozambique is very susceptible to these extreme events due to its geographical location. In the last ten years, four of the most severe extreme climatic events have been observed in this country, leading to widespread destruction of infrastructure and the displacement of inhabitants. Cyclones Dineo in 2017, Idai and Kenneth in 2019 and recently Freddy in 2023 affected in total over two million people impacting food and water security, causing cholera outbreaks and damage to health facilities. The mobile health units, known as Brigadas Móveis (BM), are crucial to the Mozambican health system as they provide people in the most remote areas with vaccinations, and antimalarials, and other interventions. The BM activities in five districts of Inhambane province in the south of Mozambique are run by the NGO Medicus Mundi Italia in collaboration with the local health authorities. Cyclone Freddy flooded the province of Inhambane, affecting road accessibility and the BM’s planned operations in all five districts with a loss of 37.8% of BM outreach activities. The temporary absence of the BM service resulted in rural communities having no access to health care, including routine vaccine administration. Adaptation strategies need to be implemented to address the healthcare challenges associated with extreme climate events. As described in our experience in Inhambane, BM restored outreach activities immediately after the cyclone, improving access to care after challenging situations

Long-term outcomes of the global tuberculosis and COVID-19 co-infection cohort

Background: Longitudinal cohort data of patients with tuberculosis (TB) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are lacking. In our global study, we describe long-term outcomes of patients affected by TB and COVID-19. Methods: We collected data from 174 centres in 31 countries on all patients affected by COVID-19 and TB between 1 March 2020 and 30 September 2022. Patients were followed-up until cure, death or end of cohort time. All patients had TB and COVID-19; for analysis purposes, deaths were attributed to TB, COVID-19 or both. Survival analysis was performed using Cox proportional risk-regression models, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival and mortality attributed to TB, COVID-19 or both. Results: Overall, 788 patients with COVID-19 and TB (active or sequelae) were recruited from 31 countries, and 10.8% (n=85) died during the observation period. Survival was significantly lower among patients whose death was attributed to TB and COVID-19 versus those dying because of either TB or COVID-19 alone (p<0.001). Significant adjusted risk factors for TB mortality were higher age (hazard ratio (HR) 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.07), HIV infection (HR 2.29, 95% CI 1.02-5.16) and invasive ventilation (HR 4.28, 95% CI 2.34-7.83). For COVID-19 mortality, the adjusted risks were higher age (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.04), male sex (HR 2.21, 95% CI 1.24-3.91), oxygen requirement (HR 7.93, 95% CI 3.44-18.26) and invasive ventilation (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.36-3.53). Conclusions: In our global cohort, death was the outcome in >10% of patients with TB and COVID-19. A range of demographic and clinical predictors are associated with adverse outcomes

Face masks for all and all for face masks in the covid-19 pandemic: community level production to face the global shortage and shorten the epidemic

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a global shortage of medical masks, leaving most exposed health personnel without appropriate protection. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the World Health Organization WHO) has revised several times the recommendations on general use of facemasks. Until recently, WHO recommended to limit the use of facemasks to symptomatic people and advised against off-standard solutions. Moreover, recommenda- tions differ among and within countries, causing public confusion and individual initiative. There is wide consensus that universal appropriate use of masks may contribute both to contain the epidemic and to reduce the burden on national procurement, if a community production approach is followed. Especially in low-middle income countries, due to the scarce capacity of national industrial production or import, the use of masks produced at community level may become the only viable option. For the purpose ad hoc guidelines will be needed. Current knowledge and experience call for further and updated review of global and national guidelines to provide clear and consistent criteria to ensure the widest availability and appropriate use of facial protection, bearing in mind populations in socio-economic disadvantaged settings

The Italian health system and the COVID-19 challenge

The article illustrates the response of the Italian Health System to the COvid-19 epidemic challeng

COVID-19: leave no healthcare worker behind

The article comments on guarantees of perosna protection granted to Italian health workers during the Covid-19 epidemi

COVID-19: universal health coverage now more than ever

The viewpoint emphasizes the importance of UHC during a pandemic. It examines the respones of the Italian National Health Service to the Covid-19 epidemi