Serological update of the Chikungunya epidemic outbreak in Italy

Serological update of the Chikungunya epidemic outbreak in Italy P. Gaibani1,∗, A. Pierro1, F. CAVRINI2, G. Rossini 3, M.P. Landini 3, C. Manisera4, V. Sambri5 1 S.Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy 2 S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, BOLOGNA, Italy 3 S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, section of Microbiology, BOLOGNA, Italy 4 S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Microbiology, Bologna, Italy 5 University of Bologna, Bologna, Ital

Sero-prevalence of West Nile virus in north-eastern Italy

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Imported cases of Chikungunya and Dengue fever in Emilia Romagna region, Italy

Imported cases of Chikungunya and Dengue fever in Emilia Romagna region, Italy F. Cavrini 1,∗, P. Gaibani2, C. Manisera3, A. Pierro4, G. Rossini 5, M.P. Landini 5, V. Sambri6 1 S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, BOLOGNA, Italy 2 S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Section of Microbiology, BOLOGNA, Italy 3 S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Section of Microbiology, BOLOGNA, Italy 4 S.Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy 5 S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, section of Microbiology, BOLOGNA, Italy 6 University of Bologna, Bologna, Ital

First human case of West Nile virus neuroinvasive infection in Italy, September 2008 - case report.

On 20 September 2008, the laboratory of the Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (Centro di Riferimento Regionale per le Emergenze Microbiologiche, CRREM) in Bologna, reported the detection of specific IgM and IgG antibodies against West Nile virus (WNV) in the serum of a female patient in her eighties who lived in a rural area between Ferrara and Bologna, Italy

Retrospective screening of solid organ donors in Italy, 2009, reveals unpredicted circulation of West Nile virus

Since the occurrence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in humans in 2008 in Italy, concerns have been raised about the potential risks associated with solid organ transplantation (SOT). A nationwide retrospective survey showed that 1.2% of SOT donors in 2009 were WNV-seropositive and demonstrated that human WNV infection is distributed throughout several Italian regions. Transmission of WNV or other arboviruses through SOT is a possibility and risk assessment should be carried out before SOT to avoid infection through transplantatation

The central region of the msp gene of Treponema denticola has sequence heterogeneity among clinical samples, obtained from patients with periodontitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Treponema denticola </it>is an oral spirochete involved in the pathogenesis and progression of periodontal disease. Of its virulence factors, the major surface protein (MSP) plays a role in the interaction between the treponeme and host. To understand the possible evolution of this protein, we analyzed the sequence of the <it>msp </it>gene in 17 <it>T. denticola </it>positive clinical samples.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nucleotide and amino acid sequence of MSP have been determined by PCR amplification and sequencing in seventeen <it>T. denticola </it>clinical specimens to evaluate the genetic variability and the philogenetic relationship of the <it>T. denticola msp </it>gene among the different amplified sequence of positive samples. In silico antigenic analysis was performed on each MSP sequences to determined possible antigenic variation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The <it>msp </it>sequences showed two highly conserved 5' and 3' ends and a central region that varies substantially. Phylogenetic analysis categorized the 17 specimens into 2 principal groups, suggesting a low rate of evolutionary variability and an elevated degree of conservation of <it>msp </it>in clinically derived genetic material. Analysis of the predicted antigenic variability between isolates, demonstrated that the major differences lay between amino acids 200 and 300.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings showed for the first time, the nucleotide and amino acids variation of the <it>msp </it>gene in infecting <it>T. denticola</it>, <it>in vivo</it>. This data suggested that the antigenic variability found in to the MSP molecule, may be an important factor involved in immune evasion by <it>T. denticola</it>.</p

Inflammatory Cytokine Expression Is Associated with Chikungunya Virus Resolution and Symptom Severity

The Chikungunya virus infection zones have now quickly spread from Africa to parts of Asia, North America and Europe. Originally thought to trigger a disease of only mild symptoms, recently Chikungunya virus caused large-scale fatalities and widespread economic loss that was linked to recent virus genetic mutation and evolution. Due to the paucity of information on Chikungunya immunological progression, we investigated the serum levels of 13 cytokines/chemokines during the acute phase of Chikungunya disease and 6- and 12-month post-infection follow-up from patients of the Italian outbreak. We found that CXCL9/MIG, CCL2/MCP-1, IL-6 and CXCL10/IP-10 were significantly raised in the acute phase compared to follow-up samples. Furthermore, IL-1β, TNF-α, Il-12, IL-10, IFN-γ and IL-5 had low initial acute phase levels that significantly increased at later time points. Analysis of symptom severity showed association with CXCL9/MIG, CXCL10/IP-10 and IgG levels. These data give insight into Chikungunya disease establishment and subsequent convalescence, which is imperative to the treatment and containment of this quickly evolving and frequently re-emerging disease

Larval Development of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Peri-Urban Brackish Water and Its Implications for Transmission of Arboviral Diseases

Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes albopictus Skuse mosquitoes transmit serious human arboviral diseases including yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya in many tropical and sub-tropical countries. Females of the two species have adapted to undergo preimaginal development in natural or artificial collections of freshwater near human habitations and feed on human blood. While there is an effective vaccine against yellow fever, the control of dengue and chikungunya is mainly dependent on reducing freshwater preimaginal development habitats of the two vectors. We show here that Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus lay eggs and their larvae survive to emerge as adults in brackish water (water with <0.5 ppt or parts per thousand, 0.5–30 ppt and >30 ppt salt are termed fresh, brackish and saline respectively). Brackish water with salinity of 2 to 15 ppt in discarded plastic and glass containers, abandoned fishing boats and unused wells in coastal peri-urban environment were found to contain Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus larvae. Relatively high incidence of dengue in Jaffna city, Sri Lanka was observed in the vicinity of brackish water habitats containing Ae. aegypti larvae. These observations raise the possibility that brackish water-adapted Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus may play a hitherto unrecognized role in transmitting dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever in coastal urban areas. National and international health authorities therefore need to take the findings into consideration and extend their vector control efforts, which are presently focused on urban freshwater habitats, to include brackish water larval development habitats

Feasibility, reliability, and validity of the EQ-5D-Y: results from a multinational study

Ravens-Sieberer U, Wille N, Badia X, et al. Feasibility, reliability, and validity of the EQ-5D-Y: results from a multinational study. QUALITY OF LIFE RESEARCH. 2010;19(6):887-897.To examine the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the newly developed EQ-5D-Y. The EQ-5D-Y was administered in population samples of children and adolescents in Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. Percentages of missing values and reported problems were calculated. Test-retest reliability was determined. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients with other generic measures of HRQOL were calculated. Known groups' validity was examined by comparing groups with a priori expected differences in HRQOL. Between 91 and 100% of the respondents provided valid scorings. Sweden had the lowest proportion of reported problems (1-24.9% across EQ-5D-Y dimensions), with the highest proportions in South Africa (2.8-47.3%) and Italy (4.3-39.0%). Percentages of agreement in test-retest reliability ranged between 69.8 and 99.7% in the EQ-5D-Y dimensions; Kappa coefficients were up to 0.67. Correlation coefficients with other measures of self-rated health indicated convergent validity (up to r = -0.56). Differences between groups classified according to presence of chronic conditions, self-rated overall health and psychological problems provided preliminary evidence of known groups' validity. Results provide preliminary evidence of the instrument's feasibility, reliability and validity. Further study is required in clinical samples and for possible future applications in economic analyses

Treponema denticola chymotrypsin-like proteinase may contribute to orodigestive carcinogenesis through immunomodulation

Background: Periodontal pathogens have been linked to oral and gastrointestinal (orodigestive) carcinogenesis. However, the exact mechanisms remain unknown. Treponema denticola (Td) is associated with severe periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease leading to tooth loss. The anaerobic spirochete Td is an invasive bacteria due to its major virulence factor chymotrypsin-like proteinase. Here we aimed to investigate the presence of Td chymotrypsin-like proteinase (Td-CTLP) in major orodigestive tumours and to elucidate potential mechanisms for Td to contribute to carcinogenesis. Methods: The presence of Td-CTLP within orodigestive tumour tissues was examined using immunohistochemistry. Oral, tonsillar, and oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas, alongside gastric, pancreatic, and colon adenocarcinomas were stained with a Td-CTLP-specific antibody. Gingival tissue from periodontitis patients served as positive controls. SDS-PAGE and immunoblot were used to analyse the immumodulatory activity of Td-CTLP in vitro. Results: Td-CTLP was present in majority of orodigestive tumour samples. Td-CTLP was found to convert pro MMP-8 and -9 into their active forms. In addition, Td-CTLP was able to degrade the proteinase inhibitors TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, as well as complement C1q. Conclusions: Because of its presence within tumours and regulatory activity on proteins critical for the regulation of tumour microenvironment and inflammation, the Td-CTLP may contribute to orodigestive carcinogenesis.Peer reviewe