Analysis of Fraxinus pollen seasons in selected cities of Poland in 2018

The study compares the ash pollen seasons in Szczecin, Drawsko Pomorskie, Bydgoszcz, Zielona Gora, Wroclaw, Opole, Sosnowiec, Cracow, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Warsaw, Lublin, Olsztyn and Bialystok in 2018. The investigations were carried out using the volumetric method. The ash pollen season began between April 7th and April 10th. Maximum daily pollen concentrations were noted earliest on April 10th and latest on April 17th. The greatest risk of allergies caused by the presence of airborne ash pollen was observed in Lublin

Maple pollen season in selected cities of Poland in 2018

The study compares the maple pollen seasons in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Drawsko Pomorskie, Sosnowiec, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Szczecin, Warsaw and Zielona Gora in 2018. The investigations were conducted using the volumetric method. The maple season started in all sites in the first decade of April, with the exception of Sosnowiec, where the season began already on March 16th. The peak values of seasonal pollen count occurred between 12th–20th April in all cities. The highest daily pollen count was recorded in Sosnowiec and in Lublin on the same day (12th April) in both cities. The greatest risk of allergies caused by the presence of airborne maple pollen was observed in Sosnowiec, Lublin and Opole

Rift Valley fever – a growing threat to humans and animals

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic, vector-borne infectious disease of ruminants and camels transmitted mainly by the Aedes and Culex mosquito species. Contact with the blood or organs of infected animals may infect humans. Its etiological factor is the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) of the Phlebovirus genus and Bunyaviridae family. Sheep and goats are most susceptible to infection and newborns and young individuals endure the most severe disease course. High abortion rates and infant mortality are typical for RVF; its clinical signs are high fever, lymphadenitis, nasal and ocular secretions and vomiting. Conventional diagnosis is done by the detection of specific IgM or IgG antibodies and RVFV nucleic acids and by virus isolation. Inactivated and live-attenuated vaccines obtained from virulent RVFV isolates are available for livestock. RVF is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, but in the last two decades, it was also reported in other African regions. Seropositive animals were detected in Turkey, Tunisia and Libya. The wide distribution of competent vectors in non-endemic areas coupled with global climate change threaten to spread RVF transboundarily. The EFSA considers the movement of infected animals and vectors to be other plausible pathways of RVF introduction into Europe. A very low risk both of introduction of the virus through an infected animal or vector and of establishment of the virus, and a moderate risk of its transmission through these means was estimated for Poland. The risk of these specific modes of disease introduction into Europe is rated as very low, but surveillance and response capabilities and cooperation with the proximal endemic regions are recommended

Genetic analysis of the M gene of equine influenza virus strains isolated in Poland, in the context of the Asian-like group formation

Introduction: Traditionally, evolutionary analysis of equine influenza virus (EIV) is based on the HA gene. However, the specificity of the influenza virus enables the classification of viral strains into different phylogenetic groups, depending on the gene being analysed. The aim of the study was to analyse phylogenetic paths of EIV based on M gene with reference to the HA gene