West Nile virus transmission. results from the integrated surveillance system in Italy, 2008 to 2015

IIn Italy a national Plan for the surveillance of imported and autochthonous human vector-borne diseases (chikungunya, dengue, Zika virus disease and West Nile virus (WNV) disease) that integrates human and veterinary (animals and vectors) surveillance, is issued and revised annually according with the observed epidemiological changes. Here we describe results of the WNV integrated veterinary and human surveillance systems in Italy from 2008 to 2015. A real time data exchange protocol is in place between the surveillance systems to rapidly identify occurrence of human and animal cases and to define and update the map of affected areas i.e. provinces during the vector activity period from June to October. WNV continues to cause severe illnesses in Italy during every transmission season, albeit cases are sporadic and the epidemiology varies by virus lineage and geographic area. The integration of surveillance activities and a multidisciplinary approach made it possible and have been fundamental in supporting implementation of and/or strengthening preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk of transmission of WNV trough blood, tissues and organ donation and to implementing further measures for vector control

hepatitis a outbreak in italy 2013 a matched case control study

Between January and May 2013 a hepatitis A (HA) incidence increase was detected in Italy, signalling an outbreak. A retrospective matched case-control study was conducted to identify the source of infection. A case was defined as a resident of any of five regions (Apulia, autonomous province of Bolzano, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and autonomous province of Trento), who had symptom onset between 1 January and 31 May2013 as well a positive test for anti-HA virus IgM. We compared each case with four age-and neighbourhood-matched controls. Overall 119 cases and 419 controls were enrolled. Berries were found as the main risk factor for HA (adjusted odds ratio (ORadj): 4.2; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.5-7.0) followed by raw seafood (ORadj: 3.8; 95% CI: 2.2-6.8; PAF: 26%). Sequencing the virion protein (VP)1-2a region from 24 cases yielded a common sequence (GenBank number: KF182323). The same sequence was amplified from frozen mixed berries consumed by some cases as well as from isolates from Dutch and German HA patients, who had visited some of the affected Italian provinces during the outbreak. These findings suggested berries as the main source of the Italian outbreak. Control measures included voluntary recall of the confirmed frozen mixed berry batches and a trace-back investigation was initiated. The Ministry of Health website recommends frozen berries to be cooked for two minutes before eating.

Respiration, hydrogen peroxide levels and antioxidant enzyme activities during cold storage of zucchini squash fruit

Steady-state levels of hydrogen peroxide and activities of catalase and peroxidase were measured in the peel and pulp of zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L., cv., Giambo) during storage at 10 \ub0C or 0 \ub0C for two weeks. No visible damage occurred during this storage time; epidermal brown pits become visible later, at day 20 in fruit stored at 10 \ub0C and at day 15 in those stored at 0 \ub0C. In order to analyze the early effects of the chilling-induced oxidative stress during zucchini storage, rates of succinate oxidation, alternative oxidase activity, membrane fluidity and phospholipid composition were also measured in mitochondria isolated from the zucchini pulp. A decrease in hydrogen peroxide levels, an increase in the activity of detoxifying enzymes, a recovery of chilling-induced mitochondrial membrane fluidity and an increase in alternative oxidase (AOX) activity were detected in the early stages of zucchini storage at 10 \ub0C. The peroxidase and the AOX activities of the pulp of zucchini stored at 0 \ub0C were also found to increase but to a lesser extent and later during storage, suggesting that these fruit can also activate these ROS regulatory systems, possibly preventing the occurrence of early visible damage in the peel but not the occurrence of cold stress