21 research outputs found
Pest categorisation of Longidorus diadecturus
The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Longidorus diadecturus (Nematoda: Longidoridae) for the EU. The nematode is a well-defined taxon and was described from Ontario, Canada and later reported from some states in the USA. The nematode is not present in the EU. It is regulated by Council Directive 2000/29/EC, listed in Annex I A I as L. diadecturus Eveleigh and Allen. It is a migratory ectoparasitic nematode species puncturing cells of plant roots thereby able to transmit the nepovirus Peach rosette mosaic virus (PRMV). The pest is found in soil associated with plant species belonging to different families. L. diadecturus is able to cause direct damage to plants, but its main damage is caused by vectoring PRMV. Soil is a potential pathway for this nematode for entry into the EU. The nematode is able to survive adverse conditions, but the virus may not persist inside the nematode for extended periods. Climatic conditions in the EU are similar to those found in the countries where the pest is currently present. Hosts of the nematode (and the associated virus) are, e.g. peaches and grapes; those crops are also widely cultivated in the EU. The nematode only moves short distances (around 1 m) but may be spread with soil moving activities. Measures are available to inhibit entry via soil as such. Entry of the nematode with soil attached to plants for planting that are not regulated is possible. L. diadecturus does satisfy all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest
Pest categorisation of the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex
Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest
categorisation of the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC), a distinguishable cosmopolitan
group of bacterial plant pathogens (including R. solanacearum, Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum and two
subspecies of Ralstonia syzygii) of the family Burkholderiaceae. The RSSC causes bacterial wilt in
solanaceous crops, such as potato, tomato and pepper, but can also cause wilts in other important food
crops such as fruit banana, plantain banana and cassava. The pest survives in the soil, and a number of
weed species can also be infected by the pest, often asymptomatically. The RSSC is regulated in Council
Directive 2000/29/EC (Annex IAII) (indicated by its former name R. solanacearum, as delimited by
Yabuuchi et al.) as a harmful organism whose introduction into the EU is banned. In addition, Council
Directive 1998/57/EC (amended by Commission Directive 2006/63/CE) concerns the measures to be
taken within EU Member States (MS) against the RSSC to (a) detect it and determine its distribution,
(b) prevent its occurrence and spread, and (c) control it with the aim of eradication. The pest is present
in several EU MS, but in all cases with a restricted distribution and under official control. New
phylotypes of the RSSC could enter the EU primarily via host plants for planting (including seed tubers).
The pest could establish in the EU, as climatic conditions are favourable, hosts are common and the
pathogen has high adaptability. Spread is mainly via plants for planting. Substantial crop losses in the
EU would occur in the presence of RSSC epidemics. The RSSC is regarded as one of the worldâs most
important phytopathogenic bacteria due to its broad geographical distribution, large host range,
aggressiveness, genetic diversity and long persistence in soil and water. The list of hosts and
commodities for which the pest is regulated is incomplete due to the high diversity of hosts and the
lack of knowledge of the complete host range. Moreover, the comparative epidemiology of the different
pathogen species has not yet been studied. The criteria assessed by the Panel for consideration of the
RSSC as potential quarantine pest are met, while, for regulated non-quarantine pests, the criterion on
the widespread presence in the EU is not met
Pest categorisation of âBlight and blight-likeâ diseases of citrus
The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of
â
Blight and blight-like
â
for the EU
territory. Blight is a major disease of citrus. Similar
â
blight-like
â
diseases are also known (e.g. declinio,
declinamiento) and are addressed simultaneously with Blight in the present categorisation. The causal
agent(s) remain(s) unknown and the potential role of a recently identi
fi
ed citrus endogenous
pararetrovirus (Citrus Blight-associated pararetrovirus, CBaPRV) remains to be established.
Transmissibility and ability to produce consistent (although poorly speci
fi
c) symptoms have been
demonstrated and a combination of indirect approaches is used, with limits, for diagnosis. There are
large uncertainties on the biology of the causal agent(s) and on the epidemiology of the disease,
including the transmission mechanism(s) responsible for the observed
fi
eld spread. Blight has been
reported from North, Central and South America, Africa and Oceania but is not known to occur in the
EU. It is listed in Annex IIA of Directive 2000/29EC. It has the potential to enter, establish and spread
in the EU territory. The main entry pathway (citrus plants for planting) is closed by existing legislation
and entry is only possible on minor pathways (such as illegal import). Blight is a severe disease and a
negative impact is expected should it be introduced in the EU, but the magnitude of this negative
impact is very dif
fi
cult to estimate.
â
Blight and blight like
â
satis
fi
es all criteria evaluated by EFSA to
qualify as a Union quarantine pest. It does not meet the criterion of being present in the EU to qualify
as a Union regulated non-quarantine pest (RNQP). Since the identity of the causal agent(s) of the
Blight and blight-like disease(s) and the existence and ef
fi
ciency of natural spread mechanism(s)
remain unknown, large uncertainties affect all aspects of the present pest categorisation
List of non-EU viruses and viroids of Cydonia Mill., Fragaria L., Malus Mill., Prunus L., Pyrus L., Ribes L., Rubus L. and Vitis L.
The Panel on Plant Health performed a listing of non-EU viruses and viroids (reported hereinafter as
viruses) of Cydonia Mill., Fragaria L., Malus Mill., Prunus L., Pyrus L., Ribes L., Rubus L. and Vitis L. A
systematic literature review identified 197 viruses infecting one or more of the host genera under
consideration. Viruses were allocated into three categories (i) 86 non-EU viruses, known to occur only
outside the EU or having only limited presence in the EU (i.e. reported in only one or few Member
States (MSs), known to have restricted distribution, outbreaks), (ii) 97 viruses excluded at this stage
from further categorisation efforts because they have significant presence in the EU (i.e. only reported
so far from the EU or known to occur or be widespread in some MSs or frequently reported in the EU),
(iii) 14 viruses with undetermined standing for which available information did not readily allow to
allocate to one or the other of the two above groups. Comments provided by MSs during consultation
phases were integrated in the opinion. The main knowledge gaps and uncertainties of this listing
concern (i) the geographic distribution and prevalence of the viruses analysed, in particular when they
were recently described; (ii) the taxonomy and biological status of a number of poorly characterised
viruses; (iii) the host status of particular plant genera in relation to some viruses. The viruses
considered as non-EU and those with undetermined standing will be categorised in the next steps to
answer a specific mandate from the Commission to develop pest categorisations for non-EU viruses.
This list does not imply a prejudice on future needs for a pest categorisation for other viruses which
are excluded from the current categorisation efforts
Pest categorisation of non-EU viruses of Ribes L
Following a request from the EU Commission, the Panel on Plant Health addressed the pest
categorisation of the viruses of Ribes L. determined as being either non-EU or of undetermined standing
in a previous EFSA opinion. These infectious agents belong to different genera and are heterogeneous in
their biology. Alaska vitivirus 1 and Ribes virus F were excluded from categorisation because these are
very poorly characterised viruses. The pest categorisation was completed for seven viruses with clear
identity and for which detection methods are available. All these viruses are efficiently transmitted by
vegetative propagation techniques, with plants for planting representing the major pathway for longdistance
dispersal and thus considered as the major pathway for entry. Depending on the virus,
additional pathway(s) can also be Ribes seeds, pollen and/or vector(s). Most of the viruses categorised
here are known to infect only one or few plant genera, but tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV) has a wide
host range, thus extending the possible entry pathways. ToRSV meets all the criteria evaluated by EFSA
to qualify as potential Union quarantine pest (QP). With the exception of impact in the EU territory, on
which the Panel was unable to conclude, Actinidia virus X, blackcurrant leaf chlorosis-associated virus,
blackcurrant leafroll-associated virus, black currant-associated rhabdovirus, blackcurrant waikavirus A
and Ribes americanum virus A satisfy all the other criteria to be considered as potential Union QPs. For
several viruses, especially those recently discovered, the categorisation is associated with high
uncertainties mainly because of the absence of data on their biology, distribution and impact. Since this
opinion addresses specifically the non-EU viruses, in general these viruses do not meet the criteria
assessed by EFSA to qualify as potential Union regulated non-quarantine pests
Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTICâHF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials
Aims:
The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTICâHF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTICâHF and how these compare with other contemporary trials.
Methods and Results:
Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA)ââ„âII, EF â€35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokineticâguided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50âmg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), nonâwhite (22%), mean age 65âyears] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NTâproBNP 1971âpg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTICâHF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressureâ<â100âmmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate <â30âmL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitrilâvalsartan at baseline (n = 1594).
Conclusions:
GALACTICâHF enrolled a wellâtreated, highârisk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation
Emerging pests in the European Union: EFSA IT tools to support EU risk managers - Annual meeting of International Pest Risk Research Group (IPRRG)
<p>Poster "Emerging pests in the European Union: EFSA IT tools to support EU risk managers" presented during the Annual meeting of International Pest Risk Research Group (IPRRG) held in Athens (Greece), 10-13 October 2022.</p>EU; en; PDF; [email protected]
Emerging pests in the European Union: EFSA Pest Survey Toolkit to support EU risk managers - Annual meeting of International Pest Risk Research Group (IPRRG)
Presentation of EFSA Pest Survey Toolkit for the annual meeting of International Pest Risk Research Group (IPRRG) held in Athens (Greece) on 10 October 2022.EU; en; PDF; [email protected]
EFSA activities on Pest Surveillance - EC Working Group on Plant Health Surveillance - 17 November
Presentation of EFSA activities on Pest Surveillance for EC Working Group on Plant Health Surveillance on 17 November 2022.EU; en; PDF; [email protected]
Report on 2022 plant pest survey activities
This document aims to facilitate the access and list all the outputs and materials delivered in 2022 in the context of EFSA mandates on plant pest surveillance M-2020-0114 and M-2022-00069EU; en; PDF; [email protected]