4,433 research outputs found
<it>Aedes albopictus </it>and the reemergence of Dengue
No full textAbstract Dengue is a vector-borne disease that is estimated to affect millions of individuals each year in tropical and subtropical areas, and it is reemerging in areas that have been disease-free for relatively long periods of time. In this issue of the journal, Peng et al. report on a Dengue outbreak in a city in southern China that had been disease-free for more than two decades. The infection, which was due to serotype 1, was introduced by a traveler from South-east Asia and transmitted by Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito. Compared to Aedes aegypti, which is the most important vector of Dengue, Ae albopictus is a less competent vector of arboviruses, and the epidemics it causes are milder. However, Ae albopictus is becoming an increasingly important vector because of its rapidly changing global distribution. In particular, the worldwide trade in second hand tires, which often contain water and are an ideal place for eggs and larvae, has been a key factor in the large-scale conquest of Ae albopictus, which easily adapts to new environments, even in a temperate climate. This expansion is creating new opportunities for viruses to circulate in new areas, becoming a common cause of epidemics in Ae aegypti-free countries, from Hawaii to Mauritius. The outbreak in China, like similar events, was mild and short-lived. Because epidemics due to Ae albopictus are milder, the replacement of Ae aegypti with the tiger mosquito could even result in public-health benefits. However, there is no solid evidence of this, and the milder course of the outbreak could be in part explained by the relatively short duration of the hot season in some affected areas. Since it is almost impossible to prevent Ae albopictus from being introduced in a country, mosquito-control measures at local level remain the most effective means of controlling arbovirus outbreaks.</p
Chikungunya Fever
No full textChikungunya fever is an emerging mosquito-borne disease which is expanding its geographical area of activity. Although commonly transmitted by the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in tropical areas, viral strains with a single mutation showed adaptation to Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which are widespread in several temperate areas of the world, leading to outbreaks in previously naive areas. Although considered a self-limiting disease, studies conducted in countries affected by recent epidemics have identified unusual severe clinical presentations of this viral infection. Preparedness and mosquito control activities are important in countries where either Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus have been detected in order to reduce the risk of introduction of the Chikungunya fever virus and/or to reduce its impact in areas where it is already circulating
Le «buone letture». 2. Giovanni Casati
No full textIl saggio è costituito da due parti, la prima delle quali, dedicata alla fondazione della Federazione italiana delle biblioteche circolanti cattoliche, è stata pubblicata nel precedente numero dei «Nuovi Annali», XXVII (2013), pp. 137-163. In questa seconda parte viene delineata la figura intellettuale di Giovanni Casati, che diresse la «Rivista di letture» dal 1912 al 1944, trasformando il periodico della Federazione in una rivista impegnata nella divulgazione della cultura cattolica. A questo impegno militante Casati fece corrispondere un intenso programma editoriale, che trovò espressione nella pubblicazione di saggi letterari, di manuali e opere repertoriali.The study consists of two parts; the first is dedicated to the history of the Federazione italiana delle biblioteche circolanti cattoliche since its foundation (1904) up to 1912 and was published in the previous volume of the «Nuovi Annali », XXVII (2013), pp. 137-163. In this second part, the author outlines the intellectual figure of Giovanni Casati, who directed the «Rivista di letture» from 1912 to 1944, transforming the magazine of the Federation in a journal engaged in the spreading of Catholic culture. To this militant engagement Casati matched an intense publishing program, which found its expression in the publication of literary essays, manuals and reference works
Comico e tragico del diritto nella novellistica italiana: il novelliere di Giovanni Sercambi
No full textNelle novelle di età tardomedievale ed umanistica, a causa del loro carattere fortemente realistico, il diritto ha un posto importante, poiché rappresenta un elemento centrale e ineliminabile della vita della comunità. Il novelliere di Giovanni Sercambi da Lucca non fa eccezione, anche se l’autore non ha una cultura giuridica né s’interessa in modo specifico al diritto. Il presente saggio vuole analizzare sotto tale profilo queste novelle per verificare quale concezione del diritto emerge da esse e come la narrazione ne risulti arricchita.In the late medieval and humanistic novellas, owing to their very realistic character, the right is an important central and inevitable element in community life. Giovanni Sercambi’s novelliere is no exception even if the author lacks a legal culture, nor is specifically interested in right. This essay intends to analyze these novellas under this profile to verify what kind of right they consider and how the stories are enriched
HPV Vaccines: An Important Tool for STI Prevention
No full textHPV vaccines represent a milestone in the fight against virus induced tumors. In the 10 years since the introduction of both bivalent and quadrivalent HPV vaccines, population-based comparison data with the pre-vaccine era and observational studies allowed us to assess the global effect on HPV infection, as well as associated disease, in countries that have implemented HPV vaccine public health programs. There is evidence that vaccination significantly reduces the prevalence of high-risk HPV types, the incidence of ano-genital warts, and high-grade cervical abnormalities. The nine-valent vaccine, firstly authorized in 2014, provides further opportunities in terms of prevention compared to the first generation products. With the inclusion of HPV types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58, the vaccine could increase the protection against cervix cancers moving from about 70% (the proportion of cancers associated with HPV 16 and 18) to 90%. It is also estimated to provide a high reduction of the burden of pre-neoplastic cervical lesions from the current 46% to 82%. Moreover, there is an additional protection fraction regarding tumors involving the anus, vulva, penis, vagina, and oropharynx. A universal HPV vaccination program could greatly reduce the incidence of new HPV-related diseases by direct boys’ immunization but also by indirect protection of unvaccinated girls. Taking into account all HPV-related clinical outcomes, the more recent vaccine price and the 2-dose schedule, the extension of HPV vaccination to males could be cost-effective. Concluding, HPV vaccines appear to confer an advantage in terms of public health contributing to greatly reduce the burden of HPV-associated disease
Contrasting the anti-vaccine prejudice: a public health perspective
No full textAlthough immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions, there has been always opposition to vaccines. This may be due to several factors, some of which are : 1) the vaccines are given to healthy individuals to prevent disease; 2) the perception of the vaccine value paradoxically declines when the use of a vaccine reduces or eliminates the risk of a disease. Contrasting anti-vaccine movements/ feelings is important in order to keep vaccinate coverage rates high. Specific training of health care workers and other vaccine providers is needed in order to understand the reasons of reluctant parents, and to deal with prejudice and misinformation
Strategies in recommending influenza vaccination in Europe and US
No full textThere is potential for influenza vaccine programmes to make a substantial impact on the disease burden. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified young children, pregnant women, persons with chronic medical conditions, and the elderly as being at risk for severe influenza disease and therefore important groups to be considered for influenza vaccination. Applying the methodology of scoping review of grey and scientific literature we described the European and the US approach to influenza vaccine prevention. Although vaccination remains the most effective means of reducing the incidence and severity of influenza, vaccine uptake in many European countries remains suboptimal (i.e. 45.5% in the elderly, 24% in health care workers, from 49.8% in patients with chronic medical conditions, median 23.6% in pregnant women) and vaccine strategies are not harmonized in particular with regard to vaccinating healthy children. Whereas in the US the vaccine strategies are more standardized across states and vaccine coverage are higher than those reported in EU on average. The integration of different strategies is crucial in order to increase influenza vaccine coverage: public health authorities should encourage healthcare workers to vaccinate themselves, as target category, and to recommend seasonal influenza vaccination to people in the target groups; there should also be structured communication campaigns on influenza and influenza vaccines, directed specifically at these target groups, and an adequate and sustainable funding is also an important factor to achieve higher vaccination coverage rates
Antiviral Activity of the Combination of Interferon and Ribavirin Against Chikungunya Virus: Are the Results Conclusive?
No full textThe evaluation of the antiviral activity performed to support the development of an “investigational” product should include an assay directed against a broad range of clinical and laboratory viral isolates, including different clades, subtypes, or genotypes. To this regard, we found that the envelope surface glycoprotein E1 (A226V) adaptive mutation, which improved the fitness of CHIKV for a secondary vector, Aedes albopictus (facilitating its spread during the outbreaks in the Indian Ocean area, in India and in north-eastern Italy), can significantly affect the sensitivity of CHIKV to the antiviral action of different type I IFN preparations. In particular, CHIKV strain (East Central South African [ECSA]) with the A226V mutation was more sensitive to IFNs in the Vero cell line compared to the viral strain without A226V. Second, the assessment of antiviral activity to support the development of an “investigational” product requires to test at least the effect of an increasing multiplicity of infection (MOI) and, whenever possible, the antiviral activity in different cellular lines, giving priority to human cells (which are more likely to reflect in vivo condition). In this context, we found that the antiviral activity of IFNs against CHIKV strains significantly decreased by increasing the MOI. Furthermore, the authors estimated the antiviral activity of IFNα2a against CHIKV in Vero cells only. In relation to that, we found that the antiviral activity of IFNα, IFNβ, and IFNω against both strains of CHIKV is different in Hep-2, a human cell line, compared to that recorded in Vero cells
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