Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2016-03-31"
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- A unique measles B3 cluster in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands linked to air travel and transit at a large international airport, February to April 2014Publication . Lochlainn, L.N.; Mandal, S.; de Sousa, R.; Paranthaman, K.; van Binnendijk, R.; Ramsay, M.; Hahné, S.; Brown, K.E.This report describes a joint measles outbreak investigation between public health officials in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Netherlands following detection of a measles cluster with a unique measles virus strain. From 1 February to 30 April 2014, 33 measles cases with a unique measles virus strain of genotype B3 were detected in the UK and the Netherlands, of which nine secondary cases were epidemiologically linked to an infectious measles case travelling from the Philippines. Through a combination of epidemiological investigation and sequence analysis, we found that measles transmission occurred in flight, airport and household settings. The secondary measles cases included airport workers, passengers in transit at the same airport or travelling on the same flight as the infectious case and also household contacts. This investigation highlighted the particular importance of measles genotyping in identifying transmission networks and the need to improve vaccination, public health follow-up and management of travellers and airport staff exposed to measles.
- Predominance of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus genetic subclade 6B.1 and influenza B/Victoria lineage viruses at the start of the 2015/16 influenza season in EuropePublication . Broberg, Eeva; Melidou, Angeliki; Prosenc, Katarina; Bragstad, Karoline; Hungnes, Olav; WHO European Region and the European Influenza Surveillance Network members of the reporting countriesInfluenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses predominated in the European influenza 2015/16 season. Most analysed viruses clustered in a new genetic subclade 6B.1, antigenically similar to the northern hemisphere vaccine component A/California/7/2009. The predominant influenza B lineage was Victoria compared with Yamagata in the previous season. It remains to be evaluated at the end of the season if these changes affected the effectiveness of the vaccine for the 2015/16 season.
- Temporal Patterns of Influenza A and B in Tropical and Temperate Countries: What Are the Lessons for Influenza Vaccination?Publication . Caini, S.; Andrade, W.; Badur, S.; Balmaseda, A.; Barakat, A.; Bella, A.; Bimohuen, A.; Brammer, L.; Bresee, J.; Bruno, A.; Castillo, L.; Ciblak, M.A.; Clara, A.W.; Cohen, C.; Daouda, C.; de Lozano, C.; De Mora, D.; Dorji, K.; Emukule, G.O.; Fasce, R.A.; Feng, L.; Ferreira de Almeida, W.A.; Guiomar, R.; Heraud, J.M.; Holubka, O.; Huang, Q.S.; Kadjo, H.A.; Kiyanbekova, L.; Kosasih, H.; Kusznierz, G.; Lee, V.; Lara, J.; Li, M.; Lopez, L.; Mai, H.P.; Pessanha, H.C.; Matute, M.L.; Mironenko, A.; Moreno, B.; Mott, J.A.; Njouom, R.; Nurhayati; Ospanova, A.; Owen, R.; Pebody, R.; Pennington, K.; Puzelli, S.; Quynh, Le M.T.; Razanajatovo, N.H.; Rodrigues, A.; Rudi, J.M.; Venter, M.; Vernet, M.A.; Wei, A.L.; Wangchuk, S.; Yang, J.; Yu, H.; Zambon, M.; Schellevis, F.; Paget, J.; Global Influenza B StudyIntroduction: Determining the optimal time to vaccinate is important for influenza vaccination programmes. Here, we assessed the temporal characteristics of influenza epidemics in the Northern and Southern hemispheres and in the tropics, and discuss their implications for vaccination programmes. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of surveillance data between 2000 and 2014 from the Global Influenza B Study database. The seasonal peak of influenza was defined as the week with the most reported cases (overall, A, and B) in the season. The duration of seasonal activity was assessed using the maximum proportion of influenza cases during three consecutive months and the minimum number of months with 80% of cases in the season. We also assessed whether co-circulation of A and B virus types affected the duration of influenza epidemics. Results: 212 influenza seasons and 571,907 cases were included from 30 countries. In tropical countries, the seasonal influenza activity lasted longer and the peaks of influenza A and B coincided less frequently than in temperate countries. Temporal characteristics of influenza epidemics were heterogeneous in the tropics, with distinct seasonal epidemics observed only in some countries. Seasons with co-circulation of influenza A and B were longer than influenza A seasons, especially in the tropics. Discussion: Our findings show that influenza seasonality is less well defined in the tropics than in temperate regions. This has important implications for vaccination programmes in these countries. High-quality influenza surveillance systems are needed in the tropics to enable decisions about when to vaccinate.
- Are iron oxide nanoparticles safe? Current knowledge and future perspectivesPublication . Valdiglesias, Vanessa; Fernández-Bertólez, Natalia; Kiliç, Gözde; Costa, Carla; Costa, Solange; Fraga, Sonia; Bessa, Maria Joao; Pásaro, Eduardo; Teixeira, João Paulo; Laffon, BlancaDue to their unique physicochemical properties, including superparamagnetism, iron oxide nanoparticles (ION) have a number of interesting applications, especially in the biomedical field, that make them one of the most fascinating nanomaterials. They are used as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, in targeted drug delivery, and for induced hyperthermia cancer treatments. Together with these valuable uses, concerns regarding the onset of unexpected adverse health effects following exposure have been also raised. Nevertheless, despite the numerous ION purposes being explored, currently available information on their potential toxicity is still scarce and controversial data have been reported. Although ION have traditionally been considered as biocompatible - mainly on the basis of viability tests results - influence of nanoparticle surface coating, size, or dose, and of other experimental factors such as treatment time or cell type, has been demonstrated to be important for ION in vitro toxicity manifestation. In vivo studies have shown distribution of ION to different tissues and organs, including brain after passing the blood-brain barrier; nevertheless results from acute toxicity, genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and reproductive toxicity investigations in different animal models do not provide a clear overview on ION safety yet, and epidemiological studies are almost inexistent. Much work has still to be done to fully understand how these nanomaterials interact with cellular systems and what, if any, potential adverse health consequences can derive from ION exposure.