Pathogens and Global Health最新文献

Here, we report the emergence of a new mpox lineage, named B.1.6.1. This lineage is native to Peru and has been reported mainly in young and adult men with immunocompromised systems. It is characterized by 5 mutations: OPG019 (Q81stop), OPG025 (A21T, E34K), OPG121 (S65L), OPG064 (M424I) and OPG210 (S1590F).

Crimean - Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe tick-borne infection with high mortality, where macrophage activation and systemic inflammation drive pathogenesis. Prognostic biomarkers are crucial for early risk stratification. In this prospective study (April - July 2025), 60 confirmed CCHF patients (30 severe, 30 mild - moderate) and 50 healthy controls were enrolled. Soluble CD163 (sCD163) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by ELISA, while platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune - inflammation index (SII) were derived from blood counts. Severe cases showed lower platelet counts, PLR, and SII, but higher AST, ALT, LDH, GGT, CK, direct bilirubin, fibrinogen, sCD163, and IL-6 than mild - moderate patients (all p < 0.05). Compared with controls, CCHF patients had elevated sCD163 and IL-6 (p < 0.001). sCD163 correlated negatively with platelet count (r=-0.453, p = 0.001) and positively with AST, ALT, and IL-6 (r = 0.953, p < 0.001), linking macrophage activation to systemic inflammation. ROC analysis showed sCD163 (AUC = 0.853) and IL-6 (AUC = 0.852) as accurate predictors of severe CCHF, with an sCD163 cutoff of 2.7 ng/mL yielding 96% sensitivity and 77% specificity. PLR and SII also distinguished severity but with lower accuracy. These findings highlight sCD163 and IL-6 as strong early prognostic biomarkers that may improve clinical assessment and guide timely therapeutic interventions in CCHF.

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease primarily controlled by Praziquantel-based Mass Drug Administration (MDA) targeting school-aged children. This study aimed to generate a high-resolution schistosomiasis prevalence map in a region with regular MDA in Madagascar, identify at-risk groups, assess population knowledge, and explore risk factors to support alignment with WHO guidelines. Conducted between July and October 2022 in the District of Vatomandry, Madagascar, this cross-sectional study included participants aged five and older. Point-of-Care Circulating Cathodic Antigen testing determined infection prevalence. A choropleth map was generated to show the geographical distribution of schistosome infection across local communities. Individual risk factors were assessed using hierarchical Poisson regression. The study included 1,215 households (5,200 participants) from 42 communities revealing a high overall prevalence of 59%. Adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) indicated higher infection risks for farmers (PR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.09-1.25) and older age groups (≥38 years: PR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.16-1.55; against ≤15 years), while participants with higher education or knowledge about schistosome transmission showed a reduced risk (PR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.78-0.99). The results show high schistosome prevalence in adults, emphasizing the need to adapt strategies in endemic countries to meet the WHO's 2030 goal of eliminating schistosomiasis as public health problem.

The seasonality of influenza still poses a significant challenge to public health today, with different dynamics between the southern and northern hemispheres. In Europe and Italy, the arrival of winter is often accompanied by alarmist media reports about the so-called 'Australian flu', a term that has no scientific basis and is potentially misleading. This study systematically compares the most recent epidemiological and virological data from Australia and Italy, analyzing laboratory-confirmed cases, the distribution of viral subtypes, and vaccination coverage. The results show that, although Australia is a useful sentinel system for identifying circulating strains and validating vaccine composition, the trend of its flu season is not a direct predictor of the subsequent European season. Demographic differences, vaccination coverage, mobility, and co-circulation of other respiratory viruses (RSV, SARS-CoV-2) determine distinct epidemiological scenarios. The implications for public health indicate the need to move beyond alarmist communication approaches in favor of a scientifically based interpretation of data, promoting integrated surveillance systems, targeted vaccination campaigns, and updated clinical strategies for multi-pathogen management. An evidence-based approach and clear, contextualized communication are essential to effectively address the challenges posed by seasonal respiratory diseases in an increasingly complex global context.

Dengue fever, the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease, has experienced a tenfold increase in incidence over the past two decades, posing a significant global public health challenge. In 2023, more than five million cases and over 5000 dengue-related deaths were recorded, with exceeding numbers in 2024. This narrative review provides a comprehensive summary of the current epidemiology, clinical features, diagnostic methods, prevention and management strategies for dengue fever, with a particular focus on the influence of climate changes and human activities on the spread of this vector-borne disease. Factors such as climate change, urbanization, and population movements have contributed to the expanding geographic distribution and increased incidence of dengue. Additionally, this review highlights the challenges associated with accurate disease surveillance and underscores the importance of integrated strategies-including climate-adaptive surveillance, vector control, and public health policies-to mitigate the impact of dengue. This information is essential for clinicians and policymakers to implement effective surveillance and prevention measures, ultimately reducing the incidence and burden on public health.

Nipah virus (NiV) outbreak was declared in Kozhikode district, Kerala state, India, on 12 September 2023. The local, state, and national authorities worked in an integrated way to tackle and control the outbreak. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) deployed a team from the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, India, along with an indigenously developed and validated Mobile BSL-3 (MBSL-3) laboratory for providing onsite NiV diagnosis. The Kozhikode district of Kerala state was the epicenter of three NiV outbreaks on May 2018, August 2021, and most recently in September 2023. The Ernakulam district of Kerala also reported a NiV outbreak in June 2019. In the 2023 outbreak, six confirmed NiV cases were detected, with two deaths. During previous outbreaks in 2019 and 2021, the team from ICMR-NIV, Pune, had successfully established a field laboratory utilizing the BSL-2 facility for NiV onsite diagnosis. BSL-3 personnel protective equipment and standard operative procedures were used to handle clinical specimens. Post COVID-19 pandemic, under the pioneering initiative of the Government of India, ICMR, and Klenzaids Contamination Control Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai developed a rapidly deployable, pragmatic, access control, and containment laboratory on bus chassis. The MBSL-3 laboratory was utilized for the NiV onsite diagnosis for early containment of outbreaks, reducing the turnaround time for diagnosis to just 4 hrs. The MBSL-3 laboratory plays a significant role in NiV outbreak response and could be utilized in the future also reaching the remotest areas of the country.

Background: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a significant contributor to healthcare-associated infections worldwide, with an increasing incidence in Europe. It has significant morbidity in high-risk, hospitalized patients. Despite previous studies in Spain, there have been no updates to nationwide data since 2015.

Aim: To provide an updated epidemiological overview of CDI in Spain, focusing on incidence, recurrence, mortality, and regional variability in hospitalized patients between 2016 and 2022.

Methods: A nationwide, retrospective study was carried out using a Spanish national health system registry including data from hospitalization discharge reports. Data from 66,864 hospitalizations with a CDI diagnosis were analyzed and descriptive analyses and Poisson regression models were performed to assess trends in CDI incidence, recurrence, and mortality over time.

Results: CDI incidence increased from 30 to 43 cases per 100,000 hospitalizations between 2016 and 2022. Recurrence was observed in 15-16% of cases from 2020 to 2022. All-cause, in-hospital mortality remained steady at 11-13% over the observation period. There was regional variability, with some regions showing the highest incidences and other regions having the lowest. The median age of patients was 75 years, and women accounted for 53% of cases.

Conclusion: The results highlight a steady increase in CDI incidence in Spain over the last two decades, particularly since 2020, probably influenced by the widespread antibiotic use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recurrence and mortality rates remain significant challenges. These findings highlight the need for national surveillance programs, improved diagnostic protocols, and targeted interventions to mitigate the impact of CDI.

Sustained by urbanization, globalization and climate change, infectious diseases transmitted by arthropod vectors, such as mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies, are emerging or resurging in Europe, including Italy. There are limited therapeutic treatments and vaccines for most arthropod-borne pathogens, thus monitoring and control of vectors remains the most-effective prevention strategy. Supported by a country-wide initiative that aims at providing strategic guidance for preventing vector-borne diseases in Italy, including suirveillance and control initiatives that results in the acquistion of a large number of field samples, we conceived a digital repository of samples from arthropod vectors and their metadata to promote their sharing among the scientific community. We built a relational database called RAV-IT, accessible at https://mosqit.unipv.it/. Currently, RAV-IT aggregates seventeen Italian institutions and hosts nearly two thousand vector samples and their metadata, which can be viewed and requested for research purposes. RAV-IT is interactive and can accept further samples from any users. RAV-IT is a non-profit repository that is expected to enhance resource sharing for research on arthropod vectors.

Background: With increased Chinese enterprises involvement in Sierra Leone under the Belt and Road Initiative, understanding the prevalence of infectious diseases among local populations, particularly employees of Chinese firms, is crucial for enterprise management and public health interventions. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis, malaria, and tuberculosis among the local population, including co-infection prevalence and associated risk factors.

Methods: A serological survey was conducted among 342 local employees from six Chinese enterprises and 165 community residents (controls). Blood samples were tested using rapid immunological kits. Demographic data, occupational details, body temperature, and blood pressure were collected. Seroprevalence rates and risk factors were analyzed, with a focus on co-infections.

Results: The seroprevalence rates, in descending order, were as follows: malaria parasites (14.6%, 95% CI: 11.64%-17.97%), HBV (10.1%, 95% CI: 7.58%-13.01%), HIV (6.1%, 95% CI: 4.20%-8.57%), tuberculosis (4.3%, 95% CI: 2.74%-6.50%), syphilis (3.7%, 95% CI: 2.27%-5.79%), and HCV (0.0%, NA) for both the company employees and community residents. For mono-infection, there is a significantly lower seroprevalence in HIV and syphilis among company employees than in community controls (4.4% vs 9.7%, p = 0.019; 2.3% vs 6.7%, p = 0.016). Both the co-infection rate (3.5% vs 8.5%, p = 0.017) and the overall infection rate (29.8% vs 39.4%, p = 0.032) are also significantly lower among company employees compared to community controls.

Conclusion: This study provides insights into the prevalence of infectious diseases and co-infection levels among local employees of Chinese enterprises and community residents in Sierra Leone. It highlights the importance of pre-employment screenings and post-employment health evaluations. The findings underscore the need for broader epidemiological investigations and surveillance to combat infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa effectively.

Dengue fever is a growing global health concern, especially in regions like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where environmental factors and high levels of international travel increase the risk of outbreaks. Despite this, public awareness and adoption of preventive measures remain understudied. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the public's knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding dengue fever and its prevention. A validated online questionnaire was distributed to 1106 individuals using convenience sampling. The results revealed significant knowledge gaps, with only 24.6% correctly identifying dengue as a viral infection and 24.5% recognizing mosquito transmission. Median knowledge scores were higher among participants with elementary education (median = 13, IQR: 13-18), postgraduate degrees (median = 12, IQR: 8-15) than among those with other education levels, and higher among those with health insurance (median = 11, IQR: 10-13) than among those without insurance. Attitudes varied significantly based on education and residency, while regression analysis showed that male gender, older age, and smoking were associated with higher practice scores. These findings emphasize the need for targeted educational campaigns and public health interventions to improve awareness and engagement with dengue prevention, particularly in vulnerable demographic groups.