Prognostic value of coronary atherosclerosis and CAC score for the risk of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD): The protocol of ANTEC study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiological complications of oncological treatment, including the most serious one, heart failure, constitute a significant and still unsolved clinical problem. A history of dyslipidemia and complications of atherosclerosis, including coronary artery disease, are established risk factors for cardiotoxicity in cancer patients. In recent years, a protective effect of statin treatment on the development of heart failure in cancer patients has been observed. This protocol describes a study aiming to assess the prognostic value of coronary atherosclerosis burden and the CAC score on the onset of cardiac dysfunction associated with cancer therapy. METHODS: ANTEC (Atherosclerosis iN chemoTherapy-rElated Cardiotoxicity) is a single-site, prospective, observational study to evaluate the influence of the coronary atherosclerosis and CAC score assessed by computed tomography on the development of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in cancer patients with at least moderate cardiotoxicity risk. A group of 80 patients diagnosed with cancer prior to high-dose anthracycline chemotherapy (doxorubicin ≥ 240 mg / m2 body weight or epirubicin ≥ 600 mg / m2 body weight), without a history of heart failure and coronary artery disease, will be included in the study. Patient follow-up is planned for 12 months. In all patients, coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) will be performed once at the beginning of the study. The primary endpoint is the onset of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity, defined as mild, moderate, severe and very severe according to ESC 2022 Cardio-oncology guidelines. During follow up, echocardiography with GLS assessment will be performed every three months. Additionally, new biomarkers of atherosclerosis (IL-6, MPO, TNF-alpha) will be measured every 6 months. The study registration identifier on clinicaltrials.gov is NCT05118178. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY: This study is listed on cinicaltrials.gov with identifier NCT05118178.

Seroprevalence of measles-specific antibodies in the group predominantly affected by measles in 2006-2009 in Poland.

INTRODUCTION: Irrespective of the high vaccination coverage against measles, sporadic measles outbreaks still occur in Poland. In 2006-2009, a slight increase in the number of measles cases was observed. Of these cases, people born in 1976-198 9 were predominantly affected. AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the immunity to measles in the aforesaid age group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The serum samples were selected from the serum bank in which material collected from the general population living in 5 provinces in Poland is stored. These samples were collected from patients hospitalized due to emergencies in 2010-2011. The antibody titre against measles was determined in each serum sample by ELISA test (Genzyme Virotech). Linear regression models using log-transformed antibody titres were used to compare the values. RESULTS: The serum samples collected from 483 persons, including 111 females and 372 males were tested. All patients had antibody titres exceeding 0.5 IU/ml. The antibody titre was statistically significantly associated with the vaccination coverage in each age group in particular province. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest good immunity to measles in the general population in Poland. The disparities between randomly selected provinces demonstrated a relation with the coverage rates as well as the differences in measles incidence which is observed recently between these provinces.

Relationship between measles outbreaks based on genetic analysis of measles virus genomes detected in patients in Poland between 2006 and 2012.

This study describes the molecular characterization of 56 MeV strains obtained from 56 patients in Poland from 2006 to 2012. The C-terminal fragment of nucleoprotein gene was analysed. It has been found out during 2006 and 20012 MeV strains circulating in Poland belonged to genotypes D4, D5, D6 and B3. The D4 strains isolated in Poland were different from any other D4 strain circulating at the same time in Europe, whereas all other MeV strains isolated during 2007-2012 were related to strains from other countries. The present data suggest that after 2006 the MeV strains were imported.

Measles outbreak among Roma people in Wroclaw, Poland, 2012.

A measles outbreak that affected mainly the Roma ethnic group has been observed in Wroclaw, southwest Poland, in spring/summer 2012. There were 15 confirmed measles cases occurring among young Roma people aged from 0 to 16 years including a newborn infant, born by a mother who showed measles symptoms immediately after delivery. Measles virus transmission into the general Polish population was restricted to two contact cases. Initiation of the outbreak by MeV importation from Romania has been confirmed by detection of MeV variant "D4-Maramures" circulating in Romania from 2011 to 2012. The outbreak experience highlights once more the still existing prob- lem of immunity gaps in Roma groups moving throughout Europe with a high susceptibility among children and adolescents including young women of child-bearing age.

Spread of measles virus D4-Hamburg, Europe, 2008-2011.

A new strain of measles virus, D4-Hamburg, was imported from London to Hamburg in December 2008 and subsequently spread to Bulgaria, where an outbreak of >24,300 cases was observed. We analyzed spread of the virus to demonstrate the importance of addressing hard-to-reach communities within the World Health Organization European Region regarding access to medical care and vaccination campaigns. The D4-Hamburg strain appeared during 2009-2011 in Poland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Greece, Romania, Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia, Switzerland, and Belgium and was repeatedly reimported to Germany. The strain was present in Europe for >27 months and led to >25,000 cases in 12 countries. Spread of the virus was prevalently but not exclusively associated with travel by persons in the Roma ethnic group; because this travel extends beyond the borders of any European country, measures to prevent the spread of measles should be implemented by the region as a whole.

[Detection of TBEV RNA in ticks as a tool for valuation of endemic area wide and sensitivity of TBE surveillance]. / Obecnosc RNA wirusa kleszczowego zapalenia mózgu w kleszczach Ixodes ricinus jako narzedzie oceny zasiegu obszarów endemicznych i czulosci nadzoru nad zachorowaniami na KZM.

In this study we present the nested RT-PCR strategy designed for detection of TBEV RNA in ticks Ixodes ricinus. The presented nested RT-PCR method using 2 different primer pairs specific primers for NS5 gene provides specific TBEV cDNA detectable by electroforesis in agarose gel. Of the 177 polls of ticks investigated, TBEV RNA was detected in 14, which accounts for 7.9% of all pools. We confront the PCR results of tested ticks to routine surveillance data. The obtained results showed that the TBEV RNA is detectable in ticks collected in areas in Poland, which are defined as an non-endemic. The nested RT-PCR method can be used as a tool of epidemiological surveillance as well as for screening of occurrence of circulating TBEV.

[Epidemiological surveillance of measles occurrence in Poland in 2006 by means of virological and molecular methods]. / Badania wirusologiczne i molekularne w nadzorze epidemiologicznym nad zachorowaniami na odre w polsce w 2006 roku.

The availability of sensitive cell line for isolation of measles virus from clinical samples and establishment RT-PCR and molecular sequencing metods have allowed for rapid genetic characterization of wild-type strains of measles virus. This sequence information makes it possible to identify the source of wild-type viruses and differentiate between native and reported cases. The aim of this study was evaluation of virus isolation in cell culture in National Laboratory in Poland (Department of Virology in NIH), presentation of RT-PCR and molecular genotyping results performed in Regional Reference Laboratory in Berlin (Robert Koch Institut).

[Validation of nested RT-PCR method for detection of measles virus in clinical samples]. / Walidacja metody nested RT-PCR do wykrywania wirusa odry w materiale klinicznym.

The aim of this study was to perform the validation of nested RT-PCR method for detection of measles virus genome in laboratory of Virology Department (NIZP-PZH) conditions. The PCR reactions were made with specific primers for nucleoprotein gene. The validation of nested RT-PCR assay includes determination of limit of detection (LOD), specificity, intra- and inter-assay precision and influence of materials from clinical samples on the PCR reaction. The detection limit of nested RT-PCR was 255-510 RNA MeV/ml. The obtained results reveal high precision and lack of substances present in clinical samples influence on the PCR reaction. The application of nested RT-PCR assay for viral genomes other than MeV gave negative results. The obtained results indicated that the nested RT-PCR fulfilled validation criteria and can be used for routine laboratory diagnostics of measles virus.

[Measles elimination programme on the world and Poland]. / Podstawy programu eliminacji odry na swiecie i w Polsce.

Measles is still one of the leading causes of children mortality, despite of availability of a cheap, effective and safe vaccine for more than 40 years. Effective global eradication of smallpox and the success of polio eradication have provided an incentive to achieve the measles eradication all over the world. Elimination is achieved when no endemic measles cases has been observed in given area. This study analyzes epidemiological situation of measles, measles vaccination and laboratory diagnosis. In this report we describe the role of Global Measles Laboratory Network and integrated measles/rubella surveillance. The National Laboratory in Poland is based at the Department of Virology in National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw. Following the implementation of 2-dose measles vaccine schedule the epidemiologic situation of measles has improved. In 2006 results of genotyping indicate that recent outbreaks were caused by local strains of the virus (D4 and D5).