Detection of dengue in German tourists returning from Ibiza, Spain, related to an autochthonous outbreak, August to October 2022.

In February 2023, German public health authorities reported two dengue cases (one confirmed, one probable) and four possible cases who travelled to Ibiza, Spain, in late summer/autumn 2022; the infection was probably acquired through mosquito bites. Case 1 visited Ibiza over 1 week in late August with two familial companions; all three developed symptoms the day after returning home. Only Case 1 was tested; dengue virus (DENV) infection was confirmed by presence of NS1 antigen and IgM antibodies. Case 2 travelled to Ibiza with two familial companions for 1 week in early October, and stayed in the same town as Case 1. Case 2 showed symptoms on the day of return, and the familial companions 1 day before and 3 days after return; Case 2 tested positive for DENV IgM. The most probable source case had symptom onset in mid-August, and travelled to a dengue-endemic country prior to a stay in the same municipality of Ibiza for 20 days, until the end of August. Dengue diagnosis was probable based on positive DENV IgM. Aedes albopictus, a competent vector for dengue, has been present in Ibiza since 2014. This is the first report of a local dengue transmission event on Ibiza.

Modelling the spatial risk of malaria through probability distribution of Anopheles maculipennis s.l. and imported cases.

Malaria remains one of the most important infectious diseases globally due to its high incidence and mortality rates. The influx of infected cases from endemic to non-endemic malaria regions like Europe has resulted in a public health concern over sporadic local outbreaks. This is facilitated by the continued presence of competent Anopheles vectors in non-endemic countries.We modelled the potential distribution of the main malaria vector across Spain using the ensemble of eight modelling techniques based on environmental parameters and the Anopheles maculipennis s.l. presence/absence data collected from 2000 to 2020. We then combined this map with the number of imported malaria cases in each municipality to detect the geographic hot spots with a higher risk of local malaria transmission.The malaria vector occurred preferentially in irrigated lands characterized by warm climate conditions and moderate annual precipitation. Some areas surrounding irrigated lands in northern Spain (e.g. Zaragoza, Logroño), mainland areas (e.g. Madrid, Toledo) and in the South (e.g. Huelva), presented a significant likelihood of A. maculipennis s.l. occurrence, with a large overlap with the presence of imported cases of malaria.While the risk of malaria re-emergence in Spain is low, it is not evenly distributed throughout the country. The four recorded local cases of mosquito-borne transmission occurred in areas with a high overlap of imported cases and mosquito presence. Integrating mosquito distribution with human incidence cases provides an effective tool for the quantification of large-scale geographic variation in transmission risk and pinpointing priority areas for targeted surveillance and prevention.

Remote fruit fly detection using computer vision and machine learning-based electronic trap.

Introduction: Intelligent monitoring systems must be put in place to practice precision agriculture. In this context, computer vision and artificial intelligence techniques can be applied to monitor and prevent pests, such as that of the olive fly. These techniques are a tool to discover patterns and abnormalities in the data, which helps the early detection of pests and the prompt administration of corrective measures. However, there are significant challenges due to the lack of data to apply state of the art Deep Learning techniques. Methods: This article examines the detection and classification of the olive fly using the Random Forest and Support Vector Machine algorithms, as well as their application in an electronic trap version based on a Raspberry Pi B+ board. Results: The combination of the two methods is suggested to increase the accuracy of the classification results while working with a small training data set. Combining both techniques for olive fly detection yields an accuracy of 89.1%, which increases to 94.5% for SVM and 91.9% for RF when comparing all fly species to other insects. Discussion: This research results reports a successful implementation of ML in an electronic trap system for olive fly detection, providing valuable insights and benefits. The opportunities of using small IoT devices for image classification opens new possibilities, emphasizing the significance of ML in optimizing resource usage and enhancing privacy protection. As the system grows by increasing the number of electronic traps, more data will be available. Therefore, it holds the potential to further enhance accuracy by learning from multiple trap systems, making it a promising tool for effective and sustainable fly population management.

First report of Culicoides caucoliberensis in Spain: Exploring molecular phylogeny, host-feeding behaviour and avian haemosporidian parasites.

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are vectors of pathogens that affect wildlife and livestock. Understanding the composition and distribution of vector species is crucial for implementing control strategies and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. This study provides a morphological and molecular characterisation of Culicoides caucoliberensis, which represents the first record for Spain, increasing the number of Culicoides species in the country to 85. A total of 213 specimens were collected using Onderstepoort-ultraviolet down-draught light traps on a rocky coastline in the Balearic Islands during two sampling periods in 2022. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. caucoliberensis forms a monophyletic cluster within the Maritimus group. Host preferences were determined for the first time and showed propensity to feed on the European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). The vector role of C. caucoliberensis for haemosporidian transmission remains unclear since molecular detection of Haemosporidians (Haemoproteus and Plasmodium) was negative for all the pools of parous and engorged females analysed. This study emphasises the importance of conducting entomofauna studies in lesser-known Mediterranean islet landscapes and highlights the need for research on vectors within the One Health framework.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN).

Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) was assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular, the criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on its eligibility to be listed, Annex IV for its categorisation according to disease prevention and control rules as in Article 9, and Article 8 for listing animal species related to IPN. The assessment was performed following a methodology previously published. The outcome reported is the median of the probability ranges provided by the experts, which indicates whether each criterion is fulfilled (lower bound ≥ 66%) or not (upper bound ≤ 33%), or whether there is uncertainty about fulfilment. Reasoning points are reported for criteria with an uncertain outcome. According to the assessment here performed, it is uncertain whether IPN can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention according to Article 5 of the AHL (50-90% probability). According to the criteria in Annex IV, for the purpose of categorisation related to the level of prevention and control as in Article 9 of the AHL, the AHAW Panel concluded that IPN does not meet the criteria in Section 1 (Category A; 0-1% probability of meeting the criteria) and it is uncertain whether it meets the criteria in Sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Categories B, C, D and E; 33-66%, 33-66%, 50-90% and 50-99% probability of meeting the criteria, respectively). The animal species to be listed for IPN according to Article 8 criteria are provided.

Analysis of Intraoperative Motor Evoked Potential Changes and Surgical Interventions in 513 Pediatric Spine Surgeries.

PURPOSE: (1) To determine probabilities of immediate postoperative new motor deficits after no, reversible, and irreversible motor evoked potentials (MEP) deteriorations and (2) to calculate the same outcome considering whether MEP deteriorations were followed by surgical interventions in the absence of confounding factors. METHODS: We analyzed MEPs from 513 surgeries. Four-limb MEPs were evoked by transcranial electrical stimulation. Baseline recordings were obtained before skin incision and updated before instrumentation. Motor evoked potentials deteriorations were considered significant whenever they showed a persistent, reversible, or irreversible amplitude decrease of >80% of the baseline values. RESULTS: Nine patients showed postoperative new motor deficits. Probabilities of postoperative new motor deficits were null, 2.8%, and 36.8% with no, reversible, and irreversible MEP deteriorations, respectively. The risk of immediate postoperative new motor deficits was significantly lower (P = 0.0002) in reversible MEP compared with irreversible MEP deteriorations. In patients showing reversible/irreversible MEP deteriorations in the absence of confounding factors, surgical interventions compared with nonsurgical interventions significantly decreased the risk of immediate postoperative new motor deficits (P = 0.0216). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that probabilities of immediate postoperative new motor deficits increase with the severity of intraoperative MEP changes. In addition, our results support the value of surgical interventions triggered by MEP deteriorations to reduce postoperative adverse motor outcomes.

AIMSurv: First pan-European harmonized surveillance of Aedes invasive mosquito species of relevance for human vector-borne diseases.

Human and animal vector-borne diseases, particularly mosquito-borne diseases, are emerging or re-emerging worldwide. Six Aedes invasive mosquito (AIM) species were introduced to Europe since the 1970s: Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. japonicus, Ae. koreicus, Ae. atropalpus and Ae. triseriatus. Here, we report the results of AIMSurv2020, the first pan-European surveillance effort for AIMs. Implemented by 42 volunteer teams from 24 countries. And presented in the form of a dataset named "AIMSurv Aedes Invasive Mosquito species harmonized surveillance in Europe. AIM-COST Action. Project ID: CA17108". AIMSurv2020 harmonizes field surveillance methodologies for sampling different AIMs life stages, frequency and minimum length of sampling period, and data reporting. Data include minimum requirements for sample types and recommended requirements for those teams with more resources. Data are published as a Darwin Core archive in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility- Spain, comprising a core file with 19,130 records (EventID) and an occurrences file with 19,743 records (OccurrenceID). AIM species recorded in AIMSurv2020 were Ae. albopictus, Ae. japonicus and Ae. koreicus, as well as native mosquito species.

Mosquito alert: leveraging citizen science to create a GBIF mosquito occurrence dataset.

The Mosquito Alert dataset includes occurrence records of adult mosquitoes collected worldwide in 2014-2020 through Mosquito Alert, a citizen science system for investigating and managing disease-carrying mosquitoes. Records are linked to citizen science-submitted photographs and validated by entomologists to determine the presence of five targeted European mosquito vectors: Aedes albopictus, Ae. aegypti, Ae. japonicus, Ae. koreicus, and Culex pipiens. Most records are from Spain, reflecting Spanish national and regional funding, but since autumn 2020 substantial records from other European countries are included, thanks to volunteer entomologists coordinated by the AIM-COST Action, and to technological developments to increase scalability. Among other applications, the Mosquito Alert dataset will help develop citizen science-based early warning systems for mosquito-borne disease risk. It can also be reused for modelling vector exposure risk, or to train machine-learning detection and classification routines on the linked images, to assist with data validation and establishing automated alert systems.

Climate change and their impacts in the Balearic Islands: a guide for policy design in Mediterranean regions.

Understanding the local effects of global warming-derived impacts is important to island systems due to their fragile environmental conditions. This is especially true when it comes to Mediterranean insular regions as they are climate change (CC) hotspots where adaptation and mitigation policy design is an urgent matter. Looking at 2030 as a time horizon for climate action and focusing on the Balearic Islands, this paper reviews the physical changes projected for the coming decades as a result of CC and analyses their impacts on regional environmental, economic and social variables. Mitigation and adaptation measures are also proposed based on the identified priority impacts. The fact the Balearics are a top world holiday destination allows the analysis to serve as a guide to other Mediterranean islands with tourism-based economies facing similar CC scenarios. Results show the projected rise of temperature and sea level; the reduction of the average precipitation and increase in evapotranspiration, the droughts and the increase in ocean acidification and deoxygenation are the main threats faced by the Balearics, this putting their economy at risk due to the high tourism's vulnerability to CC. Mitigation and adaptation action on terrestrial and marine ecosystems, water resources, energy, infrastructure and urban planning, human health, economy, law and education is recommended. Sustainable mobility and waste managing are also viewed as important fields for mitigation action. Conclusions show that diversifying the current socioeconomic model is needed to increase the community and territory resilience. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10113-021-01810-1.

Two New Alternatives to the Conventional Arm-in-Cage Test for Assessing Topical Repellents.

European guidelines for testing attractant and repellent efficacy (i.e., Product type 19 [PT19]) have been in revision since 2017. A key topic of discussion is the current approach to evaluating topical repellents. The European Chemical Agency has stated field testing should be avoided because of mosquito-borne disease risks. However, the most common laboratory method, the arm-in-cage (AIC) test, may limit the reliable extrapolation of lab results to field conditions. This study's main goal was to assess alternative laboratory methods for evaluating topical mosquito repellents that use mosquito landing rates more representative of those in the field. The study took place at three European testing labs using 30 study participants per test and the mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894, Diptera: Culicidae). In phase 1, a conventional AIC test and a sleeved AIC test were performed. Respectively, the arm area exposed was 600 and 100 cm2, and cage volume was 0.040 and 0.064 m3. Mosquito density was the same for both: 1 female/840 cm3. In phase 2, room-based testing (40 ± 5 mosquitoes in 25-30 m3) was used as a proxy for field testing. The mosquito repellent employed was 15% N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide in ethanol at two doses: 1 and 0.5 g/600 cm2. The protection times measured at each laboratory were analyzed both separately and together using nonparametric (Kruskal-Wallis) test. The two alternatives methods showed to be potential alternatives to the current AIC method recreated field mosquito landing rates and achieved reproducible protection times across laboratories.

Molecular Characterization of Mosquito Diversity in the Balearic Islands.

Several outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases have taken place in Europe in recent years. In Spain, both active and passive surveillance have demonstrated that dengue and West Nile viruses are currently circulating, and seven autochthonous dengue cases have been reported in the last 2 yr. The effectiveness of vector control programs largely depends on the accuracy of the taxonomic identification of the species. However, in Spain, identification almost completely relies on the use of morphological keys to characterize the mosquito fauna. This study investigates the congruence between molecular and morphological species boundaries in 13 Spanish mosquito taxa. The Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene region was sequenced from 60 adult specimens collected in Mallorca, plus several representatives from other Spanish regions for comparative purposes. Phylogenetic relationships were established using Bayesian and maximum-likelihood approaches. Using three species delimitation algorithms (ABGD, mPTP, and GMYC), we found strong evidence for cryptic speciation within Anopheles algeriensis Theobald, a widespread mosquito in the Mediterranean basin. We also delimited the Mallorcan rock pool mosquito Aedes mariae (Sergent & Sergent), from mainland European populations. Finally, we found difficulties in the use of wing characters in species keys to distinguish Culiseta annulata (Schrk) from Culiseta subochrea (Edwards). Given that these species are vectors of pathogens of medical relevance and have veterinary importance, their accurate taxonomic identification is essential in European vector surveillance programs.

An Exploration of Social Cognition in Children with Different Degrees of Genetic Deletion in Williams Syndrome.

An explanation for the social dysfunction observed in Williams syndrome may be deficits in social cognition. This study explored aspects of social cognition in children with Williams syndrome with different genotypes. The 12 participants included one with a 1.1 Mb deletion that retained the GTF2IRD1, GTF2I, and GTF2IRD2 genes, seven with a 1.5 Mb deletion that preserved the GTF2IRD2 gene, and four with a 1.8 Mb deletion with loss of all three genes. The participant retaining all three genes was found to have better performance on social judgment and first-order theory of mind tasks than the group with loss of all three genes. These results may reflect the influence of the GTF2I gene family on social cognition in Williams syndrome.

Experimental and theoretical studies on thymine photodimerization mediated by oxidatively generated DNA lesions and epigenetic intermediates.

Interaction of nucleic acids with light is a scientific question of paramount relevance not only in the understanding of life functioning and evolution, but also in the insurgence of diseases such as malignant skin cancer and in the development of biomarkers and novel light-assisted therapeutic tools. This work shows that the UVA portion of sunlight, not absorbed by canonical DNA nucleobases, can be absorbed by 5-formyluracil (ForU) and 5-formylcytosine (ForC), two ubiquitous oxidatively generated lesions and epigenetic intermediates present in living beings in natural conditions. We measure the strong propensity of these molecules to populate triplet excited states able to transfer the excitation energy to thymine-thymine dyads, inducing the formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). By using steady-state and transient absorption spectroscopy, NMR, HPLC, and theoretical calculations, we quantify the differences in the triplet-triplet energy transfer mediated by ForU and ForC, revealing that the former is much more efficient in delivering the excitation energy and producing the CPD photoproduct. Although significantly slower than ForU, ForC is also able to harm DNA nucleobases and therefore this process has to be taken into account as a viable photosensitization mechanism. The present findings evidence a rich photochemistry crucial to understand DNA damage photobehavior.

Photoinduced intersystem crossing in DNA oxidative lesions and epigenetic intermediates.

The propensity of 5-formyluracil and 5-formylcytosine, i.e. oxidative lesions and epigenetic intermediates, in acting as intrinsic DNA photosensitizers is unraveled by using a combination of molecular modeling, simulation and spectroscopy. Exploration of potential energy surfaces and non-adiabatic dynamics confirm a higher intersystem crossing rate for 5-formyluracil, whereas the kinetic models evidence different equilibria in the excited states for both compounds.

Infestation of small seabirds by Ornithodoros maritimus ticks: Effects on chick body condition, reproduction and associated infectious agents.

Ticks can negatively affect their host by direct effects as blood feeding causing anaemia or discomfort, or by pathogen transmission. Consequently, ticks can have an important role in the population dynamics of their hosts. However, specific studies on the demographic effects of tick infestation on seabirds are still scarce. Seabird ticks have also the potential to be responsible for the circulation of little known tick-borne agents, which could have implications for non-seabird species. Here, we report the results of investigations on potential associations between soft tick Ornithodoros maritimus load and reproductive parameters of storm petrels Hydrobates pelagicus breeding in a large colony in a cave of Espartar Island, in the Balearic archipelago. We also investigated by molecular analyses the potential viral and bacterial pathogens associated with O. maritimus ticks present at the colony. Lower nestling survival was recorded in the most infested area, deep in the cave, compared to the area near the entrance. The parasite load was negatively associated with the body condition of the nestlings. One pool of ticks tested positive for West Nile virus and 4 pools tested positive for a Borrelia species which was determined by targeted nested PCR to have a 99% sequence identity with B. turicatae, a relapsing fever Borrelia. Overall, these results show that further investigations are needed to better understand the ecology and epidemiology of the interactions between ticks, pathogens and Procellariiform species.

Incidencia de mutaciones genéticas en pacientes con cáncer de mama y ovario con patrón de origen hereditario / Incidence of genetic mutations in patients with breast cancer and ovarian cancer with hereditary pattern

Resumen OBJETIVO: Determinar las mutaciones genéticas en el cáncer de mama de patrón hereditario y demostrar si existe alguna asociación significativa entre las más comunes en población mexicana y el riesgo de padecerlo. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal y observacional efectuado en el Hospital Ángeles México en coordinación con el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica. Criterios de inclusión: pacientes con cáncer de mama y uno o más familiares de primer grado afectados por esta enfermedad y pacientes con cáncer de ovario. Criterios de exclusión: pacientes sin antecedentes de cáncer de mama ni ovario, o con algún familiar en el protocolo. Se empleó la técnica de rearreglos en placas RT2 Profiler para Master-Mix Quantinova probe PCR kit. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó el programa SPSS versión 22 y Epi Info versión 7. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron 39 pacientes con edad promedio de 53.2 ± 12.1 años. Los receptores de progesterona y estrógeno no mostraron diferencia entre grupos. Hubo mayor tendencia para BRCA1. Al estudiar las mutaciones con significación estadística, en las que sobresalieron los casos de BRCA2 versus sin significación y los casos negativos, no hubo diferencia estadística significativa, pero con una tendencia a mayor frecuencia de BCRA1. Al evaluar las estirpes de cáncer de mama y los grados nucleares comparados por edad, los tres grupos de grado nuclear comparados por edad mostraron diferencias. CONCLUSIÓN: Los datos obtenidos muestran que en la población mexicana el gen BRCA2 es el de mayor incidencia de cáncer hereditario, en edad de aparición más temprana y mayor grado nuclear al momento del diagnóstico.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine the genetic mutations in hereditary pattern breast cancer and demonstrate whether there is a significant association between the most common in the Mexican population and the risk of suffering it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional and observational study conducted at the Hospital Angeles México in coordination with the National Institute of Genomic Medicine. Inclusion criteria: patients with breast cancer and one or more first-degree relatives affected by this disease and patients with ovarian cancer. Exclusion criteria: patients without a history of breast or ovarian cancer, or with a family member in the protocol. The RT2 Profiler plate rearrangement technique was used for Master-Mix Quantinova probe PCR kit. The SPSS version 22 program and Epi Info version 7 were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: 39 patients with an average age of 53.2 ± 12.1 years were studied. Progesterone and estrogen receptors showed no difference between groups. There was a greater trend for BRCA1. When studying the mutations with statistical significance, in which the cases of BRCA2 versus without significance and the negative cases stood out, there was no significant statistical difference, but with a tendency to higher frequency of BCRA1. When evaluating breast cancer lines and nuclear grades compared by age, the three nuclear grade groups compared by age showed differences. CONCLUSION: The data obtained show that in the Mexican population the BRCA2 gene has a higher incidence in hereditary cancer, at an age of earlier onset and greater nuclear grade at the time of diagnosis.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis in North African hedgehogs as vertebrate hosts, Mallorca, Spain, October 2018.

In October 2018, two Atelerix algirus hedgehogs were admitted to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) with signs of acute neurological disease. Necropsy detected immature, fully developed nematodes in the subarachnoid space of both hedgehogs, including a gravid female worm. DNA-based molecular tools confirmed the nematode as Angiostrongylus cantonensis, an important aetiological agent of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. So far this zoonotic parasite in has not been reported in western European wildlife.

Combined morphology and DNA-barcoding to identify Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus cystacanths in Atelerix algirus.

The acanthocephalan parasite Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus has a global distribution and utilizes isopods and birds as intermediate and definitive hosts, respectively. Occasionally, mammals of various orders can act as paratenic hosts. In hedgehogs, severe cases have been reported in juvenile specimens due to secondary infections, as a consequence of complete penetrations of the intestinal wall by cystacanths. In a 66-month study period, we found seven larvae of this parasite encysted in both, the peritoneal cavity and intestine of the Algerian hedgehog, Atelerix algirus in Majorca. Morphology alone was insufficient to identify the species, due to the lack of previous reports and taxonomy-informative characters. In the present report, we combined the use of morphology and the DNA-barcoding approach to confirm to identify cystacanths as P. cylindraceus. This is the first report of this parasite in this hedgehog species. The epidemiological implications will be discussed, including the risk of zoonosis and the importance of using modern approaches to identify immature acanthocephalan larvae in wildlife hosts.

Risk assessment of African swine fever in the south-eastern countries of Europe.

The European Commission requested EFSA to estimate the risk of spread of African swine fever (ASF) and to identify potential risk factors (indicators) for the spread of ASF, given introduction in the south-eastern countries of Europe (region of concern, ROC), namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia. Three EU Member States (MS) - Croatia, Greece and Slovenia - were included in the ROC due to their geographical location and ASF-free status. Based on collected information on potential risk factors (indicators) for each country and the relevant EU regulations in force, the estimated probability of spread of ASF within the ROC within one year after introduction into the ROC was assessed to be very high (from 66% to 100%). This estimate was determined after considering the high number of indicators present in most of the countries in the ROC and the known effect that these indicators can have on ASF spread, especially those related to the structure of the domestic pig sector, the presence of wild boar and social factors. The presence of indicators varies between countries in the ROC. Each country is at risk of ASF spread following introduction; however, some countries may have a higher probability of ASF spread following introduction. In addition, the probability of ASF spread from the ROC to EU MSs outside the ROC within one year after introduction of ASF in the ROC was estimated to be very low to low (from 0% to 15%). This estimate was based on the comparison of the indicators present in the ROC and the already affected countries in south-eastern Europe, such as Bulgaria and Romania, where there was no evidence of ASF spread to other EU MS within one year.

Oxidatively Generated Lesions as Internal Photosensitizers for Pyrimidine Dimerization in DNA.

In this work, the attention is focused on UVA-photosensitized reactions triggered by a DNA chromophore-containing lesion, namely 5-formyluracil. This is a major oxidatively generated lesion that exhibits an enhanced light absorption in the UVB-UVA region. The mechanistic study combining photochemical and photobiological techniques shows that irradiation of 5-formyluracil leads to a triplet excited state capable of sensitizing formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in DNA via a triplet-triplet energy transfer. This demonstrates for the first time that oxidatively generated DNA damage can behave as an intrinsic sensitizer and result in an important extension of the active fraction of the solar spectrum with photocarcinogenic potential. Overall, this raises the question of an aggravated photomutagenicity of the 5-formyluracil lesion.