Evaluation of mpox contact tracing activities and data collection in EU/EEA countries during the 2022 multicountry outbreak in nonendemic countries.

To control human-to-human mpox transmission during the 2022 outbreak, European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries conducted case investigation and contact tracing (CT). We aimed to provide an overview of CT activities, describe CT data collection practices, and identify related facilitators, barriers, and potential opportunities for improvement. Between April 03, 2023 and May 12, 2023, a survey was distributed to CT stakeholders in 30 EU/EEA countries, asking about mpox CT activities and data collection and requesting to rank enablers, barriers, and improvements for CT on a five-point Likert scale. The 139 respondents from 27 countries indicated having performed case investigations (96%, n = 133), backward CT (88%, n = 122), forward CT (87%, n = 121), and follow-up on contacts' outcomes (77%, n = 107). Sixty percent (n = 80/134) used standardized data collection forms and 73% (n = 91/124) used databases. The highest-rated enablers were clear guidelines (mean = 3.9), quick access to laboratory results (3.6), and sufficient expertise (3.6). Highly rated barriers were inability to contact contacts (3.0) or cases (2.5) and lack of staff (2.4). The most needed improvements were availability of staff (3.5), expertise on affected populations (3.4) and data reporting tools and systems (3.3). To improve CT of mpox and diseases with similar transmission patterns, EU/EEA countries should increase workforce capacity in public and sexual health, offer training on CT operations and communication with affected communities, and use common CT data collection tools and systems.

COVID-19 research priorities for non-pharmaceutical public health and social measures.

Europe is in the midst of a COVID-19 epidemic and a number of non-pharmaceutical public health and social measures have been implemented, in order to contain the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. These measures are fundamental elements of the public health approach to controlling transmission but have proven not to be sufficiently effective. Therefore, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has conducted an assessment of research gaps that can help inform policy decisions regarding the COVID-19 response. We have identified research gaps in the area of non-pharmaceutical measures, physical distancing, contact tracing, transmission, communication, mental health, seasonality and environment/climate, surveillance and behavioural aspects of COVID-19. This prioritisation exercise is a step towards the global efforts of developing a coherent research road map in coping with the current epidemic but also developing preparedness measures for the next unexpected epidemic.

HPV vaccination in a context of public mistrust and uncertainty: a systematic literature review of determinants of HPV vaccine hesitancy in Europe.

Europe is increasingly described as the region in the world with the least confidence in vaccination, and particularly in the safety of vaccines. The aim of this systematic literature review was to gather and summarise all peer-reviewed and grey literature published about determinants of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine hesitancy in Europe. Ten thematic categories were identified across the 103 articles which were included in the review. Participants from European studies most commonly reported issues with the quantity and quality of information available about HPV vaccination; followed by concerns about potential side effects of the vaccine; and mistrust of health authorities, healthcare workers, and new vaccines. Comparative analyses indicated that confidence determinants differed by country and population groups. This evidence supports the need to develop context-specific interventions to improve confidence in HPV vaccination and design community engagement strategies aiming to build public trust.

Surveillance of iclaprim activity: in vitro susceptibility of Gram-positive skin infection pathogens collected from 2015 to 2016 from North America and Europe.

Iclaprim is a diaminopyrimidine, which inhibits bacterial dihydrofolate reductase, and surveillance data prior to 2006 suggested that iclaprim was active against Gram-positive pathogens including emerging drug-resistant pathogens. In an era of increasing antimicrobial resistance, we undertook testing iclaprim and comparators against 931 Gram-positive clinical isolates from the United States and Europe collected between 2015 and 2016. Susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) interpretations were based on CLSI and European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing criteria. MIC50/MIC90 was 0.03/0.12 for all Staphylococcus aureus, 0.06/0.06 for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, 0.03/0.12 for methicillin-resistant S. aureus, 0.12/0.5 for Streptococcus agalactiae, ≤0.015/≤0.015 for Streptococcus anginosus, 0.03/0.06 for Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and ≤0.015 /0.03 µg/mL for Streptococcus pyogenes. Iclaprim was active against a contemporary collection (2015-2016) of Gram-positive bacteria isolated from the skin or soft tissue from patients with SSSI from the United States and Europe.

Assessment of HIV molecular surveillance capacity in the European Union, 2016.

IntroductionExpanding access to HIV antiretroviral treatment is expected to decrease HIV incidence and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) mortality. However, this may also result in increased HIV drug resistance (DR). Better monitoring and surveillance of HIV DR is required to inform treatment regimens and maintain the long term effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs. As there is currently no formal European Union (EU)-wide collection of HIV DR data, this study aimed to assess the current HIV molecular surveillance capacity in EU/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in order to inform the planning of HIV DR monitoring at EU level. Methods: Thirty EU/EEA countries were invited to participate in a survey on HIV molecular surveillance capacity, which also included laboratory aspects. Results: Among 21 responding countries, 13 reported using HIV sequence data (subtype and/or DR) for surveillance purposes at national level. Of those, nine stated that clinical, epidemiological and sequence data were routinely linked for analysis. Discussion/conclusion: We identified similarities between existing HIV molecular surveillance systems, but also found important challenges including human resources, data ownership and legal issues that would need to be addressed.Information on capacities should allow better planning of the phased introduction of HIV DR surveillance at EU/EEA level.

Iron regulates T-lymphocyte sensitivity to the IFN-gamma/STAT1 signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo.

The refractoriness of T cells to the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) pathway, which shields them from the antiproliferative effect of IFN-gamma, is attributed mainly to down-regulation of the IFN-gammaR2 signaling chain. However, the mechanisms responsible for this down-regulation are unclear. Here we show that iron uptake mediated by the transferrin receptor (TfR) delivers a signal that leads to IFN-gammaR2 internalization and thus plays an essential role in attenuating activation of the IFN-gamma/STAT1 pathway in human T lymphocytes. The effect of iron on IFN-gammaR2 internalization was specific as it did not affect expression of the IFN-gammaR1 binding chain. Deferoxamine (DFO), an iron-chelating agent, up-regulated IFN-gammaR2 surface expression and reinstated IFN-gamma/STAT1 activation in proliferating T lymphocytes. Resistance of malignant T cells to the antiproliferative effect of IFN-gamma in vitro was abrogated by addition of DFO. Conversely, iron inhibited IFN-gamma-induced apoptosis in malignant T cells in serum-free conditions. In combination but not individually, DFO and IFN-gamma strongly inhibited growth of human malignant T cells in an in vivo severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mouse model. These data provide valuable insights for novel therapeutic approaches aimed at reinstating the IFN-gamma/STAT1 apoptotic signaling pathway in autoreactive or neoplastic T cells by means of iron chelation.

CCL16/LEC powerfully triggers effector and antigen-presenting functions of macrophages and enhances T cell cytotoxicity.

The human CC chemokine CCL16, a liver-expressed chemokine, enhances the killing activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages by triggering their expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and Fas ligand. Macrophages also respond to CCL16 by enhancing their production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, regulated on activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted chemokines, and interleukin (IL)-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and IL-12. The effect of CCL16 is almost as strong as that of lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma, two of the best macrophage activators. Moreover, CCL16-activated macrophages overexpress membrane CD80, CD86, and CD40 costimulatory molecules and extensively phagocytose tumor cell debris. On exposure to such debris, they activate a strong, tumor-specific, cytolytic response in virgin T cells. Furthermore, cytolytic T cells generated in the presence of CCL16 display a higher cytotoxicity and activate caspase-8 in tumor target cells. This ability to activate caspase-8 depends on their overexpression of TNF-alpha and Fas ligand induced by CCL16. These data reveal a new function for CCL16 in the immune-response scenario. CCL16 significantly enhances the effector and the antigen-presenting function of macrophages and augments T cell lytic activity.

IGF-1 down-regulates IFN-gamma R2 chain surface expression and desensitizes IFN-gamma/STAT-1 signaling in human T lymphocytes.

The ability of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) to regulate surface expression of the interferon-gamma receptor 2 (IFN-gamma R2) transducing chain and activation of IFN-gamma-induced signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1) in human T cells was analyzed. We show that, especially in the absence of serum (which contains IGF-1), IGF-1 down-regulated surface expression of the IFN-gamma R2 chain and inhibited both IFN-gamma-dependent STAT-1 activation and apoptosis in T-cell lines ST4, Jurkat, and Molt-4. IFN-gamma R2 down-regulation resulted from its enhanced internalization since IGF-1 completely restored the uptake of anti-IFN-gamma R2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) in serum-deprived T-cell lines. When the interaction between IGF-1 and its receptor was blocked by anti-IGF-1R mAb, enhancement of IFN-gamma R2 surface expression, STAT-1 activation, and reinstatement of IFN-gamma-induced apoptosis were observed. Enhanced expression of IFN-gamma R2 was also observed in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-activated T lymphoblasts cultured in the presence of anti-IGF-1R mAb, whereas IGF-1 or anti-IGF-1R mAb did not modify the high IFN-gamma R2 expression in B and myeloid cell lines. Both IGF-1 and anti-IGF-1R mAb did not modify the constitutive expression of IFN-gamma R2 mRNA in T cells as well as the high IFN-gamma R1 binding chain surface expression in T, B, and myeloid cells. These data indicate that IGF-1 plays a critical role in the desensitization of IFN-gamma/STAT-1 signaling in T lymphocytes by delivering a signal for IFN-gamma R2 internalization.

[Operations involving the seabed: possible health implications]. / Operazioni di movimentazione dei fondali marini. Possibili implicazioni sanitarie.

Some activities on marine sediments, such as escavation of the bottom, search for hydrocarbons, deposit of sands on beaches, and harbour dredging or works are considered. These activities may cause the release of pathogens or chemical contaminants in waters used for recreational, rearing or fishery activities, so representing a threat to human health.