Seroprevalence against Toscana virus in Spain: The case of the autonomous community of Madrid.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The Toscana virus (TOSV) is a neurotropic arbovirus that is transmitted through the bite of some Phlebotomus species. In 2009, the largest outbreak of leishmaniasis described so far in Europe, occurred in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Spain, which was related to the population increase of P. perniciosus in this region. METHODS: A seroprevalence study was conducted to determine the circulation of TOSV among the population of this geographic area. A total of 516 sera were collected in two different stages: 2007 (before the leishmaniasis outbreak) and 2018-19 (representative of the current situation). In the sera, presence of IgG antibodies against TOSV was determined by commercial ELISA. RESULTS: The overall seroprevalence was 34.5%. The anti-TOSV IgG level was significantly higher in the samples collected in 2007 (41.5%) than 2018-19 (27.3%). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The results of this study show a very active TOSV circulation in the region that is greater than expected. The lower seroprevalence figures in 2018-19 may be related to the vector and environmental control measures that were put in place as a result of the leishmaniasis outbreak of 2009. This highlights the importance of such strategies to reduce the incidence of TOSV infection and other vector-borne diseases.

Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment on the Arteriole-to-Venule Ratio in Patients With Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on the arteriolar-to-venular ratio (AVR) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, randomized, unblinded, and controlled clinical trial with parallel groups was performed. From a base of 138 patients, 83 were randomized to either CPAP or control. Nonstereoscopic 35º photographs were processed with Sirius software. RESULTS: The intention-to-treat analysis showed no differences in AVR, although the arteriolar diameter increased from baseline in the CPAP group. Per-protocol analysis showed a 12-month increase in AVR (P = 0.035) and arteriolar diameter (P = 0.033) in CPAP versus control group. The venular diameter showed a nonstatistically significant reduction. CONCLUSIONS: CPAP is a potentially novel treatment for individuals with DR and concomitant OSA, improving the retinopathy status, reversing the arteriolar narrowing, and therefore increasing the AVR, tending to reduce the venular diameter. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024;55:XX-XX.].