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Jun 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-20-3442
Cameron Y. S. LeeCorresponding author
The Covid-19 pandemic has swept rapidly from Wuhan, China to the entire globe in less than six months, infecting over 7 million people and claiming the lives of over 500,000. In the United States, greater than 2 million individuals have become infected and over 110,000 people killed. With no evidence of slowing of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, public health authorities must prepare for possible sustained transmission of Covid-19, or a second wave into the Fall 2020, but with the presence of the influenza A virus. In the Fall 2020, schools will reopen from kindergarten to 12th grade. Dual pandemics or epidemics will result in high morbidity and mortality not observed when either virus was solely active. Community leaders, educational administrators and public health systems must be prepared for simultaneous outbreaks of both Covid-19 and influenza. Although there are no clinical studies that have evaluated the benefits on the use of face masks during an epidemic or pandemic, public health non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPIs) measures should include the routine use of face masks during school sessions. Using face masks with other NPI may interrupt viral transmission as it has been established that respiratory viruses, such as Covid-19 and the influenza virus are transmitted via respiratory droplets, aerosols, and environmental surface contact.
Aug 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-17-1661
Parreño VivianaCorresponding author
National Council of Scientific and Technical Research - CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Serum samples from wild and domestic South American Camelids (SAC) from Argentina, collected before (2008), during (2009) and after (2010) the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic were tested by hemagglutination-inhibition assay (HIA) to evaluate the seroprevalence of antibodies (Ab) against different subtypes of influenza A viruses: A(H1N1)pdm09, A/sw/Argentina/SIV/2009(H3N2) and A/eq/Argentina/97(H3N8). For A(H1N1), an ELISA using a recombinant H1-hemmaglutinin from a reference strain (HA0 PuertoRico/8/1934) was also conducted. Serum samples from Guanacos (126), vicugnas (21) and llamas (100) from Jujuy, Mendoza and Río Negro provinces were analyzed; no clinical signs of respiratory disease were detected, reason for which no nasal swabs were obtained. No seropositive reactors to H3N2 nor H3N8 variants were detected, nevertheless high incidence of Ab reactive to A(H1N1)pdm09 were found by HIA; results which were confirmed by ELISA. The Ab seropositive animals to H1-like IAV found in llamas from Jujuy, and Mendoza (2009) were 78% and 86% by HIA and ELISA, respectively. Thirty-seven samples taken over the three years from guanacos kept in captivity in Rio Negro showed 62% of seropositive animals, while wild guanacos from Mendoza sampled in 2010 showed 36% seropositive animals to H1-like IAV, by both techniques. Finally, wild vicugnas from Jujuy, sampled in 2008 showed 38% and 52% seropositive animals to H1-like IAV by HIA and ELISA, respectively. Our results could indicate the potential role of these species as a reservoir of this zoonotic viral agent of high impact in Public Health, and may suggest that SAC populations might have been infected with an influenza strain antigenically related to H1 IAV. . Surprisingly, for llama and guanaco populations sampled over time in Jujuy and Río Negro, respectively, the HIA and ELISA geometric mean Ab titers (GMT) for 2008 were significantly higher than the ones of 2010. In addition, HIA and ELISA Ab titers found in domestic llamas were significantly higher than those detected in wild vicugnas sampled during that year (2008) in Jujuy. New field campaigns are in progress to collect serum samples and nasal swabs in order to isolate and characterize the virus responsible for triggering H1 reactive Abs. These findings remark the need to better understand the dynamics and ecology of influenza A virus within Sacs populations.
Jan 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2577-137X.ji-16-1139
O’Connor L.Corresponding author
Health Protection Surveillance Centre, 25-27 Middle Gardiner St., Dublin 1
We describe seasonal influenza-like illness (ILI) outbreaks in long-term care facilities in the Health Service Executive (HSE) East area of Ireland in the 2013/2014 influenza season, risk factors associated with outbreak duration and attack rates, and management challenges. Separate questionnaires were distributed to 28 facilities who reported an outbreak and to public health specialists leading outbreak management, with a 79% response rate. Mean outbreak duration (21 vs 17 days; p=0.046) was longer in facilities with staff vaccination rates of <40%. Facilities with a high attack rate (≥50%) were less likely to have an outbreak plan (p=0.03). Smaller facilities (under 50 residents) had a higher attack rate (50% vs 23%, p=0.003) even when controlled for staff vaccination rate (p=0.01). Prior to the outbreak, resident vaccination rates were high (82%, above the World Health Organization target of 75%) but staff vaccination rates were low (39%). Reported challenges to ILI outbreak management in long term care facilities included visitor restrictions, staff education issues, outbreak notification delays and lack of outbreak lead in facilities. Targeted public health-assisted planning, training and response, comprising of staff vaccination, education, written policies, with early notification and prompt response would facilitate a more co-ordinated approach to the management of outbreaks, and reduction in infection rates and consequent morbidity.
Feb 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-24-4938
Suh MinaCorresponding author
Public health interest in vaccinations and immune protection has increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. Dairy products are an important source of protein and other nutrients, and there are unresolved research questions regarding the potential health impact of dairy products on the enhancement of immune response. A systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize the published literature reporting the effects of dairy interventions on: 1) the vaccine-specific immune response and 2) immunoglobulins in the absence of vaccination. To assess study validity and quality, we used the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist. Sixty-one studies (59 clinical trials, 1 cohort, 1 cross-sectional survey) were included, spanning 1983-2017. Ten trials evaluated the effect of dairy intervention on vaccine-specific IgG, IgA, IgM, vaccine-specific antibody titers, seroprotection rates, or seroconversion rates. Of these, 7 reported significant increases with dairy interventions for post-vaccine tetanus antibodies, mean change in tetanus antibody level, total antibody titers to flagellin from Salmonella Adelaide, mean antibody titers to influenza B, influenza-specific IgA and IgG levels, and seroconversion or seroprotection rates for influenza A and B. Fifty-six studies evaluated dairy’s effects on immunoglobulins without vaccinations. The results were heterogenous, with some studies reporting significant enhancement of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgE, or IgG), while others observed no differences between groups. Clinical relevance of the immunoglobulin changes was not investigated in these studies. Dairy products and their components could enhance the efficacy of vaccines. This review highlights the evidence gaps and provides a potential roadmap for additional research.
Apr 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2328-0182.japst-21-3772
Jana SnehasisCorresponding author
Trivedi Science Research Laboratory Pvt. Ltd., Thane (W), Maharashtra, India.
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is a fat-soluble vitamin, which widely used for the prevention and treatment rickets, osteoporosis, arthritis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, autoimmune disease, dementia, glucose intolerance, etc. The impact of the Trivedi Effect®-Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment on the structural properties and the isotopic abundance ratio of cholecalciferol were evaluated using LC-MS and GC-MS spectroscopy. The test sample cholecalciferol was divided into control and treated parts. Only, the treated cholecalciferol was received the Trivedi Effect®-Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment remotely by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Dahryn Trivedi. The LC-MS spectra of both the samples at retention time (Rt) ~22 minutes exhibited the mass of the molecular ion peak at m/z 385.25 (calcd for C27H45O+, 385.35). The LC-MS based isotopic abundance ratio of PM+1/PM in the treated cholecalciferol was increased by 0.74% compared with the control sample. But, the GC-MS based isotopic abundance ratio of PM+1/PM and PM+2/PM in the treated cholecalciferol was significantly increased by 66.39% and 62.69%, respectively compared with the control sample. Hence,13C, 2H, 17O, and 18O contributions from C27H44O+ to m/z 386 and 387 in the treated cholecalciferol were significantly increased compared with the control sample. The isotopic abundance ratios of PM+1/PM (2H/1H or 13C/12C or 17O/16O) and PM+2/PM (18O/16O) in the treated cholecalciferol were significantly increased as compared to the control sample. The increased isotopic composition of the Trivedi Effect®-Consciousness Energy Healing Treated cholecalciferol might have altered the neutron to proton ratio in the nucleus via the possible mediation of neutrino. The increased isotopic abundance ratio of the treated cholecalciferol may increase the intra-atomic bond strength, increase its stability. The new form of cholecalciferol would be better designing novel pharmaceutical formulations that might be more stable and more efficacious for the prevention and treatment of various diseases such as vitamin D deficiency, rickets, osteoporosis, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, diabetes mellitus, mental disorders, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, infections, influenza, cognitive impairment in older adults, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, autoimmune disease, dementia, glucose intolerance, multiple sclerosis, etc.
Jul 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-20-3459
Ozcelik FatihCorresponding author
University of Health Sciences, Sultan 2. Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Istanbul, Turkey
As there is no specific treatment yet, the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is being carried out with great difficulty today. The use of immune plasma is seen as a promising option since there is expectation that it will reduce mortality, as in influenza pandemics experienced in 1918 and 2009. However, the safety and effectiveness of this treatment option against SARS-CoV-2 viruses are not known for certain. In addition, the optimal obtaining methods and protection time of neutralizing antibodies to be used to provide passive immunization are not fully known. Therefore, it would be very useful to investigate the most effective neutralizing antibody collection methods without disrupting the overall structure and effectiveness of the antibodies subject to the use of the convalescent immune plasma. For this purpose, we found it appropriate to prepare a broad review on the structure and properties of antibodies, as well as the principles and storage conditions of antibodies to be used in passive immunization.
Aug 2018
F. Favaro PatriciaCorresponding author
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo - SP, Brazil
This brief report summarizes equine influenza activity in South America, noting clinical presentation, transmission dynamics, and recent outbreaks. It reviews vaccination strategies, biosecurity measures, and surveillance needs for controlling spread. Practical guidance is provided for veterinarians and stable managers to reduce risk during regional circulation.