Recognising and responding to the community needs of gay and bisexual men around mpox.

Background: In May 2022, a global surge in mpox cases, typically endemic to Western and Central Africa, particularly affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM). This study examines gbMSM communities' experiences and perceptions around Ireland's public health response to the outbreak.

Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods online survey was conducted.

Co-creating a Mpox Elimination Campaign in the WHO European Region: The Central Role of Affected Communities.

Between May 2022 and September 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe engaged in a collaborative effort with affected communities to address the outbreak of mpox in the region. This concerted endeavor led to the development of a risk communication campaign specifically tailored to address the perceptions and needs of the target audience, thereby contributing to the control and the long-term goal of mpox elimination. Various community engagement interventions were implemented, including the establishment of an informal civil society organizations' working group to provide feedback on the WHO mpox campaign, webinars targeting event organizers, and roundtable discussions with country-level responders.

Understanding sexual health service access for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Ireland during the COVID-19 crisis: Findings from the EMERGE survey.

Background: In the Republic of Ireland, the COVID-19 crisis led to sexual health service closures while clinical staff were redeployed to the pandemic response. Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) face pre-existing sexual health inequalities which may have been exacerbated. The aim of this study is to understand sexual health service accessibility for gbMSM in Ireland during the COVID-19 crisis.

Establishment of a national surveillance system to monitor community HIV testing, Ireland, 2018.

Background: HIV continues to be an important public health issue. Voluntary community-based HIV testing (VCBT) helps to reduce the undiagnosed population of HIV-positive individuals, enabling early diagnosis and treatment. Monitoring is essential to determine whether at-risk groups are being effectively reached.

Chemsex, risk behaviours and sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men in Dublin, Ireland.

Background: Drug use for or during sex ('chemsex') among MSM has caused concern, because of the direct effects of the drugs themselves, and because of an increased risk of transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of chemsex, associated behaviours and STIs among attendees at Ireland's only MSM-specific sexual health clinic in Dublin over a six week period in 2016.

Methods: The questionnaire collected demographic data, information on sexuality and sexual practice, self-reported history of treatment for STIs, and chemsex use.

Antigen from the anterior chamber of the eye travels in a soluble form to secondary lymphoid organs via lymphatic and vascular routes.

Purpose: To determine the afferent pathways linking the anterior chamber (AC) of the eye to the secondary lymphoid organs.

Methods: Single intracameral, subconjunctival, or intravenous injections and topical application on the conjunctiva of 3 muL (30 mug) of cascade-blue-labeled Dextran (CB-Dx) were performed in Lewis rats. In addition, bilateral intracameral injections (CB-Dx into the right AC and FITC-Dx into the left AC) or a combination of intracameral (CB-Dx) and intravenous (FITC-Dx) injections were performed.

An intravital and confocal microscopic study of the distribution of intracameral antigen in the aqueous outflow pathways and limbus of the rat eye.

In a previous investigation into the fate of fluorescently labelled antigen (Ag) injected into the anterior chamber (AC) of the rat eye, a large number of Ag+ cells were noted in the conventional and non-conventional aqueous humour outflow pathways together with the external limbus. The aim of this study was to investigate the precise distribution and phenotype of these cells and compare their ability to capture fluorescent-labelled protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA, and ovalbumin, OVA) and polysaccharides (dextran, Dx) injected into the AC. The density of Ag+ cells in the iris and limbus was investigated using in vivo video fluorescence microscopy 24 hr post-injection.

The distribution of antigen in lymphoid tissues following its injection into the anterior chamber of the rat eye.

Injection of Ag into the anterior chamber (AC) of the eye induces deviant immune responses. It has been proposed that Ag internalized by ocular APCs is presented in a tolerogenic fashion in the spleen. However, the nature and distribution of the Ag-bearing cells in the lymphoid organs remain unclear.