Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Northern Italy: An Evaluation of Three Different Gene Targets.

Wastewater-based epidemiology has emerged as a complementary tool for the monitoring of COVID-19 pandemic waves and for the circulation of viral variants. The selection, standardization, and dynamics of different SARS-CoV-2 RNA targets in wastewater requires further investigation. In the present study, 106 wastewater samples were collected over a 24-month period from the wastewater treatment plant of Sondrio, north Italy, and were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA through the quantification of ORF1b, N1, and N3 gene targets via one-step real-time qPCR.

Molecular Detection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Other Sexually Transmitted Pathogens in Cervical and Self-Collected Specimens.

This study investigated the detection of high-risk Human Papillomavirus (hrHPV) and seven other pathogens associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in matched clinician-collected cervical samples and self-taken vaginal and urine specimens collected from 342 asymptomatic women referred to colposcopy to evaluate (i) the concordance in the molecular detection of investigated pathogen in three different sample types; (ii) the analytical sensitivity and specificity of STIs detection on self-samples; and (iii) the distribution of STIs in hrHPV-positive and hrHPV-negative women. Pathogens detection was performed using Anyplex™II HR and Anyplex™II STI-7e, respectively. Good/substantial agreement was observed between cervical and self-taken samples in detecting hrHPV (κ = 0.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls Induce Cytotoxicity and Inflammation in an In Vitro Model of an Ocular Barrier.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are heterogeneous, synthetic, and widespread organochlorine compounds, and are one of the persistent organic pollutants present in improperly dumped waste and electronic equipment (e-waste), with a high bioaccumulation potential. In this study, the toxicity of Aroclor 1254 (a mixture of commercial PCBs) in human corneal epithelial cells (HCEpiCs), in an in vitro model of an ocular barrier, was evaluated. Aroclor 1254 (0.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and epidemiological types of Legionella pneumophila human isolates from Italy (1987-2020).

Objectives: Although antimicrobial resistance has not yet emerged as an overarching problem for Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) infection, the description of clinical and environmental strains resistant to fluoroquinolones and macrolides is a cause of concern. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of L.

Model-based estimation of seasonal transport of macro-plastics in a marine protected area.

Management of plastic litter in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is expensive but crucial to avoid harms to critical environments. In the present work, an open-source numerical modelling chain is proposed to estimate the seasonal pathways and fates of macro-plastics, and hence support the effective planning and implementation of sea and beach cleaning operations. The proposed approach is applied to the nearshore region that includes the MPA of Capo Milazzo (Italy).