Molecular Characterization of the First Ebola Virus Isolated in Italy, from a Health Care Worker Repatriated from Sierra Leone.

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of an Ebola virus (EBOV) isolated from a health worker repatriated from Sierra Leone to Italy in November 2014. The sequence, clustering in clade 3 of the Sierra Leone sequences, was analyzed with respect to mutations possibly affecting diagnostic and therapeutic targets as well as virulence.

Seroprevalence of dengue infection: a cross-sectional survey in mainland Tanzania and on Pemba Island, Zanzibar.

Objective: Evidence available to date indicates that dengue viruses 1, 2, and 3 could be among the causes of acute fever in eastern Africa. Recently, four reports on dengue infection in travelers and residents have raised concerns over the occurrence of dengue fever in mainland Tanzania and in Zanzibar. The objective of this study was to provide seroprevalence data on dengue infection in Tanzania.

Chikungunya virus isolates with/without A226V mutation show different sensitivity to IFN-a, but similar replication kinetics in non human primate cells.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus responsible for the first autochthonous Italian outbreak in 2007. A226V mutation in E1 has been associated with enhanced replication in A. albopictus vector.

Cross-subtype immunity against avian influenza in persons recently vaccinated for influenza.

Avian influenza virus (H5N1) can be transmitted to humans, resulting in a severe or fatal disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immune cross-reactivity between human and avian influenza (H5N1) strains in healthy donors vaccinated for seasonal influenza A (H1N1)/(H3N2). A small frequency of CD4 T cells specific for subtype H5N1 was detected in several persons at baseline, and seasonal vaccine administration enhanced the frequency of such reactive CD4 T cells.

Rapid detection and quantification of Chikungunya virus by a one-step reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction real-time assay.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus. A large outbreak of CHIKV disease occurred in 2005 in the Indian Ocean Islands. Many cases have been imported in European countries.

[Rapid differential diagnosis of Orthopoxviruses and Herpesviruses based upon multiplex real-time PCR].

Objective: Variola virus, belonging to Orthopoxviridae family, is one of the most dangerous human pathogens that could be used as biological weapon. We have developed a new rapid assay, based upon Real-time PCR and melting temperatures analysis of amplicons, for the contemporary detection of Orthopoxvirus, VZV and HSV1-2, that are the most important infectious agents to be considered for differential diagnosis.

Methods: The target for detection of orthopoxvirus DNA has been a region of the crmB gene which is common to Variola virus and to other old world orthopoxviruses pathogenic for humans.