Publications by authors named "Savini G"
Background: The diagnosis of West Nile virus (WNV) is challenging due to short-term and low-level viremia, flavivirus cross-reactivity, and long immunoglobulin M (IgM) persistence.
Aim: To evaluate different methods for WNV detection [reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), IgM/IgG antibodies, IgG avidity] in serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and urine samples of patients with confirmed WNV infection.
Methods: The study included patients with confirmed WNV neuroinvasive infection ( = 62), asymptomatic WNV seropositive individuals ( = 22), and individuals with false-positive WNV IgM antibodies ( = 30).
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that can infect humans, equids, and many bird species, posing a threat to their health. It consists of eight lineages, with Lineage 1 (L1) and Lineage 2 (L2) being the most prevalent and pathogenic. Italy is one of the hardest-hit European nations, with 330 neurological cases and 37 fatalities in humans in the 2021-2022 season, in which the L1 re-emerged after several years of low circulation.
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- West Nile Virus (WNV) can cause severe neurological diseases like meningitis and encephalitis, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as the elderly.
- A case study of a 65-year-old woman reveals rapid worsening of her condition, leading to death within 10 days, despite receiving supportive treatment.
- The diagnosis was confirmed using nucleic acid amplification testing, and the study highlights the usefulness of nasopharyngeal swabs for virus sampling, emphasizing the need to monitor WNV outbreaks, particularly in areas with known circulation among birds.
Article Synopsis
- Bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are viruses spread by biting midges that cause serious diseases in ruminants, and they circulate in different forms (serotypes).
- A new EHDV strain (serotype 8) was first found in Tunisia in 2021 and later identified in cattle in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France in 2022, where BTV is already a concern.
- Researchers developed a TaqMan RT-qPCR assay that efficiently detects and differentiates BTV and EHDV, providing a quick and cost-effective method for diagnosis, aiding in better surveillance and control of these diseases.
Article Synopsis
- - Bluetongue (BT) and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) are important animal diseases impacting cattle and sheep, caused by viruses transmitted by biting midges, with recent outbreaks noted in France during the summer of 2023.
- - Genomic analysis revealed three viruses involved in the outbreaks: EHDV-8, which matches strains found in southern Europe since 2021, and two different strains of BTV, including a novel BTV-8 strain and an established BTV-4 strain.
- - The 2023 outbreaks indicate unusual dynamics in the circulation and emergence of these viruses in France, prompting further investigation into the epidemiological factors contributing to their spread.
Background: To analyze the difference and agreement between measurements obtained by a new fully automatic optical biometer, the SW-9000 μm Plus, based on optical low-coherence reflectometry (OLCR) and a commonly used optical biometer (Pentacam AXL) based on Scheimpflug imaging with partial coherence interferometry (PCI).
Methods: The central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD, from epithelium to anterior lens surface), lens thickness (LT), mean keratometry (K), corneal astigmatism, corneal diameter (CD), pupil diameter (PD), and axial length (AL) of 74 eyes (from 74 healthy subjects) were measured using the SW-9000 μm Plus and the Pentacam AXL to determine the agreement. Double angle plots were used for astigmatism vector analysis.
Purpose: To compare the accuracy of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation formulas for myopic eyes requiring negative diopter powered IOLs.
Design: Retrospective case series.
Setting: K… hospital and Y… Hospital, …, ….
Article Synopsis
- Bluetongue virus (BTV) causes bluetongue disease in ruminants and is transmitted mainly by biting midges.
- Recent discoveries have identified several atypical BTV serotypes that are generally asymptomatic and don't reproduce well in their insect carriers.
- This report highlights the detection of two atypical BTV strains in Gafsa, Tunisia: the recurring BTV-Y TUN2022 and a new strain called BTV-W TUN2022.
Purpose: To evaluate and compare the repeatability of corneal densitometry (CD) measurements obtained using both an anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) device and a Scheimpflug camera system, while also assessing the level of agreement. The study also sought to investigate the correlation of CD with age, gender, and central corneal thickness (CCT) in normal eyes.
Methods: CD measurements were obtained using the Casia 2 and the Pentacam AXL Wave.
Objective: To describe a novel method called "three variable optimization" that entails a process of doing just one calculation to zero out the mean prediction error of an entire dataset (regardless of size), using only 3 variables: (1) the constant used, (2) the average intraocular lens (IOL) power, and (3) the average prediction error (PE as actual refraction - predicted refraction).
Design: Development, evaluation, and testing of a method to optimize personal IOL constants.
Methods: A dataset of 876 eyes was used as a training set, and another dataset of 1,079 eyes was used to test the method.
Article Synopsis
- Bluetongue (BT) is a viral disease affecting various ruminants across Africa, but data on its prevalence is limited, prompting a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- The study found a pooled seroprevalence of the bluetongue virus (BTV) to be 45.02%, with higher rates seen in cattle (49.70%) and goats (47.00%), particularly in the southeastern region of Africa.
- It was noted that female animals showed a significantly higher seroprevalence (53.30%) compared to males (28.10%), highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and surveillance to prevent the disease's spread.
Radiomics features (RFs) serve as quantitative metrics to characterize shape, density/intensity, and texture patterns in radiological images. Despite their promise, RFs exhibit reproducibility challenges across acquisition settings, thus limiting implementation into clinical practice. In this investigation, we evaluate the effects of different CT scanners and CT acquisition protocols (KV, mA, field-of-view, and reconstruction kernel settings) on RFs extracted from lumbar vertebrae of a cadaveric trunk.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe virus neutralization test (VNT) is a functional immunoassay which detects the presence and quantity of neutralizing antibodies. It is a highly sensitive and specific test. As with most neutralization assays, the EHDV VNT does not react with all virus-targeting antibodies, but specifically with those antibodies that bind to VP2, the outermost capsid structural protein of the virus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUsutu virus (USUV), an arbovirus from the Flaviviridae family, genus Flavivirus, has recently gained increasing attention because of its potential for emergence. After his discovery in South Africa, USUV spread to other African countries, then emerged in Europe where it was responsible for epizootics. The virus has recently been found in Asia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate the repeatability of automatic measurements of a new anterior segment optical coherence tomographer (ANTERION; Heidelberg Engineering) and their agreement with an anterior segment optical coherence tomography device combined with Placido disc corneal topography (MS-39; CSO) in patients affected by keratoconus.
Methods: Fifty-four consecutive patients were included. Three measurements were performed with the ANTERION and one with the MS-39.
Purpose: To compare 2 different datasets, using Eyetemis, an online analytical tool designed for assessing the spherical equivalent prediction errors (SEQ-PEs) of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation formulas after cataract surgery.
Setting: Institutional.
Design: Retrospective case series.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of standard keratometry (K) versus total corneal power (TCP) for improving refractive outcomes in intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations.
- Conducted in a public hospital, the research analyzed data from patients using a specific optical coherence tomography device and divided the data into training and testing datasets to evaluate the performance of various IOL power formulas.
- Results indicated that while using K led to better precision and accuracy for certain formulas, overall, most formulas did not show significant improvements in IOL power calculations when using TCP instead of K.
Purpose: To evaluate prediction accuracy of formulas included in the ESCRS online intraocular lens (IOL) calculator using standard keratometry (K) or total keratometry (TK).
Setting: Hospital-based academic practice.
Design: Retrospective case-series.
Usutu virus (USUV) is a zoonotic arbovirus infecting mainly wild birds. It is transmitted by ornithophilic mosquitoes, mainly of the genus Culex from birds to birds and to several vertebrate dead-end hosts. Several USUV lineages, differing in their virulence have emerged in the last decades and now co-circulate in Europe, impacting human populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEpizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD), caused by the EHD virus (EHDV), is a vector-borne viral disease transmitted through Culicoides biting midges. EHDV comprises seven serotypes (1, 2, and 4-8), with EHDV-8 having recently emerged and spread in Europe over the last two years. Such event has raised concerns about the significant threat posed by EHDV-8 to livestock industry.
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- Clinical research typically requires careful study designs that account for variables like sex and age, but often overlooks body size factors like height and weight in neuroimaging studies.
- This study analyzed data from 267 healthy adults to explore how body height and weight relate to various brain and spinal cord MRI metrics, finding significant correlations, especially with brain gray matter volume and cervical spinal cord area.
- The results suggest that body size is an important biological variable that should be included in clinical neuroimaging study designs to enhance accuracy in understanding brain and spinal cord structures.
Background: To compare results from different corneal astigmatism measurement instruments; to reconstruct corneal astigmatism from the postimplantation spectacle refraction and toric intraocular lens (IOL) power; and to derive models for mapping measured corneal astigmatism to reconstructed corneal astigmatism.
Methods: Retrospective single centre study involving 150 eyes treated with a toric IOL (Alcon SN6AT, DFT or TFNT). Measurements included IOLMaster 700 keratometry (IOLMK) and total keratometry (IOLMTK), Pentacam keratometry (PK) and total corneal refractive power in 3 and 4 mm zones (PTCRP3 and PTCRP4), and Aladdin keratometry (AK).
Purpose: To assess the clinical outcomes and safety profiles of patients who underwent immediate sequential bilateral phakic lens surgery.
Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included 254 consecutive patients (508 eyes) who underwent bilateral same-day Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) (STAAR Surgical) surgery. The authors focused on 1-year postoperative clinical outcomes and adverse events.