Investigation of Oral Health in Children from Urban Slums of Nairobi, Kenya.

For children living in the urban slums of Nairobi (Kenya), primary health conditions are not guaranteed, and oral diseases add further concern at social and institutional levels beyond the general poverty conditions. This study aims at determining the factors that influence the oral health status of children living in Nairobi slums. A cross-sectional study on school-aged subjects was conducted in June 2022 in three urban slum areas of Nairobi through a pediatric dental screening.

A Reliable Multifaceted Solution against Foodborne Viral Infections: The Case of RiLK1 Decapeptide.

Food-borne transmission is a recognized route for many viruses associated with gastrointestinal, hepatic, or neurological diseases. Therefore, it is essential to identify new bioactive compounds with broad-spectrum antiviral activity to exploit innovative solutions against these hazards. Recently, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been recognized as promising antiviral agents.

An international inter-laboratory study to compare digital PCR with ISO standardized qPCR assays for the detection of norovirus GI and GII in oyster tissue.

An optimized digital RT-PCR (RT-dPCR) assay for the detection of human norovirus GI and GII RNA was compared with ISO 15216-conform quantitative real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) assays in an interlaboratory study (ILS) among eight laboratories. A duplex GI/GII RT-dPCR assay, based on the ISO 15216-oligonucleotides, was used on a Bio-Rad QX200 platform by six laboratories. Adapted assays for Qiagen Qiacuity or ThermoFisher QuantStudio 3D were used by one laboratory each.

Effects of Essential Oils and Hydrolates on the Infectivity of Murine Norovirus.

The use of natural substances with antiviral properties might reduce foodborne viral diseases. In this study, we evaluated the virucidal effect of and essential oils (EOs) and of , and hydrolates on murine norovirus (MNV), a human norovirus surrogate. To assess the virucidal effect of these natural substances, the reduction in viral infectivity was estimated by comparing the TCID/mL of untreated viral suspension and the viral suspension treated with hydrolates and EOs at different concentrations.

Novel subtypes and unexpected heterogeneity of hepatitis E viral strains in wild boar captured in a small area in Central Italy.

Wild boar is the main sylvatic reservoir of the genotype 3 of hepatitis E virus (HEV). The occurrence of HEV-3 human cases has been linked to the consumption of raw or undercooked pig and wild boar meat and liver. The zoonotic transmission of HEV-3 has been confirmed by sequencing identical or strictly related viral strains in humans, wild boar and derived food.

SARS-CoV-2 detection in nasopharyngeal swabs: Performance characteristics of a real-time RT-qPCR and a droplet digital RT-PCR assay based on the exonuclease region (ORF1b, nsp 14).

The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 has led to a compelling request for accurate diagnostic tests. The aim of this study was assessing the performance of a real-time RT-qPCR (rt RT-qPCR) assay and of a droplet digital RT-PCR (dd RT-PCR) targeting the nsp14 genome region for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swabs. A total of 258 nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed with the nsp14 assays and, for comparison, with a reference assay targeting the RdRp and E genes.

Quantitative Real-Time PCR and Digital PCR to Evaluate Residual Quantity of HAV in Experimentally Depurated Mussels.

Kinetics of hepatitis A virus (HAV) accumulation and depuration from mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) was studied in an experimental depuration system. Different parameters likely to influence the rate of virus accumulation and elimination were evaluated. Analyses were carried out by both real-time RT-qPCR and digital PCR.

Phylogenetic analysis and epidemiological history of Hepatitis E virus 3f and 3c in swine and wild boar, Italy.

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 has a worldwide distribution. The food-borne transmission of HEV associated with the consumption of products derived from domestic pig, wild boar has been reported in various countries. In this study the genetic diversity, evolutionary rates of HEV 3f, 3c among swine and wild boar in Italy were estimated.

Quantification and genetic diversity of Hepatitis E virus in wild boar (Sus scrofa) hunted for domestic consumption in Central Italy.

Hepatitis E is an emerging disease in industrialized countries. The food-borne transmission of hepatitis E virus (HEV) is associated principally with products derived from the domestic pig, the wild boar, and deer; however, few quantitative data are available on HEV loads in animals used in food production. This study assessed HEV occurrence, viral load and genetic variability in wild boar hunted for domestic consumption in the district of Viterbo (Central Italy) where high anti-HEV IgG seroprevalence values are reported in humans.

Occurrence and Trend of Hepatitis A Virus in Bivalve Molluscs Production Areas Following a Contamination Event.

The aim of this study was to assess the trend of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in a coastal zone impacted by a contamination event, providing data for the development of management strategies. A total of 352 samples, including four bivalve mollusc species (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Solen vagina, Venus gallina and Donax trunculus), were taken over a period of 6 months from 27 production areas of the coast and analysis were performed according to ISO/TS 15216-1:2013. HAV presence was detected in 77 samples from 11 production areas and all positive results were related to samples collected in the first 3 months of the surveillance, during which HAV prevalence was 39.

A large prolonged outbreak of hepatitis A associated with consumption of frozen berries, Italy, 2013-14.

Purpose: In 2013/2014, Italy experienced one of the largest community-wide prolonged outbreaks of hepatitis A virus (HAV) throughout the country. The article provides a comprehensive description of the outbreak and the investigation carried out by a multidisciplinary National Task Force, in collaboration with regional and local public health authorities. Control strategies of food-borne HAV infection in both the human and food sectors are also described.

Key Role of Sequencing to Trace Hepatitis A Viruses Circulating in Italy During a Large Multi-Country European Foodborne Outbreak in 2013.

Background: Foodborne Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) outbreaks are being recognized as an emerging public health problem in industrialized countries. In 2013 three foodborne HAV outbreaks occurred in Europe and one in USA. During the largest of the three European outbreaks, most cases occurred in Italy (>1,200 cases as of March 31, 2014).

Development and optimization of a biopreparedness protocol for extracting and detecting avian influenza virus in broiler chicken meat.

Detection of avian influenza virus (AIV) in poultry meat is hampered by the lack of an efficient analytical method able to extract and concentrate viral RNA prior to PCR. In this study we developed a method for extracting and detecting AIV from poultry meat by a previously standardized 1-step real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RRT-PCR) assay. In addition, a new process control, represented by feline calicivirus (FCV), was included in the original protocol, to evaluate all analytical steps from sample preparation to the detection phase.

The impact of the baby's congenital malformation on the mother's psychological well-being: an empirical contribution on the clubfoot.

Background: Empirical findings show that the child's illness can interfere with parental well-being and with the construction of a well-functioning effective relationship between the child and his/her caregivers. In line with these findings, the present study aims at investigating the negative impact of the baby's diagnosis of clubfoot on the mother and the protective function of social support; moreover, the study aims at implementing, as a pilot experience, an intervention protocol directed to the same sample of mothers, providing emotional and informational support.

Methods: A sample of 34 mothers was recruited within the first 3 months of the baby's life, including 2 groups: a clinical one, with 17 mothers of babies diagnosed with clubfoot, and a control one, with 17 mothers of healthy full-term babies.

Collaborative validation of a rapid method for efficient virus concentration in bottled water.

Enteric viruses, including norovirus (NoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV), have emerged as a major cause of waterborne outbreaks worldwide. Due to their low infectious doses and low concentrations in water samples, an efficient and rapid virus concentration method is required for routine control. Three newly developed methods, A, B and C, for virus concentration in bottled water were compared against the reference method D: (A) Convective Interaction Media (CIM) monolithic chromatography; filtration of viruses followed by (B) direct lysis of viruses on membrane; (C) concentration of viruses by ultracentrifugation; and (D) concentration of viruses by ultrafiltration, for each methods' (A, B and C) efficacy to recover 10-fold dilutions of HAV and feline calicivirus (FCV) spiked in bottles of 1.

Duplex Real Time PCR for the detection of hepatitis A virus in shellfish using Feline Calicivirus as a process control.

The consumption of bivalve shellfish is a common cause of foodborne outbreaks of viral origin. The evaluation of the sanitary quality of these products, however, is still based on bacterial indicators of fecal contamination (Reg. (EC) No.

Assessment of human enteric viruses in shellfish from the northern Adriatic sea.

Incidence and circulation of different strains of hepatitis A and Norovirus in shellfish were studied on 235 samples (Tapes philippinarum, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Ostrea spp. and Chlamys spp.) obtained from different sites, representing the shellfish production areas of the northern Adriatic sea.

Resistance of hepatitis A virus in mussels subjected to different domestic cookings.

Hepatitis A is a worldwide infectious disease. Shellfish consumption has always been one of the major risk factors for hepatitis A infection, especially when these products are eaten raw or slightly cooked. Moreover, the cooking does not always guarantee the harmlessness of shellfish.

Evaluation of DNA extraction methods for use in combination with SYBR green I real-time PCR to detect Salmonella enterica serotype enteritidis in poultry.

The objective of this study was to develop a rapid, reproducible, and robust method for detecting Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis in poultry samples. First, for the extraction and purification of DNA from the preenrichment culture, four methods (boiling, alkaline lysis, Nucleospin, and Dynabeads DNA Direct System I) were compared. The most effective method was then combined with a real-time PCR method based on the double-stranded DNA binding dye SYBR Green I used with the ABI Prism 7700 system.