Measles in Italy: Viral strains and crossing borders.

In 2017, Italy experienced one of the largest outbreaks of measles in recent years, with 5404 notified cases and 4347 confirmed cases. A further 2029 cases were notified during the first 6 months of 2018, and 1516 of them were laboratory-confirmed. The B3 and D8 genotypes were identified as those responsible for the outbreak. Possible transmission routes can be established by monitoring the circulating measles virus strains in support of the national health authorities to warn people and travellers

Antioxidant activity of citrus limonoids and investigation of their virucidal potential against SARS-CoV-2 in cellular models

The COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented global emergency. Despite all efforts, COVID-19 remains a threat to public health, due to the complexity of mass vaccination programs, the lack of effective drugs, and the emergence of new variants. A link has recently been found between the risk of developing a severe COVID-19 infection and a high level of oxidative stress. In this context, we have focused our attention on natural compounds with the aim of finding molecules capable of acting through a dual virucidal–antioxidant mechanism. In particular, we studied the potential of grapefruit seed extracts (GSE) and their main components, belonging to the class of limonoids. Using chemical and biological approaches including isolation and purification of GSE, antioxidant and virucidal assays, we have shown that grapefruit seed constituents, belonging to the class of limonoids, are endowed with remarkable virucidal, antioxidant and mitoprotective activity

Molecular evidence for SARS-CoV-2 in samples collected from patients with morbilliform eruptions since late 2019 in Lombardy, northern Italy

As a reference laboratory for measles and rubella surveillance in Lombardy, we evaluated the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and measles-like syndromes, providing preliminary evidence for undetected early circulation of SARS-CoV-2. Overall, 435 samples from 156 cases were investigated. RNA from oropharyngeal swabs (N = 148) and urine (N = 141) was screened with four hemi-nested PCRs and molecular evidence for SARS-CoV-2 infection was found in 13 subjects. Two of the positive patients were from the pandemic period (2/12, 16.7%, March 2020–March 2021) and 11 were from the pre-pandemic period (11/44, 25%, August 2019–February 2020). Sera (N = 146) were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies. Five of the RNA-positive individuals also had detectable anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. No strong evidence of infection was found in samples collected between August 2018 and July 2019 from 100 patients. The earliest sample with evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was from September 12, 2019, and the positive patient was also positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgG and IgM). Mutations typical of B.1 strains previously reported to have emerged in January 2020 (C3037T, C14408T, and A23403G), were identified in samples collected as early as October 2019 in Lombardy. One of these mutations (C14408T) was also identified among sequences downloaded from public databases that were obtained by others from samples collected in Brazil in November 2019. We conclude that a SARS-CoV-2 progenitor capable of producing a measles-like syndrome may have emerged in late June-late July 2019 and that viruses with mutations characterizing B.1 strain may have been spreading globally before the first Wuhan outbreak. Our findings should be complemented by high-throughput sequencing to obtain additional sequence information. We highlight the importance of retrospective surveillance studies in understanding the early dynamics of COVID-19 spread and we encourage other groups to perform retrospective investigations to seek confirmatory proofs of early SARS-CoV-2 circulation

Measles in Italy: Viral strains and crossing borders

In 2017, Italy experienced one of the largest outbreaks of measles in recent years, with 5404 notified cases and 4347 confirmed cases. A further 2029 cases were notified during the first 6 months of 2018, and 1516 of them were laboratory-confirmed. The B3 and D8 genotypes were identified as those responsible for the outbreak. Possible transmission routes can be established by monitoring the circulating measles virus strains in support of the national health authorities to warn people and travellers

Genetic characterisation of Measles virus variants identified during a large epidemic in Milan, Italy, March–December 2017

In 2017, Italy experienced a large measles epidemic with 5408 cases and four deaths. As Subnational Reference Laboratory of the Measles and Rubella surveillance NETwork (MoRoNET), the EpiSoMI (Epidemiology and Molecular Surveillance of Infections) Laboratory (University of Milan) set up rapid and active surveillance for the complete characterisation of the Measles virus (Mv) responsible for the large measles outbreak in Milan and surrounding areas (Lombardy, Northern Italy). The aims of this study were to describe the genetic profile of circulating viruses and to track the pathway of measles transmission. Molecular analysis was performed by sequencing the highly variable 450 nucleotides region of the N gene (N-450) of Mv genome. Two-hundred and ninety-nine strains of Mv were analysed. The phylogenetic analysis showed five different variants, two not previously described in the studied area, belonging to D8 and B3 genotypes. Three events of continuous transmission of autochthonous variants (D8-Osaka, D8-London and B3-Milan variants) and two events of continuous transmission of imported variants (B3-Dublin and D8-Hulu Langat) tracked five different transmission pathways. These pathways outlined two epidemic peaks: the first in April and the second in July 2017. The correlation between Mv variant and the epidemiological data may enable us to identify the sources of virus importation and recognise long-lasting virus transmission pathways

Ongoing large measles outbreak with nosocomial transmission in Milan, northern Italy, March-August 2017

A large measles outbreak has been ongoing in Milan and surrounding areas. From 1 March to 30 June 2017, 203 measles cases were laboratory-confirmed (108 sporadic cases and 95 related to 47 clusters). Phylogenetic analysis revealed the co-circulation of two different genotypes, D8 and B3. Both genotypes caused nosocomial clusters in two hospitals. The rapid analysis of epidemiological and phylogenetic data allowed effective surveillance and tracking of transmission pathways

Outbreak of a new measles B3 variant in the Roma/Sinti population, with transmission in the nosocomial setting, Italy, November 2015-April 2016

A measles outbreak occurred from November 2015 to April 2016 in two northern Italian regions, affecting the Roma/Sinti ethnic population and nosocomial setting. Overall, 67 cases were reported. Median age of 43 cases in three Roma/Sinti camps was four years, nosocomial cases were mainly adults. The outbreak was caused by a new measles virus B-3.1 variant. Immunisation resources and strategies should be directed at groups with gaps in vaccine coverage, e.g. Roma/Sinti and healthcare workers. Despite a national goal to eliminate measles by 2015, Italy is one of 18 European Region Member States where endemic transmission of measles has not been interrupted [1]. We report here a recent measles outbreak in northern Italy (Figure 1) affecting the Roma/Sinti ethnic population and the nosocomial setting

Measles in Italy: Viral strains and crossing borders

In 2017, Italy experienced one of the largest outbreaks of measles in recent years, with 5404 notified cases and 4347 confirmed cases. A further 2029 cases were notified during the first 6 months of 2018, and 1516 of them were laboratory-confirmed. The B3 and D8 genotypes were identified as those responsible for the outbreak. Possible transmission routes can be established by monitoring the circulating measles virus strains in support of the national health authorities to warn people and travellers

Guglielmo Riva (1627-1677) and the end of Hepatocentrism : a 17th-Century Painting

During the seventeenth century, the description of the lymphatic system provided a decisive contribution to resolving the misconceptions of Galenic physiology concerning the production of blood in the liver. The transition from a liver-centered (hepatocentrism) to a heart-centered model (cardiocentrism) was fundamental in the history of medicine, since it allowed the role of the liver and of the heart in the bodily processes to be more correctly identified. The modification of the medical knowledge on the liver and its functions during that period is well represented in a 17th-century painting,"ll Fegato" ("The Liver"), probably belonging to the "anatomical museum" of the Roman surgeon Giovanni Guglielmo Riva (1627-1677). In particular, this Italian physician significantly contributed to the discovery of the lymphatic system and to the study of the hematopoiesis. Thus, this painting as well as the figure of Guglielmo Riva would deserve a major consideration in the history of medicine and of hepatology in particular