Search Results (749)

As a highly contagious infectious disease in the swine industry, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) can cause reproductive disorders in sows and respiratory diseases in piglets, resulting in sustained economic losses. Nonstructural protein 10 (NSP 10), as one of the core components of the replication and transcription complex of PRRS virus (PRRSV), has both helicase and adenosine triphosphatase activities, and has the potential as a diagnostic marker. In this study, NSP10 recombinant protein was used as coating antigen, and an indirect ELISA method for PRRSV NSP10 detection was established by square matrix titration. After optimizing the assay parameters, high specificity (no reactions with other pig viruses), high sensitivity (able to detect antibodies even when the positive blood sample was diluted 1280 times), and excellent reproducibility (less than 10% variation) were shown. Therefore, the NSP10 indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) developed in this study provides an effective technical means for enhancing PRRSV surveillance in swine herds, thereby establishing a solid foundation for the clinical diagnosis and comprehensive prevention and control of PRRSV. Full article

Zoonotic bacterial pathogens are transmitted through various routes and are traditionally associated with acute febrile illnesses that may include pulmonary complications. However, in some survivors, the disease extends beyond the acute phase, leading to the remodeling of pulmonary architecture and driving progressive fibrosis. Although no direct cases have been reported, these pathogens may plausibly predispose injured lungs to carcinogenesis, similar to the well-recognized phenomenon of tuberculosis-associated scar cancer. As such long-term sequelae remain largely overlooked in current clinical practice, their potential contribution to fibrotic and malignant lung disease represents a critical and underexplored knowledge gap. This review proposes a unified mechanistic framework linking acute pathogen-mediated alveolar damage to chronic pulmonary fibrosis and subsequent lung carcinogenesis. We delineate four convergent biological pillars driving this continuum: (1) pathogen persistence establishing chronic Interleukin-1β (IL-1β)/Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-mediated inflammation; (2) sustained TGF-β signaling and mechanotransduction driving progressive extracellular matrix remodeling; (3) unresolved reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation causing profound oxidative DNA damage; and (4) aberrant epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) that perpetuates fibrosis and generates pre-malignant cell populations. Together, these sequelae alter lung biomechanics, suppress local immune surveillance, and create a mutagenic environment that is highly conductive to malignant transformation. Although direct epidemiological data remain emerging, the significant mechanistic overlap with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) presents a compelling rationale for shared oncogenic risk. We advocate for a paradigm shift in clinical practice, emphasizing the potential value of long-term surveillance for survivors of severe pulmonary infections. By integrating infectious diseases, pulmonology, and oncology, this framework highlights a neglected cause of fibrotic lung disease and establishes a foundation for future translational research. Full article

Background/Objectives: The safety profile of adalimumab in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been established in clinical trials, but post-marketing surveillance remains important for detecting rare and late-onset adverse events (AEs). This study aimed to evaluate long-term safety and temporal dynamics of AEs in an IBD cohort treated with adalimumab, and to identify potential safety signals using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Methods: This retrospective single-center study included patients with IBD treated with adalimumab. Demographic, clinical, and treatment-related data, including AEs and newly identified extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs), were collected. Time-to-event (TTE) analyses were used to assess AEs temporal patterns and covariates associated with onset. FAERS disproportionality analysis was performed for cohort-identified AEs and EIMs. Results: A total of 217 patients with 591.29 patient-years (PYs) of exposure (up to 9.62 years) were included. AE incidence was 106.6/100 PY. Time to first AE was described using the Kaplan–Meier method, and additionally the Weibull distribution, with an estimated median time of 11.4 months (95% CI: 9.7–13.5). The most frequent AEs were infections (32.30/100 PY), hepatic events (9.98/100 PY), and cutaneous manifestations (8.46/100 PY), characterized by TTE analysis. Serious outcomes, including malignancies and demyelinating events, were rare. Several unlisted MedDRA preferred terms, including infectious, cutaneous, vascular, proliferative, and musculoskeletal events, emerged as FAERS signals. Conclusions: This study provides long-term real-world evidence supporting the established safety profile of adalimumab in IBD. First AEs occurred throughout treatment exposure with lower hazard over time. Isolated FAERS signals, including vascular occlusive events, may warrant further investigation and continued pharmacovigilance. Full article

This study examines the long-term associations between ambient air pollutants and the burden of major respiratory and infectious diseases in this geographically sensitive region. A retrospective analysis was conducted using ICD-10-coded hospital records of patients diagnosed with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, and tuberculosis from January 2020 to June 2026. These data were integrated with in situ air quality measurements, including PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and SO₂, as well as satellite-derived Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from MODIS. Disease incidence was stratified by year, sex, and age groups (0–85+ years) to assess demographic susceptibility patterns. Respiratory diseases constituted a substantial public health burden over the study period. Asthma showed a marked female predominance (≈29,700 females vs. ≈16,000 males) and a bimodal age distribution with peaks in early childhood (0–5 years) and mid-adulthood (35–50 years). COPD was predominantly observed in males (≈8300 males vs. ≈5500 females), with a higher median age range (≈67–70 years). Bronchitis exhibited a similar bimodal pattern, disproportionately affecting both pediatric and elderly populations, while overall case numbers declined over time. Tuberculosis incidence was approximately threefold higher in males than females, with notable age-related divergence, affecting younger females (≈30–32 years) and middle-aged males (≈42–45 years). The findings suggest a spatial–temporal correspondence between elevated pollutant concentrations and respiratory disease prevalence in the Iğdır Basin. The observed sex- and age-specific disparities underscore the potential value of region-specific environmental health strategies, strengthened air quality management, and continuous epidemiological surveillance in enclosed basin environments. Full article

Vaccine-associated anterior uveitis (VAAU) is an uncommon ocular inflammatory phenotype reported after several vaccine platforms. It describes anterior segment inflammation occurring after vaccination when infectious, autoimmune, idiopathic, medication-related, and other possible causes have been reasonably excluded. The current literature indicates that post-vaccination uveitis is rare relative to the scale of immunization, although anterior uveitis is frequently reported among post-vaccination ocular inflammatory events. Evidence remains limited by reliance on case reports, case series, retrospective cohorts, and passive surveillance data, which restricts precise incidence estimation and causal interpretation. Accordingly, the available evidence primarily supports a temporal association rather than a confirmed causal relationship. Proposed mechanisms include innate immune activation, molecular mimicry, adjuvant- or formulation-related immune stimulation, bystander activation, delayed-type hypersensitivity, and host susceptibility related to prior uveitis, autoimmune disease, immune dysregulation, or genetic predisposition. Clinically, VAAU may present with redness, pain, photophobia, blurred vision, anterior chamber cells and flare, keratic precipitates, posterior synechiae, elevated intraocular pressure, vitritis, or cystoid macular edema. Most cases described in the literature are mild to moderate and improve with topical corticosteroids and cycloplegic therapy, whereas recurrent, severe, or treatment-intensive courses have been reported mainly in predisposed individuals. Future work should emphasize active surveillance, standardized phenotype-specific reporting, harmonized case definitions, and mechanistic studies to better define risk, recurrence patterns, and causality. Careful interpretation of suspected cases can support accurate diagnosis, patient counseling, and vaccine-safety monitoring without undermining clinically indicated immunization. Full article

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the critical need for rapid, accessible, and accurate diagnostic tools to support timely clinical decision-making, outbreak control, and public health surveillance. Point-of-care testing (POCT) has emerged as an essential component of decentralized healthcare by enabling diagnostic testing outside conventional laboratory settings. This review was based on a structured literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases covering studies published between January 2020 and January 2026. The review evaluates current advances in COVID-19 POCT technologies, including molecular assays, antigen-based tests, antibody-based assays, biosensor platforms, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnostic approaches. Molecular POCT methods, including rapid reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and CRISPR-based technologies, provide high analytical sensitivity and specificity and are increasingly suitable for decentralized diagnostic applications. Antigen-based assays offer rapid and cost-effective screening solutions, although diagnostic performance may vary depending on viral load, symptom onset, and circulating variants. Antibody-based POCT remains valuable for seroprevalence studies, retrospective diagnosis, and immune-response monitoring rather than acute infection detection. Emerging biosensor technologies and AI-enabled diagnostic systems demonstrate promising analytical capabilities and operational advantages; however, many remain at the prototype or early-validation stage and require further clinical evaluation before widespread implementation. The findings indicate that no single POCT modality is optimal for all clinical scenarios. Instead, molecular, antigen, antibody, biosensor, and AI-assisted approaches provide complementary strengths that support different diagnostic and public health objectives. Continued advances in assay design, digital connectivity, multiplex testing, and variant-resilient detection strategies are expected to further enhance the role of POCT in COVID-19 management and future infectious disease preparedness. Full article

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of infectious disease-related mortality worldwide despite major advances in diagnostics, treatment, and programmatic control. Achieving the goals of the World Health Organization End TB Strategy requires a greater emphasis on prevention alongside improvements in diagnosis and treatment. This viewpoint examines evolving priorities in TB prevention and highlights key insights from studies included in the Special Issue ‘New Perspectives in Tuberculosis Prevention and Control’. The articles published in the Special Issue highlight the importance of identifying populations at increased risk of infection, disease transmission, and disease progression; strengthening the implementation of tuberculosis preventive treatment among household contacts and people living with HIV; and addressing the behavioral, social, and structural determinants that influence access to TB prevention and care. They also demonstrate persistent challenges related to medicine availability, healthcare worker capacity, patient initiation and follow-up, program monitoring, and the implementation of preventive interventions in resource-constrained settings. Emerging developments in diagnostics, biomarkers, vaccines, and digital health may contribute to the longer-term TB prevention agenda but require further evaluation of their feasibility, affordability, and programmatic relevance. Collectively, the evidence indicates that effective TB prevention extends beyond individual biomedical interventions and requires coordinated approaches involving healthcare systems, communities, surveillance systems, and social support mechanisms. Continued investment in implementation research, health-system strengthening, program management, economic evaluation, and multisectoral action will be critical to translate existing evidence into sustainable, equitable, and context-specific strategies for reducing the global burden of TB. Full article

Avian influenza A virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are among the most damaging pathogens of poultry, and AIV also carries zoonotic potential that places it within the One Health agenda. The two infections frequently produce overlapping clinical signs, so a method that detects both in a single reaction has clear practical value for surveillance. We developed a duplex one-step real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) that detects AIV in the FAM channel and NDV in the ROX channel. Primers and hydrolysis probes were designed against conserved regions of the AIV nucleoprotein and matrix genes and the NDV matrix, phosphoprotein and nucleoprotein genes, after alignment of 500 sequences per virus retrieved from GenBank from different geographic regions. Annealing temperature, primer and probe concentrations were optimised, and recombinant plasmids carrying the target fragments served both as positive controls and as quantitative standards. The assay was specific for AIV and NDV, with no cross-reactivity with infectious bronchitis virus and no signal crossover between channels; its analytical sensitivity reached approximately 10–20 RNA copies per reaction. Qualitative results on reference isolates were fully concordant with two commercial veterinary kits (Cohen’s κ = 1.00), and the assay passed inter-laboratory commission testing. This study establishes the design and core analytical performance of a laboratory-developed duplex assay; expanded in silico inclusivity on contemporary sequences, a broader specificity panel, inhibitor-containing matrices, an internal amplification control, and prospective clinical validation are required before routine surveillance deployment. Full article

In 2025, Rome hosted the Catholic Jubilee, recording over 33 million cumulative pilgrim attendances while simultaneously facing the death of Pope Francis, the election of Pope Leo XIV, and a regional West Nile Virus (WNV) outbreak. This commentary describes the Lazio Region’s preparedness strategy, based on adapting an existing Hub-and-Spoke infectious diseases network integrating surveillance with Regional Service for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Control of Infectious Diseases (SERESMI) laboratory support, telemedicine, and clinical management. Preparatory measures included an additional Hub, updated syndromic pathways, multidisciplinary coordination, and enhanced surveillance. Emergency department visits increased by 14.8%, while the proportion of infectious syndromes remained stable. This experience highlights the potential value of strengthening existing healthcare networks for mass gathering preparedness. Full article

In recent years, Riemerella anatipestifer (RA) has been detected with increasing frequency in layer chick flocks. RA infection can lead to reproductive tract lesions, including salpingitis. Epidemiological surveillance further indicates that RA infection often occurs as a co-infection with other respiratory pathogens, among which infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is the most common. To elucidate the pathogenicity of chicken-derived RA and its synergistic effects with IBV, a serotype 10 RA strain and a GI-19 lineage IBV strain co-isolated from a layer chick with oviductal obstruction were used in animal experiments to compare disease outcomes following single infection and co-infection in layer chicks. The results demonstrated that IBV single infection caused typical clinical signs and pathological lesions characteristic of infectious bronchitis, but did not induce pericarditis, airsacculitis, or oviductal obstruction. By contrast, aerosol challenge with chicken-derived RA resulted in pronounced pericarditis, airsacculitis, and caseous salpingitis. Further co-infection experiments showed that IBV combined with chicken-derived RA exacerbated clinical signs and pathological lesions, suggesting a synergistic interaction between the two pathogens. This study confirms chicken-derived RA as a major primary pathogen in caseous oviductal obstruction of layer chicks, and demonstrates its synergistic pathogenic effects during IBV co-infection. These findings support the etiological diagnosis and targeted prevention and control of oviductal obstruction in layer chicks. Full article

Background: Notifiable infectious diseases impose a substantial, evolving burden on public health systems. This study characterized long-term epidemiological trends, inter-class associations, and age-stratified patterns of notifiable infectious diseases in South Korea and projected future burden through 2028. Methods: We analyzed aggregate national surveillance data (2001–2024) from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) via the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS). Because the statutory classification changed in 2020 from a four-group (Class 1–4, gun) to a four-grade (geup) system, all inferential trend, correlation, and forecasting analyses were restricted to the internally consistent 2001–2019 group-system period, and 2020–2024 grade-system data were used descriptively. Secular trends were estimated with ordinary least squares and, for count-specific inference, negative-binomial log-linear models (annual percent change, APC); residual autocorrelation was assessed (Durbin–Watson, Ljung–Box). Structural breaks were estimated objectively (Bai–Perron least-squares). Inter-class associations were tested with Pearson/Spearman correlations and re-evaluated with partial correlation (controlling for calendar year) and first-difference detrending to guard against spurious co-trending. Forecasts used a random-walk ARIMA (identified by ADF stationarity testing, ACF/PACF, and AICc) and a damped Holt–Winters model on the H1N1-adjusted series, combined into an ensemble; performance was validated by rolling-origin cross-validation (RMSE, MAE, MAPE). Results: After handling the 2009 H1N1 pandemic outlier, total notifications rose significantly over 2001–2019 (slope = 8344 cases/year; 95% CI 6603–10,084; R² = 0.866; p < 0.001). Class 2 (respiratory/vaccine-preventable) diseases showed the strongest trend (APC = 17.2%/year; 95% CI 8.0–27.3), with an objectively estimated structural break at 2004 (supF = 10.5) separating an early variable phase from sustained growth (2005–2019: +7418 cases/year; R² = 0.94). Raw Class 1–Class 2 correlation (Pearson r = 0.569, p = 0.011) did not survive temporal adjustment (partial r = 0.13, p = 0.59; detrended r = −0.31, p = 0.21), indicating shared secular co-trending rather than a direct epidemiological association; only Class 2–Class 3 remained associated after detrending (r = 0.52, p = 0.03). Young working-age adults (30–49 years) showed the steepest Class 1 increases. Ensemble projections for the pre-COVID trajectory were 238,000 (2025) to 269,000 (2028) annual notifications, with wide prediction intervals reflecting substantial uncertainty. Conclusions: South Korean notifiable-disease epidemiology was dominated by a genuine upward Class 2 respiratory trend; several previously reported inter-class correlations were attributable to common temporal trends rather than shared transmission. Post-COVID normalization monitoring and respiratory-disease surveillance investment are priority actions. Full article

Global environmental change, biodiversity loss, emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and widening social inequalities increasingly interact to create complex risks for human, animal, and ecosystem health. Although international One Health frameworks and funding mechanisms are essential, implementation at national and especially community levels often remains uneven, fragmented, and weakly evaluated. This Perspective presents a structured, reproducible networking model designed to strengthen community-level One Health implementation through voluntary global collaboration among civil society organisations. The model connects bottom-up community mobilisation with interdisciplinary scientific support, shared evaluation templates, and iterative learning cycles. It outlines a transparent process for identifying and engaging One Health-oriented organisations and for organising their collaboration through thematic Project Working Groups that support situation analysis, strategic planning, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. The framework translates community action into seven intervention fields: surveillance and early warning, animal health and welfare, water/sanitation/hygiene, food safety and food systems, community awareness and education, environmental risks and ecosystem health, and multisectoral governance. By linking local practice to comparative synthesis, joint publication, and policy dialogue, the network aims to transform isolated initiatives into a coordinated learning system while preserving community and organisational autonomy. As a conceptual framework, the model is ready for empirical testing in diverse settings to assess feasibility, participation, and evaluation quality. Full article

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is increasingly used to monitor public health trends and chemical consumption by analyzing biomarkers in untreated wastewater. As a complementary approach to traditional epidemiological surveillance, WBE provides insights into infectious disease spread, drug use, and pharmaceutical consumption. However, accurate population normalization remains a major challenge, because census-based population estimates often do not correspond to hydrologically defined wastewater catchments. This study evaluates whether routinely monitored wastewater quality parameters can serve as cost-effective population-normalization proxies in WBE. Using data from Latvia’s national COVID-19 wastewater surveillance program, the performance of conventional wastewater parameters (BOD₅, COD, suspended solids, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen) was compared with endogenous and exogenous biomarkers, including 5-HIAA, caffeine, cotinine, ethyl sulfate, gabapentin, ibuprofen, and diclofenac. Population estimates based on census and operator data were assessed under varying weather conditions. The results indicate that routine wastewater parameters, particularly total nitrogen, may serve as suitable indicators for population normalization in WBE, with performance comparable to or exceeding that of commonly used biomarkers. These findings support the use of routinely monitored parameters as scalable and accessible tools for improving WBE reliability and strengthening public health surveillance and early warning systems. Full article

Vaccinations are a cornerstone of primary prevention in pediatric otolaryngology and play a critical role in reducing the burden of pediatric infectious diseases, particularly acute otitis media (AOM) and HPV-related infections. The introduction and widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have been associated with substantial changes in the epidemiology of pediatric AOM, particularly through reductions in vac-cine-serotype disease and complicated forms, while contributing to changes in pathogen distribution with an increased role of non-vaccine serotypes and non-pneumococcal bac-teria, requiring continuous epidemiological surveillance. Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in adolescents and young adults effectively prevents oral infection with vaccine-type high-risk HPV, a necessary step in the pathogenesis of HPV-related oropharyngeal carcinoma. Clinical and epidemiological studies demonstrate robust antibody responses and significant reductions in oral HPV prevalence among vaccinated individuals. Although direct evidence of a reduction in oropharyngeal cancer incidence is not yet available, vaccination may consequently reduce the future burden of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers. Long-term surveillance remains essential to confirm this potential benefit. Barriers to optimal vaccine coverage include unequal access, incomplete vaccination uptake, and limited awareness of HPV-related oral disease. In conclusion, vaccinations provide direct and clinically relevant benefits in pediatric otolaryngology by reducing recurrent AOM, severe complications and surgical interventions. HPV vaccination also reduces vaccine-type oral HPV infection and may consequently contribute to reducing the future burden of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers. Achieving high vaccination coverage, coupled with continuous epidemiological monitoring, is essential to maximize individual and public health benefits and to inform the development of vaccines with broader serotype coverage. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly emerged as a transformative tool in virology, offering new opportunities for the detection, classification, and surveillance of viral pathogens. Recent advances in machine learning, deep neural networks, and multimodal data analysis now enable the identification of viral signatures from genomic sequences, medical images, environmental samples, and social-media-derived epidemiological signals. This review provides a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art AI methodologies applied to viral pathogen research, with a particular focus on image-based diagnostics, automated quality assessment of virology-related digital content, and predictive modelling for outbreak monitoring. We discuss how convolutional and transformer-based architectures are being used to classify infected tissues, detect viral particles, and support laboratory workflows. Furthermore, we highlight the emerging role of AI in evaluating the reliability of user-generated images and short videos related to infectious diseases, an area increasingly relevant in the age of misinformation. Challenges such as dataset bias, limited annotated virological images, ethical concerns, and the need for standardized quality-assessment pipelines are critically examined. Finally, we outline future research directions, including hybrid AI–biological models, AI-supported viral surveillance in healthcare environments, and the integration of explainable AI to enhance clinical trust. Full article