From February to April 2020, Lombardy (Italy) reported the highest numbers of SARS-CoV-2 cases worldwide. By analyzing 346 whole SARS-CoV-2 genomes, we demonstrate the presence of seven viral ...lineages in Lombardy, frequently sustained by local transmission chains and at least two likely to have originated in Italy. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (five of them non-synonymous) characterized the SARS-CoV-2 sequences, none of them affecting N-glycosylation sites. The seven lineages, and the presence of local transmission clusters within three of them, revealed that sustained community transmission was underway before the first COVID-19 case had been detected in Lombardy.
We report in vivo selection of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike mutation (Q493R) conferring simultaneous resistance to bamlanivimab and etesivimab. This mutation was isolated ...from a patient who had coronavirus disease and was treated with these drugs.
We report 25 cases of infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant containing spike protein L452R mutation in northern Lombardy, Italy. Prevalence of this variant was >30% in this region, compared with ...<0.5% worldwide. Many laboratories are using previously developed L452R-specific PCRs to discriminate Omicron from Delta mutations, but these tests may be unreliable.
To assess the humoral and cell-mediated response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) elicited by the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine in SARS-CoV-2-experienced and -naive subjects ...against a reference strain and SARS-CoV-2 variants.
The humoral response (including neutralizing antibodies) and T-cell-mediated response elicited by BNT162b2 vaccine in 145 healthcare workers (both naive and positive for previous SARS-CoV-2 infection) were evaluated. In a subset of subjects, the effect of SARS-CoV-2 variants on antibody level and cell-mediated response was also investigated.
Overall, 125/127 naive subjects (98.4%) developed both neutralizing antibodies and specific T cells after the second dose of vaccine. Moreover, the antibody and T-cell responses were effective against viral variants since SARS-CoV-2 NT Abs were still detectable in 55/68 (80.9%) and 25/29 (86.2%) naive subjects when sera were challenged against β and δ variants, respectively. T-cell response was less affected, with no significant difference in the frequency of responders (p 0.369). Of note, two doses of vaccine were able to elicit sustained neutralizing antibody activity against all the SARS-CoV-2 variants tested in SARS-CoV-2-experienced subjects.
BNT162b2 vaccine elicited a sustained humoral and cell-mediated response in immunocompetent subjects after two-dose administration of the vaccine, and the response seemed to be less affected by SARS-CoV-2 variants, the only exceptions being the β and δ variants. Increased immunogenicity, also against SARS-CoV-2 variant strains, was observed in SARS-CoV-2-experienced subjects. These results suggest that triple exposure to SARS-CoV-2 antigens might be proposed as valuable strategy for vaccination campaigns.
The Delta variant of concern of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is dominant worldwide. We report a case cluster caused by Delta sublineage B.1.617.2 harboring the mutation E484K in ...Italy during July 11–July 29, 2021. This mutation appears to affect immune response and vaccine efficacy; monitoring its appearance is urgent.
We report an imported case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant P.1 detected in an asymptomatic traveler who arrived in Italy on an indirect flight from Brazil. ...This case shows the risk for introduction of SARS-CoV-2 variants from indirect flights and the need for continued SARS-CoV-2 surveillance.
To evaluate the water compartment antibiotic-resistance contamination rates, 11 wells, five streams, and four treatment plants located in the Oltrepò Pavese area were screened for the presence of ...third generation cephalosporins resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
were also characterized for the Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamases (ESBLs), carbapenemases, and
genes presence. From December 2014 to November 2015, 246 water samples were filtered, plated on Plate Count Agar, MacConkey Agar, and MacConkey Agar with cefotaxime. Isolates were species identified using AutoSCAN-4-System and ESBLs, carbapenemases, and colistin resistance determinants were characterized by PCR, sequencing, and microarray. Plasmid conjugative transfer experiments, PCR-based Replicon typing, Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis, Multi-Locus-Sequence-Typing, and
plasmid characterization were performed. A total of 132 enterobacteria isolates grew on MacConkey agar with cefotaxime: 82 (62.1%) were obtained from streams, 41 (31.1%) from treatment plants, and 9 (6.8%) from wells. Thirty out of 132 (22.7%) isolates, mainly belonging to
(
= 15) species, showed a synergic effect with piperacillin-tazobactam. A single ESBL gene of
-type was identified in 19/30 isolates. In further two
strains, a
gene co-existed with a
-type ESBL determinant. A
gene was detected in two isolates of
(
= 1) and
(
= 1), while any ESBL determinant was ascertained in seven
strains. A
-type gene was detected in a cefoxitin resistant
from a stream. Interestingly, two
strains of ST307 and ST258, collected from a well and a wastewater treatment plant, resulted KPC-2, and KPC-3 producers, respectively. Moreover, we report the first detection of
ST10
on a conjugative IncX4 plasmid (33.303 bp in size) from a stream of Oltrepò Pavese (Northern Italy). Both ESBLs
and ESBLs/carbapenemase-producing
strains showed clonal heterogeneity by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis and Multi-Locus-Sequence-Typing. During one-year study and taking in account the whole Gram-negative bacterial population, an average percentage of cefotaxime resistance of 69, 32, and 10.3% has been obtained for the wastewater treatment plants, streams, and wells, respectively. These results, of concern for public health, highlight the need to improve hygienic measures to reduce the load of discharged bacteria with emerging resistance mechanisms.
Cigarette smoking is a primary contributor to mortality risks and is associated with various diseases. Among these, COPD represents a significant contributor to global mortality and disability. The ...objective of this study is to investigate the effect of smoking on a selected battery of variables, with an emphasis on DNA damage. A total of 87 elderly patients diagnosed with COPD, divided into three groups based on their smoking history (current, former, never-smokers), were evaluated using a cross-sectional approach. Clinical features including mortality and inflammatory/oxidative parameters (Lymphocytes/Monocytes, Neutrophils/Lymphocytes, Platelets/Lymphocytes ratio), SII, MDA, 8-Oxo-dG, and IL6 (ELISA assay), as well as DNA damage (comet assay), were investigated. Virus infection, i.e., influenza A virus subtype H1N1, JC polyomavirus (JCPyV), BK polyomavirus (BKPyV), and Torquetenovirus (TTV), was also tested. Current smokers exhibit higher levels of comorbidity (CIRS; p < 0.001), Platelets/Lymphocytes ratio (p < 0.001), systemic immune inflammation (p < 0.05), and DNA damage (p < 0.001). Former smokers also showed higher values for parameters associated with oxidative damage and showed a much lower probability of surviving over 5 years compared to never- and current smokers (p < 0.0017). This study showed a clear interaction between events which are relevant to the oxidative pathway and cigarette smoking. A category of particular interest is represented by former smokers, especially for lower survival, possibly due to the presence of more health problems. Our findings raise also the attention to other parameters which are significantly affected by smoking and are useful to monitor COPD patients starting a program of pulmonary rehabilitation (DNA damage, inflammation parameters, and selected viral infections).
Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) still represents a crucial concern in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) and the use of antiviral therapy are limited by side effects and the selection of viral ...mutations conferring antiviral drug resistance. In conclusion, even if LMV is an effective and favorable safety molecule it might have a lower genetic barrier to resistance. A warning on the use of LMV monotherapy as rescue treatments for HCMV GCV-resistant infections in transplant recipients is warranted.
•The Delta variant of concern (VOC) of SARS-CoV-2 has become dominant worldwide.•We report a cluster caused by B.1.617.2 harboring the additional mutation of concern (MOC) F490S.•The immune escape ...mutation F490S appears to impair vaccine efficacy.•The immune escape mutation F490S is rapidly increasing in prevalence worldwide.
The Delta variant of concern (VOC) of SARS-CoV-2 has become dominant worldwide. In this article, we report a cluster caused by B.1.617.2 harboring the additional mutation of concern (MOC) F490S. We observed that 5 fully vaccinated subjects aged between 47 and 84 years were infected with this variant. The immune escape mutation F490S, first identified in the Lambda VOI, appears to impair vaccine efficacy and is rapidly increasing in prevalence worldwide.
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