Francesca Serio

Environmental distribution of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii around the Mediterranean basin

In order to elucidate the distribution of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii in the Mediterranean basin, an extensive environmental survey was carried out during 2012-2015. A total of 302 sites located in 12 countries were sampled, 6436 samples from 3765 trees were collected and 5% of trees were found to be colonized by cryptococcal yeasts. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from 177 trees and C. gattii from 13. Cryptococcus neoformans colonized 27% of Ceratonia, 10% of Olea, Platanus and Prunus trees and a lower percentage of other tree genera. The 13 C. gattii isolates were collected from five Eucalyptus, four Ceratonia, two Pinus and two Olea trees. Cryptococcus neoformans was distributed all around the Mediterranean basin, whereas C. gattii was isolated in Greece, Southern Italy and Spain, in agreement with previous findings from both clinical and environmental sources. Among C. neoformans isolates, VNI was the prevalent molecular type but VNII, VNIV and VNIII hybrid strains were also isolated. With the exception of a single VGIV isolate, all C. gattii isolates were VGI. The results confirmed the presence of both Cryptococcus species in the Mediterranean environment, and showed that both carob and olive trees represent an important niche for these yeasts.

Impact of Stinging Jellyfish Proliferations along South Italian Coasts: Human Health Hazards, Treatment and Social Costs

Stinging jellyfish outbreaks represent a health hazard, causing contact dermatitis and systemic reactions. This study investigated the epidemiology, severity, and treatment protocols of jellyfish stings in a coastal area with high tourist development and frequent stinging jellyfish outbreaks of the central Mediterranean (Salento, Southern Italy), and the associated costs for the Italian National Health Service. In 2007–2011, 1,733 bathers (mostly children and females) sought medical assistance following jellyfish stings, the main cause of human pathologies due to contact with marine organisms. The majority of events were reported in the years 2007–2009, whereas the occurrence of cnidarian jellyfish outbreaks has been increasingly reported in the same area since summer 2010. Most symptoms were limited to local and cutaneous reactions; conversely, 8.7% of cases evoked complications, mainly due to allergic reactions. The main drugs used were corticosteroids, locally applied and systemic (46% and 43%, respectively), and with ammonia (74%) as the main non-pharmacological treatment. The estimated cost of jellyfish-related first-aid services along the Salento coastline over the 5-year period was approximately 400,000 Euros. Therefore the management of jellyfish outbreak phenomena need coordinated research efforts towards a better understanding of underlying ecological mechanisms, together with the adoption of effective prevention policy, mitigation strategies, and appropriate planning of health services at tourist hot spots.

Human bocavirus: Current knowledge and future challenges

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a parvovirus isolated about a decade ago and found worldwide in both respiratory samples, mainly from early life and children of 6-24 mo of age with acute respiratory infection, and in stool samples, from patients with gastroenteritis. Since then, other viruses related to the first HBoV isolate (HBoV1), namely HBoV2, HBoV3 and HBoV4, have been detected principally in human faeces. HBoVs are small non-enveloped single-stranded DNA viruses of about 5300 nucleotides, consisting of three open reading frames encoding the first two the non-structural protein 1 (NS1) and nuclear phosphoprotein (NP1) and the third the viral capsid proteins 1 and 2 (VP1 and VP2). HBoV pathogenicity remains to be fully clarified mainly due to the lack of animal models for the difficulties in replicating the virus in in vitro cell cultures, and the fact that HBoV infection is frequently accompanied by at least another viral and/or bacterial respiratory and/or gastroenteric pathogen infection. Current diagnostic methods to support HBoV detection include polymerase chain reaction, real-time PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and enzyme immunoassay using recombinant VP2 or virus-like particle capsid proteins, although sequence-independent amplification techniques combined with next-generation sequencing platforms promise rapid and simultaneous detection of the pathogens in the future. This review presents the current knowledge on HBoV genotypes with emphasis on taxonomy, phylogenetic relationship and genomic analysis, biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis and diagnostic methods. The emerging discussion on HBoVs as true pathogen or innocent bystander is also emphasized.

Identification of HEV in symptom‐free migrants and environmental samples in Italy

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is considered an emerging pathogen in industrialized countries. The occurrence of HEV genotypes in samples of faeces from asymptomatic migrants arriving on the coasts of South Italy and environmental samples was investigated. Analyses of sequences were used to compare human and environmental genotypes. A total of 40 stool specimens, 12 samples of untreated urban sewage, 12 samples of treated urban sewage and 12 samples of surface water were analysed. Viruses were concentrated from water samples by the tangential flow ultrafiltration technique. The presence of HEV RNA was detected by nested RT‐PCR. Viral isolates were sequenced and phylogenetically characterized. Two (5%) of the 40 faecal samples tested were found to be positive for HEV RNA (G1 and G3 genotypes). The virus was detected in 25% (3/12) of the untreated sewage samples and 25% (3/12) of the surface water samples: all isolates belonged to G3 genotype. None of the treated sewage samples were found to be HEV RNA positive. The virus was detected in the faeces of two asymptomatic subjects, suggesting a potential role for symptom‐free HEV carriers as a human reservoir. G3 HEV strains were detected in the untreated sewage, as observed in similar studies conducted in other European countries but differing from another study conducted in Italy recently. Moreover, our results show the first case of HEV isolated from fresh surface waters.

Socio-economic and environmental factors associated with overweight and obesity in children aged 6–8 years living in five Italian cities (The MAPEC_LIFE cohort)

The prevalence of obesity among Italian children has reached such alarming levels as to require detailed studies of the causes of the phenomenon. A cross-sectional study was carried out in order to assess the weight status of 1164 Italian children aged 6–8 years (the Monitoring Air Pollution Effects on Children for Supporting Public Health Policy (MAPEC_LIFE) cohort) and to identify any associations between selected socio-economic and environmental factors and overweight/obesity. The data were obtained by means of a questionnaire given to parents, and any associations were examined by binomial logistic regression analyses. Overweight was found to be positively associated with male gender, parents of non-Italian origin, and parents who smoke, and negatively associated with the parents’ level of education and employment. In addition, the frequency of overweight varied in relation to the geographical area of residence, with a greater prevalence of overweight children in the cities of central-southern Italy. This study highlights the need to implement appropriate obesity prevention programs in Italy, which should include educational measures concerning lifestyle for parents from the earliest stages of their child’s life.

Rotavirus Occurrence in Shellfish with Low Levels of E. coli

The purpose of this study was to evaluate “in field” the accumulation of virus in shellfish and compare it with the concentration of bacterial indicators. Individuals of Mytilus galloprovincialis were placed in two sampling station located in a contaminated coastal bay and in one control station located one kilometer offshore. The presence of Rotavirus and E. coli was assessed weekly both in seawater and in shellfish samples. The Rotavirus genome was detected in water, preliminarily concentrated by tangential flow ultrafiltration method, and in hepatopancreas of mussels by Real-Time PCR. E. coli was enumerated in water matrices by a filtering method and in mussels by the MPN method. Rotaviruses were not recorded in seawater, while in mussels they were detected since third week after placement. E. coli in mussels were always below the limits set in the Regulation (EC) 854/2004. This study suggests the need for a viral indicator to insure the safety for consumption of shellfish.

Using the DPSIR framework to identify factors influencing the quality of groundwater in Grecìa Salentina (Puglia, Italy)

The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework was applied in a central area of the Salento peninsula to identify environmental and human factors influencing the quality of groundwater and propose strategies for its preservation. In accordance with this approach, a set of indicators providing a simplified description of the various components of a complex environmental system, directly or indirectly related to groundwater quality, was selected to obtain information useful for the management of water resources. A total of 42 indicators were taken into account: 11 for the driving forces, 5 for pressures, 21 for states, 2 for impacts and 3 for responses. The chemical and microbiological characterisation of the deep aquifer in the territory of Grecìa Salentina highlighted a number of cases of contamination attributable to risk factors present in the area. The study enabled the formulation of (a) hypotheses regarding the causes of poor water quality, and (b) management strategies for resolving the negative aspects of the overall state of health of the aquifer.

Buccal micronucleus cytome assay in primary school children: A descriptive analysis of the MAPEC_LIFE multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND Recent data support the hypothesis that genetic damage occurring early in life during childhood can play an important role in the development of chronic diseases in adulthood, including cancer. OBJECTIVES The objective of this paper, part of the MAPEC_LIFE project, is to describe the frequency of micronuclei and meta-nuclear alterations in exfoliated buccal cells of 6-8year-old Italian children recruited in five Italian towns (i.e., Brescia, Torino, Pisa, Perugia and Lecce) with different air pollution levels. METHODS About 200 children per town were recruited from primary schools. Biological samples were collected twice from the same children, in two different seasons (winter 2014-15 and late spring 2015). Cytogenetic damage was evaluated by the buccal micronucleus cytome assay. RESULTS Overall,n = 1046 children represent the final cohort of the MAPEC_LIFE study. On the whole, the results showed a higher mean MN frequency in winter (0.42 ± 0.54‰) than late-spring (0.22 ± 0.34‰). MN frequency observed among the five Italian towns showed a trend that follows broadly the levels of air pollution in Italy: the highest MN frequency was observed in Brescia during both seasons, the lowest in Lecce (winter) and Perugia (late-spring). CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, the number of recruited children included in the analysis (n = 1046) is the highest compared to previous studies evaluating the frequency of MN in exfoliated buccal cells so far. MN frequency was associated with winter season and living in towns at various levels of air pollution, suggesting an important role of this exposure in determining early cytogenetic effects.

AIR POLLUTION BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS IN CHILDREN LIVING IN LECCE (ITALY) BY BUCCAL MICRONUCLEUS CYTOME ASSAY (THE MAPEC_LIFE STUDY)

The aim of the MAPEC_LIFE (Monitoring Air Pollution Effects on Children for Supporting Public Health Policy) study is to evaluate the associations between the concentrations of air pollutants and early biological effects in children living in five Italian towns (Brescia, Torino, Lecce, Perugia and Pisa) characterised by varying levels of air pollution. This paper presents the results of micronucleus cytome assays performed on the oral mucosa cells of subjects living in Lecce (Puglia, Italy) and their relationship to factors associated with indoor/outdoor exposure and lifestyles. The study was conducted on 6-8-year-old schoolchildren living in Lecce. The micronucleus cytome assay was performed on exfoliated buccal cells collected from the oral mucosa of children using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Micronuclei were evaluated only in normal differentiated cells. Overall, 43.0% of the samples tested were positive, with an average frequency of 0.28 MN/1000 differentiated cells. Data analysis shows positive associations between the frequency of MN in the children’s buccal mucosa cells and obesity, heavy traffic and smoking mothers, while outdoor sports seem to have the opposite effect. These data will be integrated with data from the other cities involved in the MAPEC_LIFE study and could be used

A New Formulation Based on Ozonated Sunflower Seed Oil: In Vitro Antibacterial and Safety Evaluation

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the potential in vitro biological properties of Oz.Or.Oil 30, a new formulation composed of 30% ozonated sunflower seed oil, which is believed to keep skin smooth and moisturized, supporting repair processes, tissue regeneration and re-epithelialization of wounds. The antibacterial activity, the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the cytotoxic effect of the formulation on cultures of Vero cells and 3T3 fibroblasts showed that Oz.Or.Oil 30 merits further in vivo study using clinical-laboratory correlations, because it could be suggested as an alternative therapy against bacterial and fungal diseases.