The global eradication plan reduced polio incidence by 99% since 1988, but Polioviurs is still endemic in some countries and can circulate silently in others. Under the proper conditions, Poliovirus can spread in the population and cause the diasease, as it has happened in Gaza.
Category Archives: Public health
The Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus)
The Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is an invasive species from Asia. It has invaded the temperate regions of Europe and the Americas, where it remains active also during the winter season. Globalisation, urbanisation and climate change have promoted its spreading. It is a public health concern since it can transmit viral diseases such as Dengue and Chikungunya.
Understanding long-COVID-19
The post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), formerly known as long-COVID, affects 40% of patients with symptoms persisting for months. Common issues include fatigue, shortness of breath, altered taste and smell, and neurological impairments. Females are more prone to PCC. Animal studies show brain inflammation and altered gene expression, suggesting cognitive impairment. The impact of vaccination on PCC requires further research.
One health: a healthy planet to prevent future pandemics
The recent pandemic has highlighted how humans are part of a broad system in which elements are strongly connected and on a constant search for equilibrium. Two brilliant examples of this fragile balance are the Wuhan wet market, where live animals used to be sold and many species were in close contact, and the returnContinue reading “One health: a healthy planet to prevent future pandemics”
The Hepatitis Delta neglected pandemic
Hepatitis is now a hot topic, due to the recent severe cases of liver inflammation in children between 1 month and 16 years of age in different countries. The first (and more numerous) cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, but also in Italy, Spain, Romania, United States, Israel, and other EU countries. TheContinue reading “The Hepatitis Delta neglected pandemic”
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
When we talk about human papillomavirus (HPV) we are actually referring to more than 200 different viruses, all belonging to the Papillomaviridae family, classified into five genera (α, β, γ, μ, ν). They are DNA viruses that infect the skin or the mucosae and are divided into low-risk and high-risk types, depending on their abilityContinue reading “Human papillomavirus (HPV)”
Why don’t we all produce the same amount of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2?
What we already knew about the antibodies against SARS-COV-2 In our first study on patients who had recovered from COVID-19, we saw that some patients had more antibodies in their blood, and that in others the level of antibodies declined very quickly. Moreover, looking at different groups of patients all over the world (including ours),Continue reading “Why don’t we all produce the same amount of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2?”
Florence Nightingale: a pioneer in epidemiology and infectious disease control
Florence Nightingale was a nurse during the Victorian age in England, or to be more precise, she was the first real nurse. She was the first to define nursery as a profession (for a long time exclusively for women), and to define its rules and principles in her book Notes on nursing for the labouringContinue reading “Florence Nightingale: a pioneer in epidemiology and infectious disease control”
Viral Hepatitis
Do you know that every year 1.4 million people worldwide die of viral hepatitis? It is one death every 30 seconds. World Hepatitis Day takes place every year on July 28 (the day Baruch Bloomberg, the discoverer of Hepatitis B virus, was born) to raise awareness on this disease. Five viruses cause hepatitis: HBV eContinue reading “Viral Hepatitis”
How long do anti- SARS-CoV-2 antibodies last?
How long do anti- SARS-CoV-2 antibodies last? Do we all produce the same amount of antibodies after the infection? If not, why? To answer these questions, we analysed 2001 healthcare workers from three hospitals in London, between the first and the second waves of the pandemic in the United Kingdom. These hospitals are in East London,Continue reading “How long do anti- SARS-CoV-2 antibodies last?”
Virus&Co. 