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Aims: Lyssavirus rabies (RABV) is responsible for a major zoonotic infection that is almost always lethal once clinical signs appear. Rabies can be (re)introduced into rabies‐free areas through transboundary dog movements, thus compromising animal and human health. A number of measures have been implemented to prevent this happening, one of which is the waiting period (WP) after anti‐rabies vaccination and serological testing. This WP ensures that antibodies assessed through the serological test are due to the vaccine, not to infection. Indeed, if antibodies are due to RABV infection, the dog should display clinical signs within this WP and would not therefore be imported. Methods and Results: Within a framework of quantitative risk assessment, we used modelling approaches to evaluate the impact of this WP and its duration on the risk of introducing rabies via the importation of dogs into the European Union. Two types of models were used, a classical stochastic scenario tree model and an individual‐based model, both parameterised using scientific literature or data specifically applicable to the EU. Results showed that, assuming perfect compliance, the current 3‐month waiting period was associated with a median annual number of 0.04 infected dogs imported into the EU. When the WP was reduced, the risk increased. For example, for a 1‐month WP, the median annual number of infected dogs imported was 0.17 or 0.15 depending on the model, which corresponds to a four‐fold increase. Conclusion: This in silico study, particularly suitable for evaluating rare events such as rabies infections in rabies‐free areas, provided results that can directly inform policymakers in order to adapt regulations linked to rabies and animal movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sous un regard analytico-comparatif, cette réflexion se préoccupe de la question de la diversification de l’économie de la République Démocratique du Congo. Elle part de la comparaison des indicateurs macroéconomiques du pays, en prenant en compte les tendances africaine et mondiale des exportations et des importations, en vue de ressortir le potentiel que la RD. Congo viserait pour capter des fonds dans les échanges internationaux. L’étude aboutit à la conclusion salon laquelle, la RD. Congo aurait la possibilité de relancer sa croissance grâce à la diversification de sa production et de ses exportations par la mise en place d’une politique permissive des exportations et des importations. Certes, elle informe qu’outre les produits miniers, le pays possède une liste de 25 produits prioritaires non miniers aptes à quintupler les valeurs des exportations, soit 52,2 milliards sur cinq années. Voilà, pourquoi, l’étude plaide pour des politiques économiques cohérentes (son Plan d’industrialisation, la stratégie nationale de promotion des exportations et de diversification de marché (SPED), par exemple), qui doivent soutenir la trilogie: Production-Transformation-Commerce.

Abstract This study evaluated ten nucleic acid extraction protocols (EP1 to EP10) for measuring five endogenous antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in four aircraft wastewater samples (AWW1 to AWW4). The targeted ARGs, including bla CTX-M , bla NDM-1 , ermB, qnrS, and tetA, encompassed highly and minimally abundant ARGs. TetA and ermB were consistently detected across four aircraft wastewater samples using the DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit and the AllPrep PowerViral DNA/RNA kit. QnrS displayed high detection rates with specific extraction protocols and aliquot volumes. Concentrations of ARGs varied across aircraft wastewater samples, with differing extraction protocols influencing quantitative results. The concentrations of tetA, ermB, and qnrS in AWW1 were distinct, while AWW2 to AWW4 exhibited a broader range for tetA, ermB, qnrS, bla CTX-M , and bla NDM-1 . EP1 consistently produced the highest concentrations for several ARGs. Collective data analysis revealed varying ARG concentrations across the ten extraction protocols, suggesting the importance of careful extraction protocol selection in ARG monitoring in aircraft wastewater samples. Based on the results, we suggest that a small sample volume (as low as 0.2 mL) may be sufficient for ARG characterization in aircraft wastewater samples. The findings also emphasize the need for considering toilet paper removal without compromising nucleic acid extraction efficiency. The study highlights promising prospects for aircraft wastewater monitoring of ARGs, calling for further investigation into the import and spread of unique ARGs through transport hubs.

This study evaluated ten nucleic acid extraction protocols (EP1 to EP10) for measuring five endogenous antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in four aircraft wastewater samples (AWW1 to AWW4). The targeted ARGs, including blaCTX-M, blaNDM-1, ermB, qnrS, and tetA, encompassed highly and minimally abundant ARGs. TetA and ermB were consistently detected across four aircraft wastewater samples using the DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit and the AllPrep PowerViral DNA/RNA kit. QnrS displayed high detection rates with specific extraction protocols and aliquot volumes. Concentrations of ARGs varied across aircraft wastewater samples, with differing extraction protocols influencing quantitative results. The concentrations of tetA, ermB, and qnrS in AWW1 were distinct, while AWW2 to AWW4 exhibited a broader range for tetA, ermB, qnrS, blaCTX-M, and blaNDM-1. EP1 consistently produced the highest concentrations for several ARGs. Collective data analysis revealed varying ARG concentrations across the ten extraction protocols, suggesting the importance of careful extraction protocol selection in ARG monitoring in aircraft wastewater samples. Based on the results, we suggest that a small sample volume (as low as 0.2 mL) may be sufficient for ARG characterization in aircraft wastewater samples. The findings also emphasize the need for considering toilet paper removal without compromising nucleic acid extraction efficiency. The study highlights promising prospects for aircraft wastewater monitoring of ARGs, calling for further investigation into the import and spread of unique ARGs through transport hubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People in prison bear a higher burden of psychiatric morbidity compared with the general population. This study examined the extent to which individual and environmental factors contribute to poor mental health during imprisonment. Participants comprised 1296 randomly selected adults in 15 Belgian prisons. Psychological distress was more common in women than men and peaked during the early stages of imprisonment. In addition to having a history of mental disorder, low levels of perceived autonomy, safety, and social support were independently associated with experiencing distress. These findings underscore the importance of considering the prison environment in policies to improve the mental health of incarcerated individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Death by suicide is the leading cause of death in American jails. Closely linked with suicides are self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. Even with this knowledge, the risk factors for self-harm ideation and self-harm behaviors have received little empirical work within a jail population. This study couples an integrated importation and deprivation model with an ideation-to-action approach to examine environmental and psychological correlates of self-harm ideation and self-harm behaviors among a sample of 231 individuals incarcerated in jail. Results from the ordinary least squares regression models demonstrate that both deprivation (institutional misconduct) and importation (hopelessness) factors are important when identifying self-harm ideation and self-harm behaviors. In addition, the results of this test of the integrated model offer a proposed new direction for integrated theory testing. Finally, a discussion of policy implications and actionable programs are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobility restrictions were widely practiced to reduce contact with others and prevent the spatial spread of COVID-19 infection. Using inter-prefectural mobility and epidemiological data, a statistical model was devised to predict the number of imported cases in each Japanese prefecture. The number of imported cases crossing prefectural borders in 2020 was predicted using inter-prefectural mobility rates based on mobile phone data and prevalence estimates in the origin prefectures. The simplistic model was quantified using surveillance data of cases with an inter-prefectural travel history. Subsequently, simulations were carried out to understand how imported cases vary with the mobility rate and prevalence at the origin. Overall, the predicted number of imported cases qualitatively captured the observed number of imported cases over time. Although Hokkaido and Okinawa are the northernmost and the southernmost prefectures, respectively, they were sensitive to differing prevalence rate in Tokyo and Osaka and the mobility rate. Additionally, other prefectures were sensitive to mobility change, assuming that an increment in the mobility rate was seen in all prefectures. Our findings indicate the need to account for the weight of an inter-prefectural mobility network when implementing countermeasures to restrict human movement. If the mobility rates were maintained lower than the observed rates, then the number of imported cases could have been maintained at substantially lower levels than the observed, thus potentially preventing the unnecessary spatial spread of COVID-19 in late 2020.

Abstract Background Zanzibar has made substantial progress in malaria control with vector control, improved diagnosis, and artemisinin-based combination therapy. Parasite prevalence in the population has remained around 1% but imported infections from mainland Tanzania contribute to sustained local transmission. Understanding travel patterns between mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, and the risk of malaria infection, may help to control malaria importation to Zanzibar. Methods A rolling cross-sectional survey linked to routine reactive case detection of malaria was carried out in Zanzibar between May 2017 and October 2018. Households of patients diagnosed with malaria at health facilities were surveyed and household members were tested for malaria using rapid diagnostic tests and a sub-sample by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Interviews elicited a detailed travel history of all household members who had travelled within the past two months, including trips within and outside of Zanzibar. We estimated the association of malaria infection with travel destinations in pre-defined malaria endemicity categories, trip duration, and other co-variates using logistic regression. Results Of 17,891 survey participants, 1177 (7%) reported a recent trip, of which 769 (65%) visited mainland Tanzania. Among travellers to mainland Tanzania with travel destination details and a qPCR result available, 241/378 (64%) reported traveling to districts with a ‘high’ malaria endemicity and for 12% the highest endemicity category was ‘moderate’. Travelers to the mainland were more likely to be infected with malaria parasites (29%, 108/378) than those traveling within Zanzibar (8%, 16/206) or to other countries (6%, 2/17). Among travellers to mainland Tanzania, those visiting highly endemic districts had a higher odds of being qPCR-positive than those who travelled only to districts where malaria-endemicity was classified as low or very low (adjusted odd ratio = 7.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.9–25.5). Among travellers to the mainland, 110/378 (29%) never or only sometimes used a mosquito net during their travel. Conclusions Strategies to reduce malaria importation to Zanzibar may benefit from identifying population groups traveling to highly endemic areas in mainland Tanzania. Targeted interventions to prevent and clear infections in these groups may be more feasible than attempting to screen and treat all travellers upon arrival in Zanzibar.

There has been limited study of the link between victimization and the criminal offense in the correctional context, despite the extensive literature supporting the overlap of victims and offenders in the general population. In this study, 2,880 inmates in 12 institutional correction facilities in Taiwan were examined to explore the common factors of the victim–offender overlap, guided by the importation, deprivation, and low self-control theories. The results of bivariate probit regression analysis revealed the presence of the victim–offender phenomenon in Taiwanese inmates. Specifically, the inmates who had experienced violent victimization in childhood and those who held negative perceptions of corrections staff and management tended to be both victims and offenders as measured by various types of prison misconduct and victimization. The results also showed that importation and deprivation factors have similar explanatory power for both misconduct and victimization, and low self-control has greater explanatory power for misconduct than for victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background Since 2004, malaria transmission on Bioko Island has declined significantly as a result of the scaling-up of control interventions. The aim of eliminating malaria from the Island remains elusive, however, underscoring the need to adapt control to the local context. Understanding the factors driving the risk of malaria infection is critical to inform optimal suits of interventions in this adaptive approach. Methods This study used individual and household-level data from the 2015 and 2018 annual malaria indicator surveys on Bioko Island, as well as remotely-sensed environmental data in multilevel logistic regression models to quantify the odds of malaria infection. The analyses were stratified by urban and rural settings and by survey year. Results Malaria prevalence was higher in 10–14-year-old children and similar between female and male individuals. After adjusting for demographic factors and other covariates, many of the variables investigated showed no significant association with malaria infection. The factor most strongly associated was history of travel to mainland Equatorial Guinea (mEG), which increased the odds significantly both in urban and rural settings (people who travelled had 4 times the odds of infection). Sleeping under a long-lasting insecticidal net decreased significantly the odds of malaria across urban and rural settings and survey years (net users had around 30% less odds of infection), highlighting their contribution to malaria control on the Island. Improved housing conditions indicated some protection, though this was not consistent across settings and survey year. Conclusions Malaria risk on Bioko Island is heterogeneous and determined by a combination of factors interacting with local mosquito ecology. These interactions grant further investigation in order to better adapt control according to need. The single most important risk factor identified was travel to mEG, in line with previous investigations, and represents a great challenge for the success of malaria control on the Island.

Background: Zanzibar has made substantial progress in malaria control with vector control, improved diagnosis, and artemisinin-based combination therapy. Parasite prevalence in the population has remained around 1% but imported infections from mainland Tanzania contribute to sustained local transmission. Understanding travel patterns between mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, and the risk of malaria infection, may help to control malaria importation to Zanzibar. Methods: A rolling cross-sectional survey linked to routine reactive case detection of malaria was carried out in Zanzibar between May 2017 and October 2018. Households of patients diagnosed with malaria at health facilities were surveyed and household members were tested for malaria using rapid diagnostic tests and a sub-sample by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Interviews elicited a detailed travel history of all household members who had travelled within the past two months, including trips within and outside of Zanzibar. We estimated the association of malaria infection with travel destinations in pre-defined malaria endemicity categories, trip duration, and other co-variates using logistic regression. Results: Of 17,891 survey participants, 1177 (7%) reported a recent trip, of which 769 (65%) visited mainland Tanzania. Among travellers to mainland Tanzania with travel destination details and a qPCR result available, 241/378 (64%) reported traveling to districts with a 'high' malaria endemicity and for 12% the highest endemicity category was 'moderate'. Travelers to the mainland were more likely to be infected with malaria parasites (29%, 108/378) than those traveling within Zanzibar (8%, 16/206) or to other countries (6%, 2/17). Among travellers to mainland Tanzania, those visiting highly endemic districts had a higher odds of being qPCR-positive than those who travelled only to districts where malaria-endemicity was classified as low or very low (adjusted odd ratio = 7.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.9–25.5). Among travellers to the mainland, 110/378 (29%) never or only sometimes used a mosquito net during their travel. Conclusions: Strategies to reduce malaria importation to Zanzibar may benefit from identifying population groups traveling to highly endemic areas in mainland Tanzania. Targeted interventions to prevent and clear infections in these groups may be more feasible than attempting to screen and treat all travellers upon arrival in Zanzibar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 6/04 standard of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) on the safe use of biological control is a decision-support scheme (DSS) for the import and release of biological control agents in Europe. It was recently developed by the Joint EPPO/International Organisation of Biological Control (IOBC) Panel on Biological Control Agents. The DSS can be used to assess the potential environmental impacts of biological control agents. It is valid for different types of biological control: classical and augmentative biological control of invertebrates, pathogens and weeds. However, the DSS is not yet widely implemented in Europe and, during preliminary trials, it was found that its broad range of usages could lead to some confusion or misunderstandings, as well as requiring unnecessary information in some cases. Thus, the scheme was modified to specifically assess classical biological control against plant pests, i.e. the introduction of exotic natural enemies of plant pests for establishment and long-term control. The new version of the scheme was then tested on two parasitoids that are presently being released in Europe, the figitid Ganaspis cf. brasiliensis against the spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii and the mymarid Cleruchoides noackae against the Eucalyptus bronze bug Thaumastocoris peregrinus. Both parasitoids were successfully assessed with the new version of the DSS. No major issues were encountered during the assessments and most questions were answered with low levels of uncertainty. Both assessments concluded that the parasitoids were safe to release in the impact assessment areas, with positive impacts exceeding negative impacts. Suggestions for potential improvements are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigeria has a housing deficit of over 17.5 million. Over the years, the government has articulated several policies to encourage investment and development of the housing sector. However, the housing construction sector imports most of the building materials which is affected by the various government directives on foreign exchange policies, with significant impact on the cost of housing production. This study examined the impact of foreign exchange rates on the costs of residential building materials in Ibadan, with a view to proposing policy directives on the local production of building materials in Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted and the retrospective longitudinal approach was employed to obtain data for the study. It was revealed that two types of rates (the fixed exchange rate and the floating exchange rate) dominated the trend of foreign exchange in Nigeria. The prices of building materials indicate an upward price movement and correlations exist between changes in exchange rates and changes in the price of building materials. A unit increase in the foreign exchange rate affects the price of building materials as seen in this study, where the foreign exchange rate positively increased by 1 value, the interbank and the parallel market exchange rates rose by exchange rate values of 0,807 and 0,705, respectively. To reverse the current trend of dependence of prospective house owners on foreign materials for housing production, the use of quality-assured local building materials in housing development should be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article the state of the market, volumes of export and import of leather are analyzed. The procedure of leather identification expert examination for customs purposes in international trade is showed. Identification expert examination of leather was carried out and its results were issued for customs purposes. The code of leather according to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) and the Ukrainian Classification of Goods for Foreign Economic Activity (UCGFEA) is defined based on the results of identification expert examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Correctional officers are critical members of the prison community. However, scholarship rarely considers how correctional officers contribute to prison outcomes instead largely focusing on importation (individual) and deprivation (organizational) factors related to the incarcerated population. This is also true regarding how scholars and practitioners approach suicide committed by incarcerated people, one of the leading causes of death in US carceral institutions. Using quantitative data from confinement facilities across the United States, this study answers the research question: What is the relationship between prison suicide rates and correctional officer gender? Results show that deprivation factors (variables related to the carceral environment) influence prison suicide. Additionally, gender diversity among correctional officers reduces the rate of prison suicide. Implications for future research and practice and limitations of the study are also discussed.

e article focuses on the commercial mechanism in Late Antiquity with special regard paid to the Late Antique sedes imperii, Ravenna, and its maritime port of Classe from the point of view of qualitative and quantitative analyses of marble and poery importation through long-distance trade within the Mediterranean. In the 5th and 6th centuries, Ravenna represented an important political, commercial, and cultural centre, involved in interregional sea trade through its port of Classe, and represented a significant production and redistributive centre. e research is based on archaeological material evidence: the provenance and quantity of imported stone artefacts from the Late Antique complex of S. Severo in Classe, and the provenance of poery finds from the harbour area of Podere Chiavichea in Classe. e mechanism of commercial exchange of Late Antique Ravenna and Classe with various regions of the Mediterranean is based on the quantitative and qualitative comparison of imported marble and poery. e question of the statio marmorum in the port area of Classe is also discussed on the basis of both the archaeological evidence and a comparison with the stone supply from Rome.

Abstract Large populations of unowned cats constitute an animal welfare, ecological, societal and public health issue worldwide. Their relocation and homing are currently carried out in many parts of the world with the intention of relieving suffering and social problems, while contributing to ethical and humane population control in these cat populations. An understanding of an individual cat’s lifestyle and disease status by veterinary team professionals and those working with cat charities can help to prevent severe cat stress and the spread of feline pathogens, especially vector-borne pathogens, which can be overlooked in cats. In this article, we discuss the issue of relocation and homing of unowned cats from a global perspective. We also review zoonotic and non-zoonotic infectious agents of cats and give a list of practical recommendations for veterinary team professionals dealing with homing cats. Finally, we present a consensus statement consolidated at the 15th Symposium of the Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum in 2020, ultimately to help veterinary team professionals understand the problem and the role they have in helping to prevent and manage vector-borne and other pathogens in relocated cats. Graphical Abstract

Background: Since 2004, malaria transmission on Bioko Island has declined significantly as a result of the scaling-up of control interventions. The aim of eliminating malaria from the Island remains elusive, however, underscoring the need to adapt control to the local context. Understanding the factors driving the risk of malaria infection is critical to inform optimal suits of interventions in this adaptive approach. Methods: This study used individual and household-level data from the 2015 and 2018 annual malaria indicator surveys on Bioko Island, as well as remotely-sensed environmental data in multilevel logistic regression models to quantify the odds of malaria infection. The analyses were stratified by urban and rural settings and by survey year. Results: Malaria prevalence was higher in 10–14-year-old children and similar between female and male individuals. After adjusting for demographic factors and other covariates, many of the variables investigated showed no significant association with malaria infection. The factor most strongly associated was history of travel to mainland Equatorial Guinea (mEG), which increased the odds significantly both in urban and rural settings (people who travelled had 4 times the odds of infection). Sleeping under a long-lasting insecticidal net decreased significantly the odds of malaria across urban and rural settings and survey years (net users had around 30% less odds of infection), highlighting their contribution to malaria control on the Island. Improved housing conditions indicated some protection, though this was not consistent across settings and survey year. Conclusions: Malaria risk on Bioko Island is heterogeneous and determined by a combination of factors interacting with local mosquito ecology. These interactions grant further investigation in order to better adapt control according to need. The single most important risk factor identified was travel to mEG, in line with previous investigations, and represents a great challenge for the success of malaria control on the Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The French press was a crucial intermediary for the circulation of US literature in France during the 1940s. However, its role in this importing process has rarely been studied. Yet, the study of some forty journals (Combat, La Bataille, Action, Carrefour, Esprit...) confirms the construction of a “French taste” in American literature and suggests that the praise of American literary contributions was quickly criticized in periodicals with quite different editorial lines. Furthermore, it is in the press that some unknown mediators forged a critical discourse about a foreseeable influence of US texts on French writers: they were academics (Las Vergnas, Sigaux, Larnac), demanding aficionados (Beaumont, Blanzat, Fauchery, Hoog, Lalou, Morel), but also detractors of this importation (Henriot, Kanapa). The massive arrival of American literature in France did not create an ephemeral fever in the media. On the contrary, the French press scrutinized this American literary “moment” and addressed some fundamental questions, such as the reality of the American literary input or the advent of a literary massification caused by American influence.

Correctional officers are critical members of the prison community. However, scholarship rarely considers how correctional officers contribute to prison outcomes instead largely focusing on importation (individual) and deprivation (organizational) factors related to the incarcerated population. This is also true regarding how scholars and practitioners approach suicide committed by incarcerated people, one of the leading causes of death in US carceral institutions. Using quantitative data from confinement facilities across the United States, this study answers the research question: What is the relationship between prison suicide rates and correctional officer gender? Results show that deprivation factors (variables related to the carceral environment) influence prison suicide. Additionally, gender diversity among correctional officers reduces the rate of prison suicide. Implications for future research and practice and limitations of the study are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G3 rotaviruses rank among the most common rotavirus strains worldwide in humans and animals. However, despite a robust longterm rotavirus surveillance system from 1997 at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, these strains were only detected from 1997 to 1999 and then disappeared and re-emerged in 2017, 5 years after the introduction of the Rotarix rotavirus vaccine. Here, we analysed representative twenty-seven whole genome sequences (G3P[4], n = 20; G3P[6], n = 1; and G3P[8], n = 6) randomly selected each month between November 2017 and August 2019 to understand how G3 strains re-emerged in Malawi. We found four genotype constellations that were associated with the emergent G3 strains and co-circulated in Malawi post-Rotarix vaccine introduction: G3P[4] and G3P[6] strains with the DS-1-like genetic backbone genes (G3-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 and G3-P[6]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2- N2-T2-E2-H2), G3P[8] strains with the Wa-like genetic backbone genes (G3-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1), and reassortant G3P[4] strains consisting of the DS-1-like genetic backbone genes and a Wa-like NSP2 (N1) gene (G3-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N1-T2-E2-H2). Timeresolved phylogenetic trees demonstrated that the most recent common ancestor for each ribonucleic acid (RNA) segment of the emergent G3 strains was between 1996 and 2012, possibly through introductions from outside the country due to the limited genetic similarity with G3 strains which circulated before their disappearance in the late 1990s. Further genomic analysis revealed that the reassortant DS-1-like G3P[4] strains acquired a Wa-like NSP2 genome segment (N1 genotype) through intergenogroup reassortment; an artiodactyllike VP3 through intergenogroup interspecies reassortment; and VP6, NSP1, and NSP4 segments through intragenogroup reassortment likely before importation into Malawi. Additionally, the emergent G3 strains contain amino acid substitutions within the antigenic regions of the VP4 proteins which could potentially impact the binding of rotavirus vaccine–induced antibodies. Altogether, our fndings show that multiple strains with either Wa-like or DS-1-like genotype constellations have driven the re-emergence of G3 strains. The fndings also highlight the role of human mobility and genome reassortment events in the cross-border dissemination and evolution of rotavirus strains in Malawi necessitating the need for long-term genomic surveillance of rotavirus in high disease–burden settings to inform disease prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: The worldwide spread of chikungunya over the past two decades calls for greater knowledge and awareness of the virus, its route of transmission, methods of diagnosis, and the use of available treatment and prevention measures. Recent Findings: Chikungunya virus infection, an Aedes mosquito-borne febrile disease, has spread from Africa and Asia to Europe and the Americas and from the tropics and subtropics to temperate regions. International travel is a pivotal influence in the emergence of chikungunya as a global public health threat, as evidenced by a growing number of published reports on travel-related chikungunya infections. The striking features of chikungunya are arthralgia and arthritis, and the disease is often mistaken for dengue. Although mortality is low, morbidity can be profound and persistent. Current treatment for chikungunya is supportive; chikungunya vaccines and therapeutics are in development. Travelers planning to visit areas where the mosquito vectors are present should be advised on preventive measures. Summary: Chikungunya is an emerging disease in the Americas. Frequent travel, the presence of at least two competent mosquito species, and a largely naïve human population in the Western Hemisphere create a setting conducive to future outbreaks. Awareness of the disease and its manifestations is critical to effectively and safely manage and limit its impact. Vaccines in late-stage clinical trials offer a new pathway to prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The purpose of the study was to assess the requirements for approval of the importation of unregistered medicines for use in the public sector in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. Methods The study reviewed the legal provisions and requirements to be fulfilled when importing unregistered medicines for the public sector in SADC countries relative to two comparators drawn from countries with stringent regulatory systems through extant document analysis. The relative implementation index score was calculated and used to measure the level of implementing legal provisions and requirements to be fulfilled. Analysis was performed using the STATA software package. Results Approximately 13 out of 16 SADC countries had a relative implementation index below 50%. The aggregated implementation index across all SADC countries was 44%, ranging from 4 to 54%, while the two comparators had a relative implementation index of 81% and 85%, respectively. Conclusion Implementing the minimum requirements for importing unregistered medicines for the public sector was deficient compared to the jurisdictions with stringent regulatory systems, and wide implementation gaps also existed within the SADC region.

Background: Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of a mosquito infected with the dengue virus. Dengue is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world, and its incidence is rapidly increasing. We estimated the risk of dengue importation from endemic countries to Japan and the transmission risk within Japan using data collected between 2016 and 2018. Methods: We conducted simulations that included the number of reported dengue infections and travelers per month in ten countries in Southeast and South Asia. Results: The estimated importation risks for Japanese returnees and international travelers from each of the ten endemic countries was approximately 1.0 every month from 2016 to 2018. The autochthonous transmission risk in Japan from any target country was 1.0 from June to September yearly. The estimated number of Japanese dengue cases returning to Japan is approximately 25 times higher than that of imported cases reported in Japan. Conclusions: The risk of dengue importation into Japan can be sufficiently high. Attention should be paid to autochthonous transmission spread between June and September when mosquitoes are active in Japan. Estimates of seasonal risk variation from each dengue virus-endemic country can be used to inform preventive and control measures for dengue in Japan.

Abstract Background Onchocerca lupi is a filarial nematode affecting dogs, and occasionally cats and humans, in continental Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the USA. Adult worms are usually found in periocular nodules and enucleation is sometimes required if the infection fails to respond to other treatment options. Case presentation Here, we report the presence of O. lupi in the UK for the first time. Of two dogs re-homed from continental Europe, one developed an ocular nodule seven years after arrival from Portugal. The conjunctival perilimbal mass in its left eye was surgically removed but despite anthelminthic treatment, a further nodule developed in the same eye six months later. In the second case - a dog imported from Romania 12 months earlier - a perilimbal mass was excised from the left eye and prior anthelminthic treatment was supplemented with oral prednisolone and doxycycline. However, nodules recurred, and the left globe was subsequently enucleated. Conjunctival hyperaemia then appeared in the right eye and neither additional anthelminthic treatment nor removal of worm masses failed to prevent the further development of lesions. Excised adult worms were identified in both cases as O. lupi based on morphological characteristics, as well as PCR and sequencing of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 12S rRNA gene fragments. Conclusion O. lupi parasitosis can apparently remain cryptic in dogs for several years before any clinical signs manifest. Moreover, the progression of infection can be highly aggressive and recalcitrant to both surgical intervention and anthelminthic treatment. Increasingly, former stray dogs of unknown infection status are entering the UK, raising both veterinary and public health concerns.

Short-chain and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs/MCCPs) are of concern due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. SCCPs were listed in 2017 as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention for Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure. MCCPs are evaluated in the POPs Reviewing Committee for listing. Studies in Africa demonstrate high SCCP/MCCP levels in house dust and human milk. Therefore, this study undertook an initial assessment of the production and import situation in Nigeria. The Nigerian government has not assessed SCCPs yet and has no registered exemptions for SCCPs and therefore should not produce or use SCCPs. Also, Nigeria has not notified Rotterdam Convention of PIC procedure and, therefore, no SCCP should be imported into Nigeria. Since no local production of SCCPs/MCCPs was observed in Nigeria, this study therefore compiled data on importation of SCCPs/MCCPs and products which may likely contain these chemicals from the UN Comtrade Database for the period 1996 to 2018. Despite the listing of SCCPs in the Rotterdam Convention, there is still no specific Harmonized System (HS) codes for SCCPs/MCCPs. This study therefore used HS codes of product categories known to contain SCCPs/MCCPs. HS substance categories under which SCCP/MCCPs are usually imported include plasticisers and other product categories that amounted to 229,779 and 518,342 tonnes respectively but without specific information on the type of plasticiser. About 39% of PVC and rubber imports of 2,683,015 tonnes and 3,516,052 tonnes respectively contain plasticisers. Based on the SCCP and MCCP impact factors from literature for China, the highest amount of SCCP (33,712 tonnes) was imported in the different PVC products while rubber products accounted to 1386 tonnes and PUR foam to 2331 tonnes. The amount of imported MCCPs in PVC products (25,599 tonnes) and rubber products (32,317 tonnes) was in the same order of magnitude while MCCP imported in PUR foam was estimated to 2020 tonnes. At the end of life (EoL), these product categories most likely contain appreciable amount of SCCPs possibly above Basel Convention low POP limit. This will hamper recycling and circular economy for these waste categories and generate POPs stockpiles/wastes that are difficult to manage/destroy in Africa. Hence there is an urgent need for specific HS Codes for SCCPs and industrial POPs currently produced/used for better control. Presently, products containing SCCPs are not labelled and are imported in huge quantities into Nigeria, without monitoring. In its current form this rather conveys a pseudo-safety for industrial POPs that do not exist. The Rotterdam Convention needs to establish specific HS codes for POPs for an appropriate PIC procedure and effective control of industrial POPs still produced. Furthermore, products containing SCCPs (and other POPs) require labelling and should also be covered under the Rotterdam Convention. The study highlights that Nigeria should urgently update the NIP for chemicals listed from 2015 to 2019 with a detailed SCCP inventory and develop monitoring capacity for market surveys. The Rotterdam Convention does not function fully and need to significantly improve to assure PIC procedure.

Large populations of unowned cats constitute an animal welfare, ecological, societal and public health issue worldwide. Their relocation and homing are currently carried out in many parts of the world with the intention of relieving suffering and social problems, while contributing to ethical and humane population control in these cat populations. An understanding of an individual cat's lifestyle and disease status by veterinary team professionals and those working with cat charities can help to prevent severe cat stress and the spread of feline pathogens, especially vector-borne pathogens, which can be overlooked in cats. In this article, we discuss the issue of relocation and homing of unowned cats from a global perspective. We also review zoonotic and non-zoonotic infectious agents of cats and give a list of practical recommendations for veterinary team professionals dealing with homing cats. Finally, we present a consensus statement consolidated at the 15th Symposium of the Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum in 2020, ultimately to help veterinary team professionals understand the problem and the role they have in helping to prevent and manage vector-borne and other pathogens in relocated cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This publication provides some industry reflections on experiences from the Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) development and manufacture and supply of vaccines and therapies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It integrates these experiences with the outcomes from the collaborative work between industry and regulators in recent years on innovative science- and risk-based CMC strategies to the development of new, high-quality products for unmet medical needs. The challenges for rapid development are discussed and various approaches to facilitate accelerated development and global supply are collated for consideration. Relevant regulatory aspects are reviewed, including the role of Emergency Use/Conditional Marketing Authorizations, the dialogue between sponsors and agencies to facilitate early decision-making and alignment, and the value of improving reliance/collaborative assessment and increased collaboration between regulatory authorities to reduce differences in global regulatory requirements. Five areas are highlighted for particular consideration in the implementation of strategies for the quality-related aspects of accelerated development and supply: (1) the substantial need to advance reliance or collaborative assessment; (2) the need for early decision making and streamlined engagement between industry and regulatory authorities on CMC matters; (3) the need to further facilitate 'post-approval' changes; (4) fully exploiting prior and platform knowledge; and (5) review and potential revision of legal frameworks. The recommendations in this publication are intended to contribute to the discussion on approaches that can result in earlier and greater access to high-quality pandemic vaccines and therapies for patients worldwide but could also be useful in general for innovative medicines addressing unmet medical needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Importation of dengue following globalization presents an emerging threat to global health. However, evidence on global geographical sources and the potential of dengue importation globally are lacking. This study aims to systematically review the sources of dengue importation globally and the risk of dengue outbreaks globally. Methods This systematic review was conducted in accordance to Cochrane’s PRISMA guidelines. Articles published through 31 December 2019 with laboratory-confirmed dengue imported cases were consolidated from PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus. Sources of dengue importation reported worldwide were analysed by country and geographical regions. Sources of dengue importation into United States of America and Europe specifically were also analysed. Results A total of 3762 articles were found. Among which, 210 articles—documenting 14,972 imported dengue cases with reported sources—were eligible. 76.3% of imported cases worldwide were from Asia. 15.7%, 5.6%, 2.0% and 0.1% were imported from the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Europe regions respectively. Imported dengue cases in the U.S. were from Americas (55.3%), Asia (34.7%), Africa (6.7%) and Oceania (3.3%). Imported dengue cases in Europe were from Asia (66.0%), Americas (21.9%), Africa (10.8%) and Oceania (1.1%). Conclusion The potential of dengue outbreaks occurring globally, especially among non-endemic regions with dengue-susceptible populations is high. With the expansion of Aedes mosquito population globally due to global warming and globalisation, dengue importation constitutes an emerging global health security threat.

The Pacific Island country of Vanuatu is considering strategies to remove border restrictions implemented during 2020 to prevent imported coronavirus disease. We performed mathematical modeling to estimate the number of infectious travelers who had different entry scenarios and testing strategies. Travel bubbles and testing on entry have the greatest importation risk reduction.

The article focuses on the commercial mechanism in Late Antiquity with special regard paid to the Late Antique sedes imperii, Ravenna, and its maritime port of Classe from the point of view of qualitative and quantitative analyses of marble and pottery importation through long-distance trade within the Mediterranean. In the 5th and 6th centuries, Ravenna represented an important political, commercial, and cultural centre, involved in interregional sea trade through its port of Classe, and represented a significant production and redistributive centre. e research is based on archaeological material evidence: the provenance and quantity of imported stone artefacts from the Late Antique complex of S. Severo in Classe, and the provenance of pottery finds from the harbour area of Podere Chiavichetta in Classe. e mechanism of commercial exchange of Late Antique Ravenna and Classe with various regions of the Mediterranean is based on the quantitative and qualitative comparison of imported marble and pottery. e question of the statio marmorum in the port area of Classe is also discussed on the basis of both the archaeological evidence and a comparison with the stone supply from Rome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the importation and circulation patterns of rubella virus lineages 1E-L2 and 2B-L2c circulating in China since 2018, 3,312 viral strains collected from 27 out of 31 provinces in China between 2018 and 2021 were sequenced and analyzed with the representative international strains of lineages 1E-L2 and 2B-L2c based on genotyping region. Time-scale phylogenetic analysis revealed that the global lineages 1E-L2 and 2B-L2c presented distinct evolutionary patterns. Lineage 1E-L2 circulated in relatively limited geographical areas (mainly Asia) and showed geographical and temporal clustering, while lineage 2B-L2c strains circulated widely throughout the world and exhibited a complicated topology with several independently evolved branches. Furthermore, both lineages showed extensive international transmission activities, and phylogeographic inference provided evidence that lineage 1E-L2 strains circulating in China possibly originated from Japan, while the source of lineage 2B-L2c isolated since 2018 is still unclear. After importation into China in 2018, the spread of lineage 1E-L2 presented a three-stage transmission pattern from southern to northern China, whereas lineage 2B-L2c spread from a single point in western China to all the other four regions. These two transmission patterns allowed both imported lineages to spread rapidly across China during the 2018–9 rubella epidemic and eventually established endemic circulations. This study provides critical scientific data for rubella control and elimination in China and worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huanglongbing (HLB), primarily transmitted by the citrus psyllid, is the most devastating citrus disease worldwide. Planting disease-free citrus seedlings is one of the significant intervention strategies for HLB. In this paper, a compartment model is used to investigate the importation and local transmission of the disease. Due to the continuous input of the diseased citrus seedlings from outside, the traditional theoretical analysis methods are insufficient to describe and predict its dynamical behaviors based on the analysis determined by the basic reproductive ratio ℛ 0 . The criteria for the existence and local stability of disease-free and endemic equilibria are deduced. Then a complete theoretical, bifurcation, and sensitivity analyses are carried out on the simplified system. Based on our study, we have the following interesting findings: (a) the importation of diseased citrus seedlings in orchards plays a vital role in the transmission of HLB, and planting disease-free citrus seedlings will effectively inhibit the spread of the disease; (b) the importation of diseased citrus seedlings can affect the stability of the equilibrium of the full system; (c) the simplified system may exhibit some complex dynamic phenomena, such as saddle-node bifurcation, forward bifurcation, backward bifurcation, and bistability; (d) global sensitivity analysis shows that the mortality and biting rate of citrus psyllids have a greater impact on ℛ 0 than other parameters. These observations provide theoretical guidance for policymakers to determine the long-term viability of implemented HLB intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research examining sexual violence in prison has increased over the past 15 years, relatively scant attention has been paid to rape supportive beliefs and the factors influencing inmate adherence to these beliefs. Given the demonstrated role from studies outside the prison context that rape supportive beliefs have on sexual violence, important parallels can be drawn from studying the inmate population. Importation and deprivation models have been used to explain how inmates adapt to prison life—whether attitudes and behaviors are imported from their lives outside prison or are developed in prison due to the conditions of incarceration. Using a sample of male and female inmates (n = 875) from a large state prison system in the southern United States, the researchers explored the degree to which inmate rape supportive beliefs (IRSB) were influenced by variables indicative of importation or deprivation models of prison adaption. Findings revealed greater support for importation variables among both male and female inmates. With some variation, measures such as gender, age, ethnicity, and education were significant in explaining IRSB, similar to findings of studies on rape supportive beliefs among noninmate samples. Because these beliefs can manifest in problematic attitudes and behaviors among inmates, such as prison sexual violence and the underreporting of such violence, it is important that correctional administrators understand this relationship and take steps to lessen IRSB. Since IRSB largely correlate with factors unrelated to conditions of confinement, efforts to educate and sensitize inmates to prison sexual violence can replicate best practices based on populations outside of prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Prevalence of falciparum malaria on Bioko Island remains high despite sustained, intensive control. Progress may be hindered by high proportions of subpatent infections that are not detected by rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) but contribute to onward transmission, and by imported infections. Better understanding of the relationship between subpatent infections and RDT-detected infections, and whether this relationship is different from imported versus locally acquired infections, is imperative to better understand the sources of infection and mechanisms of transmission to tailor more effective interventions. Methods Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed on a sub-set of samples from the 2015 Malaria Indicator Survey to identify subpatent infections. Households with RDT(+) individuals were matched 1:4 with households with no RDT(+) individuals. The association between living in a household with an RDT(+) individual and having a subpatent infection was evaluated using multivariate hierarchical logistic regression models with inverse probability weights for selection. To evaluate possible modification of the association by potential importation of the RDT(+) case, the analysis was repeated among strata of matched sets based on the reported eight-week travel history of the RDT(+) individual(s). Results There were 142 subpatent infections detected in 1,400 individuals (10.0%). The prevalence of subpatent infections was higher in households with versus without an RDT(+) individual (15.0 vs 9.1%). The adjusted prevalence odds of subpatent infection were 2.59-fold greater (95% CI: 1.31, 5.09) for those in a household with an RDT(+) individual compared to individuals in a household without RDT(+) individuals. When stratifying by travel history of the RDT(+) individual, the association between subpatent infections and RDT(+) infections was stronger in the strata in which the RDT(+) individual(s) had not recently travelled (adjusted prevalence odds ratio (aPOR) 2.95; 95% CI:1.17, 7.41), and attenuated in the strata in which recent travel was reported (aPOR 1.76; 95% CI: 0.54, 5.67). Conclusions There is clustering of subpatent infections around RDT(+) individual(s) when both imported and local infection are suspected. Future control strategies that aim to treat whole households in which an RDT(+) individual is found may target a substantial portion of infections that would otherwise not be detected.

Background Measles outbreaks often require labor- and resource-intense response. A border-area measles outbreak occurred in Yunnan province that required outbreak response immunization for its containment. We report results of our investigation into the outbreak and the health sector costs of the response activities, with the goal of providing evidence for policy makers when considering the full value of vaccines and of measles elimination. Methods We conducted case investigations to determine sources of infection and routes of transmission. Costs of outbreak response activities incurred by health sector were determined through retrospective interviews and record reviews of staff. Results In total, 67 measles cases were confirmed, including 4 cases imported from Myanmar. Among the 33 cases aged between 8 months and 14 y old, 22 (66∙7%) had received 2 doses of MCV; 2 (6∙0%) had received 1 dose of MCV; 9 (27∙3%) had not received MCV. The first 4 cases had been infected in Myanmar, and we identified 8 transmission clusters with a total of 62 cases. Transmission among Yunnan province residents occurred in schools, family settings, and at gatherings. The overall cost to control the outbreak was $214,774, for a per-case cost of $3,206. The outbreak response vaccination campaign accounted for 64% of the total outbreak costs. Conclusions Despite high population immunity among Yunnan province children and adolescents, an import-related measles outbreak occurred among individuals who were not vaccinated or had vaccine failure in the across-border area. The economic cost of the outbreak was substantial. Investment in a sensitive measles surveillance system to detect outbreaks in a timely manner, maintaining high population immunity to measles, and reinforcing cross-border collaboration with neighboring countries support achieving and sustaining measles elimination in the border areas of China.

In-prison offending and victimization threaten the safety of incarcerated individuals and staff, which makes it an important topic for correctional research. Prior research has generated substantial knowledge about individual and environmental characteristics that heighten the risk of in-prison offending and victimization. The victim-offender overlap and the situational dynamics of incidents, however, are still under-researched. This essay proposes that the study of in-prison offending and victimization would benefit from adoption of an incident-level approach. This recognizes that incidents can escalate and de-escalate depending on persons involved and their (re)actions, and that victimization and offending are often linked. It is discussed how criminological theories and methods on crime and victimization outside prisons can be adapted for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessing the global risk of rabies exposure is a complicated task requiring individual risk assessments, knowledge of rabies epidemiology, surveillance capacity and accessibility of rabies biologics on a national and regional scale. In many parts of the world, availability of this information is limited and when available is often dispersed across multiple sources. This hinders the process of making evidence-based health and policy recommendations to prevent the introduction and spread of rabies.Methods: CDC conducted a country-by-country qualitative assessment of risk and protective factors for rabies to develop an open-access database of core metrics consisting of the presence of lyssaviruses (specifically canine or wildlife rabies virus variants or other bat lyssaviruses), access to rabies immunoglobulins and vaccines, rabies surveillance capacity and canine rabies control capacity. Using these metrics, we developed separate risk scoring systems to inform rabies prevention guidance for travelers and regulations for the importation of dogs. Both scoring systems assigned higher risk to countries with enzootic rabies (particularly canine rabies), and the risk scoring system for travelers also considered protective factors such as the accessibility of rabies biologics for post-exposure prophylaxis. Cumulative scores were calculated across the assessed metrics to assign a risk value of low, moderate or high.Results: A total of 240 countries, territories and dependencies were assessed, for travelers, 116 were identified as moderate to high risk and 124 were low or no risk; for canine rabies virus variant importation, 111 were identified as high-risk and 129 were low or no risk.Conclusions: We developed a comprehensive and easily accessible source of information for assessing the rabies risk for individual countries that included a database of rabies risk and protective factors based on enzootic status and availability of biologics, provided a resource that categorizes risk by country and provided guidance based on these risk categories for travelers and importers of dogs into the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior studies of staff-inmate interactions suggest that they are primarily adversarial in nature. However, less is known about the key factors that influence inmate-staff relationships. Using a sample of formerly incarcerated males in the state of Ohio, the impact of various demographic and institutional characteristics on positive and negative perceptions of correctional staff (by inmates) are assessed. Specifically, ordinary least squares (OLS) regression is employed to examine the variation in perceptions that is accounted for by measures of the inmates' social, demographic, and criminal histories (i.e., imported characteristics) as well as the characteristics of the facilities in which they are housed (i.e., deprivation measures). Individual characteristics exert significant effects on inmate perceptions of staff, whereby (1) younger inmates, (2) minority inmates, (3) inmates with higher levels of education, and (4) inmates with more extensive criminal histories were more likely to hold more negative views of correctional staff. Institutional characteristics also significantly influence inmate perceptions of staff, whereby inmates who have (1) experienced victimization, (2) received less social support, and (3) participated in treatment programs were more likely to hold more negative views of correctional staff. Findings suggest that staff can serve as either agents of change or control for inmates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of the study was to assess the requirements for approval of the importation of unregistered medicines for use in the public sector in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.Methods: The study reviewed the legal provisions and requirements to be fulfilled when importing unregistered medicines for the public sector in SADC countries relative to two comparators drawn from countries with stringent regulatory systems through extant document analysis. The relative implementation index score was calculated and used to measure the level of implementing legal provisions and requirements to be fulfilled. Analysis was performed using the STATA software package.Results: Approximately 13 out of 16 SADC countries had a relative implementation index below 50%. The aggregated implementation index across all SADC countries was 44%, ranging from 4 to 54%, while the two comparators had a relative implementation index of 81% and 85%, respectively.Conclusion: Implementing the minimum requirements for importing unregistered medicines for the public sector was deficient compared to the jurisdictions with stringent regulatory systems, and wide implementation gaps also existed within the SADC region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Even with relatively high vaccination coverage, Japan experienced rubella epidemics in 2012–2014 and 2018–2019, which were fueled by untraced imported cases. We aimed to develop a risk map for rubella epidemics in Japan by geographic location via analysis of seroepidemiological data and accounting for the abundance of foreign visitors. Methods: Geographic age distribution and seroprevalence were used to compute the age- and sex-dependent next-generation matrix in each region. We computed the probability of a major epidemic using the assumed number of untraced imported rubella cases proportionally modeled to the number of foreign travelers. Results: Risks of a major epidemic were high in areas with capital cities, while areas with a greater fraction of older people yielded smaller effective reproduction numbers, a lower volume of foreign travelers, and thus a lower probability of a major epidemic. The volume of susceptible adult males was larger in urban geographic regions, having a greater number of foreign travelers than remote areas. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with the observation of multiple large clusters of rubella cases in urban areas during 2012–2014 and 2018–2019. Should a future rubella epidemic occur, it will likely be in geographic areas with capital cities.

Background: Onchocerca lupi is a filarial nematode affecting dogs, and occasionally cats and humans, in continental Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the USA. Adult worms are usually found in periocular nodules and enucleation is sometimes required if the infection fails to respond to other treatment options. Case presentation: Here, we report the presence of O. lupi in the UK for the first time. Of two dogs re-homed from continental Europe, one developed an ocular nodule seven years after arrival from Portugal. The conjunctival perilimbal mass in its left eye was surgically removed but despite anthelminthic treatment, a further nodule developed in the same eye six months later. In the second case - a dog imported from Romania 12 months earlier - a perilimbal mass was excised from the left eye and prior anthelminthic treatment was supplemented with oral prednisolone and doxycycline. However, nodules recurred, and the left globe was subsequently enucleated. Conjunctival hyperaemia then appeared in the right eye and neither additional anthelminthic treatment nor removal of worm masses failed to prevent the further development of lesions. Excised adult worms were identified in both cases as O. lupi based on morphological characteristics, as well as PCR and sequencing of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 12S rRNA gene fragments. Conclusion: O. lupi parasitosis can apparently remain cryptic in dogs for several years before any clinical signs manifest. Moreover, the progression of infection can be highly aggressive and recalcitrant to both surgical intervention and anthelminthic treatment. Increasingly, former stray dogs of unknown infection status are entering the UK, raising both veterinary and public health concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native freshwater fish of Australia have a diverse but largely undescribed endemic pathogen and parasite fauna. However, due to long-shared evolutionary histories and virulence/transmissibility trade-offs, effects of these endemic pathogens and parasites appear to be subtle: significant impacts are rarely observed and epizootics have not been recorded. In contrast, a number of alien pathogens and parasites are now established across southern Australia, causing manifestly harmful effects to native fish species and known or suspected epizootics in native fish populations. Undetected and/or undescribed alien viral pathogens are also suspected of being present. Alien pathogens and parasites were introduced to Australia with imports of live alien fish or their fertilised eggs. A review of the scientific and historical evidence indicates that they have had, and continue to have, greater impacts on native fish species than previously realised—especially for freshwater species. This review also documents a previously unknown, Murray-Darling-Basin-wide epizootic of Murray cod Maccullochella peelii in 1929–30, which may have contributed to strong declines in the related eastern freshwater cod Maccullochella ikei. A serious Chilodonella epizootic of M. peelii in 1982 is also examined. In addition, a possible role for alien viruses of the family Iridoviridae (Ranavirus and Megalocytivirus) in the general decline of the critically endangered silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus, and the rapid collapse of two specific native fish populations—upper Murrumbidgee River B. bidyanus and Shoalhaven River Macquarie perch Macquaria australasica—is suggested. It is argued that the severity of the impact of the virulent alien oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica, both historical and present day, has been underestimated. Finally, action is recommended against emerging new pathogen and parasite threats, and the extreme risk current alien fish importations pose in introducing them. These will further threaten already stressed native fish populations in southern Australia, particularly across the Murray-Darling Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum is a working group of leading international experts who meet annually to evaluate current scientific findings and future trends concerning the distribution, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and prevention of vector-borne infections of dogs and cats. At the 14th Symposium of the CVBD World Forum in Trieste, Italy (March 25–28, 2019), we identified the need to (i) bring attention to the potential spread of parasites and vectors with relocated dogs, and (ii) provide advice to the veterinary profession regarding the importance of surveillance and treatment for parasites and vector-borne infections when rehoming dogs. This letter shares a consensus statement from the CVBD World Forum as well as a summary of the problem faced, including the role of veterinary professionals in parasite surveillance, causal issues, and the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in addressing the problem. To limit opportunities for dissemination of parasites and vectors, whenever possible, underlying problems creating the need for dog rehoming should be addressed. However, when it is necessary to rehome dogs, this should ideally take place in the country and national region of origin. When geographically distant relocation occurs, veterinary professionals have a vital role to play in public education, vigilance for detection of exotic vectors and infections, and alerting the medical community to the risk(s) for pathogen spread. With appropriate veterinary intervention, dog welfare needs can be met without inadvertently allowing global spread of parasites and their vectors.

Abstract Background There have been an increasing number of imported cases of malaria in Hubei Province in recent years. In particular, the number of cases of Plasmodium ovale spp. and Plasmodium malariae significantly increased, which resulted in increased risks during the malaria elimination phase. The purpose of this study was to acquire a better understanding of the epidemiological characteristics of P. ovale spp. and P. malariae imported to Hubei Province, China, so as to improve case management. Methods Data on all malaria cases from January 2014 to December 2018 in Hubei Province were extracted from the China national diseases surveillance information system (CNDSIS). This descriptive study was conducted to analyse the prevalence trends, latency periods, interval from onset of illness to diagnosis, and misdiagnosis of cases of P. ovale spp. and P. malariae malaria. Results During this period, 634 imported malaria cases were reported, of which 87 P. ovale spp. (61 P. ovale curtisi and 26 P. ovale wallikeri) and 18 P. malariae cases were confirmed. The latency periods of P. ovale spp., P. malariae, Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium falciparum differed significantly, whereas those of P. ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri were no significant difference. The proportion of correct diagnosis of P. ovale spp. and P. malariae malaria cases were 48.3% and 44.4%, respectively, in the hospital or lower-level Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the Provincial Reference Laboratory, the sensitivity of microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests was 94.3% and 70.1%, respectively, for detecting P. ovale spp., and 88.9% and 38.9%, respectively, for detecting P. malariae. Overall, 97.7% (85/87) of P. ovale spp. cases and 94.4% (17/18) of P. malariae cases originated from Africa. Conclusion The increase in the number of imported P. ovale spp. and P. malariae cases, long latency periods, and misdiagnosis pose a challenge to this region. Therefore, more attention should be paid to surveillance of imported cases of P. ovale spp. and P. malariae infection to reduce the burden of public health and potential risk of malaria.

On January 23, 2020, China quarantined Wuhan to contain coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We estimated the probability of transportation of COVID-19 from Wuhan to 369 other cities in China before the quarantine. Expected COVID-19 risk is >50% in 130 (95% CI 89–190) cities and >99% in the 4 largest metropolitan areas.

Abstract Background Zambia has set itself the ambitious target of eliminating malaria by 2021. To continue tracking transmission to zero, new interventions, tools and approaches are required. Methods Urban reactive case detection (RCD) was performed in Lusaka city from 2011 to 2015 to better understand the location and drivers of malaria transmission. Briefly, index cases were followed to their home and all consenting individuals living in the index house and nine proximal houses were tested with a malaria rapid diagnostic test and treated if positive. A brief survey was performed and for certain responses, a dried blood spot sample collected for genetic analysis. Aggregate health facility data, individual RCD response data and genetic results were analysed spatially and against environmental correlates. Results Total number of malaria cases remained relatively constant, while the average age of incident cases and the proportion of incident cases reporting recent travel both increased. The estimated R0 in Lusaka was

A 69-year-old Indian woman living in Germany for 43 years presented with a lump in her left breast after visiting India. The initial biopsy suggested a worm-like parasite, but further examination revealed it to be Dirofilaria repens. The patient was treated with Doxycycline and showed improvement. Genetic testing confirmed the infection as Dirofilaria hongkongensis, a zoonotic parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. This is the first reported case of D. hongkongensis infection in Germany, acquired in India. The study highlights the importance of considering this parasite in patients with soft tissue masses after traveling to filarial-endemic areas. [Extracted from the article]