Search

Background: The long-COVID syndrome is characterised by a plethora of symptoms. Given its social and economic impact, many studies have stressed the urgency of proposing innovative strategies other than hospital settings. In this double-blinded, randomised, case–control trial, we investigate the effects of sulphur thermal water inhalations, rich in H2S, compared to distilled water inhalations on symptoms, inflammatory markers and nasal microbiome in long-COVID patients. Methods: About 30 outpatients aged 18–75 with positive diagnosis for long-COVID were randomised in two groups undergoing 12 consecutive days of inhalations. The active group (STW) received sulphur thermal water inhalations whereas the placebo group received inhalations of sterile distilled non-pyrogenic water (SDW). Each participant was tested prior treatment at day 1 (T0), after the inhalations at day 14 (T1) and at 3 months follow-up (T2). At each time point, blood tests, nasal swabs for microbiome sampling, pulmonary functionality tests (PFTs) and pro-inflammatory marker measure were performed. Results: The scores obtained in the administered tests (6MWT, Borg score and SGRQ) at T0 showed a significant variation in the STW group, at T1 and T2. Serum cytokine levels and other inflammatory biomarkers reported a statistically significant decrease. Some specific parameters of PFTs showed ameliorations in the STW group only. Changes in the STW nasopharyngeal microbiota composition were noticed, especially from T0 to T2. Conclusions: Inhalations of sulphur thermal water exerted objective and subjective improvements on participants affected by long-COVID. Significant reduction of inflammatory markers, dyspnoea scores and quantitative and qualitative changes in the nasopharyngeal microbiome were also assessed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, extensive efforts focused on developing a better understanding of indirect transmission routes, environmental monitoring of fomites, and suitable surveillance strategies, providing new perspectives to also face other communicable diseases. Rapid methods for monitoring environmental contamination are strongly needed to support risk assessment, epidemiological surveillance and prevent infections from spreading. We optimized and automatized a protocol based on fomite detection by qPCR, using a microbial-signature approach based on marker genes belonging to the microbiota of droplets or different biological fluids. The procedure was implemented by exploiting the available tools developed for SARS-CoV-2 tracing, such as flocked swab sampling, real-time PCR equipment and automatic extraction of nucleic acids. This approach allowed scaling up, simplifying, and speeding up the extraction step of environmental swabs, processing at least 48 samples within 45 min vs. 90 min for about 24 samples by manual protocols. A comparison of microflora data by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) strongly supports the effectiveness of this semiautomated extraction procedure, providing good quality DNA with comparable representation of species as shown by biodiversity indexes. Today, equipment for qPCR is widely available and relatively inexpensive; therefore this approach may represent a promising tool for hospital hygiene in surveilling fomites associated with SARS-CoV-2 or other pathogen’s transmission.

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 infection shows a wide-ranging clinical severity, requiring prognostic markers. We focused on S100B, a calcium-binding protein present in biological fluids, being a reliable biomarker in disorders having inflammatory processes as common basis and RAGE as main receptor. Since Covid-19 is characterized by a potent inflammatory response also involving RAGE, we tested if S100B serum levels were related to disease severity. Serum samples (n = 74) were collected from hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 positive patients admitted to Covid center. Illness severity was established by admission clinical criteria and Covid risk score. Treatment protocols followed WHO guidelines available at the time. Circulating S100B was determined by ELISA assay. Statistical analysis used Pearson’s χ2 test, t-Test, and ANOVA, ANCOVA, Linear Regression. S100B was detected in serum from Covid-19 patients, significantly correlating with disease severity as shown both by the level of intensity of care (p

Waterborne pathogens represent one of the most widespread environmental concerns. Conventional disinfection methods, including chlorination and UV, pose several operational and environmental problems; namely, formation of potentially hazardous disinfection by-products (DBPs) and high energy consumption. Therefore, there is high demand for effective, low-cost disinfection treatments. Among advanced oxidation processes, the photocatalytic process, a form of green technology, is becoming increasingly attractive. A systematic review was carried out on the synthesis, characterization, toxicity, and antimicrobial performance of innovative engineered photocatalysts. In recent decades, various engineered photocatalysts have been developed to overcome the limits of conventional photocatalysts using different synthesis methods, and these are discussed together with the main parameters influencing the process behaviors. The potential environmental risks of engineered photocatalysts are also addressed, considering the toxicity effects presented in the literature.

Several studies evaluated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the environment. Saliva and nasopharyngeal droplets can land on objects and surfaces, creating fomites.

Worldwide, the location of thermal springs overlaps seismic areas, and the higher occurrence of earthquakes may impact on water stability and safety. The hydrogeological perturbations pose environmental and public health risks that can be monitored by well-established chemical, physical and biological parameters. Specific health concerns involve the exposure of the population to the medical or wellness uses of SPA thermal waters, e.g. in respiratory or hydropinic treatments as well as during rehabilitative or recreational activities in pools. Since SPA waters are characterized by their own microbiota, we analysed by 16S amplicon sequencing the dynamics of water microbial communities after the August 2017 Ischia island earthquake. For the first time, we report the impact of a seismic event on a thermal spring water, whose microbiota was deeply characterized before and immediately after the natural disaster. The biodiversity stability of the water underwent a dramatic disturbance following the earthquake, as summarized by a Shannon index moving from 1.300 during May 2016-July 2017, up to 1.600 during the first 20–70 h after the event and slightly slowing down to 1.500 after 30 days and to 1.400 after 6 months. Microbiota analysis showed a sudden reduction of the relative abundance of autochthone thermophilic species within the first 20 h and a parallel increase of other thermophilic species as well as of ectopic bacteria from soil, sediments, sea, freshwater and wastewaters. Cultivable mesophilic bacteria were observed only in the first 20 h sample (7 × 103/L), even if the presence of faecal contamination traces was detected by Real Time PCR also up to 70 h after the disaster. OTUs analysis of putative metabolic functions showed several changes between pre and post event, such as in the distribution of Sulphur metabolizing and Carbon fixation species. The restoration of the original pattern followed a slow trend, requiring over six months. The observed results confirm the impact of the earthquake on the microbiota structure of the underground thermal spring water, suggesting further perspectives for monitoring water stability and safety issues by a metagenomic approach. Keywords: Earthquake, SPA thermal water, Microbial stability, Biodiversity, Hygiene

Natural SPA waters and their environments were known since ancient times and used for health or recreational purposes in different societies, worldwide. The composition and uses of these spring waters may not allow standard disinfection in pools, representing a challenge for hygiene management. Several safety and quality procedures were proposed, but a systematic approach is still needed. Here, we focus on alternative strategies to provide hints for developing a sustainable Water Safety Plan, based on intrinsic water properties and photocatalytic materials. The antimicrobial activity of four different SPA waters with high mineral content and one drinkable spring water with a low mineral content, was assessed and then tested for the additional bactericidal activity of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterials and/or light exposure at different wavelengths (200–635 nm). A native antibacterial activity was observed in all high mineral content waters, with a CFU reduction of 75–80%. The bactericidal action of TiO2 showed an additional incremental effect, with a reduction of over 99% within 2–5 h. Interestingly, the antibacterial photocatalytic effect was detected also in the visible light range, with a possible pick around 450–455 nm, blue-light. Based on observed results, we propose a model for developing a water safety plan, considering water properties and bather exposure. This candidate approach is personalized on water composition and pool use, trying to avoid chemical disinfectants. Photocatalytic nanotechnologies represent one of the promising alternative treatments and can provide novel perspectives for a sustainable managing of natural SPA water hygiene. Keywords: SPA thermal water, Recreational, Treatment, Filtration, Photocatalysis

Synthetic fibres are used in place of the natural grass worldwide, for realizing playgrounds, soccer fields and even domestic gardens or recreational structures. An intensive use of artificial turf is currently observed in sports facilities, due to lower costs, higher sustainability in recycling of materials, and advantages related to athletic practice and performance. However, even if chemical and physical risks were studied, the microbiological component was not fully addressed, especially considering a comprehensive evaluation of the microbiota in synthetic vs natural playground surfaces. Here, we investigated the microbial community present on soccer fields, using Next Generation Sequencing and a 16S amplicon sequencing approach. Artificial and natural turfs show own ecosystems with different microbial profiles and a mean Shannon's diversity value of 2.176 and 2.475, respectively. The bacterial community is significantly different between facilities (ANOSIM: R = 0.179; p < 0.001) and surface materials (ANOSIM: R = 0.172; p < 0.005). The relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacterial OTUs was higher in synthetic than in natural samples (ANOVA, F = 2.2). Soccer fields are characterized by their own microbiota, showing a different 16S amplicon sequencing signature between natural and artificial turfs.