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The aim of this study was to investigate and obtain insights into the appearance, spread and impact of the Omicron variants and their sub-lineages in Cyprus by analyzing 611 high-coverage full-genome sequences for the period from November 2021 until April 2022. All viruses sequenced were identified to belong to either Delta (B.1.617.2) or Omicron (lineage BA.1 and BA.2, respectively), with a variety of different sub-lineages. A detailed analysis of the mutational profile is presented and discussed. The Omicron variant BA.1 was shortly followed by BA.2; despite emerging against a background of high vaccination (81% of adult population) and pre-existing natural immunity, they gave rise to the largest waves of infection, with daily numbers rising dramatically, highlighting their increased ability for immune evasion. Within a period of only five months, the percentage of the Cypriot population with a confirmed infection increased from ~15% of the total population to >57%. Despite unprecedented case numbers, a significant reduction in hospital burden and mortality was observed. Our findings highlight the role of the importation of new variants through travel and demonstrate the importance of genomic surveillance in determining viral genetic diversity and the timely identification of new variants for guiding public health intervention measures.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10091688 | DOI Listing |
BMC Public Health
September 2025
Department of Mathematics, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Gottlieb-Daimler-Str.48, Kaiserslautern, 67663, Germany.
We study the dynamics of coexisting influenza and SARS-CoV-2 by adapting a well-established age-specific COVID-19 model to a multi-pathogen framework. Sensitivity analysis and adjustment of the model to real-world data are used to investigate the influence of age-related factors on disease dynamics. Our findings underscore the critical role that transmission rates play in shaping the spread of influenza and COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNPJ Antimicrob Resist
September 2025
Antimicrobial Resistance & Microbiome Research Group, Department of Biology, The Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co, Kildare, Ireland.
Plasmids facilitate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene spread via horizontal gene transfer, yet the mobility of genes in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) resistomes remains unclear. We sequenced 173 circularised plasmids transferred from WWTP effluent into Escherichia coli and characterised their genetic content. Multiple multidrug-resistant plasmids were identified, with a significant number of mega-plasmids (>100 kb).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Med Internet Res
September 2025
Artificial Intelligence and Mathematical Modeling Lab, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Background: The H5N1 avian influenza A virus represents a serious threat to both animal and human health, with the potential to escalate into a global pandemic. Effective monitoring of social media during H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks could potentially offer critical insights to guide public health strategies. Social media platforms like Reddit, with their diverse and region-specific communities, provide a rich source of data that can reveal collective attitudes, concerns, and behavioral trends in real time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFmBio
September 2025
Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Enteroinvasive bacterial pathogens are responsible for an enormous worldwide disease burden that critically affects the young and immunocompromised. is a gram-negative enteric pathogen closely related to the plague agent that colonizes intestinal tissues, induces the formation of pyogranulomas along the intestinal tract, and disseminates to systemic organs following oral infection of experimental rodents. Prior studies proposed that systemic tissues were colonized by a pool of intestinal replicating bacteria distinct from populations within Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFood Res Int
November 2025
Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella" - Facultad de Ciencias Médicas - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina.
The global consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) leafy green vegetables and berries has risen as consumers perceive them as safe and nutritious options. However, these foods have also been identified as sources of enteric viruses that infect the human gastrointestinal system, which are then excreted and can spread through the fecal-oral route. In Argentina, there is limited evidence on the detection of enteric viruses in food, and no legislation currently requires their detection in frozen or fresh produce intended for domestic consumption.
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