Nanoparticles as potential new generation broad spectrum antimicrobial agents

The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistant strains to conventional antimicrobial agents has complicated and prolonged infection treatment and increased mortality risk globally. Furthermore, some of the conventional antimicrobial agents are unable to cross certain cell membranes thus, restricting treatment of intracellular pathogens. Therefore, the disease-causing-organisms tend to persist in these cells. However, the emergence of nanoparticle (NP) technology has come with the promising broad spectrum NP-antimicrobial agents due to their vast physiochemical and functionalization properties. In fact, NP-antimicrobial agents are able to unlock the restrictions experienced by conventional antimicrobial agents. This review discusses the status quo of NP-antimicrobial agents as potent broad spectrum antimicrobial agents, sterilization and wound healing agents, and sustained inhibitors of intracellular pathogens. Indeed, the perspective of developing potent NP-antimicrobial agents that carry multiple-functionality will revolutionize clinical medicine and play a significant role in alleviating disease burden.

REFERENCE:
Yah, Clarence S., and Geoffrey S. Simate. “Nanoparticles as Potential New Generation Broad Spectrum Antimicrobial Agents.” DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 23 (2015): 43. PMC. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
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The history of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD) 1920-2014.

The following history has been compiled and written by the authors. The historical facts are available from the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD) archives, dating back to letters and summaries written by the founders, and by a few of the Secretary-Treasurers from the early decades through 2014. The Organization and Purpose: The CRWAD is a non-profit organization and has been since its origin. The sole purpose of CRWAD is to discuss and disseminate the most current research advances in animal diseases. Graduate students and industry and academic professionals present and discuss the most recent advances on subjects of interest to the CRWAD and of importance to the global livestock and companion animal industries. The oral and poster abstracts of new and unpublished data presented at the meeting sessions are published each year in the CRWAD Proceedings (formerly the CRWAD Abstracts). CRWAD publishes, copyrights, and distributes the Proceedings. The presentations are arranged into the following 10 sections, according to the primary topic of the presentation: Bacterial Pathogenesis, Biosafety and Biosecurity, Companion Animal Epidemiology, Ecology and Management of Foodborne Agents, Epidemiology and Animal Health Economics, Immunology, Pathobiology of Enteric and Foodborne Pathogens, Respiratory Diseases, Vector-Borne and Parasitic Diseases, and Viral Pathogenesis. Prospective members should be actively engaged in animal disease research or research administration. Meeting information and membership applications may be obtained by contacting the Executive Director or by visiting the CRWAD website. Annual abstracts are currently available on-line at the On-line Meeting Planner and Itinerary Builder, with access through the CRWAD website.

REFERENCE:
Ellis, Robert P., L. Susanne Squires Ellis, and Erwin M. Kohler. “The History of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD) 1920–2014.” Animal Health Research Reviews 16.2 (2015): 177–192. PMC. Web. 17 Jan. 2016.
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#Zika Virus in the Americas - Yet Another Arbovirus Threat

CDC

The explosive pandemic of Zika virus infection occurring throughout South America, Central America, and the Caribbean (see map) and potentially threatening the United States is the most recent of four unexpected arrivals of important arthropod-borne viral diseases in the Western Hemisphere over the past 20 years. It follows dengue, which entered this hemisphere stealthily over decades and then more aggressively in the 1990s; West Nile virus, which emerged in 1999; and chikungunya, which emerged in 2013. Are the successive migrations of these viruses unrelated, or do they reflect important new patterns of disease emergence? Furthermore, are there secondary health consequences?

REFERENCE:
Fauci AS, Morens DM. Zika Virus in the Americas - Yet Another Arbovirus Threat. N Engl J Med. 2016 Jan 13.

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Inactivation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus by Commercially Available Disinfectants and Cleaners

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is an animal pathogen of great concern. It is contagious to cloven-hoofed animals and affects animals in extensive areas worldwide. In general, the primary eradication strategies for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Japan are stamping out the disease and restriction of movement. It is also important to completely disinfect the infected area to prevent the spread of FMDV, including vehicles and people as well. However, there is no report on the effect of commercially available disinfectants against FMDV in a short contact time. In this study, we evaluated the virucidal effect of thirteen commercially available products, and got the following results: acidic ethanol disinfectants, alkaline cleaners and sodium hypochlorite had great effect (>3.0 log10 reduction in titer) against FMDV. On the other hand, neutral ethanol disinfectants, hand soaps, and quaternary ammonium compound sanitizers did not show great effect against FMDV. Therefore, it is presumed that acidic ethanol disinfectants are effective for human use and alkaline cleaners are effective for use in the infected environment for the control of a FMD outbreak.
REFERENCE:
Harada Y. et al. Inactivation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus by Commercially Available Disinfectants and Cleaners. Biocontrol Science, 2015, Vol. 20, No. 3, 205－208.
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Capacity building in national influenza laboratories – use of laboratory assessments to drive progress

Background: Laboratory testing is a fundamental component of influenza surveillance for detecting novel strains with pandemic potential and informing biannual vaccine strain selection. The United States (U.S.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the auspices of its WHO Collaborating Center for Influenza, is one of the major public health agencies which provides support globally to build national capacity for influenza surveillance. Our main objective was to determine if laboratory assessments supported capacity building efforts for improved global influenza surveillance.
Methods: In 2010, 35 national influenza laboratories were assessed in 34 countries, using a standardized tool. Post-assessment, each laboratory received a report with a list of recommendations for improvement. Uptake of recommendations were reviewed 3.2 mean years after the initial assessments and categorized as complete, in-progress, no action or no update. This was a retrospective study; follow-up took place through routine project management rather than at a set time-point post-assessment. WHO data on National Influenza Centre (NIC) designation, External Quality Assessment Project (EQAP) participation and FluNet reporting was used to measure laboratory capacity longitudinally and independently of the assessments. All data was further stratified by World Bank country income category.
Results: At follow-up, 81 % of 614 recommendations were either complete (350) or in-progress (145) for 32 laboratories (91 % response rate). The number of countries reporting to FluNet and the number of specimens they reported annually increased between 2005, when they were first funded by CDC, and 2010, the assessment year (p < 0.01). Improvements were also seen in EQAP participation and NIC designation over time and more so for low and lower-middle income countries.
Conclusions: Assessments using a standardized tool have been beneficial to improving laboratory-based influenza surveillance. Specific recommendations helped countries identify and prioritize areas for improvement. Data from assessments helped CDC focus its technical assistance by country and region. Low and lower-middle income countries made greater improvements in their laboratories compared with upper-middle income countries. Future research could include an analysis of annual funding and technical assistance by country. Our approach serves as an example for capacity building for other diseases.
REFERENCE:
Lucinda E. A. Johnson, et al. Capacity building in national influenza laboratories – use of laboratory assessments to drive progress. BMC Infect Dis. 2015; 15: 501.
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Invitación al foro "Bioseguridad y Salud"

Microbial immigration across the Mediterranean via airborne dust

Dust particles lifting and discharge from Africa to Europe is a recurring phenomenon linked to air circulation conditions. The possibility that microorganisms are conveyed across distances entails important consequences in terms of biosafety and pathogens spread. Using culture independent DNA-based analyses via next generation sequencing of the 16 S genes from the airborne metagenome, the atmospheric microbial community was characterized and the hypothesis was tested that shifts in species diversity could be recorded in relation to dust discharge. As sampling ground the island of Sardinia was chosen, being an ideal cornerstone within the Mediterranean and a crossroad of wind circulation amidst Europe and Africa. Samples were collected in two opposite coastal sites and in two different weather conditions comparing dust-conveying winds from Africa with a control situation with winds from Europe. A major conserved core microbiome was evidenced but increases in species richness and presence of specific taxa were nevertheless observed in relation to each wind regime. Taxa which can feature strains with clinical implications were also detected. The approach is reported as a recommended model monitoring procedure for early warning alerts in frameworks of biosafety against natural spread of clinical microbiota across countries as well as to prevent bacteriological warfare.

REFERENCE:
Rosselli R, et al. Microbial immigration across the Mediterranean via airborne dust. Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 6;5:16306.

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A Relative Risk-Based Framework for Safer, More Secure, and Sustainable Laboratory Capacity Building

BACKGROUND: Laboratory capacity building is characterized by a paradox between endemicity and resources: countries with high endemicity of pathogenic agents often have low and intermittent resources (water, electricity) and capacities (laboratories, trained staff, adequate regulations). Meanwhile, countries with low endemicity of pathogenic agents often have high-containment facilities with costly infrastructure and maintenance governed by regulations. The common practice of exporting high biocontainment facilities and standards is not sustainable and concerns about biosafety and biosecurity require careful consideration.
METHODS: A group at Chatham House developed a draft conceptual framework for safer, more secure, and sustainable laboratory capacity building.
RESULTS: The draft generic framework is guided by the phrase "LOCAL - PEOPLE - MAKE SENSE" that represents three major principles: capacity building according to local needs (local) with an emphasis on relationship and trust building (people) and continuous outcome and impact measurement (make sense).
CONCLUSION: This draft generic framework can serve as a blueprint for international policy decision-making on improving biosafety and biosecurity in laboratory capacity building, but requires more testing and detailing development.

REFERENCE:
Dickmann P, Sheeley H and Lightfoot N (2015). Biosafety and biosecurity: a relative risk-based framework for safer, more secure, and sustainable laboratory capacity building. Front. Public Health 3:241.

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Awareness and low uptake of post exposure prophylaxis for HIV among clinical medical students

Background: Adequate knowledge and practices on post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV among health care providers are crucial for HIV prevention. However there is limited data on PEP knowledge and practice from developing countries where the burden of HIV infection continues to increase. We assessed the knowledge of clinical medical students on PEP, their practices in response to occupational exposure to HIV, as well as the determinants of good knowledge on PEP.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in November 2014 involving 154 consecutively recruited clinical medical students (4th-6th year undergraduates). Data were acquired using a structured questionnaire. Knowledge on PEP was assessed using a questionnaire comprising 25 questions and categorized as: good (20 or more correct answers), moderate (13–19 correct answers) and poor (12 or fewer correct answers).
Results: For the 154 students included (57.8 % being male), the mean age was 23.2 ± 2.4 years, and 89 % had heard about PEP for HIV. The majority of students had moderate (61.7 %) and poor (32.5 %) knowledge on PEP. Overall knowledge score increased with increasing level of studies (p < 0.05). Only 10 (6.5 %) had had previous training on PEP, most of whom were senior level students (p = 0.01). Fifty-four students (35.1 %) knew the appropriate duration of PEP and this awareness increased with level of studies (p = 0.001). Of the 81 (52.6 %) who reported occupational exposure to HIV in the past, only 4 (4.9 %) received PEP.
Conclusions: Overall, knowledge on PEP among clinical medical students in this setting was non-optimal with very low uptake PEP. Intensification of HIV curricula to involve PEP as well as continuous medical education programs and workshops are potential avenues to improve awareness in this vulnerable population.
REFERENCE:
Ndemnge Aminde L. et al. Awareness and low uptake of post exposure prophylaxis for HIV among clinical medical students in a high endemicity setting. BMC Public Health. 2015; 15: 1104.
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Laboratory-Acquired Parasitic Infections from Accidental Exposures #LAIs

Viejito pero de utilidad....

Parasitic diseases are receiving increasing attention in developed countries in part because of their importance in travelers, immigrants, and immunocompromised persons. The main purpose of this review is to educate laboratorians, the primary readership, and health care workers, the secondary readership, about the potential hazards of handling specimens that contain viable parasites and about the diseases that can result. This is accomplished partly through discussion of the occupationally acquired cases of parasitic infections that have been reported, focusing for each case on the type of accident that resulted in infection, the length of the incubation period, the clinical manifestations that developed, and the means by which infection was detected. The article focuses on the cases of infection with the protozoa that cause leishmaniasis, malaria, toxoplasmosis, Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis), and African trypanosomiasis. Data about 164 such cases are discussed, as are data about cases caused by intestinal protozoa and by helminths. Of the 105 case-patients infected with blood and tissue protozoa who either recalled an accident or for whom the likely route of transmission could be presumed, 47 (44.8%) had percutaneous exposure via a contaminated needle or other sharp object. Some accidents were directly linked to poor laboratory practices (e.g., recapping a needle or working barehanded). To decrease the likelihood of accidental exposures, persons who could be exposed to pathogenic parasites must be thoroughly instructed in safety precautions before they begin to work and through ongoing training programs. Protocols should be provided for handling specimens that could contain viable organisms, using protective clothing and equipment, dealing with spills of infectious organisms, and responding to accidents. Special care should be exercised when using needles and other sharp objects.

REFERENCE:
Herwaldt, Barbara L. “Laboratory-Acquired Parasitic Infections from  Accidental Exposures.” Clinical Microbiology Reviews 14.4 (2001): 659–688. PMC. Web. 3 Sept. 2015.

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Comparison of Protection Factors Offered by N95 and P100 Filtering Facepiece and Elastomeric Half-Mask Respirators

staples.com

This study compared the simulated workplace protection factors (SWPFs) between NIOSH-approved N95 respirators and P100 respirators, including two models of filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) and two models of elastomeric half-mask respirator (EHR), against sodium chloride particles (NaCl) in a range of 10 to 400 nm.
Twenty-five human test subjects performed modified OSHA fit test exercises in a controlled laboratory environment with the N95 respirators (two FFR models and two EHR models) and the P100 respirators (two FFRs and two EHRs). Two Scanning Mobility Particle Sizers (SMPS) were used to measure aerosol concentrations (in the 10–400 nm size range) inside (Cin) and outside (Cout) of the respirator, simultaneously. SWPF was calculated as the ratio of Cout to Cin. The SWPF values obtained from the N95 respirators were then compared to those of the P100 respirators.
SWPFs were found to be significantly different (P<0.05) between N95 and P100 class respirators. The 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles of the SWPFs for the N95 respirators were much lower than those for the P100 models. The N95 respirators had 5th percentiles of the SWPFs > 10. In contrast, the P100 class was able to generate 5th percentiles SWPFs > 100. No significant difference was found in the SWPFs when tested against nano-size (10 to 100 nm) and large-size (100 to 400 nm) particles.
Overall, the findings suggest that the two FFRs and two EHRs with P100 class filters provide better performance than those with N95 filters against particles from 10 to 400 nm, supporting current OSHA and NIOSH recommendations.
Keywords: Nano particle, N95, P100, FFR, HER, SWPF, Respirator

REFERENCE:
He, Xinjian et al. “Comparison of Simulated Workplace Protection Factors Offered by N95 and P100 Filtering Facepiece and Elastomeric Half-Mask Respirators against Particles of 10 to 400 Nm.” Journal of nanotechnology and materials science 2.2 (2015): 1–6. PMC. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

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Membresías 2016 #AMEXBIO

Una de las fuentes de ingreso de AMEXBIO son las aportaciones de los miembros, por lo que invitamos a actualizar su membresía o unirse como miembro activo.

Los beneficios que obtendrás al pagar tu membresía 2016 son:

1. Cuotas preferenciales para el Simposio Anual, cursos en línea, eventos, seminarios y productos que organice y promueva AMEXBIO.
2. Poder conocer las diferentes convocatorias de las instituciones que apoyan con recursos o descuentos para participar en eventos nacionales e internacionales sobre temas de bioseguridad.
3. Contar con su perfil académico y poder participar como profesor en nuestros cursos en línea o cursos presenciales.
4. Participar activamente en todos los eventos académicos que organice nuestra Asociación.
5. Constancia de miembro activo.
6. Asistir a las Asambleas y participar activamente

La membresía 2016 es de $ 900.-

APROVECHA EL BUEN FIN DE AÑO

1. Si ya eres miembro y estas al corriente (Estatus Active):

    Paga el importe de $ 800.00** (actualiza tu perfil, hay campos nuevos)

2. Si ya eres miembro pero no estás al corriente (Estatus Pending Renewal o Lapsed):

Los miembros fundadores, titulares y numerarios que hayan dejado de pagar por varios años, podrán ponerse al corriente con todas sus cuotas al pagar   $ 400.00, además de pagar lo correspondiente a lamembresía 2016 de $ 800.00. 

El total del depósito sería de $ 1,200.00** para ponerse al corriente y renovar hasta febrero de 2017. (actualiza tu perfil, hay campos nuevos)

3. Si no eres miembro (Estatus visitante o en blanco):

Los profesores o investigadores de nuevo ingreso deberán enviar el pago de $ 800.00**,  actualizar su perfil en la página de miembros: www.amexbio.wildapricot.org y enviar la documentación solicitada, al correo electrónico de miembros@amexbio.org.

CONVOCATORIA NUEVOS MIEMBROS

Por favor ayúdanos a distribuir esta información entre tus contactos que les pueda interesar en participar en AMEXBIO.

**- Depósito bancario a nombre de:

Cliente: ASOCIACION MEXICANA DE BIOSEGURIDAD A.C.

Banco: BANAMEX

CLABE interbancaria: 002180024179950244

Sucursal: 0241

Cuenta: 7995024

Referencia:(nombre del miembro)

Enviar el comprobante de depósito escaneado y datos de facturación (si es necesario) al siguiente correo electrónico: tesoreria@amexbio.org

INFORMES:  http://amexbio.wildapricot.org/membresia

Se emitirá la factura correspondiente, así como la constancia de membresía, que se enviarán por correo electrónico.

Atentamente

Consejo Directivo AMEXBIO 2015-2106

** Vigencia de promoción: al 30 de Diciembre 2015

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A New Synthesis for Dual Use Research of Concern #DURC

In 2004, the National Research Council (NRC) published Biotechnology Research in an Age of Terrorism, which introduced the term "dual use dilemma" to denote beneficial life sciences research whose results could be misused to cause harm. That phrase evolved into “dual use research of concern” or DURC. The subsequent decade was characterized by a dichotomy in the response of scientists and the public, with both avid interest and complete disinterest. DURC was a largely specialized issue with awareness confined to a small group of experts in the scientific, government, and security communities until a vigorous and sometimes acrimonious debate erupted in 2011–2012 when two manuscripts reported the experimental derivation of mammalian transmissible H5N1 influenza. Here, we examine a decade of dual use and propose a new synthesis for moving forward.

REFERENCE:

Imperiale MJ, Casadevall A (2015) A New Synthesis for Dual Use Research of Concern. PLoS Med 12(4): e1001813. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001813

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Parasitic cancer in human host

Neoplasms occur naturally in invertebrates but are not known to develop in tapeworms. We observed nests of monomorphic, undifferentiated cells in samples from lymph-node and lung biopsies in a man infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The morphologic features and invasive behavior of the cells were characteristic of cancer, but their small size suggested a nonhuman origin. A polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) assay targeting eukaryotes identified Hymenolepis nana DNA. Although the cells were unrecognizable as tapeworm tissue, immunohistochemical staining and probe hybridization labeled the cells in situ. Comparative deep sequencing identified H. nana structural genomic variants that are compatible with mutations described in cancer. Invasion of human tissue by abnormal, proliferating, genetically altered tapeworm cells is a novel disease mechanism that links infection and cancer. 

REFERENCE:

Malignant Transformation of Hymenolepis nana in a Human Host. Muehlenbachs A, Bhatnagar J, Agudelo CA, Hidron A, Eberhard ML, Mathison BA, Frace MA, Ito A, Metcalfe MG, Rollin DC, Visvesvara GS, Pham CD, Jones TL, Greer PW, Vélez Hoyos A, Olson PD, Diazgranados LR, Zaki SR. N Engl J Med. 2015 Nov 5;373(19):1845-1852.

PUNZOCORTANTES: Tipos de dispositivos de seguridad

Descargar poster completo en PDF

Cuando seleccióne un dispositivo punzocortante es importante considerar:
• El dispositivo no debe comprometer el cuidado del paciente.
• El dispositivo debe ser confiable.
• El mecanismo de seguridad debe ser parte integral del dispositivo, no debe ser un component accesorio.
• El dispositivo debe ser de fácil manejo, y requerir el mínimo cambio en la técnica de manejo.
• La activación del dispositivo debe ser conveniente y permitir que al usuario el apropiado control del procedimiento.
• El dispositivo no debe crear otros riesgos o fuentes de exposición a la sangre.
• Debe ser de único manejo o de activación autimática.
• La activación debe manifestarse de forma audible, táctil o visual.
• La activación del dispositivo no debe ser reversible una vez activada.

TIPOS:

1. CONECTORES SIN AGUJAS. Permiten la conexión de soluciones sin el uso de agujas punzocortantes.
2. DISPOSITIVOS RETRÁCTILES. Permite la inactivación de los punzocortantes (agujas, lancetas), retrayendolos y ocultándolos después de su uso. 
3. CAMISAS PROTECTORAS. Con dispositivos que cubren a la lanceta o aguja después de utilizarlos. Generalmente unidos a las porciones plásticas de las agujas o busturies.
4. AGUJAS ALADAS. Permiten un mejor manejo de agujas.
5. AGUJAS OCULTAS. Diseñado con un punto/sin núcleo desviado para eliminar el potencial de "extracción de muestras", o el corte de un tapón del tabique de silicona de un puerto vascular.
6. TRANSPORTADOR DE PUNZOCORTANTES. Facilita la transferencia de punzocortantes, que prevé la colocación segura y recuperación de objetos punzantes.
7. CONTENEDORES DE PUNZOCORTANTES. Contenedores para la eliminación de objetos punzantes, colocados lo más cerca posible de las áreas donde se utilizan o se encuentran los objetos punzantes.

Este artículo es con propósitos educativos. El blog no recomienda ninguna marca en específico.

REFERENCE:

• https://sites.google.com/site/seguridadbiologica/home/agujas.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1
• Bunzl Healthcare
• GUÍA de selección de punzocortantes ó DESCARGA2
• POSTER COMPLETO PDF

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Economic evaluations of mask and respirator use for protection against respiratory infection transmission

Background
There has been increasing debate surrounding mask and respirator interventions to control respiratory infection transmission in both healthcare and community settings. As decision makers are considering the recommendations they should evaluate how to provide the most efficient protection strategies with minimum costs. The aim of this review is to identify and evaluate the existing economic evaluation literature in this area and to offer advice on how future evaluations on this topic should be conducted.
Methods
We searched the Scopus database for all literature on economic evaluation of mask or respirator use to control respiratory infection transmission. Reference lists from the identified studies were also manually searched. Seven studies met our inclusion criteria from the initial 806 studies identified by the search strategy and our manual search.
Results
Five studies considered interventions for seasonal and/or pandemic influenza, with one also considering SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). The other two studies focussed on tuberculosis transmission control interventions. The settings and methodologies of the studies varied greatly. No low-middle income settings were identified. Only one of the reviewed studies cited clinical evidence to inform their mask/respirator intervention effectiveness parameters. Mask and respirator interventions were generally reported by the study authors to be cost saving or cost-effective when compared to no intervention or other control measures, however the evaluations had important limitations.
Conclusions
Given the large cost differential between masks and respirators, there is a need for more comprehensive economic evaluations to compare the relative costs and benefits of these interventions in situations and settings where alternative options are potentially applicable. There are at present insufficient well conducted cost-effectiveness studies to inform decision-makers on the value for money of alternative mask/respirator options.
Keywords: Respirator, Facemask, Economic evaluation, Cost-effectiveness, Influenza, Tuberculosis

REFERENCE:
Shohini Mukerji, C. Raina MacIntyre, Anthony T. Newall. Review of economic evaluations of mask and respirator use for protection against respiratory infection transmission. BMC Infect Dis. 2015; 15: 413. Published online 2015 October 13.
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Nobel Prize-winning Drug May Prevent Malaria Transmission

laboratoryequipment.com

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A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks

Cloth mask, Aliexpress.com

Objective
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of cloth masks to medical masks in hospital healthcare workers (HCWs). The null hypothesis is that there is no difference between medical masks and cloth masks.
Setting
14 secondary-level/tertiary-level hospitals in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Participants
1607 hospital HCWs aged ≥18 years working full-time in selected high-risk wards.
Intervention
Hospital wards were randomised to: medical masks, cloth masks or a control group (usual practice, which included mask wearing). Participants used the mask on every shift for 4 consecutive weeks.
Main outcome measure
Clinical respiratory illness (CRI), influenza-like illness (ILI) and laboratory-confirmed respiratory virus infection.
Results
The rates of all infection outcomes were highest in the cloth mask arm, with the rate of ILI statistically significantly higher in the cloth mask arm (relative risk (RR)=13.00, 95% CI 1.69 to 100.07) compared with the medical mask arm. Cloth masks also had significantly higher rates of ILI compared with the control arm. An analysis by mask use showed ILI (RR=6.64, 95% CI 1.45 to 28.65) and laboratory-confirmed virus (RR=1.72, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.94) were significantly higher in the cloth masks group compared with the medical masks group. Penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97% and medical masks 44%.
Conclusions
This study is the first RCT of cloth masks, and the results caution against the use of cloth masks. This is an important finding to inform occupational health and safety. Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection. Further research is needed to inform the widespread use of cloth masks globally. However, as a precautionary measure, cloth masks should not be recommended for HCWs, particularly in high-risk situations, and guidelines need to be updated.
Trial registration number
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12610000887077.
Keywords: Influenza, Cloth mask

REFERENCE:
MacIntyre, C Raina et al. “A Cluster Randomised Trial of Cloth Masks Compared with Medical Masks in Healthcare Workers.” BMJ Open 5.4 (2015): e006577. PMC. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

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Laboratory-Acquired #Dengue Virus Infection—A Case Report #LAIs

The WHO estimates there may be 50 million dengue virus (DENV) infections worldwide every year, with the disease being endemic in more than 100 countries [1]. There has been a dramatic rise in the incidence of dengue in recent decades, making this an arbovirus of major international public health concern. Dengue viruses belong to the family Flaviviridae and are transmitted between humans via infected female Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti. In the state of Queensland, Australia, infected travellers from overseas have facilitated numerous DENV outbreaks [2], [3]. However, these outbreaks are limited to the far north of the state, the only area of Australia where Ae. aegypti occurs [4]. There have been case reports of non-vector, healthcare-associated transmission of DENVs—four cases of percutaneous transmission via needlestick injuries, mucocutaneous transmission through a blood splash to the face, vertical transmission, and transmission via bone marrow transplant (summarised in [5]). We report the first case to our knowledge of DENV infection acquired by a laboratory scientist conducting mosquito infection and transmission experiments.

REFERENCE:
Britton, Sumudu et al. “Laboratory-Acquired Dengue Virus Infection—A Case Report.” Ed. Maria G. Guzman. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 5.11 (2011): e1324. PMC. Web. 3 Sept. 2015.

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MERS-CoV Outbreak in the Republic of Korea, 2015

philstar.com

Objectives: The outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in the Republic of Korea started from the index case who developed fever after returning from the Middle East. He infected 26 cases in Hospital C, and consecutive nosocomial transmission proceeded throughout the nation. We provide an epidemiologic description of the outbreak, as of July 2015.
Methods: Epidemiological research was performed by direct interview of the confirmed patients and reviewing medical records. We also analyzed the incubation period, serial interval, the characteristics of superspreaders, and factors associated with mortality. Full genome sequence was obtained from sputum specimens of the index patient.
Results: A total of 186 confirmed patients with MERS-CoV infection across 16 hospitals were identified in the Republic of Korea. Some 44.1% of the cases were patients exposed in hospitals, 32.8% were caregivers, and 13.4% were healthcare personnel. The most common presenting symptom was fever and chills. The estimated incu bation period was 6.83 days and the serial interval was 12.5 days. A total of 83.2% of the transmission events were epidemiologically linked to five superspreaders, all of whom had pneumonia at presentation and contacted hundreds of people. Older age [odds ratio (OR) = 4.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.90e12.45] and underlying respiratory disease (OR = 4.90, 95% CI 1.64 e14.65) were significantly associated with mortality. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the MERS-CoV of the index case clustered closest with a recent virus
from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Conclusion: A single imported MERS-CoV infection case imposed a huge threat to public health and safety. This highlights the importance of robust preparedness and optimal infection prevention control. The lessons learned from the current outbreak will contribute to more up-to-date guidelines and global health security.

REFERENCE:
Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Outbreak in the Republic of Korea, 2015.” Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives 6.4 (2015): 269–278. PMC. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

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Accidental Infection of Laboratory Worker with Vaccinia #LAIs

We report the accidental needlestick inoculation of a laboratory worker with vaccinia virus. Although the patient had previously been vaccinated against smallpox, severe lesions appeared on the fingers. Western blot and polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism were used to analyze the virus recovered from the lesions. The vaccinia virus–specific immunoglobulin G levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our study supports the need for vaccination for laboratory workers that routinely handle orthopoxvirus.

REFERENCE:
Moussatché, Nissin et al. “Accidental Infection of Laboratory Worker with Vaccinia.” Emerging Infectious Diseases 9.6 (2003): 724–726. PMC. Web. 11 Sept. 2015.
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NSF/ANSI Standard 49 Certification Testing of Biosafety Cabinets

NSF International maintains NSF/ANSI Standard 49 Class II (laminar flow) biosafety cabinetry and also certifies that biosafety cabinets conform to the requirements of the standard. More than 20 tests are required during initial qualification testing; of these, the biological challenge tests are the most critical to ensuring that the model tested will provide personnel, product, and cross contamination protection.

REFERENCE:
Maren H. Roush and Stephen C. Williams. NSF/ANSI Standard 49 Certification Testing of Biosafety Cabinets. JALA 2009;14:171–3

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Freedom and Responsibility in Synthetic Genomics: The Synthetic Yeast Project

First introduced in 2011, the Synthetic Yeast Genome (Sc2.0) Project is a large international synthetic genomics project that will culminate in the first eukaryotic cell (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with a fully synthetic genome. With collaborators from across the globe and from a range of institutions spanning from do-it-yourself biology (DIYbio) to commercial enterprises, it is important that all scientists working on this project are cognizant of the ethical and policy issues associated with this field of research and operate under a common set of principles. In this commentary, we survey the current ethics and regulatory landscape of synthetic biology and present the Sc2.0 Statement of Ethics and Governance to which all members of the project adhere. This statement focuses on four aspects of the Sc2.0 Project: societal benefit, intellectual property, safety, and self-governance. We propose that such project-level agreements are an important, valuable, and flexible model of self-regulation for similar global, large-scale synthetic biology projects in order to maximize the benefits and minimize potential harms.

REFERENCE:
Sliva, Anna et al. “Freedom and Responsibility in Synthetic Genomics: The Synthetic Yeast Project.” Genetics 200.4 (2015): 1021–1028. PMC. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

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The Hidden Geometry of Complex, Network-Driven Contagion Phenomena

The global spread of epidemics, rumors, opinions, and innovations are complex, network-driven dynamic processes. The combined multiscale nature and intrinsic heterogeneity of the underlying networks make it difficult to develop an intuitive understanding of these processes, to distinguish relevant from peripheral factors, to predict their time course, and to locate their origin. However, we show that complex spatiotemporal patterns can be reduced to surprisingly simple, homogeneous wave propagation patterns, if conventional geographic distance is replaced by a probabilistically motivated effective distance. In the context of global, air-traffic–mediated epidemics, we show that effective distance reliably predicts disease arrival times. Even if epidemiological parameters are unknown, the method can still deliver relative arrival times. The approach can also identify the spatial origin of spreading processes and successfully be applied to data of the worldwide 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and 2003 SARS epidemic.

REFERENCE:
Brockmann D, Helbing D. The hidden geometry of complex, network-driven contagion phenomena. Science. 2013 Dec 13;342(6164):1337-42.
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