| 1. |
- Demuth, Andreas, et al.
(author)
-
Pathogenomics: An updated European Research Agenda
- 2008
-
In: Infection, Genetics and Evolution. - : Elsevier BV. - 1567-7257 .- 1567-1348. ; 8:3, s. 386-393
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The emerging genomic technologies and bioinformatics provide novel opportunities for studying life-threatening human pathogens and to develop new applications for the improvement of human and animal health and the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of infections. Based on the ecology and population biology of pathogens and related organisms and their connection to epidemiology, more accurate typing technologies and approaches will lead to better means of disease control. The analysis of the genome plasticity and gene pools of pathogenic bacteria including antigenic diversity and antigenic variation results in more effective vaccines and vaccine implementation programs. The study of newly identified and uncultivated microorganisms enables the identification of new threats. The scrutiny of the metabolism of the pathogen in the host allows the identification of new targets for anti-infectives and therapeutic approaches. The development of modulators of host responses and mediators of host damage will be facilitated by the research on interactions of microbes and hosts, including mechanisms of host damage, acute and chronic relationships as well as commensalisms. The study of multiple pathogenic and non-pathogenic microbes interacting in the host will improve the management of multiple infections and will allow probiotic and prebiotic interventions. Needless to iterate, the application of the results of improved prevention and treatment of infections into clinical tests will have a positive impact on the management of human and animal disease. The Pathogenomics Research Agenda draws on discussions with experts of the Network of Excellence "EuroPathoGenomics" at the management board meeting of the project held during 18-21 April 2007, in the Villa Vigoni, Menaggio, Italy. Based on a proposed European Research Agenda in the field of pathogenomics by the ERA-NET PathoGenoMics the meeting's participants updated the established list of topics as the research agenda for the future.
|
|
| 2. |
- Kilpi, Terhi M., et al.
(author)
-
Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of two diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-hepatitis B-inactivated polio virus-Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines administered at 3, 5 and 11-12 months of age
- 2009
-
In: HUM VACCINES. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8619 .- 1554-8600. ; 5:1, s. 18-25
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The use of combination vaccines in the routine childhood program reduces distress to the recipients and is likely to improve uptake rates and timeliness of vaccination but requires careful evaluation and surveillance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of two commercial diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-hepatitis b-inactivated polio virus-Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib) combination vaccines when administered to infants at 3, 5 and 11-12 months of age. A total of 494 infants were randomized to receive three doses of either Infanrix hexa T (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals; N = 246) or Hexavac (TM) (Sanofi Pasteur MSD; N = 248) in 10 centers in Italy, Finland and Sweden. After the third dose, antibodies to diphtheria, tetanus, polio and Hib were at the protective level in nearly all infants in both groups whereas the proportion of subjects who had achieved the protective concentration of = 10 mIU/ml to hepatitis B surface antigen was 99.1% (95% CI 96.7-99.9) in the Infanrix hexa T group as compared to 94.4% (95% CI 90.4-97.1) in the Hexavac T group. Antibody titers to all three polio antigens were highest in Italy and lowest in Finland. Clinically relevant general reactions (such as fever of >39.5 degrees C) were mostly reported in less than 5% of the vaccinees. Three doses of DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib combination vaccines produced sufficient immune responses in nearly all vaccinees.
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
- Singer, Andrew C, et al.
(author)
-
Meeting Report : Risk Assessment of Tamiflu Use Under Pandemic Conditions
- 2008
-
In: Environmental Health Perspectives. ; 116:11, s. 1563-7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- On 3 October 2007, 40 participants with diverse expertise attended the workshop Tamiflu and the Environment: Implications of Use under Pandemic Conditions to assess the potential human health impact and environmental hazards associated with use of Tamiflu during an influenza pandemic. Based on the identification and risk-ranking of knowledge gaps, the consensus was that oseltamivir ethylester-phosphate (OE-P) and oseltamivir carboxylate (OC) were unlikely to pose an ecotoxicologic hazard to freshwater organisms. OC in river water might hasten the generation of OC-resistance in wildfowl, but this possibility seems less likely than the potential disruption that could be posed by OC and other pharmaceuticals to the operation of sewage treatment plants. The workgroup members agreed on the following research priorities: a) available data on the ecotoxicology of OE-P and OC should be published ; b) risk should be assessed for OC-contaminated river water generating OC-resistant viruses in wildfowl ; c) sewage treatment plant functioning due to microbial inhibition by neuraminidase inhibitors and other antimicrobials used during a pandemic should be investigated ; and d) realistic worst-case exposure scenarios should be developed. Additional modeling would be useful to identify localized areas within river catchments that might be prone to high pharmaceutical concentrations in sewage treatment plant effluent. Ongoing seasonal use of Tamiflu in Japan offers opportunities for researchers to assess how much OC enters and persists in the aquatic environment.
|
|
