The extensive availability of the internet has led to the recognition of problematic internet use, the so-called Internet Addiction (IA), mostly involving adolescents. Burnout can lead to substance abuse or addictive behaviour (such as internet addiction) as a coping method. There are insufficient data about internet addiction and its possible association with burnout in adults, especially among healthcare workers. The aim of our present study was to focus on prevalence and the risk factors of internet addiction and its possible association with burnout among healthcare workers in a single hospital applying a questionnaire-based survey. In total, 49 doctors (10.1%), 198 nurses (40.9%), 123 medical assistant (25.4%), 73 other healthcare workers (15.1%), and 42 (1.7%) healthcare associated workers (cleaning, laundry, etc.) have completed our survey. In a multivariate analysis, IA was associated with age between 18 and 25 (OR: 2.6, p = 0.024), surfing on the internet >5 h daily (OR 25.583, p < 0.001), being single (OR: 4.275, p = 0.006), being childless (OR: 3.81, p = 0.011), working less than five years (OR 2.135, p = 0.048) and job type (being healthcare associated worker, OR: 2.907, p = 0.009). Illicit drug intake (OR 52.494, p < 0.001), and diabetes (OR: 4.122, p = 0.043) were also significantly associated with internet addiction. No association of burnout and IA could be found. A small but significant proportion of our healthcare workers suffered from IA, which was associated with substance abuse and diabetes in multivariate analysis. Our study also draws attention to the risk factors of IA such as younger age, family status, working type and working hours internet use. The possible association of burnout and IA merits further investigation.

As part of the effort to create a high resolution representative sequence database of the medieval Hungarian conquerors we have resequenced the entire mtDNA genome of 24 published ancient samples with Next Generation Sequencing, whose haplotypes had been previously determined with traditional PCR based methods. We show that PCR based methods are prone to erroneous haplotype or haplogroup determination due to ambiguous sequence reads, and many of the resequenced samples had been classified inaccurately. The SNaPshot method applied with published ancient DNA authenticity criteria is the most straightforward and cheapest PCR based approach for testing a large number of coding region SNP-s, which greatly facilitates correct haplogroup determination.

The global impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is significant in terms of public health effects and its long-term socioeconomic implications. Among all social groups, the elderly is by far the most affected age group regarding morbidity and mortality. In multiple countries spanning several continents, there are an increasing number of reports referencing the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) spread among nursing homes. These areas are now recognized as potent hotspots regarding the pandemic, which one considers with special regard. Herein, we present currently available data of fatal COVID-19 cases throughout Hungary, along with the analysis of the co-morbidity network. We also report on viral genomic data originating from a nursing home resident. The genomic data was used for viral haplotype network analysis. We emphasize the urgent need for public health authorities to focus on nursing homes and residential service units worldwide, especially in the care of the elderly and infirmed. Our results further emphasize the recent statement released by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the vulnerability among seniors and especially the high risk of COVID-19 emergence throughout nursing and social homes.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). From the epidemiological data, the picture emerges that the more severe etiopathologies among COVID-19 patients are found in elderly people. The risk of death due to COVID-19 increases exponentially with age. Eight out of 10 COVID-19 related deaths occur in people older than 65 years of age. Older patients with comorbid conditions such as hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer have a much higher case fatality rate. Governments and public health authorities all over the world have realized that protections of vulnerable older adults should be a priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease. The SARS-CoV-2 virus was originally transmitted likely from a bat or a pangolin to humans. Recent evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2, similar to other coronaviruses, can infect several species of animals, including companion animals such as dogs, cats, and ferrets although their viral loads remain low. While the main source of infection transmission therefore is human to human, there are a few rare cases of pets contracting the infection from a SARS-CoV-2-infected human. Although there is no evidence that pets actively transmit SARS-CoV-2 via animal-to-human transmission, senior pet ownership potentially may pose a small

Some filoviruses can be transmitted to humans by zoonotic spillover events from their natural host and filovirus outbreaks have occured with increasing frequency in the last years. The filovirus Lloviu virus (LLOV), was identified in 2002 in Schreiber’s bats (Miniopterus schreibersii) in Spain and was subsequently detected in bats in Hungary. Here we isolate infectious LLOV from the blood of a live sampled Schreiber’s bat in Hungary. The isolate is subsequently sequenced and cultured in the Miniopterus sp. kidney cell line SuBK12-08. It is furthermore able to infect monkey and human cells, suggesting that LLOV might have spillover potential. A multi-year surveillance of LLOV in bats in Hungary detects LLOV RNA in both deceased and live animals as well as in coupled ectoparasites from the families Nycteribiidae and Ixodidae. This correlates with LLOV seropositivity in sampled Schreiber’s bats. Our data support the role of bats, specifically Miniopterus schreibersii as hosts for LLOV in Europe. We suggest that bat-associated parasites might play a role in the natural ecology of filoviruses in temperate climate regions compared to filoviruses in the tropics.

The extensive availability of internet has led to the the recognition of problematic internet use (so called internet addiction, IA) mostly involving adolescents. There is limited data about the prevalence of IA in adults. Here we present a study focusing on the prevalence and risk factors of internet addiction among high school teachers. Overall 2500 paper-based questionnaires were successfully delivered and 1817 responses received (response rate of 72.7%). In our study 1194 females (65.7%) and 623 males (34.3%) participated. In a multivariate analysis including of all factors (demographic data, internet habits, comorbidity etc.) age <35 years (OR: 6.098, CI: 5.09–7.08, p < 0.001), male gender (OR = 5.413, CI: 4.39–6.18, p = 0.002), surfing on the internet > 5 h daily (OR 2.568, CI: 2.03–3.39, p < 0.001), having no children (OR: 1.353, CI: 1.13–1.99, p = 0.0248), and having secondary employment (OR = 11.377, CI: 8.67–13.07, p = 0.001) were significantly associated with internet addiction. This is the first study from Hungary showing the prevalence and risk factors of internet addiction among high school teachers. A small, but significant proportion suffered from IA. Our study also draws attention to the risk factors of IA such as younger age, family status and working type.

Canine distemper virus (CDV) endangers a wide range of wild animal populations, can cross species barriers and therefore representing a significant conservational and animal health risk around the globe. During spring to autumn 2021, according to our current estimates a minimum of 50 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) died of CDV in Hungary, with CDV lesions. Oral, nasal and rectal swab samples were RT-PCR screened for Canine Distemper Virus from red fox carcasses. To investigate in more detail the origins of these CDV strains, 19 complete genomes were sequenced with a pan-genotype CDV-specific amplicon-based sequencing method developed by our laboratory and optimized for the Oxford Nanopore Technologies platform. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genomic sequences and separately the hemagglutinin gene sequences revealed the role of the Europe lineage of CDV as a causative agent for the current epizootic. Here we highlight the growing importance of fast developing rapid sequencing technologies to aid rapid response activities during epidemics or epizootic events. We also emphasize the urgent need for improved surveillance of CDV, considering the epizootic capability of enzootic strains as reported in the current study. For such future efforts, we provide a novel NGS protocol to facilitate future genomic surveillance studies.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Napjaink egyik legszélesebb körben emlegetett jelensége a kiégés (burnout), mely a leggyakrabban a segítő szakmákban dolgozókat érinti. Célkitűzés: Munkánk célja a kiégés jelenségének komplex vizsgálata szociális munkások körében. Módszerek: A demográfiai adatok felvétele mellett a kiégés vizsgálatához a Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) kérdőívet használtuk, a kognitív/viselkedésbeli hibákat, diszfunkcionális elvárásokat pedig a Diszfunkcionális Attitűd Skála (DAS) segítségével térképeztük fel. A hangulatzavar kimutatásához a Beck Depresszió Kérdőív rövidített változatát alkalmaztuk, továbbá az Erőfeszítés–Jutalom Egyensúlytalanság Kérdőív és a Társas Támogatás Kérdőív is kitöltésre került. Eredmények: Összesen 300 fő töltötte ki a kérdőívet: 106 férfi, 194 nő. A munkavállalók döntően a fiatal/középkorú korcsoporthoz tartoznak, a 26–45 év közöttiek aránya 52,2%. Az átlagos kiégési pontszám 53,9 (SD = 18,7) volt, melyből 105 fő (35,1%) alacsony, 182 fő közepes (60,6%) és 13 fő (4,3%) súlyos kiégéssel érintett. A multivariációs analízis során a női nem (OR: 5,857), az életkor (OR: 4,126), a munkában eltöltött évek (OR: 2,721), a sokgyermekes család (OR: 2,861) és a társas támogatás hiánya (OR: 2,81) bizonyultak a kiégés független rizikótényezőinek (p<0,05 minden esetben). A depresszió és a kiégés (p<0,001), valamint a diszfunkcionális attitűdök és a kiégés között pozitív kapcsolat igazolódott (korrelációs együttható = 0,316; p<0,001). Következtetés: Eredményeink alapján a szociális munkások jelentős része közepes fokú kiégésben, 5%-uk pedig súlyos fokú kiégésben szenved. A kiégésnek vannak befolyásolható (munkahelyi attitűdök, társas támogatás) és nem befolyásolható (életkor, nem, család) tényezői, melyeket az esetleges prevenciós, illetve intervenciós beavatkozások során figyelembe kell venni. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(44): 1884–1890. Summary. Introduction: Burnout is increasingly prevalent mainly involving employees working in the social sphere. Objective: The aim of our study was to examine the complexity of burnout among social workers. Methods: Baseline demographic data were recorded. Burnout was assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the intensities of dysfunctional attitudes were also studied. Depression was detected by the abbreviated version of the Beck Depression Questionnaire, furthermore social supports and effort–reward imbalance were also examined. Results: Overall 300 employees participated in our study. Age group distribution was young/middle-aged access, the vast majority of the workers was between 25 and 45 years. The mean burnout scale was 53.9 (SD = 18.7), 105 workers had mild (35.1%), 182 moderate (60.6%) and 13 severe (4.3%) burnout. In a multivariate analysis, the female gender (OR: 5.857), the age (OR: 4.126), the years spent with working (OR: 2.721), the number of children (>3) (OR: 2.861) and the lack of social support (OR: 2.81) were independently associated with burnout (p<0.05 in all cases). There was a significant association among burnout, depression and dysfunctional attitudes. Conclusion: The vast majority of our social workers suffered from moderate and a small, but a significant proportion from severe burnout. Our work draws attention to the modifiable and unmodifiable risk factors of burnout in this population, which may help in the development of preventive strategies. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(44): 1884–1890.