BackgroundΤo perform a molecular epidemiological analysis of viral conjunctivitis among excess conjunctivitis cases recorded at the University Hospital of Patras, Greece, for the period March to June 2012.MethodsA structured questionnaire containing demographic and clinical data was developed in order to collect retrospective data on the cases. Eye swab specimens were collected and molecular detection of adenoviruses was performed by nested PCR. Positive results were confirmed by sequencing. To determine the relatedness between the isolated sequences, a phylogenetic analysis was conducted.ResultsThe epidemiological analysis (including retrospective data) included 231 conjunctivitis cases (47.1% male, and 52.8% female). Based on clinical features 205 of the cases were diagnosed of viral origin (46.3% male and 53.7% female), 4 of bacterial origin (50% male and 50% female) while 22 were undefined conjunctivitis. The outbreak excess cases (included 156 cases) affected all age groups regardless gender predilection. For the positive samples indicated that 29 samples (72.5%) were AdV17, and 5 (12.5%) as AdV54.ConclusionsMolecular analysis could define the cause of viral conjunctivitis, while epidemiological data contributed to the assessment of the risk factors and underlined possible preventive measures. This study is one of the very few on viral conjunctivitis in Greece. This outbreak underscores the need for a national surveillance system for acute infectious conjunctivitis outbreaks. The epidemiological as well as molecular investigation on HAdV ocular infections is rather absent in Greece, which has no surveillance system for viral conjunctivitis.
Myocarditis is a rare side effect of the mRNA vaccines with uncertainty around its pathogenesis and frequency. Its incidence varies from 1.4 to 4.2 per 100 000 vaccinated individuals. The incidence in Denmark found of 1.4 per 100 000 vaccinated with BNT162b2 individuals and in analysis using a 14 day post-exposure window the vaccine was associated with myocarditis only in female, not male, participants fact inconsistent with international data, and difficult to explain. In the important review published in Cardiology [3] the authors correctly referred to active vaccine component, as possible cause of myocarditis and speculated on mRNA immune reactivity, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins cross-reacting with myocardial contractile proteins, hormonal differences depending on age, sex and immune–genetic background. This report raises issues on type, pathogenesis, causality and new therapeutic perspectives
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