Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 31, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses
03:53

Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses

Published on: November 10, 2023

2.2K

Measles in Italy: Co-circulation of B3 variants during 2014

Fabio Magurano1, Melissa Baggieri1, Licia Bordi2

  • 1Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, National Reference Laboratory for Measles and Rubella, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Journal of Medical Virology
|October 27, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Measles virus (MV) elimination targets remain unmet in Europe. Analysis revealed four MV B3 variants circulating in Italy in 2014, highlighting transmission chains needing urgent investigation to prevent outbreaks.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Measles virus (MV) elimination targets set by the World Health Organization European Region (WHO/EUR) were not met in 2013, with most countries exceeding one case per million population.
  • The continued circulation of measles indicates a need to understand transmission dynamics to prevent widespread outbreaks and the introduction of new MV variants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the molecular epidemiology of measles virus (MV) B3 strains circulating in Italy in 2014.
  • To identify chains of MV transmission, vulnerable populations, and potential routes for MV variant introduction into the European population.

Main Methods:

  • Molecular epidemiology analysis of measles virus (MV) B3 strains.
  • Identification and characterization of co-circulating MV variants.

Main Results:

  • Four distinct measles virus (MV) B3 variants were identified co-circulating in Italy in 2014.
  • One identified strain was linked to a measles outbreak on a cruise ship early in the year.

Conclusions:

  • The findings underscore the ongoing challenge of measles elimination in Europe.
  • Understanding molecular epidemiology is crucial for identifying transmission hotspots and preventing future outbreaks.
Keywords:
endemic infectionepidemiologyevolutiongenetic variabilitymeasles virusvirus classification

More Related Videos

Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo12:42

Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo

Published on: January 7, 2019

10.4K
Sequencing of Bacterial Microflora in Peripheral Blood: our Experience with HIV-infected Patients13:50

Sequencing of Bacterial Microflora in Peripheral Blood: our Experience with HIV-infected Patients

Published on: June 11, 2011

12.8K

Related Concept Videos

Arboviral Encephalitis01:25

Arboviral Encephalitis

Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
25
Vaccinations01:51

Vaccinations

Overview
53.9K
Influenza01:27

Influenza

Influenza is an acute, highly communicable viral disease that affects the respiratory tract and is responsible for seasonal epidemics worldwide. Influenza A is the most prevalent type associated with widespread outbreaks and is subtyped based on two surface glycoproteins: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), as in H1N1. These glycoproteins are essential for viral infectivity, transmission, and immune recognition. Transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets and contaminated...
37
Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence01:28

Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence

Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable...
54
Investigation of Disease Outbreaks01:23

Investigation of Disease Outbreaks

Multistate foodborne outbreaks pose significant public health risks and require meticulous investigation to identify sources and implement control measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilizes a dynamic seven-step process for these investigations, integrating data from laboratories, interviews, and environmental assessments to protect public health.Outbreak Detection: The detection of multistate outbreaks typically begins with PulseNet, the CDC's national laboratory...
48
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
25.6K