Region of Western Greece

In December 2024, four samples of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds (500g /sample) were collected from four 0.6- to 1.2-ha field crops, in the Regional Unit of Florina (Western Macedonia, Greece) during the harvesting season by the local Phytosanitary Inspectors in the frame of the annual National Survey Program, and sent to the Laboratory of Bacteriology of the Benaki Phytopathological Institute for examination for the quarantine bacterium Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens (Cff). No symptoms of Cff, the cause of bacterial wilt in several species of the Fabaceae family (Osdaghi et al., 2020), had been observed on these crops or seeds. Each seed sample (500g or 1000 seeds) was soaked overnight (4 o C) in 2.5 x Thousand Seed Weight (in mL) sterile buffer (10 mM PB with 0.02 % v/v Tween 20), i.e. 1250 mL. An aliquot of 50 ml of each sample seed extract was used for DNA extraction, using the DNeasy mericon Food kit (Qiagen, Germany). Cff was detected in the DNA extract of one of the four tested seed samples by two qPCR assays, using: a) CffF3/CffB3 primers (Tegli et al. 2022), and b) Cff1-F/Cff1-R primers and Cff1-P probe (Venneman and Van Vaerenbergh 2024). Yellowish colonies were isolated on modified King's B medium (Volkers et al., 2025) from this positive sample, and one of these isolates was identified as Cff by qPCR (Tegli et al. 2022) and indirect immunofluorescence (IF) assay with a Cff-specific polyclonal antiserum (PRI, Netherlands). Cff was not isolated from the other three seed samples. The pathogenicity of the Cff isolate was confirmed via inoculation of five bean (cv. Borlotto) seedlings at the stage of two trifoliate leaves. A 10 μl drop of the isolate’s suspension (10 8 cfu/ml) was inserted by needle prick on the node of the first leaves to introduce the inoculum in the vascular strand of the stem. After 7 days of incubation at 25-28 o C/14 h daylight, the plants exhibited leaf flaccidity and wilt, typical symptoms of Cff infection. The pathogen was re-isolated from the main vein of a symptomatic leaf of an inoculated plant, and its identification was confirmed by IF and qPCR (Tegli et al. 2022), as before, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. The Cff strain NCPPB 559 and sterile distilled water were used as positive and negative controls respectively. Furthermore, partial sequencing (Eurofins, Austria) of the 16S rDNA, gyrB and atpD genes of the same isolate was performed using the primer pairs: pA/pH (EPPO 2021), 2F/6R (Richert et al. 2005) and aptD2F/aptD2R (Jacques et al. 2012), respectively. The obtained sequences for the 16S rDNA (1455 bp, PV770169), gyrB (897 bp, PV779358) and atpD (1016 bp, PV779359) genes were 100%, 98.77% and 99,70%, respectively, identical to those of the Cff type strain CFBP 3418 (NCPPB 1446; CP045852.1) and were deposited in the GenBank. This is the first confirmed report of the presence of Cff in Greece. This finding is added to three other recent Cff outbreaks reported in European countries: the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland (Volkers et al. 2025), and underlines the importance of seeds as a means of Cff introduction in an area. Currently official phytosanitary measures have been imposed in the affected area to eradicate Cff, whereas a wider monitoring of bean crops is ongoing to assess any possible Cff spread in Florina, which is one of the main bean-producing Regional Units in Greece, and the produced beans are registered as a ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ product.

This study documents the presence of a chub population on Corfu (Kerkyra) Island, based on collected material through electrofishing in spring 2024, coexisting with Pelasgus thesproticus and Telestes pleurobipunctatus. Morphometric measurements, meristic characteristics and genetic assessment identified the collected specimen as Squalius pamvoticus. This rediscovery of the species fills a 63-year gap in the ichthyological literature and advances the knowledge on the already diverse freshwater ichthyofauna of the island. Moreover, it calls for immediate conservation actions to protect this unique insular population and its habitats.

BackgroundChildhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in Europe, with Greece reporting one of the highest prevalence rates from national surveys, but local disparities are lacking. This study addresses a critical gap by providing local-level data from Greece’s 6th Health Administrative Region (ADM), an area with the nation’s highest reported childhood obesity rates, using a standardized methodology.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 across healthcare facilities in the region of 6th Health ADM to estimate children’s weight status. Trained healthcare professionals collected standardized anthropometric measurements from 2,730 children (3–16 years). Body weight status was classified using International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) standards. Data were analyzed by region, age group, sex, and degree of urbanization using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and logistic regression.ResultsOverall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 21.6% and 7.0%, respectively, with significant regional and sex variations. The highest prevalence was found in Western Greece (24.6%), while Peloponnese had the highest obesity rates (9.1%). Boys demonstrated higher rates in both weight categories. A significant age-related obesity gradient was observed, increasing from 3.4% in toddlers to 8.5% in adolescents (p = 0.021). No significant differences were found by degree of urbanization.ConclusionThis survey identified high-risk geographic areas and demographic groups, providing essential data to guide targeted public health interventions and shape regional policy. These baseline data are important for an integrated surveillance protocol to monitor future trends and evaluate the effectiveness of public health interventions.

Climate change and extreme events such as droughts, heavy rainfall and flooding can influence the water column stratification in reservoir dams, decrease storage capacity, increase sediment and pollutant loads and, as a result, affect water quality. The seasonal variation in the water column stratification of reservoirs is an important parameter for the study of dam life cycle as well as water management and use. In the present study a detailed bathymetric survey was carried out, and a digital elevation model (DEM) of the reservoir was constructed. Seasonal physicochemical monitoring data such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and conductivity are presented. The seasonal thermal stratification was recorded, resulting in an isolated hypolimnion where anoxic layers formed below 17 m in summer and autumn. Manganese and iron concentrations exhibited values higher than 150 mg/L in the anoxic hypolimnion during summer and autumn, indicating solubilization from the sediment. The observed seasonal and depth-dependent variations in physicochemical parameters underline the reservoir’s susceptibility to eutrophication and metal mobilization, particularly during stratified periods. These findings are critical for designing management strategies to mitigate potential water quality issues.

This study presents the ClimEmpower framework, a user-driven approach to enhancing climate resilience across five climate-vulnerable regions in Southern Europe: Costa del Sol (Spain), Central Greece, the Troodos Mountains (Cyprus), Osijek-Baranja County (Croatia), and Sicily (Italy). The project employs a region-specific methodology that integrates climate risk assessments, stakeholder engagement through Communities of Practice (CoPs), and the development of innovative climate services tailored to local needs. These regions, characterized by unique environmental and socio-economic vulnerabilities, face shared hazards such as droughts, heatwaves, and floods, alongside region-specific challenges like salinization and biodiversity loss. ClimEmpower identifies critical gaps in high-resolution data, cross-sectoral collaboration, and capacity-building efforts, underscoring barriers to effective adaptation. This work aims to provide a foundational resource, offering a comprehensive overview of the current situation, including needs, gaps, priorities, and expectations across the target regions. By establishing this baseline, it facilitates future research and comparative analyses, contributing to the development of robust, region-specific resilience strategies. The ClimEmpower framework offers scalable and replicable solutions aligned with the European Green Deal’s climate resilience goals, advancing adaptation planning and providing actionable insights for broader European initiatives.

The aim of the present study was to explore the contribution of fatigue and perceived social support to medication adherence among elderly patients with musculoskeletal disorders in Greece. In this study, 145 elderly patients (51 males and 94 females) with musculoskeletal disorders participated. It was a convenience sample, which means that participants were selected based on their accessibility and availability to the researcher. The mean age was 74.8 ± 9.12 years. The Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), the Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication Use Scale (SEAMS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were used to collect research data. Physical fatigue was significantly and negatively correlated to medication adherence (p < 0.05). Furthermore, mental fatigue was significantly and negatively correlated to medication adherence, social support gained from significant others and family, and total social support (p < 0.05). Total fatigue was also significantly and negatively correlated with medication adherence, social support gained from significant others and family, and total social support (p < 0.05). Additionally, social support from family was significantly and negatively correlated with medication adherence (p < 0.05). The findings show a strong association of medication adherence with social support and fatigue.

This specific intervention aims to limit the rates of school dropout. In order to limit the rates of school dropout and to increase the school performance of students with different cultural characteristics, who attend the schools of the Directorate of Secondary Education of West Attica in the school years 2021- 2022, mobilities were implemented in the context of the Erasmus program following intercultural education. Implementing the mobilities was deemed necessary because in the cities of West Attica, during the same period, incidents of delinquency, violence, and battles took place daily between different foreigners or between foreigners and Greeks or Roma. The implementing method of the intervention is an observation with a structured observation sheet with open-ended questions. Positive results, coming out of the mobilities, were that the teachers who served in those schools, who did not always have the required knowledge in intercultural education, were made aware and trained in the effective management of heterogeneity both in students and in their parents for the benefit not only of the school community but more broadly of society—the consequences of this action concern the parents of the children and the society in general.

Even though the ecological impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) have been well studied, social aspects of IAS in freshwater ecosystems are still poorly explored. This study aimed to assess the perceptions associated with non-indigenous freshwater fish species (NIFS) among environmental-related professional and non-professional stakeholders in a Mediterranean country that displays high levels of fish species endemism, by using a questionnaire survey approach. Overall, 203 individuals participated, from which, the majority (n = 144) were related to environmental sciences. Most of the respondents perceived NIFS to be a threat of national importance, possibly attributed to the emotional effect of the term non-indigenous (conceived as intruder). However, NIFS were indicated as the least important threat affecting aquatic ecosystems when compared with other pressures. This contrasting perception could be explained by the fact that broad-scale impacts (i.e., climate change) exert stronger reactions compared to NIFS. Interestingly, non-professionals were more successful in identifying NIFS and native species compared to professionals, however both indicated low overall identification success. The majority of the respondents, both professionals and non-professionals, considered that: (a) the official authorities do not implement actions for NIFS management, (b) government spending should be increased to manage NIFS even if it should be reduced for other needs, and (c) early detection is the best way to manage NIFS. The establishment of a nationwide network consisting of all related stakeholders on NIFS issues, aiming to public awareness and preventive management actions to limit the spread and impacts of NIFS should be set as a priority.