Cancer registries and data protection in the age of health digital interoperability in Europe: The perspective of the Italian Network of Cancer Registries (AIRTUM).

Population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) are advanced public health systems providing ongoing surveillance through systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of high-quality data on cancer incident cases registered in a defined population residing in a specific geographical area (1, 2). Basically, PBCRs are well equipped for strengthening cancer surveillance, playing a strategic role in making geographic and temporal variation comparisons to highlight cancer epidemics, while assessing the effectiveness of preventive interventions and oncological care (3). Furthermore, many PBCRs provide cancer risk communication to local communities and authorities by using valuabl…

Sviluppo e valutazione di una metodica economica idonea a svelare la presenza di cryptosporidium e giardia nella lattuga. Risultati preliminari

Behavioral and clinical characteristics of people receiving medical care for HIV infection in an outpatient facility in Sicily, Italy

Paola Di Carlo,1 Giuliana Guadagnino,1 Palmira Immordino,1 Giovanni Mazzola,2 Pietro Colletti,2 Ilenia Alongi,1 Lucia Adamoli,1 Francesco Vitale,1 Alessandra Casuccio1 1Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care “G D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 2Department of Medicinal Clinics and Emerging Diseases, “Paolo Giaccone” Polyclinic University Hospital, Palermo, Italy Aim: The authors examined a cohort of HIV-positive outpatients at the AIDS Center of Palermo University in Italy in order to identify factors related to the frequency of their visits to the outpatient facility for health care services.Methods: Two hundr…

Epidemiological aspects of Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s Disease (CD) is considered a result of multifactorial interplay between genetic, immune-related, environmental, and infectious triggers all contributing into evolution of clinical disease. The age of onset of Crohn’s disease has a bimodal distribution. The first peak occurs between the ages of 15 and 30 years (late adolescence and early adulthood), and the second occurs mainly in women between the ages of 60 and 70 years. In general, the frequency of CD is similar in males and females, with some studies showing a very slight female predominance. The rate of Crohn’s disease is 1.1–1.8 times higher in women than in men. This pattern is reversed with pediatric CD, which has a higher in…

Siero-prevalenza di marcatori di infezione da virus dell’epatite B, C ed HIV in una coorte di immigrati africani a Palermo, Sicilia.

Obiettivi In Italia il 7% della popolazione è rappresentata da immigrati, dei quali oltre 127.000 sono legalmente residenti in Sicilia. Di questi, il 30,3% proviene da Paesi africani, prevalentemente dell’area sub-Sahariana, dove l’epidemiologia delle infezioni virali da virus dell’epatite B (HBV), dell’epatite C (HCV) e dell’immunodeficienza acquisita (HIV) è molto differente da quella europea. Il presente studio è stato condotto per valutare la sieroprevalenza di marcatori di infezione da HBV, HCV ed HIV in una coorte di individui immigrati dall’Africa sub-Sahariana e residenti in Sicilia. Metodi Un’analisi retrospettiva è stata condotta su un panel di 176 sieri, consecutivamente prelevat…

Aids in sicily: Prevalence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in low and high risk groups

A seroepidemiological survey, carried out to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to HIV in patients with ARC and in healthy individuals at risk for AIDS, showed the infection to be widespread in the groups at risk, namely in drug abusers and hemophiliacs. However, remarkable difference existed between the prevalence of antibodies to HIV in drug abusers of the city of Palermo and those of other Sicilian provinces. Spread of the virus among Sicilian thalassemics, however, was very low and quite similar in all geographic areas. Antibodies were found very rarely (0.06%) in unpaid voluntary blood donors. The spread of the virus is still confined in high risk groups, and the major part of the s…

Intussusception before and after anti-rotavirus vaccination introduction (2009-2013)in Italy

Background Previous studies have identified a possible relationship between anti-rotavirus vaccines and intussusception risk although not confirmed by post licensure studies. In Italy some administrative regions started to introduce rotavirus vaccination in 2013. Monitoring intussusception in pre and post vaccination era will be crucial to ensure safety of the vaccine program. Methods An observational study was carried out to analyze age-specific (0-59 months) Italian trends in intussusception hospitalization rates before (2009–2012) and after (2013) anti-rotavirus vaccine introduction. Results A total of 2,728 hospitalizations for intussusceptions were observed in Italy from 2009 to 2013, …

Influenza dei percorsi formativi sulle conoscenze di infezioni da HIV, HBV e HCV nella pratica odontoiatrica

The knowledge and preventive practices toward the risk of infection with HIV, HBV and HCV were evaluated in a sample of 254 dentists and odontostomatologies in Palermo, by answering to an anonymous questionnaire sent by mail. Overall, most of the participants showed a good knowledge of the transmission pattern of blood-borne viruses as well as good practice for personal hygiene (washing of hands, routine use of gloves, etc.). However 80.8% answered to recap needles after use and more than 40% have had at least one needle injury during the last year in their occupational setting. Moreover, nearly 24% of the interviewed declared to have not made vaccination against Hepatitis B virus infection…

VACCINAZIONI NEL DIABETE: TUTTE A TUTTI O QUALI A CHI?

I vaccini costituiscono uno degli interventi di sanità pubblica più efficaci, sicuri e più costo-efficaci (1). Grazie al diffondersi delle vaccinazioni è stato possibile eradicare completamente alcune malattie infettive, come il vaiolo, mentre per altre invece, come poliomielite, difterite e tetano se ne è ridotta drasticamente la diffusione. Vaccinarsi, non solo riduce la probabilità di contrarre una determinata patologia infettiva, ma diminuisce il rischio di complicanze e morte. Il valore della vaccinazione, però, non risiede solo nella protezione dell’individuo immunizzato, ma ha un alto valore etico e sociale poiché, per alcune malattie e in presenza di coperture vaccinali molto elevat…

Trends in epidemiology: the role of denominator fluctuation in population based estimates

Background Population estimates are of paramount importance for calculating occurrence and association measures although they can be affected by problems of accuracy and completeness. This study has performed a simulation of the impact of Italian population size variability on incidence rates. Methods Data have been obtained by the Italian National Institute of Statistics. For each year expected cases were calculated at increasing fixed rates (up to 1,000/100,000) and were considered constant in the “following year”, calculating statistical differences (P Results In Italy and in other regions, statistically significant higher RRs were found in 2012 vs. 2011 whereas statistically significant…

Hospitalization rates for intussusception in children aged 0–59 months from 2009 to 2014 in Italy

The real cause of intussusception is not fully understood and a variety of conditions have been associated with it (Meckel diverticulum, polyps, duplication cysts, parasites, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, cystic fibrosis, hemolytic-uremic syndrome and infectious gastroenteritis). Furthermore few European countries, following WHO recommendation to monitor baseline incidence of intussusception before implementation of immunization program for rotavirus, used intussusception rate as a baseline value to compare the same figures in the period before and after introduction of vaccination. In this study, data of intussusception hospitalizations occurred among Italian children aged 0 through 59 months …

Design, implementation, and evaluation of the adolescents and surveillance system for the obesity prevention project

Abstract The Adolescents Surveillance System for Obesity prevention (ASSO) Project aimed at developing standardized and web-based tools for collecting data on adolescents’ obesity and its potential determinants. This has been implemented and piloted in the local area of Palermo city, Italy. The aim of the present study is to provide an overview of the Project's design, implementation, and evaluation, highlighting all the aspects for a potential scale-up of the surveillance system on the whole national territory and abroad, as a sustainable and effective source of data. The overall structure and management, the ASSO-toolkit, the ASSO-NutFit software, and all developed and used procedures for…

A comprehensive one-year correlation analysis between prevalence and number of sars-cov-2 rna copies detected in wastewater from 8 sicilian cities in italy

Background and objectives: Several authors have reported positive correlations between wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations and the community’s burden of infection, providing information about the disease’s epidemiological trend. This pre-post study evaluated – within a year of active surveillance, from October 1st,2021, to September 30th, 2022 – the relation between daily SARSCoV-2 prevalence and the number of genome copies/L detected in West Sicily wastewater samples. This study is part of a national framework coordinated by Istituto Superiore di Sanità. Methods: Quantitative data from analysing 486 wastewater samples collected from 9 purification plants in 8 Sicilian cities (Agrigento, B…

CONOSCENZE, COMPORTAMENTI ED ATTITUDINI NEI CONFRONTI DELLA VACCINAZIONE ANTINFLUENZALE DEI MEDICI IN FORMAZIONE SPECIFICA IN MEDICINA GENERALE DELLA SICILIA OCCIDENTALE

La vaccinazione antinfluenzale negli operatori sanitari tra necessità di sanità pubblica e limiti medico-legali

INDICATORI DI RISCHIO CARDIOVASCOLARE E METABOLICO IN POPOLAZIONE GENERALE ADULTA SICILIANA

BODY MASS INDEX (BMI), SOVRAPPESO ED OBESITA' IN UN CAMPIONE RAPPRESENTATIVO DELLA POPOLAZIONE RESIDENTE IN UNA CITTADINA DELLA SICILIA OCCIDENTALE

Surveillance of a municipal drinking-water supply after a Norovirus outbreak in Italy

Acceptability of HPV Vaccination in Young Students by Exploring Health Belief Model and Health Literacy

Evidence on the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine shows that it is effective in reducing the burden of HPV-related diseases. For more than 15 years the HPV vaccine has been offered free of charge in Italy to girls from the age of 12. Over time, the free offer of the HPV vaccine has also been extended to boys and to young adults at risk of developing HPV lesions. Despite the HPV vaccine’s effectiveness and availability, vaccination coverage is low in Italy, with a reported value of 46.5% in 2020. Furthermore, in the southern administrative regions, vaccination coverage is even lower than national values, with 25.9% coverage in Sicily. A cross-sectional study was conducted among university a…

Effectiveness of First-Line Bevacizumab in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The Observational Cohort Study GRETA

Background: Scant real-world data exist on the clinical outcomes associated with the use of bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy (B+CT) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The primary objective of the GRETA cohort study was to compare the overall survival (OS) of patients with mCRC treated with first-line B+CT versus chemotherapy (CT) alone, in an Italian clinical practice setting. Materials and Methods: Incident patients with mCRC were identified during the period 2010–2012 from five population-based cancer registries in Italy. Cases were linked to regional health care utilization databases to obtain the entire spectrum of health services provided to each patient. Patients…

CARATTERISTICHE EPIDEMIOLOGICHE DELLA VITA RIPRODUTTIVA E DEPRIVAZIONE SOCIO-ECONOMICA IN UN CAMPIONE DELLA POPOLAZIONE FEMMINILE ADULTA RESIDENTE IN UNA CITTADINA SICILIANA

Dynamics and molecular evolution of HIV-1 strains in Sicily among antiretroviral naïve patients.

Abstract HIV-1 subtype B is the most frequent strain in Sicily. To date, there is no available data about the genetic diversity of HIV-1 viral strains circulating in Sicily among antiretroviral (ARV) naive subjects and the role of immigration as potential determinant of evolutionary dynamics of HIV-1 molecular epidemiology. For this purpose, HIV-1 polymerase (pol) sequences obtained from 155 ARV naive individuals from 2004 to 2009 were phylogenetically analysed. The overall rate of HIV-1 non-B infections was 31.0% (n = 48/155), increasing from 7.8% in 2004–2006 to 40.9% in 2009, and about one-third were identified as unique recombinant forms. CRF02_AG was the prevalent non-B clade (n = 28/4…

Appropriatezza dell'uso degli antibiotici e contenimento dell'antibioticoresistenza. Indagine nell'Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico (A.O.U.P.) "P.Giaccone" di Palermo.

PARAMETRI STRUTTURALI DI SITI SPORTIVI INDOOR E RISCHIO RADON. RISULTATI PRELIMINARI DI UN'INDAGINE NELLE PALESTRE A PALERMO.

Plasma cortisol levels in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Consumo di fumo di tabacco e sostanze stupefacenti in un campione di studenti del primo anno della facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Palermo

Post-vaccine measles in a child with concomitant influenza, Sicily, Italy, March 2015

We describe the occurrence of measles in an 18 month-old patient in Sicily, Italy, in March 2015, who received the first dose of a measles-containing vaccine seven days before onset of prodromal symptoms. Measles virus infection was confirmed by PCR and detection of specific immunoglobulin; viral genotyping permitted the confirmation of a vaccine-associated illness. The patient had a concurrent influenza virus infection, during a seasonal epidemic outbreak of influenza.

Conoscenze ed attitudini nei confronti della vaccinazione anti HPV delle mamme e delle vaccinate: risultati di un monitoraggio di strategie di prevenzione primaria e secondaria a Palermo e provincia

[The distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in the drug-dependent population in Palermo].

First case of monkeypox virus, SARS-CoV-2 and HIV co-infection

Comparison of paediatric cancers outcomes between Palermo Province (Sicily) and Southern Europe

Background: Italy has one of the highest paediatric cancer incidence rate in Europe. We compared cancer incidence and survival in children (0-14 years) and adolescents (15-19 years) resident in Palermo Province with statistics derived from Italian and European surveillance systems. Methods: We included all incident cancer cases, malignant tumours and non-malignant neoplasm of central nervous system (benign and uncertain whether malignant or benign), detected in children and adolescents by the Palermo Province Cancer Registry between 2003 and 2012. A joinpoint regression model was applied. Annual Average Percentage Changes were calculated. The Besag–York–Mollie model was used to detect any c…

Infezione da HHV8 e leucemia linfoblastica acuta in età pediatrica

HHV8 è un virus erpetico correlato, sulla base di dati ormai concordi, al sarcoma di Kaposi (KS), al linfoma effusivo primario ed alla Ma- lattia di Castleman multicentrica. Tale virus è stato inoltre associato con altre patologie tumorali ma gli studi in proposito non sono stati confermati. Poco, d’altra parte, si conosce sulle modalità prevalenti di trasmissione del virus, probabilmente diverse nelle nazioni industrializzate ed in quelle in via di sviluppo. In Sicilia una elevata prevalenza del KS clas- sico era già presente in epoca pre-AIDS. Abbiamo condotto uno studio sierologico in immunofluorescenza per rilevare gli anticorpi anti-HHV8 in 40 bambini con leucemia linfoblastica acuta (…

What do parents know about antibiotics? A multicenter Italian survey on antibiotics knowledge

Analisi descrittiva dei Registri degli esposti ad Agenti biologici prevenuti allo S.Pre.S.A.L. dell'ASP di Palermo nel periodo 2007-2010.

Occult Hepatitis B Infection (OBI)in HIV-Infected Patients in Palermo: Preliminary data

Surveillance of Municipal drinking-water supply after a Norovirus outbreak in Italy

BACKGROUND Norovirus (NoV), in the family Caliciviridae, is the major causative agent of non-bacterial acute gastroenteritis, whose possible routes of transmission include drinking water. During March 2011 an outbreak of gastroenteritis was identified by the local public health service in S. Stefano di Quisquina, Sicily, Italy. Over two weeks, 156 cases were identified and NoV genotype GII.4 v2010 was detected in stool samples from eleven out of twelve patients. The finding of identical genomic sequences between patients suggested a common infection source and an epidemiological investigation indicated a possible correlation to municipal drinking water consumption. One of the wells supplyin…

Diagnostic follow-up of blood donors with indeterminate results to Western Blot for HIV infection in Palermo, Sicily

27,343 blood donors, were tested for HIV infection at the Poli- clinico of Palermo in the period 1999-2001 by using a com- mercial ELISA as screening test and a commercial Western Blot (WB) as confirmatory test. HIV infection was detected in two subjects, whereas five individuals reacted faintly at the screening and tested indeterminate at the confirmatory test showing the presence of only one band for gp41 (four cases) or p24 (one case). A one year follow-up was performed in these patients. All donors but one, spontaneously seroreverted during the follow-up; the only one who persisted as WB inde- terminate, tested also negative for HIV RNA by PCR assay at the end of follow-up. In conclusio…

Infezione da HBV: copertura immunitaria, attualità e prospettive

Test alla tubercolina: proposta di scheda di valutazione del rischio e di interpretazione standardizzata

Relevance of latent infection in the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) is expected to increase in many developed countries. Indeed, many demographic, social and public health changes could contribute to the expansion of groups or communities at significantly higher risk than the general population for infection to Mycobacterium tuberculosis or progression from latent to active disease. Tuberculin skin testing (TB), the gold standard for diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection, is imperfect and prone to false positive and negative results, unless strictly targeted and carefully standardized for reliable performance and interpretation. This paper proposes a pre-test risk assessment questionnai…

Colonizzazione pneumococcica in bambini in eta' scolare e possibile trasmissione intrafamiliare: l'esperienza dello studio "BINOCOLO" in Sicilia.

INTRODUZIONE La colonizzazione orofaringea da pneumococco interessa il 90% dei bambini nel primo anno di vita ed i contatti familiari possono giocare un ruolo cruciale nella stessa. Per analizzare i fattori associati alla colonizzazione da pneumococco e alla possibile trasmissione intra-familiare, è stato realizzato il progetto BINOCOLO: "Bambini Insieme ai NOnni COntro LO Pneumococco" su una popolazione studentesca e relativi familiari co- residenti. METODI Per l'arruolamento dei partecipanti allo studio, sono state identificate due scuole primarie del Comune di Palermo. Per ogni soggetto reclutato, un questionario e un tampone orofaringeo sono stati raccolti attraverso un team opportuname…

Ricerca di mutazioni primarie agli inibitori della fusione in soggetti con infezione da virus dell’immunodeficienza umana (HIV-1)

Safety of Rotavirus Vaccination in Preterm Infants Admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Sicily, Italy: A Multicenter Observational Study

Rotavirus (RV) is among the most common vaccine-preventable diseases in children under five years of age. Despite the severity of rotavirus pathology in early childhood, rotavirus vaccination for children admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), who are often born preterm and with various previous illnesses, is not performed. This multicenter, 3-year project aims to evaluate the safety of RV vaccine administration within the six main neonatal intensive care units of the Sicilian Region to preterm infants. Methods: Monovalent live attenuated anti-RV vaccination (RV1) was administered from April 2018 to December 2019 to preterm infants with gestational age ≥ 28 weeks. Vaccine a…

Prevalenza di infezione da virus erpetico di tipo 8 (HHV8) in tossicodipendenti afferenti ai Servizi Pubblici per il Trattamento delle Tossicodipendenze (Ser.T.) dell’area palermitana

Ospedalizzazioni per Zoster e neuropatia post-erpetica in Sicilia: quali sono le comorbosità più frequenti?

INTRODUZIONE L’Herpes Zoster (HZ) e la Nevralgia Post-Erpetica (NPE) sono patologie frequenti nell’adulto, specialmente in chi è affetto da comorbosità, e possono essere causa di ospedalizzazione. Oltre il 95% degli adulti italiani, avendo contratto la varicella, ne sono a rischio e l’unica METODIca di prevenzione è la vaccinazione. MATERIALI É stato condotto uno studio retrospettivo osservazionale delle Schede di Dimissione Ospedaliera dei soggetti residenti in Sicilia dal 2007 al 2015 per analizzare le variabili socio- demografiche e sanitarie tra cui la presenza di comorbosità dei ricoverati per HZ e PHN. I codici ICD9-CM utilizzati per identificare i casi HZ e NPE sono stati 053-053.9 p…

PARAMETRI STRUTTURALI DI SITI SPORTIVI INDOOR E RISCHIO RADON. RISULTATI PRELIMIARI DI UN'INDAGINE NELLE PALESTRE A PALERMO.

Survey on attitudes, behaviours and perceptions of General Practitioner trainees towards influenza vaccination in Western Sicily (Italy)

From epidemiology to public health decision making: analysis on IMD & vaccination strategy in Italy

Abstract Introduction Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) is one of the most severe vaccine-preventable disease, with high fatality rate and severe sequelae in up to 20% of survivors. MenB, MenC and MenACWY vaccines are available in Italy, but recommendations vary among Italian regions in terms of type of vaccines and targeted age groups. The aim of the study is to describe epidemiology of IMDs in order to provide the best vaccination strategy. Methods IMDs surveillance data in the period 2011-2017 from the Italian National Health Institute were explored. Excel was used to present trend analysis, stratifying by age and serogroups. Results In Italy, during the period 2011-2017, IMDs overall…

Risk factors for classical Kaposi's sarcoma.

Background: Classical Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a malignancy of lymphatic endothelial skin cells. Although all forms of KS are associated with the KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), classical KS occurs in a small fraction of KSHV-infected people. We sought to identify risk factors for classical KS in KSHV-infected individuals. Methods: Lifestyle and medical history data from case patients with biopsyproven non-AIDS (non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) KS in Italy were compared by logistic regression analysis with data from population-based KSHV-seropositive control subjects of comparable age and sex. After KSHV immunofluorescence testing, randomly selected patients on the rosters of local…

Free and antibody-complexed antigen and antibody profile in apparently healthy HIV seropositive individuals and in AIDS patients.

The pattern of free and antibody-complexed HIV antigen and the antibody profile were investigated retrospectively in 305 serum samples taken from 22 AIDS patients before and during the development of AIDS and from 40 apparently healthy seropositive individuals. Most AIDS patients were found positive for both free and complexed antigen and had high gp41 antibody titres but low or undetectable p24 antibody. Four different patterns of HIV antigenaemia were observed: 1) positive for both free and complexed antigen; 2) negative for free HIV antigen at first, but always positive for complexed antigen; 3) positive for free antigen without complexed antigen; and 4) negative for both free and comple…

Screening sierologico per Leishmania infantum su donatori di sangue e HIV+ asintomatici residenti in area endemica [Serological screening for Leishmania infantum in asymptomatic blood donors and HIV+ patients living in an endemic area]

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in Sicily (48 new cases in 2004, of which nine were in Agrigento). In southern Europe between 25-70 per cent of adult VL cases are related to HIV infection. The HIV cases have a high risk (1.5-9%) of developing VL either as a new infection or as the revival of a latent infection. We therefore carried out serologic screening to detect antibodies against L. infantum by IFAT in 1449 blood donors in Agrigento and the surrounding area (May-December 2005) and in 120 HIV+ in western Sicily, all of whom were asymptomatic and had no history of VL. L. DNA was assessed by nested PCR in blood samples of some seropositive donors. Of the 1449 blood donors, 11 (0.75%…

Prevalenza di infezione di HHV8 in Sicilia e fattori di rischio per la trasmissione e l'infezione del virus HHV8

Safety of in-neonatal intensive care unit administration of rotavirus vaccination among preterms

Abstract Background Rotavirus is among the most common vaccine preventable illness in children under 5 years old. Despite increased severity of rotaviral illness in early infancy, most neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) do not administer rotavirus vaccination. The present project aims to evaluate the safety of in-neonatal intenive care unit administration of the monovalent live, attenuated rotavirus vaccination to preterm newborns in Sicily. Methods From the first of March 2018 within the six most important NICUs of Sicily (three located in Palermo, two in Catania and one in Messina), and under the scientific coordination of the University of Palermo and of the Regional Health Department…

Virus-related insulin resistance in HCV genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C : a major disease modifier

Pregnant women as a sentinel population to target and implement hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine coverage: a three-year survey in Palermo, Sicily.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine coverage was assessed using serologic patterns of infection (HBsAg, anti HBc) and vaccine-induced immunity (isolated anti HBs) among 3318 pregnant women attending the Obstetrical Unit of the University Hospital in Palermo who were screened over 3 years (2001-2003). Three thousand and eight of them (90.6%) were born in Sicily, whereas 310 (9.4%) were immigrants from non-EU countries. The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 1.1%, and it was significantly higher among immigrant than indigenous women (4.2% versus 0.8%; OR 5.26; p < 0.0001). Serologic evidence of past HBV infection (anti HBc) also was significantly higher in immigrants than in Sicilian women (24.5% ve…

Rare association of human herpesvirus 6 DNA with human papillomavirus DNA in cervical smears of women with normal and abnormal cytologies.

We investigated by nested PCR the possible association of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and human papillomavirus (HPV) genomes in the cervixes of 109 women with normal and abnormal cytological smears. HPV DNA was detected in 8.33% of 24 women with normal cytologies and in 41.1% of 85 women with abnormal cytologies; the proportion of HPV DNA was directly related to the severity of the lesions. HHV-6 DNA was found in only one patient, who had a cytological pattern of koilocytosis. The HHV-6 genome was classified by restriction enzyme analysis as variant B. The study indicates that detection of the HHV-6 genome in the cervixes of women with a wide spectrum of gynecological complaints is a rare e…

Serological and virological evidence of non-sexual transmission of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV8).

To evaluate whether or not human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) can be transmitted through a non-sexual route a serological survey was carried out in a group of 51 catholic nuns. The seroprevalence rate and the geometrical mean antibody titre to anti-latent HHV8 antigen were similar in nuns and in a group of 60 women, matched by age, in the general population (27 vs. 24%; 1028 vs. 1575, respectively). Moreover, by using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), HHV8 DNA sequences were detected in 7 of 16 (43·8%) saliva and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with classical Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and in 3 out of 7 (42%) AIDS-KS patients. None of 5 HIV positive persons who did not have…

Effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Adolescents Over 6 Months

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES On June 4, 2021, Italy launched the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination of adolescents to slow down the COVID-19 spread. Although clinical trials have evaluated messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine effectiveness in adolescents, there is limited literature on its real-world effectiveness. Accordingly, this study aimed to estimate the effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and mild or severe COVID-19 in a cohort of Sicilian adolescents within a 6 month observation period. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted with adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, residents o…

REAZIONI AVVERSE CORRELATE ALLA VACCINAZIONE CONTRO L'INFLUENZA PANDEMICA (H1N1) PRESSO L'AZIENDA OSPEDALIERA UNIVERSITARIA "P. GIACCONE" (A.O.U.P.) DI PALERMO

Real life hexavalent vaccination among children as a practical guide for public health professionals: Four years (from 2016 to 2019) of clinical practice in Sicily, Italy

Hexavalent (HV) vaccination is a priority for newborn protection and in Italy is included in the National Immunization Plan with a three doses cycle at 61, 121 and 301 days of age. A retrospective clinical study has been conducted to evaluate real life clinical practice of HV vaccination in the fourth most populous Italian Region. Data on the completion of the HV cycle, on the interchangeability between the two HV adopted in 2016–2017 (DTaP3-IPV-HB/Hib) and 2018–2019 (DTaP5-IPV-HB-Hib) and on the use above the established age, were collected in five Sicilian Local Health Authorities. Data showed an average 91.5% completion of the vaccination cycle at 24 months of age. The average age of adm…

Consumo di sostanze alcoliche in un campione di studenti del primo anno della Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Palermo

Surveillance of bovine tuberculosis in Sicily

Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) by M. bovis is a chronic infectious disease of cattle that can represent a risk to human health. bTB European Eradication Plans are based on tuberculin testing and slaughtering of reactive subjects. Despite control measures have been applied in Italy since 1964, illness is still present in Sicily. On 2012, regional official data reported an herd infection prevalence of 3.09% and an herd incidence of 2.37%. In the same year, head prevalence was of 0.70%. This study has analyzed the results of the control activity performed on cattle farm in Sicily between 2009-2012, with the aim to evaluate the bTB prevalence and incidence.

Molecular epidemiology of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) non-B subtypes in SIcily

Host immunogenetics and control of human herpesvirus-8 infection

BACKGROUND: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is primarily caused by human herpesvirus (HHV)-8 infection, and the risk is increased with high HHV-8 lytic or latent antibody titers or the detection of HHV-8 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Host genes important for control of HHV-8 infection are not well characterized. METHODS: In 172 HHV-8 latent nuclear antigen (LANA)-seropositive adults in Italy without KS, we examined correlations of common variants in host immune genes with the detection of HHV-8 DNA in PBMCs and with high lytic and latent antibody titers. Twenty-eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 14 genes were analyzed. We detected HHV-8 DNA in PBMCs with real-time amplificati…

Gestione delle acque marine e Sanità Pubblica tra normative, criticità e prospettive.

Il mare copre il nostro pianeta per circa il 71% della superficie terrestre e gioca un ruolo fondamentale nella vita dell’uomo. Le acque marine sono connesse con la Sanità Pubblica a vari livelli, infatti sia lo stato di salute e benessere individuale che di popolazione risulta influenzato dalle condizioni del mare e delle sue risorse in maniera positiva o negativa. Milioni di individui ogni anno in Italia, per attività balneare ricreativa, si concentrano per periodi relativamente ristretti in litorali più o meno estesi spesso ubicati in diretta continuità con le realtà urbane e metropolitane di fatto determinando un potenziale ambito di contatto tra le attività antropiche e lo smaltimento …

Determinants of HIV outpatient service utilization according to HIV parameters

Introduction : The increased life expectancy of HIV patients in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy has had profound consequences for the healthcare systems that provide their care. It is useful to assess whether healthcare resources need to be adapted to the different stages of HIV infection or to patient characteristics [1]. To study how patient features influence utilization of out patient services, we retrospectively analyzed the electronic health record of HIV-positive patients who had followed day-care programs at the AIDS Center of the University of Palermo, Italy. Materials and Methods : 223 HIV-infected subjects were recruited and divided into two groups according to CD…

Sanità pubblica e malattie cronico-degenerative

Assessment of Early Juvenil Idiopathic Scoliosis: Clinical Trial for the Evaluation of A School-Based Screening Protocol

Abstract This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical tests currently in use for the diagnosis of JIS, through a survey, carried out in secondary schools in the province of Palermo, in order to standardize a school screening protocol that could be extended to the whole regional territory. The adolescents underwent a specialist physiatric examination in their classrooms; moreover three screening tests have been administred: Adams test, Bunnel Inclinometer and Plumb line test. In case of single positivity to one of the three tests, the adolescent underwent to radiography of the whole column. Then we examined the sensitivity and diagnostic specificity of the Adams or inclinometer …

IMMUNOPROFILASSI ATTIVA E PASSIVA

In 2014 cancer registration covers more than half of the Italian population [Nel 2014 la registrazione dei tumori in Italia è estesa a oltre la metà del Paese]

Stili di vita e salute dei giovani in età scolare: rapporto sui dati della regione sicilia HBSC (Health behaviour in school-aged children - comportamenti collegati alla salute dei ragazzi di età scolare) 2009-2010

Studio multicentrico su attitudini, pratiche e conoscenze dei Medici in Formazione Specialistica relativamente alla vaccinazione antinfluenzale.

Analisi della scarsa attitudine alla vaccinazione antinfluenzale dei medici italiani del futuro: risultati di uno studio multicentrico condotto in 18 Università Italiane.

Introduzione: Nel corso della stagione influenzale, gli Operatori Sanitari (OS) rappresentano una delle categorie lavorative maggiormente investite dalla responsabilità di limitare la diffusione della patologia influenzale tra i pazienti ospedalizzati e contemporaneamente di proteggere se stessi garantendo la continuità dell'assistenza sanitaria nei periodi di maggiore assenteismo lavorativo e sovraccarico delle attività assistenziali (picco influenzale stagionale). La vaccinazione antinfluenzale, ormai riconosciuta sicura ed efficace, rappresenta ancora oggi una argomento di dibattito tra gli OS, nonostante le raccomandazioni dei Center for Disease Control and Prevention Statunitense ed Eu…

Valutazione del rischio biologico negli operatori sanitari

Livelli biologici di inquinanti organici persistenti in un campione di popolazione generale di Calatafimi-Segesta (TP): risultati preliminari dello studio EPHICS

Can influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare workers influence the risk of nosocomial influenza-like illness in hospitalized patients?

Background Approximately 20% of healthcare workers are infected with influenza each year, causing nosocomial outbreaks and staff shortages. Despite influenza vaccination of healthcare workers representing the most effective preventive strategy, coverage remains low. Aim To analyse the risk of nosocomial influenza-like illness (NILI) among patients admitted to an acute care hospital in relation to influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare workers. Methods Data collected over seven consecutive influenza seasons (2005–2012) in an Italian acute care hospital were analysed retrospectively. Three different sources of data were used: hospital discharge records; influenza vaccination coverage…

Qualitative analysis of determinants of measles, mumps, rubella vaccine uptake in European parents

Background Parental concerns about measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination negatively influence decision to vaccinate their children, this leading to the recently reported vaccine coverage drop in Europe. The ESCULAPIO project, funded by the Italian National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health (CCM), is investigating the main factors underlying decisions on vaccinations, in order to implement targeted campaigns and plan effective strategies. Methods A systematic literature review was carried out on studies describing the determinants underlying MMR vaccination uptake in European parents. Results A total of 45 studies were included in the analysis. The mo…

Evidence Based Prevention: un nuovo modello in Sanità Pubblica

The concept of evidence-based prevention (EBP), was developed during the last decade as the counterpart, in Public Health, of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) in Clinical Medicine. The growing debate on EBP reflects the increasing recognition that successful evaluation of public health interventions will necessarily entail the use of research designs other than controlled trials as well as the use of various other types of evidence, often in combination. Evidence-based prevention, therefore, aims to implement those prevention strategies that have been found to be useful and effective through a formal evaluation based on scientific methodology. A the same it aims to progressively discard all pr…

Tobacco smoking prevalence in pregnant women: metanalysis of cross sectional studies

Abstract Background Notwithstanding tobacco smoking during pregnancy is associated with negative health outcomes, its prevalence was not included by worldwide surveillance system. The main objective was to estimate the number of women who had smoked at least one cigarette during her pregnancy in comparison to not smoking women. Methods A systematic review and metanalysis was conducted searching on MEDLINE, Pubmed and Scopus on the 2 January 2020. Keywords were searched with English language limits from 2017 to 2019. Three authors independently screened all titles and abstracts applying the inclusion criteria, extracted the data, filled a database and two other authors assessed doubt eligibi…

main routes of trasmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in a family setting in Palermo: some biological properties of the new isolated.

Multidimensional Frailty and Vaccinations in Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study

It is known that influenza, herpes zoster, pneumococcal and pertussis infections may increase morbidity and mortality in older people. Vaccinations against these pathogens are effective in older adults. Frailty seems to be an important determinant of vaccination rates, yet data supporting this association are still missing. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of four recommended vaccinations (influenza, herpes zoster, pneumococcal and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) and the association with multidimensional frailty assessed using a self-reported comprehensive geriatric assessment tool, i.e., the multidimensional prognostic index (SELFY-MPI). Older participants visiting the outpa…

INSULIN RESISTANCE AND SEVERITY OF FIBROSIS IN HCV GENOTYPE 1 CHRONIC HEPATITIS.

UTILIZZO DI FONTI INFORMATIVE MULTIPLE E PUNTI DI CRITICITA’ PER INTERVENTI DI SANITA’ PUBBLICA IN TEMA DI MORTALITA’ INFANTILE. Un’esperienza condotta in SICILIA

Effetti del trans-3,4',5-trimetossi-3'-amino-stilbene sul ceppo din Leishmania infantum MON1/IPT1

Prevalenza di infezione da patogeni a trasmissione ematica (HIV, HBV, HCV) in tossicodipendenti afferenti ai SERT dell’area palermitana

After the increasing trend in the Nineties, in Italy incidence of tumours in children (0-14 years) is decreasing [Dopo l'aumento registrato negli anni Novanta, in Italia l'incidenza dei tumori infantili (0-14 anni) è in diminuzione]

VALUTAZIONE DELL'ESPOSIZIONE A FITOFARMACI IN POPOLAZIONE GENERALE DI UN COMUNE SICILIANO: DATI PRELIMINARI

POSSIBILI FONTI DI ESPOSIZIONE A FITOFARMACI IN UN CAMPIONE RAPPRESENTATIVO DI POPOLAZIONE NELLA SICILIA OCCIDENTALE

Il rischio chimico negli alimenti: il ruolo dei fitofarmaci

Detection of HIV type 1 non-B subtypes in Sicily, Italy.

To evaluate the presence of HIV-1 non-B subtypes in Sicily, we sequenced and genotyped HIV-1 PR and RT regions of the pol gene using plasma from 169 HIV-1-infected adult patients. All samples were obtained from a study of antiretroviral-associated resistance mutations resulting in virological failure during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Eight (4.7%) patients had the non-B HIV-1 subtype including some circulating recombinant forms (CRFs). All of these individuals acquired the infection by heterosexual transmission. The detection of HIV-1 non-B strains was significantly associated with younger age of HIV-1 acquisition. Our findings indicate, for the first time, the presence of…

Nell'attuale realtà sanitaria in cui la richiesta di riduzione della spesa diventa sempre più pressante è ancora possibile migliorare l'efficienza del laboratorio? La nostra esperienza nel settore emostasi del laboratorio centrale del Policlinico di Palermo.

Genomic Analysis and Lineage Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Strains in Migrants Accessing Europe Through the Libyan Route

Many African countries, representing the origin of the majority of refugees, asylum-seekers, and other migrants, toward regions bordering on the Mediterranean area, are experiencing sustained local transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Sicily is one of the main entry gates of migrants crossing into Europe. We conducted a pilot study, based on the full-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated from migrants coming to Sicily by crossing the Mediterranean Sea, with the aim to investigate the viral genome polymorphism and to describe their genetic variations and the phylogenetic relationships. On June 21, a nongovernmental organization vessel rescu…

Sieroepidemiologia dei virus epatitici in un gruppo di bambini adottati dall'estero

Current epidemiology of HCV in Sicily: the RESIST-HCV model

Background: Real-world data to guide hepatitis C virus (HCV)- related public health initiatives and linkage to care of patients are lacking in our region. Aims: To describe the epidemiological features of a large cohort of patients with chronic HCV infection from Sicily included in a regional network aimed at DAA treatment (RESIST-HCV). Methods: Demographic and clinical data were recorded on a web-based platform before starting treatment with DAAs. Gender, year of birth, HCV genotype, co-infections, stages of liver disease and co-morbidities were analyzed. Chi-square with Yates correc- tion was appliedto assess the differences between cohorts. Results: Overall, 15,270 patients were register…

A study to evaluate the lifestyle of medical students in Palermo (Italy) [Indagine sugli stili di vita degli studenti della Facoltà di Medicina di Palermo]

Scientific evidence confirms that unhealthy life habits play an important role in the development of many disorders in all age groups. This study evaluated the lifestyles of 445 first-year medical students in Palermo and Caltanissetta (Italy) by using an anonymous self-administered multiple choice questionnaire Approximately 97% of participants believe that a healthy diet is either "very important" or "extremely important" but only 44% follow a healthy diet. Fifty eight percent frequently perform sports/physical activities while eight percent report being sedentary. A peak in alcohol consumption was found to generally occur in one single day of the week. Twelve percent of those interviewed …

Una valutazione economica completa della vaccinazione estensiva contro i rotavirus con il vaccino RIX4414 a livello nazionale e regionale in Italia

Background. Vaccination of all healthy children against rotavirus (RV) has been recommended, since the availability of vaccines, both in Europe (PIDJ) and Italy (pediatricians). The aims of universal vaccination against RV include the protection of children against moderate/severe gastroenteritis forms by RV (GARV), prevent hospitalizations, reduce the severity and duration of the disease, and reduce morbidity and socio- economic costs. Payers need to informed regarding the efficacy and the healthcare utilization related to RV vaccination in order to decide in favour of its extensive implementation. The aim of this paper is to assess the clinical and financial impact of the extensive vaccin…

La vaccinazione anti-rotavirus: nuova sfida per la promozione della salute

ATTITUDINI E CONOSCENZE SULLA VACCINAZIONE ANTINFLUENZALE TRA I MEDICI IN FORMAZIONE SPECIALISTICA PRESSO L'UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO

Valutazione di un modello applicativo per lo screening del carcinoma colon-rettale nella Provincia di Palermo.

[Italy 2014: 1,000 new cancer cases every day, but mortality is decreasing].

In Italy in 2014 1,000 new cancer cases every day, but mortality is decreasing

Neutralizing antibody and clinical status of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals

An assay based on inhibition of cytopathic effect of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) strains in Molt 4 cells was developed to quantitate neutralizing antibodies (NA) in sera of HIV-infected individuals. The assay was specific and gave results comparable to those obtained by the inhibition of immunofluorescence (IFI) and reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. Attempts were made to correlate the presence and the antibody titres with the clinical status of HIV-infected individuals classified according to Walter Reed staging classification scheme. NA titres correlated inversely with the stage of HIV infection: Compared with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, HIV-infected subje…

Importance of dogs as sentinels of West Nile Virus activity in urban and suburban areas

Background: West Nile Virus (WNV) is a virus included in the Japanese encephalitis sero-complex within the genus Flavivirus. In August 2010, cases of West Nile disease were reported for the first time in Sicily. Neurological symptomswere observed in native horses resident in the rural areas around the province of Trapani, in the western part of the island. During the epidemic, important critical questions onwhen the viruswas introduced in the area and aboutwhether the virus had circulated/was circulating in theurban area, emerged and needed to be answered. A retrospective study using dog serum samples was designed to answer these questions. Methods: Between January 2009 and September 2010, …

Valutazione dei comportamenti sessuali e delle conoscenze in materia di malattie sessualmente trasmesse (mst) in un campione di studenti del primo anno della Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Palermo

Main routes of trasmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)infection in a family setting in Palermo, Italy.

A cross-sectional seroepidemiologic study was carried out on household contacts and sexual partners of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody-positive intravenous drug abusers in Palermo, Italy, in 1985 to evaluate factors that influenced HIV transmission. A total of 43 index cases, 36 spouses or heterosexual partners, 28 children, and 55 adult household members were enrolled. None of the household members without sexual contact, who had shared items and facilities and had interacted with the index cases, contracted HIV infection. However, six of 36 sexual partners had antibodies to HIV. It was observed that the risk of HIV infection was significantly associated with the frequency of s…

Leadership Effectiveness in Healthcare Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cross-Sectional and Before-After Studies

To work efficiently in healthcare organizations and optimize resources, team members should agree with their leader’s decisions critically. However, nowadays, little evidence is available in the literature. This systematic review and meta-analysis has assessed the effectiveness of leadership interventions in improving healthcare outcomes such as performance and guidelines adherence. Overall, the search strategies retrieved 3,155 records, and 21 of them were included in the meta-analysis. Two databases were used for manuscript research: PubMed and Scopus. On 16th December 2019 the researchers searched for articles published in the English language from 2015 to 2019. Considering the study des…

Residui di prodotti fitosanitari in campioni biologici umani ed impatto sulla salute.

Italian cancer figures, report 2014: Prevalence and cure of cancer in Italy

This Report intends to estimate the total number of people still alive in 2010 after cancer diagnosis in Italy, regardless of the time since diagnosis, and to project these estimates to 2015. This study is also aimed to estimate the number of already cured cancer patients, whose mortality rates have become undistinguishable from that of the general population of the same age and sex.The study took advantage of the information from the AIRTUM database, which included 29 Cancer Registries (covering 21 million people, 35% of the Italian population). A total of 1,624,533 cancer cases diagnosed between 1976 and 2009 contributed to the study. For each registry, the observed prevalence was calcula…

USE OF FUNNEL PLOTS TO ANALYZE THE STANDARD INCIDENCE RATIOS IN THE PROVINCE OF PALERMO

Response-adjusted α-interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients

Abstract In patients with chronic hepatitis C and HIV infection, responsiveness to the standard schedule of α-interferon (IFN) is unsatisfactory. To quantify the effectiveness of tailoring IFN dosage according to HCV viral load under treatment, we enrolled 41 patients (M/F 32/9) chronically coinfected by HCV and HIV with chronic liver disease. All were former i.v. drug addicts, with a mean age of 32±4 years, and had clinical and histological evidence of chronic hepatitis (10% with cirrhosis). The CDC stage was A1 in five, A2 in 14, A3 in eight, B2 in eight, B3 in three and C3 in three. Twenty four patients were on triple therapy with protease inhibitors, 11 were on two-drug anti-HIV regimen…

METODO PER LA GENOTIPIZZAZIONE DI HIV-1 E RELATIVI KIT DIAGNOSTICI PER LA RILEVAZIONE DI FARMACO-RESISTENZA (geni gag e pol)

Systematic review and meta-analysis of determinants associated with HPV vaccination uptake in Europe

Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are the most important strategy to prevent HPV-related cancers and benign lesions. However, low immunization levels observed in several countries requires a deeper analysis of determinants associated with HPV vaccination uptake. Aim of the research is to identify the main determinants associated with HPV vaccination uptake among European adolescents, through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Methods The research was conducted on electronic databases including PubMed/MEDLINE and SCOPUS, identifying 1147 studies. Original articles published between 2000 and 2018 were retrieved, with restriction criteria applied to the Eur…

Impact of Candida species colonization and azoles resistance in a neonatal intensive care unit

Background: Candida species are among the top 10 most frequently isolated nosocomial bloodstream pathogens in Europe. In particular, in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) Candida infections are an emerging concern because of the increasing incidence, the related high morbidity and mortality rates reported. Moreover, the epidemiology of Candida infection rapidly changed in these years leading to the selection of less sensitive strains and species. Surveillance studies are mandatory to identify the local distribution of species, their antifungal susceptibility profiles and the emergence of resistance strains. Material/methods: From December 2012 we performed a cohort prospective surveillan…

Appropriateness of requests for human serum albumin at the University Hospital of Palermo, Italy: a prospective study

Abstract OBJECTIVE: First, to assess the appropriateness of requests for albumin using current guidelines; second, to evaluate physicians' compliance with this protocol. DESIGN: Descriptive, prospective study. SETTING: 'Paolo Giaccone' University Hospital in Palermo (Italy). PARTICIPANTS: The six departments with the highest orders for albumin. INTERVENTION: An experimental, pharmacist-driven process for daily orders of albumin was activated over a period of 1 month. Pharmacy personnel handed out order forms on six different wards. Physicians were required to select one of a number of intended uses listed on the form. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data on albumin and serum protein levels; number o…

L’ESPERIENZA DELLA SICILIA QUALE REGIONE CAPOFILA NELLA INTRODUZIONE DELLA VACCINAZIONE UNIVERSALE CONTRO I ROTAVIRUS

La gastroenterite da rotavirus (GARV) rappresenta uno dei principali bisogni assistenziali durante l’età pediatrica. Purtroppo, in Italia, in assenza di notifica obbligatoria e di specifici sistemi di sorveglianza, le uniche valutazioni epidemiologiche disponibili sulle GARV sono rese possibili dall’analisi delle ospedalizzazioni. Il presente lavoro ha avuto l’obiettivo di valutare le ospedalizzazioni per GARV e per intussuscezione, avvenute in Sicilia in soggetti di età compresa tra 0 e 60 mesi, negli anni 2003-2012 (periodo prevaccinale) e 2013 (anno di introduzione della vaccinazione antirotavirus). Nel periodo in esame si sono osservate 9.886 ospedalizzazioni per GARV con una media annu…

Abitudini sessuali e fattori di rischio per le malattie sessualmente trasmesse degli studenti di Medicina e Chirurgia dell'Università degli studi di Palermo.

Coverage or Efficacy: Which Factor is the Most Influential for Reducing Varicella with Routine Childhood Vaccination in Italy?

Valutazione delle abitudini alimentari e dell'attività fisica in un campione di studenti del primo anno della facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Palermo

A common genetic variant in FCGR3A-V158F and risk of Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus infection and classic Kaposi Sarcoma

Valutazione della presenza di Radon nelle palestre: risultati preliminari

La Formazione del Giovane Igienista per le nuove sfide di Sanità Pubblica

Introduzione La Consulta dei Medici in formazione specialistica (già Consulta degli Specializzandi) è un organo della Società Italiana di Igiene, Medicina Preventiva e Sanità Pubblica (S.It.I.). Nasce nel 1998 e nel 2012 viene riconosciuta come componente ufficiale nello statuto della Società. E’ composta da due rappresentanti per ciascuna Scuola di Specializzazione; attualmente sono rappresentate tutte le 33 Scuole italiane. Fin dalla sua istituzione la Consulta si è impegnata per favorire lo sviluppo di una rete tra colleghi, promuovere il miglioramento del percorso formativo degli “specializzandi” igienisti attraverso il confronto e la crescita delle Scuole di Specializzazione e favorire…

Direct RNA nanopore sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 extracted from critical material from swabs

ABSTRACTBackgroundIn consideration of the increasing prevalence of COVID-19 cases in several countries and the resulting demand for unbiased sequencing approaches, we performed a direct RNA sequencing experiment using critical oropharyngeal swab samples collected from Italian patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 from the Palermo region in Sicily.MethodsHere, we identified the sequences SARS-CoV-2 directly in RNA extracted from critical samples using the Oxford Nanopore MinION technology without prior cDNA retro-transcription.ResultsUsing an appropriate bioinformatics pipeline, we could identify mutations in the nucleocapisid (N) gene, which have been reported previously in studies conducted in…

La profilassi vaccinale nella popolazione immigrata adulta: priorità e proposta di calendario

ANALISI DESCRITTIVA DELLE PATOLOGIE ASBESTO-CORRELATE DELLA PROVINCIA DI PALERMO NEL PERIODO 2005-2009

HPV vaccine hesitancy among parents of female adolescents: a pre-post interventional study

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in female adolescents. The highest infection rate is found among individuals aged 15-24 years, and the HPV vaccine represents an opportunity to reduce the burden of cervical cancer caused by HPV types 16 and 18. The World Health Organization has defined girls aged 9e13 years as the priority target for HPV vaccination. In Italy, in accordance with international public health guidelines, HPV vaccination wasfree and actively offered to all girls during their 12th year of life (from the completion of 11 years until the age of 12 years) between 2007 and 2008, establishing a target vaccination coverage of 95% within 5 ye…

Use of trastuzumab for breast cancer: the impact of age.

Indication for the use of trastuzumab was given in Italy in 2000 for the treatment of HER-2 metastatic breast cancer and in 2006 for early stage breast cancer. Information on trastuzumab use and on its possible variation with age in Italy is however limited. Using health care administrative databases, we evaluated the prevalence of the use of trastuzumab, and the probability for administration since the first hospitalization for breast cancer in various age groups, in two series of Italian women diagnosed with breast cancer in the Lombardy region (2004-2009) and in the Palermo district. The rate between trastuzumb users and patients with a hospitalization for breast cancer increased from 2.…

Sexual habits and risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases among medical students of Palermo’s University in 2010–2011.

Background The Residency Program in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine at Palermo’s University has conducted a survey among the students of the local Medical School regarding their knowledge about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), with the aim to detect possible risk factors frequently associated with STDs. Objectives The study has been conducted with an anonymous questionnaire delivered, during classes, to the students attending the six years of Medical School. The medical residents on Hygiene and Preventive Medicine of the Department of Sciences for Health Promotion at Palermo’s University had previously made a short introduction about the study and its purpose and answered students’ que…

Epidemiologia e prevenzione primaria e secondaria delle malattie infettive

Pre-post school educational intervention assessment on HPV vaccination attitudes and willingness

Abstract Background In Italy, vaccination coverage against human Papilloma Virus (HPV) showed a decreasing trend during last years. Different reasons could lead to a decrease in HPV vaccination confidence, such as not taking part to school seminars on HPV infection and vaccination. A pre-post intervention study was conducted in order to assess the improvement of knowledge, attitudes and behavior on HPV-related diseases and willingness on HPV vaccination among secondary school students. Methods Two anonymous pre-post intervention questionnaires made up of 25 and 8 items, respectively, were administered to a representative sample of students attending secondary schools of Palermo, Italy. Betw…

Riemergenza del poliovirus ed implicazioni per la vaccinazione anti-poliovirus in Italia

Nel 1988, l’Organizzazione mondiale della Sanità (OMS) ha approvato il piano di eradicazione mondiale della poliomielite con l’obiettivo di annullare la circolazione del virus a partire dall’anno 2000. Tale target, per motivi economici, organizzativi, culturali, bellici e financo religiosi, è stato successivamente spostato in avanti negli anni fino a giungere attualmente al 2015. A seguito di questo impegno, negli anni si è registrata una riduzione dell’incidenza di poliomielite di oltre il 99%, passando dai 350.000 casi annui di polio paralitica documentati nel 1988 in 125 paesi, alle poche centinaia di casi riscontrati nel 2013 sia negli ultimi 3 paesi endemici (Nigeria, Afghanistan, Paki…

Phylogenetic analysis in the clinical risk management of an outbreak of hepatitis C virus infection among transfused thalassaemia patients in Italy

Background: Occurrence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is reduced by effective risk management procedures, but patient-to-patient transmission continues to be reported in healthcare settings. Aim: To report the use of phylogenetic analysis in the clinical risk management of an HCV outbreak among 128 thalassaemia outpatients followed at a thalassaemia centre of an Italian hospital. Methods: Epidemiological investigation and root-cause analysis were performed. All patients with acute hepatitis and known chronic infection were tested for HCV RNA, HCV genotyping, and NS3, NS5A, and NS5B HCV genomic region sequencing. To identify transmission clusters, phylogenetic trees were built for each…

Use of a comprehensive diagnostic algorithm for Anisakis allergy in a high seroprevalence Mediterranean setting

Summary Background.Diagnosis of anisakis allergy (AA) is based on the skin prick test (SPT) and specific IgE (sIgE) determination. Anyway, false positivity cases are due to cross reactivity with numerous allergens. The aim of the study was to evaluate the reliability of a comprehensive diagnostic algorithm for the AA. Methods.An observational study was conducted on a sample of consecutive subjects accessing the allergology outpatient ambulatories of two hospitals located in Western Sicily. All the recruited outpatients were tested by Skin Prick Test performed using anisakis extracts by ALK-Abello (Madrid, Spain). Specific IgE dosage for anisakis extracts was then performed by using ImmunoCA…

Vaccination Coverage Increase among Adolescent and Young Adults of the Palermo District (Italy) as a Result of a Public Health Strategy to Contrast an &amp;ldquo;Epidemic of Panic&amp;rdquo;

During summer 2016 in the District of Palermo, Italy, the rapid succession of four cases of invasive meningococcal disease among young adults, with one death, have had an extraordinary emphasis by Local and National mass media. The resultant &amp;ldquo;epidemic of panic&amp;rdquo; among general population overloaded vaccination Units of the Palermo District during following months. Strategies implemented by Sicilian and Local Public Health Authorities to counteract &amp;ldquo;meningitis fear&amp;rdquo; were: a) extension of active and free of charge anti-meningococcal tetravalent vaccination from age class 12&amp;ndash;18 to 12&amp;ndash;30 years old; b) implementation of vaccination units …

Organizzazione aziendale del'SSN e cenni di economia sanitaria

Metodo per la genotipizzazione di HIV-1 e relativi kit diagnostici per la rilevazione di farmaco-resistenza (gene ENV-gp41).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns a laboratory method for genotyping human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) through gene sequencing of gp41-env. It allows to detect the nucleotide mutations conferring resistance to antiretroviral drugs active to gp41-env. The present method allows to analyze also low viraemia samples at around 101 -102 copies HIV-RNA/ml. This method offers the advantage of being easily adaptable to both plasma and cellular samples and is therefore able to value "in advance" the genetic mutations potentially involved in the resistance phenomena to anti-retroviral drugs, even in patients with optimal/sub-optimal virologic control. The kit use the one-s…

Clinical Severity in Different Waves of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Sicily: A Model of Smith’s “Law of Declining Virulence” from Real-World Data

Background: The COVID-19 epidemic had a rapid spread worldwide with a continuous and fast mutation of the virus, resulting in the emergence of several variants of concern (VOC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the severity of each VOC among SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects by investigating deaths, ICU admissions, intubations, and severe critical symptoms. Methods: An ecological observational study was performed to evaluate mortality rates and clinical characteristics of 321,490 unvaccinated Sicilian SARS-CoV-2 cases observed from 2 March 2020 to 27 March 2022. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by multivariate logistic regression analysis evaluating factors…

A Common Genetic Variant inFCGR3A-V158F and Risk of Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus Infection and Classic Kaposi Sarcoma

Associations of FCGR3A among men with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome suggest that host responses affect the pathogenesis of Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) infection and risk of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome – associated Kaposi sarcoma. Using DNA from two HIV seronegative case-control populations in Italy, we examined whether the functional FCGR3A-V158F variant was associated with risk of KSHV infection or classic Kaposi sarcoma (CKS). In population I, we examined FCGR3A variants and risk of KSHV infection in 34 KSHV latent nuclear antigen (LANA)-seropositive and 120 LANAseronegative adults from Sardinia (52% male; median age, 45 years; range, 31-60), whereas in population II…

INCIDENZA DELL'INFLUENZA LIKE-ILLNESS TRA I MEDICI IN FORMAZIONE SPECIALISTICA ITALIANI: RISULTATI DI UNO STUDIO MULTICENTRICO

Le Infezioni Ospedaliere

Tumori Infantili: i dati del Registro Tumori della Provincia di Palermo 2003-2005

Italian cancer figures, report 2013: Multiple tumours

This collaborative study, based on data collected by the network of Italian association of cancer registries (AIRTUM), provides updated estimates on the incidence risk of multiple primary cancer (MP). The objective is to highlight and quantify the bidirectional associations between different oncological diseases. The quantification of the excess or decreased risk of further cancers in cancer patients, in comparison with the general population, may contribute to understand the aetiology of cancer and to address clinical follow-up.Data herein presented were provided by AIRTUM population-based cancer registries, which cover nowadays 48% of the Italian population. This monograph utilizes the AI…

Dosaggio del D-dimero "alta sensibilità" (D-D HS): valutazione del test e applicazioni nella pratica laboratoristica (risultati preliminari)

Valutazione del rischio infettivo occupazionale nell’A.O.U.P. di Palermo: dieci anni di sorveglianza

Nel presente lavoro sono stati esaminati gli eventi infortunistici occupazionali a rischio biologico avvenuti nell’Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico di Palermo nel decennio 2000-2011 al fine di rilevarne l’incidenza, anche in considerazione degli interventi di prevenzione adottati, le circostanze dell’evento, le categorie professionali maggiormente a rischio, le caratteristiche dell’operatore sanitario e, se noto, il quadro sierologico del paziente fonte. A tale scopo è stato esaminato un data-base dell’Azienda in cui vengono inseriti i suddetti dati al momento dell’incidente occupazionale a rischio infettivologico. Dall’elaborazione degli stessi è emerso che nell’anno 2000 l’in…

Valutazione degli stili di vita in un campione di studenti del primo anno della Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Palermo

Invasive meningococcal disease in Italy: from analysis of national data to an evidence-based vaccination strategy

Introduction. Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is one of the most severe vaccine-preventable diseases not yet under control. In Italy, although different anti-meningococcal vaccines are available, their offer among regions is heterogeneous. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiology of IMD in Italy based on analysis of national surveillance data for 2011–2017 to optimize the vaccination strategy. Methods: IMD surveillance data from the Italian National Health Institute were analysed. Microsoft Excel was used to present trend analysis, stratifying by age and serogroups. Results: In Italy, during the period 2011–2017, the incidence of IMD increased from 0.25 cases/100,000 inhab…

Occurrence og Giardia and Cryptosporidium in the river Oreto (Palermo, Sicily)

MAIN ROUTES OF TRANSMISSION OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) INFECTION IN A FAMILY SETTING IN PALERMO, ITALY1

A cross-sectional seroepidemiologic study was carried out on household contacts and sexual partners of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody-positive intravenous drug abusers in Palermo, Italy, in 1985 to evaluate factors that influenced HIV transmission. A total of 43 index cases, 36 spouses or heterosexual partners, 28 children, and 55 adult household members were enrolled. None of the household members without sexual contact, who had shared items and facilities and had interacted with the index cases, contracted HIV infection. However, six of 36 sexual partners had antibodies to HIV. It was observed that the risk of HIV infection was significantly associated with the frequency of s…

AIDS in Sicily: prevalence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in low and high risck groups

Registri tumori ed epidemiologia valutativa

Valutazione del rischio biologico negli operatori sanitari;infezioni correlate all'assistenza sanitaria (ICA)

DETECTION OF HIV TYPE 1 (HIV-1) NON-B SUBTYPES IN SICILY, ITALY

To evaluate the presence of HIV-1 non-B subtypes in Sicily, we sequenced and genotyped HIV-1 PR and RT regions of the pol gene using plasma from 169 HIV-1-infected adult patients. All samples were obtained from a study of antiretroviral-associated resistance mutations resulting in virological failure during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Eight (4.7%) patients had the non-B HIV-1 subtype including some circulating recombinant forms (CRFs). All of these individuals acquired the infection by heterosexual transmission. The detection of HIV-1 non-B strains was significantly associated with younger age of HIV-1 acquisition. Our findings indicate, for the first time, the presence of…

APPLICAZIONE DELLO SCREENING DEL TUMORE COLON-RETTALE IN SICILIA: ATTUALITA' E PROSPETTIVE

VALUTAZIONE DELLA PRESENZA DEL GAS RADON IN IMPIANTI SPORTIVI INDOOR IN SICILIA E SARDEGNA.

RESIDUI DI FITOSANITARI IN FLUIDI BIOLOGICI UMANI E VALUTAZIONE DELL'ESPOSIZIONE IN POPOLAZIONE GENERALE DI UN COMUNE SICILIANO: PROGETTAZIONE DI UNO STUDIO.

Impatto della vaccinazione antirotavirus sulle ospedalizzazioni per gastroenterite rotavirale in regione Sicilia

La gastroenterite rotavirale (GERV) è una delle principali cause di ricovero nei bambini di età inferiore ai 5 anni in Italia. L'unica strategia di Sanità Pubblica in grado di prevenirla è la vaccinazione. La Sicilia è stata la prima regione italiana ad introdurre la vaccinazione universale anti-Rotavirus (anti-RV) nel Gennaio 2013. Sono stati raccolti i dati relativi ai ricoveri con codice ICD-IX CM 008.61 in qualsiasi posizione di diagnosi nei bambini di età compresa tra 0 e 59 mesi residenti in regione Sicilia nel periodo pre (2009-2012) e post (2013-2015) INTRODUZIONE vaccinale. Tra il 2009 ed il 2015 sono stati osservati 5.718 ricoveri per GERV. Sono stati registrati una media di 961 c…

Selective culture of rat CNS neurons in a synthetic medium.

A Chemically Defined Medium is described which facilitates the survival of neurons in primary cultures of rat cerebral hemispheres. More than 90% of all cells were identified as neurons using neurofilament as a marker in an immunocytochemical assay. In contrast, serum-supplemented medium, by stimulating nonneuronal cell proliferation, hinders the survival of neurons in culture.

Body mass index and factors associated with overweight and obesity: a crosssectional study of adult subjects living in a small city of Western Sicily (Italy)

Background: although the epidemiological features of overweight and obesity have been well described, especially for very populous urban areas, less evidences are available for small urban areas. The aim of the present work was to assess BMI and factors associated with overweight and obesity in a representative sample of general population of a small city of Western Sicily (Italy). Methods: four hundred and eleven randomly selected adult subjects from general population living in a small Sicilian city with 7 144 inhabitants were interviewed by a standardized questionnaire investigating life-styles, eating habits, anthropometric measurements (weight, height and BMI) and socio-economic depriv…

In the last 15 years, survival in Italian children (0-14 years) is increased to 12%. [Negli ultimi 15 anni la sopravvivenza per tumore nei bambini italiani di età 0-14 anni è aumentata del 12%]

Transmission of drug-resistant HIV-1 in Europe remains limited to single classes

BACKGROUND: The spread of drug-resistant HIV-1 might compromise the future success of current first-line regimens. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the extent and impact of transmission of drug-resistant HIV-1 variants in Europe. DESIGN AND METHODS: The European prospective programme (SPREAD) collected demographic, clinical and virological data from 1245 HIV-1-infected individuals in 17 countries diagnosed in 2002-2003. The potential impact of transmitted drug resistance mutations (TDRMs) on therapy response was determined by using genotypic interpretation algorithms. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of viruses with drug-resistance mutations was 9.1% [96/1050; 95% confidence interval: 7.5-11.1]. The ma…

Igiene dell'ambiente: inquinamento atmosferico, gestione dei rifiuti e gestione delle acque

“Evidence of HIV-1 second-generation recombinant strains (SGRs) in Sicily: sequence analysis of gag, pol, and env genes.”

STILI DI VITA ED INDICI DI DEPRIVAZIONE IN UN CAMPIONE RAPPRESENTATIVO DELLA POPOLAZIONE RESIDENTE IN UNA CITTADINA DELLA SICILIA OCCIDENTALE

Sieroprevalenza dell'infezione da virus dell'epatite A nella provincia di Palermo

PIN46 Pharmacoeconomic Evaluation of the Introduction of Universal Varicella Vaccination in Italy

Prevalenza di sensibilizzazione all’Anisakis Simplex in popolazione professionalmente esposta in Sicilia

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Healthcare Professionals and General Population During “First Wave” of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in Sicily, Italy

On December 31, 2019, an outbreak of lower respiratory infections was documented in Wuhan caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the beginning, SARS-CoV-2 has caused many infections among healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. Aims of this study were: a. to compare the distribution among the HCWs and the general population of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Western Sicily and Italy; b. to describe the characteristics of HCWs infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the western Sicilian healthcare context during the first wave of the epidemic diffusion in Italy. Incidence and mean age of HCWs infected with SARS-CoV-2 were comparable in Western Sicily and in the whole Ita…

Cost analysis of the first two year of universal mass vaccination against rotavirus in Sicily

Background Rotavirus vaccination (RV) is recognized by international health authority as the best strategy to prevent rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in children. Costs of RVGE were estimated in several studies and were classified into direct and indirect costs, that should be further divided into Health care and social perspective. This study aims to evaluate RVGE hospitalization costs in Sicily, before and after universal mass RV (UMRV) introduction. Methods Cases of RVGE were defined as all hospitalizations with an ICD-9-CM diagnosis code of 008.61 on any diagnosis position among children aged 0 to 59 months. Data were obtained from Hospital discharge records (HDR) of the Health Regiona…

Volume Atti XXIV Congresso Interregionale Siculo Calabro della Società Italiana di Igiene, Medicina Preventiva e Sanità Pubblica “Integrazione delle Popolazioni per la Promozione della Salute Collettiva: Focus sulla Salute dei Migranti in Italia”

About 1,400 new cancer diagnosis in Italian children (0-14 years) are attended every year (7,000 in 5 years) [Ogni anno sono previste circa 1.400 nuove diagnosi di tumori maligni nei bambini italiani di età 0-14 anni (7.000 nel quinquennio)]

Sorveglianza della nuova influenza H1N1 in Sicilia

Prevalence of Sensitization to Anisakis simplex Among Professionally Exposed Populations in Sicily

Anisakis simplex (AS) is a cause of allergic sensitization and potential occupational risk is suggested in fishermen and workers assigned to fish processing and sale. A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to assess possible health effects of occupational exposure to AS in workers recruited from western Sicily fisheries sector. Social, demographic, and occupation-related data were collected. Serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and specific IgE levels to AS (threshold >0.35 kU/L) were determined by an fluoroimmunoassay technique. Ninety-four subjects with potential occupational exposure (fishmongers, fishermen, fish industry employees) were recruited. Specific AS IgEs were detected in…

Invasive pneumococcal diseases in children aged 1-59 months in sicily, Italy: Importance of active family paediatrician surveillance and vaccination coverage

Purpose: Aim of this study was to analyze pediatric invasive pneumococcal disease rates several years after the implementation of infant pneumococcal vaccination. Methods: The study was carried out in Sicily and involved about 30,000 children, aged 1-59 months, actively monitored by 100 family pediatricians during 2010 and 2011. All children who met the inclusion criteria were considered eligible, recorded using a stan-dardized case report form and investigated for the presence of S. pneumoniae in speci-mens from sterile sites. Results: None of the 40 eligible children was confirmed as a case of invasive pneumococ-cal disease. The incidence rate of invasive pneumococcal disease cases was 0.…

Detection of a new 3-base pair insertion mutation in the protease gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

To investigate a new insertion mutation in the protease (PR) gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in a patient extensively pretreated with antiretroviral drugs, genotypic analyses of plasma-derived viruses were performed by sequencing segments of 1302 nucleotides in the pol gene of HIV-1. Despite optimal compliance to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) the patient showed poor virological success. Nucleotide sequences of retrospective available plasma samples exhibited a previously unknown 3-bp insertion mutation, corresponding to a leucine, between codons 31 and 32 of the PR gene. This kind of mutation appears to be very rare and it does not seem to be associated wi…

Behavioural profile of drug users attending public drug-treatment centres in Sicily: the role of social context

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective&lt;/strong&gt;: Investigations of injecting drug users (IDUs) have suggested that the social context may influence high-risk behaviours in this population. The aim of this study was to describe knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of IDUs attending public drug-treatment centres in our area.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Study design and methods&lt;/strong&gt;: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between July 2002 and February 2004, enrolling 607 drug users attending four public drug-treatment centres in the Palermo area. Two of them were located inside the urban area, whereas the other two were in rural districts near the city. All participants answered …

The Changing Pattern of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection in Intravenous Drug Users

A cross-sectional seroepidemiologic study was carried out between 1985 and 1990 in 1,567 heterosexual intravenous drug users who had been seen at the AIDS Regional Reference Center in Palermo, Italy, to evaluate the rate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) seroprevalence in this group and its long-term trend. Sixty serum samples collected from drug users in 1980 and 1983, before the founding of the Center (1985), were tested as well. Some demographic and behavioral risk factors were studied in a subgroup of intravenous drug users enrolled in 1985, 1987, and 1990 for their possible association with HIV-1. These factors were also studied in relation to hepatitis B virus infection, …

Sorveglianza attiva delle patologie pneumococciche invasive dell'età pediatrica: l’esperienza della Regione Sicilia nel triennio 2009-2011

S.pneumoniae is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children globally. Since 2007 the World Health Organization has recommended anti-pneumococcal vaccination to reduce the burden of invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD). The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of IPD in Sicilian children and describe the distribution of serotypes in subjects with IPD following the recent introduction of a universal vaccination program. Active surveillance of IPD (PneumoNet) was carried out in Sicily from 2009 to 2011 by nine reference hospitals (one per province) and one-hundred randomly sampled family pediatricians. Hospital discharge data of participating hospitals were also analyzed…

Rate of hospitalizations and mortality of Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection compared to influenza in older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is commonly regarded as an infection typical of children, but increasing literature is showing its importance in older people. Since the data regarding the impact of RSV are still limited for older people, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to compare the rate of hospitalization and mortality between RSV and influenza in this population. A systematic literature search until 15 June 2022 was done across several databases and including studies reporting incidence rate and cumulative incidence of hospitalization and mortality in RSV and influenza affecting older people. Among 2295 records initially screened, 16 studies including 762,084 old…

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology as a Tool to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Circulation at the Community Level: Findings from a One-Year Wastewater Investigation Conducted in Sicily, Italy

Wastewater-based epidemiology is a well-established tool for detecting and monitoring the spread of enteric pathogens and the use of illegal drugs in communities in real time. Since only a few studies in Italy have investigated the correlation between SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and the prevalence of COVID-19 cases from clinical testing, we conducted a one-year wastewater surveillance study in Sicily to correlate the load of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and the reported cumulative prevalence of COVID-19 in 14 cities from October 2021 to September 2022. Furthermore, we investigated the role of SARS-CoV-2 variants and subvariants in the increase in the number of SARS CoV-2 infections. Our findin…

Pratiche di disinfezione, sterilizzazione e disinfestazione

Obiettivi strategici della prevenzione: controllo, eliminazione ed eradicazione delle malattie

Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention

Cancer registries (CR) are essential structures for the recording of neoplasms in order to study their distribution and characteristics among a given population; this, moreover, can help in identifying possible main risk factors linked to some cancer conditions. Prevention nowadays is a fundamental key strategy for the control of neoplasms, and this is the reason why policies and screening programs should be implemented in order to raise awareness and reduce exposure to risk factors.

Human herpesvirus type 8 DNA sequences in biological samples of HIV-positive and negative individuals in Sicily.

Objective: To evaluate the circulation of a new human herpesvirus (HHV), HHV-8 or Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus in a geographical area where a high incidence rate of classical KS was already present before the appearance of the AIDS epidemic. Design and methods: The study was carried out by analysing: (i) bioptic samples from classic, AIDS-associated KS, and controls; (ii) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from classic KS, HIV-positive subjects with and without KS and healthy HIV-negative individuals; (iii) semen samples from heterosexual HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals affected or not by KS; and (iv) cervical swabs from HIV-negative healthy heterosexual fem…

Consumo di sostanze alcooliche in un campione di studenti del I anno della Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia

Gli OGM e la nutrizione del bambino

Lo stato dell'arte dell'introduzione della vaccinazione antipneumococcica coniugata nei soggetti > 50 anni nei calendari vaccinali regionali italiani

Antibodies to human herpes virus type 8 (HHV8) in general population and in individuals at risk for sexually transmitted diseases in Western Sicily.

Human herpes virus 8 (HHV8) appears to be the primary aetiologic agent of Kaposi sarcoma (KS). To study the distribution of HHV8, a seroepidemiological study was carried out in western Sicily, where a high incidence rate of classical KS is well documented.A total of 970 sera of healthy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative individuals of general population (1-70 years old) and 742 sera of individuals in different risk groups for HIV infection were evaluated by means of an indirect immunofluorescence assay able to detect antibodies to lytic and latent HHV8 antigens.Crude seroprevalence to HHV8 antigens was 11.5% in the general population, and it increased significantly with age from 6%…

Results after one year of rotavirus universal mass vaccination in Sicily

Background Rotavirus (RV) vaccination is the best strategy to prevent hospitalizations due to rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) and is strongly recommended by international health authority [1]. The Sicilian Health Department introduced rotavirus universal mass vaccination (RUMV) into regional immunizations schedule in 2013 (mean vaccination coverage = 31%). Intussusception is the invagination of one segment of the intestine within a more distal segment and even though the etiology is still unknown, in 1998, a relationship with a tetravalent rotavirus vaccine that was promptly withdrawn was suggested [2]. Post licensure surveillance studies have not confirmed previous findings and no increas…

L'ABITUDINE AL FUMO TRA GLI STUDENTI DELLA FACOLTA' DI MEDICINA E CHIRURGIA DI PALERMO

FUMO, STUDENTI, FACOLTA' DI MEDICINA E CHIRURGIA, PALERMO

Metodologie biomolecolari applicate all'epidemiologia delle infezioni da HIV

Body mass index and factors associated with overweight and obesity: a crosssectional in a small city of Western Sicily (Italy)

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background&lt;/strong&gt;: although the epidemiological features of overweight and obesity have been well described, especially for very populous urban areas, less evidences are available for small urban areas. The aim of the present work was to assess BMI and factors associated with overweight and obesity in a representative sample of general population of a small city of Western Sicily (Italy).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods&lt;/strong&gt;: four hundred and eleven randomly selected adult subjects from general population living in a small Sicilian city with 7 144 inhabitants were interviewed by a standardized questionnaire investigating life-styles, eating h…

PROTOCOLLI ASSISTENZIALI (P.A) PER LA GESTIONE DELLE PATOLOGIE MAGGIORMENTE RAPPRESENTATE AL PS DELL'A.O.U.P. "P. GIACCONE" DI PALERMO

Metodo per la genotipizzazione di HIV-1 e relativi kit diagnostici per la rilevazione di farmaco-resistenza (geni GAG/POL).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns a laboratory method for genotyping human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) through gene sequencing of pol. It allows to detect the nucleotide mutations conferring resistance to antiretroviral drugs active to pol. The present method allows to analyze also low viraemia samples at around 101 -102 copies HIV-RNA/ml. This method offers the advantage of being easily adaptable to both plasma and cellular samples and is therefore able to value "in advance" the genetic mutations potentially involved in the resistance phenomena to anti-retroviral drugs, even in patients with optimal/sub-optimal virologic control. The kit use the one-step RT-PCR…

Igiene, epidemiologia e organizzazione sanitaria orientate per problemi

WILLINGNESS TO RECEIVE COVID-l9 VACCINATION IN COSTUMERS ACCESSING COMMUNITY PHARMACIES IN THE PROVINCE OF PALERMO.ITALY.

In Italy, vaccination against COVID-l 9 began on December 27, 2020. To date, 13,7 13,224 people in Italy are fully vaccinated, which accounts îor 25.3 oh of the general population, and 44.804 received at least one vaccination dose. Thc prescnt study aim to investigate willingness to receive COVID-I9 vaccination in costumers accessing a sample of community pharmacies in the Province of Palermo, Italy. A self- administered and anon),rnous questionnaire was carried out among costumers older than 18 ycars old between Dcccmbcr 2020 atrd March 2021. Three hundred and sixty-three subjects were enrolled in the study, 259 (71.3%) expressed their willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination. The main …

Epidemiologia Molecolare del virus dell'Immunodeficienza Umana (HIV-1 e HIV-2)

Il ruolo dell’immigrazione nelle dinamiche dell’epidemiologia molecolare del virus HIV-1: analisi filo-geografica di varianti virali non-B in individui nativi italiani e migranti in Sicilia.

Obiettivi Sebbene il subtipo B di HIV-1 sia prevalente in Europa Occidentale, virus ascrivibili ai genotipi non-B stanno rapidamente diffondendosi in questa area geografica, specialmente a causa dai flussi immigratori da regioni endemiche. La Sicilia, vista la sua posizione centrale nel bacino del Mediterraneo, rappresenta una delle principali porte di ingresso per i migranti in Europa, in particolare dall’Europa orientale, dall’Africa e dal sud-est asiatico. L’obiettivo del presente studio è stato valutare la prevalenza, le caratteristiche molecolari e le dinamiche geografiche di varianti virali di HIV-1 non ascrivibili al subtipo B in una coorte di individui infetti non sottoposti a terap…

Prevalenza di infezione da patogeni a trasmissione ematica (HIV,HBV,HCV)in tossicodipendenti afferenti ai SERT dell'area palermitana

Background. Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is primarily caused by human herpesvirus (HHV)-8 infection, and the risk is increased with high HHV-8 lytic or latent antibody titers or the detection of HHV-8 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Host genes important for control of HHV-8 infection are not well characterized. Methods. In 172 HHV-8 latent nuclear antigen (LANA)-seropositive adults in Italy without KS, we examined correlations of common variants in host immune genes with the detection of HHV-8 DNA in PBMCs and with high lytic and latent antibody titers. Twenty-eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 14 genes were analyzed. We detected HHV-8 DNA in PBMCs with real-time amplificati…

Prevalenza di infezione da HBV in donne gravide a Palermo,2001-2003

Salvate Eva in Sicilia: indagine conoscitiva 2016 sull’adesione allo screening organizzato del cervicocarcinoma.

In Sicilia, a fronte di un incremento dell’estensione dello screening organizzato del cervicocarcinoma, non corrisponde un aumento dell’adesione. Nei mesi di gennaio-giugno 2016 è stata condotta un’indagine trasversale somministrando un questionario standardizzato a un campione di 365 donne, per descrivere le ragioni del fenomeno e promuovere interventi mirati. Per le variabili di atteggiamento e conoscenza è stato utilizzato l’Health Belief Model, che ha esplorato la percezione della donna della suscettibilità (rischio di sviluppare il cancro), della gravità della patologia e dei benefici derivanti dal pap-test. Dai risultati emerge che il 66,6% delle intervistate ha effettuato un pap- tes…

Isolation of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in raw and treated water in Palermo

Associations of classic Kaposi sarcoma and haplotypes of IL8, IL8RB and IL13