EXTENDED VALIDATION OF DYNAMIC IRREVERSIBLE THERMOPORATION: A NOVEL THERMAL PROCESS FOR MICROBIAL INACTIVATION

A novel thermal treatment for microorganism inactivation, characterized by a very rapid temperature increase (up to 30C/s) and a low final temperature (up to 65C) maintained for a relatively short holding time, has been recently presented and tested by the authors, showing microbial load reduction greater than 5 log units against several common bacteria and yeasts. With the aim of extending the possible use of the new thermal treatment to a wider microorganisms class, in this work the dynamic irreversible thermoporation (DIT) treatment was further tested on a well-known thermoresistant strain, the Enterococcus hirae: The results of these new experimental tests confirmed the reliability of t…

In vitro evaluation of the antibacterial activity of cured dentin/enamel adhesive incorporating the antimicrobial agent MDPB

The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro the antibacterial effect of a dentin/enamel adhesive containing MDPB (Clearfil Protect Bond) after curing and to compare it with an adhesive not containing MDPB (Clearfil SE Bond). The antibacterial effect of the cured adhesives was tested on Enterococcus faecalis by the evaluation of growth inhibition in a 48-h microplate direct contact test (DCT). The presence of antibacterial activity due to soluble components was also investigated by an agar diffusion test (ADT) performed with the adhesives cured on the surface of dentin disks. In the DCT, both the tested materials showed complete inhibition of bacterial growth until the 7-h reading, reg…

High prevalence of integron-mediated resistance in clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica

Salmonella enterica has become progressively resistant to antimicrobial agents worldwide as a result of genes carried on different classes of integrons. The aim of the current study was to investigate the molecular diversity of these integrons and their association with antimicrobial resistance in clinical S. enterica isolates from Tehran, Iran. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The presence of integrons was investigated by PCR using specific primers. Integrons were detected in 65 (47.1%) strains, with classes 1 and 2 being observed in 54 (39%) and 11 (8%) strains, respectively. Integron-positive isolates belonge…

The occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Shigella spp. in Tehran, Iran

Background and Objectives: The emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Shigella spp. is of increasing clinical concern specially in children worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Shigella spp. in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: The study included all Shigella isolates recovered from pediatric patients aged less than 12 years admitted to a major pediatric hospital in Tehran, Iran, from 2008 to 2010. Bacterial identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) screening and confirmatory tests were performed according to the standard guidelines. Conjugal tr…

DETECTION OF A NEW VIM TYPE METALLO-BETA-LACTAMASE (VIM 11) IN A PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA CLINICAL ISOLATE FROM ITALY

Surveillance of enteric virus infections in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective. To investigate the epidemiology of neonatal viral gastroenteritis compared to the circulation of enteric viruses in children, 109 newborns in the NICU of Mother and Child Department and 214 children with enteritis admitted to the “G. Di Cristina” Children’s Hospital in Palermo were monitored for Rotavirus, Adenovirus, Astrovirus and Norovirus infections. Methods. Stool samples were examined by EIA to detect viral antigens. Rotavirus strains were subjected to P- and G-typing. Results. A Norovirus strain was detected in one neonatal stool specimen whereas an astrovirus strain was dectected in two neonatal specimens. No Rotavirus or Adenovirus infection was identified among the newb…

TRAUMI E TRAUMATISMI ASSOCIATI ALLA PRATICA SPORTIVA

Trend in rifampicin-, multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in Italy, 2009-2016

In Italy, rifampicin-resistant and MDR-TB were high in foreign-born persons, but decreased from 2009 to 2016

Use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for comparison of similar but distinguishable isolates of Shigella sonnei collected in Ireland and Italy

ABSTRACT Comparison of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns (generated with XbaI and BlnI) of Shigella sonnei isolates from Ireland and Italy suggests that two possibly distantly related lineages are present in both countries. Smaller, more closely related groups, including isolates from Ireland and Italy, were also noted. These groups raise the possibility that the dissemination of clonal groups of S. sonnei may have occurred in recent years.

Impact of the abolition of food handler certification on notification rates of foodborne diseases in Italy

to assess the trends of foodborne diseases in respect of the abolition of food handler certification by Italian Regions.

Identification of Shigella sonnei biotype g isolates carrying class 2 integrons in Italy in 2001-2003

ABSTRACT Phenotyping and genotyping have been carried out on 64 epidemic and sporadic isolates of Shigella sonnei identified in Italy in the years 2001 to 2003. Class 2 integron carriage has been also investigated. Isolates from four of the five outbreaks and four of six sporadic cases were biotype g , pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type B, and class 2 integron positive, suggesting emergence and spread of an epidemic clone in Italy.

A fitness index model for Italian adolescents living in Southern Italy. The ASSO project

BACKGROUND: Strong relations between physical fitness and health in adolescents have been established in the last decades. The main objectives of the present investigation were to assess major physical fitness components in a sample of Italian school adolescents, comparing them with international data, and providing a Fitness Index model derived from percentile cut-off values of five considered physical fitness components. METHODS: A total of 644 school pupils (15.9�1.1 years; M: N.=399; F: N.=245) were tested using the ASSO-Fitness Test Battery (FTB), a tool developed within the Adolescents and Surveillance System for the Obesity prevention project, which included the handgrip, standing br…

A food borne outbreak of Salmonella enterica serotype Brandenburg as a hint to compare human, animal and food isolates identified in the years 2005-2009 in Italy.

Introduction. There are only a few reported cases of Salmonella enterica serotype Brandenburg foodborne outbreaks in the literature. In Italy Brandenburg is consistently present among the top-ten serotypes from human source, but at low prevalences. Methods. Fifty-five S. Brandenburg isolates from human, animal, environmental and food sources, including twelve isolates from a foodborne outbreak, were genotyped by PFGE. Results and Discussion. Eight pulsogroups and 19 pulsotypes were detected, with a unique pulsotype being attributed to the outbreak strains. Molecular subtyping can reliably complement the epidemiological investigations. Moreover, mapping molecular types of Salmonella isolates…

La sorveglianza della tubercolosi in Sicilia

Obiettivi. Descrivere l’andamento dei casi di tubercolosi (TB) in Sicilia negli anni 2010-2013. Disegno e partecipanti. Indagine osservazionale delle notifiche di TB relative agli anni 2010-2013 mediante l’analisi dei dati del Sistema informativo delle malattie infettive (SIMI) e indagine epidemiologico-molecolare mediante tipizzazione spoligo- e 24- loci mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable number of tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) dei ceppi di Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) isolati a Palermo negli anni 2012-2013. Risultati. Negli anni 2010-2013 sono stati notificati in Sicilia 876 casi di TB con un tasso medio annuale di notifica pari a 4,4 casi per 100.000 abitanti.…

Awareness of Childhood Obesity as a Health Hazard Amongst a Sample of Parents Living in an Inner-City Area of Palermo, Italy

Prevalence of overweight and obesity is approximately 40% in Sicilian schoolchildren at age 11 and over 25% at age 15. The objective of this study was to evaluate knowledge, perception and awareness of the obesity as a condition amongst a sample of parents living inner-city areas of Palermo, Italy. A cross-sectional survey was performed enrolling 311 parents/gradients of children attending schools located in inner district of Palermo, Italy, with low to medium income. Association of answer patterns with socio-demographic characteristics was evaluated by univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Although 83% considered weight excess in childrenas a health hazard, 30% considered it as …