0000000000220561
AUTHOR
V. Marchese
Add-on peginterferon alfa-2a to nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy for Caucasian patients with hepatitis B ‘e’ antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B genotype D
Nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) and peginterferon have complementary effects in chronic hepatitis B, but it is unclear whether combination therapy improves responses in genotype D-infected patients. We conducted an open-label study of peginterferon alfa-2a 180 μg/week added to ongoing NA therapy in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative, genotype D-infected patients with HBV DNA <20 IU/mL. The primary endpoint was proportion of patients with ≥50% decline in serum HBsAg by the end of the 48-week add-on phase. Seventy patients received treatment, 11 were withdrawn at week 24 for no decrease in HBsAg, and 14 withdrew for other reasons. Response rate (per-protocol population) was 67.4% (29/43) at…
Blood and body fluids exposure of healthcare workers in a university hospital of Palermo, Italy: a fourteen years long surveillance.
Background Healthcare workers are habitually in direct contact with patients, possible carriers of infectious diseases and with potentially infectious biological materials; therefore, the implementation of standard precautions and good working practices represent an intervention strongly recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and required by Italian law, for the prevention of professional cut wounds. The study focused on assessing the exposure frequency and factors related to biological injuries among healthcare workers in a teaching hospital in Palermo, Italy. Methods We performed a 14-years retrospective descriptive analysis on blood and body fluids exposures in he…
Prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use at the university hospital "paolo giaccone", palermo, italy
Introduction. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance are well known major public health threats. The first goal of our study was to describe the prevalence of HAI, while the second goal was to describe the antibiotic consumption at our University Hospital, ?P. Giaccone? in Palermo, Italy. Methods. A standardized methodology for a combined Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospital developed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) was piloted across Europe. The teaching Hospital ?P. Giaccone? in Palermo, Italy, participated in the study Results. Out of 32…
Incidenti occupazionali a rischio biologico nell'Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera Policlinico di Palermo dal 2005 al 2016: indagine descrittiva
Il rischio biologico (RB) in ambito sanitario è universalmente riconosciuto per tutti gli operatori sanitari (OS) esposti al contatto con materiale biologico o strumenti medici potenzialmente contaminati da agenti biologici. In Italia, le esposizioni a RB negli OS sono molto frequenti e rappresentano la prima causa di infortunio (40% di tutti gli infortuni denunciati). MATERIALI E METODI: Un’indagine descrittiva retrospettiva degli incidenti a RB è stata condotta presso l’A.O.U.P. “P. Giaccone” di Palermo analizzando le schede di segnalazione degli incidenti pervenute presso l’U.O. di Prevenzione e Sorveglianza delle Infezioni Ospedaliere negli anni 2005-2016. RISULTATI: Sono stati registra…
Antimeningococcal and antipneumococcal vaccination determinants: A European systematic literature review
Background. ESCULAPIO is a multicenter project, funded by the Italian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, aimed at implementing communication strategies to improve vaccination knowledge and attitudes among different target populations. Objective. The objective of the Sicilian research unit was, in the first phase, to identify, through systematic literature revision, which vaccination determinants play a role in the uptake of recommended vaccines included in the Italian Vaccination Plan. Design. A systematic literature review was carried out on studies describing the determinants underlying pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccination uptake. The analysis was limited to papers published…